Buckle your seatbelts muchachos! The Faux Bois bug snuck right up into Moss Cottage and bit me on the arse. Yes indeedy. From here on in expect to see everything covered in knotty pine. For a couple of months now I’ve had faux bois wallpaper on the brain. Secretly fantasizing about stenciling over great swaths of it. Flash forward to this weekend. I was in the hardware store picking up an arsenal of new spraypaint colors when the idea came to me, as if in a dream. It was the voice of James Earl Jones urging me to go to the contact paper aisle. And that’s when I saw them. 3 rolls of the most fabulous wood grain patterns ever. 15 feet of salvation staring me in the face.
So forget whatever nonsense I was spewing about whatever latest obsession had me by the throat.
There’s a new girl in town. And her name is Faux Bois.
After a breakfast date with a pesto chorizo frittata and a friend, I spent a peaceful day cutting a few stencils and trying out some of my new paint colors. I spotted this bit of humorous street art on a wall near the restaurant.
Contrast if you will the difference between one of my current boxes of paint…
and the new cans. I’m going to try my level best not to lose these lids. And to turn the can upside down and spray until it runs clear amen.
Here are the complete pages from Friday.
While I sprayed the Missus pondered the furthest reaches of the tree limbs.
She did some quick calculations of branch strength and her weight and decided to go ahead with her plan. Up, up, up she went.
And when at last she had found a suitable spot she settled in for a long winter’s nap. Yes she did. Note the paw dangling limply over the edge.
My girl Randi sent me out some birthday mailart that I haven’t stopped looking at. That’s the best kind. The kind you want to study over and over again. That cool little folder is going straight into the visual journal. Part of my package were these enormous circus letters. I have big plans for them which may or may not involve woodgrain contact paper.
Many dear thanks for the birthday thoughts. From where I sit up here at seat #45 the view is great. You kittens still in your 30’s have something to look forward to I promise. And you mighty She-Bears pushing 60, 70, and 80 I can hear you chortling all the way from the fourth row. Save me a seat.
Well done on being featured in Artful Blogging!I’m part of the Uk 2%, but I prefer to think oif myself as Scottish. LOl about the post with MM and the thongs……
dang Mary Ann…
my heart is on my steeve – sleeve – oops…
chuckled and left it right there…
you are on my mind – love the faux bois…
oh my – so tough keeping pace with seat #45…
seat #53 – but really supposed to be in seat #22…
xox – eb.
I love the woodpaneled look. I was getting that song “tell me something good” tell me how you like it or whatever it is stuck in my head while reading about your hardware store epiphanym, along with some other 70s songs. 🙂
Hi! I’ve been reading this journal for a few months and I really love it. I go to art school in Georgia. Although I did more stenciling and collages before I started school ( ahh irony ) I do a lot of the same type work that you do. Anyway! I want to set up a blog with my work but I can’t really afford it. Maybe someday. Thanks! -Helen
Happy Belated…
This morning my son Wes (12) asked what the best years of life were. I said it depended, I guess. But for me, it’s 44!
and when did you sneek that super cool banner by me??
Yep – I am one of those who look but dont’t comment – but I enjoy your blog – a breath of fresh energy every time I read. Thank you.
Karen
Happy Birthday Mary Ann, I’m on the cusp hovering between the fifties and sixties, all I can say is they get ever closer. Love the journal pages, I’m sure I have some of that paper somewhere.
Ro
xo
I am moving up to seat #58 on Cinco de Mayo this year…I remember seat #45 quite well 🙂
Feliz Cumpleaños! Better late than never!
Your blog posts are mini-vacations for me … keep on truckin’ 😉
brilliant~!
o.k. too much goodness in one post! First- James E. Jones voice comes to you?!?!? Oh you lucky girl. 2Nd. the wood grain is amazing, you might have to quit work just to make enough stuff with that. 3rd. do you feed that cat in the tree or does she actually come down?? I think you just feed her up there.
4th I guess Happy Birthday is due “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!” You are gonna love 30, it rocks- and so do you!!!
This just in from Gullible Info [one of the gadgets on my Google home page ] http://www.gullible.info/ “In Moss, Montana, it is illegal to be seen in public with shoes on your hands.”
Well, of course! It had to be shared with you.
Wow! Faux Bois! (Try saying that three times real fast!) fauxboisfauxboisfauxbois. Try typing it, for that matter! Love your juicy woodsy pages! I am really ready to dive into the stencil thing – it’s time! But I would love to learn your technique! Looked thru old posts but couldn’t find any hints… Please share!
#1 Pesto chorizo frittata? get outa town! it’s going on the list right this second for the next time I visit.
#2 You better stretch out a circus performer safety net under the missus. that position does not look safe.
#3 Send me one of those big giant circus letters so I can put it on my forehead when I go to work tomorrow.
Sneaking quick peek while i am still at school. Babies are outside at recess. Cool tool the faux bois. You are the leaderess, inspiratress, and inventress. Cooless (that looks like cool-less which NOT you)
A long time lurker here finally checking in from Seattle. Love your site – thanks for sharing with us all and a Happy Happy Birthday to you. I’m looking at 44 in a couple of months and it’s nice to know I’m in such good company. 🙂
I check in from Idaho once a week or so. Love your journals and your stories.
Love your blog…(and btw, happy birthday!)
I’ve been drooling over your stencils for some time now, where do you get them?
I keep searching your blog to find out, but I can’t seem to find an answer.
leighanna
And from Sweden too! 🙂
India – that’s me! I love your art and your writing. Don’t comment much, but yes, I’m here 🙂
I’m back here waving at you from seat #68. There’s a great view from here too.
I just finished a book by Chalmers Johnson about a “new girl in town” named Nemesis. I think I like your new girl better…*S* She sounds much safer.
Oh…I’m posting from Chicago.
The view is lovely at 45. I reached that destination myself on December 13th. Happy Birthday!!
Happy Belated Birthday, Mary Ann! And our extreme thanks to Mama and Papa Moss and the powers that be for blessing this world with the wonderful gift to us that is YOU! Your art, both visual and verbal, touches and inspires, stirring the muse within, causing me also to explore my surroundings and myself and create. Blessings to you in year 45 and beyond!
Deb
Your Missus looks like Zoe after I blow-dry her! But then Zoe spends 22 hours licking down all her poofy finery. Pfft. Meanwhile, does ‘your girl’ Randi have a blog? Cuz that art is amazing!