Fireplace accent wall

[labell]

So I saw this color and flipped I knew I would love it and I really do. :jumping40


The portrait is of my father that was the first portrait I ever painted, I miss him every day!

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! That kind of "spice orange" is my favorite color!

 

[Violette]

That colour is so nice! And you are such an amazing artist! That portrait looks like a picture - beautiful.

 

[Allee]

How lovely! Perfect place for your father's portrait! I can tell your heart and soul went into that painting, thank you for sharing your talent with us.

 

[labell]

How lovely! Perfect place for your father's portrait! I can tell your heart and soul went into that painting, thank you for sharing your talent with us.

It was a little over 2 years after he passed before I could even consider it. I chose his Navy picture because it was a happy time in his life when all his dreams lay out before him and well before my mother raked him over the coals.
I thought it would be easier to do a painting of a time when I didn't know him but I cried through out the whole painting the more it looked like him staring back at me. I was happy that I chose him to be my first portrait, I had done animals and landscapes before then. I do feel it is in a place of honor and I do try to keep fresh flowers for him especially on his birthday, father's day and when I am missing him the most, which is often.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Absolutely GORGEOUS, Laura!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! :smile015:

 

[Ann333]

Wow! Very beautiful color and your portrait is very good! I wish I was that talented. Your home looks like something out of a magazine! I hope I can have a nice home like that eventually, I'm just lucky to own my crummy and tiny old home haha

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Beautiful work Laura!!!!

 

[labell]

Wow! Very beautiful color and your portrait is very good! I wish I was that talented. Your home looks like something out of a magazine! I hope I can have a nice home like that eventually, I'm just lucky to own my crummy and tiny old home haha

Due to my husband's work we used to move every 6 to 9 months, he did contract work (CAD and Pro-E Software) we did this for over 9 years! So each move I would get rid of more and more stuff. During those years I would see something and it had to pass some pretty tough criteria which most times it didn't...do I LOVE it? Do I want to dust it? Do I want to move it?
I never buy something now unless I truly LOVE it! These are pieces that have remained important to me for one reason or another and they each made the move every time. Now that we are rooted again I find I like that uncluttered look of simple pieces that I still love accumulated over many many years and filled with memories.

Always be proud to own your own home no matter the size, you really can decorate small spaces beautifully on a budget. Auctions, tag sales, thrift stores are all great places to look. Just keep in mind an idea of how you want it to look and never settle on something you don't love.

 

[labell]

For instance that giant blue vase on the top shelf I picked that up for less than $10.00 and I LOVE the color and shape and everything about it. Oh and getting it at that bargain price is my fond memory of that one. Man I love a good deal!

 

[Ann333]

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunatly, my mom was a hoarder (BAD) and I find I'm a lot like her. I'm always thinking "maybe I'll need it later, never know!" heh

 

[Ann333]

That's really awesome for $10.00! Everything I see is just in itself interesting and all together like that is just fabulous.

 

[labell]

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunatly, my mom was a hoarder (BAD) and I find I'm a lot like her. I'm always thinking "maybe I'll need it later, never know!" heh

Yikes..best get a handle on that. It's no way to live. Go to the website Simple Living it really opens your eyes to having too much stuff. I don't want to be a slave to any thing..well except the feathered darlings!

 

[Ann333]

Yea haha my fiance keeps me in check. I will check out that website thank you. I like the IDEA of living simplistically, just need to work on implementing the lifestyle haha

 

[kq_fan]

That is amazingly beautiful! You have an amazing talent of decorating! Its so beautiful!

 

[labell]

Yea haha my fiance keeps me in check. I will check out that website thank you. I like the IDEA of living simplistically, just need to work on implementing the lifestyle haha

What I would do if I were you is start in one room keep it simple and uncluttered and keep it like that for at least 6 months. Pick out furniture and accents that are your favorites so that room really becomes an oasis. One wall that is painted an accent color can make a huge difference. Use color compliments, notice I used lots of browns, blue and silver they all go really well with that spice orange. After a while you will want that in every room.

 

[Taw5106]

That is gorgeous! It's bright, beautiful and pops!! OK now I'm inspired, I've been thinking about adding color to the house.

 

[EAI]

The set up is gorgeous! It looks a lot like one gallery at the Honolulu Museum of Art, which makes sense because that painting looks like a masterpiece. I also love the sculptures and how surprisingly well they work with the wall colors. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you're an interior designer

 

[labell]

The set up is gorgeous! It looks a lot like one gallery at the Honolulu Museum of Art, which makes sense because that painting looks like a masterpiece. I also love the sculptures and how surprisingly well they work with the wall colors. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you're an interior designer

Nope, believe it or not ex-social worker turned full time oil paint artist.

I do love design and had that option been presented to me when I was younger I might have skipped social work but then I really was good at my job working with high risk teen girls. It's low pay and under appreciated but when you get through to them and make a difference...well that will pay in warm fuzzies for a good long time!

I still am tracked down on facebook and such by kids I worked with more than 15 years ago who want to tell me what a difference I made in their lives and to thank me. It is still very much a humbling honor to know just how much you can impact a person at a critical time in their lives. I always tell them "Yeah but YOU did the work" while I am always happy I made a impression I want them to always remember that they made a choice to change their lives just as anyone can.

 

[Mango121913]

Very impressive portrait! Your talent is amazing!