i feel a bit lost without it to tell you the truth, but in the booth tear down i packed it up with everything to be shipped back.
so for this weeks inspiration wednesday i pulled out some canvases and began playing.
i get a lot of requests for workshops on my canvas art, but i guess i do not work sequentially very often.
i work in lots of layers and most times i walk away and come back to a piece with more layers. it is a process that takes longer than a class sitting if that makes sense?
but i thought i would try my hand at a little play by play walk thorugh of my creative process (the abridged version)
8x8 canvas : "create: you ain't seen nothing yet"
- painted the background with yellow acrylic (let dry)
- layered watered down acrylic wash colors of orange yellow and white (let dry)
- title "create" written with watercolor crayon
- took a moist paint brush and smoothed the crayon to look like a painted title
- sprayed the title with water and let the color run leaving a shadow
- used a fine point sharpie to draw the background trees
- using a moist paintbrush and a charcoal pencil i added a gray shadow behind the title "create"
- used a white charcoal pencil to add flecks of white to title
- using a palette knife, smoothed a layer of crackle accents over the entire piece (look closely at top right to see crackle it is subtle, but i like the hidden texture)
- allow crackle to dry fully
- using a white uniball pen, i hand wrote over the title a few times.
- cut the butterflies using my new designs for the silhouette (again, this is the coolest thing ever being able to transform my 2-D line drawings into 3-D textures and images)
- inked the butterflies using distress inks and saturated with water using spray bottle
- molded into flying position by resting it like that in a towel. used a heat gun to dry into shape. (COOL TIP: when you wet paper the starches are activated and paper becomes firmer moldable)
- adhered the butterflies to the canvas using helmar - 450 Quick Dry glue
- added strips of book text, "you aint seen nothing yet. i just got started!"
FIRST - the new issue of 
is in stores now and two of my aprons are featured in it. whahoo!!
SECOND - we did it!
i found out today that i cleared my criminal background check and it is official (not that i was worried, but there was that one time in H.S.?)
bill and i now have an office space with a warehouse and a small storefront!!
our garage is overflowing our house is overrun and we will finally have our house back. the office is only 1.7 miles down the road and kandi and bill will work primarily out of the space. instead of freezing or sweating in the garage we will have a place to assemble kits, fulfill orders, display my art, sell direct, and potentially one day hold workshops. So exciting!
i will still work from home in my studio, be here when the kids come home from school, etc.
however todays piece says it all and i wanted so much to share it with all of you because i know full well with out your love and support none of this is possible. you make dreams come true!
thank you!
watch out world, here i come!
Big congrats!! :D
Posted by: {leah} | February 03, 2010 at 01:00 PM
that's great news! yay for a freestanding space! Way to grow!
Posted by: Account Deleted | February 03, 2010 at 01:04 PM
Congratulations! Sounds like a trip to NC when you get setup. Will you do classes there too?
Posted by: Teresa Kepler | February 03, 2010 at 01:05 PM
How exciting!!!! Congratulations. When is the Grand Opening?
Posted by: Mary Beth | February 03, 2010 at 01:05 PM
Best artfull wishes to you and Bill, Donna! You will love having a "headquarters", and you sure need to the way your biz is exploding. I have a shop/studio about 3 miles from home and adore it. Now go get on Oprah with your wonderful talented self! Huggs!
Posted by: joanne sharpe | February 03, 2010 at 01:06 PM
Super!!!!
Posted by: ms.cheryl | February 03, 2010 at 01:07 PM
congratulations on your new organization opportunity and all that goes with it.
Posted by: elizabeth | February 03, 2010 at 01:12 PM
Awesome! You are a mover and a groover Donna Downey! You Rock! Wishes for the best successes! Keep details coming and we'll come see ya! xoxo
Posted by: A Facebook User | February 03, 2010 at 01:14 PM
Awesome!! Congrats on the new space (WOO HOO!!! I remember that post!) *and* the feature in apronology! And thank you for taking us through your process on your canvases...I'm not a painter, but I love getting a glimpse into artist's creative process :)
Posted by: Michelle (aka mybelle101) | February 03, 2010 at 01:17 PM
I love it! Thank you!
Posted by: Angela W | February 03, 2010 at 01:25 PM
Congrats, Donna!
That canvas is AWESOME!
Posted by: Helena Virpi | February 03, 2010 at 01:34 PM
Happy Dancing with you in Michigan:) Congratulations!! Dee
Posted by: dee | February 03, 2010 at 02:14 PM
Congrats on the office!
I know you are super excited!
Posted by: {vicki} | February 03, 2010 at 02:31 PM
I love the 1.7 miles away part! you will be running back and forth, right?
congrats!
Posted by: Brenda Pinnick | February 03, 2010 at 02:39 PM
Congratulations Donna!
That is awesome news!!!
Posted by: Hannah | February 03, 2010 at 02:46 PM
Congrats
Posted by: Sue | February 03, 2010 at 02:52 PM
congrats, Donna!! Love the canvas...any chance you'll be making more inspiration journals to sell?
thanks.
Posted by: debbi g. | February 03, 2010 at 02:52 PM
debbi...great timing i am finishing up some new ones today, should have the new inspiration journals up on the website by tomorrow!
Posted by: donna downey | February 03, 2010 at 02:54 PM
Way to go! Thanks for the mini tutorial - when will the butterflies be available with Silhouette? I have one and WANT that butterfly - beautiful!
Posted by: Sandi M | February 03, 2010 at 02:57 PM
"watch out world, here I come"? no frickin' kidding! YOU GO GIRL! congratulations! happy, happy wednesday and tell bill to give ya a big hug for me. ciao!
Posted by: Nadia | February 03, 2010 at 03:10 PM
Congrats on the store front. I think that is awesome.
Posted by: Chanda | February 03, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Congratulations!!!!!
Posted by: Krista | February 03, 2010 at 03:38 PM
Congrats on the new space!!! Best of luck to you..
Posted by: Kim J. | February 03, 2010 at 03:49 PM
WOW! Great news! Love the canvas, got the mag (didn't know your aprons were in it until after I was home and reading! Yay You!!) and after having the LandOwner's Association office in my kitchen for 2 years (6 yrs ago) I can totally relate to sweating while filing in the garage and dealing with stuff that piles up but doesn't have anything to do with the kids/house/family always in the way. So, the warehouse/office space is AWESOME!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Posted by: Katherine M | February 03, 2010 at 03:52 PM
Thanks so much for sharing the steps of your canvas - I bought one b/c I wanted to try, but it is still wrapped up, maybe now!
Congrats on your warehouse - can't wait to take a class there! I will still leave the kids in the truck with daddy. :)
Posted by: Wendy | February 03, 2010 at 03:59 PM
You are in an exciting phase of your life!! Congrats on these new steps forward; wishing you much success!! I love this piece of art!!
Posted by: gina f. | February 03, 2010 at 04:12 PM
What exciting news!
Posted by: Donna VW | February 03, 2010 at 04:19 PM
HOOOORAY:) This is exciting! Is it a "store"...where we can come visit? When does the first tour start??! :}
Posted by: Sav O'Gwynn | February 03, 2010 at 04:31 PM
That's a great tutorial, very inspirational! Thanks a lot and good luck for your business (not that you'll need that ;) )
Greetings from germany
Posted by: ReNi | February 03, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Wonderful news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is just so exciting... Can't wait to see what else the future has in store for you although if there is one thing I do know is that the law of attraction will ensure all sorts of wonderful exciting things are going to enter your life... :D
Posted by: Maria Rodrigues Pereira | February 03, 2010 at 04:51 PM
Awesome! I'm so excited for you. As you say 'you ain't seen nothing yet' I believe that. We all have untapped potential - you're just tapping into yours!
Posted by: onescrappydoctor.blogspot.com | February 03, 2010 at 05:00 PM
Wow! The canvas is awesome!
Congrats on the space!
Posted by: Mryia | February 03, 2010 at 05:06 PM
Way to go for all of you! Enjoy your new space!
Posted by: Gloria L. | February 03, 2010 at 05:15 PM
they are already available for download sandi and they are waiting for you, hee hee!
Posted by: donna downey | February 03, 2010 at 05:48 PM
Donna CONGRATULATIONS! This is so exciting...I will be anxious to hear details as it all comes about! Thanks for sharing your good news. Oh and i love the CREATE canvas since that it my word for the year!
Denise
come see my "Mice With A Message" at:
www.dancinglydenise.typepad.com
Posted by: Denise | February 03, 2010 at 05:58 PM
This is super HUGE exciting news! I am over the moon psyched for you!! You (and your art!) deserve it! And thank you so much for the play-by-play of your painting. I would have never guessed by looking at it that *create* came before the trees. And those butterflies are {to die}. I really need to make more time for this kind of playing--amazing things can come from it!
Posted by: Michelle | February 03, 2010 at 06:28 PM
donna
so very happy for you and all your success. you continue to be an inspiration to the scrapbook world, the art world and little old me!!!!!
hugs
peggy
Posted by: peggy forma | February 03, 2010 at 06:39 PM
WOW - that is so awesome - congrats - we want pictures !!!
Posted by: Maureen F | February 03, 2010 at 06:39 PM
C O N G R A T S ! That is such exicting and incredible news! Cant wait to see how this adventure blooms for you!
Posted by: Kate | February 03, 2010 at 06:51 PM
Congrats Donna!
Thanks for the tips on creating the canvas. Ever since taking your class at CHA I've been inspired to get back into creating more with paints (I forgot how fun they were) and using canvas in my scrapbooking. (I was the NJ girl from Coordinates Collections)
Posted by: Jen D. | February 03, 2010 at 07:41 PM
Thank you Donna! I must have missed that information, but I went out there got the butterfly and all of your other pieces at the same time. I'd been admiring those hollyhocks also. Can't wait to play and try them out :)
Posted by: Sandi M | February 03, 2010 at 08:24 PM
Hi Donna. I am so happy for you!!! Your Canvas creation is so beautiful. Thank you for inspiring me daily. I look forward to seeing more of your amazing work. Have a wonderful night. :)
Posted by: Jenny L | February 03, 2010 at 08:34 PM
My goodness that is stunning!!!!! I ordered some canvases and a bunch of other stuff! I can't wait to get started, especially the apron, Going to wear it to my trunk show if it turns out as cute as yours! I will be using all the techniques you taught us in Chicago!
Congrats on your storefront! Can't wait to see pictures!
Have you posted any apron tutorails? I didn't see any, but I can probably figure it out!
Posted by: Diana Graham | February 03, 2010 at 08:44 PM
HOW EXCITING!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!
Posted by: angie | February 03, 2010 at 09:15 PM
That is so awesome! I'll be the first to fly over when you have classes! There are so many of your classes that I want to take.
Posted by: Teresa Wilkins | February 03, 2010 at 09:50 PM
Congrats! This is so exciting :) I envision it looking a bit like the CHA booth :)
Posted by: Tina | February 03, 2010 at 11:07 PM
Congratulations! Very happy for you, Donna!
Posted by: Cami | February 04, 2010 at 02:29 AM
Awesome news. Yeah, we ain't seen nothin' yet!!! Congrats on your next chapter in life. :-)
Posted by: Stefanie Roy | February 04, 2010 at 05:29 AM
Hi Donna. I am so happy for you and Bill. I wish you both continued success in all that you do. I just wish I lived even remotely close so I could visit your new store (Ontario Canada is a little far)!
Posted by: Debbie Mercer | February 04, 2010 at 07:29 AM
I've been watching and following your work for what seems like forever...2005? or 2004? I don't even remember anymore when I first came across your work. I know I still love your first books...I've followed this blog since it began and have been so amazed at how you have discovered new ambitions, set yourself new goals, and grown as both an artist and person. SO excited that you are seeing this dream realized!! Its really inspiring to watch some one really go after their dreams and desires!
Posted by: Felecia | February 04, 2010 at 08:33 AM
Congratulations! What wonderful news. I look forward to seeing photos sometime soon - hint, hint!
Posted by: Laura | February 04, 2010 at 09:05 AM
Congratulations:) You continue to inspire me daily in both my creative potential and regular life. I wish you and Bill all the best in 2010!
StacyS.
Posted by: StacyS. | February 04, 2010 at 10:05 AM
I love the part where dreams come true! I would love to own a business just so I could employ people! What a terrific thing to do...to help other's have their dreams too! Well, Good Luck and carry on!!!!
Posted by: Scrapycandy | February 04, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Congratulations, Donna!!! Wonderful news all around!
:)
Posted by: Susan | February 04, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Fabulous! Congrats Donna!!! That's totally amazing!
If only I would live close by now... find a job in the US for both me and my love, pack our bags and move! :)
Posted by: Stéphanie Pouliot | February 04, 2010 at 12:14 PM
you must be so happy to have your house back
good luck in your new space
xo
Posted by: ida | February 04, 2010 at 01:20 PM
Congrats!! Very cool to open up a place! Wishing you all the best! Thanks for being an inspiration and for giving step by step instructions!
Posted by: Kristina | February 05, 2010 at 08:59 PM
That is SO awesome! I'm so excited for all of you - now I'll have to concentrate on where I want MY new space :-)
Posted by: julia jones | February 06, 2010 at 03:22 PM
hi Donna,
I'm happy very happy for you, I met you in the pacs in paris in the 2006 and you are a real person so I wish for you all the luck you can have, you are a great!
Big kisses
Lory
Posted by: lory | February 12, 2010 at 02:42 PM