Dear friends,
It’s been a long time since the last newsletter and I have so much news to share with you.

2005 SEMINARS
Brush Stroke Clinic New Date : June 24 - 26
We had a record response to this year’s Brush Stroke Clinic, so we have added a fourth date.
We still have seats open and ready for you to join us!

To see the projects just click on the following link Stroke Clinic 2005

Helan Barrick MDA : June 16 - 20

New enlarged pictures of Helan’s projects are now on the site. This promises to be an unforgettable learning experience with one of the most highly regarded master teachers in decorative painting. We have just a few seats left so please don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity
We will start with a day long Face Study, and will have a delightful project completed that day.

Helan is a true treasure, and I would love to have you join us. To see Helan’s projects just click here

The Wet and Windy project is painted in such rich and cheerful colours, I can hardly wait to get started on that one. I plan on doing each set of children on separate surfaces which I will frame (11" X 14") and hang as a set on one wall. But I’ve also contacted Janet at Coyote Woodworks to see what wonderful suggestions she has for surfaces.

NEW BOOK

I just returned from doing the photo shoot at North Light for my new book and am thrilled to tell you that it will be released April 2006. The publisher gave me extra pages for this book and it will be brimming full of wonderful projects.

And I have a surprise for you. You know how I love to use oodles of colour - but in this book, each project calls for no more than 10 colours and there are very few mixes. You will find each project is painted in colours that are fresh and exciting.

This book will teach you one brush stroke at a time, and you will be rewarded with a finished painting using just that single stroke. Then two to three strokes will be combined together to form different designs.

Close up photos will show you how to form each stroke and every step of each project is clearly shown. Flat brush strokes are included as well as the round brush to give you over 60 projects!

If you want to learn strokes or are a teacher who wants to teach brush strokes step by step to your students - this is the book for you.

Later on this fall I will be able to take orders for autographed copies.

Magazine Articles
One of my students suggested that I let you know when to expect to see an article from me in the decorative painting magazines. I don’t always know exactly when they will be run but do know for sure that you will find me in the spring issues of the Decorative Painter and also in the Decorative Artist Workbook. I was so busy with the book that I wasn’t able to get too many articles done. But, I hope to get more done after the SDP Tampa Conference. I don’t know where the time goes!


I look forward to seeing many of you at our seminars here in Belwood this year and at the SDP Tampa Conference in just a few weeks.
Following this letter are some valuable painting tips and recipes from fellow painters.

Warmest regards,
Maureen

To Resize a Pattern
from Sue McGurl at Steph's Folk Art Studio in Smoketown Pennsylvania

Simply divide the size of the piece that you want by the size of the pattern you have, then multiply by 100%.

For example, to reduce a pattern that is 15" long to fit a piece that is 12" long, divide 12 X 15 then multiply by 100% (12 ÷ 15 X 100% = 80%) Scan the pattern at 80% and it should fit perfectly.
Or let’s say your pattern is 12" and you want to enlarge it to 15" -  (15 ÷ 12 X 100% = 125%)  Scan the pattern at 125% and will be enlarged to the right size.
Where was this great idea when I would spend a fortune at the photcopy shop re-sizing patterns by guess and by golly!

Palette Grids on Chamois
    from Sandy Scales, Manassas Virginia

Sandy invested in 7 of Maureen's Chamois for our wet palette. Cut the chamois into two pieces to fit the palette, so that yields 14 chamois. Sandy has transferred the individual grids (from Maureen's Palette Grid package) to each chamois with a permanent Sharpie pen. Now, for each project she paints, she puts the chamois with the correct grid in her palette, then covers it with Maureen's Wet Palette Paper and the grid from the chamois shows through the paper perfectly.

Now, that is clever!!!

Bee Bee's for Easy Paint Mixing
  from Donna Frintzilas, New York

Donna purchases stainless steel bee bee's from her local craft shop and drops one or two in each bottle of paint. Give the bottle a shake and the paint mixes together in half the time! I tried it and it works great - wonderful for those extra thick colours.

PAINTER'S RECIPES
We need quick recipes so we can spend more time painting - but the recipes have to taste so good that everyone thinks we’ve toiled for hours! If you have a favourite recipe that you can share with us, please send it on to me by e-mail.

Mexican Lasagna - QUICK & EASY!!!!!
    from Karen Jeza Ontario Canada
Heres an easy summer meal that a friend sent to me and its really good.... just follow the instructions and remember its round!!!!!!

1 pound of ground beef cooked according to Taco Seasoning Mix package
1 large can of your favourite refried beans
1small can of diced green chili's
4-6 largeg flour tortillas
Shredded cheese...you pick, I use a ton of sharp cheddar, with shredded   montery jack...

 You have to use a spring form pan... doesn't work the same otherwise...
 Mix your green chili's with the meat after it's cooked with the Taco mix or in with your beans.
Put one tortilla down as your base, then start stacking, beans, meat, cheese, tortilla, beans, meat, cheese, etc...till you fill the pan( did I mention this is a round lasagna?)

 Bake for about 45 minutes at 350, then I let it rest for about 15 mins and release the spring form..if you don't let it rest, it will bulge out and look funny!!
Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced onions, and some more shredded cheese, serve with guacamoli and sourcream, you can omit the guacamoli if you so desire.

Have a great summer!!!
Karen


Pecan Cream Cheese Pie
     from Sonya S. Bird-Connor CDA from the Palmetto Chapter in South Carolina

2 - 3 ounce packages cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 - 10 inch pie shell, unbaked
1½ cups pecans, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup dark corn syrup

Combine cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and salt; beat until smooth. Spread into the bottom of the pie shell and sprinkle with pecans. Beat together 3 eggs, corn syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and gently pour over pecans. Bake on lower rack of preheated 375 F oven for 35 to 45 minutes until center is firm.

You WILL get raves over this one!
Sonja