My personal Mompreneur story: Unmask your hidden talents

How I ended up a mompreneur before it was cool: In the early seventies, my husband opened a retail floor covering store and stationed me on the front desk. I was miserable.

Bored to tears, I started playing with some of the scraps of carpet in my spare time and "The Hooked LOOK" was born.

My crafty escapism started off with simple designs as this little cover reveals; and grew to impressive contemporary full wall-scapes. Yes, you may have seen them in your favorite airport.

I was credited by the Dallas Times Herald as the creator of a new craft and featured in our local city paper. Then - I was selected to be the first artist/craftsperson featured in the Premier Issue of the Dallas Homes and Gardens Magazine. It was so exciting! The feature editor discovered my work at my first ever public  exhibit at Cottonwood Art Show in Richardson, Texas.

From that article, I received a commission to do a massive abstract logo for the decorator of a large bank in Dallas. Many commercial accounts followed. Soon my husband joined my efforts, and together, we developed an art manufacturing company (and closed that floor covering store!). Our contemporary wallhangings were distributed nationally through reps and in permanent showrooms in all of the major home furniture markets, including the World Trade Centers in Dallas, Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Las Angeles and conventions in High Point. Our accounts included IRS, Hilton Double Tree hotel chain, Armed Forces Commissaries and many, many exclusive decorator commissions and orders.

Another line of designs were offered direct to the public in highly juried art exhibits through out the nation -- so many that it was necessary to have seven to eight trucks on the road at all times. We were overjoyed to see how very popular our wallscapes were and to meet many celebrities who took more than one home with them.  If you look very close, you can see one of our tree wall hangings on old reruns of the "Three's Company" set!
Alas, earth-tones and contemporary furnishings were replaced with country kitschy, owls and mushrooms. My husband wasn't willing to go there and I had more  little ones at home by then and just wanted to stay home. But all of that work and effort, only good while it lasted, and then,

WOW! I've Never Thought of Painting Clothes: My son was modeling at a Lee Jeans runway show at the Dallas Apparel Mart. The dancers and models were outfitted in Lee Jeans and the wildest painted t-shirts imaginable. I was totally blown away by the possibilities. Though I loved staying home, and being with my kids was my first priority, I needed to contribute financially. I thought I saw a chance to do both.

With prayer, faith, and much struggle to conquer a new learning curve, I developed a line of ten fashion painting patterns; presented them to MJ Designs and my Painter Friendly Designs by Devonia patterns were soon sold nationwide.

That was a fun, kitchen-table career that allowed me to stay home with my kiddos - the second stage of my  mompreneurism. Before the craft industry began it's tragic crash, my pattern lines swelled to more than ten with more than a thousand designs and were marketed in all of the major craft stores across the nation, including Michaels, MJ Designs, Ambers, Hobby Lobby, Garden Ridge Pottery and many mom and pop stores. I worked very hard at my kitchen table - things always sound easier than they are.

Life was wonderful while the craze lasted and my sons grew to be teenagers.
Occasionally I find a Designs by Devonia pattern packet offered on eBay and I feel a bit nostalgic.

Here's one currently available on eBay.

Then...


Maybe it's time I get a REAL job:
Another creative cycle had ended. My kiddos were
nearly out of the nest and I was again looking for something to keep my mind and fingers busy and contribute financially (I was already finding out that older kids are very expensive) - this time I looked outside my home, uncertain I had anything to offer that would benefit any company.

A local adult education facility, Fun/ED, advertised for an art marketing director with heavy experience in publishing, marketing, art and public speaking. I applied and was shocked that the job was mine!

I felt as if I had been dropped to float on a creative cloud. An extra perk, of course, was that I could attend any of the more than 350 classes - FREE! plus as co-ordinator for for all major "happenings", I rubbed elbows with many renowned authors in events hosted by our facility. It was a fast-paced environment aptly named Fun/ED. I wore many hats and though he responsibilities were daunting , I was happily very busy. I couldn't believe I was being paid big $$$'s to do this job while someone else had all the worries. I loved it!

In my spare time, I designed all of the four-color covers for our class catalog, chose the models, set up and oversaw the photo shoots and edited the magazine, placed all advertisements, etc. The classes were presented in a full color magazine form - mine to create from concept to final print sign-off (often at three in the morning). One of my favorite covers is shown at the left- tagged "Unmask Your Hidden Talents!".

Eventually the owners of this private institution, Fun/ED, serving DFW more than twenty years, wanted to retire so another change loomed. I was heartbroken, yet...

I Had Always Yearned To Paint ROSES: Just about the time that Rachel Ashwell's book, Shabby Chic, set a new trend for home decor - eBay was new and exciting! I picked up a paint brush and realized I was right back at my kitchen table. My art began to travel to homes as far, globally, as eBay could reach and I fell in love with the many wonderful customers. This has been a personally rewarding time and I've enjoyed it since 1997 , however,

Now...

If you have read this far, you must have noticed a pattern. Life changes - art changes - we change. Once I forced change myself, but most of the time, change was forced upon me. A part of me always feared changes because I liked things just the way they were. I was happy and not eager to change nor did I always trust what the newest open door might offer. Someone recently asked a group if we believed that everything happens for a reason. I don't know the answer. I just know that change is inevitable; yet, by reviewing my own experience, I have to believe if we tap into our hidden talents, change can open new opportunities. It's up to us to explore the possibilities. What's true in a Dallas lifestyle is true anywhere. Sooo tell me your story.

And sooo, while I give this some thought, I bet blogging and writing might be fun!

Transform Your Family Photo Into A WOW Painting

Do you have a great family photo that you would love to turn into a huge personal painting for your home? Maybe that super shot of your hubby breaking the finish line in first place in the marathon, or granddad hammering together a wood rocking horse, or even a family shot eating hot dogs that you just love? Could be your rec room would be the perfect place for paintings of your little girl going through drill team exercises and your little boy hitting that homer- maybe your office would lighten-up if you had a painting of your baby in the tub splashing water up to the ceiling or your toddlers making wishes as they blow away dandelions. Would this make a perfect gift for someone special?

You could never paint something like this? Well, maybe you could... I did. It was like "coloring".

I'm so very excited about the potential of this paint - HD High Definition by Plaid. My artist's heart wept when I realized how much was possible with it. The paint is being touted as an alternative for oils and demonstrated used for traditional art. It is sooooo fine in its own right that I wanted to design to take full advantage of the dimension and texture it offers - plus take advantage of how easy it is to use. Amazing stuff...

It was so easy to completely convert this family photo of my grandson on playday to an art painting for his room.

I just tweaked my photo, sized it, printed out the numbered pattern, transferred the pattern with graphite transfer paper, selected my colors and started painting.



I had the " mdf canvas" cut at Home Depot, 24 x 36 . I primed it with shake and rattle Kilz, worked on printing the patterns while the primer dryed, and once the pattern was transferred, knocked it right out that afternoon. Though I blocked in some of it with Plaid acrylic matching paint, most was straight from the bottle HD paint. The squeeze bottles have a tip that can be used for fine detailing and effects or you can brush or apply this paint with a pallette knife. I did a little of all of it.

I let it cure for a few days and then sprayed it with a matte sealer cuz I don't like shiny - but, wow, I love this texture! Check out the beaded bracelet & dimensional sunglasses. Who could imagine paint could do that? I love it!

Instead of a frame, I've chosen to hang this with exposed industrial hardware clips that can be painted bright colors or left silver. I'm going to leave these silver, I think.

My grandson is the little fellow in the center. I think this will be great for his room. Hope he likes it.





NOTE: I'm receiving many questions about transferring the pattern so I'm following up with additional pattern information.

I sized the " photo pattern" and converted it into actual inches that would work for the art piece. With a software ruler snapped to the resized and tweaked image (now grayscale, more than a line drawing but less detail than the photo) , I sectioned the big pattern into appx blocks of 8 x 10 so my printer could print them out. I numbered the pages so I wouldn't get lost. Printed each page of the pattern out, taped the pieces together so that all of my lines met, covered my board with sheets of graphite paper, placed the pattern over it and traced over it with a ballpoint pen, pressing pretty hard, to transfer it.

It took longer to transfer the pattern than to paint it, I think. And I could have done a better job if I had been precise in my transferring of the pattern.

Hope this helps. If not, it's really ok if you use the email link below to contact me. I'll try to help.

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Putti; Cherubs; Cupid: What's the Difference?

Cherubic art has winged its way to our hearts and our shabby cottage chic decor. Although the terms putti, cherubs, and cupids are each synonymous with pudgy round little winged motifs, mostly boys - the artistic rendering in subject matter and meaning are decidedly different and should never be confused.

Because I often paint cherubs; and I wanted all of my cherubs to be innocent and sweet, I've exhaustively researched the finer points of cherubic art. How does one know the difference?

Putti - meaning "children" in old Italian. Compositions with emphasis on profane, cultish ceremonies of abandoned revelry often pairing putti with females in different stages of dress or nudity. May also be with just one female, either nude or dressed. The facial expressions of putti generally lack the innocence of cherubs and cupids. Rule of thumb: If there is a female in the painting, it's generally secular and considered putti -not an innocent cherub. An example of putti may be seen here.

Ancient Cupid of Roman Mythology: Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Ancient Roman god of love in all its varieties, identified with the Greek Eros. Cupid was the son of Mercury and Venus. He was usually represented as a winged infant who carried a bow and quiver of arrows, which he shot at humans to inflict wounds that inspired love or passion. He was also sometimes depicted as a beautiful youth. Though generally considered beneficent, he could be mischievous in matchmaking, often at his mother's behest.

Most of us are familiar with reproductions of the above painting, L'Amour et Psyche, Enfants, 1873, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau . It is often cropped so that the emphasis is on the kiss, deemphasizing the nudity.

Modern Cupids: Sweet little baby-faced figures with bow and arrows often used for Valentine Day card illustrations. Especially appealing in vintage valentines as shown below. Certainly secular, but there isn't anything in the sentiment to cause unease.

Cherubs: Cherubs or cherubim are the first angels mentioned in the Bible and are said to stand next to the Throne of God. In the Bible, they are described as four-winged creatures - a far cry from the baby-like cherubs with which we are so familiar. Since the cherubs did not appear until Adam and Eve committed the original sin, many feel the cherubs represent Adam and Eve - naked and innocent - in the Garden of Eden. It follows naturally that cherubs are often cast as guardians in garden settings, surrounded with florals, busy with their work of tending to nature, protection and adding to the beauty of gardens. Many are used in outdoor statuary and fountains. Their expressions can be sweet or fiercely protective. Cherubs have become symbolic of wee guardian angels in our homes.

My Paintings of Cherubic Art: Below, two of my original paintings, each of cherubs, spotlight two different "looks", each designed to convey an essence of guardianship. The first painting, shows motion of a determined garden cherub or angel protector, not near as babyish, with what I hoped to depict as a serious expression of being fully on guard for danger to those for whom he is responsible. He is carrying a dipper of water, evocative of his role as provider for the area and those under his care.The second cherub is descending - curious about a new nest of eggs. I reached for an expression of sweet wonder on this cherub's face. I tried to show that the birds were comfortable with the cherub , unthreatened, without the instinctive need to protect their eggs - they know this sweet cherub intends no harm. My goal in composition and design is to always strive to capture the purity and innocence of cherubic art, never putti; because there is a big difference...

Click Photos to enlarge

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