Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater...

Okay, I will admit up front. I am NOT very creative. However, I can copy just about any idea I see. I'm really good at that. Almost a year ago I went to an art show at the lofts where my niece lives and works. It was really very fun. Hobnobbing with the artists (even if unknown), drinking wine and eating cheese and grapes and checking out other people's creative endeavors. I got to see some really great photography and I fell in love with this "painting" of a heart. I was enamored with it. I asked the artist how she did it...and SHE TOLD ME. Okay, like every other human being on earth, I've been drawing hearts since I first picked up a crayon. So, I can make a decent shaped heart most of the time. I decided then that I would reproduce that painting. When my boys got their house in August I thought, "That painting would make a good housewarming gift."

Okay, eleven months have passed, but why get into a rush? Last week I finally bought a canvas. Why? Because I was walking through Big Lots and they had a shelf full and I thought, "Oh, I could make that heart painting." Simple as that. Once I had the blank canvas sitting around I had to get started. Took me a couple of days to lay down a good base coat. Once I had an even brown tone I took a pencil and sketched in a heart shape. Sound difficult yet? No, okay this is the interesting part. Next, I broke out the tub and tile caulk and laid down a flat base over the heart shape. Let it dry a couple of days and then started layering on the texture. Once that dried, twenty four hours give or take a few, I sprayed over the caulk with gold spray paint. That took about 5 minutes to dry. Then the final touch...two or three coats of red on the interior of the heart and...voila...it is done.

This may not be everyone's taste, but I love it. I love the texture. I love the contrast in colors. I love the simplicity. I simply heart my heart painting. This one is for Ryan and Rich. There's a part of me that says, "Gee, I hope they don't want it so I can keep it." But really, I hope that they love it as much as I do. I can make another for me!

Eat your heart out!!