To turn music off, click the bars at the top right cornerWaltz of the Wildflowers by John Albert Thomas - used with permission
BRENDA'S BANTER
A beautiful spring day...sunny and 74 degrees....a surprise visit from our daughter... and another completed new ornament. What can be better than this? Tomorrow will be spent throwing the final items in our suitcases, and then we are off for 3 weeks of relaxation, renewal, and fun. I hope to return inspired and ready to tackle the many painting, designing, and web site tasks that are on my list. The first will be to work on the Santa project for September. The prototype came in this week and it is beautiful...can hardly wait to start!
Here’s hoping that each of you are also enjoying a beautiful spring and some painting time between gardening and enjoying the great outdoors!
Seminar Updates
The March seminar has come and gone....and what a delightful time we had! The students did a wonderful job on the projects, and everyone seemed to enjoy them...although the word “background” may cause a shiver or two for some of them for a while! Everyone enjoyed painting on the Texture Sand surface, so watch for more projects done on this in the future.
The new hotel bent over backwards to please us.....everyone enjoyed the wonderful breakfast buffet that was included with their rooms, and most took advantage of the nice lunches made available to us. The meeting room was very spacious and the lighting was great...except for the short period when we blew the breaker with our hair dryers on prep day!
Consider joining us in September when Brenda’s newest Santa project will be presented, along with a project for fall.
The Seminars are held at the Clarion Hotel Historic District.
Seminar Brochure available for download from the Seminar page.
Mark your Calendars
The dates for our 2013 Williamsburg seminar program have been reserved with the Clarion Hotel.
The 2013 dates are:
March 7, 8, 9,10, 2013 - Optional watercolor day March 6, 2013
September 19, 20, 21, 22, 2013 - Optional watercolor day September 18, 2013
E-PACKETS
Look for more packets to be added soon.
We will be lauching a new Friday E-Packet Special. We will be featuring a new E-packet every Friday at a discounted price. This discounted price will be valid for one week.
This weeks E-packet is a brand new design - Saint Nick
Get an early start for Christmas with Saint Nick, a new design on a new porcelain ornament. Brenda used the DecoArt Paper Effects writer to embellish the ornament on the left side and the back.
The 40% discount will apply for 1 week.
Ornament Special
We are currently offering a special on two lovely new ornaments. Purchase 6 and receive one free ornament.
Season of Joy is painted on the rectangular ornament and Brenda has just released a design for the oval ornament that is this week’s E-packet special.
Old Favorite Back in Stock!
HOOT REGISTRATION OPEN APRIL 2
It was great to hear all the seminar students excitedly discussing their HOOT 2012 plans....some already had their registrations and class selections filled out and ready to mail. Remember that registration opens on April 2. We hope you will consider joining Brenda for her special event on Monday, a fabulous new Santa, or for the fun Hildy and Friends project on Tuesday. Both classes will offer Brenda’s great instruction with a projection system and fantastic photos and color worksheets.
HOOT CLASS CATALOG ERROR:
We wanted to let you know of an error in the HOOT class catalog for Brenda's Hildy & Friends class. It states that there will be a door prize and seminar drawing included in the class, we are sorry but that was misprinted. Also in the supplies section for that class, there is mention of gold leafing and supplies which is also a printing error. This information was picked up from the Special event information. We are sorry for any inconvenience and if you have any questions regarding this class or Brenda's special event, please do not hestate to contact the office by phone or e-mail.
NEW WEB SITE FEATURE - CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT
This section that will feature chapters and local painting groups on the web site. I believe what happens on a local level is the lifeblood of decorative painting and I feel it is important to promote local activities. If you are interested in being included in this, please send us an image or two of a chapter activity, tell us a little about your group, and send contact information. We can only do one or two at a time, and it may take a while, but we will try to feature everyone who wants to be included.
April’s Featured Chapter - Buffalo Snowbirds Decoraive Painters
The Buffalo Snowbirds Decorative Painters, received their charter and became affiliated with the Society of Decorative Painters June 2nd,1987. This year at Convention will mark their 25th year with SDP.
Their membership is fairly widespread in Western New York and as of the end of last year we had 70 members, 2 from Canada and some close to Pennsylvania, with most residing within a 25 mile radius of Buffalo
The chapter has 8 meetings a year and an annual Harvest Happening Luncheon in October, where they are hosts to 250 people which enables them to demonstrate their painting skills with beautiful decorated themed tables. Together with a Basket Auction and Silent Auction they raise money to support their local and national seminars, community service projects, give an annual donation to SDP, and provide money to purchase paper mache boxes for members to paint for the International memory box program.
One of the highlights of our chapter has been completely refurbishing the antique carousel at the Buffalo Zoo. Many of our members spent months painting 36 horses, the carriages and the canopy over the top of the carousel. The finished result was amazing and they are so proud of their accomplishment.
The chapter has 4-5 local seminars a year, taught by talented members and 2 National seminars which they are able to heavily subsidize for the members. The Buffalo Snowbirds really enjoy getting together at meetings, to share a new technique, work on a community service, showing off talents on the “Show and Tell” table and socializing with each other. Once a year they get together with 2 other chapters for a weekend retreat.
Visit their website at www.buffalosnowbirds.org/ and if you are in the area please contact them and come to one of their meetings.
Brenda's Blog
If you wish to receive the most up-to-date news of current happenings and updates from Brenda, you will want to subscribe. Simply click on Brenda's Blog in the menu and follow the instructions.
Latest and Greatest
Check out the New Items page for the latest additions....E- packets as well as new additions to Brenda's signature wood items.
New porcelain ornaments in stock
Oval Ornament - H-6398PB - $4.00
Rectangle Ornament H-6397 - $4.00
SEM-137 - Afternoon Calls - This charming little trompe l'eoile still life is painted on a lovely large coffered box with a drawer. The box is perfect for a ladies dresser or vanilty. The packet includes an 8 X 10 and two 5 X 7 color photos, a color mixture swatch sheet, instructions and patten. Done in Americana Acrylics.
SEM-138 - Feeding Time - We have had many requests to make this project available since the book has gone out of print. (As long as a book is in print, we do not offer those projects in packets.) So here she is. The project is done in oil/alkyd and there are four 4 X 6 pholos (entire focal point, two close ups of focal point and one of the side design) instructions and pattern.
Look for the wood eggs and stands we have added to the web site. Brenda will be adding a free project to the tips and more section of her Blog soon. (If you have not already signed up, now would be a good time.)
We are now stocking DecoArt Texture Sand - Texture that can be painted or mixed with paint to create an unlimited variety of textures and colors.
Newsletter Notice
If you are not currently receiving our newsletter, you may subscribe by going to the link at the top of the page and filling in your information.about the show.
If you enjoy decorative art, learning new painting techniques and reading about what other decorative artists are doing, consider joining the Society of Decorative Painters.
For more information write to: SDP, 393 McLean Blvd., Wichita, KS 67203 or visit their website decorativepainters.org
The March seminar has come and gone....and what a delightful time we had! The students did a wonderful job on the projects, and everyone seemed to enjoy them...although the word “background” may cause a shiver or two for some of them for a while! Everyone enjoyed painting on the Texture Sand surface, so watch for more projects done on this in the future. 
It was great to hear all the seminar students excitedly discussing their HOOT 2012 plans....some already had their registrations and class selections filled out and ready to mail. Remember that registration opens on April 2. We hope you will consider joining Brenda for her special event on Monday, a fabulous new Santa, or for the fun Hildy and Friends project on Tuesday. Both classes will offer Brenda’s great instruction with a projection system and fantastic photos and color worksheets.
We wanted to let you know of an error in the HOOT class catalog for Brenda's Hildy & Friends class. It states that there will be a door prize and seminar drawing included in the class, we are sorry but that was misprinted. Also in the supplies section for that class, there is mention of gold leafing and supplies which is also a printing error. This information was picked up from the Special event information. We are sorry for any inconvenience and if you have any questions regarding this class or Brenda's special event, please do not hestate to contact the office by phone or e-mail.
we have added to the web site. Brenda will be adding a free project to the
We are now stocking DecoArt Texture Sand - Texture that can be painted or mixed with paint to create an unlimited variety of textures and colors.