Giveaway

The holidays are right around the corner, and I believe it’s better to give than to receive, so I’m giving away an original painting on Instagram. 

This is All The Noise and it measures 16x20 inches. It’s done in acrylics and graphite on stretched canvas. It is signed, titled, and dated on the back. To join the giveaway:

1. Follow me on Instagram @melissablaircarter

2. Like and Comment on this post

3. Tag a friend

The contest will end at noon on Friday 11/23/2018. I will announce the winner on Saturday morning. Good luck and thank you for following along! 

Social Media

 

Tonight I posted my 227th painting on Instagram, for the year. I'm still posting a painting everyday. I've managed to stick with it and today I woke up to find that I had 500+ followers on Instagram. I'm very grateful for anyone who follows me. I often worry about whether or not my paintings are good enough, or the lighting is good enough, or if my posts are interesting enough, or... So, thank you to everyone who finds me, my paintings, and my posts good enough to comment/like/follow. 

I have been enjoying this project of posting a painting everyday, even though some days it has been tough to accomplish. The commitment has forced me to paint more, which has been a great thing! However, the best part has been communicating with and following other people. I'm not lucky enough to be surrounded by lots of creative people in my everyday life, so social media has been an amazing way to connect with some amazing creatives. 

I have some thoughts on the downside of social media, too... It's tough for me because it feels a bit like a popularity contest and trying to be popular is out of my comfort zone. I was bullied in junior high school and I often still feel "not good enough" especially on social media. For me, Facebook is harder than Instagram because you have to "friend" people. I see people with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram and I wonder how much they curate/edit their photos. I know some bloggers are concerned with their social media accounts being an accurate reflection of their "brand". I think I'm not a "brand" I'm just me. Also, are we doing anyone any favors if we edit our photos so much that they are completely different from the original. I know a big time blogger who does that. Isn't that the same as photoshopping pictures in magazines to significantly alter the appearance of famous people? Don't most of us think magazines shouldn't do that? 

Well, I don't know. I don't have the answers. I guess I'm just going to keep doing my thing and being imperfect me. Again, thank you for following along. I greatly appreciate the company! 

Found Goods

I bought a PAIR of vintage chairs today!!!!! I found them in a local Goodwill store. It's rare that I find a pair of upholstered chairs, especially ones in good condition.

Here is a peak at them:

 They are in near perfection condition! It looks like there is a spot on the seat cushion of this chair, but it's just the lighting and the fabric. The fabric is a striped velvet! They are marked King Hickory.

Here's another look:

Aren't they fabulous??????

Found Goods

I wanted to share a project that I just started working on. It's a junk project. I bought these tables, last weekend:

These are 18th Century Classics by Drexel. I paid $75 for the pair. The finish is in rough condition, so I'm going to paint them. 

You can see in the picture that I have already started removing the loose finish with steel wool. My plan is to paint them white, with a bright color inside the drawers. I love the idea of painting a pink or bright coral in the drawers, but I think that will make them decidedly feminine. Will it? Since, I want to resell them, I don't want them to only appeal to women. So... I'm thinking about going with a chartreuse in the drawers. Thoughts? What color would you paint them?

 Also, I intend to keep the original hardware, but a friend suggested that I replace it. Would you keep the hardware as is or replace it? 

My goal is to finish them this weekend, which my be ambitious since it is raining today! I have the feeling that this project will either be an amazing transformation or an epic fail. 

Stayed tuned to find out how they turn out. You can also follow along on Instagram @melissablaircarter. I post there almost daily. I also have 365 days of art or painting (or whatever I'm calling it) posted there. I'm doing pretty well, so far. I haven't missed a day (yet)! 

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is productive and FUN! 

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year friends! I'm barely getting this post in on the first day of 2015. Whew! 

I was a little sad to see 2014 go, but only because it seemed to fly by sooooo quickly. On the other hand, I'm glad to be starting a new year, because I had lots of drama & chaos in 2014. The top on my list of resolutions has to be less drama & chaos in 2015. However, today was a bit crazy pants, so I may not be off to a very good start. Fingers crossed!

Anyway... I want to spend more time painting this year, so I am challenging myself to paint something everyday & post it on Instagram. I will try to post some of them here also. You can follow along on IG @melissablaircarter.

Here is the first one:

 

Running Up Hill. 11x14. Acrylic on paper.

This should be interesting. You may remember that it took more than a year to finish 365 days of junk. Wish me luck, please.

I will still be posting my junk finds here also. I post them on Instagram also. 

I hope everyone has a happy, healthy 2015! 

Found Goods

Tall Brass Candlesticks 

Here is a pair of large brass candle holders or candlesticks. They are at least 18 inches tall and are in great condition. I bought the pair, for $6.56, from a local Goodwill Store!

Found Goods

Small Round Pedestal Table

 

I just love this little table! I think it has great lines. I purchased it, yesterday, from a local Goodwill Store. I paid $4.94 for it!

The first pic shows the table just after I started putting some stain/finish on one of the legs. (I really do suck at remembering to take before photos). The second, shows the top of the table, after I applied the finish. And... The last is a pic of the entire table with the finish on. 

Overall, I would say the table was in good condition when I purchased it. I guess it had been stripped and/or sanded and just left in an unfinished state. It could have been left that way. It had sort or a "primitive" feel to it. It also could have been painted or painted and distressed. I'm sure that chalk paint would have been great on it. This table would make an amazing shabby chic piece. For me, I just wanted a nice darkish stained finish. So, I rubbed on some Minwax Wood Finish, in Special Walnut. I just applied it with a soft cloth. It honestly took me 10 min or less, and I let it dry last night. Now, it's ready to go.

There are no marking on the table, makers mark or name. The only real damage to speak of, is an area on one of the legs that was repaired. The repair is not very noticeable and the table is still super sturdy. Such a steal at $4.94!