The Tote Bag Contest

The Buckeye Retreat held a tote bag painting contest at the Saturday night celebration. Everyone was handed a small canvas tote bag when they arrived. There were bottles of paint and bowls of "jewels" set out for us to use in decorating our totes. There were a lot of nice designs. Some people only glued on jewels. Others just painted a design and still others used both paint and jewels. Some people just took their totes home unpainted.

I chose to decorate my tote by painting a bouquet of roses, daisies and berries tied with a ribbon. The choice of colors was somewhat limited, but I think my design turned out pretty well. Mine did not win a prize. The winners were a painted beach scene, a musical score done with jewels and paint, and a design done completely in jewels.

Basket Making 101

Last weekend I attended a decorative painting retreat in Warren, Ohio, sponsored by the Buckeye Tole Painters. While I was there I taught 2 classes and had the opportunity to take a class taught by Howell and Company. They always teach several classes where you make a basket and then, if you choose, you can paint a design on it. I was there to learn to make the basket, so I made sure it got finished. I chose not to paint it. It still needs to be stained and varnished, but it is a lovely basket, if I do say so myself.