Hey!

If you've found yourself here and you're looking for new content from me, first off, thank you! And second, I've moved primarily over to Instagram @tmatthewsfineart. Come say hi to me over there!

Newest Name Sign

I don't make these much anymore but when a previous customer contacts me and needs a sign for a grandchild, I pull out my beads, and ribbon, and girly pastel paints and get to work.

Bullet Journal Pages 232-233

My December Health Tracker and some festive Christmas lettering.

Bullet Journal Pages 230-231

Time to dust off the red and green pens and get ready for some Christmas lettering.

A(nother) Christmas Painting - Merry & Bright

This is another painting I finished in October and had to wait to hang up until now. This will be hung in my entry way right as you enter my house. It makes me feel Christmasy every time I pass by it.

20" x 24" Acrylic on canvas

This Guy is Staying Here with Me

I finished this painting about a month ago and he's going up in my house TODAY. I kind of love him. He may stay up through December AND January just so I can enjoy him longer.

10" x 10" acrylic on canvas

Some Word Paintings

This is a fun process I am just starting to work with. It was inspired by an IG post by Stephanie Ackerman of Homegrown Hospitality. She didn't explain her process, so I just sort of winged it. But here's what I did:

1. Painted some Dollar Store signs and a wood panel with black gesso. (Remembered to take a picture after I'd already added some color)

2. Painted lots of colors and designs all over them. (I knew two of them would have Christmas words on them so I painted those backgrounds mainly red and green, but in the end it doesn't really show through as much as I thought it would. Any colors would work).

3. Painted a soft coat of thin white (craft) paint over the whole thing. Sorry no pic of this step.
4. Did the lettering with a paint pen.

5. Did another layer of white over the whole thing going around and inside the lettering and scallops. Tip: on two of the signs (You are Brave and 'tis the Season) I used the thin craft paint again and on one (Joy to the World) I used a heavy body acrylic paint (the kind in a tube). I like the look of the heavy body acrylic more. I'll do that from now on. It let a bit more of the background show through.

6. I popped the '''tis the Season" wood panel in a white frame I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby. And I drilled holes and attached a wire hanger on the other two. And of course I added ribbon and fabric. I can't not.

The hanging signs are for my sisters for Christmas and the framed sign is for me cause apparently, I'm REALLY doing a lot of holiday painting for myself this year. Stay tuned for more holiday paintings to come...

Bullet Journal Pages 228-229

Finally finished my Thanksgiving journalling page. These pages are meant to spark memories for me. So though it may look like absolute chaos, I LOVE going back and reading them and remembering some funny thing my nephew said, or some amazing meal we had.

I took pictures as I went if you want to see my process.

1. First I draw the main title and I usually put a cloud or box or square around it so it doesn't get lost in the rest of the lettering.

2. Then I just start writing. I start with a medium tip and larger tip pen--basically both ends of my Zig Writer. I don't put things in order. I just write things where they'll fit.

3. Once the page is filled, I take a superfine pen like a Micron 01 or even 005 and fill in any spaces that seem too bare.

What do you think? Is this way of journalling appealing to you? Or is it just too chaotic? Let me know...