Handpainted easter eggs, bunnies

I started getting ready for Easter. It is a welcome change. Means spring is on the way. We have alot of handpainted ceramics. The ceramic eggs and bunnies are little boxes that you can fill with candy and the larger eggs are wood and can be personalized. They are a keepsake from year to year.

Shabby chic, vintage finds

We have a great new selection of furniture at the store. We are now doing an olive green which is really beautiful. My new favorite. http://www.handpaintedbycookie.com/ for more pictures and info.

Vintage student desk

We have friends who wanted this great old desk painted for their daughter. She doesn't like flowers and loves blue. Doesn't like flowers! Oh No! What can I paint for her? She loves puppies. So I painted it up with paw prints and a puppy on the seat and I got her seal of approval. She loved it.

Vintage shabby chic furniture

We have prepped and painted quite a bit of furniture to get ready for Spring. We will hit the road again in March to do shows. There is a good show on February 22 in Demarest but we opted out. We were not ready, and not sure with the economy, if anybody would come. It seems like with so much gloomy news and bailout and stimulus talk, people are not interested in going to an antique or craft show. But, unfortunately there is no bailout money for you and I. We have to keep going. So we are painting alot of pieces hoping for the best. We want to pull apart the store and get ready for the new season. Whether people come and buy or just stop in to chat and see what's new (which I welcome) we shall see. We found a pair ( which is so unusual) of matching armoires. We have only painted one. And we are also doing a sideboard, china cabinet, a few side tables and also some small items for Easter. http://www.handpaintedbycookie.com/

Handpainted outdoor bench

Well, it is that time of year when thoughts turn to spring. Especially since the weather has been relatively comf0rtable compared to the ice pelting we had over the past month. I love to do these benches for the spring. They are entirely in outdoor paint so they will hold up in the weather. Leave it on your porch or patio. Visit the website http://www.handpaintedbycookie.com/

Shabby cream mahogany table

Pretty 2 level mahogany table. I painted it creamy white and added dark artwork in burgundy and harvest gold. I like the results. I like the look of this style table also. It can be formal or dress down.

Round maple table

Did this great round maple table with cabriole legs. I painted it a creamy white. I then painted a background design, white washed it and then did the artwork. Love the way it looks. I don't usually take alot of time like this to do a table. I used to do this design all the time but it really is an all day type of thing. I like the way this came out. I want to try it again with a different color scheme

http://www.handpaintedbycookie.com/

Beatiful day today

The gorgeous weather outside is calling me to go outside and work. I actually love when the weather is near 50 like this. I can work outside, the neighbors stop by and chat, my son plays basketball while I am working (and accidentally--and constantly--keeps hitting the furniture with the ball) I need to get outside today and start a few projects to be ready for the spring season. I have been cooped up inside and yesterday while at the store I did nearly 48 easter eggs. Going batty! Ready to be outside and painting. I also keep checking the website and tweeking it. It is like an addiction. I keep looking at it, looking at it, looking at it. I think I have figured out how to add flash. I can use the slideshow from Picasa and embed it. I want to add sound now and have it figured out, I think. Am not sure what music to use. Any suggestions?

http://www.handpaintedbycookie.com/

Website

I have a contract for my website. It is kind of like a cell phone contract. You have to renew it every year or it is deleted. I had an inexpensive, do it yourself, website. Only $50.00 a year. Very small amount of memory. I thought maybe it was time to upgrade. Since we have the store, we have alot of items that I do not bring to the shows or have on the web. I thought well I will just ask for more memory. But it is like buying a car, once you see all the bells and whistles you feel like you have to have more. So I decided to get 5GB (why I need that much I do not know) of memory and the ability to add sound and video and flash. And unlimited pages. Why I need unlimited pages--who knows! Not realizing it is just more to take care of. Kind of like getting the big house and then complaining you have to clean it! So I got all my pictures and info ready and it took me about 2 weeks to carve out 3 hours of time alone to sit and do the website. Boy, was I naive! 3 days later, with the laundry and dishes taking over the house, I finished. Have not added any sound or video yet, which I thought I so desparately needed (?). Please go take a look. www.handpaintedbycookie.com

olive side table

Great side table, painted an olive with a black glaze. Wanted to keep the artwork simple and only added some leaves and vines. It has a unique shape and a nice little shelf below.