promising poppy lockets

and here it is, a silvery locket adorned with poppy-themed paintings:

its here while it lasts! and theres another one too (with a green bow).

poppies

A locket work-in-progress that will go up in my store tomorrow night and will be adorned with a silver chain and a ribbon bow. Poppy Locket …and there will be two this time!

I was reminded of the poppies when I uncovered by this very old postcard from Switzerland, purchased in an antique store. Followed by the newest 20’s girl in my collection, bought on Etsy. Theres something about her eyes and the printed blouse ruffle around her neck.

Another lovely vintage locket, seashores and ships and all those summery things

Despite the fact that it feels like early spring (I’m not complaining!) I ventured outside in the cold rain to take a few pictures in the moss. I must say, this locket was the best find ever! It’s a rare round shape and has three places for pictures. When I saw the rope-shaped links in the long, chunky golden chain I knew it was absolutely perfect…I am just so smitten by this locket! Take a little look-see…

I absolutely LOVE the golden-roped chain!

It can be found here before it sets out to sea!

Lets see…what else have I been up too…sketching! Lots to share. I just opened my new paints (they sat in their box untouched for 1/2 week due to the fact that I am so, so busy with other things, good things.) But I can’t even express how excited about them and their luscious pigments. How good does it feel to get new paints, open them up and squeeze their little tubes onto the palette?

The Very Curious Locket…

Clearly I am exhausting my stash of jumbo vintage lockets but I just had to offer this one. Opened, with mini prints from The Very Curious Fox and tied with a vintage gingham bow!

This one-of-a-kind locket and additional photos can be found here while it lasts!

A big old post because I’ve been away so long…tangled hair teacups and sketches

Where did the week go? And someone tells me its March already… spring will soon be here! I am so awaiting the sweet colors of spring and sitting out in the grass. Anywho, lots of inspiration and sketching here. I have been collecting pictures of flapper-ish women, muses and models for paint and sketching maybe. This one I had for years. I found her in a cigar box in an antique shop (I have another photo of here too, in a differernt pose!) She had a very, very sad life the past couple of years though. You see, she went missing, but the good news is that she was found last week. I was cleaning out my wooden box with drawers, and she was wedged between the underside of the bottom of the drawer and the dresser. She was all folded up, like an accordian, which damaged the photo and made me very, very sad.

To make me feel better I bought this gem of a little photo on Etsy, just look at these sisters! The photo came in a set which included a boy but I threw him into my scrap box, as I really don’t care about photos of boys that much. But these two sisters..I am definitely going to use them in my painted imagery.

They fulfilled my criteria for the photos I collect.. post victorian (preferable 20’s and 30’s)…soft waves in short, shiny hair, slightly out of place and frizzy…a certain facial expression that I can’t quite put my finger on, and oh the sepia…

A very cold windowsill this morning, strange little bird family, icy outside

Oh my and I bought the most pretty golden teacup earrings, at the thrift shop of all places!

They have these little saucers and even little golden spoons! And my hair always tangles all around them.

My friend bought me this pretty mug yesterday during out treasure hunt.

and the other side, sewing machines!

hehe for pure fun and whimsy… a love of tangled hair in strange places…

Which leads me to share a new love for wooden hair sticks! I bought these from Etsy and they are in need of beaded ends, which I will add. I looooove hairsticks (and my hair loves them too, they are really gentle on the strands!)

Been filling the pages of my journals with sepia tones watercolor sketches, which helps so much with underpainting and its a good reference source too. Creating a visual log of my own personal imagery for more narrative pieces in the future.

I am SO inspired by this painting by John Everett Millais:

Isn’t she a dream? She’s been a springboard for some new ideas. More sketches and other things to come!

a few new things…

I am so excited to offer these cameos featuring mini prints of my paintings! There’s only three though, and here they are:

They are listed here

And I have been painting her (name forthcoming)…

A week or so when she’s dry I hope to make her into a new print. I am starting another one tonight. Hooray for days off and days (and late nights) of painting!

And yes (a few of you guessed in my previous post) the little plastic blue case is a sweet, sweet typewriter! ‘Twas a lucky find for three dollars at one of my favorite thrift shops.

My initial idea was to make an all-blue shelf and stash my blue book collection behind it. I wanted to display a birds nest on the type writer with robin eggs inside (because I know it is very unlikely I will use it much) but it won’t fit on my shelf, despite its small size.

Today was complete spring trickery! I went for two walks today through the woods with my spring jacket on. It was warm breezy with raindrops on and off, sun peeking through the clouds and going back in. I hope hope hope that it freezes over tomorrow because I bought a pair of ice skates yesterday. And how nice and smooth will the skating pond be after thawing and refreezing?!

Warm tea…

All that is needed right now, cups and cups of it! Been sick and in s-l-o-w mode, and I have lots of things to post (a whole pile, oh dear). But in the grogginess of the morning I was so excited to see my name as one of the winners on Marmee’s Valentine’s drawing!

Must be the season but I am collecting vintage tea cups, I can imagine them delicately piled on my bookshelf… this one from last week:

My friends and I have been planning an elaborate outdoor tea party with little cakes, dresses and vintage hats, so I am longing for the warm weather. Right now we are in the middle of a snowstorm and it is so cold and blustery outside!
Green is and had always been my favorite color. But I find myself being drawn to all shades of blues for the time being. Maybe becasue I keep finding pretty blue things. I would like to fill an entire shelf with all things blue. A little pile of things from last week:

and I was looking for a whole year for a very certain treasure, found inside of this bright blue plastic case:

Resisting to look on ebay, I found it in real life last week. It’s a pretty shade of blue. Can you guess what it is? (I’ll have a picture soon!)

I like things with dead insects imbeded inside. I have a few little frames with butterflies mounted, their wings tattered from age. This paper weight has a giant creepy beetle inside. The peachy petals of the flower remind me of the tulle on a 1950’s prom dress I have packed away.

Yum cross-stitched birdie and an old post card with poppies.

Wishing I could get more done. On Sunday the sunshine was pouring into my tiny painting corner, and everything looked so untouched, which makes me very sad but hopeful at the same time. I have some new paints that I can’t wait to play with as soon as I am feelign better! Nothing feels better than new paints.

Oh, and I got this pretty vintage floral jumper dress on etsy. I just love the little white buttons on the shoulders and the bold floral print against the black. It reminds me of Frida, which remindes me of a certain exhibit which we are going to see soon. I was jumping for joy when I heard about this one, and what fun to visit Philly!

I have some more little cameos and lockets to post soon, and some sketches maybe.

vintage rosebud locket with mini prints

It’s hard for me to let go of this sweet treasure (I doubt I’ll ever find another locket like this) but it holds the mini prints so well …

This one-of-a-kind locket is in my store

Oh, and the belt is from abstractpretty on etsy. I will soon own three of her belts…they are so so perfect for cinching in that too-loose vintage dress and prettying it up a bit!

A quiet week. I am looking forward to a restful weekend with lots of outdoors. Today I bought new paints and brushes, a book on terrariums and a polka dot shirt… and that was my excitement for the week. Yesterday it was 62 which left me craving spring.

And another locket…

This time, listed in my store.

The dear little thing open:

xoxoxox

land and sea

I’ve been holding on to these for over a year and have decided to finally let them go. Two sweetly detailed originals up for sale in my shop. In sepia inks.

Forest and Sea

Trees Above and Coral Below