Hello, April!
It's time for that email where I cover first things first on the first of the month.
April 1, 2023
I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve for April Fool’s Day, but how about we play Two Truths and a Lie? I’ll share which one is the lie at the very end.
I’ve never seen Cast Away, so the volleyball reference is lost on me. People make a big deal about this, but I’m like, “okay, let me guess, it’s a movie about Tom Hanks getting himself in quite the predicament again…”
I was once a performer in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
I sent my boyfriend (now husband) on a scavenger hunt while he was on a trip in London to find a note I had left him in a hostel I stayed in during a 24-hour layover. I typed up the directions from a town in Malawi, sitting at a desktop computer, in a pay-by-the-hour internet cafe—except, there were no refreshments. They only sold internet.
Something I Recently Learned How To Do
When I was in college, there was this little place in town called “Sips and Strokes” where friends would bring their own beverage to sip on while someone gave step-by-step instructions on how to paint a particular picture. No matter your level of artistic ability, it was an enjoyable experience of hanging out with others while making art.
Last month, it was my turn to host a group of friends at my house for a monthly get-together. I decided to recreate the “sips and strokes” atmosphere. I had been gifted a paint-by-number canvas last year for my birthday and wondered if I could get everyone their own canvas to paint (because me giving step-by-step instructions on how to paint something is a disaster waiting to happen). Upon further research, I realized the cost of buying enough PBN kits was going to add up reallll quick.
So, I turned to Google: “how to make your own paint by number.”
Lo and behold, it’s possible. Just in case you’re wondering how to make your own paint-by-number art, pbnify.com is a site where you can paint-by-numberify any picture you want. You simply upload the picture, select what colors and shadings you want to replicate, and PBNify creates a color palette for you. The site will then convert your photo into a paint-by-number outline and give you a number template for each of the paint colors. The more colors you select in the original photo, the more your painting will look like the original. However, this also increases the difficulty level.
I opted for an abstract-like image with a simple color palette, then printed out the PBN outline and transferred the outline1 onto canvases. Instead of telling everyone what color to paint for each number, I showed them the original image for reference and invited them to pick whatever colors they wanted from the paint options I had available.
Here are a few of the finished products. I loved the variety of color and pattern!
The whole time I was setting up the painting activity—and later, while friends were around the table painting their canvases—my children were very observant and inquisitive.
“Do you want to paint a canvas, too,” I asked them.
They all nodded their heads eagerly.
After everyone left, one of my daughters noticed the printout I had used to transfer the outline to each canvas.
“Can I paint this one,” she asked.
I had planned to just toss it in the trash. “Sure, why not,” I responded.
I didn’t think much about it until the next day, when I saw her finished product lying on a table in the homeschool room. I love how her painting resembles techniques used in the other women’s paintings. It further proves how we all inspire one another in our creative endeavors.
I’m already planning for the next paint-by-number activity—but this time, with my kids. And I’m bringing the same “sips and strokes” vibe from my college days: making art while sipping on a beverage of choice and not worrying about the level of artistic ability I (or my children) bring to the table. I simply want to enjoy being in the company of fellow creatives.
Pages from My Meme-oir
As a reminder, this is the section where I will slowly but surely tell a story of who I am by way of memes.
Answer to Two Truths and a Lie:
I’ve absolutely watched Cast Away.
Tom Hanks is one of my top 5 favorite actors.
For those wondering how I did this: I printed the image’s PBN outline, traced it over with a Sharpie to make the lines thicker, then flipped the page over to the backside. I traced over the whole image again, pressing down hard with my pencil. Finally, I flipped the paper to its original side, placed it on top of the canvas, and proceeded to trace over the outline one more time so the pencil marking on the backside transferred/rubbed onto the canvas. The transferred lines were faint, but good enough. I was able to go back afterward with a pencil and make the lines more visible. Since the image I chose was really simple, this process wasn’t too tedious.
The paint by number idea is 🤯
i love the paint by number idea, while sipping a favorite drink just takes that to the next level. brilliant, also i wanna come. what a special gift you are giving your kids by making one for them too!
this post made my morning.