Lesson 3

(Artwork shared in this post is a collaborative effort of Anna and I...mostly Anna.  She likes to put color on color, like red on red, etc....so I outlined some things, and wrote over her wording here and there so it could be seen.)

Before we go any further, I want to share with you some shopping tips...

Download the aps to your phone ASAP for the following:

Michaels (Always offers a 40% off coupon for any one regularly priced item.  Sometimes offers 50% off, and additionally, every once in a while, offers a 20% off your purchase as well.)

JoAnn (Always offers a 40% off an item, often they do 50% off an item, and usually offer $5.00 off a purchase of $30, $10 off $50, and $15 off $75)

Hobby Lobby (Always offers a 40%, everything in their store goes on sale at 50% off about twice a month.  Never pay full price for anything at Hobby Lobby.  If it's not on sale this week, you can bet it will be next.)

Each of those places offers excellent clearance pricing, so always be on the lookout, and each of them also shares their sale paper for the week on their ap.  **For the 5 of you who still have flip phones and aps are not an option, you can still get on their website and print the coupons from there.**

Michaels and JoAnn have mailing lists.  You should get on them as they send special coupons out on fliers to your mailbox and it's like crafting Christmas when they show up.  Who doesn't love Crafting Christmases?

There are some things that hardware stores are good for and crafting stores just over price.  The number one thing that comes to my mind is spray paint.  I try not to use definitives like "always" and "never", but I'm pretty sure that I always buy my spray paint at hardware stores, and I never have bought any at the craft stores because they are at least twice as much moolah...and that's moolah I could be spending on other products!

Painter's tape...gorilla glue...E6000...shop towels, the blue paper towel-looking ones...paint brushes (larger ones, not small, detailing ones)...all of those things are less expensive at the hardware stores.

Brushes...for tiny detail work, I use nail brushes.  I'll be offering a set of those for cheap very soon...they are the ones I love more than any others and use all the time.  I think there's like 20 brushes for $5 or so...I have that on my "to-do" list for this weekend and I"ll be sharing what that is right here in a future blog post.  :)  Don't spend a lot of money on special brushes at the craft store.  Use your 40% off coupon and get a set of 10 or 20 for $10 or so.  I've found that they all wear out at about the same rate.  Also, don't get the bristle-type ones that look like a broom.  They are no bueno.  Get the ones with either brown or white bristles...they are the best.  (In my opinion.)

I know I'm rambling, but I'm trying to think of things and share them as I mentally go through my craft supplies.  Mod Podge.  Don't buy it at Wal Mart.  Buy it at one of the craft stores and utilize that coupon.  You can use a coupon each trip you make there.  They usually change them weekly-on Sundays.  Oh-you can also get a coupon out of fliers in the SUnday paper if you get those.

Back to hardware stores, if you want to paint a lot of rocks, you can pick up an 8 oz little jar of paint for $3.00 at the paint counter, offered in a few prominently-used colors, but you can also check the "oops" paint at both Home Depot and Lowes, and often times, you'll find the same size jar for .50 cents.  I love those.  And the paint is a great, thick quality.

As I think of other items of note, I will share with you, and tomorrow will be a post all about paint!

Rock painting? Not so much....

We had a sad happening last night here on the home front.  Because it's what I think is best, I will not be telling Anna about this, so if you are someone that would happen to bring this up to her, PLEASE DON'T.  That's all I'm going to say about that.

We got Anna last night after work and went and had ice cream at MOTOWN PIZZA, the best ice cream ever (you should go if you haven't been and you are near Westmoreland), played at the park (after unsuccessfully going to a creek to rock hunt), and took her back to her daddy's afterwards...they leave in the morning for a weekend trip to Chattanooga (she has rocks to distribute while she is making her way around town).  To keep this story short and sweet and to the point, we had a cat-astrophe, in a very literal sense when we got home.  Sadly, our lil girl was very injured on her way to greet us, and when Mr. Rock picked her up, she bit him and he had four fairly deep puncture wounds.  Fast forward out of the sadness onto today...as the day went on, his wrist got stiff, his middle finger is somehow not right, and the wounds were beginning to get red.  Fast forward again...after a bag of antibiotics, a tetanus shot, a steroid shot, and some griping from the patient, we are now home...got here at 10:30.

The point of this story?  Life got in my way today, lol.

I'm not good at *just* talking about one thing, ya'll.  I always have strange stories to tell...that are true...funny things to share, photos that make me smile, quotes to cheer and encourage...you just never know.  As much as I love rocks, how fun would a blog about ONLY ROCKS be after...well, I dunno...because to me it would always be fun...but heck, I like to talk about a lot of stuff.  But I'll try to *mostly* remain on-task, since that's what this is supposed to be about.

To make this into a rock post, I am including a rock that Anna drew on and asked me to add to it for her Chattanooga trip.  However, my little dear heart is so excited to leave them around that this one ended up at Chik-fil-a in Gallatin, and she called me to let me know that she left it on the way in, and on the way out, IT WAS GONE, MAMA!!!!!  :) :) :) :)

Thanks for making it this far, and rest assured that Lesson 3 will take place tomorrow!  This gal is going to bed!  G'night, Peeps!

Rocking Lesson 2

A warning about *some* rocks that I should have posted in Lesson 1 is that if you get a bag of rocks from a craft store, the dollar store, etc, and they are polished, DO NOT START PAINTING ON THEM.  That shine doesn't like to hold paint at all.  Alas, there is a fix for this, so don't despair.

Now that we know what kind of rocks we have available, we need to know what to do with them!  Sometimes, as with the rocks that are smooth from Home Depot, nothing is required.  You can just start painting on them.  *Guilty*  You can wash them or soak them, but be sure that you let them get GOOD and dry before you try painting on them.

Many people put a quick, light coat on their rocks with the Triple Thick Clear Glaze from Krylon that we are about to discuss.  Just something over the "smooth and shiny"or "grit and grime"  to help the paint hang on.  I've seen this clear coat suggested by SO MANY talented "rockers" that there was no question to me about getting it...at $4.00 or less for a can, it's not a huge splurge, but for the results vs. the .97 can I was using, it's WAY worth the $4 to have a can.  You don't use as much, and it lasts a good while.  It also will keep your drawings and artwork from running.  Wal Mart, hardware stores, many places offer this, so it's a pretty accessible "tool".  I actually purchased mine on Amazon when I got some of my markers, just because it was easy and I could.  You have to be VERY CAREFUL about what you coat your work with....it WILL run and fade and then you'll be sad, and rock painting is definitely on the opposite spectrum of sad and should stay that way.  While we are talking about this spray, let me tell you that a couple coats on both the top and bottom of your rocks will protect them for a good, long while.

Mod Podge.  It's wonderful for so many things.  We will actually be doing a couple lessons later down the road in which we will be using this stuff.  You don't need a huge bottle.  Really, you don't.  It lasts a long time, and I use mine a lot!  You can use Mod Podge as a clear coat, for a base coat, or for a top coat.  (And some other things we'll get into...) BUT, in my humble opinionation, I would choose to use the glaze for both of the above-mentioned options.  I have been using my Mod Podge, because it needs to be used, and because this is the "hard coat" version...but I'll be spraying mine once this bottle is empty.  *Note*:  Mod Podge comes in a variety of sizes, types, and for a variety of purposes.  It can be purchased at Wal Mart, Target, any craft store.  If you really wanted, you could hop on Pinterest and find a recipe to make your own.  I think it's really something simple like glue and water.  

While we are on the subject of Mod Podge, these little sponge/brushes are what I use for backgrounds when I paint on canvas, and also when when I use the Podge.  I always have a stash of these laying around, and when I'm in the mood, depending upon the abuse I have put them through, I will wash them...if not, they go in the trash.  The link below was the only ones I could find that are what I was talking about, but the ones I buy come from Michael's, and I only get them when they are a whopping nickel a piece.  I get like $5.00 at a time.  Get some.  You won't be sorry.

http://www.michaels.com/artminds-1-inch-foam-brush-set-4-piece/10009265.html

(I don't know why that isn't click-on-able, but just search for foam brushes, or if you go to the store, they are with the paints and brushes; in that area.)

Another way to prep your rocks is to sand them.  Obviously, this would be only to rough up the surface if they are polished, shiny ones, or to smooth out any parts that are smoothable to make painting easier for you.  To sand, I recommend the "sanding sponges" that you can find if you click the link I am providing you with below.  These also work in mega mode if you get them wet before you start sanding.  You have been warned.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-4-5-in-x-2-5-in-x-1-in-Fine-Grit-Block-Sanding-Sponge-3-Sponge-Pack-CP001-3PK-LG/203212459

Another thing the sanding sponges are great for is to give a little shabby/country/rustic look.  I just could't make this flower "right".  My motto when something doesn't quite make it when I am working on it is to keep painting until it does.  That's the beauty of paints...you can just keep going until you have an eye-pleasing piece.  I didn't want my rock to be as shiny as it was...so, I took the sanding sponge to it.  If you look close, you can see the rock showing through in the middle, and through the petals here and there, and the shiny gleam is gone.  I have not coated this one with a finish yet, so it will look smoother and shinier after I do that, but it's still definitely got a "rusty" finish to it.  I'm pleased with it now.  *note* If you use your sanding sponge wet, you will want to rinse it out until the water comes through clear.  These things will last for eons if you take care of them.  Again, you can find these at Wal Mart, or any hardware store.  

Either tonight or in the morning, I am going to make an informative post, not really a lesson, on shopping.  Of this subject, I have a vast knowledge....which probably isn't a good thing...eek.  I'm going to tell you what to get where, what not to get where, and the least-expensive way to purchase items you need.  I'm also planning to post Lesson 3 tomorrow as well.

Don't forget - if you want to add to anything I've said, please do.  My experimentations and knowledge is by far never going to be complete, and I love learning.  If you have questions, if I wasn't clear, whatever the case may be, please say so.

I want to know how many are reading to the bottom of the post, so if you've made it this far, please comment and let me know if you found the hidden words in the flower posted above.  

Rock Painting Lesson 1

Hey, ya'll!!!  As promised, I am going to post tutorials from beginning to end and everything in between on the topic of rock painting.

Of course, the first thing you must have for rock painting is.....ROCKS!!!!!  You may think it is silly to go and actually *purchase* rocks, but if you want to do the rock painting in detail, you probably want to go and buy a bag of rocks.  Seriously.  At least in the Nashville area, the best place to get rocks that are a medium, smooth surface (for a chain store) would be Home Depot.  Lowes does not have medium, smooth rocks.  At HD, you can get a bag (I think it's 20 pounds...) for $10.00.  As far as painting surfaces go, that's a LOT of individual pieces of art for a small amount of money.  This little birdie is an example of the HD rocks.

The other kind of rock that I use a lot of is just a good ole rock from the creek.  I know that I am really "Southernizing" myself, but it's what I have access to.  I'm not near a lake or a river to get nice, smooth rocks from, but I know how to put on my wading boots and pick 'em out of a creek bed.  The ones around here tend to be flat and smooth and make an awesome paint surface.  Problem is, I've used up my collection from years past, and it's been flooding here a lot, so I haven't been able to go rock hunting in the creek yet.  I'm itching to do so, though.  This rock is a poor example of "smooth and flat", but it'll give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

Last, you can always find good rocks at landscaping companies, and usually can hand-pick which you want/don't want.  These places sell by the pound or by the rock...at least typically.  With all the rocking that has been going on, some places will give you rocks to paint.  For example, if you go to Stonetree Mulch, Gravel and More (You can find them on facebook by looking them up with the name I just gave you...) you will find an open bag, with a note that says you may take up to 10 free rocks with you to paint.  Super nice people there, I hear....I'm hoping to go there this long weekend.  So, moral of that story is to go by your local landscaping place and see what they have to say about rock painting, or what they have in stock to purchase.  You won't be disappointed. Thanks to another rocker, I now have a photo to share with you.  She got all of these rocks at a landscaping place, I believe, and spent less than $2.00 on them.  The grey ones are an example of what you would get in the back at Home Depot that I shared with you last night.  I love having visuals...it's how I learn best!

Very last, lol, don't forget to keep your eye out for good rocks in common places, like your driveway, or the rocks that are piled up on the side of the road in some places, at least around here.  Pourous rocks don't lend the best surface, but they can challenge you in a different way....here's one Todd picked for me off the side of the road *yes, he is the best* and I like how it turned out...but they do tend to be a bit of a pain.  Just keepin' it real for ya.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about prepping your rocks, and get into the painting part....thanks for stopping by!  Be sure if you have questions or knowledge to share, comment!  Pretty please!

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I'll be posting lots of fun things here that I've created, want to create, or that you ask for, dear audience.  I encourage your participation, questions, answers to questions, thoughts, requests, and opinions, as well as sharing your artwork, your story, and what you love.  I would like to feature guest artists when possible, and I've already chosen the first one...just gotta chat that out.  If you have a suggestion, or would like to be among those featured, please comment!

Thanks for coming to check things out, and later this evening, I'll be introducing the first in a series of posts.  The subject will be "Rock Painting 101".