erin's art and gardens

daffs a bloomin in february...

2012-02-10T19:18:00.000-08:00

this mild winter,

has forced some of my daffodils

to bloom a whole month earlier than usual....

with impending frost this weekend,

i gathered some of these early buttercups and brought them inside to enjoy.

cheerful bouquets set in pretty glass, alongside my paper weight from the....ahem.... 1970's....
an unexpected and delightful vignette for this ordinary corner of my kitchen...

sitting below this newly acquired vintage clothes pin bag...

which cleaned up ever so nicely after a soak in Biz and Bleach.....

and hung in the window by chance to dry...

anything with sweet little tweets on it is welcome in my home....

lately, i have been hearing the birdies outside cheerfully singing away.

vintage coffee cups on quirky hooks...

old prints of a squirrel and of woods (bought for super cheap and later , after researching the artist on-line, worth $500.!!) weeeee.....

a heart for valentines....

the daffodil bouquets moved to the kitchen table...

with the warm glow of the afternoon sun streaming through...

it feels as though...

spring

not

far.

are there daffs bloomin where you are?

like sleeping under fluffy clouds.....

2012-02-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

how delighted i was,

to find these lovely and white

Pottery Barn Canopies,

while at an estate sale recently...

just perfect!!

i just love them hanging over the twin beds in one of my guest rooms!!

~like sleeping under fluffy clouds~

grey...

2012-01-21T13:29:00.000-08:00

the sky

the song

the singer

the art

the artist

the locker

the mood

the feeling

~feeling grey today~

the winter is like that sometimes...

at least i could see through all the greyness...

to give new life too...

...to paint this old piece...

here is the before of this dingy old locker.

are you feeling the grey??

p.s. i just like the number 2, that's why.

p.s.s. can you puh-lease send me some of your lovely snow? i need some white.

erin

xxoo

january is for the birds...

2012-01-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

for birdwatching, that is...and for feathering my nest.

the holidays are now packed away, in boxes and blurring memories....gone is my christmas tree which stood in this bay window....replaced by an old chippy dresser and fresh greenery...how did God know that green would go with everything?
i start every day here, gazing out the window and watching for little feathery friends flitting by.

besides being adorable to look at...

they have that whole FLYING thing goin on...pretty amazing really.

i dream of flying.

nine years ago, i turned (the wrong way) to pick up a three year old boy who was charging at me for a big hug....i never refuse hugs....ever since, i have suffered on and off with complications from a bulging disk in my back....and now, is one of those times when the pain and pinching has me reeling! mr. dan gave me strict instructions to lay down all day and relax my muscles.

not one to lie down much, as soon as he was off chasing that little white ball on the golf course, i got out my ladder and hung these cute white curtains that i found at an estate sale this week....just tacked them up with push pins...love how they hide the window framing and soften the view....the branch cut from my curly willow tree and hung above, adds an organic feel and echoes the beautiful bare winter trees that i see outside.

i used these small wreath frames as tie backs.

and hung these delicate glass birds from the branch.

if you look closely at this photo, you might notice the cayenne pepper shaker on the lower right on the table.....as a "recovering perfectionist" i have left that "less than perfect" image in here on purpose...

although i am cringing a little...

hey, it's an ongoing process!

i am baby stepping.

a sweet homage to the little birdies...i fashioned the cage out of craft wire.

and look outside on the deck...yellow flowers blooming in january!! winter jasmine trying to make a show just for me. thank you.

my mantel has a new look too....as you may have noticed in my new header...the little birdie paintings are some that i have been working on.... from photos i took of these "dark eyed junco's" that passed through a few winters ago....darling little black and grey tweeties....i just love the look of birds sitting on bare branches.

i loved the look of my bottle collection under cloches at christmas time, so i have moved them here, minus the vintage ornaments....the white cones with wistful grass in them, blend with the browns in the stone fireplace.

the blue of the bottles is so soft and wintery.

reminds me of the blue in an iceberg.

although i have added very wintery photos to my sidebar, it has been unseasonably warm here (60's and 70's!) we have had our doors open! i love winter and snow and really look forward to the february snow, predicted by the "farmers almanac". winter is a good time for birdwatching and nesting and resting (my back, yikes) and healing the body and soul and painting sweet little birds and branches and dreaming of spring gardens and making goals for the year....

i hope you are dreaming and goaling (word??)...it's a new year and the possibilities are endless.

if a tiny bird can make a nest out of twigs, then just think what YOU can accomplish.

i am off to lie down now, as mr. dan is on his way home, and i don't want to get caught.

he he

my christmas card to you...

2011-12-19T19:17:00.000-08:00

inspired by an image i saw on pinterest, Mr. Dan and i headed to the Nashville flea market last Saturday, in search of old toy cars to be topped with bottle brush trees...

just

for

you.

Christmas blessings to you all!

love,

erin

i pray, all of our returning troops will be home for the holidays.

winter white

2011-12-13T20:04:00.000-08:00

what are you saying little bambi?

all photos taken by me.... in my winter white dining room and at Radnor Lake, on a delightful walk with my parents...my parents LOVE the great outdoors as much as i do....it wasn't really snowing...i added the snow in photoshop..... we encountered many deer on our walk...the bambi i shared with you, with his little mouth open.... looked as if he had something to say.....

i think, perhaps....if he could... he would like to give us a gentle reminder.....

to slow down a bit

and enjoy this magical season

of joy and celebration....

to savor the simple pleasures of family togetherness......

and to be fully present in our own lives and in the lives around us....

and remember

the true

reason for the season.

smart little deer one.

more christmas around the house...

2011-12-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

i had planned on sharing my all white den with you earlier and had prepared a post......but after living with an all white Christmas decor for a couple of weeks, combined with some long days of really grey weather ...the all white was leaving me......well.... cold.

so i redid the room and had to take all new pictures.....
i gathered all of the cozy red blankets i could find and found some pretty red ribbon in my studio and redid the whole look!

the pops of red really warmed up the space and it feels much more festive now.......

i started building on my mantel, by adding my hobnail milk glass collection.....turned upside down with lights underneath......and topped off with bottle brush trees.

and then added the red ribbon and an airy garland.

i stuffed the cement swans with twinkle lights and white pine cones.

my homemade snow balls sitting in one of my doily bowls.

crocheted pieces here and there....

and lots of buffalo check flannel that i cut up from sheets.

grandma Bernice made Teddy's dress.

i made the pillow from an old chenille blanket.

and more of my handmade snow balls sitting in front of one of my paintings.

i must apologize for throwing this post together.... we are having lots of fun with my parents who are visiting from Arizona....but i wanted to share some more Christmas decor with you before it is too late!! the big day is approaching fast!

next time, i'll share my winter white dining room.

have a great weekend!

my glowy and snowy flocked tree...

2011-12-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

happy December everyone! this is my favorite time of year! i just love everything Christmas! i am so happy to have finished decorating the "big house" (my client's 10,000 sq. ft. home)...this is the 9th year for me to do this project and although i love doing it, it is LOTS of physical work that wears me out...and creative work too...phew.....but it is done, and this year when i attend the Christmas party at the "big house", my parents will be going too...... that will be a lot of fun, to show them where i work....and they will be able to meet the "bun lady" for the first time.....the "bun lady" is who i work for.....you can read about her here..... i have never spoken of her here on my blog.... but i will soon.

so now....it is smooth sailing for me until Christmas....
one of the prettiest and glowiest Christmas trees i have ever seen, belonged to my girlfriend Shacina.... it was about 7 or 8 years ago (i think)....anyhoo, she had flocked her tree using Ivory Snow flakes!! so that year, i was so inspired by her tree, i went to all of the neighborhood stores, hunting down boxes of this elusive Ivory Snow....i could only find three boxes in all of Nashville....but i chickened out on trying the snow effect that year and those 3 boxes, of Ivory Snow, have sat in my cupboard for all this time.

until this year, when i had a real hankering (that's a fun word, especially if you use a southern accent whilst saying it) for a live flocked tree....i love flocked trees...i love SNOW...i live in the south and snow is more of a novelty around here.... and i LOVE it.

i had to research (don't you love using that term "research" like you are some kinda researcher or something...but really you just "google" it) i had to RESEARCH the recipe for the snow flocking...and i quickly found out that my 3 boxes of Ivory Snow that have been sitting in the cupboard for all these years well, they discontinued making that stuff in 1978!? so, NO WONDER it was so hard to find!

I mixed 2 cups of Ivory Snow with 1/4 cup of hot water and beat with a blender on high....until the soap became thick, like frosting.....and then i just spread it on the branches... in places where you think snow would actually fall onto a branch....out in nature.

i spread it thickly... even right over the twinkle lights...it hardens almost immediately and looks just like

SNOW.

right, miss daisy?

and boy does it smell good!

that is, if you like the smell of soap.

a simple white ribbon....no ornaments needed on this tree.

my kitchen all

SNOWY and GLOWY.

sorry to say, this stuff is a thing of the past....but the good news is (found after some "researching") is that you can substitute the flakes with Ivory Soap bars that you grate up....if you are so inclined....sounds like a lot of work....the grating, that is...

the Christmas season is here and i will be tweaking and decorating my own home right up until the big day...because i dearly love doing so. my parents will be here from Arizona, this week for, long over due family fun.

creating a cozy, glowy, snowy and festive home for my family is important to me....it is part of the tradition of Christmas and the honor we place on the celebration for the real

reason for the season.

i am joining these fun parties...won't you too?

debra at common ground for vintage inspiration friday

laurieannas farmhouse friday

aqua touches...part II

2011-11-27T08:20:00.000-08:00

welcome to part II! i am sharing more pictures of my little living room, where i have added touches of aqua for a girlie retro Christmas look.

i change what is hanging on my walls quite often...i try to reuse the existing nails, but i often have to bang more holes in the wall.....if you don't have spackle for patching, white toothpaste works just fine.
i tacked this Christmas ornament, right on top of this thick frame, using a push pin.

i recently found this retro platter that has the perfect aqua blue.....

and this vintage Christmas decoration, also just tacked up.

a close up of my beach painting, that has just the right colors.

the old chandy hanging smack dab in the middle of the room was given to me by my bestie Anna. we had fun yanking the wire guts out of it, to make it into a candelabra.......i added some dismantled beachy wind chimes, white ribbon and aqua icicles.

the old globe and the pyrex bowl are the perfect color.

more aqua touches in this corner...

even Gene, the stuffed snow goose, got a new blue collar.

i love these snow ball candles, sitting with some cute polka dot boxes, in front of one of my paintings.

a galvanized bucket of shells gets a festive ribbon.

more vintage ornaments, accented by an old aqua hankie, sitting in a piece of poor man's silver.

i added a blue ribbon to this cute wreath.... made by my daughter, when she was little.....a wire coat hanger, formed into a circle and tied with strips of white garbage bags.

i am not a huge fan of stuffed animals.....but these cuties are wearing doll clothes that my grandmother, Bernice made....and so they are special to me.

i pulled this blue butterfly in from the garden.

so that's it.....my little white living room with touches of aqua bouncing around.

tomorrow, i start decorating my clients home....a huge project, which will consume most of my time and energy for the next week.......i am trying to put together my next few posts today, while i have the time.....i'll be sharing my winter white dining room, milk glass/bottle brush tree mantle and other fun Christmas decorations.

thanks for stopping by!

erin

aqua touches...part I

2011-11-25T16:07:00.000-08:00

i hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a splendid sufficiency of turkey and all the sides!! today is "Black Friday", which means i will stay as far away from the stores as possible! we had a warm and sunny day and so while Mr. Dan was golfing, i spent my time tweaking my Christmas decorations and taking pictures for you.

i was so inspired by a Country Living photo that i had saved on my Pinterest board....of vintage ornaments sitting on top of old bottles.....that i decorated this whole room around that idea.....i just love the touches of pretty light blue bouncing around the room.....
i set mine under cloches.... to keep Big Kit-Ten and Little Miss Daisy at bay....you can see how thrilled they are.

in front of the sunny window, i used a white tree in an old milk crate, holding blue ball jars.

i went about my house pulling all the aqua blue items that i could find, to use as accents...... the aqua polka dot ribbon adds some whimsy and i love how the light shines through the sheerness...

i used fake snow or shells in the jars.....and topped them with more vintage ornaments.

i was thrilled to find this old string of lights at a tag sale this summer....little white birds sitting in sparkly nests...each one has a light inside and the strand still works!

so the christmas season has officially begun at my house...i just love this time of year and all of the decorating and creative rearranging..... i took so many pictures, just in this room, that i thought i'd better break it up into two posts....so stay tuned for "aqua touches part II"......

coming soon.

i want to thank you all so very, very much for your lovely comments on my last post...you really know how to make a girl feel good!! if it wasn't for your on going support, i probably would not have been able to "expose" myself as i have....it is pretty incredible, to think that, my little ol bloggy, has actually been good for me in the most unexpected ways......and the bonus for me, is getting to know you all just a little bit better....and in turn, getting to know MYSELF better too.

and i thank you for that.

erin

xxoo

p.s. if you are interested in creating those cute little bokeh hearts that you see in some of my photos, there is a good tutorial found at http://www.scottlawphotography.com/2011/01/shaped-bokeh-tutorial.html.

fully exposed...

2011-11-20T14:18:00.000-08:00

hello my friends! it has been so long since i last posted and so much has happened. ......i survived my art show and sold some paintings.......and faced some fears ......and learned a lot about myself .......and opened new doors.....and felt so much love and support..... my family and friends rallied around me and made me feel so warm inside.....i made new friends too....artsy types....we will start painting together after the holidays....that excites me to no end! it is all about the relationships afterall.
the morning before my show......some of my paintings..... all in a collection.......ready to be let go...
quite a wrenching and emotional act for me.... to expose some of my art and hope people "get it".
and some DID.
my biggest compliment was that my art made a few patrons FEEL something. wow.

here i am......exposed.
me and my art.
i have never been comfortable sharing photos of myself, so this is hard....it is a growing experience.....it is me, being more comfy with...well.......
ME.

me and my dear friend of 32 years....my anna...my nanner.
isn't she beautiful and so smart too! i could not have done any of this without her....she held my hand and guided me in the right direction......she knew just what to do and i am forever grateful.
she is one of my angels.

another one of my beautiful angels that came to support me....jenny (my big sistah)....and me holding a glass of wine.

two more angels...shacina and my dear hubby, dan.

there is my art, for all to see! it was a pleasure to hear how people responded to certain paintings and how it made them "feel".

it is the FEELING or the MOOD i want to convey....i heard people say the nicest things! why was i so afraid?

me with a happy face seeing that someone had bid on my donated painting (the horse)....i am still holding that glass of wine.

my hubby wanted to bid on this piece of jewelry for me....he is a dear...the LOVE of my life....i love him to death.

this is the first time in forever, that i have seen what i look like from behind...hey, "fully exposed" right? the lovely gal in the blue pants is my son's girlfriend...just come off of a long shift of nursing....she hates having her picture taken more than i do! my beautiful daughter and son-in-law drove from memphis to be here too...sadly no picture of that adorable couple....lots of my friends came by...i felt the LOVE.

not sure what is going on here...except that my wine glass needed a refill!

i must say, that in the past 2 weeks...through blood, sweat and tears...many surprising tears... i have mustered up enough courage to expose my art, my self , and my friends and i am ready to move forward to bigger and better things...i feel empowered now....some new opportunites have shown up for me that i am considering...it is all exciting and new.

my nanner flew back to chicago on tuesday and we are missing each other .....we share so much...we say things together at the same time....finish each others sentences....yunno, that kind of friend...that once in a life time friend....right now, we are even sharing a nasty cold/flu bug....that has hit me hard. i have been slowly decorating my house for christmas....the flu doesn't keep me down. after thanksgiving i will be decorating my clients 10,000 sq. ft. home for the holidays and so for now, i need to get mine done...i'll be sharing my decorations soon! the holidays are approaching too fast....

thank you so much for your continued love and support here on my blog! you all, are a part of my saving angels.

new work...

2011-11-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

"Brown Cow"

18"x18"

acrylic on canvas

"In The Stable"

30"x40"

oil on canvas

"Take Flight"

30"x30"

acrylic on canvas

just a few of the paintings that i am presenting this weekend......to wet your whistle.....i have about 25 paintings ready to go.......i am having such a blast getting ready and i can not wait for my Anna to arrive!! uh oh.......guess i should clean the house.......gotta go!

mmmm.....fall.

2011-11-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

i am painting away, like never before, in preparation for my art show in 9 days...gulp....so i did not think i would be posting ......but i just had to share these gorgeous shots i took yesterday.
i took a break from the studio and hiked this 3 mile trail in a nearby park.....and boy, am i glad i did!
ENJOY.

did i "enhance" some of these shots in photoshop?? why, yes i did.

are some of these shots out of focus?? why, yes they are....it is fun to purposely shoot out of focus, to really see the colors.

were these scenes as pretty in real life??

EVEN BETTER.

nature amazes me.

i am so glad i took the time for this hike, as today it has been raining and i fear most of these pretty leaves have been fluttering to the ground.

i hope you can take "the time" too!

o.k. back to the studio for me!

erin

xxoo

p.s. a special thanks to my darling husband.... who has been cooking all the meals.... and loves me even though, i have been wearing old paint covered shirts, sweat pants and yesterdays make-up....i think i have been brushing my teeth, but i might have forgotten?

love you, babe!

crows and spiders...

2011-10-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

hi everyone! just popping in here..... with some pics i took around the house (mostly in my dining room).....thought i'd better share some halloweenie shots before it was too late.

this is about as scary as i get when it comes to halloweenie decor......

some black crows...

and spiders under glass....there is a problem with the spiders that i made......can you guess what it is??

this is not halloweenie at all......but the morning light was so purty, hitting the sand dollars that i collected a couple of weeks ago at the beach.

yes folks, that is a picture of ME (in the plastic wig, early "Toddlers and Tiaras") and my little brother.....circa ??? ahem.

our fall leaves are peaking right now and the afternoon light was hitting these beautiful leaves in my backyard....in a such a magical way......this shot is for my two special bloggy friends ( Z and Becca) who live in the desert of las vegas...and perhaps don't get to see the magic of the leaf change like i do.

THANK YOU so very much for all of your visits and comments and cyber love and support...y'all are the BEST....you REALLY are......i am working very hard on my art right now....the show is in two short weeks!! GULP.......so although i have been visiting your lovely blogs, i am not taking the time to comment, as all of my energy i am putting towards this thing called ART.

i hope you understand.

love,

erin

p.s. oops.... i accidentally made the sculpy spiders (under the dining room cloche) with 6 legs instead of the EIGHT legs that spiders have! duh.....i guess they are ants then?? oh well.

white chenille punkins...

2011-10-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

this weekend at the nashville flea market, i was absotootly tickled, to find these white chenille punkins!!

i love old chenille blankets and have been collecting them for years, especially the white ones....there is just something about the nostalgic look of these blankets that has spoken to me for a very long time.....they conjur up feelings of sweet grandmotherly hugs.
you may remember these orange chenille punkins that i shared last year....the same sweet unassuming lady at the flea made these too.

i bought them from her six years ago...the very first year she started selling them....i still love them and have them displayed in my kitchen......

but these white ones are my new faves!!

cute!!

i have been painting away in my studio and i am just thrilled and also relieved....... my long time bestie girlfriend, ANNA (i have known her for 30 years), is coming down from chicago to help me with my art show!!! she is an artist AND knows the art biz AND has been a producer on several independant films AND is one of the smartest and prettiest lady i know.....i feel like a weight has been lifted as she will take care of things like no other...... having her support and love and guiding hand means the world to me.....not to mention how much fun and tinkly giggles we will have together.

with the loving support of my family, my friends and my god, all of the pieces are fitting together.

this is my time.

can you stand some color?

2011-10-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

as my beachy freckles start to fade, so soon will our summery flowers.... with the impending first frost just around the corner...i went about snapping pictures of some of my gardens......before it is too late....
the pineapple sage is just peaking now, after waiting all season to bloom...the gorgeous tennessee hills in the background are showing their colors...sorry no blue sky this day, but rain is ALWAYS welcome.

the autumnal leaves are just screaming, "look at me, look at me...i'll soon be a memory......and a big pile to be raked and removed......enjoy me while you can!"

it is good to take pictures, yunno for the record, so as to not repeat this years mistakes....clearly seen here, is the damage the damn deer (yes, that is what i usually call them) have done to the sun coleus......i won't plant that next year, at this snack bar....a pretty snack bar, none the less.

the dragon wing begonia performed beautifully, despite the extreme heat and humidity.

sweet basil gone to seed....thanks for all the caprese salads.

the lantana look great now, but mid-summer were not faring well.

the new dawn rose putting on its last show.

"look at me".

these twin pots fared nicely with evergreens and ivy and vinca...never mind the puny petunias.

and the purple setcretia comes back every year and makes a pretty filler....i love how it has mingled with the fragrant lantana.

and here is my hubby doing some raking (he traded his beach toys in, for yard tools, poor guy).

the FIRST of the raking that is, as this is just the beginning, of the

FALLing

of the

leaves.

mnn

i turned the heat on for the first time today and have a chicken in the crock pot...it may be a soup night! o.k now i need to get back to my sudio to start acting like an artist....i have been going around telling people that i am going to do my very first art show in a few weeks....as if, by VERBALIZING it, will make it true?!?! am i really doing this?

mmm

it is kind of freaking me out.

a smidgen.

sand in my suitcase...

2011-10-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

hello friends!

i am back from the beach........

where i was totally and happily disconnected from....

computer

phone

job

news

newspaper.

and totally and happily connected to....

waves

family

seafood

drink

laughter...

waves

sky

sun

birds

clouds...

waves

dolphins

jellyfish

jetskiis

dragonflies...

waves
white sand
flip flops
tiny shells
long walks...

waves
music
wind whistling
laughing
and
more waves.

love them waves!
and my connection to them.
all photos taken by me, whilst sitting in the waves and trying hard not to get my camera wet.

i miss it already.
it will take me a while, to get back in the swing of things here in tennessee.
where the leaves have changed colors and started to fall, as if overnight.
it is difficult to wrap my brain around that,
just yet.....

gone...

2011-10-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

to
the

beach.

xxoo

mmm

mmbtw...hubby says if all of my followers donated $10 each....

i can get ALL stainless steel appliances.

LOL

are you in?

autumnal entry...

2011-09-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

it sure is feeling like fall around here!! even the hackberry trees have been dropping some crunchy leaves around my house.

i am getting ready to head back to the beach, and i have been working really hard this week, to get my clients gardens put in order........although my body is aching in places that i'd rather not speak of...ahem.....

i thought it would be so nice to return to a very autumnal house....and so i pushed myself today.......when i should have been resting these old bones (did i just say that out loud?)....pushed myself..... to spiffy up the front and back porches.......

that is...after i spent the morning shopping for a new refrigerator! apparently the OLD one needs a new compressor and the vote is in....it is better to buy a brand new fridge than keep on repairing the old one.

why is stainless steel so much more expensive??? is it because that is what we all want? and we will fork out the money for it??

it is so unfair.

decorating my porches for fall is much more fun than buying a new fridge.
i added a black crow to the wreath that i made last year.

i found this lovely dried okra garland recently, which i absotootly adore!

but not as much as i am adoring my old screen door! the first thing i do in the morning, even before making the coffee, is open the front door, so the kitty's can lay in the morning sun. little miss daisy has gotten so used to this ritual, that now, if the door is not open, she will lay on her back in front of the door.....paws outstretched and pointing to the door. cats are soooo subtle.

the screen door gets me in trouble though......hubby comes home and mumbles something about having all the doors open with the air conditioner running....oops.

i need to remember to close the doors BEFORE he gets home.

i have had this wreath for at least 12 years and STILL love it. this year i hung it on an old door out back.

this is where we spend most of our time...

o.k that is it.....thanks so much for stopping by.....i just love when you come visit.....

i am joining Rhoda at southern hospitality blog

for a "door decor fall party".

mmm

by the way...i went for the stainless steel...it arrives tomorrow.

now...i could use your support on something.

i have heard that all appliances should match??

suddenly, my black dishwasher, stove and oven (which i thought looked so cool 10 years ago), well, they aren't going to look so good now sitting in the same room as my new stainless steel fridge.

am i right?

come on...we SUPPORT each other, right?

i just need to let my hubby know what all you smart bloggers think about this....

on another note...

a big shout out and lots of LOVE and PRAYERS to two of my favorite people.

my bestie jen (one of the most active people i know of), broke one foot and one ankle last week. she was jumping over some groceries...long story.

and Mr. lee (God love him) had a brain anurism.

both are doing spectacularly well!!

i love you guys!

happy fall y'all!!

2011-09-26T15:02:00.001-07:00

hey everybody!!

.......fall is officially here and it makes me so very happy! the very next day after my last post....well......i got my artsy fartsy mojo back...yay!!

.....weird how that works......and so i have painting AND gardening AND decorating here and there......pulling out some natural elements which speak to me......

more gourds, raffia, dried seed pods from my black eyed Susan's, wheat.....

a most loverly muted palette of browns and umber's and white tones....

so here are some random shots i took around the house today......

including some of the paintings i am working on.....

it helps me, to see them on the computer screen.......

tweaking will ensue...

it seems i am settling into a once a week posting on my bloggy......

in order to spend my quality time...

and true focus...

on my art...

and love

of the great outdoors.

this mildness...in the weather....the doors and windows open....white cotton curtains swaying in the breeze....kitty's playing with the bugs on the other side of the screens....the sound of children playing outdoors.....

this...

is the pay off for the long. harsh. summer...

the reward....

THANKYOU....not taken lightly.

fall is so bittersweet and fleeting.

i want to drink in every single luscious moment.

and

have fun

playing.

mmm

i hope you are playing too?.

yippie skippie! fall is just around the corner....

2011-09-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

in the last two weeks the temperature has gone down a good 30 degrees and finally we can open the doors, to let the the fresh air waft through the screening...

i found this 100 year old screen door a few months ago and it was almost perfect for the front of my house.......almost, in the fact that my carpenter had to shorten it by 4 inches...but other than that it is pretty perfect....i did not even have to paint over the original old paint.....as it is the same black/green as my door and shutters!! when i bought it, i doubted it was REALLY 100 years old...(especially at a mere 20 smackeroos)...but my carpenter gave it a close look and confirmed that yes indeedy it was at least that old. my house was built in the 1970's and has never had a screen door! and now after another LONG HOT summer.....well, i can open the doors.....and it feels like my house can breathe......
me too.

especially if i open this backdoor too......although that does create a vacuum effect and slamming of the doors does occur....(the kitty's and i found that out, after being startled more than once)hence the use of doorstops.

but now...

the house can breathe.

nothing much came of my showing at the art walk......well, i didn't sell anything, that is.

i don't know if it is the change in the weather or the painful sty on my eye last week.....but i seem to be in an art slump right now.......i am kind of STUCK on this last painting of mine....i know it is a temporary block......i am learning to change focus...until that "block" clears........so i thought i'd have some fun pulling out a few fall items for the house.

this gourd garland i had hanging over my front door last year, but with the new screen door (which opens outwards) that was not going to work....so i am trying it over the fireplace for now.

i rather like this palette of aqua and raw umber.....

and i had to share this last shot of "hearts-a-bustin" or "strawberry bush" as some call it....it is just about to bust open and reveal its scarlet seed pods.....so SO pretty this time of year. it is sitting inside my brand new wire basket that i bought from Sassy Trash at the Bella Rustica Marketplace, Nashville's very first Urban Barn Sale which was this last weekend at Tap Root Farm. it was a gorgeous setting for this really fun sale, but rather hard to navigate through the narrow aisles of the barns once you (me) had your hands full of purchases......perhaps next year they will think about a having a station to drop off your purchases until you leave.......like a coat check....just suggesting. all in all, it was a fantastic sale! the vendors, the setting, the weather, the live music (of course...this IS music city, after all), and all the shoppers were just chipper as could be. i hope this becomes an annual event!

anyhoo.....i am so happy about our milder weather...... as i have some gardening projects to finish up in the next two weeks, before my fall trip down to the beach. YAY.

i hope your home is breathing.

yes, you can.

2011-09-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

"our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

~ Mariann Williamson

mmmy mantra.... as i delve further.... into this thing.... called art....

dreams....

2011-09-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

last weekend, i spent a most loverly time with my friend ellen.

i met her at the farm, where she keeps her horses and i took over 300 snaps of the gorgeous creatures. i have been painting like crazy lately and primarily focusing on horses......my goal is to have my very first art show, this fall.

..........aahhhhhh!

did i just say that out loud??

"this fall" is like right around the corner!

oh boy, that makes it seem even more real.

it makes me feel both excited and scared.......but in a very good way....

the thing is though, in order to balance out my time, i fear i will not be blogging as usual. i plan on posting (i can not help it), but commenting around takes up valuable time that i must use.....

to court my muse.

i hope you understand.

all photos taken by me.....

in ellen's, to die for, screened in porch.

a taste of what is to come....

and so please excuse....

me for just a while......

while i work on making my dreams come true.........

mmm

mmmm

revised...

oh my goodness!!!!!

i am dying here.

since i started this post this afternoon,

since i wrote "making my dreams come true", and i kid you not about this......

i have received a call from my neighbor/artist/ friend.....

she will be picking up some of paintings in the morning to hang them in a shop called Just Around The Corner.......in downtown Franklin.......turns out my cute little town is having its very first art crawl tomorrow night!!!

and I (yes, little ol ME) will have paintings hanging there for everyone to see!!!

incredible......

this is another first for me!

i am so excited......

gulp.

o.k. gotta go tweak a few things and put my signature on my babies!!!

double gulp!!

and

thank the powers that are greater than me,

for this most amazing gift.

ask and ye shall receive.

espalier.....

2011-08-27T05:48:00.001-07:00

one of the duties, as the gardener to this particular property, is to keep this beautiful espalier looking good.
combined out of 11 bradford pear trees and trained into a living fence...

installed 6 or 7 years ago (can't remember) and underplanted with hosta...,,,,

it borders one corner of the pool area......

it grows like crazy and needs a haircut about every three weeks! see that wheelbarrow there? i call that "my office". i have included this photo with the 5 foot ladder, to show scale and YES i have to stand on the TOP rung of the ladder to reach the top of the espalier (don't do this at home). can you picture me up there, in my stylish wellies and vintage apron and hair in braids?? ya, right......

although, i DO wear my hair in braids.

at what age, is it too old to wear braids?

or teeter at the top of a ladder?

not a bad place to work, eh?

i love my job.

mmm

i hope Hurricane Irene doesn't wreak too much havoc on YOU......

evacuating NY City?? unheard of. oh my.

right around the corner...

2011-08-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

feeling restless yesterday....
we took off for a drive through the country. we had not traveled far...

when i spotted this cheerful white weed, merrily dancing across the field.

it turns out.

it was just what i needed.

i go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.

~john burroughs

a few more glimpses...

2011-08-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

into my living/sunroom/not sure what to call this room.....i have been slowly adding more brown and earth tones to the room.....as summer winds down (although still hotter than Hades) , i am desiring the early and subtle colors of autumn.......i moved the old hutch, to this wall between the large windows. it weighs a millionish pounds or more.......i used sliders that you slip under the feet, that make it mucho easier to slide across the carpet.

i usually rearrange alone....by choice, mind you.
i brought in this old hose reel, plucked from the garden......to sit on top, for a more industrial look.....and added a plant plopped into a galvanized bucket.

i then removed everything from the hutch......and arranged a carefully folded pile of some of my favorite white and cream blankies........i worked in a quilt store years ago.... the very first job i had after being a stay-at-home-mommy for 13+ years.......where i got lots of practice in how to artistically fold a blankie and shmooz with country music stars.

love the old knob.

i have had this hutch for over 25 years......one of the first antiques i ever bought.

i have thought about painting him many times, but i am glad i did not.......having a dark piece in a room really "grounds" the room.

creamy crockery (use an english accent while saying that...it sounds much better, doesn't it?)

i brought in a white trellis from the garden too.

i also, switched out the chairs at the little farm table......the brown tones announcing the drought laden gardens and colors of the late summer harvesting......

and i added this milk crate with dried whatcha-ma-call-its.....sorry i can not recall the name of this plant! but i do recall that it is the plant, minus the dried heads, from which brooms are made....anybody know the plant? anybody....it is so beautiful.

the folding chair and,

this old desk chair were in my "prop" room, waiting to be dusted off and seen in a new light.

the heavy old desk chair wears this cool metal plaque on its back......i imagine it was used during WW11......the stories it could tell.

it is those quirky details that give a house its soul....

that, and the quirky people who live there.

i strive to be quirky.

mmmmm

i am joining these parties..

debra at commonground blog for inspiration friday

and

laurieannas vintage home for farmhouse friday

thanks ladies!

other lives...

2011-08-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

my old 1999 jeep has been in the shop for a couple of days.......new compressor for the air conditioner needed........so yesterday, i went to town, rearranging my sun/living/never know what to call this/room......and of course big kit-ten and little miss daisy had to join in the fun!
i removed the painted white coffee table and stuck it in the attic (i call that the "prop room") and replaced it with this old medical cart from the back porch.......rubbed the rust off with "mr. clean's magic eraser" (do you know about this amazing product? you must check it out!)......and i am lovin the new look.
all old pieces, that lived other lives......pulled together.

the top was just a little too rusty for me, so i topped it with an old wooden tool caddy that has the coolest tin bottom.

love them curvy legs.

added some chunky white candles......

old bottles sitting on a piece of poor man's silver......

and a hand forged copper bird feeder with a broken chain.

pulled the old fan from the prop room too.

gratuitous kitty toes...couldn't help sharing those, just because.

joining

debra at common ground blog

for vintage inspiration friday

have a wonderful weekend friends!!

erin

xxoo

it's the little things...

2011-08-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

dainty sweet peas plucked from my summer garden.

these perennials have bloomed twice this season, despite the opressive heat..... and yes, oh my, their fragrant soft pink blooms are so beautiful to behold...but......

it is their delicate, curly little tendrils...ever reaching..... reaching.

that really fascinate me.

and one of the many reasons i love nature so very much.

joining kim klassen for texture tuesday

and exploring the little things.

the light...

2011-08-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

what a glorious weekend! filled with happiness and light. the beautiful light of friendship and creativity and affirmation.

i woke up friday morning to a surprise deluge of comments and new followers... so FUN....it turns out i was featured on Miss Mustard Seed's Blog, seen here, and this sent new friends and new affirmation my way!! welcome! and thank you so very much! i worked hard on my newish dining room and how wonderful to be able to share it! when i blogged about my dining room, i hadn't yet figured out what to do with the 1970's brass light fixture (which i had painted black years ago), so i painted one coat of white craft paint to it and kinda let it go...until the inspiration came to me.
using what i had, i added my hand made doily bowls, left over from another project, to some of the lights......up side down.....really just balancing there on the bulbs! i thought about creating new doily lampshades, yunno with real lampshade frames and all.... but settled on this for now.....it may change....most likely will.... things around here usually do! right, hubby? he loves me anyway, for all of the changes.

and then i added translucent white ghost leaves (from Anthro's clearance table) and pieces from a deconstructed windchime (long ago tangled by stong winds)..... oh look, you can see i need to do another coat of white paint....but that will probably not happen....... and it is fine with me...yes, it is.....it's good for my never ending "recovering perfectionist" work, to just leave it. ha

the dangly bits and bobs create such beautiful light.

you can read about my handmade doily bowls here.

the light is sooooo pretty coming through the window into the delicate lace of those bowls.

it's all about the light.

the beautiful light.

i must say...... just how overwhelmed i feel right now (in a very good way)....with all of this luminous light around me...... to have so many people respond so positively to my dining room, but most especially to my paintings!! so many have expressed interest in purchasing my paintings, especially the "horsey" painting. my paintings are a labor of love for me and i want to share them! please know that yes, my paintings are for sale (to the right home, of course) and you can e-mail with any inquiries........i'll do my very best to respond (with my lack of typing and computer skills.....hey, i am artsy-fartsy)......i promise, i will get back to you :0)

we received some much needed rain today and there's more in this weeks forecast......aahhhhh, time in the studio painting for me!!! in search of that light.

my bloggy friend, Lucinda of Cobalt Violet often ends her posts with

"blessings and light"

isn't that beautiful? i love that......

~blessings and light~

erin

impressions...

2011-08-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

well, i am just overwhelmed, by all of the yummy blog love, sent my way, for my "newish dining room" post! thank you all so very much! and just to show you, that while i do LOVE an all neutral palette, like i used in my dining room.....well, i also LOVE me some COLOR! i do....i do!

i was so totally, over the moon, inspired when i saw my bloggy friend

Georgianna's dreamy images,

from her trip to Giverny, France (the home and gardens of Claude Monet). i have never been to Monet's gardens...it's on my very long bucket list of places to see....Georgianna was gracious enough to let me use her scrumptious photos as inspiration for my latest paintings. thank you, G so very much! please check out her fabulous blog...you will be inspired too.

please enjoy some color filled snippets from my studio...

as the heat wave here in Tennessee continues (on and on and on), i am very grateful to be able to do my gardening work in the early morning....

and then spend afternoons in my studio....

fans a blowin.

creating.

playing.

musing.

listening.

dreaming.

artying.

how about you?

welcome to my newish dining room......

2011-07-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

wowza!

in the last week,

i have painted....

a chair, a library table, a dining room table, two more chairs and a bench......loving the results of that project , i then painted my dining room walls.....which lead to painting my entry and hallway walls.......which lead to painting my kitchen and eat-in area walls!!

oh .......and a few days before all this activity, i managed to paint two paintings, inspired by a blogging friends trip to Giverney, France (i'll share those paintings soon...if i am brave that is)

PHEW!

i learned a long time ago not to question where these spurts of creative energy come from.

but to

just go with it.

so, i recently found a nearby shop that sells

Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint. i had read about it all over blog land.

see that little chair against the wall?

that was my first victim at using this paint.

the painting above the chair is one of mine.....

i tend to paint moody-sepia toned landscapes on rainy days.

i sure do wish it would rain again soon.....

i am so over this this oppressive heat and humidity.

anyway, this chair has the perfect crackling on it, that only age and exposure can create.
i brushed "old white" chalk paint on it (even on the old leather seat) and then wiped some off.

here is the before.

ew.

ahhh.

then i painted this library table using "Paris Gray" chalk paint.

did you know, that the word gray can be spelled with either an a or an e?

it's true.

i looked it up.

i did some distressing to reveal the inlayed top.

i hit the terra cotta dutch shoes with the "old white" paint too.

next, i tackled the harvest table, two chairs and bench.

this set is from my childhood in the 1960's.....

boy, will my mom be surprised to see what i did to them.

the table top and chairs are mostly "old white", while the bench and trestle i painted "paris gray".

here's the "before".

dark.

no wonder we never use this room.

so much better!!

light and bright.

it's hard to tell from the photos, but the wall paint went much lighter too.

lovin the "linen white" shade from Behr!

another "before" shot.

miss swan is so much happier.

the chair now.

and then.

so the beauty of the chalk paint is...

no sanding.

no priming.

but to get an aged look, there are lots of layers, including two layers of wax.

a clear and then a dark wax.

gotta tell ya...i did not like the waxing.

i do like the white textured vinyl that i covered the seats with though...$3 for half a bolt...yard sales are cool.

i used "old white"

then "paris gray" in the cracks and crevices, for depth.

then clear wax.

then dark wax, which you have to rub off.

then more "old white".

then more wax.

lots of steps,

but the effect is pretty good.

i used a watered down "old white" on the table, so the grain of the wood shows through.

the dark side board and one corner hutch remain dark for now...they came from hubby's family and he (hubby) asked that i leave them alone ....at least for now..... they rather balance out the dark floors though.

i did tack (as in thumb tacks) old grain sacks to the backs of the windows to lighten and declutter the look.

o.k that's all for now.

i am exhausted and my wrists are tired....not sure why my wrists? but,

i feel great that all the painting is done....every wall needed two coats...oy...

but i am abso-tootly lovin the changes....and the house seems fresher and lighter and brighter...

and so do i.

i am joining these parties to show off my dining room.

thanks so much for stopping by and taking time out in your busy lives to visit me.

your lovely comments mean the world to me.

howdy to my new followers...and a special shout out to Carla!! who left me a comment....she is someone i new as a child and has found my blog through our parents!

my blog is such a wonderful safe place for me to share a little bit of myself.

and i like that very much.

erin

xxoo

btw....as i was painting my walls, i was reminded of the fact, that ALL of the walls still have their original wallpaper underneath....YES, you can paint over wallpaper...just make sure you use an oil primer first.

also, the two corner white hutches cost $25 (for both!) ...crackled green chair was $5....and all other furniture came from our families........the carved swan is probably the most expensive thing in the room! i think it was $50 from the nashville flea market.

cheap is good.

one can feel lost in a sea of sunflowers.

2011-07-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

everyone of them seemingly happy.
but if you look more closely...

take the time...... to get to really KNOW them...

familiarize~embrace~befriend

open your mind.....

open your heart.

to different points of view

your world will open up.

behind a sunny face,

often lies an even more beautiful core.

really worth getting to know.

mmm

my girlfriend, Anna called me the other day..... to tell me about this gorgeous field of sunflowers that she spotted (off highway 96, just outside of Franklin)......well, i couldn't get there fast enough to take it all in......... giddy with the possibility of a fabulous photo-op! Anna joined me early the next morning (clothes thrown on, no make up....i don't even think i brushed my teeth!) and oh. my!! isn't it beautiful? i can just imagine, what lovely people must live in that little victorian house behind the field, to take the time, to plant 2 acres of sunflowers in their front yard. DELIGHTFUL!

afterwards, we dropped off a borrowed sander at Anna's friends house, who lives down the street from the sunflowers........a lovely woman.....she had us in for cake (yes, cake for breakfast!) and hibiscus tea. she told us this is the first year for her neighbors to plant sunflowers and that she and her hubby are SO inspired by them, that they want to plant them in THEIR back field next year. who wouldn't? we talked about how striking it would be, if everyone along this stretch of road planted sunflowers......

isn't it amazing, that a simple field of sunny sunflowers,

can spread so much joy and inspiration.

"i believe in pink...

2011-07-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

i believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.

i believe in kissing,

kissing a lot.

i believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

i believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.

i believe that tomorrow is another day

and

i believe in miracles."

~audrey hepburn

joining kim klassen for texture tuesday

http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe

and exploring

PINK

the tall garden phlox is starting to bloom...

2011-07-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

i can rely on this old fashioned beauty...
caught in the early mornin rays of the sun...
(before the neighbors can see me hopping around in the wet grass, in my jammies).

sleepy light flickering through the leaves...

the awakening of a pretty purple haze...

getting bizzy...or is it buzzy?

good mornin!

it's going to be...

a very good day.

red, white and blue around the house...

2011-06-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

i spotted this adorable boat house at a nearby subdivision called "Westhaven". it is always at this time of year (a few days before the fourth of July) that i think i need buntings for my house....but it is too late to order them. er
oh well.......i made due with out buntings and changed up a few things on my porches.
the arch covered in Jessamine leads you to the back door and the cozy covered part of the deck....

the part of the house that i spend most of my time.......a gentle breeze provided by the ceiling fan adds some relief from the heat and gently sways the curtains.....

all spring, i have had the white cotton curtains hanging from clothespins....the old crocheted piece i just added this week.

to the left of the door is an old washbasin that i have turned into a water feature.

you can't see it in the photo but there is a bubbler and tiny goldfish swimming inside....the sound of the water is so relaxing to me....

above is one of my favorite wreaths......made by a lady i found at the flea market years ago.....simple wire and fragile twigs.

to the right is a piece of porch ceiling from an old farmhouse....the perfect shades of blue.

one of my handmade angels holds a flag.

i have hung some old garden fencing from a rake head....i have a thing for delicate old wire fencing...

my Adirondack chairs will soon be painted white.......until then i spiffed them up with some new cushions.

old doors lean behind the chairs....an old frame that i painted blue is hung there........above, is the "love spoken here" signage that i created this week, out of wire (inspired by something i saw on the Internet) i just love how it turned out.......it took a few tries, but was really not that hard to make.

my blue hummingbird feeder is just for show, as it has a terrible drip.

i love how the crochet piece catches the late afternoon rays....

and casts pretty shadows.

my dollar chair has a new coat of paint and holds my chalk ware kitty.

patriotic flags are a must for the fourth of July!

especially on the front porch.

and i just had to show you this gorgeous barn off of nearby, Franklin road, sporting its flag. you can't get more

AMERICAN

than that.

mmm

wewe plan on spending time on the back porch this holiday weekend....and i'll most likely start some new projects (i just found a store here in Franklin that carries Annie Sloan's Chalk paint, so of course i had to buy some...can't wait to try it out on my dining room table) and i have some paintings that are beckoning me into the studio......and there is always puttering in my gardens......oh yes, the Art Crawl is this weekend and a cookie exchange with fireworks at church....and, and, and.......

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!

mmm

i am joining debra at common ground for

vintage inspiration friday.....come to the party y'all.

http//commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/06/vintage-inspiration-friday-44-patriotic.html

summer is here!

2011-06-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

"and the time is right for dancing in the street"........remember that song by the Mama's and the pPapa's?? i've been singing that the past few days and i'd love to share it with you on my "play list" today...except that i don't have a "Playlist" any longer due to the fact that, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, there seems to be ads for "Lowe's" embedded in between the songs? and i am NOT advertising for anyone here on my bloggy.......so Bye Bye "Playlist"......it was fun while it lasted and i will miss choosing my music..cuz, i do LOVE the tunage.....waaaaaa.

anyhoo........summer is here......and it is HOT......

and i need some color in my life....

some cool and still,

blues and greens please......

in my art......hope you like my newest painting hanging over the couch in my den......of a sweet ethereal horsey.......inspired by my sparkly waters photo, up there in my side bar.
in my decor........i am still in love with the fabric i chose for these curtains in my kitchen..,

in my napkins.......cloth and paper (yes, i use paper)

in my view out the back picture window.......

and over the back door.

in my art book filled with sweet Georgia's inspiration.

in my flip flops stored in old stacking milk crates.......when i was growing up, we called flip flops "thongs"......i don't hear that any more?

in my little terrarium....where the sweetest, tiniest fern has been growing for two years now...with little care from me... i have only watered it a hand full of times.

in my new/old vintage , softest blue, bedspread on the back of the couch, that i paid $1 for......

sometime soon, i will share my secret for getting the stains out of old fabrics.....if you could have seen this blankie before i treated it, well you would NOT have paid even the one dollar for it.

in this beautifully blued Haeger pottery , that i found at the Nashville flea yesterday, that sure thrills me.

in the blues of the Ball jars... still pleasing to the eye........even if i see them everywhere right now.

ah yes, and in the blues and greens of my paintings.......

i can get lost in those cool liquid hues.....and i do.

while i am dreaming of them,

getting to know them,

blending them,

mixing them,

and letting them flow...

like water.

happy summery blues to you my sweets.

yesterday...

2011-06-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

i spent a glorious day with my dear friend.....

she is beautiful.....

inside and out.

i am so very lucky to have her in my life.

until next time.......sweety.

xxoo

happy anniversary baby!

2011-06-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

that's right 30 years!

and he still buys me flowers....

i think i'll keep him.

love

you.

xxoo

once again i am joining kim klassen for texture tuesday

http://www.kimklassencafe.com/

thanks kim.

and you can follow me on pinterest now. it's official, i am addicted to it.....it's a fantastic place to keep inspiring images on your very own pinboards..... it's super easy to do and you can browse other peoples pin boards for more ideas and inspiration. i have tried to keep my own files of inspiration, but this is a much better way to stay organized and the "pinning" is lots of fun.

try it.

http://pinterest.com/erinea/

o.k. i am off to give my sweet hubby lots of kisses. i love that man.

french candle holders as tomato stakes...

2011-06-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

sure ...why not?

recently, i purchased two french candle holders. have you noticed that most antique dealers are saying their items are french now? anyway, that is what i was told (that they are french).......i like them even if they are not french. they are really tall. on five foot rods and have rusty goodness. i took them for a walk inside the house and for the life of me, could not find a place to stick them?
i used to live out in the country (in leipers fork...isn't that a funny name?)......i used to have a really big veggie garden and at one time had 36 tomato plants. that's a lot of maters! if there was even the slightest blemish on a tomato, i would just throw it into the field.

when we moved to this house (ten years ago), on the golf course, i started with a pretty big veggie garden. i also started a gardening business. which kind took some of the fun out of doing my own gardens, after all it can be physically draining. we also have deer marauding the gardens here.

i have a LOVE/HATE relationship with the deer.

gee...this tomato looks like she needs to shave her legs.

after fighting with the deer for years and schlepping the hose over to the veggie garden at the back of the yard.......i have given up. the deer won.

i now have tomatoes,

in pots,

on my deck,

clinging to fancy french candle holders.

ooh la la

imagine...

2011-06-06T13:03:00.000-07:00

images of the dainty "snow in summer" growing in front of my house.....

combined with textures from kim klassen

for texture tuesday......

http://www.kimklassencafe.com/

the words,

inspired by john lennon.

i attended one of his art shows last month in downtown franklin.......

and was reminded of his

peace loving,

gentle self.

john would be turning 71 this year......

if only.

imagine.

i've got the blues......

2011-06-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

i'm not quite ready

to let go

of the

sea.

every other photo was taken right here at home, in tennessee.

the colors, inspired by my love for the water......

beachy bits from my bloggy break.......

2011-05-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

i'm back!

with a serious case of beach brain bliss.......

my new dawn rose....

2011-05-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

my favorite climbing rose, is blooming like the dickens right now, and is just as sweet as it can be....

i just LOVE these blush pink beauties, so much! cascading over my swing on the back deck and dropping petals from heaven, to form a soft carpet underfoot...their scent is divine....

life goes way too fast,

please take the time to,

stop~and~smell~the~roses.mm

playing along with

kim klassens

texture tuesday

this week the theme is "vintage".

after taking tons of photos of my new dawn roses in vintage vases,

i settled on a more simple look, just using a vintage lace tablecloth.

sometimes, simpler is better.

and to simplify my own life a wee bit,

i will be taking a short bloggy break.

i'll see you soon.......i promise.......

erin

xxoo

sparkly waters.......

2011-05-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

as i was driving home from a long day of gardening, tired and dirty,

i spotted this horse who always seems to be standing in this pond.

what was different this particular afternoon,

was all the sparkly water surrounding her...

so of course,

i had to stop my jeep and jump out

to capture this moment of glittery light, of sparkly waters, twinkling all around.

i am once again
playing along with
kim klassen
and her
texture tuesday.

my sparkly waters were made even more beautiful
by adding kim's texture called
"life is good".

happy mothers day....

2011-05-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

i love being a mom.

it is the best job i have ever had.

my kids are the best.

i am so proud of the adults they have become.

it is a

happy mothers day.

mmm

tthank you to my kiddos,

ash and rob

and

ian and sam

for making me such a happy mama.

i love you.

shattered faerie tale...

2011-05-06T14:27:00.001-07:00

my latest paintings......

inspired by the news of the last week...

which started with something so beautiful.

a faerie tale wedding.

of a beautiful prince and a handsome princess.

in an exquisite church, decked out like an english garden.

we got swept away with it all.

we felt the love and the hope and the dreams of it all.

we escaped.

at least for just a little a while.....

just to be yanked back into reality

with the killing of a hunted terrorist.

poppytrail...

2011-05-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

~ vintage dishes

"poppytrail by metlox"

aztec collection, from the 1950's

made in california (just like me! yeppers, i am a native californian)

~ mom gave these to me

years ago

playing along with

kim klassen

for

texture tuesday

mmm

welcome new followers and a special shout out to Mr. Lee's Mom!

have a great week ya'll.

2011-05-01T06:02:00.000-07:00

~gorgeous "swamp jessamine" blooming on one of my arbors....

my favorite evergreen vine for the south.

do you stop to smell the flowers and appreciate the beauty all around you?

~why, yes i do keep my christmas lights up all year. it's so pretty at night.

i am so very, very fortunate to have such pretty things around me....

you never know when, in a blink of an eye (the eye of a storm)

ALL can be taken away.

last wednesday, terrible storms ripped through the south. it was a very long and dark day. at one point, i put my cats in our safe place, when the threat of a tornado was near. luckily, we suffered no damage. but my poor neighbors in alabama, well they suffered through devastating tornadoes...the likes of which we have never seen. my heart is breaking for the people who lost their homes, their livelihood and the LIVES of loved ones.

if you would like to help the people of alabama, even in a small way, i have included a link with a list of ways you can help.

http://alabamapossible.org/2011/04/tornado-relief-how-you-can-help/

and of course PRAYERS are always accepted.

i am joining suzan for project genesis where you can share ideas of how to create change.

serendipity...

2011-04-25T19:36:00.001-07:00

i am joining

texture tuesday

over at kim klassen's blog today.

this week we used a texture called

serendipity....

this chippy little dresser sits in my front hallway.

i love to play with my photos in photoshop. it relaxes me and forces me to sit down a while, which i never do (sit, that is) when i am out in the garden....

i am finding,

that it is good to sit occasionally.

happy new week to everyone!

my dainty woodland garden....

2011-04-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

is sprinkled with purple Dames Rocket, coral Columbine and other pretties...

a naturalized garden, left to reseed every year....this part of the garden is a delight in its surprises and volunteers....
quite a magical place to hunt for Easter eggs.

even weeds can be beautiful!!

celebrating

EARTH DAY

and

EASTER

this weekend.

rain.

2011-04-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

it rained today.

it was beautiful.

it was peaceful.

it was quiet.

i painted.

just for fun...

2011-04-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

happy new week to you!!

just sharing some fun images that i enhanced using free textures

from the super generous Kim Klassen...

for Texture Tuesdays. i am totally digging playing with photoshop these days. i find it relaxing and therapeutic. it's quite addictive actually (in a very good way).

here's to a wonderful new week filled with tons of warm fuzzies!!

giving credit...

2011-04-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

can i be honest? this 50+ gal feels totally overwhelmed every April....spring comes to all my client's gardens at the very same time.......the physical demands of my job can be painful....there is not enough time in the day.......the eagerness to please is immense.... my perfectionistic ways must be battled.........painting in my studio is on hold..... and i certainly don't give myself enough credit (or so i have been told)......

but, as i travel around to my gardens..

and find immense beauty there...

i am instantly reminded of the reasons..

why i

LOVE

JOB.

i am learning to give myself more

CREDIT.

mmm

all photos taken in the last couple of weeks, in the gardens that i tend and love.

mmm

mmmmm

sspeaking of "giving credit", please take the time to read this informative post that i agree with completely.

http://blog.piajanebijkerk.com/WordPress/2011/03/18/giving-credit/

on the back porch...

2011-04-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

such a BUSY and FUN weekend... of friends and fellowship...good eats and tunes...spring blooms galore and 93 degree heat... with impending storms today, i decided to take a quiet break from my garden work and spent some time with my camera on the back porch....

how fitting that i enhanced my photos with a

Texture from Kim Klassen

called

"silence".

cheekwood botanical gardens..

2011-04-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

last Sunday, i spent a wonderful (and a bit windy) day taking pictures at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens....here in Nashville.

enjoy.......

on Monday, we experienced straight line winds and small tornadoes (yes, there is such a thing)...i felt the pressure change in the house, the windows started to whistle and pop, the electricity and cell phones cut off, the sky was dark, branches started to hit my house and my inner voice said grab the cats and head to our safe place........

mmm

shortly after..it was calm..luckily we suffered no damage, just limbs and debris and dirt everywhere.....some of my neighbors lost very large trees.

even Cheekwood closed for a couple of days to clean up.

~what a difference a day makes.

dogwood optimism.......

2011-04-04T10:15:00.001-07:00

~ such a glorious spring weekend!!!!!

~the Dogwood trees in my backyard, have opened their lovely faces to the world........

and sprinkled the woods with garlands of lace.......

~is it possible to view

a faithful old tree....

dressed up in spring flowers.....

and not feel

optimistic?

i think not.

doily bowls

2011-03-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

during our rainy weekend, i had loads of fun making some Doily Bowls, from old vintage crochet pieces i had laying around. you know, those stacks of beautiful handmade pretties that you don't know what to do with, but you hold onto, because someone long ago, took the time to hand make them, and they are so frilly and delicate and beautiful.

yikes, talk about a run on sentence! i was inspired by this lovely bowl (above), that my friend Shacina gifted to me a couple of years ago......she found it at the ever inspiring Anthropology store (love Anthro)......we use it to hold our paper napkins and little miss daisy has taken a cat nap or two in it. i just love it. it sits in the middle of our kitchen table where i see it everyday.

o.k. so, did i mention, i was "inspired"?!

Easter Bunny take note!

all you need is a round-ish doily, preferably the thicker crochet type, dip it into ordinary school glue, wring it out a little (so nostalgic to feel and smell the glue again), and form the doily over an up-side-down bowl (i covered the bowls first with Press and Seal), wait a couple of days til good and dry, and gently pry off. really easy! i promise.

i like to think i am honoring the women who made these vintage pieces. it is better to give new life into something old, than just hide it away on a shelf.

don't you think?

i am joining Debra at Common Ground Blog for Vintage Inspiration Friday .

settling in.......

2011-03-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

after a spectacular start to Springtime here in Tennessee,

the rain and cooler temps have settled in for the weekend.......

as will i.......

"settle in", that is.

i have been working my little gardening tail off lately

and "settling in" to some studio time this weekend,

is welcome
indeedy.

surrounded by things that i love and inspire me.........

the color blue.

good lighting.

a comfy place to set awhile.

i feel inspired.

i leave you,

with this little baby Blue Jay, sitting against my garage today.

too young to fly. mommy must be close by. picture taken quickly, as to not disturb.

now, if this beautiful little creature isn't inspiring, i don't know what is!

Happy Weekend!

love,

erin

mmm

I am still working on my "Pay it Forward" gifts........they should be in the mail next week!! thank you for playing along!

o.k. Nanner, this is for you, since you "miss my face".

i miss yours too.

xxoo

pay it forward.

2011-03-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

the news of the world is grim right now.

we all need an escape.

we all need to feel good.

i feel good when i give.

i got this idea of "paying it forward" from my friend Suzan's blog, Old Grey Mare

and jumped at the fun opportunity.

Here's how it works....
The first five people who comment on this blog post will receive a handmade gift from me.
In return, you must FIRST write a blog post explaining Pay It Forward 2011. Then.... send out a handmade gift to the first 5 visitors who leave a comment on your post. Take your time...you don't need to send them all today or tomorrow.
This is such a sweet way to connect with friends or meet new ones, by sharing things we create with our hearts.
"It's not the size of the gift that matters, but the spirit
of paying it forward."

Happy Spring!

love,

erin

Erin go braugh!

2011-03-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

~An Old Irish Blessing~

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

mmm

"Erin go Braugh"

means

Ireland Forever.

Happy St. Patty's Day to you!

where there is light.....

2011-03-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

there is

hope.
sending prayers
for our brothers and sisters in
japan.

buttercup yellow-licious...

2011-03-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

~ this weekend, i brought in some fresh yellow flowers from the garden~

forsythia

early daffodils

icefollies daffodils, my faves

and bradford pear branches

~i had fun dressing the fireplace mantel with a spring-time look.

~i hung an old lantern from one of the beams and arranged pretty flowers in the three white vases on the left

~pretty pleased with the results, the arrangement became even better when my daughter arrived from memphis bearing the super cool vase on the right!

such a wonderful and really perfect birthday present!!

thank you ash and anthropology! love, love, LOVE

~i love the faux bois (that's fancy french talk for false wood) texture and little branchy arm
~super cute, isn't it?

~thank y'all

(that's fancy southern drawl talk, for you all)

so very much for my birthday wishes

~"y'all" in my real life

and "y'all" in my bloggy life too!

thank you.

mmm

mmmi hope there is something blooming in your life too!!

erin

xxoo