tiny dew droplets on very small violets…

…are fairy tears indeed. And fairies do cry, often.

found on the very wet woodsy floor…

Yesterday I found my vintage peachy dress for next weekend’s sweet gathering at the maypole! Layed it down in the lush bed of moss that grows outside my door. Last year (and every year for that matter) I had such a fun time!

May Day is upon us! I would like to thank the enchanted Ulla for getting me all inspired by all her sweet fairy tale posts as of late! Ulla, your blog never fails to inspired and enrich me!

And, other things that inspired the past few days:

The way the sunlight pours though my windows, my every growing ivy plant and the fact that my thumb may actually be green and a small sketch of favorite things:

♥ paints and messy palettes
♥ soft candle light
♥ horses in meadows
♥ house plants

And I spent some time pushing paints around on this oval panel. Browns and blues, the very beginings of a densely paint-layered piece

☮

Whoa it’s been awhile!

I can’t believe how time flew by! A little break turns into a month of nonposting. For me this spring is a time of new directions, capturing ideas….

What a beautiful Earth Day! Today I walked for miles to sit by the pond and gaze into the water and just be. The water’s surface was like a giantic looking glass for the sky, the tree branches and red-winged blackbirds. Their song is my favorite. Look below and you might see one on the tree’s branches.

Things will unfold…

Sitting on the roots of a willow tree I picked dandelions and little yellow flowers and played with configurations on my hands like henna designs that came alive. As the tiny buds floated across the water I thought of things that hold me back, keep me from being creative, keep me from painting. From there I ran the whole way home. And I painted the afternoon in my sketchbook with watercolors and in oils on a wooden panel. It’s a start.

These have been sitting in my studio for some time, new directions I set up in an inspiring little shrine-like fashion. . I am so excited about all of these.

Painting the grisaille layer in burnt umber and titanium white this afternoon.

Everyday small pleasures

♥ moroccan mint green tea, iced
♥ the sound of silver bangle bracelets (like little bells)
♥ blues, greens and grays
♥ rubbing magnolia petals between my fingers til they tear apart (they are so soft!)
♥ the beach and searching for shells and shiney things in the sand
♥ being 29!

And yesterday was my birthday so we spent a beautiful day together roadtripping. The beach being one of our first stops, then searching for thrift clothes (hooray I found a pretty dress and some shirts!) meandering around the campus at Princeton and then to a sushi dinner. Yesterday, a perfect gray beach day:

The first full day of being 29 was beautiful!

painting

All the sketching is sort-of-satisfying but what I really LOVE to do is paint! And recently, like the sketching, I have lots going on at once. I was able to work more on this painting due to a snowstorm today! A peek, work in progress:

I love snow! I hope to spend the weekend playing with paints and drinking tea INDOORS!!

They Teach Me to Remember

First I would like to thank everyone who entered the locket contest. Such beautiful, touching people you all are! and your writings… I was amazed at the responces! Thank you.

There is still time! I plan to post the winner tomorrow night so please, don’t hesitiate to enter. I can’t wait to send off my little locket to one of you!

I have been spending my nights painting little scenes-within-scenes…stories, memories, imaginary places, animals. I painted They Teach Me to Remember with acrylics on a thick masonite panel with vintage wallpaper. I spent quite some time on her face, changing it a bit from the last time I posted. The whole piece of found wallpaper was hanging over my desk in my studio last year.

AND…Little by little I will be offering prints on canvas! This one is offerered in canvas AND fine art paper, in my shop. The title of the listing specifies paper or canvas.
xoxox!

Glimpse

The past few nights have been spent painting…dreaming of vibrant gardens with made-up plants, lush mossy greens, garden dresses and imaginary fox. Here is just a small peek at part of the painting, which I hope to finish in a few more stretched-out sittings…maybe this weekend? The girls face need to be adjusted a bit…her eyes maybe. I spend so much time on my faces and sometimes I can’t see what I want to repaint until the scan. It’s usually somewhere in the eyes. For the support I used 30’s floral walpaper with magenta and blue blossoms glued to a panel. The wallpaper has a story all its own but I won’t get into that right now! And my previous post, yes, the objects were found behind my house but the picture of the moss was taken in a beautiful state park in upstate New York. We went hiking there this past weekend. I have another picture which showcases the flourishing wall of moss on a side hill. Love, love, love moss.

AND…there will be another giveaway very, very soon! One that is quite different than the others…

I am obsessing over vintage dresses. Ones with rich patterns and full skirts that can be layered. I just spent a long time over the sink washing out my newest finds. There’s something about hand washing that I enjoy. Tell me, which vintage shop is your favorite on etsy…or ebay…or anywhere for that matter?!

Fluttering Away print

Finally finished this painting! It’s quite fitting for the day, except its raining here and I wish it was snowing! A print is available in my shop.

last day of fall, bittersweet

Taking it all in…the last day of autumn. I spent the night in my studio working on a new painting. Here is a little teaser:

Cold, cold hands. Winter came early this year. My hands are cold but my fingers are very very happy thanks to a beautiful ring by jade scott jewelry

The ring is sterling silver with a bit of red lace captured in resin. Its just big enough to be noticed without being too big. Please do check out her store…she is a girl on a quest to make pretty things!

I think that bittersweet berries are so pretty. These lost their little golden pods but are as bright as ever despite the snow and cold. I picked a few vines to make a wreath.

On a walk today, melting ice and the greenest moss…

I got home early from work, bought a gingerbread latte to sip and keep my hands warm and went for a walk. This time I walked along a little stream and it just so happened that my walk turned into a treasure hunt! Along the bank of the stream in the cold water were shards of old tea cups, plates and other victorian goodies long broken and forgotten (some might be even older too!). The colors, floral motifs and crackles on the shards are so, so inspiring. I even found a little glass doll (head broken off though). Oh, I need to take a picture of all my goodies! I’m going back tomorrow when more of the snow and ice melts to scavenger hunt some more. Tomorrow measures the start of winter!

Under the Cold Cold Earth

Just a tiny painting to hold me over as I paint away on a larger piece. Under the Cold Cold Earth will soon be available as a mini print in my shop- 3″ by 5″, I think. I love silvery birch trees, especially in the winter. This piece is painted on my favorite sheet of rich, patterned paper mounted to a chunky 3″ by 5″ canvas, so the birch trees wrap around the sides. I think I’ll cover my sketchbook in the remaining scraps of paper.

Autumn’s warm golden days

…have now turned grey and rainy. Speaking of grey I have to mention that am so inspired by the palette of Andrew Wyeth. His rural subject matter has always been an inspiration to me, but those grays and golds and browns! This little white house painting is a definite favorite. I clipped it out and affixed it to my journal so I wouldn’t forget about it again, along with a new little concept sketch underneath. I have an idea to paint scenes of tiny capped people, strange animals and grouped farmhouses from the 1800’s, all in a tiny scale and very detailed. These tiny girls are watering their gardens but they very well could be tending to strange animals in a faraway place.

I was going through a pile of old books and ephemera and uncovered this print of a painting in a funny little book, isn’t is so lovely?

It’s from a worn blue book called My Miniature Art Collection, Grade 4 and contains some of the sweetest prints in muted palettes. The book was a treasure stacked amongst old paperbacks at the back of a junk shop. I must share some more of this book very soon!

Little things are so delightful! I recently found this little porcelain box with a pearl charm inside and it made my day.

Here’s a pile of inspiring things- glass domes, white pumpkins, old hankies, rusty iron birds, tea cups and blackbird feathers.

I am thinking about setting them up in a shrine sort of way. I haven’t had an inspiration table in quite awhile and its time has been delayed too long!

Those who are here up north, enjoy the rain, it may be with us for quite awhile! Pitter-pat.

New print and a print set

One Misty Evening

is available in my shop

There is a print set available of these two forlorn sisters, One Misty Evening and One Misty Morning

also in the shop