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From Uggly to Bootiful

I just couldn’t resist using that title on this post. :)  Going downstairs this morning, I found my boots all dry and cute and ready for the finishing touches.

In this close up, you can see some of the details a little better. Remember, you can click on any of the images and see them full sized.  


  




I got out my dimensional paints and a bottle of fabric glitter paint and got started.  I used the glitter paint around the white daisies.  When it dries they will have some sparkle.  I like sparkle.

I like to add touches of color here and there.  

So, I put some blue on the daily petals.  The rose was outlined with a color called watermelon.  The leaves were done with a pearlescent green and teal.  And as you can see in the photo, I put a touch of pink on the tips of the leaves.

 

Here are the ugg knock-offs all prettied up.  Now, for some colder weather!

Flower Power

 The paint is nice and dry now on the boots.  Let's begin with the white for the daisies.  That's an easy color to mix.  ;)  Remember to add an equal amount of textile medium. The red marker that I used tends to bleed through. When I let the paint dry in between coats, it covers just fine. 

I mixed up a couple of greens using Bright Yellow and Dark Blue by Craftsmart.  Here is how they look with the first coat on leaves, stems, daisies and Carousel Pink by Americana on the roses.  

I began second coats in the same order, because that gave time for each to dry a bit.  I added hints of blue on the daisies.  The daisy centers are a mix of Cherry Cobbler by Craftsmart mixed with Carousel Pink and Bright Yellow.  

The painting is all done.  Again, I will let them sit over night to completely dry.  Tomorrow, I will put on the finishing touches using dimensional paints.  Then, they will be ready to wear!!  ~~

Boots Cutified

Let's get started on those boots! 

Here, you can see some of the paints I will be using while painting these boots.  Along with the paints, I use a product called Textile Medium made by Delta Ceramcoat.  The medium helps to keep the paint more flexible on the surface that you are painting.  I use about the same amount of medium as of paint. 

I line pie tins with aluminum foil to make it easy for clean up. 








Since I intend to wear them with denim jeans, I thought it might be nice to paint them in colors that would look nice with denim.  Knowing that the paint dries darker than what you mix, I mixed up a light denim looking blue using Dark Blue by Craftsmart bought at Michael's and Snow White by Americana bought at Hobby Lobby.  I also added a tad of black to mute it a little.  And don't forget to add the textile medium. 






I painted all the way around the top half of the boots.  When mixed with medium the paint is a little more translucent and you may want more than one coat.  I painted two coats.

This is how they look with the tops done.

 For the trim near the sole, I mixed a darker version of the top color.  I just used less of the white and more of the blue and black.  And you can now see that the tops have dried a darker color.

Aqua is my favorite color - the color of a pool in summer!  There had to be some aqua on my boots!  So, I chose it as the background color for the base of the boot. The base took two coats, even three in some areas, to cover. 

And here you have the first stage in painting the boots.  I am going to leave them to dry over night before I begin on the flowers.  I like them more already!  ~~

Boot Redo

I love Uggs.  I have several pairs of them.  I have a couple of knock-offs, too.  One such pair is rust colored that I bought several years ago at Costco.  It is a nice and cozy pair, just like the real thing.  The problem is I don't like the color.  At all.  In the winter when it is wet and snowy or rainy, I wear them.  I certainly wouldn't wear my pretty lavender, pink, or turquoise ones.  They would be ruined.  The rust colored ones work perfectly for this, because we do have a lot of red dirt around here.  However, I don't spend a lot of time in the dirt, but rather in wet parking lots while shopping.  When I dress in the morning, I look down at my feet and say, "You poor things, you need something cozy and CUTE!"

After wearing them as rust for years, I placed them in my studio with the intentions of not letting myself wear them again until they were 'cutified'.  Today, I began that project!

First, I began by drawing the design onto the boot.  I paint tennis shoes frequently and this is just a little bit more area to paint, but just as fun. 

These photos show the basic pattern that I am envisioning.

 

Then, I dug out all of my paints and discovered that I was out of white!  Oh no!  Well, that just meant a fun trip to Hobby Lobby to buy some.  Thankfully, all 2 oz. bottles of fabric/craft paints were 30% off today.  The trip to Hobby Lobby set me back, (I spend hours there looking at THINGS) enough that I didn't get to the painting of the boots today. ~~

Button Rings

This morning, I decided to look through my collection of craft ideas waiting to be tried.  Deciding on 'button rings' I went downstairs to my studio to dig through my buttons.  Also collecting my jewelry making supply tin, I headed back upstairs ready to begin. 

I created two lovely rings with supplies on hand.  It was very simple and I plan on doing this with my granddaughters this summer.  You can read about and learn this craft here.

I tried making one with two different gauges of wire.  First, I tried 24 gauge.  I felt that it was too thin, so I made a second ring using 20 gauge.  I like it better. Here's a view of my two creations.

Now, you have no excuse for not having a ring to match your outfit!  :)  Hmmm...one more thing to watch for at thrift stores and garage sales - fancy buttons! 

Happy Friday to you...

Friends and Frappuccinos

Last Saturday, three of my friends came over for the day.  They had asked me if I would teach them how to paint with watercolors.  They arrived at 10 am. I made some frappuccinos to enjoy while we painted. 

First, we taped our paper to a board then mixed up a soft glaze of their choice of color.  We painted a light wash on our papers, then applied plastic wrap to the paper.  This creates a mottled design as a base.  We set those aside to dry. 

Our next step was to learn a little about hard and soft edges while we painted some roses.  That was fun.  When we finished with that painting, we took a break for a lunch of potato soup and home baked bread. 

After lunch, we removed the plastic wrap from our boards.  I passed out identical pictures to each lady and they spent a little time drawing the magnolia onto their paper.  Then I showed them techniques to use painting the flower.  Some expressed that watercolor was harder than they had anticipated.  We had a great day and are looking forward to getting together again in the future. 

I have painted six times from the same photograph.  I never tire of it.  I think magnolias are beautiful.  Each time I paint this flower's photo, the result is different.