Well, here I am three days late (almost four) posting photos of my new booth set up for 2010! Let’s just say that after all the hard work my husband put in helping me get my project finished, I decided I’d better help him catch up with the solid surface countertop he’s been building.

A few weeks ago I started brainstorming trade show/craft show booth designs, and I decided to come up with something that would go better with my business card and the branding ideas I’ve been working on for Kell’s Creaetions. But I didn’t want it to cost a lot of money. Of course it certainly helps when your husband is a carpenter who’s willing to volunteer a few hours and extra supplies. So the picture above is what we came up with: standing wall panels with stenciled ivy designs on unbleached linen and wooden arches for more necklace and pendant displays, display pillars, and a folding door for the back corner display.

I already had three small table-top display pillars/risers, but they had been painted with a faux verdigris technique, and I wanted something lighter, so I pulled out my books on faux painting techniques and trompe l’oeil, including one called The Trompe L’Oeil Home, that had a great design for painting skies.

Basically, you start with a dark blue color on the outside edge, add a lighter sky blue, then a sand color, and then a cream in the center. Without allowing the paint to dry, you “pounce” the brush to subtly blend the colors. Because my brushes were a bit too stiff for this technique, I ended up doing another technique called “ragging off,” using a wad of soft t-shirt type material. But here are the steps I went through:

First, I repainted the risers white.

Then I started with the dark blue on the outside edges, painting and finishing one side at a time.

I added the sky blue, blending it into the dark blue by “pouncing” my paint brush.

Then I added the sand and the cream, working inward. I pounced to blend the different colors of wet paint, then used the wad of t-shirt material to “rag off” the excess and blend a little better–but not too much. Ultimately I ended up with a nice sky look, which you can see in two of the risers in my display. I was pretty happy with the way they turned out.

And the best part is, the Mayfair organizers liked my booth display as well; they gave me an “Honor Booth” award!

Another booth shot.

Mayfair was a lot of fun, and Heather (of Beads to Beauty) and I did well.

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