Making Changes - Very Busy - Somewhat Tired

This week, again, has been very busy here at the ole homestead. We are currently having our painting (studio) room sheetrocked and finished so we can provide a space for classes. Just having that done has put me out of my painting area for the past two weeks. So I have been painting at my desk where all my computers are located. I have to keep getting up going to my room to pick up paints, tracing paper, varnish, etc. What a pain but I know in the end the room will be much nicer after completion. Then I will do all my painting there. Talk about painting. Even though the room is a mess because of all the construction, I have spent most of the time this week painting as you can see from the pictures above. I did not include pictures of two other pieces that I have started. One is a David Jansen seminar floral piece (just have the piece basecoated) and my pattern that I have designed and am painting on a surface. I am just surprised that I have completed as many pieces that I did over the past week. I am now working on the floral piece from the training manual where I have marbelized the surface (pictured above). I know that my piece appears to be more marbelized than the instructional photos but I preferred a darker/stronger marbelizing. Now, when I am finished with the project, lets see if I still think the same as now. But for now, I like the stronger look.

Now on top of all the construction mess, we have been very busy with all the new supplies and surfaces that are arriving daily. I have had Mark busy putting together new shelving to hold all the new goodies. We are getting some very different items for our area. We are looking to be more of a boutique where we will bring in those surfaces that painters would not normally find in our area. As of this morning, we have over 305 different items in stocke that we carry a minimum of 3 each. Many of the items we carry at least 6 and have each item systematically displayed. We are very orderly and neat when it comes to displaying our stock and of course this takes time to maintain. It is exciting to watch our inventory grow along with our other items of our business like our FaceBook friends. Now that is an area that has just taking off. As of this morning we have over 1032 friends that are connected to us on FaceBook. We post finished pieces, progression pictures, new product news, decorative painting techniques and news, etc. on FaceBook and are getting very positive comments back. We are really quite surprised at how quickly that part of our outreach program has grown. So FaceBook, Twitter, Pampered Palette Blog, Website and Store, keeps us very busy. In the future months, when we get most of our inventory in place (and we definitely expect that to grow quickly) we think things will calm down a little so that we can focus on the business and our classes. But for now, it is busy, busy, busy. Which reminds me, I need to get back to work. I have to paint today on two pieces that I would like to have completed by the weekend. So, back to work for me. Until the next post, Happy Painting.

Shirts Arrive - Very Busy Getting Ready For Next Year!

Again this week has been very busy as we have consistently received supply orders from all over the country. It has been daily that we have had FEDEX and UPS delivering boxes at our place so that has really kept me very busy. With all the boxes comes things like setting up new storage shelving, which we did, entering all the items into the computer (my job), pricing the items, updating the online store and the list just seems to go on. In between unpacking all the boxes, I did a little painting this week. I worked some more on my pattern that I will be releasing after the first of year, painted two Heritage lessons, started a third lesson and when I was painting, I was chatting on Skype with someone from the Heritage team. In all a very busy but exciting week.

Most of you guys know that Mark and I will be having a Pampered Palette booth at the SDP convention next year. Well we ordered shirts for the booth which was delivered this week as well. The pictures above are of Mark modeling one of the new shirts and a close up of the left pocket area. I think they turned out great. Now just in case someone could not figure it out from all the pictures I have posted, our booth colors will be a combination of Red, Black and White. The shirts and table cover will be red and black while all the signage will be red and white. We are really trying to have a very consistent look throughout the booth. We still have not figured out what we will display in the booth but at the moment it looks like we have have items from the Global Art and Jansen Art. We know for sure the Heritage paints will be in the booth and probably Jansen patterns, brushes, books, etc. Anyway, we are still working on the contents of the booth. Right now we are pleased that we have settled on the look and feel.

Now if you have not visited the Pampered Palette website or the online store in a while, stop by, and take a look at all the changes. We have made some major changes to both the website and the store. Visit http://www.pamperedpalette.com and http://store.pamperedpalette.com. Lots of changes and lots of items added to both sites.

Well it is Christmas Eve and we have lots of things to do before tomorrow. We will actually be having Christmas dinner with my daughter and grandson so have to finish all my items wrapped today. So, I guess I best get off the computer and get with it. Until the next post, Happy Painting.

Snow Finally Stopped - Waiting For Spring

Well the snow finally stopped and I could not have been happy that it did. You see, I am not a cold weather type of person. I much prefer the warm or hot weather but have always lived in the DC area so here I sit, still. I spent yesterday working on my computer (order more supplies), baking bread, and I actually painted. I am working on four (4) pieces currently at the same time. Two of the pieces are from the Heritage Educational Program and the other two pieces are of my pattern packet that I will be releasing (using the Heritage paints and Fusion brushes). You may ask how I can work on four pieces at the same time. Well, I work a little on one piece and the switch to the next when I want to do something else. While I am painting the pieces used in the photos for my pattern packet, I paint a little, document, and then I take photos of the progress of the piece. I am hoping to get some of the pieces completed today (Sunday) as I need to move on to the next pieces. There just does not seem to be enough time in the day to get everything done that I would like to accomplish. Well, I should have plenty of time now because of the snow because I will not leave the house until it melts.............lol.

I bet you are wondering about the pictures posted above? Well, those are more of my shameless marketing of the David Jansen Empire, just kidding David. The pictures are actually oversized postcards that I had printed to promote David's new DVD (4011). I scanned them into my computer so I could post the pictures. That is why the card with the shelf is sideways. You actually look at that l card lengthwise (top to bottom) not left to right. I think the cards turned out very sharp. I now have tons or so it seems of marketing material. I think I am all ready for the trade shows or local association meetings.

It has been really busy here this week. Not only have I been fighting with FEDEX for losing a box of wood/metal surfaces, which they have never found, I have had multiple boxes arriving each day. I am getting my shelves stocked and ready for the new year. Need a new brush? Well I now stock the complete Global Art brush line, along with almost all of David Jansen's pattern packets, new wood, new metal/tin, and artist supplies. I could probably outfit a complete college art department............lol. With all of those items arriving, that meant I needed to spend lots of time of time on the computer updating inventory and the online store. Hey, check it out. To bypass the website and go directly to the store to view everything new, navigate to http://store.pamperedpalette.com. I am just stunned at all the new things we have added and guess what? There is more on the way. Take a look. I think you will be surprised.

Well, I guess I should get my act together as I have lots to do. Today we are putting together additional shelving to hold all the new items and I want to paint. I cannot get things done if I continue to sit here typing on the computer. So, I am off to paint and work. Until the next post, Happy Painting.

David Wins Big!!!!!

We have had a lot happening here at Pampered Palette (and our house) this past week. The weekend we had contractors in hanging sheetrock in the only unfinished space in the house. That space is where I usually paint as I have it set up as my painting studio. Well, next year we will move into teaching classes from here so I am having that area of the house finished. Not only the walls but we are having additional lighting and we plan to hang monitors (at least 42") from the ceiling to assist students with viewing demonstrations. So, there is a lot of work going on at the moment.

Now I am sure everyone is wondering about the above picture? Well, the Potomac View Decorative Artists were having a raffle as part of the year end Christmas party to raise funds. Well, I bought some tickets to support the organization and received an email Saturday evening from the organization's President letting me know that I had won the piece. It is a seasons trunk and the front panel can be changed as the seasons change. I have five panels to choose from and each panel was painted by a member of the organization. Now how lucky was that? A very pleasant surprise.

The rest of the week as not been that great as I am dealing with a lost shipment of metalware that has been misplaced by FEDEX (a 34lb. box). It is kind of funny, as their website tracking says the box has been delivered but I do not know where they left it because they certainly did not leave it at our shop. So, I am waiting for FEDEX to try and determine where they have left the box and hopefully I will get it delivered some time this week. I have two additional shipments coming this week and they are both being delivered by FEDEX. Now ask me if I am concerned whether or not they will show up? We will see.

Even with all the excitement of winning the trunk and the disappointment of FEDEX losing my shipment, I have been upbeat enough to paint. I did a little bit on 4 of the pieces that I am painting. I am hoping to get one of them completed today. I guess we will she how things go today. If I get one of the pieces completed, I will definitely post pictures. Until then, Happy Painting.

New Table Cover Received

You know, there are days I feel like I just do not have enough hands to get everything done. I painted a little last even but I am receiving so many items for the online store that it requires me to lay down my brushes and do some data entry. I have been receiving brushes, paints, patterns, wood surfaces, tinware, and supplies. So, I have to enter each item into the inventory system then enter it into my online store so customers can view the information and hopefully order. All of this computer stuff can get a little overwhelming at times but so far I have able to keep up with all the data entry.
Today was a very good day as I received an order from Jansen Art Studio and I received my table cover that we will be using next year at the SDP convention. I think the cover looks great. Mark and I will have a booth at the convention so we had the above table cover made which will make our booth look more professional. We plan to have the Heritage Acrylics in the booth for display and sale along with some other goodies. All of that (booth displays/products) is in the planning stages. It is going to be really exciting as I have not had a booth at a convention in about 10-15 years. The last time I had a booth was when I ran my ceramics business. So, this could be really fun.
Anyway, lots of things going on here at Pampered Palette. I have another order of tinware arriving tomorrow and then I think I will sit down to paint a little. So, I should probably stop gabbing and get back to work. Until the next post, Happy Painting.

Sandy Scales Seminar this Past Weekend

This past weekend Mark and I traveled to Painter's Paradise in Delaware to attend the Sandy Scales seminar. Sandy provides seminars using Maureen McNaughton's patterns. We had an absolutely great time even though the first day we had to deal with rain and snow while traveling. The first day of seminar there was about 24 people in the class as we worked on the rose plaque pictured above. I did not get my piece finished but really made some great progress towards its completion. I found the design fun, somewhat easy, but a little time consuming. I guess that is why I did not get the project finished but it gives me something to do at home along with all the other projects I am painting. The second day was the round metal plate pictured above. That particular pattern I had selected and suggested for the seminar (surprised they picked it.......lol). Now that complete piece is totally painted using flat brushes and one little tiny philbert brush (#4). That was just a little challenging but fun and believe it or not, I almost completed that piece (the pattern portion). I now can add that piece to my project list as well. Mark and I are currently scheduled to go back to another Sandy Scales seminar the second week of January and the second week of February. The end of February we will be attending the Maureen McNaughton seminar at SDP headquarters in Wichita. Three days of painting with Maureen...............I bet it will be cold there..........

Since I am not on travel this week, I plan to do a little painting. I have to get back on all my projects and get some of them completed. Anyway, I just thought I would share this with everyone. I have to run so until the next post, HAPPY PAINTING>

Pampered Palette Adds the New Global Art Brushes To Their Online Store

We are very proud to announce that we have added the new Global Art Brush line to our online store along with many other items for the decorative artist. We seem to be growing by leaps and bounds. We have added wood surfaces, books, patterns, DVDs, etc. When you are typing all the items into the computer for inventory purposes, it seems like an endless list.......ha. Visit our online store at store.pamperedpalette.com (takes you directly to the store, no need to go through the website) and take a look at all the new items that we have added. Until the next time, Happy Painting.

Back From All The Travel

Well finally I have completed all my travel for a while so this evening I started the Heritage Core A & B lessons in the new program. I am beginning my journey to paint every project in the manual so have ordered lots of wood. I did not get a lot completed this evening but I did get at least something done as I am painting both projects at the same time. My plan is to paint a little more of both pieces tomorrow evening after work. Who knows, I may even get them finished.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL COLORS USED ARE THE NEW HERITAGE MULTIMEDIA ACRYLICS.

This weekend I have a seminar scheduled for Painter's Paradise in Delaware to complete two pieces over the weekend. I think both projects will be fun and really informative. I will tell everyone about it and post pictures.

You know, I just realized something. I am getting as bad as Paul. I have 5 unfinished projects that I am working on at the moment. I work on one of the for a while then lay it aside and pick up the next one. I feel that is giving me a little variety so I do not get bored with any one piece. I know, it does sound a little weird but it is working for me. Well that is it from the home front for this evening. I will post more, with pictures, after tomorrow evening. Until the next time, Happy Painting.