ferns, ghosts

I am enchanted by ferns as-of-late. Their imagery keeps coming my way! And antique mirrors (this one has such a pretty fern-like carving adorning its top). Here’s one I came home with a few weeks ago. I finally got around to cleaning it up and it currently sits on my studio floor.

Walking through the woods last weekend, I noticed hundreds of patches of pretty ferns. Little One was quite smitten by the ferns too! He even tried to eat one. I think next time we’ll collect some to press as a memory for our forest walks during his babyhood.

The other day while perusing in an antique shop I found this photograph of a lady in the prettiest lace dress holding a bouquet of ferns.

I was so surprised when I lifted the photo out of the folder for a cleaning…another version was behind it, this time her lace dress fading away to reveal ectoplasm underneath (yes, I know it was a glitch in the developing process but oh to dream). If you read this blog you already know delicate, antique lace is one of my favorite things.

Started collecting mini greenhouses. I have two! However, I can’t find a fern small enough to live in the tiny greenhouse.These little conservatories have been enchanting me ever since I found the larger one in a church thrift shop. They live on top of my curio cabinet in a sunny corner of my room.

And the newest photos for my collection. I think I’m going to paint her this summer when I get back in my studio.

And here she is, as a ghost:

A happy, long weekend to all those in the United States, summer has begun!

mother’s day, birthday

Went painting pottery on my birthday. I am pretty happy with this one, considering I was holding my little one in one arm and painting with the other (something I will not attempt again). It was good until the end, the glaze did some strange speckle thing in the kiln but oh well, it’s my first and I’m sure not my last.

So happy because the end of April till the beginning of May are celebratory times for me! A beautiful orchid for my birthday, lunch at my favorite restaurant and cupcakes (sans Little One). My first mothers day brought more flowers (the darkest blood-red roses I have ever seen) another favorite restaurant and a giant red velvet cupcake (Little One joined us this time). Long walks were had on both days. Kitty stayed home and guarded the orchid.

A very beautiful Mother’s day to all moms!

fyi my comment section on my blog is doing a strange thing I can not fix. I like to reply here but sometimes it won’t let me, or it puts my reply at the end which is very confusing. So sorry! Thanks so much for all your comments!

skunk cabbage!

Yesterday was so perfectly dreary! I walked through a pretty swamp area of the woods with little meandering streams while my tiny one napped in his carriage. The skunk cabbage (or meadow cabbage, swamp cabbage… whatever-have-you) was blooming in all its glory. Did you know that the pungent odor created when tearing the leaves of a skunk cabbage attracts its pollinators? Flies and bees! It was used a a medicinal plant and talisman by Native Americans as well. Usually the first dramatic bit of greenery in these parts. And the woods were so misty. Love love love the early spring.

And today is my birthday! This morning my husband surprised me with the most beautiful orchid for my collection. More photos to follow…

today (to pass the time)

Today was so perfectly overcast and peaceful.

A bit of chaos.

Covering many buttons with snippets of autumnal-hued fabric (to adorn a thrift shop coat I purchased a few days ago).

Took a walk round and round the pond at my favorite outdoor spot.

Then it rained!

A bit of calm before the storm, stream-side with wildflowers and cat tails…

embroidered things and rambling winter walks

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.

lately, wanderings and paintings

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!

collections in windowsills

and walking in the dreamy woods…

But first I would like to say that I just put a larger, ORIGINAL drawing (11″ by 14″) of “From Within” in my shop.

It’s a darker version, similar to this one, from a few post’s ago, with the birch trees at night. Yes, I sketched a third one! I wanted to try her without the ribbon around her neck. I am so happy to offer it in my shop (and it is so hard for me to let it go)

I’ve been thinking about wildflowers and all things green and lush (yes, very unfall-like of me). I pulled out one of my favorite found embroideries and hung it on my wall. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I received this package. I took photos of the queen annes lace embroidery and posted them here last year, but I just love it so much, so here’s more!
Beautiful detail.

And knowing that winter will soon be here I have been adorning my windwsill with this and that, summer memories and other things, found.

The sandy bottle was a wash up at the beach. It’s very old! The other, smaller bottle I found in the early spring during a walk through the woods. Did you know that the frost pushes old bottle and other discarded items up out of the ground in the spring?

I have been painting too. This is a piece in the earliest of stages…just the underpainting and I’m sure it will change and morph into something totally different. But the concept will stay the same for the most part. The raw umber scribbles you see in the right hand corner are actually a grove of willow trees with a piano in the middle. I imagined a procession of birds soaring out of it.

The leaves were in their glory over the weekend! They are now falling. To everyone in the northern hemisphere, enjoy the remainder of autumn bliss !

new prints and into the berry bramble

A print from my drawing From Within is now available in the shop.

I just love the frame, which was a lucky discovery in a second hand shop. The gold just glows.

Yesterday I was going through some of my older work and I was inspired by the imagery and textures that I was using. I think I might revisit the idea of the white fox (oops I mean wolf). I just love the texture in this piece, I used imprints of antique lace in the paint. Phantom lace, if you will.

Beautiful color inspiration on a lazy Sunday.

I can’t believe these luscious colors exist, all on one berry bush (and apparently a big black snake thought so too, he was slithering up in the bramble). There was the brightest magenta paired with baby blues, in berry form, growing together simultaneously.

Does anyone know what type of berries these are? They were growing amongst rose hips, in a meadow besides a pond.

wildflower fields and other places

New art tomorrow! But for now…
Wanderings.

What is it about sitting in a sun-drenched wildflower field, late afternoon, in the fall? The filed was blooming with michaelmas daisies, goldenrod and milkweed pods about to burst.

We took a little trip down the Delaware River to New Hope, PA for the arts festival (and to explore the alleyways and gawk at the stone dwellings). Walked around and looked at the art stalls, went in the bookstore… it’s always been my favorite little river town rich in history with some of the earliest and most significant stone buildings in the United States.
Antique home by the back street canal, wrought iron gates and ivy.

Early 1700′s stone building, in town.

Then we drove up to Frenchtown, NJ for a bit. It was totally appropriate because I just finished reading “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and she lives there!

Favorite Victorian in the wee town…

yesterday evening

Been pulling out my comfy fall-ish clothing. Yesterday was so windy and cool. The skirt above has been a favorite… I found it a few years ago in a vintage store in Salem, Massachusetts. Every time I put it on it reminds me of one of our many visits there.

and I love how crunchy the leaves have become!

Early yesterday evening I went out to a favorite sitting place, a great big pond in the middle of a pretty meadow. I like to relax there and watch the birds and things, quiet and solitary. The swans came right up to me and I was watching them preen. They make the strangest little sounds, almost like a muffled kazoos.

The pond, above, was so pretty last evening. It’s that strange time right before the leaves turn.

The past few weeks I have been in more of a walk-through-town mood. But I think I am going to start visiting my meadow daily again, to soak up all the autumn goodness, before it’s to chilly to sit on the ground.

I have another new drawing almost complete.

Today we are taking a little trip, following the Delaware down to Frenchtown, then to New Hope…spending time going in bookstores and shops and walking around the town and by the river. The area contains some of my favorite old homes, so I’m sure I’ll take plenty of photos.

Have wonderful weekends, all!