Sweets, you do very good work. How do you get your printing so exact? Good job. Gail

Leslie~ Good for you making another prim convert!! ha They all turned out great!! I want them all!! ha I bet she's tickled pink. So did you use a pattern on any of these or did you do your usual and make your own? I have an artist canvas that I want to do a pic on, but so far haven't found a pattern I like for it. Wish I could draw it out like you do and just go for it. You did a great job on everything. I can't even pick a favorite. :) ~Anj

Thanks for the compliments. It's nice to get compliments from others that paint and craft the same as I do. Someone that has no clue can be easily impressed at nothing (like just slapping a coat of paint on something), ya know! LOL

The wording....I do that all by hand first off. I have used a pencil for years and then had to work to get it off. I just started to use chalk! Why I didn't try that years ago is beyond me! I can write out what I need and if it's not right, I can wipe it off and do it again. Then I sit and paint the lettering on and then go back and touch up a second time. I still end up having to go back and maybe repaint a section or who letter or word back to the basecoat and re-do it at least once every time. It takes a bit but it's more personal to do it myself then to use say a stencil and have the same saying in the same font EVERY time! This allows for me to space the words differently, split into lines, change the style of the lettering or whatever to make it fit the board that I'm working with and the place it's going. I guess I'm also just blessed with good handwriting! LOL

Anj,
It's a little of both. I found the saying somewhere and then picked my own style of how I wanted to write it out. So that I pretty much did on my own.

The half circle saltbox sign, I got the saying from an old 'Tenderheart' catalog. It was used on a stitchery. Then I was looking through old 'Country House' catalog and saw a saltbox and willows and sort of recreated that. I don't really look at the photos much and copy them exactly. I get a general idea from somewhere and then do it in my own way. I add to it if I want and take away. I keep little doodles in a folder, too of say a cute way that I saw a sheep painted or a tree or some style of wording for later use. I use old catalogs, ebay, craft sites, etc for inspiration. I just got lucky and actually got that piece of wood cut that way from the scrap bin at the modular home manufacturer down the road. I have another left yet!

The flag board sort of came from ebay. I was on there looking around a few months ago and found a seller that paints scenes on boards. I never thought to just use a simple board for a picture like that! I have a whole pile of old lumber out here that I realized would be perfect and got to work. Later the woman had an Flag on there but hers had a huge sheep, not a star and I don't think she had the garland, not too sure. I just got the general idea from her and started to create my own.

Beautiful work. Love that perfect printing! Perfect, yes, but hand-done perfect, not stencilly. Your friend must be very pleased.

Susan

I too have been using chalk. It's wonderful. I'm starting to use it more and more when I transfer a pattern. The problem I have with lettering things is I'm left handed. I have to letter from right to left or my hand rubs through what I just painted. It can be a pain and messy too, but as long as I have it chalked out it turns out ok. As long as I don't rub off the chalk! When I paint "one stroke" I have to do that backwards too. Oh well...as long as it looks ok. Gail

All three projects turned out great. I love the saying on the first one--so true. Isn't it wonderful how we can use a few brush stokes to make a piece of wood look really special? Know your friend will love your gifts.

Gail, I am sure being a lefty makes things more difficult since most instructions/examples are not given that way. However, D.Dewberry does often include instruction for left handed people. Have you seen that in her books and worksheets?

Luvs

It just came to me last night that I still have a few old fan blades left. I can use one of them to do a flag like yours to hang from my new shelf. Of course I won't do it exactly the same, but thanks for the idea! Another project added to my to-do list. OH DEAR!! It's a love/hate thing that list! ha :) ~Anj
Oh Gail, wanted to say that must be very hard to adapt things to left hand, but you do it beautifully! ~A

Sweets, great job!! Have you tried soapstone instead of chalk? It is very thin like a pencil, won't rub off as easy as chalk but comes off easily with water. I had to switch because chalk gives me the willies (SP). I can get a really thin line with it since it will sharpen in a pencil sharpener.