"One Stroking" with Donna

This is actually yesterday’s post that I had “technical difficulties” with and simply couldn’t get it posted. I definitely will never be referred to as a “Techie!” Thanks for bearing with me. I hope to post again later today with “today’s” posting. We’ll see.


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Donna Dewberry


Did any of you catch Donna Dewberry on HSN this past weekend? I don’t normally watch HSN, QVC, etc. (Although, I have done quite a bit of shopping at the QVC Outlet store in Rockvale!) but in flipping channels I saw her name and tuned in for a few minutes. For those who aren’t familiar with Donna, she developed the “One Stroke” painting technique that is taught in so many craft stores. I don’t use her method but it does fascinate me and I enjoy watching her. She can definitely produce some great results with what looks like very little effort. It’s kind of a “painting for dummies” approach!



Donna, I believe we’d be on a first name basis if we ever met in person, was pushing some new products and doing some demos to encourage folks to buy these items. (Why else would she have been on the Home Shopping Network, DUH!)That’s why I REALLY like to watch these shows. You never know when you’ll learn something! I did, too. She was using one of the standard plastic paint pallets and covered it with plastic wrap before putting her paints in the little indentations. Makes clean-up a breeze! WOW! So simple, I can’t believe I never came up with this one.


If you’ve always wanted to try decorative painting but were hesitant to just jump in, this may be the technique for you. Donna has written dozens of books and produced almost as many videos and tutorials on the subject. She gives clear, concise, step-by-step instructions. Her newest guide features clear, wipeable practice sheets that you place over her picture of the stroke and practice your own. You then wipe it clean and try again and again until you can get it right. Another one of those “wish I’d thought of that” things!


Donna is also one of those “Mom made good” success stories. She was home with seven kids and just wanted to make her home a little more attractive, grabbed some paint and thirty years later has become a craft-world icon!!


Check out Donna and her painting supplies on her site at http://www.dewberrycrafts.com/ or for a quick, thumbnail glimpse, jump on Plaid’s website at www.plaidonline,com/Designers/donna-dewberry. For those of you lucky enough to have the new PBS channel called CREATE, I understand she is on twice a day M-F with a general how-to show. I’ve also heard she’s now trying to revolutionize the sewing world with a “One Stitch” technique. Haven’t actually seen that yet though.


So go out there and be creative today! Enjoy!