A Sled Make-Over

I saw this cute painted sled

on my girlfriend's front doorstep ...

... and it wasn't the first time I'd

admired it, because she puts it out every

year.  Thing is ... it's been, what,

like seven years since it was just the

three of them?

So I asked her whether she would

let me add a couple of

snowmen to her sled.

I believe her exact words were,

"If you have time!

I know you've said YES to

every project that has come your

way and you're completely overbooked

and overextended and you're

thoroughly stressed about getting all

the projects you've taken on

completed on time,

but I would LOVE for you to repaint

this sled and add my other

two children to the picture!"

Or something like that.

Heh heh.

But, in all seriousness, sometimes I really

need a quick and inspiring project to

complete for instant gratification;

especially when I'm completely overbooked

and overextended and

thoroughly stressed.  It relaxes me.

I know.

I'm weird.

It really didn't occur to me that

maybe she didn't want it repainted?

That maybe she wanted it

just the way it was when she bought

it??  But, I'm sure she

would have just said No Thank You.

Right??

Anyway, here's the part where I notice

that the thirty-two sketches

I drew before I finally found a design

idea that I really liked

had somehow just never made it

into my camera.

In other words, when it takes me

that many sketches to get something

right, I start to get really anxious
that maybe I won't
be painting anytime soon,
which sort of triggers this chain-
reaction of anxious thoughts
like, if I'm not painting soon,
then I'm not finishing painting soon,
and if I'm not finishing painting soon,
then clearly I'm not completing
my project, which is most definitely a
prerequisite to getting that
feeling of instant gratification.

In my state of anxiety,
I clearly forgot to take step by step
photographs.  I am so annoyed
with myself!  On the bright side,
however, I did remember to take at
least a few photos.
So I will make this blog post
work with the few photos I took.

And lots of text.
Ha.

Pic of sled I miraculously remembered
to take before I started to
change it completely.

Pic of sled I took after forgetting
to take pics of the base-coated sled,
the sanded sled, the "I've just
transferred my main pattern lines" to sled;
but before I shaded my snowmen.

Pic of sled after some light shading
and highlighting ~ but before I added
the final details.

 
Pic of sled after all shading, highlighting,
outlining, snow-spattering,
personalizing,
and detail-adding were complete.
I also sanded the edges of the sled
and applied a coat of oil-based stain
to protect the painted surface.

I wanted to have a photo that
showed the sled's runners and rope
handle - too cute!

And finally, a little close-up shot.
I love these snowmen
with their all their points and angles!
Fun, fun to paint!

Now everyone in the family is
represented by a snowman!
I asked the daddio if he knew which
snowman was him ...
he pointed to the smallest one.
He is SO MUCH like my hubster.

~ Merry Christmas! ~

Can't wait till next year when she
puts her sled out on her porch!  I'm going
to stop by and take a pic so
you can all see it looks much better
on her porch than it does propped
up against my studio wall.
;)

Peace and a Family of Snowmen