HOW TO SPEND QUALITY TIME DURING A PANDEMIC...

SPECIAL ADDITION

Due to possibilities beyond our control,

 this is a special edition of this week's blog post. 

 There is a distinct possibility

 that our power will be shut off sometime today and 

not be back on until sometime Tuesday. 

In reality,

 that could mean sometime Wednesday or beyond! 

 We just never know for sure. 

The computer is not hooked up to the generator 

so if you don't hear from me for awhile, 

that is the reason. 

 Enjoy the week and

 stay well.. xxoJ

 

I think we have all 

figured out by now

that spending a day during a pandemic 

can be one of two things.

 

 It can be either 

a day that just moves quickly by 

or it can be

 a day that leaves too much time 

on your hands and 

too much time to think about 

all that you 

are missing...

...such as 

how long has it been 

since you have seen or hugged your kids, 

how long has it been 

since you got dressed up and 

had someplace to go, 

or how long has it been since you just

 got  dressed!

I have a little secret.

 

 Something that takes up

 a lot of time, 

something that keeps 

your mind occupied, 

something that you can 

put as much time and energy into 

when you want to and

 something that really 

makes you feel pretty good

 about yourself 

when you are through.

That something is 

a paint by number art project.

 

 It is so easy

 that even someone with 

no artistic ability 

or someone with

 a lot of artistic ability 

can do.

 

 If your reflexes or your eyesight

 are not what they should be 

 there are compensations that you can make

 so the process is easier.

  Time doesn't matter,

 you can take as much or as little 

as you need, and

 the finished project will be 

something that will surprise you 

more than you ever

 thought possible.

Once you have finished a painting, 

you can have so much fun

 playing around with 

where you want to put it,

 trying to have art imitate life, 

as I have done with this one.

 

 You can order the kits 

already on a stretched canvas,

 which costs a little more, 

or just stretch the canvas yourself. 

 Or as I usually do, 

take the canvas to a craft/framing shop and

they will put it on a foam board and 

for $12 at my local shop

that is the way I like to do it. 

 I am too far from Michael's

 but I imagine 

they would do that too.

All the kits that I have seen,

 and there are numerous companies

 that offer them for sale over the internet,

 are 16x20 and 

the costs run around between $20-$30. 

 This includes all paint and instructions.

  What I have been doing,

 since I have 

many bottles of craft acrylic paints on hand,

 is mixing my own. 

 I just look at the paint

 that comes with the kit and 

then mix my own paints to match.

  They are not always perfect 

but I find that 

there is very little difference

 in the end project and 

I think my acrylics 

give better coverage.

  No matter how you choose to do it,

 the finished picture 

is really a work of art.

  I find that

 viewing the painting from a distance,

 like you normally would,

 looks no different to me 

than one done by

 an accomplished artist.

I need to get a frame 

for this one I just finished. 

 With the others I have done, 

I have used the same frame, 

just exchanging the pictures

 as I want to change up my decor,

 as they normally go 

in the same place, 

but if you want to use them 

in a different room

 then you will need more than one frame.

 I am on a quest to find 

an outlet for some cheaper frames. 

 Ones that I can paint or stain like I want.

  Frames can get pretty pricey. 

 If you are able to use the same frame 

it is also easier

 to store the paintings 

when not 

displaying them.

I have set up this display

 in the kitchen,

 but it won't necessarily stay like this. 

 I had hopes of hanging it

 in the kitchen window and 

doing the rest of the display 

on the table,

 but without a frame 

I can't do that yet.

So there you have 

one way to spend quality time

 during a pandemic.

 

 If you want to have something 

to show for all that you feel

 you are missing during this time, 

take up a paint brush and 

complete a beautiful work of art 

that you will be proud to say 

you created, and 

you don't have to tell anyone

 that you did it all

 with dirty hair and

 no makeup!

In the beginning,

 before I set it up in the kitchen,

I had planned 

on putting this new painting 

in the same frame as the others, 

but it evidently was cut 

a bit too small and wouldn't fit, 

so I just slipped a little piece of wood 

under it and 

you almost can't tell 

that it isn't actually in the frame.  

See,

 the possibilities are endless

 when you take up a 

paint by number project.

Stay smart

Stay well,

Vote

and

Wear the mask.

...Judy...

 

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Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda