What is Intuitive Painting To Me, and How Do I Do It?

To me intuitive painting means trusting the creative muse to show up and turn my painting into something I love.

This means, I start out with no idea what my painting is going to be.  (a lot like my doodling)

Painting like this is very intimidating, but also very freeing.  Because you just keep going until it becomes what it is supposed to become.

Another question that comes up for me when I am doing a large canvas.  How do I know if I am done, is it finished?  I trust my gut here.  It's something I'll just feel.  Almost like a tap on my shoulder saying stop, it is done.

I love the feeling I get when I am painting, and suddenly I am swept up in the muse.  I don't notice time at all.  Hours can pass in what seems to me like only moments.

Writing for me is the same way.  I remember once when I was working on a novel.  I became so engrossed in what I was writing that I didn't even notice that I had been at it for hours.  In the late afternoon my employer called me and inquired why I hadn't made it to work.  What?  I missed going to work that day without even realizing it.

I guess this is why I struggle to write, or even paint.  I need such a large amount of time to allow myself to find that muse.  Once, I am there, I do not want to be disturbed.  It feels so good to be caught up in all that wonderful creativity. Quitting to make dinner, or go to work is such a rude interruption.

This is a large canvas that I recently painted.  I loved how effortlessly this painting came together. Each hour was pure pleasure.

The Bachman's Spring Revival Ideas House - Part 2 Continued.

Yesterday, I showed you pictures from the Bachman's house and didn't even get inside the house.  So many ideas I want to share with you.  Today, I'll be showing you some unique ideas from the main floor of the home.  I'll only show you a few as I don't want this post to go on and on.  I'm afraid it could.

This mail collector was hanging on the wall in the entry way.  A basket for the mail and keys.

The dining room was really spring like.  The chair pillows were made with two dishtowels,

the cloth napkins are two different colors.  The wine glasses had simple dollar store wire wrapped around the base and coming up forming a leaf.  Plus this burlap table cloth.  I love burlap.

Remind me to show you my kitchen window valances I created months ago using some burlap I got for $8.00.

This trellis is used as a coat rack.  The hooks are old-fashioned glass door knobs.  (yep, I peeked.)

Have you ever considered bringing one of these into your kitchen?  This kitchen had two of them in open cupboards.  Notice the backdrop of the cupboard, is tin.

This shabby window shutter is a clever idea, dressed up with some more wire flowers.  It made for a nice statement wall in the back entry.

I was a bit enamored with this unique shelf on the wall in this small bathroom.  I'm not sure what the rounded bottom is, then they adhered a flat shelf on top.  I also like the tin behind the mirror.

There were lots of little areas where things were hanging from the ceiling.  This corner was filled with colorful baubles (not sure what they are)  They reflected the suns light and added beauty to the sunroom.

Ever seen one of these?  I think they use this to feed the pigs on the farm.  Now it is transformed as a side table with a fairy garden growing under the glass.

This is a stain glass window cling.  Really? You can not tell.

I'm always looking for ways to add healthy greenery to my rooms.  I love this chandelier and the candelabra filled with moss balls.  Just adds freshness, don't you think?

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing some of the ideas that inspired me.  Perhaps, tomorrow I will share the upper floor of the house.  There were just a few things that caught my eye.

Thanks for visiting the blog.

Virginia

Minnesota Bachman's Spring Revival Ideas House

Today, on a whim I decided to go check out Bachman's Spring Revival Ideas House.  It was so inspiring.

Bachman's is a floral, gift, garden and landscaping store.  It's a family business that has been in business since 1885. Today, it has grown to be one of the largest floral and nursery operations in the world.

I haven't been there in years.  The place is huge.  I was surprised to find a restaurant in the middle of it with tables set up in the green house.  The place was packed.  It's definitely a place I'm going to go have lunch at sometime soon.

The ideas house was built in the 1920's and is where Mr. Bachman and his family lived. Designers paint, furnish and decorate the house each season.  

The house is full of great ideas for things to make, ways to decorate, interesting ways to add plant life, etc.  Each room has a theme, with a nice mix of new, repurposed and vintage pieces. 

Most every item in the house is priced for sale too.  So, if you love it, you can buy it.

Here are some photo's.  I'll show you what inspired me.

I like the way they have decorated the entrance of this shed.  The art is hanging on small shovels with rope.

Here is the back of the shed, I love the flowers.

On the outside of the shed they decorated the windows with burlap and vines, then a plank to hold an assortment of garden boots with flowers.  

A treasure chest with hand-painted word art.

I thought this window box was really lovely with all the greenery, flowers, the wood vines and I'm loving those birch rolls.

These ideas were all from the outside of the house.  Tomorrow come on back, and I'll take you on the tour of the main floor of the house for some more inspiration.

If you want to check out the house yourself, you'll have to act fast.  It closes this weekend.

Thanks for checking in,

Virginia

Trisha Yearwood's Skillet Apple Pie Made In A Cast Iron Skillet.

A couple weeks ago, I made Trisha Yearwood's recipe for an Apple Pie in a cast iron skillet. 

It was so delicious that I thought I better share it with you guys.

Believe me, you're going to want to try it.

I love watching Trisha's cooking show.

I'm inspired each week to make one of her meals.

It's really fun and so far all the meals have been awesomely delicious.

This apple pie is so easy, I actually had my 19 year old son, Stone make it.

The photo here is copied from the Food Network.

Unfortunately, my photos were blurry.

Here's the link to watch the video and get the recipe details.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/skillet-apple-pie-with-cinnamon-whipped-cream.html

Let me know what you think.

Sketching With My #Gellyroll Pens

Sakura Gelly Roll Pens - So Good!

I fell in love with Sakura Gelly Roll Pens a couple years ago.
I asked my sister to get them for my Christmas present one year.
I love making art with these pens.
The paint just oozes out of them in the perfect amount.
They last a long time too.
They glide easily across the page with little effort.

Plus, there's so many colors to choose from.

I buy them all:

Souffle
Stardust
Metallic
Shadow
Moonlight
Classic

You can buy them at lots of places.

Here's a link:
http://www.gellyroll.com/

Hopefully this week, I will take some photos of some art I made with them and get them posted.

Thanks so much for checking in.

What exactly is doodling?

I can't talk on the phone without doodling.  It's helps me connect to my conversation.  I'm not good at doing multiple things at a time but doodling helps me focus.  It helps me relax.  It gets my creative juices flowing.

What is your go to doodle?  

What do you scribble when you have a fresh piece of paper and a great pen in your hands?  

Start with a bunch of circles.  Fill the page with the circles, shade them, outline them,  and fill them in.

Maybe your doodle is drawing hearts, or writing your name, or the word LOVE.

My doodles always start with a circle and then I make that circle into a flower.  I like all shapes, lines, etc.  

Pattern thrills me!

I encourage you to FIND YOUR DOODLE.

It's good for the brain. 

Author Sunni Brown says doodling enhances our creativity.  

The reason for this is because while doodling we use our brain in 3 different ways.

Visually - we are seeing what we are drawing.

Kinesthetic - we're using our hands to draw.

Auditory - we are processing information by listening to what is being said.

It enhances how we take in information.  I also read that it helps our memory.  If these aren't good reasons to start doodling then I don't know what is.

It's just... fun!