Trying To Finish...

...a painting for Becky. I have one more landscape to do after this one and then I'm taking some time to paint a few pics with single subjects in them. I've already 'earmarked' a mockingbird on a fence post as my first.

Hopefully, I can have this one done by early next week. It's already taken me too long but I've been devoting an awful lot of time to my decorative woodcrafts.
I'm looking forward to a new year filled with lots of time for painting...of course, this will come after the twins are in school in the fall!
Happy New Year to one and all!

GIVEAWAY #5!! (CLOSED)

SO many things to make for Christmas! I made a good dent in my wood pile but still SO MUCH to cut out and have ready for inventory next year!

This is just a small sample of some of my Christmas favorites with a few new ones included. Hope you like them!

I Love My Blocks....one side says this...

...and the other side says this!

My "North Pole Santa" painted differently. Do you like the plaid? I Do!

Angelica the split-legged Angel

This is 'Prissy' from Susan Jill Hall's designs. I made one in Christmas colors and the other a Snow Queen.

A Nativity Pot.

This photo does not do justice to my 'Christmas Carol'.

Count Down Santa

Candy Cane door hanger

I bought some of these 'iron' works years ago and am just now using them.

Oh my, but this guy sells every time! I didn't have any yellow feathers so I need to go and get them. He makes me think of Sylvester!

Play my game one more time this year!

Leave me a comment with your name to win.

(ie: Vicky Weaver)

Want a second chance to win?

Leave me ANOTHER comment with your name telling me what you want for Christmas!

(ie: Vicky Weaver: I want some new paint brushes)

Check back with me on Monday to see if you've won. I'm giving away two things unless a previous winner is chosen and then I will pick a third.

Limited to the US, please.

Thanks everyone!!

Vicky :0)

GIVEAWAY #4!! (CLOSED)

I love Thanksgiving! I love cooking the food, eating the food, getting together with family, and the general feeling of 'thankfulness'. But....it doesn't sell. Halloween comes in so fast and then Christmas takes over...Thanksgiving is forgotten. Sad but true...for crafters anyway!

However, here are some of my favorite Thanksgiving pieces with a few of my own designs. I wish I could've done some scarecrows but being sick and 'out of sorts' for 3 weeks has knocked some of the 'umph' out of me. I WILL have some for the craft show though! Take a look!

The last of my hanging pumpkins...about 10"x10"

I love these because they come apart.

This is my 'Hippie' Turkey. He's living for a cause in his dressy leggings and long hair!

This is Tyler Turkey. He's dressed for the table already!

Another door greeter....also 10"x10"

What is Thanksgiving without the Pumpkin Pie?

These are the blocks. One side says Happy Fall (or Fall Happy however you want to look at it!) and the other side says...

Give Thanks. My kids love these!

I also threw in some pre-Christmas. The other side says...

This!

Do you remember how to play this game? Leave me a comment with your name and tell me which one is your favorite.

Want a second chance to win? Leave me another comment with a name for my Hippie Turkey! Yeah, I don't know!!

ie: (Vicky Weaver: I like the Turkey door hanger)

(Vicky Weaver: How does Howard sound?????)

Remember this is limited to the US.

Come back Friday around 7:00 p.m. (EST) and I'll have 2 winners drawn randomly. Did I mention I'm giving away 2 things? Yeah, I am!!

Thanks Everyone!

Vicky

Happy Fall, Y'all!!!

I haven't made the time to get into the many patterns I have for my scarecrows. I love making them but they can take up a bit more time than some of my 'easier' stuff. I'm keeping this guy for my own stock...he's a bit larger and he fits in nicely with my family!

Come back by the week of Nov. 9th for my 4th Giveaway!

It's A Process...

...and it usually starts with this. Wood; whitewood, birch, plywood, cedar, 2 x 4 's; a little of all of it! If you can get scaps, that's even better! Don't forget your blades, your sandpapers, glues, and hardware...it all adds up....and fast!

You need a good sharp pencil to draw out your patterns. Pay attention to your grain if you're using the pine boards! Sure can save your saw blades and the ease in which to cut out the wood. (This is a cabinet grade hardwood, which is even worse on your blades, but worth it since it's some of that scrap I was telling you about that's free! Plus it's got a nice painting surface.)

A good scroll saw can make a big difference...

A 1" belt bench sander can make even a BIGGER difference!

Don't forget to drill all of the holes before starting the sanding process!

Do not underestimate the use of a 4" belt bench sander! I could not even imagine doing all of this without either one of them!

And then you wind up with this; lots and lots of this!

I don't know how a 'crafter' could ever get paid fully for the amount of time they put in to cutting out their own wood. I love being outside, especially when the weather cools to a nice 75 degrees so it's quite enjoyable to me, however, it does take up alot of time! Just another session of 'therapy' for me!

GIVEAWAY #3...(CLOSED)

My, how time flies! I'm happy to say that I've finished the last of my Halloween and have a good start to my Thanksgiving. I can't wait until Christmas painting commences but that will wait until I've exceeded the expectations of twins for their much anticipated mermaid and cowboy costumes!!

Meanwhile....tell me what you think of these!

This is Casper!

You liked the larger pumpkin so much that I decided to make one about 2/3 it's size.

(This one measures 13" by 12")

Haunted Trio

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my fall leaf baskets!

Remember the silhouette of the Halloween Trio in the first Giveaway?

Here it is again with a different look.

Remember the rules?

Just leave me your name in a comment and tell me which one you like best. Want to be counted a second time? Then leave me a separate comment telling me you invited a friend to view my blog!

1st comment (i.e. Vicky Weaver: I LOVE the fall baskets)

2nd comment (i.e. Vicky Weaver: I invited Whitney to stop by)

Random will choose the winner. If a previous winner is chosen then I will choose a 2nd winner, too! Remember, also, that this is limited to the U.S.

Come back on Wednesday (Oct. 21, 2009) at 7:00 p.m. (EST) and I'll let you know who the winner is!

Thanks everyone!

Vicky

GIVEAWAY #2...(CLOSED)

Here's the 2nd part of my 'Fall and Halloween' Giveaway. I enlarged the pictures to make them easier for you to see the images. Rules are the same as last time. Leave me your name in a comment and which item you like best. Want a 2nd chance? Then leave me your name again in ANOTHER comment and tell me what PRICE you'd pay for the item.

(i.e. Vicky Weaver: I like the Lollipop Ghost) for 1st comment

(i.e. Vicky Weaver: I'd give you $1.00 for it) for 2nd comment

Seriously, though, your suggested prices will help to know what a person is willing to pay, especially in this economy (even though this 'stuff' is for next year!) Unfortunately, I'm sure our economy will still be struggling this time next year but we could always hope for a miracle, yes?!!

Large Hanging Pumpkin

' Scaredy Cat' and 'Lollipop Ghost'

Standing Ghost, Boo Letters, Pumpkin Patch (can also hang on the wall/door)

Some of these designs are mine but others are adapted from artists such as Heidi Markish (Standing Ghost).

This Giveaway is open to those only residing in the continental US.

(If by chance, the same person that won last time does so again, I'll give a second item away).

Winners are 'randomly' chosen.
Come back Wednesday evening (7:00 p.m. EST) to see who wins!!
Happy Commenting!

"Giveaway"...(CLOSED)

Yep, it's my first one and the real thing!
I've been teasing you and I'm so glad you're excited!

I'm getting my inventory ready and need to know what the 'public' is thinking out there since it's been awhile. This is just a small selection of what I've been painting. I can't show it all to you at once!!
Here's what you do....
Leave me a comment and tell me which item you like best in the 2 pictures above. That's it! Then come back Saturday evening, (around 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time), and I'll have a winner that will have been randomly chosen. Remember, this is a "Giveaway" so it won't cost you a thing...it's free!

I'll post the next one at the beginning of October with new inventory. I'll continue to do this twice a month until Christmas so make sure you come back and see what I've been up to.

(This 'Giveaway' is limited to those living in the United States. Could you imagine the postage I'd have to pay for international!!) Email me with any questions at VicWeave@aol.com.

Thanks!!
Vicky

Time For A Change....

Do you love 'wood crafts'? Well read on..... Once upon a time, before my twins were born, I actually enjoyed selling my woodcrafts to the public and at craft shows. My business didn't make 'millions' for me but it gave me a feeling of self-worth; a feeling of accomplishment. I've always considered my art to be part of my therapy; a place I can go when I need a 'happy thought'. I love to teach it and to share it with others.

So, for this reason, and also wanting to get my name back out in the public, I am going to be doing some holiday 'Giveaways' until December.

I am going to start with some Halloween Decor, followed by some Thanksgiving, and then some Christmas.

All you'll need to do is leave a comment when you see the title of 'GIVEAWAY'.

Check back every couple of weeks; I'll do about 2 a month. Tell your friends to drop by and visit also. Then again, you might just want to keep the opportunities all for yourself!!

(I won't post one until next week so don't worry about missing it right now.)

Calamity Cat(s)!

What do you get when you combine 2 good friends and a 'non-committal' day with...

a few pieces of this....

with a little of this?

You get 2 adorable Calamity Kitty Cats!!!

(Puddin' is mine on the left and Buttercup, on the right, belongs to Barb!)

It's Finished!!

The fun thing about painting your own pictures is you can make up the stories that go along with it! My water source is a series of lakes that end in a waterfall into the frontal pond. What you don't see is the underground 'spring' system that carries the water to a little river behind the cabin...just in case you're wondering where the water is channeled from the waterfall!!

Something For Primary...

What is it you ask? It's a singing meter! I'm the Primary Chorister for our Ward and it's up to me to have the kids ready for the Sacrament Presentation in the Fall. I saw this pattern in a book. It was printable on paper but I wanted something to last so I made my own pattern pieces and cut it out of some plywood. I have 8 seperate stars with the names of each song they are learning. I have also adhered transparent velcro to the backboard. The stars will move up the meter amongst the '3 degrees of glory' as the children sing, hopefully getting better each time. Of course, their goal is to reach the sun where they will be considered "Celestial Singers". Lets hope it motivates them to learn them all!

I Need An Opinion....

Help me out here....I need to add some foliage in the foreground that will reflect the colors in the sky but what else is this painting lacking besides brightness in the foreground? It looks very dark but that's because of my terrible photography! I'm thinking of a large Evergreen on the right side, (if you're looking at the painting), but am wondering will it 'unbalance' the landscape? I don't want it symmetrical but I don't want it to look 'off' either. I've thought of adding some deer on the left but everyone else is saying no...the pond is the focal. What do you think?