Samples of Sketches

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Archive for Tropical

Feb
23

Going down to the beach!

Posted by: Susie | Comments (6)

Going to down to the beachDo you remember growing up and having Saturday Chores, when all you wanted to do was watch cartoons?

I do, but it was my sister who got to do the chores, I got to watch her and cartoons! (me-sticking my tongue out)

Well, now that I have grown up and have a home of my own, those chores need to be done regardless of what cartoons are on.

I set out one Saturday morning to clean the stairwell that leads to our basement. It gets alot of traffic, this is known as “The Bat Cave” and my batty husband spends the majority of his winter down there. Well, needless to say, with the nitty gritty dirty salty dusty residue that collects on the shelves and the walls. I had pulled all the junk out of there, and was all set to clean it.

I realized, I didn’t want to clean it, it needed something else. So, out came the paints and five hours later, we had Buck’s Beach. This was done in all Acrylic Craft Paints, I put some real sand in the paint to give it a bit of texture, as if you are looking out at a beach. Done on the 3 walls that encase the stairway, it gives a brighter look to the “Bat Cave”

So, when you are not up to cleaning.. I say paint it!

I also ran across a new RSS Feed Site today, you may all want to check it out!

http://www.rsshugger.com

~ Soul to Soul

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Categories : Tropical, paintings
Comments (6)
Feb
16

Recycled Light Switch Covers

Posted by: Susie | Comments (8)

Hand Painted Light Switch PlatesLights Out!

But not for these bad boys that I had found in the summer months during junk days!

These are light switch covers that I found in a box, there had to be over 50 of these switch plate covers at the curb waiting for the garbage truck.   Waiting to end up in the land fills.

Metal, Ceramic and Plastic switch covers, from one slot to four.  I took the ceramic one and had my husband sand it down, and I put a base coat of flat white spray paint on it, and I added the tropical sunset to give it some flare, using enamel craft paint by Anita,

I mixed solid black with an amber red to get the dark water’s.  The three slotted light switch has silica sand embedded in it, and gives a bit of a glow in the evening so that you can actually see where the switch plate is at.  With beads of real sand and a bit of texture, it is a beauty in any sun room.  Using several tones of blue for the water, and combining white gives the depth as the beach scene meets the horizon.

I shot them with a glossy lacquer to give them more protection from wear and tear in rooms that are have more frequent traffic. 

I love finding items that have been disgarded that I can bring back to life by giving them a unique look and turning them into works of art.  There are many different forms of recycling, and if you are unsure if there is a recycling collection center around, check out Earth 911.

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Categories : Recycle, Tropical, paintings
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Jan
22

Biker in Paradise

Posted by: Susie | Comments (3)

Biker in ParadiseI can only say..FREEZING here in the suburbs of Chicago.. this piece was out of the archives.  It now resides somewhere in Canada, where it can be quite possibly colder than Chicago.  Not a pretty thought.

This is a window that came out of an old barn in Elgin, Illinois. (Thanks Aaron) I wanted to portray “freedom” and as I was told by the gentleman who purchased it, thats just what it said.  It reminded him of his weekend  ride down in Florida.   This is one window that I did not leave in tattered state, it was cleaned up and painted with outdoor oil paint, semi-gloss white.  The mullions were in terrific shape! I used a recycled piece of cardboard for the canvas, and painted the ocean, streets and palms.  The canvas was painted with acrylics by Anita, and I painted the front of the glass in enamels, giving it a more of a 3D effect.  I used silica sand to mimic the waves crashing on shore. 

When I look at my pieces that are tropical themed, they immediately take me somewhere warm, which by the way is not the suburbs of Chicago, where there is now in my opinion way to much snow on the ground!

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Categories : Tropical, paintings
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Gifts and gift giving do not end after the holidays; we find we need to be shopping even after the New Year celebration done and gone. But gifts, even if little, if they are filled with tenderness and affection can mean the world. That’s why it’s particularly important to choose a gift carefully and with sense.

Because it’s very pleasant as for you so for the person, you present a gift to, if this gift suits and is usable or even brings back a pleasant memory. With custom pencil sketches of loved one’s, family pets, or a pencil sketch from a photo during your vacation, you can create a wonderful memory all of your ownTropical Beach Bag for Books and Lotions

If you want to satisfy the person’s wishes and needs, think globally. Health is something, that no one can buy, but everyone can take care of. So why not help a person to stay fit and profit from your gift? If you are looking outside the box why not a beach cruiser? This might be one of the best choices for a gift.

A beach bike is just the perfect way to stay fit and enjoy keeping it. You can exercise (which means simply ride a bike) almost everywhere and at any time, comfortable for you. With a beach cruiser as a gift, you express your care to the person; you show your concern about his health. Be sure, that your sensible choice will satisfy everyone solicitous to his well-being.

You will be the envy of all the beach combers while sporting one of my custom beach bags.

Do you realize there are now only, three hundred and fifty some days until the Christmas Holiday of 2008. The most effective holiday employee gifts contain an emotional message to your business partners. This emotional value is usually behind the low price, but generates powerful positive emotions and has a lot of impact.

With all different types of corporate gifts, you can take advantage of high emotional value in yearly gift giving, to enhance employee relationships and goodwill. Corporate gifts are incentive gifts with high emotional value. And this value attracts more consumers to your business, creates a positive working atmosphere within your company, and gives back to you much more, than you’ve given away.

Sensible gifts must be smart from all sides. Disposable paper gift wrap, or reusable bags can also create a very good impression. Reusable gift bags save natural resources and money too. You can also opt for a personal one of a kind travel or book bag that is like no other.

Tropical Painting Palms Gift Bag - Re-usable

My custom paintings and sketches can be transferred to a variety of objects and materials. I have re-used many paper products and shopping bags in my custom pieces, just think of the amount of paper products that end up in our landfills. This is really a smart stuff, taking into a count an enormous waste, generated by gift wrap, gift bags and cardboard boxes, from production to consumption and disposal (each year a staggering $5 billion worth of gift wrap is tossed in the trash).

So be smart and impress a person, you present a gift to, with your strong-minded choice, made for him. Because the sense of any gift is to say, that you care about the person, think of him, his likes and wishes and of his attitude and feelings to you.

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Categories : Gifts, Tropical
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Stratocaster Style Guitar Clock - Moonlight TropicsThis is a stratocaster style hand cut solid mahogany body guitar clock.  My husband created this on a band saw and hand sanded and rounded the edges. 

I used acrylic paint on this, and the deep blues were alot of fun to work with.  I used about seven different shades of blue – with a larger paint brush to give the waves a  bit more clarity.  Finished in with a high gloss laquer.

Embedded in the beach is real sand from the shores of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.   I used Fender guitar picks for the 3,6,9 and 12, thought that added a bit more guitar”ism” to the piece.

The clock actually has a small glow in the dark effect, as I used silica sand that is used on streets for the reflective effect for the surf hitting the beach.  I stupidly took this project fresh after the paint to an outdoor craft fair, and I will tell you – that’s a no – no.  Some of the laquer bubbled in the midday sun and I needed to re-do it.  Word to the wise, keep these things covered!!

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Categories : Tropical, paintings
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