Thankful Girl Mixed Media Collage


I'm still plugging along painting, creating and selling miscellaneous items in my Etsy store.
"Thankful Girl" which is my latest painting listed in my shop is very special to me. I am so grateful for all the many blessings that came my way this year. Not only for me but for my family as well.
I wanted to share her and get her out for Thanksgiving. Just a little reminder to all to be grateful, and remember how blessed we are. I know I have to remind myself fequently to be thankful all year long not just during Thanksgiving.

Here is a link to this listing in my shop.
Thankful Girl

Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving for tomorrow and always.
Your Grateful friend in Texas.
C.

Halloween Decorations Some Old Some New


It's almost time for Halloween and I'm ready!..
This year I made a few new decorations and bought some other items to add to the collection. 



Spider is old but the bats are new, and the spider used to be above my mantel.


One new project I did this year was painting these thrift store plastic pumpkins an off white with black eyes. A  very easy and cheap project anyone can do. Not sure why the thrift store charges a $1.00 each which is the same price one can get them brand new at a grocery store.????????


Then add cheap, dollar store flowers in black. So cute I made four and put them in my shabby chic shelves. 




My fire place is a challenge and I really wanted to change it up from last year. It's really wide and the ceiling comes in at an angle in the corner of the room. Ahhhhggg! My only solution is to have a single large item on the wall. Therefore I made a really, really large wreath to hang above the mantel. I thought it turned out pretty good. I put the mesh in at large loopy sections to make it fuller. 











My daughter gave me the rat skeletons from Grandin Road for my birthday. I love them! They look so cute on my dinning table. EEEEk! 

Oh and that reminds me the Eek light up for the mantel is new too. 

Happy, Happy Halloween Y'all! 

TEXAS SHEET CAKE RECIPE



Texas sheet cake is by far my family's favorite chocolate cake. I bet I make it three or four time a year, maybe more. Birthdays, potlucks, father's day...list goes on and on.
It's not really that hard to make and it's so delicious. Everyone always wants to take some home with them.



Grease and flour a jelly roll pan. Mine is about 10 x 15 in size.



Mix together 2 cups of flour and 2 cups sugar in large bowl and set aside.


In a sauce pan bring to boil 2 sticks butter or margarine, 1 cup water and 4 tablespoons cocoa.
Mix well.



Pour cocoa, water, butter mixture into the four and mix. Then add 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon soda. Mix well.


Pour into greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.



Frost the cake while it is still warm! Frosting recipe to follow.

List of ingredients for the cake:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

2 sticks butter
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 teaspoon baking soda 

Texas Sheet Cake Frosting

4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter
6 tablespoons milk
1 box of powdered sugar
Nuts optional

In sauce pan bring the cocoa, butter and milk to a boil. Lower the heat or take pan off stove as you slowly add the whole box of powdered sugar a little at a time. Mix well as you go along to really blend in the sugar. Pour warm frosting over the warm cake which is still in the pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top if you like nuts. 

Sometimes I poke holes in the cake with a toothpick before I pour the frosting on the cake. 
Frosting will spread to the edges, but that is ok because as it cools it thickens into a yummy goodness.


And then of course lick the frosting pan clean.
Yum!

P.S.
In photo there are few powdered sugar lumps but those usually just blend into the frosting. If you don't get all the powdered sugar lumps out hide with nuts....lol!

Hand-Painted Wearable Art Aprons By Charlotte's Collection





Busy as can be this summer making these aprons for my Etsy shop.
I think the blue one with the birds is so cute.
It goes with the bird banner and pillow I made earlier.

The Eiffel tower apron is for all you who love anything Paris!

But anywhoooo please check them out over in my shop.

Click the links for a quick visit.

or 

Thanks 
C.



Hand Painted Bird Banner And Pillow











Lately I've been in the mood to garden and hang outside. I'm thinking our weather might have a bit to do with that. We have had a lot of rain this spring therefore the weather has been so unseasonably cool for Texas.
I'm kinda going crazy decorating my deck, but that's ok...I love it.
My little brain told me I needed lots and lots of pillows to sit out on the patio furniture. Then my little brain told me that I needed to hand paint some of my own. So I went to the fabric store where I get the stuff for my hand painted wearable art aprons and bought some indoor/outdoor fabric.  Well that indoor/outdoor fabric is not as easy to paint on as the stuff I use for my aprons, but I persevered. Then my brain said to make a bird banner....why??? because....I'm on some kind of bird kick.  Thought it would be cute to have a bunch of birds hanging out on the deck. The banner with birds reminds me of birds on a wire. At least these don't leave a mess. But wait I did not stop with a pillow and a couple of banners. Now I'm making a hand painted bird apron as well.  But it's not finished yet.  I'll post that one at another time.
The bird banner is for sale in my Etsy shop because I made two. One to keep for me and one for the shop. Sorry the pillow is not for sale. It looks too pretty on my deck and I am only making one more pillow for my daughter.
The weather is getting hot again! So glad I was able to enjoy the cool spring. Summer is almost here.



Wearable Art Aprons

Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry.

Not all who wander are lost.

Do your best to remember your dreams.

Act with love.

Here I go again.
 I'm off on another adventure making, creating, designing, painting something new.
This time it's useful. As you know from my previous post I attended an art workshop with Tracy Verdugo {awesome by the way!} and I needed an apron to wear. 
I wanted to bring an apron that I painted myself, so I quickly made one to take. 
But of course I could not stop with just one so I made five.
I took the ugliest to wear to the workshop and decided to sell the others.
I just listed them in my Etsy shop.
They are pictured above.

When thinking about the artsy fartsy apron I wanted to take to the workshop, I thought how neat it would be if it was like a pretty painting but not matter if I got paint on it while I was working.
A wearable art that could take some paint splatters and smears.
I know I probably went overboard with each one, designing them with fun inspirational sayings to make them unique, but the idea is still basically there. 

So voila..... wearable, usable art for the artist or crafter.

Hugs
Charlie

Finding Magic At Paint Mojo Austin 2015

Last weekend I attended my first live art class since I was in college. WOW! 
I can't believe it, but I finally did it. I took part in "Paint Mojo" by Tracy Verdugo.  
A two day retreat style art class in Austin. Tracy Verdugo from Australia is doing a 9 month long tour teaching art classes all over the world. She started out in California, then made her way to New Mexico and then did a 3 city tour in Texas.....Houston, Dallas and Austin.

So happy I was able to take this class.

Tracy and Me with our Paintings

My almost finished  painting! 

Mine half way !

Just after a few steps!

Demonstration!

This class was such a neat experience! I love Tracy's concept and love her teaching style.
 All my class mates were supper cool and sweet. No pressure, no judgement, just a bunch of creative people in their zone trying to find a little magic in art.
I'm not sure what to call my painting yet.
I found an eye of a fox immediately and then some birds and last the bear.
Everyone is calling it a fox, but in my heart it is a coyote.  I live in a neighborhood with lots of wildlife. My backyard backs up to a ravine. I'm on a hill and we see and hear coyote's all the time. We have hawks, owls and many, many types of birds flying all around. At night the rabbits come out. I've seen bobcats and maybe even a mountain lion. Not sure about that last one, but whatever it was it was a huge cat. 
So naturally I would see these animals in my painting.
I can't wait to do another painting to see what kind of animal will emerge!
Love, love my Coyote!
Hugs,
C

SPRING SALE 25% Off At CHARLOTTE'S COLLECTION ETSY SHOP


USE 
COUPON CODE
SPRING2015

I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop!



Spreading the love and doing some spring cleaning at the same time.

All vintage collectibles, aprons, and banners are on sale.

25% Off


Now through March 7th 2015.

Hugs
C.

Owls Mixed Media Art Set







These two sweeties are listed in my Etsy shop.
I can't help myself...I've gone all cutesy. oh well, they make me happy.

Winter is not over yet, so I'm spending the day in my art room. It sure seemed like it was over last week. It got up into the low 80's and 70's. Really had a hard time staying inside. We worked out in our yard and planted a few new shrubs. Thank goodness I didn't plant any flowers. Just knew it was too soon. Old man winter went into hiding for a few days just to mess with my head. Blaaaa! 
All is good. 
Art calls me.
C


Queen Birdie Flies To Paris


My latest little piece of art is now available in my Easy shop. I actually painted her in December but just now getting around to listing her. I did one other painting at the same time, but that one sold right out of my house! Yuppie! Crazy for me anyway. The pest control man bought it. How fun is that?  I can not believe it! That happened last Friday.
I decided to display some of my painting on my mantel, only because I did not know what else to put there. I alway change the mantel out with the seasons. Christmas decorations are down and it looked so bare. Did not want to buy something new. So, Duuuuh! Why not put my own art up? I have most of my art on my walls and I had a painting of mine on the wall above the mantel but never on the mantel itself. oh well a picture would be better. Next time hubby wants to get on the computer.
C.

Pet Portrait Max






This is my Max. I've been so depressed since he passed, so to help me get over him, I started drawing and painting him. It has helped tremendously. I love me new dog Zoe. She is the sweetest dog and she already has a very special place in my heart. But my Max was with me too long to just move on.

This is an acrylic painting on mixed media paper. Eventually I want to paint him on canvas. Then maybe I will paint Zoe.  Luckily he is black and white so there is not a lot of mixing colors.

I'm very excited about the new year and all that it will bring. I have a lot to look forward to. It always seems like I never have enough time to do everything I want to do.
I'm still focusing on my Etsy shop. I have lots of ideas for things to make this year. Cant wait to get started.
Cheers to 2015!
C.