Bringing my garden inside!

Anyone that knows me knows I love roses.  In the winter when mine are all tucked away and snug under their blanket of snow I miss the beauty brightening my day.  In the summer I normally start my day strolling thru the beds, cup of coffee in one hand and a pruner in the other or in some cases a cup of soapy water to toss any unwelcome bugs that may be munching on the soft petals.   I don’t use chemicals, I grow them organically. 

I especially enjoy English Roses…they grow well here in the mountains of N. California, maybe they like it cooler. 

This beauty, Abraham Darby, has always been one of my favorites.  It blooms non-stop thru Fall, big lush apricot pink blossoms.
It takes them awhile to get going in spring, we normally have very cool springs and it can be nearly July before I really start to see my roses in full bloom.
So to satisfy my desire for the beauty of roses in the dead of winter I paint them……on anything.
A little ol ladder…
Someone gave me this but I was told you can find these small wooden ladders at Sears in the tool dept.  I have yet to verify that.

Or gussy up a plain garden tin from World Market…

I gave this one to my mom.

A wicker lap tray..


Another thrift store find, this was really useful, the top can sit at an angle like a architects tables so you could use it as a writing desk, or went flat as a bed tray.  I gave it to a friend who was ill a lot. 

As you can see here, I do paint flowers other than roses. Painting flowers on everyday items is how I bring the outside in so I can enjoy my roses and flowers all winter long. 
I am seriously considering giving painting lessons via this blog.   I am certified to teach a certain method but I have grown away from it, or I should say transformed it into my own style.  So I would be teaching how I do it.  Do you think anyone would like that?
I am thinking, one day a week have a new lesson on a certain day.  I learned a lot of things via video so I am going to attempt to have a short video displaying how I am doing it along with the photos.  So, I am going to have to get organized here and figure out what day, how best to video it and so forth.
Enjoy my roses…
  Pamela

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