Studio Update.

It's been business as usual here in my little corner studio since our return from Vegas last week.

Here's a sneak peek at the floor canvas I'm working on right now. My inspiration, those fabulous 'modern art' carpets that I see in all the home decor magazines. They are way out of my budget so a perfect excuse for a DIY.

To get the very textured paint effect that I want, I applied some acrylic modeling paste very lightly and haphazardly all over the canvas.

I've used seven different Benjamin Moore paints and layered color over color. I had an idea of how I wanted the finished canvas to look, but as I painted intuition took over and I just went with the flow. If an area looked too dark, I went over it with a lighter color. If an area started to look to neat, I splattered and flicked the paint.

Four of the paints I purchased at my local paint store and the rest was graciously provided by Sharon Grech and Benjamin Moore.

Here are some of the tools I used. I especially like painting this textured effect with a brayer instead of a brush.

The painting is now finished and I'm really pleased with it. All that's left to do is to turn under the edges and give it a couple of coats of Benjamin Moore's Stays Clear to make it really durable. 

The reveal??  You'll just have to wait and see the finished floor canvas when our segment airs on Cityline later this year.

My Cityline Segment.

This past Monday, Sharon Grech and her crew were here filming the 'before' part of my Cityline segment. I still have to pinch myself when I say this. My Cityline segment. Dreams do come true!

I thought I would be nervous but I was ok. It was fun watching the crew set up shots and run through what we were going to say. I was enjoying being in the moment so much that I forgot to take photos.

So now the fun begins. I get to do all the dirty work. I'm not going to give away all that we are doing for this segment, but I will be sharing sneak peeks every now and then. The 'after' will be shot in the early fall and it will air sometime after that. I'll keep you posted.

Special Collaboration Reveal.

So I've hinted that there is something really big happening here. In a previous post I wrote

I have a special collaboration in the works but its much too soon for any real details yet. This is going to be BIG and I'm over the moon when I think about it. It's something that has been on my mind for a few years now, and a few months ago I decided to get off the fence and just go for it. Special things do happen when you step out of your comfort zone. So grateful for all the new and exciting opportunities lately.

I also posted a teaser a few weeks ago but didn't want to reveal what's going on until I was more certain that the project was a go. Now, enough of the details have been worked out so that I'm comfortable revealing what the big secret is. Drum roll please.............

I am working with Sharon Grech of Benjamin Moore and Cityline fame. (Yes me!) She has graciously agreed to feature me and my live/work space dilemma in a Cityline design segment. Sharon will be here in my studio/home filming the 'before' in just a few weeks. Then I will be busy doing the dirty work for the 'after' to be filmed sometime later this summer.

I'm pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming all this and yes I am wide awake. Stay tuned to follow along as Sharon helps me transform this somewhat dysfunctional live/work space, into a spectacular home/studio space. I'll post the air date as soon as I hear.

Color and Paint.

Last weeks finished DIY is still hanging in the master bedroom and I couldn't be happier. The colors are so soothing and 'beachy'. Thank you to everyone that commented, tweeted and sent emails. I still have a carpet (floor cloth) to paint but I think I'll be using darker colors. Maybe jewel tones as they would be more suited to the long fall and winter months.

They say diamonds are a girls best friend? Not so at least for this girl. A Benjamin Moore fan deck would do very nicely thank you.

The week so far has been a mad house. I've been enjoying long days of painting in my tiny little corner space that is my studio. I'm working on a few projects that I can't share until I get the final word from my publisher, but I can tell you that they are fun, fresh and full of color.

Note to self-when painting with a breyer and red paint, be sure to use a drop cloth and have a wet rag handy. Otherwise the place starts to look like a crime scene very fast. Ciao for now. :-)

My Summer DIY.

I have been a little obsessed with this color palette lately. Earth and Sky from Benjamin Moore 2012 Color Trends. Sharkskin, fresh olive, battenburg, storm cloud gray and wythe blue.

I like them so much that I decided to get myself some sample sized pots to play with. I purchased sharkskin (the darker of the 2 grays) wythe blue, fresh olive, and battenburg.

As if I didn't have enough projects and painting commitments on the go, I decided that this was the time to start (and finish) a big DIY that's been on my mind. I've seen some stunning designer carpets. Carpets that look like art. Floor art. At the moment they are way out of my budget, so until I can purchase one I'm making my own canvas floor cloth.

Before I start on the actual canvas I've been working on some smaller test pieces. The Benjamin Moore paints are great to work with. The consistency is perfect for blending. When I'm done I'll be sure to give it a few coats of Stays Clear to protect it and make it durable. Stay tuned for the finished carpet. I have the best intentions to have it finished by the end of summer. 

*I have not received any payment or gifts from Benjamin Moore for this post. I just really like their products. :-)