Business note:  I do custom Barn Quilts and outdoor art for home owners and businesses.  Please contact me by phone or email to share your ideas on what would work for you!  I'm located in southern Illinois but can ship to anywhere. Thanks! Jeff 717-620-9676

 Here a video on how to create the paper star.  The rest of the posting is how to preserve it for stencling or taping. https://youtu.be/s49ub5e8zxY Here's where it gets tricky... I'm using spar varnish spray to build up the paper to be durable and multi-use.  Couple coats on each side gives it plenty of "body." Well... That didn't work. paper is just too flimsy.  Started again with a used political sign and the paper template as a guide.  That worked pretty well.

   Solution x 2! My studio is in an unheated garage. I some times kick on a propane heater, but by the time the room is warm I'm done with the touch-ups and headed back to the house for coffee... AND the lighting wasn't the best. I bought an arched pole lamp to get light right over the work and then thought of putting an infrared heat bulb in it! Keeps my hands warm while working and speeds the drying process (almost too much. (Pardon the clutter...) This just added!  10/19 -  $12.00 for 3 panel led shop light!

 Tired of reaching to the bottom of a quart or gallon paint can for those last few ounces? I repurposed a sour cream container to be able to use that paint easier.  It's also a solution for stuck twist off lids.  The zip-lok bag works as a gasket since the lids don't seal very well.

  downloadable catalog. After a couple failed attempts I created a pdf and it is stored in dropbox.com.  Revised 10/19/21.

  MDF wood is a very versatile product that makes a great surface for decorative painting. The initials MDF stand for medium density fiberboard. As such, MDF is actually a composite material. It’s made up of wood fibers that would normally be wasted. These fibers are then bound together with resin, pressure and heat. 

Recent Works:  Ihis was a good week!

 My quality Friday started with putting the coffee on and then walking out to the studio (my g/f still thinks it's a garage...) to see what lays in store for the day. Doing a tiny touch to the black on an almost finished piece and then coming back in to find something for breakfast. Nothing in my day today except painting and doing some organizing of the paint supply. Happy day!