Category Archives: Nature’s Best Art

“My First Spring Paintings / 2022”

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I’m looking forward to warmer weather here in Michigan! I remember one year raking the leaves, cleaning up the garden a bit when 4 baby rabbits jumped out of their home Mama Rabbit dug under dirt and leaves in the garden. Bunnies and rabbits are so adorable, I love to see them hopping and running in our yard.

Meet Wildflower. I named her that because when running wild in the field if there are flowers to find, there she will be, filling up on all those scrumptious flowers. I also think she may be carrying a few babies! (all this is made up). Many times my paintings have a story behind them as I am creating them!

Wildflower, the rabbit that eats and eats flowers! Watercolor painting by Vicki Achard / Nature’s Best Art

My next Spring painting is “Pretty Peony”, my soon to be daughter-in-law Molly’s favorite flower. As I was painting this I remember she had told me about The Peony Garden in Ann Arbor where she loves to visit when the Peonies are in bloom. I believe the garden is called Nichols Arboretum.

“Pretty Peony” Watercolor Painting by Vicki Achard / Nature’s Best Art

So, there you have it – so excited to share my paintings with you and can’t wait till I start my next one!

Hope all is well with you and you are filled with hope and find joy in the beauty of God’s amazing wonders.

Happy Spring!

Vicki

New Design – “Alphabet Animals”, I love painting!

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I started painting animals A – Z and was going to make a string of “Alphabet Animals”. I was making it for my grandchild for Christmas. I had so much fun! I started to think how toddlers and children a little older than that would love this as wall art. They would be able to see this every day and it would be such a good learning tool for them.

Original watercolor not available - available in limited edition Giclée matted prints - 16x20 for $45
“Alphabet Animals” – limited edition matted prints

I collaborated with Tom, my husband and he arranged all the animals in order, created this beautiful border and alphabets on the bottom. I thought displaying the whole alphabet would be so beneficial to the child, also I wanted the space filled up! Inside story – I had mentioned an animal to the right of the letters would look great. I had to go on an errand, and as I was driving I thought, hmm, that alligator I painted would also be nice on the right side of the letters, but it’s painted the opposite way of how it would look good by the letters. So I gave up that idea. How nice though I thought, the alligator starts with the beginning letter of the alphabet and the zebra would be on the right, the animal that starts with the ending of the alphabet. When I returned from my errand, Tom had done exactly the same thing I was thinking of, and also he was able to turn that alligator around! I was shocked we had the same idea, but didn’t communicate that to each other! I can’t wait until Tom mats and frames this!

I love working with Tom, it’s been a lot of fun since 1998, 3 years after I started Nature’s Best. What has been best for us working together is staying in communication. I know because sometimes it gets so busy it’s hard to do, and then that’s when trouble comes! I have learned patience, another key element in working together.

My grandchild (don’t want to spoil the surprise and tell you which one in case my children are reading this), but I decided to give at a different time. I actually painted something else as a Christmas present for this grandchild, and can’t wait to give this other painting to my grandchild and family.

I love Christmas and making gifts and giving. I hope you are having fun preparing for this holiday.

Happy Holidays!

Vicki

“Make a Card with Vicki / Get Well & Sympathy Cards”

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I had fun making these four Get Well cards. I used my Shape Cutter Plus by Fiskars to cut and frame the design on the card. I cut it on an Alvin GBM1824 self healing mat.

I used my oval and rectangle shapes for all my designs.

This photo is just showing you what one card looks like before I put color on it and adhere the design. All these designs are from what I call my “decorative art collection” or papers that for some reason or other didn’t make it to the final print stage. Sometimes they were printed as a “trial run”. Nothing gets wasted in my craft room and I love making cards with these papers to create designer handcrafted meaningful cards for your caring and sharing.

I used a piece of burlap behind the sentiment and used a Tim Holtz Distress ink pad – color, Tea Dye and Memento Rich Cocoa for color. I use a stencil to make the leaves by Stampendous called Etchling stencils ET019 Ivy NR, I bought it years ago. I used Memento Bamboo leaves for color on the leaves.

My four completed Get Well Cards. Stamps Used: Get Well Soon had no name on it. getwell SOON is from Studiog.

I also made five sympathy cards the same way. Stamps Used: With Deepest Sympathy by Stampabilities, May you find comfort in your loving memories. by inkadinkado, You’re in my thoughts and prayers by Stampendous. I buy all my stamps from Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics.

These handcrafted cards will be posted on our SHOP page on our website. (Give Tom a little time to get them posted.)

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the Summer!

Until next time,

Happy Creating,

Vicki Achard

Completed Paintings / Sunset on the Beach & Carnations and Leaves

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I wanted to show you my finished paintings I started on my video posted June 23, 2021 – Materials & Tools I use to Paint in Watercolor. I started the paintings and talked about some materials I was going to use to complete the paintings. The video was made to give you some ideas as to what tools and materials you could use to paint in watercolor.

Sunset on the Beach, Frankfort, Michigan and Carnations and Leaves painted in Watercolor by Vicki Achard / Nature’s Best Art

I hope you can watch this video on my Artist Blog or YouTube channel to help you start your watercolor journey as well as my video posted May 26, 2021, Paints, Palettes, Brushes, & Paper.

Until next time,

Happy Creating,

Vicki Achard

Materials & Tools I Use to Paint in Watercolor

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Watercolor is such an exciting journey. Since I started painting, 2015, I have picked up various tools and supplies to get the end result of a painting I have in mind. In this video I talk about using masking fluid, toothbrushes, sponges and lots of other materials. I hope this helps you to accomplish how you’d like your painting to look like. I also show you what I found to help squeeze that last bit of paint out of your tube paints.

I will show you in this video what I will use to begin these two paintings in progress. I hope to complete them in about two weeks and will post the end results on my Artist Blog.

Until next time, Happy Creating,

Vicki

Remembering Past Trips

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I’m ready to start traveling again, aren’t you?! Let’s get this Pandemic over with and start traveling again!

Original watercolor - $95 image; $120 matted to fit 16x20" frame - 10¾x14¾ image on 12x16" cold press watercolor paper, signed in pencil
220 “Beach House” – Frankfort, MI – Original watercolor & printed 5×7″ greeting cards

This is our beach house we stay at on our trip “Up North” Michigan. Just around the beach house is Lake Michigan and every night we walk to the lake to see breathtaking sunsets. I can’t wait to make this trip again!

“25 Tags Till Christmas / 2020 – Week 2”

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Hello Everyone,

I love the way you can get the look of gold without having to emboss, especially making more than one at a time, it saves a lot of time. I’m so happy to share how I got my design idea with you and also share where I store my gift tags. Where do you store your gift tags?

I look forward to next week when I can show you part 3 of our 5 part series of “25 Tags Till Christmas”.

Happy Creating and Happy Thanksgiving!

Vicki

10 Top Picks That Made Me Smile / 2020

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Although it’s been a challenging year to say the least, I tried to creatively and purposely keep in touch with my family and stay occupied with projects. Sticking close to home brought many smiles. In this video I talk about how I coped with Covid and ten things I thought of that made me smile.

I hope you too have had some happy times and stayed busy with a project or two to keep you motivated to enjoy your day.

Stay well and safe.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Vicki

“Fall Leaves”

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I can’t believe the color and beauty of the trees in Michigan this year, or is it that I’m taking more walks outside this year due to Covid. I think they are staying on the trees longer, it’s been magnificent! I just had to take the time to paint some leaves. I could probably paint another picture of orange/yellow ones if I have the time, but these are what I painted this past week.

I like using my watercolor pencils to draw or trace leaves, then I will paint them with my brushes and watercolor paint. Using watercolor pencils to draw them will not leave pencil lines, something in this project I like to leave out.

Hope you are enjoying the beautiful color in your area.

Happy Creating,

Vicki

“Delicate Rose” – #5 and Final Painting / Birthday Flowers 2020″

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Whew – I sure have more of an appreciation for Georgia O’Keeffe’s art after painting this rose. I really did enjoy painting this. Each petal was painted as if it was a delicate princess, thus the name, “Delicate Rose”.

My 5th and final painting of my birthday flowers I received from my son and girlfriend…a close up of one of the luscious red roses.
I like to start painting my roses in the very middle. I think it’s mainly the focal point of the rose and spend some time getting it as accurate as I can.

Hope you are enjoying these Fall days. Keep your hopes up and keep busy enjoying what you can during these uncertain time. Thinking of you all, stay safe.

Happy Creating,

Vicki