Ashley Hackshaw / Lil Blue Boo - Page 61 of 661 - Living a simple, creative life in small town USA. Bryson City. A Lifestyle Blog.

Painting on Driftwood – Trout and Fly Fishing Art

January 2, 2017 by Ashley Hackshaw

I’ve been painting on driftwood recently…resulting in some trout and fly fishing art. This fall I moved a little desk into our living room and made a little painting nook for myself:

Since then I’ve gotten a lot more painting done because I can sit down here and there to work on various projects:

I’m not a fish person but I love the colors in the rainbow trout and so that’s been my muse for now:

This one is a pretty large piece:

Another piece with a vintage fishing lure on it:

This piece of driftwood had the ripples of the lake in it already:

I made this piece of wood into a tin full of flies:

I love how it turned out with the variety of colors:

This is a tiny piece of wood I could and I added some flies to it as well:

This piece of driftwood almost had the grain of a feather in it already so that’s what I painted:

Someone asked me if I could include a little note with her piece, with the story of where it came from. I loved that idea so I’ve just been included it with every single piece now:

Most of these have already been sold but I’m constantly adding things to my Etsy shop each day. My New Year’s resolution is to try and paint something every single day, no matter how big or small!

A quick note about driftwood: it takes a while to prepare the driftwood for painting. This is a really quick overview but basically I scrub each piece and then soak it for at least two days in a solution of bleach water to kill any bacteria, fungus or bugs that might be living in the wood. It bobs…so I usually have to use a cinderblock to hold it all under the surface of the water!

After I’m sure all the icky stuff has been removed I drain the wood and set it out to dry, categorized by size. Once it’s kind of dry I set it in our basement with the dehumidifier until all the moisture as been removed.

I usually prepare the surface of the painting with white or gray gesso so that it will keep the paint from separating over time. Driftwood is very porous and the pigment of the paint will separate from it’s binder over a long period of time. I also seal each piece with a polyurethane after it’s finished!

My Big Happy Planner – Getting Organized for 2017

January 2, 2017 by Ashley Hackshaw

I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that I don’t have a calendar. I forget a lot of things unless I’m reminded the day of…but this year I’m getting organized. I decided to get one of the Create 365 planners from Michaels and this is the one I chose:

I’ve already started filling in my January schedule…there isn’t much planned yet but that’s the way I like to keep it:

I love the inspiration quotes for each month.I love the spaces for notes and goals setting….even if there are some very lofty goals (like meal planning?!):

I think if I keep it on my desk and take time to plan out each month I’ll keep to it:

These are my favorite accessories…the skinny washi tape. I use them to block off days for holidays, spring break etc:

They are perfect for blocking off sections:

All the accessories to choose from are so cute…like these little post it notes that come in a tiny matchbook:

The reason I chose this happy planner is because of the expandable, disc-bound planner system. I can easily add or subtract sections and other fillers:

I also love the chunky dividers that help me go back and forth between months:

I’m excited to set some new goals for myself this year!

Whether it’s planning the family schedule, cleaning out your pantry or getting the kiddos ready to head back to school, Michaels has everything you need to help you get organized this year too. Michaels has a huge selection of planners as well as all of the accessories you need to personalize your own.

Looking for more organization inspiration? Make sure you visit Michaels’ blog, The Glue String, to see the rest of the Michaels Makers’ organization project ideas like the ones below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Cute Chicken Themed Books and All Things Chicken

December 30, 2016 by Ashley Hackshaw

Now that I’m obsessed with all things chicken I thought I’d share some of our cute chicken themed books we’ve collected!

We love the Lucy Chicken Books by Amanda Curless. I had the chance recently to review them and they are the cutest. I love that they are based off of a real chicken named Lucy. The illustrations are full of expression and cute for almost any age.

Lucy Chicken by Amanda Curless

Lucy Chicken has not laid an egg! What will Lucy Chicken do? Is she a chicken after all? What will she discover about herself?

Lucy Chicken the Onliest Chicken by Amanda Curless

Lucy Chicken is worried! She thought she was the only chicken! What will happen to Lucy Chicken?

I can’t remember how I came upon this cute little book by Nikki McClure. There are no words, just Nikki’s signature paper-cuts, and I fell in love with it:

It’s only 4.5″ tall. The note in the back is the best:

“The Great Chicken Escape is a true story, or as close to the truth as I could ascertain from the chickens themselves.”

The Great Chicken Escape by Nikki McClure

One day, the chickens snuck out the back door of the coop. Some of the more timid were caught, but a rogue group of the highest in the pecking order successfully eluded the nuns.The nuns decided that there was no real danger, only the possibility of a great chicken adventure. They let the chickens roam, enjoying the freedom of the forest.

And then there’s Once Upon a Flock…the book that made me realize that I needed chickens in my life:

Once Upon a Flock: My Life with Soulful Chickens by Lauren Scheuer

“This charming story of Lauren’s life with her quirky flock is filled with moments of humor and heartbreak. Enthusiastically immersing herself in the world of her flock, Lauren discovers that love, loss, passion, and resilience are not only parts of the human experience, but of the chicken experience as well. Throughout it all, Lauren documents the laughter and drama of her flock’s adventures with her own whimsical photos and illustrations. At once humorous, poignant, and informative, Once Upon a Flock is a feathered tale like no other.”

Other cute chicken books:

The Little Red Hen (the original Little Golden Book Classic!)

I’ll never get tired of this one.

Beloved illustrator J. P. Miller’s graphic, colorful farm animals seem to jump right off the page—but they aren’t jumping to help the Little Red Hen plant her wheat!

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo

She longed for adventure. So she left her home and ventured out into the wide world. The pleasures and perils she met proved plentiful: marauding pirates on the majestic seas, a ferocious lion under the bright lights of the big top, a mysterious stranger in an exotic and bustling bazaar. Yet in the face of such daunting danger, our heroine . . . She was brave. She was fearless. She was feathered. She was a chicken. A not-so-chicken chicken.

The Minerva Louise Series by Janet Morgan Stoeke

For over twenty years, the inspired silliness of Janet Stoeke’s Minerva Louise series has captured imaginations and tickled funny bones. Now the book that introduced the feather-brained fowl is back and just as hilarious as ever. From the flowerpot Minerva uses as a comfy seat to the tricycle she mistakes for a tractor, the daffy details of this clever story are truly memorable.