Welcome! I love decorating my home for the Holidays. I have to admit it takes some time, but I never regret a second. Every year I pick a different theme and colors to decorate with - the inspirations have come from all different areas. They have included wrapping paper colors, ribbon color, gilded fruit, colonial look, new colors, even revolving around the surprise in some unopened gifts!

I love the smell of fresh cedar and pine and I am fortunate that I have lots of fresh greenery, here at home, to cut and use - There are always red, blue or white berries of some sort to add to a wreath and decorations.

Christmas In July Tour 2008

 

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July 2008 Tour

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  My inspiration for decorating this year came from ribbon!! I saw the ribbon at a wholesale floral house while I was helping my nephew decide on flowers for his wedding. I didn't pick it up then and when I decided that it was the ribbon, that all the decorating would revolve around, I kept my fingers crossed that a large enough supply would still be there.
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  How perfect can you get for a diehard stroke painter! Immediately, I knew I would use metallic copper and brass colors, along with my copper coffee pot and brass candle holders. I found round ornaments that were the perfect colors, great big copper cookie cutters for a bargain price at the grocery store and would be painting the stroke design on something or things!

  I painted several wooden hearts and stars using the ribbon colors, copper or gold leafing, a little copper-red glitter. I tied them into the bow for the windows,

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  glued some to floral wire and placed them in my wreaths and in the stairway arrangement,
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  laid them randomly amongst the reflective metal pieces in my hutch.
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  and amongst my garland on the curio cabinet.

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  Using the ribbon I decorated the hutch with boughs and glass ornaments.....
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  and tucked the painted stars and hearts next to copper.
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  This painted plate makes a lovely viginette with the brass candlesticks and red candles........
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  or ornaments and a copper cookie cutter. I love finding more than one way to display my painted pieces!
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  Our Christmas tree is the centerpiece of all my decorating. Many times the wrapping paper has determined the theme and colors for the year. This year I found beautiful metallic paper colors and that, with the bows, tied it all together!

 

I will be teaching and exhibiting at New England Traditions this Oct 8-12. My classes are Violas , an Intermediate oil class and Jewel Tone Table Runner on Thrusday afternoon. Hope to see you there.

  

The tentative dates for my Fall EOW, Every Other Wednesday classes are September 10, 24, October 1, 15, November 5, 12, and make up class on the 19th. This fall the focus will be on Intensity Control. You are welcome to paint what I am teaching or a project of your choice. The classes are open to oil and acrylic painters. My gardens are just beautiful this year so it makes me want to paint some of those flowers! For more information please contact me at ABeckMDA@aol.com. Be sure to check out my Fall Travel Teaching Schedule to see if I will be in your area.

This Spring I had the opportunity to exhibit three paintings at the NSDP Gallery at the National Convention in Tampa. They included "Glass Slipper", "Sun Lit Rose" and this white poinsettia box , which is now on display and for sale at the SDP Gallery in Wichita KS.

You will not want to miss this quarter's special. Purchase either the Loew Cornell Series 7040 #2 Round Stroke Brush or the Loew Cornell 7350 #2 Liner Brush and receive Free with purchase the instructions, pattern, and color print of the Stroke Hearts and Stars as seen in the wreaths in the Holiday Home Tour on this page. Visit Specials to find out more and place your order.

Another video clip has been added. You may view Application of Second Value Lights and First Value Darks using my Dome Round brushes in the Tips section. While you are there take a moment to view the Best Comma Strokes video clip to help you execute perfect strokes while painting the Stroke Hearts and Stars!

More new ornament packets have been added in the Shop with more to be added shortly.

For those of you in this area our annual Christmas Ornament Party will be held the first Saturday in December, as it has been for the last 20 some years. For more information please contact me at ABeckMDA@aol.com

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Arlene Beck MDA
3255 Scotch Ridge Road
Duanesburg, New York., 12056
Phone: (518) 895-8937

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