New for January

It's been a while since I posted anything new....been a very hectic couple of months!! First pic today is a cute little sampler from a Terrye French "Painting With Friends" pattern, and a couple of little memo boxes I painted up to match.
Next is another painted sampler....this on is an older Kim Klassen pattern, found in Create and Decorate magazine (my fave!!)
Third is another Terrye Friend PWF pattern (more about them later!!) done on a half-circle...I love anything Americana!!
Last pic is an adaptation of a Sue Allemand pattern from a few years ago.....very simple but an awesome sentiment.

Now for some good news.....I "applied" to be part of the Terrye French "Painting With Friends" pattern group and was accepted!! If you aren't familiar with the group, Terrye provides the line drawing pattern, and one of the "friends" paints it, developing the palette and painting directions. The patterns are listed as "Designed by Terrye French, painted by---", and are for sale on the Painting With Friends blog. I recently received my first pattern, a cute little group of bunnies......and am finding that it isn't as easy as it seems, but I am determined to get it right!! Will be posting the results once they are accepted by Terrye and her co-ordinator, Deb Antonick.

Hope to be updating my calendar in the next few days, it is woefully out of date!! Have a few tentative show plans (Country Chicks in May, Funky Junk Sisters in June) but nothing definite yet....hope to do at least one more summer or fall show, plus my usual holiday season shows.

Be sure and check us out on Facebook too, www.facebook.com/pages/PrimWorks.

Also, my dear friend Lisbeth Stull launched her website this weekend (www.lisbethstull.com) where she is selling some of her amazing decorative painting patterns. I especially love "Chef Boo"!! Check it out!!

First craft show of the season was a success!!

This pic shows my booth at the Country Creations show in Bellevue this weekend. Had a great show, looking forward to doing more shows with Sandy next year.
This is one of the new pieces I finished for the show. It is an old soup stock pot, done up in an adaptation of a Kim Klassen pattern.
This is from a Terrye French "Painting With Friends" pattern.....the wood piece is something I "rescued" from a building that was being renovated.....got a bunch of scrap pieces to "repurpose"
This is a little set of nesting boxes, done with simple little prim scenes...
And one last picture of my Country Creations booth.....I really really stuffed the booth as it was small....plus this is a "boutique" show, meaning I am not manning the booth and re-stocking as things sell, so I kind of have to "overfill" so open spots are not so obvious....

This show was a great success, so I am going to be painting like crazy to restock for my remaining shows. Next up is the Funky Junk Sisters "Junk Salvation" Vintage Flea Market Nov 4 & 5 in Puyallup. Will have lots of vintage "smalls" for this show, plus am working on a few painted furniture pieces.

Beginning with the Funky Junk show, I will be displaying a "Four Season" chair that I painted. I am raffling off the chair to raise money for a charity I work with, Pierce County Santa Cops. Tickets will be $2 each or 3/$5. It is a single chair with four different (removable) seats for the four seasons. I will display the chair and sell the tickets at all my Pierce County shows this year. Check back for pictures.

Be sure and check us out on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/primworks

Back soon!!

Let the craft show season begin.......

Has been a while since I posted, so have several pictures....first is a Santa from a Terrye French pattern....this is done on a mink board, and the reverse side has a darling pumpkin and crow....not sure if I posted that pic on the blog or not.....
Next picture shows some of the snowman "army" I have painted up.....
I call these "mood blocks"......just turn them to reflect your mood for the day!!!
These are some cute little resin snowmen and Santa ornaments....from a Susan Kelley pattern from Artists Club
And last, our first class project of the year......little "ghostie gourds"....my dog loved these, she thought they were a play toy.......so very happy to be back painting with my "classmates"....I missed them!!

Had a chance to hit the decorative painting convention trade floor in Portland 2 weeks ago, got some great patterns and surfaces......plus this past weekend was filled with all the awesome sales and shops in the Chehalis/Rochester/Olympia area.....Country Chicks, Pole Barn Primitives, Deep Creek Barn, Country Shed....we hit them all!!! Have lots more goodies to "re-purpose"!!

My first craft show of the season is Country Creations at Vasa Park Resort in Bellevue, Oct 13-14-15. It is a boutique show, so I won't have to "man" my booth, just set-up, work one shift, and tear down.....

Second show will be the Funky Junk Sisters "Junk Salvation" show in Puyallup....so much fun!! Check out their website for ticket pre-sales for early entry!!

Be sure and check out our PrimWorks page on Facebook!!

Cyndy

A fab new find!!!

Found these fabulous old sewing machine cabinet drawers at the Meeker Mansion sale this past weekend!!!! I just had to have them....now I just have to figure out what to do with them.....

Will probably paint at least some of them....have a couple great "Painting With Friends" patterns that would look really cute....but I'm open to suggestions.........

Be sure and check out the PrimWorks Facebook page....posted oodles of pics!!

Also, update on the Funky Junk Sisters Junk Salvation show in November....will be a Friday/Saturday show so mark your calendars!! Nov 4th and 5th!!

Are You Ready for Funky Junk??

The Funky Junk Sister's "Junk Salvation" show is this coming weekend in Puyallup. Over 90 vendors selling all kinds of awesome "junk"!!

If you are going, be sure and print off the $1 off coupon on the right side of the blog...

Today's pictures are of a few things I finished over the past couple of weeks for the show (haven't been painting much because I was redecorating my family room.....)

All the signs are painted on slats from old wine crates.....one of my favorite surfaces!!






The other pic is a great old Barb Jones "Snow Jobs" pattern of a little "Yankee Doodle" snow baby.....I couldn't resist painting just one snowman.......

Keep checking back for exciting changes to the blog....we are also looking at doing a regular website to give our customers a chance to order direct without waiting for a show!!
Many thanks to my son-in-law Scott for all his hard work.

Picked up some great stuff this weekend when we went exploring in the Olympia area. Love Wisteria Cottage and also look forward to their sales!!

Time to get back to painting!! See you at Funky Junk!!

Flea Market Folk Art part 2 --where to find that perfect surface

Finding the perfect surface can be a pretty easy task if you know where to look.......

Some of my best surfaces have been freebies from family and friends....ask around, see what they have in their garage, attic, basement, etc...what is junk to them could be something totally awesome with a little paint!!

Once you have exhausted all the "freebie" options, time to go searching!! Garage and estate sales are great, you never know what you might find. Look at all the media for leads---newspaper, Craigslist, community billboard, signs, etc. Flea markets are also great, but the competition for great pieces can be fierce!! One of my faves is the Funky Junk Sisters "Junk Salvation" show. Country Chicks in Rochester is also great.
Thrift stores are great for everyday pieces you intend to re-purpose. I am currently on the hunt for softballs.....Saint Vincent De Paul is good for simple wood chairs and shelves, old metal canisters, stock pots....and they sell at very reasonable prices.

When all else fails, search regular retail outlets. Michaels and JoAnn's are very affordable when using the 40% off coupons....Ben Franklin Crafts have great little pieces for $1 if you need several similar items for gifts.....

And if you prefer to buy the item rather than create it yourself, there are alot of really nice "country" or "primitive" style shops in the Puget Sound area......my faves are FolkArt Gatherings in Sumner and Centralia, This-N-That in Enumclaw, Speckled Hen in Snohomish, New England Saltbox in Sumner, and Wisteria Cottage and the Clement House in the Olympia area.

Repurposed Primitives!!

I love to "repurpose" old things, and give them new life. With a little bit of paint and imagination, anything can become an awesome accent piece.

The first pic is an old metal scale. When I bought it, it was a very ugly brown color----not at all attractive. I painted the whole thing in antique white and green, added a simple little rooster and some "stitch" lines, then antiqued everything with gel stain. Goodbye ugly brown, hello pretty and prim!! Would look great in a country-style kitchen.


Second pic is of a great vintage lidded basket. I found this piece at a garage sale last year. The lid was covered in a padded canvas with a truly hideous gold-colored farm scene. Ugly 60s vintage. But I just painted over it with the flower basket pattern and I love it!! This is an older Kim Klassen pattern and I think it really suits this piece.

Just a couple more days til the Funky Junk Sisters "Junk Salvation" show in the Portland, OR area. I'm not sure I'll make it, I have sooooooo much to do......but I'm sure it's gonna be fab!!

Junk Salvation!!

Just a quick post to remind everyone about the Funky Junk Sister's Junk Salvation! show this weekend. They are takin' their show on the road to Hillsboro, OR and I am sure it will be just as awesome as their Puyallup shows.

Go to their blog (funkyjunksisters.blogspot.com) and print off a coupon for discounted admission. It is a Saturday-only show this time.

Be back tomorrow or Thursday with pics of two new projects.

Cyndy

Prim is in!!

I just love anything primitive!! You can turn any regular tole-painting pattern into something prim by sanding a little bit, changing colors and antiquing!!

The first pic is a Vera Collier pattern that I did all of those things to.....the original was light green but I much prefer this reddish-brown color.

The bottom section is painted with chalkboard paint-----great for family reminders, etc

Second pic is on an unusual piece I found at the last Toleliners mini-convention in SeaTac. It is rusty corrugated tin that has been framed. An awesome piece---I bought the last three they had!! When I bought them, I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but I think this prim old crow turned out great. Now I need to come up with ideas for the other two.......any suggestions??

Less than two weeks now til the next Funky Junk Sisters "Junk Salvation" show. This one is in Hillsboro, OR. on Feb 5th. I am gonna drive down, just because I can't resist the cool stuff their vendors always seem to find. Check out their website (www.funkyjunksisters.com) to see a list of the vendors. They are also hinting about another show but no details yet on where that is......

I am looking at doing a spring show....Sandy Roundy of Country Creations puts on some great shows at Vasa Park and Pickering Barn in the Issaquah/Bellevue areas which is new territory for me....be sure to check out the calendar to the right for show updates in the coming weeks.

First new projects of 2011

Finally have pictures of new projects. First pic shows two versions of a simple little sign block....almost done, still have to add the rusty tin stars....

Second pic is a primitive sign on recycled wood (my favorite!!). This is adapted from a pattern in an old Plaid Paint book...not sure who the original artist was.....

Despite the distraction of the football game today (Way to go SeaHawks!!!!!!) I managed to get some painting done so I should have another project done by tomorrow or the day after. Got some awesome new patterns today from Renee Mullins (Plum Purdy) so I may be painting snowmen again soon........I just can't resist them!!!

Just a few weeks til the Funky Junk Sisters "Junk Salvation" show in the Portland, Oregon area. I won't be a vendor but I wanna try to visit, sounds like it is going to be awesome as usual!!! The sistas really know how to put on a show!! (Their next Puyallup show is in May, and I am already signed up!!)

Back in a day or two!!

Cyndy

Gotta check out Funky Junk Sisters!!!

You gotta check out the awesome "12 Days of Christmas" giveaways the Funky Junk Sisters are doing right now....giving away lots of fab goodies. Already on day 6 (I'm a little tardy....) but still lots of great things to be given away.

Gettin' back in the groove......

Finally finished all the wedding centerpieces this weekend, so I had a chance to paint!!!

This is adapted from a Barb Jones "Snow Jobs" pattern.....Not as primitive as some of my pieces but I love to find patterns that use unusual surfaces......painting on a boxing glove was a first for me!!! Unfortunately, my photography doesn't so it justice.....a little fuzzy!! The snowman is holding a sign that says "Snowball fight tonight!"

When I was "spattering" this piece, I managed to get paint all over myself, my clothes, glasses and every surface within a five foot radius....good thing I do this kind of stuff outside!!!

Funky Junk Sisters are at it again, and have another show planned for February!!! Unfortunately, I think I am going to skip it due to the distance and work commitments. But I will be at the next Puyallup show, whenever that may be!!!

Back in a few days with ornaments!!!

A totally lazy day...........

So, today I did absolutely nothing but lounge around my house.......totally wiped out after the Junk Salvation show, but soooo totally worth it!!!

I did catch the footbal game (GO SEAHAWKS!!!!) but cheering for them was as energetic as I got today.....

Today's post is of pictures of the other vendors at the Junk Salvation show.

First pic is down the aisle directly across from me. Love the darling little pillows, and the little white cabinet with shutters was soooo cute!!!








Second picture is of Proctor Cottage's booth. Loved to watch all the shoppers trying on the cute vintage hats!!








There was such a great mix of vendors this time.....everyone had something a little different.....and several things found new homes with me. Plus the awesome baked goodies from Great Harvest Bread Company.









Third pic is of the Christmas tree in my friend Lisbeth's booth (Cottage Caboodle). She is so inventive and creative, an absolutely fabulous painter!!!! (She won the Grand Prize in tole painting at the Puyallup Fair this year.) Her oyster shell Santas are amazing!!

You should see what she can do with a saucepot lid.....


Another view of Lisbeth's booth. She was in a tiny space, but very well staged.


Unfortunately, a beautiful old bevelled dresser top mirror was broken during set-up.....but she promises to resurrect it as a chalkboard frame. Can't wait to see how it turns out.....


Last pic is of Lisbeth's booth backdrop. It is created from a bunch of old wooden doors and wood framed screens.

The chalkboard to the left was created from an old cupboard door, one of her favorite surfaces (mine too!!). Love the old wood folding chair....I think they are really comfortable, and fold up flatter than the new style.


Have to get working on the centerpieces for my daughter's wedding. It just takes a little imagination, a few visits to Michael's and/or Joann's, add in an IKEA visit or two, a little shopping on Craigslist, and you can have an awesome wedding on a reasonable budget. Check back in a day or two for the how-to and results.

Cyndy

Another Funky Junk sale in the bag!!

Another Funky Junk Sister's "Junk Salvation" show done!!! And what a fabulous time!!! If you had the chance to attend, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!

Just a few pic's of my booth.....will be posting more pics tomorrow of some of the other vendors, including my friend Lisbeth of Cottage Caboodle.

First pic is of my Christmas tree and the ornaments I've hand-painted.......it is never too early for Christmas!!!
The tree also has one of my fabric rag swags on it, and another is hanging to the right. The swags are made from several yards of different homespun fabrics, individually knotted, and I will sometimes add wooden spools or rusty tin ornaments. They also look great wound in with some greens on a mantel, or wrapped up a stair rail.

Second picture shows the fabulous little "dough boy" table I had for sale. It was a great garage sale find earlier this year (I was so determined to buy it, I managed to fit it in the back end of my Nissan hatchback......)
On Friday nite I made the mistake of covering the table with all kinds of goodies, so no-one could see it very well.....so Saturday morning I relocated most of the excess stuff, and it wasn't long before it was noticed. It now has a new home with Krista and I know she loves it!!





Third pic is the interior of my booth......mostly stuff I have hand-painted....if you have been following the blog, you will probably recognize some of the pieces!!!

The cute little skate was an early sale, so I will be painted another one very soon........probably not the same pattern, will have to change it up some. I also have some child-size skates stashed away, and have fabulous planned for them......

View from another side of our space. I was lucky enough to have a pretty successful sale, so many of the things in the picture did not come home with me!!!!

The great old dome-top trunk found a new home with Nikki and I hope she loves it!!! It needs a lot of love, but you cannot beat the character of an old piece!!

Last pic is the final one. Just another view of the booth space, showing mostly painted items.

As always, the "Sisters" put on a wonderful show, and I consider myself so lucky to be part of this!!! It combines my love of "old junk" with my love of painting things (many of which are created from "old junk").

That's all for now, be back tomorrow with more from "Junk Salvation".

Cyndy

Funky Folk Art

The design on this watering can is an adaptation of a Shara Reiner design. Very cool and funky!!! Maybe a little out-of-season now, but cool none the less!!!

Finished a wonderful holiday piece today (a unique surface....), will post pics of that tomorrow or Monday. I'm still determined to finish several more pieces and post new pics each day before the start of the Junk Salvation show on Friday!!

Back to my paintbrushes!! back tomorrow!!

Cyndy