KC's Handpainted Boutique

Hand Painted Halloween

2009-10-07T08:59:00.005-04:00

My grandsons have been getting me into the spirit of Halloween. After they helped me to decorate some spooky Halloween decorations around our house, I decided to paint a couple of whimsical Halloween wall plaques for my Etsy shop.

Autumn Day Memories for 9/11

2009-09-10T06:46:00.000-04:00

I love the autumn season. This is my most favorite time of year with a crisp bite in the air in the morning and afternoons filled with sunshine. The sky begins to change going from a white blue to a deeper more intense blue.

Our Pennsylvania hillsides turn into God's painting palette with fabulous the red, gold, orange, & yellow autumn leaves. I love to take Sunday drives just to see the changing leaves. Everywhere you look you can find roadside farmer's markets selling the abundance of their harvest....apples, zucchinis, pumpkins and cornstalks!

But there's one thing about autumn that I can't forget. I don't want to forget. I don't want the memory of that September day ---September 11, 2001 to fade. Amid all the beauty and abundance that this season brings, we can't forget the atrocities committed against our nation on that day.

Tomorrow is September 11th and I need to remember the sacrifice of so many men, women, and children who lost their lives that day. I need to remember and honor the brave heros of who risked their lives to save others. We all need to preserve that memory so that NEVER again can an attack be perpetuated on American soil.

And we all need to pray for and thank the men and women in our Armed Services for risking their lives to keep us safe.

Our hope is in Christ alone.....May He continue to pour out His blessings on our country.

Had to Do It!

2009-09-04T19:31:00.000-04:00

Labor Day kicks off my favorite time of year - autumn. I love autumn so I just had to do it! I had to have another 20% Off Sale in honor of Labor Day.

Everything at KC's Hand Painted Boutique is 20% off throughout the Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 5, 6, & 7. Discount is off of the purchase price and does not apply to shipping.

To receive your discount, just enter "Weekend Deals" in the Message to Seller at checkout. I will refund the difference through PayPal.

WEEKEND SALE - August 22 & 23 ** 20% Off

2009-08-22T10:16:00.000-04:00

20% OFF sale this weekend at KC's Hand Painted Boutique. Everything in my shop is 20% off the purchase price August 22 & 23.

Since Etsy doesn't have a way to temporarily discount the price, I will refund the 20% through PayPal.

This is a great way to get a leg up on your Christmas shopping.

Why Do you Buy Handmade

2009-08-17T07:43:00.000-04:00

Do you buy handmade goods? There are any number of handmade items offered for sale. Just think of all the different types of handmade things you can find.....exquisite jewelry, lovely purses, attractive handmade clothing, and beautiful knitted or crocheted items, great ceramics, wonderful candles, soaps, and dolls, hand painted home & garden pieces, as well as quilts and handcrafted wood items.

When you buy a handmade item you know that a lot of love, care, skill, and effort went into creating that piece. Craftspeople are just that....craftsmen. And they take great pride in the creative process.

I'm a decorative painter and for me, coming up with a concept and then bringing that concept into being is a source of pride. My name goes on every piece that I create so I try to make sure they are better than what you can buy in a retail store. When I paint something, I know that it is a one-of-a-kind. No matter how many times I paint a design, it will never look exactly the same, even if it's painted on the same surface.

With the holiday buying season coming up I think a handcrafted gift is a wonderful option to consider. It shows that you gave a lot of thought in the gift decision. You found something special and unique that makes it a special gift instead of something mass produced that everyone already has.

The benefits----when you buy your handmade gifts online, you have thousands of vendors right at your fingertips. No running from store to store, hunting for parking, the spending money on gas. Often times you can request customizing of your gift. And your gift will always be much appreciated!

Why do you buy handmade?

Another Etsy Tool

2009-08-14T11:18:00.000-04:00

I recently found another site that seems to have great promise for promoting your Etsy shop.

Yaami Handmade says that they are 'a community of buyers and sellers of handmade creations. Providing ways to help sellers promote their shops as well as tools to help in the running of their shop.'

Besides getting to add your Etsy store to their shop directory, you can plug one item that they will promote for 48 hours.

They also have several tools that:

provides a summary of your store,
gives your shop stats,
displays a listing of all your items with the number of views and hearts,
shows your shop hearts,
provides a html of your hearts to put on your blog or website
shows front page archive
identifies Etsy top sellers

In addition to all of these free features, you can opt to purchase advertising space along the top or sides of their page for either your shop or one of your items.

I've already added a couple of my items and will probably consider their advertising space.

So Little Time to Drink Good Wine

2009-08-12T19:46:00.000-04:00

I love painting on wine glasses and iced-tea glasses. A couple of weeks ago I was going to a friend's 40th Wedding anniversary party (it was beautiful!!!) and was trying to decide what to take as a gift.

I wanted the two of them to be able to celebrate an evening out so I got them a gift certificate to a restaurant. Then, in keeping with that theme, I added a bottle of wine and added two wine glasses that I painted just for them. I love being able to give them something totally unique and made just for them.

I'm mad now, that I didn't take a photo of them, but here's a couple of others that I just listed in my Etsy store. I've been painting these in pairs, but think that I may start to paint them in sets of four.

New Laptop in the Family

2009-08-11T23:59:00.000-04:00

I have my 6 year old PC upstairs which means that every time I want to check my email, list a new item on Etsy, or even post to my blog....I'm running up & down the stairs.

Don't get me wrong, I need the exercise, but I'm sort of isolated up there. I've been wanting a laptop for the longest time, but couldn't justify the cost (to myself) when my old sloooowww pc is still working.

Then I started reading about the $300 HP Compaq laptop that Walmart was selling. I thought it couldn't be very good, but after checking it out I decided to buy one. It's not a monster machine, but it has more than enough capabilities for me. It has a web cam, comes with a CD & DVD writer/player and a 15 inch monitor.

As for me,I'm loving it! I'm writing this post from my comfy chair with the tv on. If you're considering a new laptop you might want to check these out.

Recuperating

2009-08-03T08:37:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday I had routine laparoscopic gall bladder surgery at our local hospital. It's a simple surgery and they now do this as outpatient and send you home the same day.

I was asked dozens of questions before surgery including if I was allergic to any medications. When I explained that I was allergic to morphine they placed a red wrist band on my arm to alert the staff of my allergy.

Shortly after I awoke in the recovery room the nurse asked if I was having any pain and I requested some pain medication. After an injection of pain meds into my IV, I began to get sick and you guessed it...... they had injected me with morphine. It took an additional 8 hours before the drug was out of my body and I began to feel better.

Although my reaction wasn't life threatening, I keep thinking about how often things like this happen with outcomes that aren't always so benign. Hospital personnel are human and make mistakes just like everyone else. At most jobs, a mistake isn't terribly serious and the damage can be easily fixed. But in the medical field it can have drastic effects.

So I just want to remind everyone to be your own advocate. Ask questions! Although the nurse should have checked my armband before she administered the medication, I should have asked her what she was injecting. It would have saved us both an unpleasant time.

Beachin it at the Office

2009-07-30T20:19:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd share another one of my hand painted clipboards.

Blue roses on a clipboard

2009-07-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Each year about this time I start to paint clipboards. I like the way they are both functional and beautiful at the same time.

They make wonderful 'going off to college gifts' and are a fun way to decorate your office. Here's one of my newest that I just listed in my Etsy shop.

Painted in a deep blue, I added three blue roses with several filler flowers, all topped off with blue & yellow bows.

The back has also been painted with a cute duet of blue roses so even if your papers will cover up roses on the front, the roses on the back will show off every time you carry it.

I hope to have several more clipboards listed in my shop in the next few days, so stop by often.

Tropical Whine

2009-07-22T11:48:00.001-04:00

Tropical palms blowing in the ocean breeze.....

Even if you can't get away for a tropical vacation, you'll fee like you're having a day at the beach while sipping wine from this set of 2 hand painted wine glasses.

Makes a fabulous & unique gift.

An Amazing Weekend

2009-07-21T08:20:00.001-04:00

I had the opportunity to get away this past weekend. A rousing 38 women from our church got on the bus to Cleveland for a Women of Faith conference. Now if you can imagine that many women in an enclosed space you have to know we had lots of talking, sharing, and tons of laughter. An amazing trip and an amazing group of women!

At the conference, the speakers Marilyn Meberg, Patsy Clairmont, and Shelia Welsh always inspire me. Anita Renfroe was a hoot and had us all in stitches. The music from Mandisa and Sandy Patty was phenomenal!

The theme this year was A GRAND NEW DAY and focused on how each day is a gift from God.....a new opportunity to be the person God created you to be....and another chance to step into the plan He has for your life. So uplifting and encouraging.

I would encourage you to try to attend one of these conferences. Whether you're far along in your walk with God or just dipping your toes in -- you won't be disappointed.

Etsy Tips - Drive More Traffic to your Store

2009-07-09T22:03:00.000-04:00

I love my Etsy shop. It was pretty easy to set up my store and once it was setup, I sat back and waited for the sales to roll in. (lol) But, I quickly learned what a challenge it can be to get enough traffic in my store to generate sales. So I've started reading everything I can find on how to increase my sales and get my store noticed.

I won't lie.....I've learned that it takes a lot of time and effort to be successful at Etsy. There are just soooooo many talented artists out there that it's easy to get lost and feel like no one is noticing your shop.

I learned that I was making a lot of mistakes and have tried to incorporate some of the things I learned back into my store. My shop is a work in process and I'm certainly not successful at doing all these things, but I keep plodding along.

I thought I would share these in hopes that they will be useful in helping you to get your merchandise in front of the right people.

I hope you'll leave a comment and share what is working best for your shop.

Here's my list......

List or re-list daily - keep your items in front of people
Take great photos (one of my downfalls)
Use all 14 relevant tags on every item - keep a list handy to make listing your items easy Read what Etsy has to say about tags
Be sure to have various price points in your shop
Periodically offer a sale, discount, and/or free shipping
Always have business cards on hand & include them in all your sales pkgs. I got mine for free from Vista Print
Join in the Etsy community - take part in the forums, teams, chats, & labs
Include an Etsy mini in all your forum posts
Join & be active in several of the many social networks out there like: We Love Etsy, Indiepublic
Start a blog of your own
Use a great banner in your shop
Use Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace to promote your products

2009-07-09T12:35:00.000-04:00

Grab a cup of coffee and browse my shop for distinctive and unique hand painted home and garden decor accent pieces. Perfect for gift giving.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
dylnic

In my Prayers

2009-07-06T10:38:00.000-04:00

Our church does a meal ministry for people in our church that have recently had surgery or a new baby. We prepare and deliver meals for a week or two until they can get back on their feet. Today is a day I'm scheduled to bring a meal to someone who recently had knee surgery and, of course, I needed to go to the grocery store to get some last minute things to prepare the meal.

On my way back from the store, I was listening to a program on our local Christian radio station about prayer. Now, like many of you I pray & praise God and have an ongoing conversation with Him. But my prayer life still isn't what I would like it to be. I sometimes don't pray enough when I let my busy life get in the way and often think that my prayers are somehow weak and ineffective when they don't sound like the prayers in a Stormie Omartian book.

And then today this radio pastor reminded me that prayer isn't for God. God doesn't need us to tell him who needs healing, what our needs are, or even how wonderful He is. He knows all.

Prayer is for us. Prayer is a privilege that allows us to come into the presence of God, to connect with Him, and build a deeper, intimate relationship with Him. We tell Him of our needs, who needs healing, and give Him praise, because we need to connect with Him and gain sustenance from Him. Prayer keeps our focus on Christ and increases our faith and our reliance on Him.

Whether the prayer is long or short, whether it is simple or filled with flowery words, God hears our prayers and knows our heart. His power is matchless and Prayer can change things.

2009-07-05T15:08:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to lostsentiments who is the winner of our blog giveaway. The handpainted flowerpot will be mailed out as soon as I receive her address.

The giveaway generated ten entries and was determined by random.org.

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog and left such kind comments about my hand painted treasures. I truly appreciate it.

And Happy 4th of July to all!

A Lovely Blog Award

2009-07-03T07:59:00.000-04:00

Deusprovidebit has been kind enough to present me with "One Lovely Blog Award. Thank you so much! It's an honor to be recognized by a sister blogger such as you.

Please stop by deusprovidebit's blog and her Etsy shop (she sells the most adorable knitted hats for all ages) and.

The rules for accepting this award are as follows.

1. Accept the award.

2. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, along

with his or her blog link.

3. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Now for the fun part.....
I get to pass along this award to 15 interesting & deserving blogs. Congratulations to you all.
Please check them out!

Another Blog Giveaway

2009-06-25T07:42:00.000-04:00

I thought it was time to do another giveaway, so here we go.

One lucky entry will win this 4 inch hand painted flower pot.

The contest will run from June 25 through July 4. The winner will be randomly chosen from comments, purchases, and followers on July 5 using random.org.

3 easy ways to win. All you have to do to enter is....

Visit my Etsy store, KC's Hand Painted Boutique. Come back to my blog and leave a comment about your favorite item from my store. Each comment is counted as a separate entry. Be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch with you if you're the winner.

Follow my blog & leave a comment with your email address.

Make a purchase from my Etsy store.

Celebrating Father's Day

2009-06-21T17:00:00.000-04:00

We had such a great day today. My daughters & their husbands (Dad's themselves) came over and we celebrated for a while. I love that! I love all the noise and busyness that goes with having everyone together. I love watching my husband push our grandsons on the swings and take them to the garden.

My husband is a pretty amazing guy. When we got married, my daughters were 12 & 15. A tough age under any circumstances, but certainly a difficult time to gain a step father. But he made it look easy. He opened his arms to them from the first and has built a wonderful relationship with them, filled with mutual love and respect. I thank God for putting him in our lives and am grateful for the role he took in making them the women they are today.

My own Dad passed away several years ago. And though I don't have him here any longer, I always have my Heavenly Father with me. He's always here, day & night. Always available to talk to.

So I just want to say Happy Father's Day God! May your grace fall atop each and every father out there.

Blessings in Abundance

2009-06-16T08:46:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in a week. Whew,what a crazy life I live! Things have been so busy around here. I've been working on a couple custom pieces & volunteering on a few things at church and babysitting my grandsons.

Trust me, I'm not complaining. Being busy is good! It means I have lots of things going on in my life. A full life! It means God has rained an abundance of love on me.

Although I sometimes take those gifts for granted, I thank God for all the blessings He's bestowed on me. I cherish the time I get to spend with my grandsons and appreciate the opportunity to volunteer at our church.

So that said, I've been so busy with other things that I haven't created any new pieces for my Etsy shop this week. Instead, I'll post one of my older pieces that I recently added to my shop.

I love the different colors in hydrangeas and the way they change color depending on the soil. . Those big fluffy blooms really set off a garden. The hydrangeas on this Bed and Breakfast sign are painted in soft cottage blues that range from a blue green to a deep blue. The lettering is in the same blue green shade.

WOW!!! Featured in 2 Etsy Tresuries

2009-06-09T13:54:00.000-04:00

While watching my grandsons this morning, I happened to check the Craftopolis site and found that two of my items made it into Etsy Treasuries. I'm soooo honored to be included with so many talented artists.

A huge thank you to BailiwickDesigns for including my Rosebud Birdhouse in her "Fr om A Garden" Treasury. This is such a lovely treasury with soft cottage colors and great picks. Fabulous!

Another thank you to SawdustNStitches for including my 'We the People' sign in her "Support the Troops" collection. This Treasury is an awesome tribute to our Armed Forces.

Thank you both so much. I truly appreciate it.

And to those of you reading this blog, please stop by and visit the curator's shops.

Hurry *** SALE Ending Today * Last Day 20% OFF

2009-06-07T06:45:00.000-04:00

Hurry! Today is the last day to take advantage of 20% OFF on hand painted items at KC's Hand Painted Boutique.

Over 40 items to choose from.

Take 20% off on this recently added sign. This "Beach Cottage" sign is perfect for your beach house or anywhere you want to bring in the feel of the ocean.

Another Great Etsy Tool ~ Pricing Help!

2009-06-04T15:44:00.000-04:00

I'm of a mind that my time should be spent painting new creations for my store, but I often find that I actually spend more time on the administrative side of my shop than I would like. That's why I get so excited when I find new web applications to make my Etsy life easier. I just found this one today and I'm glad I can share it with you.

My new find is an Etsy Fee Calculator created by Ryan Olbe. The link is: www.rolbe.com/etsy.htm
This is a free web-based tool that you can quickly & easily use to calculate Etsy profit. It gives you an option to include PayPal fees, shipping costs, and the cost of your materials, in addition to your Etsy fees. This tool even has a reverse calculator that will help you price your item to earn a specific profit amount.

I hope you find this tool to be as helpful as I did!

SALE! SALE! SALE! Hurry June 1 through June 7

2009-06-04T15:29:00.000-04:00

20% OFF on all hand painted items in my Etsy shop KC's Hand Painted Boutique. Purchase from our unique collection of signs and home & garden decor items between June 1 and June 7 to receive your discount. More items added daily!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
dylnic

Craftopolis New Treasury Tool

2009-06-02T07:43:00.000-04:00

If you are an Etsy shop owner. you're probably already using Craftopolis to find out if you have been featured in a Treasury. I usually check it out first thing every morning.

When I checked yesterday I was honored to have my patriotic sign included in a Treasury honoring our Troops by BeautyWithin.

If you haven't yet tried Craftopolis yet, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's sooooo easy to use. Just go to http://www.craftopolis.com/ type in your Etsy username & it will display the name and a link of any Treasury or Gift guide that includes one of your items.
Verrry Kool!

But Craftopolis wasn't satisfied with just being a great site, they went one step beyond and added new functionality to make it easier to create your own treasury. I always get so frustrated trying to time when the current Etsy Treasuries will expire and open up. Now Craftopolis has come up with a TREASURY COUNTDOWN CLOCK that gives you an simple, straight-forward estimate of when the treasuries will open up. Thank you Craftopolis! You've just made my life easier and saved me loads of time!

20% Off SALE at KC's Hand Painted Boutique * Hurry Limited Time

2009-06-01T08:05:00.001-04:00

Starting today, I'm having a HUGE 20% OFF discount sale on all regularly priced hand painted items in my shop KC's Hand Painted Boutique .

Hurry, this is a limited time sale running from June 1 through June 7.
The discount will be offered in one of two ways. If you have already paid for your item, I will do a 20% refund of the sales price through PayPal.

Or you can contact me first and I will adjust your PayPal invoice to reflect the discount. Your choice!

You'll find the perfect gift for all those graduations, showers, & birthdays you'll be attending in June. A hand painted present from KC's Hand Painted Boutique makes a unique and distinctive gift.

First Blog Award

2009-05-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

I had a pleasant surprise I had today. I just received my 1st ever blog award. Anna Kay Creations has just presented me with "One Lovely Blog Award. Thank you so much! It's an honor to be selected by you.

Please stop by Anna Kay's Etsy shop and her blog.

Now it is my turn to pass the award on to 15 of my favorite blogs. This was a hard choice to make since I have sooo many favorites. But I finally whittled it down to these 15. Please check them out.

Now it's your turn HERE ARE THE RULES:

1. Accept the award.

2. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, along

with his or her blog link.

3. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Happy Memorial Day from KC's Hand Painted Boutique ~ THANK YOU to all our veterans

2009-05-25T11:47:00.000-04:00

As we celebrate this weekend with lots of picnics, parades, and that ever growing yard work, please take a moment to say a prayer for our fighting men and women who put their lives in harm's way. Say a prayer for the ones who come home with injuries that we can't begin to comprehend. Say a prayer for the ones who will never come home. And say a prayer for the safety of those who currently putting their lives on the line each and every day.

We honor their sacrifice. Because of the sacrifice they have made and continue to make for our great country, we have the freedom to enjoy our family and friends; we have the freedom to worship however we please; and we have the ability to speak our minds, to agree or disagree with our government. All because of our fighting men and women! Please thank a veteran for your freedoms!

WE APPRECIATE YOU!!

Here are some quotes my brother recently shared with me. They say it much better than I could.

The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots. ~Randy Vader

We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. ~Francis A. Walker

The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree. ~Thomas Campbell

Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations, that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided Republic. ~John A. Logan

Grand Opening - New Marketplace at FuzzB

2009-05-23T04:59:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I opened KC's Hand Painted Boutique on FuzzB. I recently closed my eBay store due to increasing fees and now sell my hand painted items exclusively on Etsy & FuzzB. Take a look at my Profile page.

FuzzB is a social network for anyone who wants to buy or sell. For a limited time you can take advantage of an $25 annual fee (for life)and fill up your store with up to 10000 items for sale. Unlike eBay & Etsy it has no additional listing or ending fees. Right now you can try out a store with limited listings for FREE. That's right, Free!

One of the nice features of FuzzB is the ability to create a custom marketplace, in addition to their main markets, where similar artists can feature their items. I just opened a marketplace in the name of my boutique KC's Hand Painted Boutique. FuzzB gives me greater exposure to sell my collection of hand painted signs and home & garden decor.

It's really a networking community where they offer groups, forums, & blog space. They have a really cool feature where you can make your own commercial. I haven't had a chance to check that out yet. Whew! I'm really excited, although there's a lot to learn here, there appears to be a great deal of opportunity as well.

So I hope you'll check out my shop and even add me as one of your favorite shops.

Free Shipping

2009-05-20T08:12:00.000-04:00

I'm offering free shipping in my shop KC's Hand Painted Boutique with the purchase of any 2 or more items
until May 23. Hurry and take advantage of this offer.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
dylnic

Fishing at the Pond with our Grandsons

2009-05-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

I know, I know! I'm supposed to be blogging about my Etsy store and about painting, but I just can't help being the proud grandma and talking about my grandsons. So here goes.......

I'm so glad that the weather has finally turned warm enough to take our grandsons fishing. I waited until I knew the weather would cooperate & with their Moms' okay, we asked them if they wanted to go fishing. The answer was a resounding "YES!"

My husband & I feel that our purpose as Grandparents is to build memories for the boys. It's so important for both parents and grandparents to make deposits into their memory banks that they can take out when their grown.

So off we went, shortly after my husband got home from work. We really thought we'd be gone less than 2 hours since we expected the boys to become bored quickly. At 9 and 5 years old they still have a short attention span, especially when they have to wait a while for the fish to bite.

A friend of my husband's offered us the use of his stocked pond. We had never been there and had no idea just how scenic & serene it would be. Ahhhh, beauty!! It's such a lovely and peaceful spot. God certainly knows how to paint a landscape.

It was a perfect spot for our grandsons. At first, Nickie, the 5 year old, thought fishing was boring and wanted to run around the pond. But once he caught his first fish (a bluegill) he was hooked. Dylan the 9 year old thought bluegills were fun to catch, that is until he caught his first bass. Then all he wanted to do was catch another one.

All in all they probably caught at least 10 fish. We took Dylan's first bass and Nickie's first fish home to show their Dads and the rest we "threw back" to be caught another day. Did I say that I thought the boys would quickly become bored. Wrong....we finally told them it was time to go home 3 hours later. They could have stayed all night. Next time maybe we will......

USA Trash to Treasure

2009-05-14T15:11:00.000-04:00

I love to re-purpose old things. To take something that has no aesthetics and transform it, to give to it new life, is always a joy.

I found this OLD piece of wood....looks like someone took an old broken door and used it as a cutting board. Very primitive, very distressed. It has a couple of nails in the sides and I guess that's what holds the whole thing together. Where some might see an ugly piece of wood to be burned, I saw a piece that potential. Once I rubbed my had over the surface of the wood and felt it's energy, I knew I had to paint on it.

The cracks in the wood sort of remind me of a flag (never really saw a flag with only 3 stripes - lol) so it was settled! Red, White & Blue. That works.....Memorial Day & the 4th of July are right around the corner and my Etsy store doesn't have anything Americana.

In this case, I didn't sand or try to repair any of the disfigurements in the wood. That's part of it's charm. It was given a very light coat of paint so the dings and cuts weren't completely covered up. It was given a short phrase, and a heart right in the middle. Once it's had several coats of varnish, it'll be ready to put up on Etsy. Very Patriotic!

Freaky Friday Feature from my Etsy Store

2009-05-08T07:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Grandparent's Day at my grandson's school. What a wonderful morning we had. I'm so lucky that I live close to my grandchildren and am able to participate in these things and be part of their lives.

Loads and loads of grandparents of all ages & sizes....all of them proud and beaming. When we came in we were greeted to a huge buffet of food. Thank You PTO for your efforts.

In the classroom and sit with our grand kids and participate in their activities. I never knew that 3rd graders had 3 ways of doing multiplication. I guess we're never too old to learn something else.

Since I was being proud Grandma yesterday, I didn't get a chance to paint, so I thought I'd feature one of my favorite things in my Etsy store - KC's Hand Painted Boutique.

And this tote is one of my favorites, it brings to mind visions of the Tuscany countryside.

KC's Hand Painted Boutique Blog Giveaway Winner Is...

2009-05-05T16:16:00.000-04:00

Drumroll, please!
Ta Da! Congratulations to Chronicles of Neurotic-A who is the winner of our blog giveaway. She gets to pick out one of the 4 hand painted flower pots as her prize.

The giveaway generated 8 entries (7 comments & 1 purchase) and was determined by Random.org.

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog and left such kind comments about my hand painted treasures.

New Weekend Creations

2009-05-04T07:26:00.000-04:00

I spent the past two days painting in my studio. Thought you might want a preview before I get them all listed in my Etsy store KC's Hand Painted Boutique.

I fell in love with this sweet birdhouse. I wasn't sure what design I wanted to paint, but since I love roses I gave it a falling cascade of roses. It still looked kind of plain so I tried out a new paint combo to give the roof a patina of aged copper.

This second piece is your basic keepsake box for treasures & trinkets. It was base coated in a pickled white. In going for a soft understated romantic look, this piece has creamy peach roses and delicate daisies tucked into lush greenery that is spilling over the sides. I think it would be the perfect place to store mementos from a wedding.

Take a look at my Etsy Treasury of Spunky Spring Bags & Totes

2009-05-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

Every time I try to create an Etsy Treasury...it's full. So last night I sat at my pc just watching the countdown so I could snag one. And, Yaaay! I did! I'm so excited to share these Spunky Spring Totes & bags with you all.

I love handmade bags. And I was fortunate to find some gorgeous bags from some very talented artists. Take a look. Spunky Spring

1st Ever GIVEAWAY at KC's Hand Painted Boutique

2009-04-29T08:03:00.000-04:00

Well, I think it's about time! I've been wanting to have a giveaway, so here it is. My first! One lucky entry will win one of my 4 inch hand painted flower pots. The winner will have their choice between the 4 pots shown below. The contest will run from April 29 through May 4. The winner will be randomly chosen from comments, purchases, and followers on May 5 using random.org.

3 easy ways to win. All you have to do to enter is....

Follow my blog & leave a comment with your email address.

Make a purchase from my Etsy store.

Tuesday Treasures

2009-04-28T08:40:00.000-04:00

Etsy
Buy Handmade
dylnic

Vote ~ What are you getting Mom for Mother's Day

2009-04-26T11:38:00.000-04:00

Be sure to cast your vote for what you plan to give Mom for Mother's Day. Do you plan on giving Mom something new to wear.... A new handbag.... Flowers.... The old stand-by, a gift certificate?

Mom has always been there for you. From childhood to now, Mom has been your number 1 cheerleader. The one person that you know will always be there for you. Mother's Day is your chance to show Mom how much you appreciate her.

If you're still searching for the perfect Mother's Day gift, why not consider a truly unique, one of a kind hand painted gift from my Etsy store KC's Hand Painted Boutique. Just grab a cup of coffee and sit back and shop from home.

Items from my Etsy Store featured in Treasuries

2009-04-24T07:55:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning and expected sunshine and warm temperatures, but instead was greeted with thunderstorms. So instead of going shopping I decided to check out my Etsy store and maybe list some new paintings.

I've only been included in one Etsy treasury in the past. Imagine my surprise and delight when I found that I've been included in 3 treasuries this week. This is the only Treasury still current and features my hand painted Antiques sign.

Many thanks to fancy for including me in your Treasury.

If you're wondering if you've been included in a treasury log on to Craftopolis and just type in your store name.

Spring Musings

2009-04-23T08:54:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh, Spring! Spring a time of new beginnings and change. Although many people thing of the new year when they make resolutions, I think springtime is a better option. New Years is usually gray and snowy, while spring is full of sunshine, new blooms, new growth, and new hope. I'm sure that's why we have Easter each spring, Christ's promise assures us of eternal hope. I have a couple of spring wreaths for my front door and every year regardless of which one I put up a family of robins decides to build a nest on my front door. Mama robin will be laying her eggs very soon. She gets quite upset and excited anytime we open or close the front door. Guess I can't blame her.

Spring also puts me in a painting frenzy. I spent yesterday base painting my things and was only able to get this garden tote completed. I think it turned out pretty well. I'll be posting it to Etsy and Fuzzy Blue Slippers later today.

Find me on Blue Fuzzy Slippers Marketplace

2009-04-22T08:30:00.000-04:00

I'm always looking for new markets to promote my hand painted treasures. Imagine how excited I was to find a new marketplace called Blue Fuzzy Slippers. Besides being able to buy and sell on BFS, you can take advantage of the social networking, photo sharing, & more.

I've opted for their trial program that lets you setup 10 products for sale for free. My shop is "under construction" as I'm still learning about this selling format. I've only posted a few of my items there.

Right now I also sell on eBay and Etsy. I've sold on eBay for several years, but their site is getting way too expensive and I find Etsy a much better alternative. I'll probably close my eBay store and stick with Etsy and Blue Fuzzy Slippers.

Neglected no more

2009-04-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

My apologies! I've neglected my blog for way too long now. So....I'm back to tend to my poor unattended blog.

I always have great intentions, but "life" seems to take over, and I find other things to take up my time. Holidays, grandchildren, hospital stays, things going on at church, I've been busy, busy, busy!

I have taken some time to paint again and have some new creations to post to my Etsy store.

Showcased on Etsy

2008-11-17T10:48:00.000-05:00

I was so excited to have my metal pail showcased by Etsy Cottage Style. I think this would make a darling container to hold gift cards at a wedding shower or to hold towels in a shabby cottage powder room. Take a minute and make a comment if you can think of any other uses for this container.

New Winter Things on Etsy

2008-11-15T13:02:00.000-05:00

I just love Etsy and I have a few new items to feature this week. Check out this Winter Thyme Snow Tree Sled with a sweet gingerbread lady nestled in the tree, taking cover from the snowflakes. It's a Jamie Mill-Price design. Her designs are always full of whimsy and fun.

Two Holiday signs are listed. A cherry Gingerbread Blessings sign and this simple Merry Christmas sign are always a great way to welcome your guest.

Unique Christmas Gifts for my Grandson's Teachers

2008-11-13T10:31:00.001-05:00

My daughters are already struggling with what gift to buy their son's teachers for Christmas. My grandson's teachers are dedicated, warm & caring and the boys really admire them. So finding the right gift can cause some anxiety. It's a challenge to come up with creative new ideas and they dislike giving her another #1 Teacher ornament or mug.

Teacher gifts can start to get expensive, especially if you have several children. Trying to come up with something that is pretty, inexpensive and useful can be difficult.

One of the things i like to paint on are terra cotta pots & my studio is full of them. Last summer I painted up a several 4 & 6 inch pots for just this purpose. My daughters use them as gifts....filling them up with candy kisses wrapped in tulle.

Birdhouses are another good, yet inexpensive, gift for the teacher. Something that they don't get every year and yet something that expresses your admiration and respect.

Election - Get Out to Vote

2008-11-03T09:13:00.000-05:00

I hope that by now, everyone has made up their mind about who they will cast their vote for. I thank God for our right to go out and vote for our chosen candidate without fear of repercussions.

I'll be going out at 7:00 AM to vote. When I come home, I plan to take the rest of the day to paint. I have a few things base painted and they are just waiting for me to finish them. Here's a couple that I've already done. Stop in my store and check out some others.

Why buy Handmade?

2008-11-02T15:03:00.000-05:00

So many people are deciding to buy "handmade" gifts this year. Are you??

I could probably give you a hundred reasons why you should consider gifts made by hand rather than running out to Walmart for something that has been mass produced and that everyone already has!

When you buy a handmade item you know that a lot of love and effort went into creating that piece. Craftspeople are just that....craftsmen. And they take great pride in the creative process.

I'm a decorative painter and for me, coming up with a concept and then bringing that concept into being is a source of pride. My name goes on every piece that I create so I try to make sure they are better than what you can buy in a retail store.

I think something handmade or hand painted make a statement that the buyer gave a lot of thought into the purchase. The found something special or unique that makes this a better gift. When I paint something, I know that it is a one-of-a-kind. No matter how many times I paint a design, it will never look exactly the same, even if it's painted on the same surface.

I hope you'll visit my store to find the perfect "handpainted" gift item for you.

Did you set your clocks Back??

2008-11-01T14:27:00.000-04:00

Did you set your clocks back last night?? Remember the old saying "Spring Forward" & "Fall Back"?

For those of us who change our clocks twice a year this is the time we set our clocks back one hour! If you forgot, you may have been early for church today. I know our church was full today. Maybe it was the extra hour of sleep they got or they took an extra hour to get the family ready for church.

I used the extra hour taking some of my items to a local gift shop to see if she would take any of them on consignment. Instead she bought 6 items outright and gave me an order for several more signs.

In fact one of the things she bought was the sled I showed you on Thursday. You'll want to stop by my eBay store KC'sHandpainted Boutique or my Etsy KC's Handpainted Boutique store to start your Christmas gift shopping.

Santa's Christmas Snow Sled

2008-10-30T13:10:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to paint something for Christmas for the past week and finally got a chance. I have a bonus room in my house where I keep my stash of painting surfaces and found the cutest snow sled to paint.

I started off by painting the runners a deep hunter green and painted the seat in Rookwood Red.

I really didn't want to keep the seat plain so I added a Santa face and the Ho Ho Ho at the top. I think it turned out cute and think I'll put it up for sale on Etsy.

Fall Auto Checklist - Get Your Car Ready for Winter

2008-10-28T07:30:00.000-04:00

Today's a painting day. I want to paint a few more Christmas ornaments, but before I can start, I need to get my car ready for cold weather. I'm really late this year. Here in Western Pennsylvania it starts getting cold in November, so I need to get moving. This is my annual autumn maintenance list. If you're like me, you may want to check out your car, too.

Change Anti-freeze
Change Oil
Add a bottle of dry gas to your gas tank
Fill windshield wiper fluids
Check wiper blades to be sure they can handle ice & snow
Check other fluids (power steering, transmission, brake)
Check hoses
Check battery connections for corrosion, Clean if necessary.
Tires - rotate and/or put on snow tires
Have air filter replaced

Monday's Shabby Chic Planter

2008-10-27T07:48:00.000-04:00

Good Morning
Today is Monday and that means it's a painting day. The first thing I need to do is decide what surface I want to paint on. I think that's my biggest problem....... deciding exactly what I want to paint. Once I pick a surface I need to decide what design to paint on it. I paint in all styles....shabby chic, country, and even primitive if the urge moves me so it's important to make sure that the design and the surface are in harmony.

This metal planter is a good example. I have several of these and had to ask myself whether I wanted to paint a Christmas scene or something that can be used year round.

I think these romantic cottage roses were a good choice and have such a romantic look. It's so elegant and with all the people planning weddings right now, it would make a lovely gift card container for a wedding shower or as a charming accent piece in your French Country or Shabby home.

Shabby Cottage ChiC ROSEs Planter Pail Wedding Gift

Sunday Reverie

2008-10-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday
I love Sundays! And today was such a beautiful October Sunday. The trees are just past their peak, but still brilliant. Only God could paint something so gorgeous! The air was crisp but the sun was out all day, it just makes you happy to be breathing.

As usual we started off the day by attending church. It was an exceptionally long service, and we didn't get home till lunchtime. That was okay because the Steelers weren't playing until 4:00 pm.

Church, family, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. What could be better....... except maybe a win. The Steelers lost against last years Super Bowl Champions the NY Giants. I guess we really missed Willie Parker & Santonio Holmes.

I don't usually paint on Sunday's, but I had a gentleman email me for 2 custom signs and I wanted to get these done. I'm still working on the one that says "Always" and think I should add some kind of border to jazz it up a little.

I Love to Paint

2008-10-24T09:59:00.000-04:00

Decorative painting or tole painting as it's sometimes called is one of my favorite pastimes. When I retired, I took a decorative painting class and was immediately hooked! I found that there's no end to what you can create with paint. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it's soooo relaxing. I definitely lose track of time when I'm painting.

I guess my biggest problem was what to do with all the things I create. I was painting so much that I just didn't have enough rooms in my home to store it all, so I started selling a few of them on eBay and Etsy.

It's wonderful to know someone else is getting use and pleasure out of one of my creations.

KC's Handpainted Boutique

Hand Painted Halloween

Autumn Day Memories for 9/11

Had to Do It!

WEEKEND SALE - August 22 & 23 ** 20% Off

Why Do you Buy Handmade

Another Etsy Tool

So Little Time to Drink Good Wine

New Laptop in the Family

Recuperating

Beachin it at the Office

Blue roses on a clipboard

Tropical Whine

An Amazing Weekend

Etsy Tips - Drive More Traffic to your Store

In my Prayers

A Lovely Blog Award

Another Blog Giveaway

Celebrating Father's Day

Blessings in Abundance

WOW!!! Featured in 2 Etsy Tresuries

Hurry ******* SALE Ending Today ***** Last Day 20% OFF

Another Great Etsy Tool ~ Pricing Help!

SALE! SALE! SALE! Hurry June 1 through June 7

Craftopolis New Treasury Tool

20% Off SALE at KC's Hand Painted Boutique * Hurry Limited Time

First Blog Award

Happy Memorial Day from KC's Hand Painted Boutique ~ THANK YOU to all our veterans

Grand Opening - New Marketplace at FuzzB

Free Shipping

Fishing at the Pond with our Grandsons

USA Trash to Treasure

Freaky Friday Feature from my Etsy Store

KC's Hand Painted Boutique Blog Giveaway Winner Is...

New Weekend Creations

Take a look at my Etsy Treasury of Spunky Spring Bags & Totes

1st Ever GIVEAWAY at KC's Hand Painted Boutique

Tuesday Treasures

Vote ~ What are you getting Mom for Mother's Day

Items from my Etsy Store featured in Treasuries

Spring Musings

Find me on Blue Fuzzy Slippers Marketplace

Neglected no more

Showcased on Etsy

New Winter Things on Etsy

Unique Christmas Gifts for my Grandson's Teachers

Election - Get Out to Vote

Why buy Handmade?

Did you set your clocks Back??

Santa's Christmas Snow Sled

Fall Auto Checklist - Get Your Car Ready for Winter

Monday's Shabby Chic Planter

Shabby Cottage ChiC ROSEs Planter Pail Wedding Gift

Sunday Reverie

I Love to Paint

Hurry *** SALE Ending Today * Last Day 20% OFF