Sunday, August 30, 2009

Just Sunday ramblings

So, what's happening? Not much here as I haven't been sleeping well and today has been cloudy and in the low 60s and is now about 57°.

With lack of sleep comes me doing goofy things. I bought a vase back in about 1995 from Pier 1 pictured here on the shelf just above the "EL-YEA" newsprint plate (the one on the top shelf, also from Pier 1 still has the price tag on it!):



Up close:



So I got bored with it, sanded it down and painted it:


Yes, those are Broncos fans - I am watching the game while typing this up...hehe.

I was going to go with an orange but I need more yellow in here to balance out the orange and green I have. I used a basic acrylic paint and while it will take a few coats, I like that it's brushed on. It adds a bit of character. I need to put another coat of "golden straw" on it and then decide what simple geometric pattern to paint on it.

I've grabbed various pictures from a Google search on patterns I like but finding the right one that wont be too hard to paint on there with the nature of the curves is difficult for me. From scale to actually being able to paint on a surface that isn't more uniform (perfectly cylindrical or just plain flat) has me a bit nervous. I am nervous as it is that I may have ruined a good vase but I was bored with the color, it didn't have as much pop as I would like and I already had it on hand.

The vase on the top shelf may meet a similar fate. It is a textured surface so I thought a glossy paint would be fun although I would rather go with a semi-gloss or satin as gloss paint kind of scares me.

Anyhow, with my lack of work, I am constantly mixing things up around here. Sonny (cat) chewed the fake plant that was in the pitcher in my kitchen so it ended up in a vase on my ancient speaker.

Oh that Hobby Lobby piece I painted the other day ended up here:



Another "it needed a place to hang out" like the orange bamboo placemats. I put it there just for grins to cover a nail hole from a picture I put up there before the mirrors went up. I've just left it there and it's grown on me.

On Friday I repotted my plants, seriously trimmed my schefflera (umbrella tree) and my philodendron. Since the move, they have been looking pretty sad. They both survived my stay at Parker Valley though. They didn't get any water for a month and then moving here with a lot less light, they've lost even more of their vigor. Both needed some serious TLC and I hope I didn't love them to death. ;-)

I have a cutting from the schefflera in soil knowing it's a small chance with no rooting hormone, using soil and the particular cutting I used it will grow, but there's hope. I put two cuttings of the philodendron in water instead of soil propagation which I have been successful with in the past but decided not to do it this time.

I guess that's all I have for now. There's just enough juice for my camera to last until Tuesday so if I finish painting the one vase before then, I will certainly post more.

If it weren't so early I would just crawl into bed, watch the game as long as I could and just go to sleep. My brain and body need a very good sleep.

Hope everyone had a fine weekend!

2 comments:

  1. I think it's wonderful that you're painting over and re-imaging objects you have. That pot is almost 15 years old and time for a new look....ever onward! ;-)

    I'm sure you don't lack for inspiration but to see some wonderful patterns painted on rounded surfaces just google 'gourd art.' You'll be lost in exploration for hours so make some fresh coffee!

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  2. musingegret - thanks for the ideas. I had actually run into a few gourd patterns...just updated to show the three ideas I have narrowed it down to.

    The vase itself had a very 90s feel to it so yes, it was time for a makeover. :-)

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