I've Written a Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how excited I am to share this information.... I have published an E-Book/Book on CD with Cat Davis of Paintin' Pals Publications and if any of you are thinking that you would like to publish a book I can recommend Cat highly.  She is a wonderful editor and so fantastic to work with.  It was a very enjoyable experience all the way around.  In fact this is why I have been absent from posting on this blog as I was determined to get this book published in time for the HOOT convention and "phew" we made it.  I had to be quiet about what I was doing and couldn't wait to tell you this exciting news.  I painted continually for the past 6 months to complete the projects for the book and I DID it!!!  I love the projects in the book and love the theme of the book.  The book will be available on a number of websites but will definitely be available on my website sometime within the next two weeks.

The title of the book is Background Magic and just as the title implies the theme of the book is to complete easy, fun backgrounds using stencils, either purchased or homemade, layering paint to produce a textured background which gives the illusion of depth but is sooooo easy to complete.  If you have different stencils than I used in the book, use them, the idea is the technique, not to produce an exact replica of my background.  The techniques shown in this book will produce similar results using any combination of stencils or background texture tools.

I'm giving you a sneak peak of a few projects from the book.  Check back often because I will be posting a background tutorial and even a free project later on.  I can't wait to hear your thoughts and I hope these photos will spark your interest in using stencils in your background and my new endeavor.  Let me know what you think.  I cannot wait to hear what you think.

These ornaments are part of the Jump for Joy collection and instructions for these and all of the photos I am sharing with you today are found in the book as well as 12 other projects.  Mr. and Mrs. Elf are completed using a combination of paper piecing using scrapbook papers and using paint to shade and highlight.  How easy is that for your shows this fall.  No base-coating!!!

Santa and Mrs. Claus are painted but I used a household item to stencil the pattern onto their clothing.  Read the book to discover what I used.  Just a teaser!  All of the Jump for Joy ornament surfaces are laser cut and available exclusively on my website.

The two stamp projects use the Christmas Jump for Joy characters in a slightly different way but the background technique is exactly the same.  So easy and so fun!!!  The wooden stamps are available from www.idealwoodproductsinc.com They would love to have you pre-order any of these surfaces.  If you chat with them I heard from a little bird that they were planning to do a promotion for the surfaces in this book.   

I love this piece and the background was sooooo easy and fun to do and because I paper pieced the snowmen and then added detail with paint they come together so quickly.  I am only showing you the lid of this box, there is a surprise for you on the box sides and of course wouldn't be complete without ornaments.  This box was made specifically for this project by the guys at Ideal Wood Products Inc and, as are all of their surfaces, was a joy to paint on.  If you have never used their products I would suggest that you give them a try, made here in the US and are so fantastic!!!! Made by hand as you order, not massed produced and you can tell by the quality.   

This project also includes 12 picket ornaments which fit inside the box with these two snowmen shown in a variety of colors!  Take a look at these, get the surfaces prepped and ready for paint so you can get started once we get the book out to you.  

I'd love to hear your comments!  I am already in the process of working on a new book and want to hear what you like so I can give the next book a special spin.