Category Archives: vintage

sunday

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.

and the queen bee is….

(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.

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.

2010

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!

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 !

the first acorns

They are big and so green!

Found under a huge, old (and very shady) oak tree during a walk yesterday.

And so appropriate that this 1920’s photograph folder has such a pretty acorn border on the front (a recent etsy purchase):

Is it rude to say I like the folder more than the photograph? There’s something about her that’s a bit too quirky.

And sketchings.

Yesterday I started a new painting, a pairing for my most recent “Honeybee Stories”. And I have an additional theater idea now too, which I might start tomorrow.

milkweed pod nest and other things

…inspiring me today. It’s Friday and I have been painting the day away, which is so blissful! Taking a bit of a different direction with acrylics now, painting up little (or very big) scenes of surreal things in earthy colors.

Also been playing with arrangements of favorite found things on my shelf, inspiring the paintings…

The feather was found last week. Do you know what kind of bird it is from?

Also, this nest is the most compact little thing to behold! I think it is lined with milkweed seeds. I found it on the ground in a meadow by a pond in February. It looked as though it was freshly made, and had fallen from the tree. I need to know who made it!

Yesterday I went to a lovely old mill (which has been converted into an antiques mall) with my mom and shopped for old things. I think this print emits the most pretty, etherial vibe. And the colors are so inspiring. Golden, earthy browns and blues.

And the reflection in the photo make it even more so.

The purchase of the day was this giant woven doctor bag-ish purse, the perfect summer bag which I have search and searched for.

A little side note…I am putting together a sweet giveaway which will be posted on Monday!

a spring locket and a dreamy swamp morning

First thing, here is the promised vintage locket, now in my shop.

Please see a previous post (or the link to the listing, above) for a peek at the inside!

And, a most perfect early spring swamp morning. It has been raining all day so I really appreciate the purple-hazed sunbeams from the other morning.

I am so excited about tomorrow, we both took off and have big plans to go into NYC for a day. Day-tripping plans include going to my favorite veggie restaurant for lunch, walking around the village, doing some browsing and hunting for pretty things (I have more than a few shops in mind), fancy tea, going to The MET or art galleries (still undecided) Central Park and then dinner. I hope to post lots of pictures, and hopefully the rain drops will stop falling. I love the city in the rain but I don’t get there often enough these days to experience it all dreary and gray.

treasures!

I am so excited about this little vintage tin and cameo necklace set I just posted in the shop.

First, the inside (comes with the cameo necklace, such sweet and very dainty embroidery it has!)

And the outside features a round mini print from my sketchbook.

The necklace looks super with any type of spring-ish blouse.

Today was the perfect day for sitting outside.

The locket featured from my last post will be in the shop soon.

Thanks for all your comments on my last post! It’s nice to hear some feedback, and I hope to post more sketchings soon!

The fox

To honor the red fox, I present to you…

This necklace is now up for sale in my shop.

Just because he was clearly the winner in my last giveaway (and because I found just one more vintage pendant amongst my huge jewelry stash to reclaim).