Brushes & Booze

Celebrating Sarah with a hens Picnic & Paint at East Hills Hotel today 🥂

Message to book your own Brushes & Booze class!

Looking for a fun and artistic activity for your kids these school holidays? Look no further!

We’re running a special class this Friday, 22 April at Rowers On Cooks River suitable for children aged 7-12.

The class includes all art materials and your kids will be guided on a step-by-step self-portrait painting class inspired by Frida Kahlo!

Click the link below for more information and to purchase tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/kids-paint-class-at-rowers-tickets-315000905187

Kids' Paint Class! 🎨

Bring the kids along for a self-portrait painting class on Friday 22nd April from 12pm - 3pm, inspired by Frida Kahlo. Kids will learn how to mix colours, apply artistic techniques, and much more.

Suitable for kids aged 7-12yrs. of all artistic levels.

Book now: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/kids-paint-class-at-rowers-tickets-315000905187

Full house for our Hunter Valley at event! 🍇

Thank you to everyone who came along for an afternoon of wine, cheese and painting 🎨

And a special thanks to:
for the amazing wine tasting! 🍷grazing for the delicious cheese boards! 🧀
for putting on such a fun event! 😊

Only a couple of days until our class at ! 🎨🍷

Tickets include:
- Step-by-step painting tutorial on how to paint our local beach
- All art materials provided
- A house beer, wine or spirit on arrival

Limited tickets available. Purchase yours here: brushesandbooze.com/product/the-Illawarra-brewery

🎨 Upcoming class 🎨

Summer may be over, but not with Brushes & Booze. Paint your very own sunny Wollongong beach at The Illawarra Brewery ☀️

Friday 18 March 2022
6-9pm
The Illawarra Brewery - Eastern Terrace, Win Entertainment Centre, Crown St & Harbour St, Wollongong NSW 2500
$50 per person
Includes a step by step painting tutorial with all materials provided and a house beer, wine or spirit on arrival

Limited tickets available. Purchase yours here: https://brushesandbooze.com/product/the-illawarra-brewery/

I hope to see you there!

Another lovely hens painting class celebrating the bride-to-be! This time we painted a custom subject that I designed featuring the table centrepieces for their upcoming wedding 🌸

Message me to book a custom class for your special day!

First class of 2022 ✅

I had a great time helping to celebrate a wonderful hens night last weekend.

Congratulations to the bride-to-be and thanks for having me!

First class outside greater Sydney ✅

I was given an amazing opportunity to travel to Goulburn to host a work Christmas party at Astor Hotel 🎄

Thank you to everyone who painted along with me. I hope you had an amazing time!

✨ How to find and shop small businesses ✨

This Christmas I’ve set a goal to buy as many presents as I can from small businesses, so I thought why not share how I find them to spread the love 🤎

Here’s how:

▫️ Visit Etsy - a shopfront for tens of thousands of small businesses worldwide
▫️ Browse local hashtags like or
▫️ Checkout local community or council pages
▫️ Follow small business pages on Facebook and Instagram like
▫️ Search on Facebook or Instagram for what you’re after e.g. “handmade scrunchies” - you’ll come across hundreds of small businesses selling just that

Shopping small takes time but it’s all about knowing where to look, unlearning your instinct to go to big businesses, and thinking there isn’t someone out there selling what you need (9 times out of 10 there is).

Tag your favourite small businesses in the comments below to get the ball rolling!

Counting down ‘til our next class at East Hills Hotel on 27 Nov!

Grab your tickets via the link below to paint this festive landscape just in time for Christmas 🎄

https://brushesandbooze.com/product/let-it-snow/

Interesting facts about prickly pears:

🌵 The red fruit is called "tuna" of this cactus is edible and taste like a combination of bubblegum and watermelon.
🌵 The pads can also be eaten. They can be made into candy, jam, beverages or eaten raw.
🌵 The Aaron’s beard prickly pear is prohibited from being sold in NSW.
🌵 Prickly pears were introduced in Australia in 1788 for the dye the tuna produces, but quickly became an invasive w**d and invaded 58 million hectares of land.
🌵 The cactoblastis moth was introduced to control the cactus. It was so effective that much of the land was reclaimed.

Which fact surprised you the most?

This year is booking up fast!

We have a few dates available until the end of the year. Send me a message to start booking in your end of year work party or private class.

Dates available:
Saturday 20 November
Sunday 28 November
Friday 10 December
Saturday 11 December
Sunday 12 December

Last weekend I ran my first class since lockdown and omg I have missed it.

What makes it even better is that it was a surprise birthday party 🎈

To keep it a secret, one of the rumours was I was going to be running a pole dancing class, so rocking up in overalls may have caused some confusion.

Thank you so much to Rhiannon and family for choosing Brushes & Booze - I’m so glad you all had an amazing time and loved the artworks you created!

We’re free!

I have missed teaching classes and creating art with you SO much. I’m so thankful I’m able to again.

What’s the first thing you’ll be doing out of lockdown?

I’ll be getting a schnitty at East Hills Hotel (the superior schnitty in my opinion).

Throwback to a private class I hosted for a birthday celebration 🎈 Not too long now until we can do this again!

Want to book a private class? Just shoot me a message!

Apart from being super fun, did you know that paint by numbers have mental health benefits?

Research suggests that doing art activities that involve colouring and painting complex geometric patterns can reduce anxiety. They can also:

🤎 Induce a meditative state
🤎 Reduce stress levels
🤎 Improve cognitive performance

Making art is more than just painting, it’s good for the mind, body and soul!

Will you be giving art meditation a go with the Brushes & Booze Paint By Number kits?

Classes are back! 🎨

Looking for something a little different to do with your friends to celebrate coming out of lockdown?

Host a private Brushes & Booze class in the comfort of your own home, favourite venue or public place.

CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING

From 11 October (70% vaccinated)
▫️ Private classes in the home for you and up to 5 fully vaccinated adult visitors
▫️ Private backyard picnic classes for you and up to 5 fully vaccinated adults visitors
▫️ Private picnic classes for 12 fully vaccinated adults in public outdoor areas

From end of October (80% vaccinated)
▫️ Private classes in the home for you and up to 10 fully vaccinated adults visitors
▫️ Private backyard picnic classes for you and up to 10 fully vaccinated adults visitors
▫️ Private picnic classes for 12 fully vaccinated adults in public outdoor areas
▫️ 8-20 private/public classes at venues

From 1 December (90% vaccinated)
▫️ Private classes for 8-20 vaccinated adult visitors
▫️ Backyard picnic classes for up to 12 fully vaccinated adults
▫️ Public picnic classes for up to 12 fully vaccinated adults
▫️ 8-20 private/public classes at venues

Message me to book your Brushes & Booze class now!

✨ Introducing Paint By Numbers ✨

Are you a beginner artist looking for a creative outlet? Brushes & Booze now supplies beginner Paint By Number Kits for adults designed and handmade by artist, Shannon MacDonald.

There are currently three designs available:

🍄 Mushrooms
🪶 Kookaburras
🪴 Monstera

Click the shop links to purchase yours!

I can’t wait to get back into Picnic classes again!

Tag who you will be painting and picnicking with 🌻

🍺 or 🍸?

Thank you Alli McKay for sharing this BEAUTIFUL painting you created of Shaken, Not Stirred using our Acrylic Painting Kits.

Purchase your own Acrylic Painting Kit via the tagged link!

Fun fact: This is a painting I did of Audrey Hepburn back in 2019 for the Fisher's Ghost Art Award and I painted it using some old makeup brushes. You really can paint with anything!

Want to learn how to paint this? Well now you can!

I miss teaching so I’m sharing a mini tutorial on how to paint this avocado 🥑 Head over to my Instagram stories via the link below to follow along!

https://www.instagram.com/brushesandboozeau/

Today is National Left Handers Day, and as a lefty, I thought I’d share some interesting facts about lefties that you might not know:

👫 We make up 12% of the population

🎾 40% of the current top tennis players play left handed

👨 23% more men are left handed

🐶 Your dog could be a lefty - a study shows that nearly 50% of dogs favour their left paw

🤧 We’re more likely to have allergies

🧠 Left handed people use the right side of their brain the most, the side that controls tasks to do with the arts and creativity

🎸 Only 0.5% of guitarists are left handed

Who else is a fellow lefty?

“Never be the one to say no to yourself”

shared this quote that she lives by, and this mindset is the reason why I started Brushes & Booze. It was a big leap and it’s enormously challenging in so many ways, but I LOVE what I do and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

Because this helped me, I wanted to share it with you. If you need a reason to start the business you’ve been dreaming about, or to go for that new job, this is it. Don’t allow yourself to be the one to tell you no, because you’re the one holding yourself back from your dream.

Yes, stepping into the unknown and rejection is scary, but imagine what could happen if you gave it a go. What have you got to lose? It’s better to try and fail than to not try and wonder what could have been.

Let this be the encouragement you need to go for it.

The Acrylic Painting Kits are back in stock!

Purchase yours and get:
▫️2 30x30cm canvases
▫️6 75ml Chromacryl acrylic paints
▫️5 brushes
▫️Palette
▫️Brushes & Booze tote bag
▫️My top 3 acrylic painting tips
▫️Access to an online step-by-step painting tutorial that you can complete at your own pace

Shop via the product link or link below. Shipping within Australia only.
https://brushesandbooze.com/product/acrylic-painting-pack/

Lockdown can stop us from doing a lot of things, but it can’t stop us from getting creative! Grab a group of friends, book a Brushes & Booze Private Zoom Class and catch up like you’re not suburbs apart.

If you don’t have art supplies, no stress, purchase the Class + Kit bundle and we can deliver you our Brushes & Booze Acrylic Painting Kit that includes everything you need!

To book, email [email protected] or message our Facebook/Instagram page with your desired date, time, subject and how many people are attending.

Brushes & Booze

Today is your last chance to pre-order my Acrylic Painting Kits! 🎨

Purchase yours by midnight tonight via the link below to ensure early August delivery.

https://brushesandbooze.com/product/acrylic-painting-pack/

Purchases can be made after today, but I can’t guarantee early August delivery. Shipping within Australia only.

Would you like to learn how to paint this? Well now you can!

My Acrylic Paint Kit includes a video tutorial on how to create this Beach Sunset ☀️ It features my top 3 acrylic painting tips and is the perfect subject for anyone wanting to develop their painting skills.

Purchase a kit before 21 July for early August delivery via the link below. Limited stock available.

https://brushesandbooze.com/product/acrylic-painting-pack/

I thought I’d reintroduce myself for the people who have recently joined the page.

Hello 👋 I’m Shannon, the one woman band behind Brushes & Booze.

I created this business because I wanted to be able to share the skills I’ve developed as an artist with you, and create a space where people can have a go at painting or develop their skills with friends over a drink or two.

Outside of Brushes & Booze, I’m an acrylic and oil painter, specialising in realistic portraits and landscapes.

I’ve also dabbled in: watercolour painting, clay, jewellery making, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, quilling, cross stitch, long stitch, embroidery,, calligraphy and sewing.

Other likes: Laksa, 1940s and 50s fashion, avocados, sitcoms, antique collecting, buildings that are at least 100 years old

Dislikes: Sausages, the sound of styrofoam, holes, fish/frogs/anything slimy with beady eyes, walking slow

What’s an interesting like/dislike of yours?

Introducing the Brushes & Booze Acrylic Painting Kit 🎨

It includes:
6 Chromacryl 75ml acrylic paints
5 brushes
1 palette
2 30x30cm canvases
Brushes & Booze tote bag
My top 3 acrylic painting tips
Access to an online step-by-step painting tutorial that you can complete at your own pace

Everything you need to start your painting journey from brands that I use to create my art. Buy for it yourself or as a gift for $49.99 + shipping.

Order your kit by 21 July for early August delivery via the link below. Limited stock available.

https://brushesandbooze.com/product/acrylic-painting-pack/

Painting kits. Thoughts?

I know how overwhelming it is to build a kit from scratch. Where do I shop? What brands do I buy? What supplies do I need?

Well I’ve got you covered!

For a long time I’ve thought about selling painting kits that include the same quality supplies I’d use as an artist, and I thought now would be the perfect time!

Let me know if that’s something you’d be interested in purchasing 😊

Throwback to the latest Brushes & Booze class at East Hills Hotel that we were able to sneak in before lockdown. Thank you to everyone who came along!

This Saturday’s class at East Hills Hotel is going ahead 🙂

To ensure we’re following the current COVID-19 guidelines, the following precautions will be in place:

- All participants must check into the venue on arrival
- Masks must be worn unless seated
- Please use the hand sanitiser station on arrival and throughout the class

If you’re not feeling well, please stay home and contact Brushes & Booze in regards to your ticket.

Your health is Brushes & Booze’s top priority and we continue to ensure we’re COVIDSafe.

Thank you for your understanding and support. I look forward to this weekend’s class 👩‍🎨

🌸 Introducing... Brushes & Booze Picnics 🌸

Host your very own Picnic & Paint class in the comfort of your own home or desired location, perfect for a birthday, hens, baby shower, or an excuse to do something special with your friends.

Contact me via Facebook, email or fill out the booking form on my website to book a class.