Found an old giant framed print whilst treasure hunting.

I think it’s such a lovely portrait of a little one. The girl’s face seems mysterious. Her hair is in disarray… a messy birds nest with too-short bangs I just love that she is wearing a black blouse with white collar and pinafore.

Today was sunny and some of our snow melted. I even saw my first robin. And a bluejay.

I just looked out the window and there is a full moon. March begins tomorrow. I just love new beginnings.

(chosen via random.org)

I was going to put all of your names in my little house like I usually do but I was swamped this time! Thank you so very much (all 145 of you that entered!) I am completely touched and inspired by the thoughtfulness and beauty of your writing! And I must share what Fairy Filigree wrote:

Well my favourite Springtime memory belongs to many many years ago when, upon my insistence, mother convinced my father to take us off to the country for a picnic. We went to this new seaside place I’d never been to before & I was staggered at the beauty of the sea and the waves from what looked like cliffs to me. Years later, when I revisited the site, I recognised it immediately and realised it had all looked so huge and overwhelming to me because I had been so very little.

Stories of the sea are so inspiring, thank you! And isn’t it so true…how huge everything appears when one is so small.

I will post my fondest spring memory soon. I have a photograph to go along with it that I need to locate!

And speaking of spring, it is far, far from here in the northeast. It has been snowing since Wednesday and we have over a foot on the ground. Today I went for a long, snowy walk (which was so peaceful and calm among the lingering flurries), organized my oil paints (preparing for another painting session), and cheered up this old handmade sweater a bit with rick rack on it’s yoke. Recently I go crazy over anything golden.

I am so excited to offer this little treat to one lucky reader! It features my artwork…it’s a

And the exciting part is it has two parts! A vintage locket tied with a snippet of antique calico (adorned inside with little bits from my painting Honeybee Stories.) AND a sweet silver-toned vintage tin to match (with art also from Honeybee Stories.)

The inside of the tin contains the bee snippet clue from my last post.

To win my locket and tin, all you have to do is leave a comment here recalling your favorite spring memory. Yes, I have spring on my mind! And honeybees remind me of lush gardens, daisies and the smell of earth. Your memory can be about gardening, walking through the meadows, spotting little birds eggs, love…anything! On Friday, February 26th I will pull one random winner from my bonnet. Please, please leave a working email as well! PARTICIPANTS WHO DO NOT LEAVE A LINK TO THEIR EMAIL WILL NOT BE ENTERED IN THIS GIVEAWAY! Also, comments that are posted on the wrong entry (my “leave a comment” is UNDER the title at the beginning of the post, not at the end of the post) will not qualify.

Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing about SPRING!! The complete Honeybee Stories painting can be viewed in my shop.

The sweet Andrea, aka little big head from cider and faun posted a bit of randomness on her blog, and tagged me to post mine. I’ll start with my most exciting, I’ve been waiting to spill…

♥ I have front row tickets to see Joanna Newsom March 18th (thanks to my thoughtful husband.) We are super excited to see her and so psyched about the release of her new album February 23rd! I can’t even begin to express how inspirational her music has been to me.

♥ and today I have been dreaming of this:

I really don’t care about winter anymore. I’m tired of cracked hands.

♥ Today I bought a huge bag of old envelopes, complete with stamps and addresses. I think they will be fun to doodle on.

♥ I can’t stop buying old sewing machines. I don’t even use them all. My most recent machine was a vintage baby blue singer.

♥ I don’t have a television, nor do I plan on getting one ever again.

And a little heads up…tomorrow or Saturday I will post my giveaway!

As the snowflakes fall I have been spending some time sewing… bags mostly (although I have plans for other things). I have lots of fabrics and bits of lace and trim stashed away. I made this large tote out of pretty gray heavyweight floral fabric which I bought a few years ago and I have been admiring ever since. The fabric is heavy, a mix between canvas and denim.

It’s perfect for lugging my sketchbooks and whatnot around.

I am going to be doing a giveaway here in the next few days, to celebrate all my new readers (and “old” ones as well). Here’s a little snippet of fabric (which is a tiny hint to the theme of the giveaway)

Can you guess which painting will be featured? Another hint is that the giveaway will be wearable art. And the third hint is that it will be part vintage. Can you guess?

We had a sweet valentines day. I came home to beautiful winter white roses (to match the newly fallen snow).

Quiet corners.

Twilight, after the huge storm, beautiful.

Lace

Sewn of thread and absence,
lace belongs at the hem of a garment,
pinned to a collar, near the face,
or clinging to a tabletop amongst teacups.

Like frost, lace paints a pattern
on edges and surfaces. In lace, fine line
and space loop around one another.
It is true that skin under lace appears more

visible, that veils and drapes of lace
let in light, and yes, pull a viewer’s eye.
An ivory web of flowers does what?
Embellishes. Decorates. Even as it claims

to cover, to conceal, lace invites air
and sun and gazes. Place this
punctured shield wherever there is longing,
delicacy: table, skin, bed, window.

Poem by Hannah Stephenson from the Storialist.

Hannah writes poems inspired by found images. This poem was inspired by my painting, “We Come From a Delicate Place”

A snippet:

Thanks to all who commented on my feature in Artful Blogging. Much appreciated!

I am super excited to announce the good news I mentioned awhile back. There is a 6 page article about my blog in the lovely Artful Blogging Magazine. The magazine hit the newstands at the beginning of the week and I was finally able to get my hands on one. I wrote an article about my process and inspirations, and features some of my favorite blog photos and artwork. This year my blog will be six years old (where has the time gone?) and I was completely honored to be asked to be in this publication! So here’s a little sneak peak (you’ll have to get your hands on a copy of the magazine to read the article).

i just love melting winter snow!

Also, I want to repost some of my favorite photos here that were featured in the magazine. My artwork images can be found here.

A corner of my studio- one of my drawing desks (although my Mac resides on this desk now).

A beautiful vintage pendant (that contained a mini print of my artwork) that sold last year.

Blackberry summer breakfast (in my favorite vintage ship teacup) along with my favorite Indian scarf.

A sweet haul from an antique treasure hunt.

Summer dreaming and petals- outside homage to Louis Janmot.

Another pendant I made (a mini print from one of my oil paintings.

Thanks for visiting today! I have yet another bit of good news…really BIG news but I am going to keep it secret for a wee bit longer…

Things have been quiet, cold and very still. I was, very unfortunately, sick since the holidays. Last weekend was the first time I was able to walk outside and feel the winter sunshine on my face. Since then I I have been taking solitary icy cold (and very bundled up) walks to uplift my spirit. I think it’s working a bit. Once I started feeling better I was treasure hunting and sketching again, although at a much slower pace. I hope for a shift in energies soon. Everything is cold and grey and I am dreaming of sunshine and lushness….flowers and meadows and picnics and laying in the grass with bare toes.

I have a few favorite things that I acquired recently. I’m inspired.

I want to to wear embroidered gardens (or sail in a ship atop one)….

I am still inspired by ancestor-ship imagery (not all ships with masts are for pirates!). I was lucky to find this little scrimshaw-inspired sterling silver brooch in an antique shop last week, along with a pretty adorned clutch.

And a little corner of my studio where my favorite jacket (featured above) hangs. Sunny corners and pretty clothes are enough to brighten me on a winters day.

Thanks to all your comments on my post from the beginning of January. I hope to reply to everyone today! I am full of gratitude that each and every one of you come back to visit, despite my recent lack of postings. Happy February.

I am hopelessly consumed with mapping out my plans for the new year (more on that later), sketching, making lists and preparing for the year ahead!. Today I made a wish box full of antique lace goodness and sparkleys. And colorful tights. I know I always say this but I wish for more color in my life, in my surroundings, in what I wear. Juicy, lush color and pattern. So today I wore a garden to start the year off right!

Have a beautiful New Years!

Been working on a lots of new paintings.

White-washed layers have been consuming my painting time.

Sketchbook pages, ideas, plannings. For the new year and now. I keep playing around with variations of a sketch of this one woman….

Bits.

I found the loveliest roll of 1940’s wallpaper along a driveway, discarded.

Last Saturday I went for a snowy walk oh so early in the morning. So cold but I got to see the sun rise over the silvery trees!

Another brooch from tinyhappy. So lovely…not only because of the teeny-tiny artistry that goes into each one, but because they are made with real wool felt and hand dyes threads. These little touches really make them so uttely amazing!

I am so excited for this new year! I have some exciting art news for you that I can’t wait to spill!
Happy Holidays Everyone!