My Original Acrylic Portrait Paintings

Another one of my favorite things to do is portrait painting. I hand paint the photo portrait on heavy watercolor paper or stretched canvases. I paint the portaits in values of black usually but can do any color. They look great set up on an art easel, also. They're best viewed from a distance but you have to move in close to check out what's going on.This particular one is of my Mother and her siblings. This photo was taken back in the 1930s.

This one is my Mother. Isn't she beautiful!? Reminds me of the movie Titanic. She was probably around late teens to early 20s in this photo/painting. This one in particular looks 100% better if you stand back so your eyes let the colors blend.
This one is of my Mother-in-Law when she was in her early 20s.

The next one is my Father-in-law obviously in his WWII uniform. It's fun to do other types of paintings as well.

If you're interested in having a photo painted of your loved one; Mom, Dad, Grandparent or favorite pet, let me know. They can be done on heavy watercolor paper and framed very nicely. Usually, I charge $89 for 11" X 18" on heavy watercolor paper. That includes shipping priority. ALSO, if you'd rather paint it yourself, I can easily create the pattern for you and you can transfer it to your own canvas and paint it yoursel!

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My Quilting Days

Don't forget to click on the photos to enlarge them!

These are the quilts I decided to make when I was in the quilting mood. My sister is a wonderful creative quilter and has been encouraging me for years to try it. My first attempt was this borgello quilt! That's me! Try the hardest thing first! This one has no handquilting. Sorry about the fuzzy photo. I'll try another one and change it later.

This quilt is the next one I made. It was a gift to my Mother for her birthday several years ago now. She just loved it. There's photos of us three kids and one of the house she grew up in and one of her and her mother. I always use large pieces and fabric with checks or stripes so I can

follow them easily when doing the hand quilting. There's no need to draw lines. All in all, my quilting experience was fun.

I have two twin size quilts I made using the crazy quilt technique......so easy. Not pictured here.

This is my latest quilt. I love birds so I used large blocks of the bird print and handquilted around the leaves and birds. It's framed with a red and black check and so is the back. Another very very easy fabric to handquilt since you can follow the lines!

One-of-a-Kind Purse/Tote Gallery

Click on each photo for more info

All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Knitting and Loom Knitting

This is a little childs hat I knitted on a Knifter Knitter loom. It's for my friends little girl.

This next one is for my grandson. I haven't seen him for awhile so next time I do, I'll get a picture of him wearing it. Here he is wearing the sweater and mittens I made him for Christmas. Little kids are confused when you attach their mittens to string! Rememer your Mom doing that? I grew up in Minnesota and my kids in Monata so they knew why the mittens are on strings. Ethan is going on 2.

These are my wristwarmers knitted with needles not on a loom. The pattern was on the Net someplace.
This little hat was done with needles and is called the Julia Roberts hat. I added the fun fur instead of using regular yarn just to make it fun and match a purse I made.
This is a shrug made on the largest Knifty Knitter loom. It's hard to wear it and take a picture at the same time so I had to lay it down. It's made with a yarn I picked up at JoAnns without a label or at least I've lost the label but I do know it's got some wool in it.
I have lots of crocheted thing to post one of these days. So come back often.

More Tole Painting

Here's more tole painted items. I can't tell you how many roses I painted! Must be in the thousands by now. Along with the candle sticks, I painted switch plate covers, boxes, lamps, you name it. If someone wanted roses on it, I painted it! Don't forget to click on photos to enlarge.
This next one is the same roses but darker for the older Victorian style. I used a crackle on them.

These next little tiny clay pots were painted with daisys and used for ring holders for when you do your dishes and don't want your rings to get wet. They sold well!
This next item was a class I taught. It was the most popular project I taught! The class always oversold and was turned into two! It features lots of floating.
These cute little placks were made for baby or children. They were especially fun to make.


All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Tole Painting

Make sure you click on the photos to enlarge and see the detail



Some of my tole painted designs were published some were not. This first photo of the lighthouse and fuzzy animals was not published as they are not my personal designs. But I sure enjoyed painting them.

This next one is the design I created to become a certified Craft Designer. I had to create the design and write the instructions. I used a wood box, acrylic paint, decoupage paper and polymer clay for the embellishments on the outside. I used thread and decoupagepaper to embellish the inside. I did pass the test!


Remember the craft show craze? I was right in there with the best of them. I created and sold many many tole painted items in bazaars from small to large! I consigned and sold on Eay! This is just one. I will post more later.




All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Orange Boucle Acrylic Drawstring Purse

Orange Boucle Acrylic Drawstring Purse~Handwash or delicate cycle~Tumble dry low


This little handbag or really a wonderful little drawstring hobo bag is made with a wonderful autumn colored yarn that is a boucle acrylic yarn. It is fully lined and even has a little pocket on the front.

Shiping and handling will be USPS priority

PRICE: $ 19.99

Purse only
no pattern available
each purse is one-of-a-kind as it's designed as I knit






All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Paper Mache

Click on the images to enlarge them to see the detail

I love working with paper mache but this type is a paper mache clay. It's called Celluclay and it's made by Activa. Here's a link to their web site: http://www.reuels.com/reuels/Activa_White_Celluclay_II.html

At one time I used their product for my design work and this is just one of the designs. I actually started wit a chunk of packing foam material that I think came with a new monitor. It was then covered with the Celluclay and when it was dry, I painted it with craft acrylic paints. I made three indentions in the top for the three candles; which are actually little clay pot trays.

The cute little Celluclay bowls were really fun to make. You can see that the one on the left has a crocheted wire embellishment on the outside and the one on the right has a crocheted thread embellisment on the inside. It also has little bone handles. I actually boiled my own chicken bones to use. I know that's weird but it's really done more than you think.


This guy is Celluclay over a cardboard box. I have to admit I went a little overboard with the rust medium but he doesn't look too bad. The face is a wood glue-on much like the medallions you can find at your craft store. I attached it to the box after the paper mache and had to use a caulking around the edge of the wood piece to fill in any gaps. He looks great out on your patio as would the first piece with the candles. Make sure you use a very good polyurathane varnish.

All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Crochet Tote

Pretty little hand crocheted tote with Fun Fur trim and oodles of croched flowers and leaves on the front. The yarn is acrylic and the tote measures 10.5" X 10.5". Strap measures 11" X 2". It is fully lined with a 100% cotton floral fabric. Snap closure. Easy care: machine wash and dry.

Price: $14.99 Shipping: USPS Priority

All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Teal Green Blue Illusion Knit Drawstring Tote

This tote is knitted using my own illusion knit pattern I call Double Diamonds. I used a combination of two acrylic yarns and crocheted the top ripple edge for the drawstring. Drawstring is adjustable and was crocheted. The tote measures approximately 18" X 13.5". The back and lining is a navy blue polar fleece fabric. Completely machine washable in cold water, dry low.

Price: $25.00 Shipping: USPS priority Click on photos to enlarge

All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008

Illusion Knit Drawstring Purse

This brown drawstring purse is one of my favorite designs. I used an illusion knit design and built it as I went. I used Lion Brand Homspun yarn and a dark brown Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn. I knitted in a twisted tassle top edge and used a drawstring I-cord strap. It is completely lined with a 100% cotton fabric. Measurements are approximately: 13" X 10.5" It is completely washable and low temp dry.

Price: $25.00 Shipping: USPS Priority Click on photos to enlarge

All my designs are copyrighted and not for reproduction without my consent. You may use my idea for your own use but not for resale. copyright 2008