Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Red Luggage Tags for Suitcases

Whether it's a gift or you are updating your own luggage, a custom personalized luggage tag can add that something extra.

These luggage tags will have the text printed right on them, so there are no little pieces of cardboard to have to insert. Everything is intact.

They are made of clear acrylic, allowing the design and text to show through on each side.

The red feather design offers a soft look and has a placeholder for a monogram printed on the front. The back is pink with another placeholder for your contact info.


If you like hearts and snowflakes then you're apt to like this heart snowflake design. The snowflakes are made of little red hearts outline in red. They're perfect for snow lovers.


For those whoprefer thoughts of spring, we have the red tulips design.


If you want to jump right ahead to summer, then the sunglasses design will be a better fit for you.


And for those who drive a truck, we have a special one for you. The luggage tag features a red and blue tractor trailer, with Keep on truckin", printed on the front.


All of the designs on the luggage tags above were created by Cheryl Paton, the designer of CherylsArt on Zazzle. They all have a template form for the back so that you can easily update the contact info with your own, before placing your order.

Cheryl Paton

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

My Dash Deposits

I've been reading the book, Act Like a Success Think Like a Success, by Steve Harvey. In it he talks about making Dash Deposits - doing something that is a step towards your goal/vision. He challenged the reader to write down three dash deposits, and to share them with him.

So these are my three for today:
1. I am posting my artistic designs on various social media accounts.

2. I am thinking and planning for my next artistic design.

3. I am working on my current artistic design.

Thank you Steve. I'm on my way to making my dash deposits today.

What are your dash deposits for today?

Cheryl Paton
Visit CherylsArt store at Zazzle.com.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Coloring Business Cards to Color In

Are you looking for a coloring activity for older children that only takes up a little space?

Do you have kids that like small detail work and like lots of practice?

Coloring outlines on business cards is a fun choice.

Pull out some coloring business cards and colored gel pens and or fine tip markers, and let the kids color away.

These designs are printed on the business card size of your choice; the standard and chubby sizes come in packs of 100. Kids can enjoy making new colorings with these little designs. They can either keep them all to see their progress over time, make a collage, and or give them away.

This first one is a basic and simple design of three sailboats. Younger children will enjoy their simplicity. Older children can enhance them with additional details to the boats, and add extra scenic details like the ocean, the sky, etc.



I was watching an underwater video on YouTube one day and saw a striped fish with multiple colored stripes. I had no idea that such a multi-colored fish existed. Had I seen it in an artistic picture, I would have thought that a someone had just colored it that way. So have fun. Be creative.

The flowers on these cards can be a different color each time, or even covered with stripes and polka dots! You and or the kids can decorate them any way.


Here is a fun design featuring a boy gazing at the shapes in the clouds. He is sitting and leaning back on a tree, near a field of flowers. I used to enjoy gazing at the clouds and imagining what all the different shapes could be. It's a fun to imagine. Do you look at the clouds and imagine? I see a rabbit leaping over the field. What do you see?


I have tested colored ink gel pens and markers on my business cards, and as long as you don't immediately wipe over the color, it adheres pretty well. However, you might want to pre-test your coloring instruments before handing them over to the kids. For best results, you can choose the matte finish on the business cards.

Check out more coloring business cards by CherylsArt at Zazzle, where you'll also find holiday themed outlines to color in.

Do let me know if you have any outline drawing requests for these coloring business cards.

Cheryl Paton

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Cute Tuxedo Cat Shirt with Bow Tie

Are you looking for something that is tuxedo style, yet still casual, and also fun? Look no farther, me and my cat Muffin are here to help you out.

Muffin is our black and white tuxedo cat and she has so graciously posed for the photo that I took. I then painted her cheery likeness in pointillism style, and added a red bow tie to the mix. She looks quite handsome, don't you think.


The cat design is printed on a ranglan style tshirt with black sleeves, which accents Muffin's looks perfectly. You can also choose any other tshirt style and/or color of your choice.

Where will you be wearing your new tuxedo cat shirt? Feel free to share in the comment section below. I look forward to seeing where you plan to wear it.

Cheryl Paton

Monday, October 20, 2014

Pumpkin yard stake made of wood

I was looking for a wooden pumpkin yard stake so that I could add my own painterly touches to it. I found one with a pumpkin shape that I could update with my own design. The original had a covering of burlap on it and a straw bow, which I didn't need. I removed the burlap and straw, which left a furry texture remaining under the burlap.


Goo Gone (The link takes you to Amazon.)came in handy to remove the "fur." I sanded the fur off as best I could and painted the surface black to cover up the inconsistencies. The black didn't really matter, I could have used a different color. After I sanded it again, I painted it with two coats of my base color.


If you are purchasing a surface that is already pretty smooth, you may want to sand it first anyway; it will help the acrylic paint to adhere to the surface better. The rougher texture will give the acrylic something to cling to.

After the paint dried, I drew the face in using watercolor pencils and then used acrylic paint for painting the features and shading. Watercolor pencils work great; they easily blend in with the paint.



These are the colors that I used.
Pumpkin - Georgia Clay - kind of a burnt orange
Leaf - Avocado Dip
Stem - Fawn
I painted the eyes after the body of the pumpkin was completely painted.
Eyes, Nose, Mouth - Marigold - I chose a yellowish color to help it look like it was lit up on the inside. If you choose black for these features, you can add some gray highlights around the edges to add dimension.

I like using the Americana acrylic paint. It comes in convenient little bottles and has a pretty good consistency. Coverage is good with most colors. Reds can be more transparent than other colors. Covering with two layers will give the colors a more solid look.

When I did the highlights for the body, I mixed Georgia Clay paint with some of the Marigold. Then I dipped one corner of a flat brush in the Georgia Clay paint and the other corner of the brush in the mixture. Starting from the center, I painted vertical, curved stripes of the highlights, out toward the edges.

I also turned my brush around and painted the other side of the highlight using the same technique, painting the stripe towards the center of the pumpkin. This gaves a more blended look on each side of the highlight.

I repeated this step for each curved section of the pumpkin that I wanted highlighted.

I did lighter highlights at the top of the pumpkin, slightly darker ones towards the middle, with no highlighting at the bottom.

How you decide to do this is up to you. Think about your pumpkins' face, where you want the light to look like it is shining on the pumpkin, and shade and highlight accordingly.

I added non-blended highlights around the bottom and sides of the mouth and eyes to give them more dimension. You can do this with a mix of Marigold with a tiny bit of Georgia Clay.

At the end, I added some fall accents to the leaves. You can dab on different colors with a paint brush or use a sea sponge. It helps to wet the sponge first, and then squeeze out the excess water before dipping it in the paint. You sponge will be more flexible then, and will also be easier to rinse out afterwards.


I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have fun painting your own pumpkin face. It's so neat to get creative with pumpkin designs.

Cheryl Paton

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Heart Luggage Tags

My neighbor and friend had asked me to design a colorful heart luggage tag for her. She had a heart design on her suit case and wanted a heart tag to go with it.

I invited her over to pick out the colors that she wanted on it. So the color combination that she picked is of her choosing. I did however make some colors lighter or darker, so that they could be in various shades.

This is the luggage tag design that I made for her.


I added a patch of yellow using Paint Shop Pro, to give her a place to type in her contact info on the back.


She loved the design and placed her order. Later, after she received her order, she said that she was very impressed with the luggage tags; the design was great and the tags were made of a sturdy plastic. She was very happy with them.

The tags themselves are the size of a standard business card, at 2 by 3.5 inches. They are made of durable acrylic, and are UV resistant and waterproof.

Here is a different kind of heart design that is bright and colorful too. The background color of light yellow can be customized on this one.


Both designs have a template form to easily type in your text. You will also be given the option to order your tag with a slot on one side to fill out the identification info by hand.

Cheryl Paton

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Custom Autumn Halloween Thanksgiving Paper Napkins

Here you will find autumn themed paper napkins that you can use for both Halloween and Thanksgiving.

It's a fun time of the year to add some earthy autumn colors.

If you are planning a Halloween party, these happy pumpkins will be glad to greet your guests. I enjoyed creating these pumpkin faces; I like seeing cute happy faces.


If you would also like the look of floral, these pretty sunflowers in a pumpkin will do the trick. I created this pastel design using watercolors. The pumpkin serves as a vase.


These cornstalk and pumpkins harvest napkins will be there to protect your guests' laps for any of your fall events. I created this picture by making a simple drawing and added the words, Happy Harvest. These napkins can also be easily customized with your own words.


It was freeing and fun for me to paint these autumn leaves. These birch tree leaves works well for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and any other fall occasion. The yellow, green, and brown shades reflect some of the colors of the autumn landscape.


May you enjoy your autumn get-togethers. Be safe and well.

Cheryl Paton

Monday, August 25, 2014

Outline flower drawing tote bags

Here you will find a variety of tote bags that have outline drawings of flowers on them.

These tote bags can be enjoyed as they are, or they can be colored or painted in for a personal touch, either by the gift giver or the person you are giving them to.

For the painterly types, they can color in the designs with fabric paint markers, and the ones who like to sew can use Embroidery Floss to stitch on top of the outlines.

The bags are made of canvas and the flower designs are already printed on them. When painting, make sure to place a flat sheet of cardboard in between the fabric layers to prevent paint bleed through.

This first design features my drawing of a group of lilies, done in black and white. Lilies come in a variety of colors. Some natural options include pink, purple, yellow, orange, red, and blue. There might even be others that I'm not aware of. What colors would you use for your lilies?


This second design features a fuchsia flower with green leaves. The flower part is printed in deep pink. There is a template placeholder on this bag for a name, etc.



These bags have a colorful mix of three flower styles. The outlines are red, lavender, and yellow. The floral design on this bag is printed on both sides.


All of the above designs can be customized with added text, if you like.

Enjoy. : )

Cheryl Paton

The above links will take you to either my CherylsArt store on Zazzle, or to Amazon, depending on which link you click on. I am an associate with both and receive income from your purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Sweet Gifts - Apple Shortbread Cookies for Teachers

Here you will find apple themed, shortbread cookies that you can personalize online, to celebrate teachers.

The idea of apples and teachers just seem to go together. Did you know that in the 1700s, teachers were paid with apples? That was before government started to pay to have their citizens educated. Do you know of any other connections between apples and teachers? If you do, please share it in the comment section below.

When should you give a gift to a teacher? Teachers Day is celebrated on the first Tuesday in May. In the United States, the celebration has been extended to Teacher Appreciation Week. World Teachers Day takes place on October 5. Those are some options, and some people wait until the last day of school for the school year. If you know of any other best times to give a gift to a teacher, you can share that in the comment section too.

These designs are made from my original paintings, and are printed on small cookies with edible food ink. They are ordered by the dozen.

Each cookie is baked fresh by Veronica’s Treats and glazed with white chocolate flavored icing. They are then topped with the edible frosting design. They are then individually wrapped to maintain freshness for up to two weeks.

This first design features my painting of a whole apple, along with the text, A+ Teacher and a template placeholder to add a teacher's name. The place for the teacher's name can be deleted if you like.

This next design is a perfect reminder for the knowledge that teachers pass on to their students. It features my painting of half an apple that is sliced open, showing the seeds inside. The customizable text says, "Teachers plant seeds of knowledge."



Cheryl Paton

You can check out more apple designs by CherylsArt and 3dRose that are purchased on Amazon:

Monday, August 18, 2014

Get Custom Halloween Cookies for Your Parties Here

Here you will find a fun and cute variety of Halloween cookies. There are a variety of styles to choose from, depending on your style and occasion. You've got a couple designs for basic Halloween, a touch of elegance, and wedding themed.

These sugar cookies are baked fresh when you order, and are individually wrapped. They stay fresh for up to two weeks.

For thoughts of magic and fun, these cute wizard hat cookies are up for the act.


For those who like things that say Boo, these ghost themed cookies are for you!



For those ready for something more elegant, these purple pumpkin with a gold leaf cookies will do the trick.



For those planning a wedding celebration, we've got you covered too, with a pair of pumpkins entwined in a heart shaped vine.



Cheryl Paton

Friday, August 8, 2014

Wrap baby in peace baby blankets

Everyone wants their babies to sleep peacefully and have sweet dreams. I think that is the thought behind these baby blankets.

This one features a circle of love hands in various colors, in sign language, on a light green background.


This next one features a peace sign made of flowers. The blanket can either be personalized with a name, or you can delete or change the text to your own special message.


These peace signs are made of blue and green blends. There is a pattern of peace sides on the front and one single larger peace sign on the back. The background color is a lighter shade of blue and it can be customized to any color of your selection.


The sunflower peace sign baby blanket offers a brighter color choice. Again, there is a pattern on one side and a larger peace sign on the other. The background color can also be customized.


May your baby or the one that you're buying for be blessed with peaceful sleep and sweet dreams.

Cheryl Paton
CherylsArt at Zazzle.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Colorful Luggage Tags to be Personalized

So you'll be traveling and you want some luggage tags that have colors! I've got a fun, bright selection for you. Each of these has a template form on the back to easily type in your text.

This first one is for fun. It is designed for beach lovers:

This second selection is bright and colorful, filled with hearts that are lighter in the middle and outlined with its darker shade.

This next bright selection can bring to mind thoughts of being lucky. It features a four leaf clover, shamrock, trimmed in gold.

This colorful luggage tag features a blue daisy flower growing next to an orange daisy flower. It's a fun choice for weddings, and for those who love the colors blue and orange.

Happy travels to you.

Cheryl Paton
Shop for more luggage tags at CherylsArt on Zazzle.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Fun Painting Activities for Kids

Here you will find some coloring, painting options for kids, including tshirts and wrapped canvas.

If your kids want to do more than color, for their art to have some kind of purpose, consider outlines on tshirts that can be colored in with paint markers. They then get to wear their art or gift it to someone.

This parrot is ready for some color. What colors would your child make this parrot?


I have found that acrylic paint pens work the best for this activity. With paint pens, there is a lot less chance for paint spills. Do keep the lids on though when shaking the markers to mix the paint. The tip has been known to fly across the room when I forgot to put the lid back on.



The painting, coloring can also be done with acrylic fabric paint and paint brushes. Either way, remember to place a flat sheet of cardboard between the two layers of fabric before the painting begins. Also be sure that your table surface is protected before the painting begins. If you use brushes, I recommend a variety. It's nice having some flat edge brushes as well as ones with small tips.

Want a different outline design on tshirts? Check out more outline tshirts in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle.

For something that can be hung afterwards, there are outline drawings on wrapped canvas. Those that are feeling more creative, they can also add their own additional details; such as grass and trees for this camel, zebra, and elephant drawing. The kids can make it be their own version of a safari!


Let the creativity begin.

Want a different design? Check out more Paint It Canvases in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle.

Cheryl Paton

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Happy Easter Postcards

Here you will find postcards for sending your Easter greetings. If you're looking for something unique and/or colorful, you've come to the right place.

This first one is my favorite to date. I did a painting of Easter eggs on a wispy pastel background. The eggs are in various colors and are decorated in pointillism designs.


This cute bunny rabbit is happy with all of its colors, a wonderful message for Easter and or for any time of the year. I drew the plaid design in on my artwork, not the bunny. : )



Are you a love of Easter eggs and or jelly beans? Then this design is for you. I had painted this colorful painting of Easter eggs, and then afterwards, I saw that they also look a lot like jelly beans!

Do you prefer realistic looking rabbits? This painting was inspired by poses of various rabbits that I have seen visit my yard.

All of the above designs can be customized with your own Easter greeting or message.


Happy Easter.

Cheryl Paton

Find other Easter postcard ideas at Amazon.

Friday, February 7, 2014

The Shamrocks are coming

It is February as I write this, and I'm thinking ahead to March. The month when people think of green cheer and shamrocks.

Through the years I've made several different shamrock designs. I love the green, and have always loved four leaf clovers. My dad gave me one in a necklace one time, it was a real shamrock encased in a clear like plastic shell.

This first design reminds me very much of the one I saw in the necklace. It was a muted green, and very simple:


Here is an outline of it that can be colored in by hand. I have found that fabric, acrylic paint markers work pretty well for the coloring. Be sure to add cardboard between the fabric layers before any painting, though.

Outline Art drawing - Shamrock, canvas bags
Outline Art drawing - Shamrock, canvas bags by Cherylsart
Check out other St patricks day Bags at zazzle.com

This collage design of shamrocks can feature any kind of message, including save the dates, birthday, anniversary, etc.


This single shamrock trimmed in gold dots has a touch of elegance to it:


Here the richly trimmed ones are paired up for the new Mr. and Mrs.


Cheryl Paton
CherylsArt on Zazzle