My life is to make everything around me beautiful.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Painting Roses

Okay, I have to confess - I am a rose-painter-wanna-be! Yep, I have practiced painting roses for about a year now - off and on. Mostly off!! I am soooo bad. I've tried Donna Dewberry and several less famous painters to no avail. I have to tell ya that she has nothing to fear from me. Sad, but true. I've always told my ebay groups that I'd share how I've progressed and you can see I use that term very loosely! Veerrrry loosely.

My style is a cross between Monet with his hand in bandages, Mary Cassatt blindfolded, Rocky Racoon using his feet and Grandma Moses on steriods. Not purdy at all. :-( I've just about given up. Sometimes they come out better than other times but this past weekend up in the mountains was one of the "pathetic attempt" times. But in the interest of completely humiliating myself I'll show you how bad it can get. There is no hope for me painting roses.

I do, however, do a decent whimsical faux cupcake and bird. And my bird nests are becoming fairly decent.....whimsically speaking, of course. The ones below hang in my home and will continue to hang in my home. They will go to my children and I hope they don't sell them in a yard sale for 25¢ and humiliate their mother further. I just know if they did that then someone would bargain them down to a dime!!

I noticed in the last couple of days that I've just gone over the 24,000 mark of people who have stopped in to view my blog. I cannot tell you how I appreciate anyone and everyone who looks in on my musings and my blessed life. I enjoy hearing from each and everyone of you. So, in that spirit, I'm going to be doing a painting for a giveaway when the time comes that will hit the 25,000 mark. Please don't let that scare you off!! I'll try my best, I promise. It may be whimsical cupcakes or a bird nest with perhaps a bird on it. I'm not sure yet. But I'll get busy on it this week and post how it looks when I'm done. I just ask that you hang it proudly in your home, even if it is the bathroom or the back wall of your clothes closet, and not laugh when showing it to visitors. It will be on canvas and in a simple frame.

So view the "paintings" below and get a feel for what you are in for. I'll announce the giveaway with the least amount of fanfare so as to not embarrass my family further. With that I wish you luck in winning or not winning, whichever you prefer, chickadees!! Well, at least it will be an original!! :-) Bonne chance, my little sweet chicks!






And these are the practice roses for the past year or so. I think I need to practice on a regular basis because there is a clear "backslide"! Painting roses is the hardest thing I've ever tried to accomplish. I truly TRULY admire anyone who can paint them; this is NOT an easy thing to do.















25 comments:

  1. Oh you did a good job.. I want to learn how to paint too.. but I am so bad.. it didn't turn out as what it should be.. hehehehehe.. but yours are pretty.. well, practices make perfects!

    have a good weekend sugar bun!.. hehehehe
    xoxoxxo
    smoochies!

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  2. Hey Connie! no reason to be embarrassed at all dear! I can really see some growth in your paintings and how they are evolving over time, and I especially love your bird nests!

    Thanks for your sweet words on my blog today ox

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  3. CONNIE!!!!! your birds nests are divine and your roses are not any where as bad as you think, in fact a lot of them are very good! I have tried to paint them also, tricky business! Well I would be honoured to win a piece of your art!!! You are gorgeous and funny! Rachaelxo

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  4. Connie you are getting there! keep at it, they're looking good!!!, I think to paint everyday is the secret, I know it sounds easier said than done!
    Go fot it Connie!!!

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  5. your blog is eye candy for the soul! wow, so much sweet pink. i needed paited roses the other day for a project i made (3 posts back on my blog) but i settled for taking a picture of roses.
    i love your stuff
    take care
    karin from sunny south africa
    xx

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  6. Connieness! Oh, darling, you're way too hard on yourself. Your roses are looking good! Your bird's nest are precious! I would love to be able to paint these lovely roses too. I have a Donna Dewberry book and love the pictures, but never did pick up a paint brush! lol

    Thanks for popping in to see me, I've missed you! Glad you had a fun weekend.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  7. Morning girl!!! Lordy girl if I could make a rose & bird nestt look that beautiful...I'd have it framed & hanging in my house and would even give a copy to all my folks to have in their homes! lol lol You did good girl...there is no telling what you'll be painting a year from now! Take care and have a beautiful weekend!

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  8. Connie, I had to laugh at this post because I have sheets and sheets of "trying to paint roses" too. I wish someone around here would give classes on painting roses but I guess it's not meant to be. Glad you are back safe and sound from your camping trip. Motel Six is my idea of camping. :) Lynn

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  9. I LOVE your roses!! I studied different painters, mostly DDewberry, and really like that yours are unique and very soft. I'm actually trying to accomplish what you have done here ~ take something you've learned and make it all your own. So don't give up. And your cupcakes are ADORABLE. That's something I've been wanting to do for awhile, but at the moment I'm trying to get Gingerbread Men figured out so that I can get them painted for my holiday stuff.

    Keep going with it.
    Crystal

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  10. I have always wanted to learn to paint roses, but have never pursued. I'm so impressed with what you have done. I really need to try it.

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  11. I think your roses are sweet. I can see improvement and the bird nests are wonderful!

    Have a nice day.

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  12. Connie...you do a wonderful job at painting...I love the bird nests!

    Have a great weekend and hugz,
    Michele

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  13. Hey Connie!

    I think your flowers actually look quite nice! Keep practicing, they will only get better :-)

    -Elizabeth

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  14. Hi Connie ~ Just stopped by to catch up and say hello.. Your paintings are great.. Keep it up.. painting is good for the soul.

    Deb

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  15. Well I would proudly hang up on of your paintings in my house. I wish I could do 1/2 as good as you do.

    I can't even paint a stick figure so don't feel bad.

    I would love to have a cupcake picture as my good friend is having a cup cake theme party for her birthday this year and it would be darling in the basket I'm making her.

    Hugs,
    Joanne

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  16. I have done the trying to be an artist thing and have found it's not my niche. My sister on the other hand rocks at it. She can paint you out of town. I can't think of what to paint and she just sits down and paints or draws something and it's beautiful.
    My talent is singing and hers drawing and painting.

    But your doing well at it I must say.

    Have a great weekend.

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  17. Connie, you're so funny, most of them are actually very good. I would love to have one of your originals. Deb

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  18. Your talents are limitless!!!!I left you a little award a few posts back when you were roughin' it in the wilderness with your sweet hubby!

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  19. Your paintings are perfect !! I love them ~ Isn't it funny how when we stare at our own work for too long, it doesn't look as good as we would like but to others it looks great ~
    xoxo,
    Lori

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  20. They say you need to paint a 1000 roses before you will like them. lol. Isn't it fun to learn new things! I would be proud to win one of your originals!! Laurei

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  21. WHAT?!?! You're giving away your ARTWORK?!?! I thought you told me it would be worth a fortune after you've gone to heaven? Oh well, there goes my inheritance.....LOL!

    I can see the progress and I think you're too hard on yourself. I won't even TRY so you've got it all over me any day!

    I love you Mom!!!

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  22. oooh Connie you gorgeous bundle of love n sunshine !
    You make me laugh so much!
    I for one would be HONOURED to win one of your paintings, and i would hang it in my office and think of you each time i saw it !
    You keep practising...find your own style, dont be influenced by other peoples roses..just let it flow chickie! Took me a long time to work that out and its the best thing to do.
    You are doing great!

    Luv Ya
    Shann xxx

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  23. I just LOVE all you paint, sweetie. And not just because you are my sister! Grandma Moses, my foot!

    You know, I'm loving those cuppy cakes! You do an AWESOME job on those & I have a mania for cupcakes right now!!

    Love you,
    Stephanie
    Angelic Accents

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  24. Connie, I'm a discouraged rose painter too! I try and try and they just don't come out the way I want them to. I'll just have to buy my rose paintings and use decals on my projects. LOL

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  25. You are waaaaayyyy too hard on yourself! I think alot of those roses are quite lovely! And your bird's nest so sweet! I think your children will absolutely cherish them! I know I would! If I see your giveaway I will enter it!

    I adore your blog, it's on my favorites list!

    Margie

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Comments are so nice and I thank all of you that leave one for me.