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4/29/2016

Old Water Colored Barn

Hello, thanks for buzzing in for another scheduled post. We have some house repairs that are being examined, people coming to look at the problem, give advice as to best way to fix, so I'm trying to get a few posts ahead. Basically what we are looking at is a major bathroom redo in our master shower, which originated with what we thought was just a pipe leak. Turns out the shower pan has cracked, has to come out, a new one made to fit the space. To complicate matters,  the walls of the shower surround rest on the lip of the pan, and in addition one wall of that shower is glass block...so major tear out & repair. AND there's 2 shower pans...one where you step into the shower proper, then you step out from the shower area, back into that space to dry off. Both pans have to come out. Also will tear up the flooring when the shower walls come out. We know that the glass blocks will be replaced with a solid glass wall, but we are undecided as to whether to go back to the cultured marble walls (easy to clean, not lots of grout lines to clean such as ceramic tile). Some of the experts are suggesting we should go with tile, as it's the 'in thing' just now. I happen to like the marble, and from what the contractor is telling us, there won't be a substantial savings incentive for us to go with the tile. Additionally our vanity surface matches the marble shower walls, so changing the material would involve changing the vanity top as well. We are not very happy campers about this problem!
 
 
 
This is a very old effort using an Art Impressions set from many years ago, when I was first trying to learn how to water color. Found this piece buried in a storage box of 'schtuff', trimmed it with a die...decided to try to use it. Used a Lawn Fawn Stitched Frame Rectangle
die to cut the red frame (white snippet just the size I needed, colored it with copic markers - mounted on dimensional foam.
 
- Memory Box tree die cut from a gold brown c/stock, then another layer cut from kraft, and a 3rd layer from a snippet of green. Adhered the layers slightly offset, then glued to the frame.
 
- Elizabeth Craft Hello die cut from 2 layers of water color card stock snippet, colored with copics.
 
- created the 'wood plank background' by scoring lines at 1/2" intervals with my Scor-Buddy, then used Memento Desert Sand, Espresso, Bamboo Shoots and London Fog to just drag the ink pad down the scored piece until I got a shade that resembled old barn wood. I rather like this. Water coloring is ok, seems to be a bit better than what I've been accomplishing of late! I'd forgotten doing this one and a couple more that turned up.
 
Here's a picture of Mama's Rose Bush which I took on 4-24, her 105th birthday. This old bush came from where my Mom was born, and I'm sure it was a native plant, not something that her farmer ancestors planted. Mom said it was always there in her memory, so pretty old. It grew by the corner of the separate kitchen building, which was not connected to the main house, due to fire danger. Long ago my SIL took a cutting, transported that to Florida. She was able to get it to grow, but it would never bloom. When they moved to the Georgia mountains, she asked if she could plant it here, as they were thinking of eventually coming to where we live in South Carolina. The 3rd year it was planted here, we went out one morning, and it was full of blooms. They really smell heady, like an old fashioned rose, so Mr. has been bringing some in the house. Don't last long once they have been cut...usually by next day, the edges are brown and dropping petals. I always think it is Mama saying "hello, don't forget my birthday". There would have been lots more blooms, but it was quite 'leggy' in early March, so I snipped off some long branches...I wrote about this bush in a post some years ago.
 
 
 
 
Ya'll have a great day, the weekend is upon us. So hope there's nice weather in your part of  the world. Been sunny & quite hot where we live. Blessings.
 



37 comments:

  1. I love this Mary! Fabulous color and the die cut tree is perfect! Happy weekend and I'll say hi to Charlotte next time we meet. Hugs, Autumn

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  2. Wonderful water colouring and a really lovely scene, nice tree too.
    Good luck with the home improvements. My Mother used to say "a house has a big mouth, it is never full"
    meaning there was always something to do in it.
    Lovely bush, strange that it didn't bloom, maybe,just maybe your Mum wasn't too keen on your SIL, well food for thought.
    Have a great weekend.

    Kath x

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  3. Hello Mary, My goodness your shower problems sound like a real headache for you both. I hope you get it sorted soon.

    It is very special that the cutting of your Mother's rose bush has bloomed so well in your garden. It does look very pretty.

    This is the card that I caught sight of yesterday. The watercolouring looks lovely and what a pretty image the barn is. The tree die on the side looks super.. I really like the way you have done the woodgrain background. It looks really good. Have a lovely weekend. Barbxx

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  4. Lovely watercolours on this card Mary, I still have this and other sets, most unused.. oh dear sounds like you`ll have a lot of mess in your shower room..
    Beautiful rose bush, lovely to read your story.
    Pam x

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  5. Lovely story of your old Mama's Rose Bush... This plant is really beautiful.
    I'm so sorry for the problem of repairs that you have to do in your home... It's really a bad thing! Hope you could found a solution that you like.
    Your watercolouring has had a great layout with this amazing faux wooden background, thanks for sharing your technique, I have thought that it was a patterned paper! It's amazing!!!
    Love the triple layer of the tree, it has a beautiful dimension! Definitely you have made very well to save your pretty watercolouring and use it for this card!
    Hugs and thanks for your lovey comment on my blog

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  6. Lovely watecoloured country scene Mary. Love the addition of the red frame, die-cut tree and that fantastic wood plank background.

    Lovely story about your Mama's rose. So beautiful in bloom. Hope all goes well with the renos. xx

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  7. What a gorgeous card, Mary!! I love the image!! It's colored so beautifully!! The tree and background are fabulous!! I love the story of the rose bush!! It's so pretty!! What a beautiful reminder of your Mama!! Good luck with the repairs/reno!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  8. I love the scene in your card and your watercoloring is so pretty. I feel for you having everything torn up. It is hard to live with for awhile but it will be nice when it's done. Look long term. The rose bush is beautiful and what a great story it has. I do wish they lasted longer after being cut though. It would be nice to have them on the table for a few days.

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  9. Isn't it annoying when you think you have a minor repair and it grows into a major redo! Hope everything will go smoothly and you will love your new bathroom! We also have cultured marble walls (I think) and I love how easy they are to clean! Much easier than tile.
    Your card is very sweet. Love that tree in the foreground.
    And the story of the rose bush is so sweet!

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  10. BEAUTIFUL story Mary and gorgeous card... Gorgeous creation and love the colours, so pretty. Enjoy your weekend.xx
     {aNNie}

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  11. How lovely to read about your Mum's rose bush, and pleased to see it's still flowering. Gosh was a marvellous age she reached too.
    Your colours and colouring are wonderful Mary, and what a beautiful image, it's a fabulous card.
    my goodness, that sounds like a major bit of repairing you need doing, I hope it all goes smoothly, have a great day, Kate x

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  12. Hi Mary, Hope you can get your shower room sorted.

    Lovely Rose. My mum would always ask dad to bring in some flowers from the garden. Dad was never keen unless they had already broken off, as he said they never lasted as long as they would if you left them on the bush.

    Hope you have a nice weekend. Sue

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  13. Wonderful card Mary, so colourful! And I love the stroy of the rose bush - very precious.

    I feel for you about the bathroom business - we're still recovering from the upheaval of having our shower room and bedroom revamped. We need to face the living ares now but to be honest it's daunting! But, sometimes you need things like a crack in a shower tray to kick start everything!

    Hugs, from Parsnip as well.

    Di xx

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  14. Beautiful card and story.
    Valerija xx

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  15. That's a very lovely card Mary, looks really nice and sereen.
    I hope your construction problems/works will be solved soon.
    Thankfully the weather is nice. We should be in full spring but it seems as
    if winter has returned. No wonder so many people are very ill.
    Enjoy the weekend, hugs Veerle x

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  16. Love your card Mary, that little country scene really appeals to me. Sounds like there is major upheaval afoot, why is it contractors always complicate things!!?? Loved hearing about your rose bush and it looks to be thriving xx

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  17. Feeling your pain with the major refurb Mary my friend! We know it only too well. We have had minor repairs morph into major refits!! It's upsetting to say the least! I prefer marble to tiles and I don't think that it goes out of 'fashion' quite like tiles can (although that's just my OH) . . . anywho, your card, is lovely! I love the way you have mimicked the rustic look of the house with that wood-grain background and that little tree embellishment to the left! Hope all gets sorted soon with your building works! Have as good a weekend as possible! Hazel xx
    My Card Attic

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  18. Pretty watercoloured image and the background/matting is perfect for it, fabulous design. Good luck with the Renos, xx

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  19. So sorry about all the repair work you have to do. We have white tile in our shower and glass half walls which I decided I wanted that crackle glass and it does not show soap scum. Also we have cultured marble sink tops - different from white tile and it all looks great.
    Good luck Mary!
    Love the story about your Mother's rose bush.

    Well to your delightful card - I think the water color looks fabulous!
    Sandy xx

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  20. Brilliant card, beautiful scene, love it.
    Sounds like your in for a bit of a mess till things are back to normal in the house.
    Thick "Snow" on our surrounding hills here in North East Scotland.
    Have a great weekend
    Patricia x

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  21. WOW! love your water colouring. Great wood effect and love the tree. a SUPER DUPER card.

    So sorry to hear a little repair means a major overhaul. I'm not surprised you are not happy campers.

    How lovely you have a rose with such a history in the family, I'm sure it means a lot. I'm one of those people who buy flowers for the house as I love them in the garden and they last longer out there! It must be an old rose to have such a strong scent. Most modern ones, look good but don't have that extra special perfume.

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  22. Beautiful, gorgeous coloring Mary!

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  23. Love your beautiful watercoloured scene and the lovely tree die cut, Mary!!!! Your wood grain bg looks amazing - I thought it was patterned paper!!!!
    Have a great day and wishing you all the best with the bathroom re-do!!!!
    Hugz

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  24. Oh dear, not a great problem to have but if you like the marble and it fit in then I would go for that option - I am sure you will make the right decision in the end.

    Your card is beautiful, I love the scene and the great background with the tree. The rose bush is beautiful too.

    Rain, sleet and snow here, sorry to say!! Hugs, Anne xx

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  25. I adore that woodgrain background Mary which goes beautifully with the prettily watercoloured old barn and love the die cut red frame, multi layered tree and sentiment as finishing touches. I hope you get your shower problems resolved soon and your Mama's rosebush is a beauty and a wonderful reminder of her. x

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  26. Nice job the wood plank background is the perfect choice............Lis

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  27. Allways fun to see how far you have travelled on a yourney of a new material! Have a good week!

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  28. First, I think you should go with what you want in the bathroom and not with the current trend. Your comfort and pleasure will outlast the current trend. Love that rustic scene! Makes me think of VT! And your rose is a treasure! How awesome that it blooms near you Mother's birthday! Those old roses do smell the best don't they?

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  29. What a major upheaval you are going through - and expensive too!! Love your card, and the way you have used the tree die. The rose does look like a very old one!
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  30. I remember those Art Impression watercolor look alike stamps. They were kind of fun and made us all feel like artists (or failures when we couldn't get a good look out of them). I like how you resurrected it and made it into something modern with the die cuts and that fabulous wood background.

    Good luck with the bathroom refurbishing. It sounds like a lot of work. I say it is your room get what you like and not what is the in thing just cuz some contractor is pushing it. Trends change and marble is very timeless.

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  31. Love the pretty little scene and tree and love how you created the fabulous background-your bathroom repair sounds like a huge huge job-we have a wet room due to disabled O/H and the flooring is starting to come away from the wall-but thankfully as the council put it in they make repairs and someone is coming tomorrow to have a look at it.
    Carol x

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  32. What a gorgeous card! Good luck with your house repairs!
    xoxo Olga

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  33. This sketchy stamp does have charm and I really like how you colored the scene and added the cut tree. I think this looks beautiful.

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  34. Lovely card Mary. Sorry to hear about your building woes, I hope is is sorted soon. That rose looks glorious. We have a special rose too, Rebecca Claire, which is in intensive care having been moved from our old house before we sold it. The succession of tenants did not really look after it so it was down to a sorry stick and not much root when we moved it. Hopefully it will survive because you can no longer get them, the growers stopped growing them. Our eldest daughter is called Rebecca Claire which is what makes it so special.

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  35. What a pretty watercolored card Momma Mary! I love the barn scene, one of my favorite types of scenes. That tree goes so well with it on the side. Love it!! I also love your momma's rose bush and love that it blooms at your house! I think too, it is your mother telling you hi and to remember her birthday!! So touching!!! I sure hope the bathroom redo goes off without any problems, I know how much you just want to get it done and over with!! Hugs, Brenda

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