Austen without Zombies, Watercolors, and Quiet Loveliness

For weeks, I have had nary a minute to myself. Happening upon the unexpected pleasure of a single unscheduled afternoon, directly in front of me . . . I am positing myself here,

. . . lulled by the ticking of the clock, that my daughter forgot {ah, well}

{while she decides whether or not she can bring herself to sell such a treasure . . .}

. . . reading this, because I have joined this group, and I honestly can not tell you whether I have actually read Pride and Prejudice, or my knowledge is of the movie variety.

Betwixt chapters, while each petal has had the opportunity to dry, I am attempting to avail myself of all of the information in this book,

. . . as I am determined to teach myself to paint with watercolors, so that I might live out my romantic aspirations of finding myself in the most lovely of plein air situations, whilst I busy myself becoming the woman that I am inside my heart.

Pardon me, while I return to all of this loveliness! {she skips away . . .}

Pearls

Could you ever tire of pearls?

Me neither.


The bracelet and necklace set, I strung as a thank you gift from my daughter's Bible Study group for their instructor. I hear she was delighted!

The baroque, double strand necklace in the bottom photograph are for a client.

Last Spring, I sat for hours and hours over the two day run of the local Gem and Mineral Show, demonstrating pearl stringing. During a shopping break, while shopping for pearls {naturally} the vendor noticing my demonstrator ribbon, asks what I'm demonstrating. Upon my answer, she selected and handed six beautiful, gorgeous strands of pearls to me, and said, "Thank you! You've sent hundreds of customers to me, and I take care of my people!"

Me, ever in control, "Wha . . .? Huh?" Looking around to be certain, asking, "Me?"

I really, really love pearls, I'm tellin' ya! My current project is a strand of opera length pearls. The thread knotted at the very end, and I have to start all over. . . sheesh . . . The client however, is very understanding . . .

cause these are for moi!

As my dear friend put it when I first began to take the pearl stringing classes,

"You'll know which one is Debbi. She'll be the one dripping in pearls . . . "

{big ol' smile!}

Brocante Home

I have mentioned Alison of Brocante Home fame, in this space a goodly number of times . . . she is afterall, the match that lit my fuse . . . sat me down and insisted that I put pen to paper {so to speak} to write some of my memories for my children. {Which is the accidental path that I took to blogdom.}

First, I fell in love with her deeply personal blog, which as time went on, I discovered was a little side trip. Her blog is really about making Old Fashioned Happiness at home . . . with your own little family, within the four walls of your very own precious home.

She is old fashioned lavender scented loveliness. She's British . . . did I tell you that? I met Alison just before our own trip to England . . . and that may be a large part of my original affection. The funny thing is, I had Googled something else entirely when I found her blog . . . the thing I searched for, I didn't find . . . distracted as I was by Alison's heartfelt, heartwrenching writing style.

Personally, I feel that she is at her writing best when she speaks from her heart, I could honestly say, when she spills her soul . . . she'll cause that deep welling up in your heart . . .

However; the main focus of her blog/web site is Vintage Housekeeping. Alison will thrill you with her Puttery Treats and scrumptious bits of household wisdom, a la a lifestyle that the world forgot about the time June Cleaver left the airwaves.

All of this Vintage Loveliness is wrapped up into a pretty parcel that is also a thoroughly modern lifestyle, achieved through this wonderful, magical World Wide Web. The web site, the blog, the stories, the suggestions, the insights, the books, the downloads {some free, some for sale}, the Internet treasures that she shares with us. . . this is the way our heroine, Alison May, supports herself, and her darling son . . . Old fashioned Mommy ingenuity meets New World challenges head on . . . in the most delightful vintage way! . . . and we are the ones who reap the rewards.

When you go there, the link will take you to her web site, search around and enjoy all of the vintage images and research that she has done for us . . . then click on her Blog Link, and search to your hearts content . . . Click on the Alison link, to allow her to tell you, in her own lyrical voice, what she is about . . . "I am living proof that life only gets more scrumptious when you live to tell the tale of your worst nightmare coming true, and seek solace in your absolute belief in your own authenticity."

And search her Archives, start like I did, about two and a half years ago . . . to meet someone who I am certain will become as sweet a friend of yours, as she has become of mine . . . however virtual . . .

You are most welcome. :)

Where Bloggers Create

Doesn't it? The sign for my creative space is hand-painted {by my daughter}, on a panel from an antique door. It sits on the piano, for now . . . My studio is a work in progress . . . I know . . . we all say that . . . but really . . . it's under construction, so to speak, as we, um . . . errr . . . speak . . .

Which is the reason that I'm sharing vignettes only. :) I am just too embarrassed to expose my messy mid-progress room.

I joined for the blog party largely because I wanted to use it as a self imposed deadline for the already-in-progress workspace . . .that I don't actually use.

I want to, but it just doesn't work yet . . . there is only one surface in the room, my worktable, which my husband built for me, and I love it! The problem is, it's the only surface in the room! I can't use it! It's covered with all of the paraphernalia that creativity demands!

I didn't complete it in time for the blog party . . . life intervened . . . instead, I'm afraid I have only a work in progress to show you . . . Forgive me? Please?

I have many more photos to share . . . but that thing about life intervening? It's not finished, either . . . I have to finish up a project and leave . . . sigh . . . I'll be back . . . I hope you don't mind terribly, and I hope you'll come back!

I leave you with a photo of my actual workspace . . . albeit 4 X 4 inches of it . . . :) just can't bring myself to admit it to the whole world . . .

If you are inclined to stop by again . . . I'll have more goodies to share . . .

Here's a link to an earlier post, just in case . . . Where This Woman Creates

Thank you, Karen for hosting such a fun and productive event! I've loved it . . . and I apologize for running behind!

{and don't you just LOVE her button?}

Michelle L. Palmer Art

I have found a kindred spirit! I said that to my husband . . . showed her blog to him . . . and he laughed out loud! Lest you think that's an insult . . . It most certainly, is not! It was the number of common threads we weave . . . And, wow, she is talented! That's where it ends. I can't draw worth a lick!

For your viewing pleasure . . . some of her yummy artwork . . .

These pieces were listed on Etsy when I wrote this a couple of weeks ago . . . except the feather. That's mine. :) I think I'm going to frame it in a deep frame, with natural and other bird elements. I'm particularly thinking of a hatched egg that Christian and I found at the river park. And this little treasure is tiny! Less than 3 inches square! Isn't it beautiful?! I hope to finish the framing today . . . I'll come back and add a pic.

Bluebird on Antique Linen

Cardinal and Eggs on Antique Linen

These are her original artworks! Fine pen drawings on antique linens! How cool is that? I mean

. . . could they be any more wonderful?

From my few days knowledge of her art, it appears that these fairly fly out of her shop. Some that were there yesterday are not today, but she has posted more. Ooooh . . . there were some posted on her blog that made my little heart go pitter-pat. They caused palpitations for somebody else, too . . . because they've sold already. . . . ah, well . . . now that I know where to find her, I'm thinking this may be the beginning of a something beautiful . . .

You'll see samples of her watercolor work on her blog, too. My mind is just spinning with possibilities! I gonna be hovering about her Esty shop. I didn't want to tempt you with artworks that are sold . . . but then again . . . why not? I have borrowed these treasures for you from her blog {with permission} . . .

~much love!

Wedding Flowers

I told you I've been busy!

. . . the arrangement above is a view of a centerpiece. These are from my niece's recent
Carnival Theme Wedding.

The beautiful Bride, Heather, and her handsome Father {my brother}.

. . . moving to the other end of the color spectrum, for another wedding . . .

although the reception was every bit as colorful as Heather's, the ceremony flowers were more sedate . . . except for a little color in the Bridal Bouquet, it was an entirely white ceremony. . .

. . . simple white roses with lisianthus . . .

Isn't it amazing that any one person gets to live surrounded by such things?

Heather's Photographer, Michelle Mahood, is showcasing both the Wedding and Heather and Kraig's Engagement Photos on her blog. {just in case you must see more}

~ much love!

Day-aayyy Trippin'

We got away for an afternoon early this week . . . managed to work a single day vacation into all of the busy-ness that has kept us occupied this entire last month . . . drove to Half Moon Bay . . . hardly even left the harbor . . .

. . . couldn't imagine why we should . . .

. . . this bit of kelp was floating in the harbor . . . just looking so pretty . . .

I wanted a closer look.

Crab pots. {I think.}

They have a beauty all their own . . .

This little fellow followed a charter fishing boat in . . . he must know something . . .

. . . a makeshift clothesline drying wetsuits at the kayak rental . . .

They didn't even try to resist.

Seafood, boats, sea life, salt water taffy, coffees and lattes, beaches, kayaking . . . Can't even begin to tell you what a pleased and contented bunch we were . . . already planning the return trip. Next time I think I'll go kayaking.

Where Bloggers Create II

Ooh . . . so much fun! I've been working on my space, which I, in my heart of hearts want to call my studio . . . but in reality it's really still a storage room . . . with it's previous incarnations as first our daughter's room, then after she married, our youngest son moved into the larger-than-his bedroom. I kind of have a rule . . . it's still their room until they marry . . . then I can use it. After last June, all claims are off . . . however, we now find ourselves with three empty bedrooms!

Hopefully, one will become a family room this Summer . . . I hope, I hope, I hope! It is well positioned downstairs, sharing a wall with the dining area, which we plan to remove . . . and oh, the hopes and plans I have for it. Could I but afford to hire Linda Applewhite! {click on her portfolio!} I am crazy about her designs and most especially her signature whimsy! We really are hoping this is the year it happens!

The second bedroom isn't really empty at all, it is lovingly called The Museum, especially because of the rocks, shells, twigs, bird and wasp nests housed upon it's bookcases, but it properly functions as a Guest Room. It is the room in our house where my heart resides . . . contented sigh

But Number Three married last Summer, and with high hopes of taming the creative clutter that generally wriggles it's way into the kitchen, and inhabits the dining table, we have begun the process of claiming the vacated largest bedroom, because it is the one with wood flooring, which is very practical, indeed, when one needs to clean up after cutting glass. Don't you think?

Soooo . . . drumroll . . . I am hoping to have that room as nearly finished as I can, for it's ultimate debut on June 19, 2010 when I participate in the Where Bloggers Create II event!

{Hosted by Karen Valentine at My Desert Cottage}.

You must, you really, really must hop on over to her blog to read the story of Where Bloggers Create I, and what a wonderful blessing it has been in her life! Seriously! You should go see! And stop back here, June 19th! We'll just see if I'm able to pull it off!

At the very least, it will have some gorgeous and wonderful progress! I just know it will!

~ much love!