May 2006 Newsletter

Dear Painting Friends,

Thank you so much for all your cards and emails with get well wishes. My back is improving every day and I am working hard to get back to normal.

I have lots of news to share with you in this newsletter. So grab a cup of tea and read on. Don’t miss the recipes and painting tips at the end.

NEW PACKETS

14 new packets were released at the Coast to Coast show in Toronto in April. They include favourite projects from last year’s seminars. Others are from magazine articles and I have expanded the instructions reformatted them so they are very easy to follow. To see all the new packets just click here.

Vikki has updated the Wish List to include these new packets.

BRUSH KIT SPECIALS - OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

Our spring cleaning has made many painters very happy with the “to good to be true” prices. We still have a few of the purple handle brushes left, so check it out.

THE BRUSHSTROKE HANDBOOK -
WE HAVE MORE TO SHARE WITH YOU

I’ve received many requests from painters for more detailed instructions on how to paint the bonus projects at the back of the book.

Due to space limitations, we were only able to list the colours, brushes and brushstokes. It is part of my routine to take detailed notes while I paint. I talked with my editor and she has given me permission to share these notes with you.

Just click here and print off the instructions and tuck them into the back of your book.

Background Colour Options

I actually painted many of the over 50 projects in this book on a pastel background as well as white. This is because initially I found painting on white to be quite a challenge.

By the time the book was done, I’d fallen in love with white - I can’t believe it! I thought you would enjoy using some of the pastel backgrounds and so I am pleased to share this with you. Just click here to link to background options.

McNAUGHTON STUDIO SEMINAR UPDATES

ROS STALLCUP
June 16 - 18
BRING ANY SURFACE AND BACKGROUND COLOUR!

We have just a few seats left in this great seminar. Ros invites you to bring your choice of surface and for two of the projects, even your choice of background colours.

I know we are used to being told the exact surface and colour, but I think we will learn so much from Ros. And maybe after the seminar we can paint anything we've been storing for years in our wood closets!

CLAUDIA NICE - EXTRA PROJECT
October 13 - 15

Claudia has added a third project to her seminar here in October. It is a beautiful unicorn from her new book. Flowers intertwine though its flowing mane, making this a beautiful picture.

All three projects can be framed in a standard size mat and frame. We supply the watercolour paper and paints, and loan you the brushes and pens. There is very little for you to bring to this wonderful seminar.

2006 BRUSHSTROKE CLINIC

May 26 to 28 / June 23 - 25 / August 25 - 27 / October 20 - 22

The fourth project has been painted and the patterns are off to the students this week! I think this Brushstroke Clinic may be the best one ever because of the diversity of the projects. I’ve used both light and dark backgrounds and different pattern sizes. The styles range from folk art to tropical. I hope you will be able to join us. (Some folks have actually signed up twice!)

DAFFODILS AND TRILLIUM AND POPPIES - OH MY!

September 22 - 24 / September 29, 30, October 1

We’ve added a repeat date. And thanks to folks switching to the repeat date, we now have a limited number of seats available in both seminars. There’s lots to learn and much fun to be had. I look forward to seeing you here.

CONVENTIONS

COAST TO COAST TORONTO APRIL 18 - 22 2007

I have heard that the first Coast to Coast Show in Toronto this past April 19 - 23 was a resounding success. Unfortunately my back problems prevented me from being able to participate and I want to thank the show organizer Audrey DeJong, the students in my classes and all our customers for being so understanding.

But I have heard that everyone was thrilled with the show and very excited about returning next year. I had no doubt it would be a success, having been part of Audrey’s SWOPI Conventions in London. Audrey creates a relaxing atmosphere which promotes good will and sharing. See you there for sure next year!

SOCIETY OF DECORATIVE PAINTERS, NASHVILLE CONFERENCE

JUNE 5 - 10 2006

Just one month to go and we’ll be kicking up our heels in Nashville! Well, some of us will be kicking and others will be kicking in spirit!

I am looking forward to all my classes, but especially to my Strokework Poppies which is a pilot class with 75 students.

Sally McAloon and Sandy Scales will be my teaching assistants. We have 5 additional helpers, so I am sure this class will run smoothly.

Many thanks to Painters Paradise, who will be providing the audio visual set up for this class and all my classes. Please stop by their booth on the trade floor, ask for Jo and say thanks.

HEART OF OHIO TOLE CONVENTION

AUGUST 7-12

“Painting is Something to Crow About” is the theme as this great chapter puts on another wonderful convention this year. I look forward to seeing many of you in my classes or on the trade floor in the Painters Paradise booth. Bring a friend and introduce them to the reason why we all are crowing so loudly!

SOCIETY OF DECORATIVE PAINTERS, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

I am thrilled to let you know that SDP has sold so many of the pink ribbon and rose pins that I designed for this campaign, that they are placing their third order with the manufacturer. Thank you so much for your support. Let’s keep it going!

We bought many pins for the Coast to Coast Show and sold out the first day. We will order more, so if you are not a member of SDP and would still like to help us raise money, please get in touch with us and we will be happy to get a pin for you.

www.decorativepainters.org

CHAPTER CHALLENGE

While teaching for the Windy Brushes Chapter of SDP in March, we raised over $400.00 for Breast Cancer through this campaign. The chapter purchased pins and I donated a few, so that every person who donated $20.00 or more received a free pin.

OK, the challenge is out to other chapters to match the Windy Brushes donation.

EBAY BUYERS - BEWARE !

While there are some legitimate sellers on ebay - there are others who are selling illegal copies of packets from many of our respected decorative artist’s. Many thanks to those of you who have reported that they have unknowingly bought counterfeit copies of my packets on ebay, and have alerted us to this problem. Thanks to you, we have taken legal steps and are now keeping a watchful eye.

We all lose when this type of theft is allowed. Some buyers may be purchasing at below retail price, but others are paying prices many times above retail. Often instructions were missing, the colour quality was shoddy or the 8 X 11 colour pictures in my packets were left out completely.

Our industry depends on the designs created for us by so many talented artists and we need to support them if we want them to continue to produce.

As of January 1 2006, you will see a raised embossed stamp on all colour reproductions in my packets. This is your assurance that you are purchasing an authentic original. Of course some shops may still have legitimate packets from before January without the seal. If ever you are in doubt, please get in touch with us. We can advise you as to the tell tale signs that it is a copy.

If you suspect that you have unknowingly purchased a counterfeit packet, please send it (plus the receipt and any correspondence with the seller) to the designing artist.

Together we can put a stop to this.

See you soon,

Maureen

PS. Please send me any painting tips and recipes that you would like to share. My file is running low!

FAST AND EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE
From Jeneath Ray

1-16oz Milk Chocolate Cake Frosting
1-10oz bag of Peanut Butter Chip Morsels
Melt chips and frosting together in microwave stir until smooth.

Add nuts if you like.

Pour in dish and place in frig. until hard.

EASY JAMS AND JELLIES
From Barb Cox

Strawberry/Rhubarb Jam
5 Cups peeled and diced rhubarb,
5 Cups sugar
20 oz can of crushed pineapple
6 oz package of strawberry Jello.

Stir the first 3 ingredients in a pot until juicy. Boil slowly 20 minutes or more. Remove from heat and stir in the jello until it is dissolved. Put hot in jars, seal and store. Makes about 4 or 5 pints. Do not make double and triple batches.

Peach Jam with Orange Jello
5 Cups ripe peaches peeled and dice 2 Cups crushed pineapple
7 Cups sugar,
6 oz. Orange Jello.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a pot, bring to boil, boil hard for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and when mixture stops boiling add the orange jello and stir till well mixed. If still very hot, put in jars and seal. If not, reheat and then put in jars and seal.

Creme de Menth Jelly (Excellent with pork or lamb)
2 Blocks paraffin.
2 Cups water
1 Cup creme de Menth liquor
1 Bottle (6 oz.) liquid pectin
5 Cups Sugar
2-6oz cans frozen lemonade thawed.

Boil jars and in a double boiler, melt the paraffin. Stir the sugar and water together in a pot, bringing it to a full boil. Boil 1 minute then remove from heat. Stir in lemonade, creme de menthe and pectin, mixing very well. Skim the froth and pour the jelly into hot jars. Cover with 1/4 inch of paraffin. Let stand til paraffin seals.

PAINTERS TIPS

1. Basecoating with a transparent colour takes countless coats. Undercoat first with an opaque colour in the same colour family, that is also close in value to the desired colour. The transparent colour will then cover in one or two coats.

2. Paint Storage Idea from Sheila Uppal, London England

Sheila is painting a cupboard with drawers in which she will store her paint. It is from Ikea, but Sheila is personalizing it with a very special touch that I've asked her to share with you. The colours of the drawer decor corresponds to the paint colours stored inside - brilliant! Then on the sides of the cabinet, she will paint faux panels with her favourite patterns.

3. From Liz Bishop, Rimrock AZ

When I trace a pattern onto tracing paper, I trace everything that will be basecoated with an extra fine blue sharpie. Then I trace the next step in red. I started doing this because my students had a hard time getting hard lines where one color backed up to another. And sometimes the could not see little things that really made a difference. Say with leaves, if some overlap each other, it won't matter when tracing or basecoating. So the general shape of all the leaves is traced in blue and all the specific lines are done in red.

When basecoating, if I get one of those hard lines made with too much paint in the brush I just take my finger and lightly brush from the edge into the painting area. This keeps the edge clean and gets rid of the ridge.