Debbie - Great work. I especially love the Rooster & Hen, as that is my kitchen motif. If you don't, you should consider selling your work, it's extraordinary - fairs, craft bizzares, etc. I'm envious. - Sal

You did a terrific job! They are all beautiful.

Keep posting your work please! ~Anj

Thank You Sal and Anj! You have no idea how much that means to me. Actually, I must confess, I have been pumping art like this out for years and never have the nerve to put it out there to sell. I hate the word "fear" and that is what holds me back. Otherwise, I would be selling my arts and crafts to the public. Everyone tells me I should be showing my pieces and the public would buy them. Do any of you out there ever go through this or do you just jump right in with both feet? I have tried several ways to market my work, but either I give up or just say - know one will be interested. One place I wanted to show my work was in the "Show Homes" market. Especially where I live, there is a housing boom and thought what a great way to feature my window painting. All it would take is for someone to see it in one of the show homes and who knows, maybe it would take off. I guess I need to believe in myself alittle more and what others tell me. Any boost would be helpful!

Thanks for reading!
Deborah

Debbie, My exact thoughts. I too have been told to sell my crafts (decorative paintings, things I make) but that "fear" is always there. Do you too feel like your work is "not good enough?" I tell folks I mostly do it for fun. Had an offer to paint flower pots and sell them at a friend's veggie stand and just backed off. Funny, while visiting my sis across country she had one of my painted flower pots in her home and as I looked at it my first thought was, "wow, that really looks nice - in someone else's home." I see so much more that I think is way better than mine, and it is, and then again, I see the so-called hand painted things they sell in lower priced stores and think, my things are way better than that, why don't I just do it. Attached is a pic of a huge farm mailbox I painted (almost done, had to "erase" some things). I was going to put it in my yard and have a planted flowering vine of some sort in the inside flowing out of the opening. My youngest sis wanted it, said it was "beautiful." Really surprised me as I always thought, she thought, my stuff wasn't good enough. So, after finishing it, I said she could have it. She, in turn, (first asking me), gave it to our other sis (who is sick and needing some cheering up) and who absolutely adores it.

I guess, for you and I, it is overcoming that fear and, as you say, just jump in. Good luck to you (and myself I'll say) at "jumping in."

Sal

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:127569}}

P.S. - Debbie, we have the same birthday - September 21.
How's that for "it's a small world."

Smile, smile,

Sal

Sal,

Thanks again for your reply! Your sister must be very proud to display your mailbox, it's beautiful, I know I'd be happy to own it! You think the same way I do! I believe in my work and love every piece I do, as everyone else does, but, I critique it to the point that the project is never - "JUST DONE" - there is always something about it, that I'm never happy with or if I'm told it's beautiful, I find it hard to except the compliment and say thanks! But, that is who I am and have to work on that! (That's a whole other discussion group, ha ha) Not on this site!

I've just moved to a new city, Edmonton, Alberta actually, from a small town in New Brunswick, population about 70. When I moved here I thought, OH this will be a piece of cake to sell my creations. Yes, I'm looking for work, doing something in the creative field, and approached the local Micheals store. They wanted me to teach craft classes and after I filled out all of the paperwork to get hired on, they told me their night & day classes were all filled up - BUT, if I wanted to leave my list of craft ideas, they would see about fitting me in somewhere! YAH, I DON'T THINK SO! It's cases like this, that make me wonder if I will ever get it right! I don't give my ideas away for free, so someone else can make the money! There is a market and niche out there for me. Like the saying goes "Don't wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it"
Cheers! Sal!
Awesome, same birth dates!
Deborah

Melissa,

Thank you for your comments! I viewed your website, and enjoyed my tour through your garden and all of your unique art work. Very creative, goes to show that gardening can be fun at a whole different level, by putting personality into it. Not to mention, a new use for old, disgarded objects. I will save your website and check back to see what you have added later on.

Cheers!
Deborah

Can't get the pics....Can you post them here?

patti

Patti,

Sorry! I'm not familiar with how to copy pics to this page for you to view. I'm am surprised that you are unable to copy the link and paste it to your address bar and click enter. It actually took me some time just to figure that one out. Again, my apologizes.

Deborah

hi
WOW just envious of the talent .
I think you said to yourself a lot of the things you need to hear. we all do that and it works but you still the place to show off a little.
how much time you figure you have wrapped up in say that trout?
do you have access to some antiquey windows ,mirrors??etc.
if you are wanting the work you said about a housing boom
buyers are suckers and have cash and want certain things
for their their new purchase .
find a friend that is a realestate agent .
the tops of entrance doors exit doors sliding glass doors etc. are natural places for this work . the tops of mirrors also .
have a friend/family selling a home ? just set something up and put a price on it .
run an ad that you can do this on a mirror/window that someone allready has ?
donate one for a church, doctors office, mini mart, cafe,
burger stand, meeting hall, ??? someone where folks congregrate and someone else will say the thing s said here and pay up gladly . envious Rick

Rick,

Thank you for your encouraging words! It took me about 2 days to do the Sea Trout Pic, the lighthouse the same, and the Rooster pic about a week. When I say 2 days, I mean about 4 hours per day, and a week, might be about the same 6 or 8 hrs per day, but the Rooster one was a big job. Drawing out the pic first is time consuming, but I loved every minute of it, and proudly display it in my kitchen. Everyone who enters our home is in AHHHH over it. Makes me feel good.

Your advice on the marketing, great suggestions! and I appreciate you taking the time to pass them along. I do have a real estate agent who would be willing to promote for me. I also made up brochures, if I could copy one for you to see, you would agree that I am on the right track in getting this started. I'll try to copy it for you to view!

Thank you again!
Deborah

Those are great,my son,"the fisherman" would love that trout.
Yes try and sell your things.My son also paints and draws and has since he was a little thing.When he was a teenager i tried to encourage him to go down by the harbor and set up his stuff to sell.But like you,he was too unsure,insecure,whatevre and never did it.I know he would have done well ,had he tried.
My DD is a very good photographer,so she used to go to the beach,harbor and any place tourist congregated and take pictures.The chamber of commerce in some of the cities would buy her pictures to hang in their office ,to help convince people what a great place it was to visit.She supplemented her income very well this way.

I my self always did crafts,so i sold at a lot of craft fairs and by word of mouth for years.

As Christopher Lowell says"Without fear,there is no creativity".

So put on your selling hat and see what you can do.Don't sell yourself short.What you do is a million times better than all that junk from China!!
Kathi

Ohhh, they are all beautiful! And you created your own designs--that is talent! My favorite is the rooster one, but all three are wonderful. Isn't it a great feeling to take a "blank" object and turn it into a thing of beauty? I predict that you will have great success when you finally start selling them.

To Kathi mdgd and luvstocraft,

Many thanks for your encouraging words! So glad you enjoyed my paintings. Comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Deborah

Deb, your work is just wonderful! I've thought about painting on glass. Are some of those windows in your own house? How did you learn? Tell all!

Hello iris21,

Thank you for your compliment! If I can paint on glass or anything else for that matter, YOU can! My husband and I bought an old schoolhouse and turned it into our home. We had coatrooms in each classroom and in one room we set our counter, stove and fridge back into the coatroom, and above that work area we were installing a wall up to the 11' high ceiling. He set the window into the wall above my work area. (I found this window in someones garbage it is 6' wide and about 24" in height, I placed a florescent light behind it and we use it for a night light in the kitchen at night or just turn it on when company comes for a wonderful effect. (I have other pics of our home if you wish to see them) We all love renovations! The Sea Trout pic is coming up in a local auction in my town on Sept 4 & 5.

I taught myself how to do the gallery glass painting and love a good challange. Nothing less!

You should invest in a few bottles of the paint and give it a try! This is only one of the many, many crafts and ideas that I have, and love to share!

Thanks for asking!

Deborah