New hobby, Painting

I'm starting to think I should just start all of my posts' with, "So I discovered on Pinterest...."
Lol

But really, a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a tutorial and it sent me to Youtube, where I spent a couple of hours looking at video tutorials (like you do)
I've always wanted to go to one of those Wine & Paint places, but it can be a little bit pricey for someone on a budget, and since I still have never left my son alone with anyone, I don't think it will happen anytime soon.
Something you will come to know about me is, if I'm interested in something and I think I can make it, especially if it's something expensive, I will try my hardest to do it. I feel like I have gained a lot of life skills because I wanted to do it myself and save money.
So I decided to talk to my family and see if they wanted to have a DIY paint party. I found a couple of tutorials that were easy enough for beginners and we all picked one we were interested in and made plans to meet and have a party. We had a potluck and bought some cheap canvases, paint brushes, and craft paint, and had a paint party. It was pretty great. We all spent less than $10 which was amazing considering the Paint night classes average about $40 and you have to bring your own wine. And all of our children were able to play and be comfortable at their Mimi's house.

A few things happened when I found a tutorial that I liked for us. First, I discovered that most videos on youtube that say they are a painting tutorial, are NOT. They are a mostly a demonstration. Lots are time lapsed videos where you watch someone paint, they don't explain anything, and I really think they shouldn't call them tutorials, because it's more like entertainment. But I did find a few that were actually tutorials and I discovered this delightful woman named Cinnamon Cooney, she's known as The Art Sherpa (that's what her youtube channel is called). She has very basic to pretty time intense tutorials, and she really helps people who probably have no artistic ability, be able to paint and feel good about themselves.
I love that she is very bubbly, she has a spirited personality, full of charisma, and she really breaks it all down for you. Plus she has colorful hair, and I've had just about every color myself so you know I love that!!
I've learned so much in the last few weeks from watching her videos, art wise and in just being a generally nice, happy person. Art does that for you and sometimes you need people to show you the door that art can lead you into a different world.
I've always loved crafting. I dabble in just about everything that falls under crafting categories, and if anyone were to ever ask me if I'm an artist I would tell them, I doodle. I'm not a good drawer but I love to do lots of things that are art related.
Cinnamon has really expressed that not all things in art mean that you have to be a good drawer and it took her saying that to me, after me believing for so many years that I wasn't an artist to know that I am one. Just because I'm not the best animator or drawer doesn't mean I don't have skills in so many other branches of art.
I've painted along with a few of her tutorials and I started a journey that she has called Big Art Quest. You can find out more info by going to her page. But it's basically an art journey that she's planning to last about a year, and I came into it about half way through, but with youtube it's easy to start and get caught up. Anyway I've only done the first quest so far but I already feel like by the end of this quest I'm going to have grown so much.

Painting is amazing because I have so much doubt and will totally hate what I'm doing and think I need to quit, but Cinnamon has said in so many of her videos that "it's just art" its not that big of a deal. "let it dry and repaint your mistakes" and I think that the doubt I have in myself when Im not liking how a painting is going, is really apart of the journey and always helps.
At the end of my paintings, I'm usually really proud of them and in love.

Of course, I've been crazy inspired and I honestly feel like I can take the skills I've learned in the last few weeks and paint something original. But for now I have so many tutorials available, and new ones coming every week, and with my very spare time to paint anyway, I'll be little busy before I ever do one of my own.
I have to paint at night when Luke is asleep or during his nap time, if I can get away. He's teething again so he's been very clingy and painting while he's awake is impossible right now.
So I can't do as much as I'd like to, but I have big hopes and lots of plans for the future.

Here are a few that I've done recently, from tutorials by The Art Sherpa.

Of course when I see these I immediately see the places that were troublesome or flawed. But I love them and every time I paint a new one they get better and better. 

More to come in the future. 

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