I forgot how much fun it is to paint with a new tool. Painting with ornaments is like face painting. I am not used to that canvas, but once I get going, I am curious to see what I can do.

For this project, I used small round ornaments. These are about 1-inch ornaments. If you have a big ornament, then use that. Use what you have and make it work. Make sure you use an ornament that you don’t mind getting paint on.

Mix up your favorite colors. Here is where the fun begins!

Here is how I paint with ornaments

• Use a brush to paint the ornament, and then roll the ornament in a circular motion on the paper to create an organic flower circle shape
• Dip your ornament in multiple colors like white, pink, and orange. Then apply it to the paper. This gives you a blend of each color. You mix colors on the paper instead of the palette.
• Stamp with the ornament, then, when the paint is semi-dry, use a brush to move the paint around
• Or you can use watercolor to fill in the color

The beauty of an ornament is that you are not using a brush. When you have the ornament in your hand, your only thought is what marks you’re going to make. You are working, it’s exhilarating, and you just keep making marks, and suddenly you have a bloom.

I did have a mental image of what I wanted. No sketch, just a fabulous idea. The fabulous idea is, of course, that you just have to start.

I keep working. Then I add details. I used a paintbrush to move the paint around, creating petal shapes.

I used the leftover paint to add more petal details. I should have made my centers blue or light pink? Oh my, because I tried a new tool, I discovered that a little of teal with magenta makes a lovely shade of pink.

I wonder what other tools I am unaware of that would be amazing to paint with. Of course, there are lots of tools. If you try painting with ornaments, I’d love to see it! Wait a minute, I should use my ornaments to paint blue flowers for the cool blue theme? Yes!

Thanks for being here!