SIGNS OF AN ORPHANED FAWN ~ TIPS OF EARS ARE CURLED

SIGNS OF AN ORPHANED FAWN ~ TIPS OF EARS ARE CURLED

Wild Heart Ranch The ears stand back up after a few days of eating. So far after at least 10 years of using this sign with callers that if ears are straight, watch from a distance for mom and let us know, 100% of the fawns with straight ears who were NOT suffering from another issue, (dogs, flood, dead mom) were claimed by mom. They DO dehydrate before the ears curl, but this is a sure way to tell from a distance you have an orphan or if ears are straight, lets give mom a chance without spooking the fawn off its spot, potentially sending it into danger or getting it lost. I trust it and I would never deny an orphan, but nothing is a bigger fail to me than taking a baby from a healthy mom.

"Ears are straight, fawn is great. Ears are curled, fawn alone in the world." Look at the ears before picking up a fawn. It takes a few days of not eating for the ears to curl. Here's a photo of both scenarios."

PAINTING ARTWORK ON A HUGE CANVAS TO COVER A HEADBOARD

PAINTING ARTWORK ON A HUGE CANVAS TO COVER A HEADBOARD

My client showed me a photograph and said she had an idea for a headboard for her bed.

She had a king size bed and wanted me to paint something similar to the photo onto a huge canvas for her bedroom.  Her idea was to have the canvas attached to a large piece of plywood.

I purchased a huge piece of canvas cloth.  

Then, I couldn't figure out how in the world! I was going to paint on it.  

My neighbor is always there to figure these things out for me!  He brought over a 4'x8' piece of plywood and set it up in my studio.  I taped the canvas to it and started prepping it for painting.  I wondered what kind of trees these were.  I still don't know.

When I finished painting the canvas I had to figure out a way to get it rolled up to deliver it.  I had to be very careful.  I was afraid the paint might crack or be creased if it got folded. 

So, my neighbors, Betty and Lulu, helped me carry the large canvas out to the driveway. 

I laid drop cloths on it for a cushion protection and we rolled it up.  

That worked! and made it easy for me to carry.

When I got the canvas to my client's home she had a guy waiting to attach it to a very large piece of wood.  First, they laid and attached a lot of batting to the wood.  They wrapped the canvas around the wood and stapled it on the back side.  Then, her guy attached the wood to the wall and pushed the bed against it.  So pretty!

It looked so, so nice in my client's bedroom.  She designed this very special headboard.

I think it was a GREAT idea!!!

(Original post September 24, 2012)

TEXAS BORDER PATROL USING HORSES AT THE BORDER IN DEL RIO, TEXAS ~ In response to the lies and misrepresentation in media

Andy Lewis

SeopntStermbero 23 aotno g7e:5f9dS fAMch  · 

In response to the lies and misrepresentation in media, "Definitely the best job I ever had, you become one with your horse. They learn to trust you. They will go to the end of the earth, if you ask them. We train everyday with them. Definitely the best partner I have ever had. See what’s in my hands? Those are split reins; not whips, they are 6 feet long. They are split for when we go into the brush. If we go through thick brush and a tree branch gets caught, it will just slip right through. The reins are connected to the bit. The bit is in their mouth and the last thing we want to do is hurt our partners by tearing up their mouths.

You have seen the video of the agent spinning the rein when noncitizens get close to the horse. It’s to create distance between the horse and the person on the ground. Our horses easily weigh 1200 pounds, they can step on someone and break a bone or kill a small child of a person gets to close. We also spin them if someone attempts to grab the reins because the last thing you want is someone who doesn’t know a thing about horses, to have control of the horse you are on. (If noncitizens attempt to gain control of our reins it is considered deadly.) The horse can freak out, jump up and roll with you on them. Us as riders can be killed if a horse lands on us. Hope this helps those who have never seen a horse or split reins before… we will continue to support our brothers and sisters in Del Río." - Deanndra Cantu - one of my fellow Border Patrol Agents

HAND PAINTING A RECIPE BOX TO MATCH A WEDDING INVITATION FOR FAMILY RECIPES ~ GIFT

 Kara is going to a family wedding.  In this picture, on the left, is the invitation to the wedding.  Kara brought a little recipe box to me and asked if I could hand paint the same kind of flowers on the front of the box.  They wanted to share family recipes with the new bride and put them in this little box as a gift.  Kara copied the invitation, cut out flowers and taped them together to show me how she wanted the flowers placed on the recipe box. 

(Did you notice on the invitation where the wedding is going to be?)

I painted the flowers and sealed with a clear sealer. Getting started.Thank you, Kara.

"FOLLOW BY EMAIL" IS CHANGING

      "Follow By Email" with Feedburner is changing and going away sometime this month.  I can save the followers and re-install them so you can continue to receive this blog's emails.  I'm trying to figure out how to do just that.  If you get deleted, please check back to see if I have a new way to "follow by email".  I do appreciate you!  Lynda   

PAINTING TROMPE L'OEIL CRACKS ON A WALL & TUTORIAL

     Today, I finished a job at Tina's house and got to take some photos of past projects that I did at her house.  She does like old and old world decorating.  A while back she asked me to paint trompe l'oeil cracks on her patio walls.

It's a little too cold right now, so you don't see all of her beautiful flowers and greenery on her patio.  But, a few months ago when I painted these cracks it looked really, really nice to see the plants in the background.

TUTORIAL

It's not hard to paint cracks and crevices.  I used a dark raw umber and a little bit of black and a very small brush.  It's best to start with a small brush because you can always smudge a little wider and a little more narrow.  You start where you think cracks would be naturally.  I didn't use a pencil, but it might help if you use a pencil first so you could see where you're going with your brush.  At the end I gently smudged around close to the cracks so they would look a little bit dirty and smudgy.  After a while with the natural elements they will start looking even more natural.  And, they might look a little better and more authentic from a distance.

Have fun!

(Original Post 3/3/13)

PAINTING FAUX FINISHES ON IRENE'S DINING ROOM WALLS & CEILING & CRACKLED DISTRESSED FINISH ON HER KITCHEN CABINETS

PAINTING FAUX FINISHES ON IRENE'S DINING ROOM WALLS & CEILING & CRACKLED DISTRESSED FINISH ON HER KITCHEN CABINETS

Irene's home is so elegant!

Through the years she has asked me to paint special finishes in several of her rooms.

This is her dining room.

I painted her ceiling medallion to coordinate with her fabrics and the finish I painted on her ceiling.

I painted her ceiling a very dark brown and hand painted metallic gold over the whole surface.  I painted the gold in swirls, just swirling my paint brush.

Remember, you have to have light for the metallic paints to reflect.

This is the finish I painted on her dining room walls. I painted the walls a metallic gold, then crackled a very soft green over the gold.  Last, I glazed with an antiquing glaze.  Notice that I painted the chair rail  and switch plate so they wouldn't be so noticeable.

I painted the crown molding the same dark brown as the ceiling.  Then, I painted a solid coat of the metallic gold, leaving little brown streaks.

If I paint a special finish on a ceiling I always paint over the a/c vent, too.  Sometimes I paint the whole thing and sometimes I just paint the outer edges and not the little louvres.  

This is the crackled distressed finish I painted on her kitchen cabinets.

I used a stencil and metallic gold for the design.  

Then, I painted an aging glaze and sealed with a clear sealer.

This is one of my favorite kitchens that I've painted.  

I think the cabinets are so beautiful and really fit in with her other decor.   

Her kitchen island has the same finish as the other cabinets.

There is a wet bar between the large kitchen area and the dining room.  

I painted the same finish on those cabinets.  The upper cabinet doors have a decorative clear glass and you can see her beautiful crystal glasses.

I'm very proud of my work, here.

Irene, thank you for letting me be a small part of your lovely home!  

  Original Post 

July 12, 2015