June Issue

Last year at this time, the ground was still covered with snow and the thermometer reading was well below freezing. This year, due to a mild winter, we’ve already experienced several summer-like days, making it easier to plan for the long stretch of warm weather ahead. The flowering trees, forsythias, and daffodils are in full bloom, parading spring’s palette before us.

Transition into the new season by looking outdoors for inspiration. Bring fresh, colorful accents to your surroundings with one of the nature-influenced projects in this issue. Since the economic crunch has forced many of us to stay close to home, we may as well make it more comfortable. Instead of buying new furniture, stretch your budget by looking for pieces at secondhand shops, Goodwill stores, and garage sales. It’s amazing what you can do with “used” furniture. By investing a little bit of time, creativity, and some elbow grease, you can create a signature piece for any room in your home.

We don’t want to forget that this season brings with it new life. We have included a cute pair of ducklings and an adorable set of baby clothes hangers. Both are so beautifully done that they would even make wonderful wall hangings in a baby’s room.

We hope you enjoy reading Marty Caldwell’s article about her painting trip to the Tuscany Region and Amalfi Coast. By the time we finished preparing this story for publication, several of us had our bags packed and were ready to head off to Italy (in our dreams…that is!).

Well, enough dreaming—it’s time to take action and get our spring painting projects under way!

Happy Painting!

Editor in Chief

See Contents of the June 2012 Issue