It's All About The WHIMSY!

Bits and Pieces

Figures crosssed as Typepad has been having issues...the joys of technology....

 

 

Spring has arrived, finally in New England...of course it could snow again...but we are optimistic as always! I love the delicate blooms of the Andromeda, precious, and the deer don't like to eat it.

 

And this just sums it all up.  There is a peace in the garden and I soak it in...

The lovely Lamb that graced our Easter dinner...yummy! Yes I know, we are so over Easter but life has been way too busy.  I am an early riser, 5:30 AM most days..and off to the garden I go...coffee and a Labrador in hand.

 

And sometimes we spy the local inhabitants at work eating the lovelies that spring up. It's ok...it's their job...This afternoon we thwarted them by a liberal spray of nasty deer gunk...I cannot tell you how horrid it smells... 

And so a happy belated Earth Day to you.  I hope you can take the time to step outside, turn off all digital devices and just breath.  I promise that you will be blessed by Mother Earth.  

December No Excuses!

A peek inside my journal for December!

 

Nifty little trick with gel medium and pretty paper napkin on a painted background.Love how it turned out. I'll be sharing that trick later...

 

 

 

Card Peeks!

 

 

A Wickford doorway.

 The colonial era homes in the village are

just beautiful at Christmas.

 

Inside the sketchbook

I am working in more than one sketchbook...not necessarily a good thing but different sizes and papers work for different pieces..you understand, right?  

 

Fuzzy Bunny is in a square journal with cold press paper..

 

 

 

My frog "collection" is in a moleskin rectangular journal, cold press paper as well..

 

 

 

Pond Poacher is in a rectangular journal, this time hot press..

 

Different papers yield different results.

I used to be in love with hot press, my new favorite is cold press.

 

But that could change tomorrow..you never know..

 

 

My front porch arrangement for the Thanksgiving holiday,

can you find the great heron gourd?

It is All about the WHIMSY!

As promised..the finished pond!

This is the new view from the Studio window!

Inspirational!

We've already had visitors.  This youngster has been roaming the woods for days..strangely all on her own.

The frogs are quite happy with their new home and each has claimed his/her real estate.

Fish population has increased to an even dozen.

It will be some time before the ground cover takes over..patience.

Stream detail...so peaceful!

A few plants are still flowering!  

A somewhat blurry but more total picture..

waiting for the grass to grow..

This is my new "happy" place...

care to join me for an early morning cup of coffee on the edge?  

That's where you can find me as the sun rises..

Playing in the cold

Goodness but it has been cold this week!

Wind chill factor well below

zero.  This morning it was -11 when I let Miss Maggie out at 6!  

BRRR....

The birds, squirrels, rabbits and deer have been busy

emptying the feeding stations daily.  

I happily watch them from the studio window.

Early morning ice crystals in the sunroom..

I've been busy amusing myself making more ice orbs in balloons.  

The last batch melted away in our brief warm up.

 It is so cold "they" hatched themselves!

Spectacular ice formations!

  I think this happened because the temperatures are so extreme.  

This batch froze solid in 8 hours!  

It took days to freeze when the temperatures were less extreme.

Have a grand weekend!

New Beginnings...

Happy New Year!  

A toast to new beginnings

and all the wonderfulness of a brand new year!

 

 

Why is it so much fun to decorate for the holidays and

such a chore to put it all away?

 Miss Maggie is confused by the chaos and not much help at all...

I think she's looking for stray treats that might be hidden in the piles.

This is a fraction of the Christmas totes....I admit it, I love to deck the halls.

 

A new year begins with a new No More Excuses journal.

 I do love this morning routine-coffee and art!

Not familiar with NME?

 Go here!  

http://sweetsistergina.typepad.com/joyful_purpose/2012/12/no-excuses-2013.html

Trust me you will love it!

Do you live in a place where winter is freezing?  

This is your WHIMSY assignment for the day.

Find a few stray balloons, I know you have them...check the junk drawer..

add a few drops of food coloring to each one.  Just like a watercolor palette, you can mix colors for variety..

fill with water, tie off and place outside in the cold.

Let freeze for a few days...cut off the balloons and you have

Magic!

Lovely glowing orbs of colored ice.  

These beauties will line my front walk once my fingers thaw !

And a thank you to sister Lisa for the inspiration!!

She's been known to exude whimsy!

 

Sometimes you just need to "play"

 

 

Watercolors, oh how I love you..

 there is a certain magic in the outcome.

 Sometimes, not so good,

but other times it transforms exactly as you imagine..

And I thank you.

Smashing Autumn ~ Week 9

 

 

Samhain 

and 

Dia de Ls Muertos!

Collage for Samhain

Sugar Skull

Dia de Los Muertos

Fabulous theme for the week!!

Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky!

As I was blissfully (read  ignorantly) settling in to the reality of my 60th year...My DH and the Sisty Uglers had cooked up a little surprise for me..  

Here they are hiding in the corner of our usual Friday night tavern spot..

and they are a lovely sight to behold!

Katie, Lisa, Mary, Me, Judi

All flew in from across the United States for a weekend of celebration and, well, craziness.  It happens when we are together.....we can't help it.  My first thought after I wiped away a few tears and regained my composure was - Oh dear!  I don't think I have enough wine!!  Not too worry, DH had made preparations.

This is the SPECTACULAR stamp set they gifted to me.  Fabulous!!  If you're wondering, found at Bliss Farm Antiques in Massachusetts. 

 

 

There was shopping..

 

Silliness..

 

 

Shopping...

 

 

Oh dear, Alex and Ani...shopping...

 

A visit to the Farmers Daughter..you may notice several of us are wearing the same coat...that was the shopping..

 

Did I mention we are very silly when we get together?

I am so, so thankful to have each and everyone of them!

Auntie Camp part 2

But wait there's MORE!

Choose a really hot and humid summer day and go pick blueberries!  Then come home and eat as many as you can..

The next really hot day visit the butterfly pavillion at

the Farmer's Daughter. It was wonderful..Did I mention it was hot?

Kayak Wickford Cove and explore an Island, thank you to Morgan and Carol for that treat!

Go shopping with your Aunts..

model hats for them...

offer to carry all the bags!

Love up another animal...

And reluctantly say adieu until next year...it was grand!

it's sooooo quiet here....