I am not ready for FALL!

I am barely getting my summer going and you get hit with FALL advertising everywhere you turn. Some may be more than ready for Autumn to arrive.  With all the unrelenting heat many have endured I am sure it will be a sigh of relief. 
But I am just getting to enjoy my summer, the garden is just catching up after a very cool June and beginning of July.  To be blasted with Fall decorating in stores is a shock to the system and it just reminds me that all too soon I will be shoveling out just to get anywhere. Shudder!

Just outside my front door last February, can we say 3 feet overnight!



I like not having to wear layers of heavy clothing, being able to flit in and out of the house without freezing my sweet patooties off and not waking up to a boat load of white stuff to shovel. 

I love digging in the dirt, wandering my garden at first light, cup of coffee in my hand, finding the latest bloom or just sitting amongst the flowers and breathing in the sweet scent. 

Okay, rant over.  I just was overwhelmed with the oranges, browns and scarecrows as I shot thru JoAnn’s yesterday to purchase some paint colors I had run short on.  Of course, all the back to school advertising is just as disheartening (my kids are grown and gone but hearing the back to school ads makes it seem like summer is over). 
This past week has been a blur, but I will share my latest endeavor.  I have been running like a mad woman all summer (or so it seems) and my studio has suffered.

 You all remember my studio…



For the past few weeks I have run in, paint then run out again and it was looking much too shabby.  From the outside all looks serene(I use the sheers as my screen door, they do a great job keeping the bugs out)



But once you step in the door, it is another story! Chaos.



No surface is spared the clutter



I have a few special orders to get done this week but I just could not work in this anymore.  So I spent most of the day working on it.  Between base coating some boards for signs, I hauled out bare boards, replaced the table, and scrubbed everything, floors, window sills, windows.  I am pleased with the result.  Ta Da!



I even potted up some Pothos starts I had in a mason jar.  That has got to be the toughest plant alive!



My little sink is behind the door, I want to put a skirt around it so I can hide items underneath but that is for another day!

Now to the other side, my base painting and packaging area.  Tidied up and ready to get back to work!



I love having so much natural light.



The view out the French doors is not bad either.



A more overall shot.



It seems to go by fast in this post but believe me it took me the majority of the day to get this whipped into shape and there is a wee bit more to do yet.   But that will be for another day, tomorrow I must paint. 
The weather has been fabulous, low to mid-80’s with a soft breeze to cool you off when you have been hustling around.  Just perfect.

I did get a sign worked on a bit…I can finish it tomorrow with the varathane



Next post I will share the latest blooms. I have some new ones that are just great!
Now I am whooped and ready get some rest.  Good night all!

My paintings and signs are here

Roosters and Chickens in the kitchen

I read of a Rooster and Chickens party and wanted to join in.  I have a few of the yard birds that grace my humble little kitchen.  I made the sign above to fit over the window above my kitchen sink. 


I have a few Rooster figurines from my grandmothers kitchen, she was the first lady I of my acquaintance to be a chicken and rooster collector.  sorry the photo is blurry, but this is Barney, I think my Grandma named every rooster she ever had “Barney”. 

This pitcher was the original color inspiration for my kitchen though now I lean more towards the reds for winter and aqua in summer.  Thankfully my Rooster items still blend in with the new colors.

A pair of Salt and Pepper shakers my sister got me, at least I think she is the one that gave me these….Yep, I am pretty sure. Thanks Sarah.

And last but not least another one from my Grandma, he resides between the Kitchen Aid mixer and the knife rack.   I spy him every morning as I fix breakfast, he reminds me of Grandma Jo each and every day.

I have plenty of other rooster items in my kitchen but I will leave you with these few. Enjoy!

August in full bloom!

July flew by in a whirlwind.  This time of year always flits past me at the speed of light, or so it seems.  Mostly because it is my favorite time of year, there is always something new in my garden to enjoy.  I almost never get a full day to just spend in the garden, I only get to work in it a bit each morning and sometimes in the evening so it is never the neat and tidy affair but I love it none the less. It reflects my life, a little chaotic but it sure is colorful!

Here is a shot of my front garden…full of black eyed susies, daisies, English delphiniums, lilies, cranesbill geraniums, roses and hollyhocks. 



One thing I do love is when flowers cross pollenate then create their own unique variety.  This is a cross of lavender and a purple/blue larkspur.  I love surprises.



The proud parents.



My Princess Margareta roses are starting to really put on their show.   Such a peachy color!



My leopard lilies. 



And my fragrant trumpet lilies, these will perfume half the neighborhood once they open fully. 



This is an Asiatic lily that is a self cross of two varieties.  Before I got the Asiatic Lilies I did not know that they will readily self propagate by seeds.  I have dug up and moved tons of these.



Some consider this a weed as it grows along roadsides and will self sow but I love the pop of bright fuchsia in my garden.  This is Rose Campion, some folks mistake it for Lambs Ear because of the fuzzy leaves…



This is the flower of the lambs ear, it is quite different.



  Below is one of my English Delphiniums. They are starting to flop over so I need to stake them. 



I have a ton of Milky Way morning glories that have come up between my tomato plants, the birds must’ve spread the seeds last Fall for me. 



Close up of the flower..



I finished a few signs this past week, here is a set ordered for a Christmas gift.  A very smart Grandma, getting a jump on her holiday shopping.





Here is the progress shot of one of my painted chairs, it is at a point where I am doubting whether or not I am going to like it, that happens a lot to me in the middle of a project.  But I force my way thru the ugly and when it is done I usually like it, though I am definitely changing the painting on the back rest, I don’t like the lay out.  The seat is okay.  This is just the base painting, the white blobs will be lovely roses soon. 



I don’t know if I will get to finish them this coming week.  I have quite a few special orders signs to complete and ship out and we are going on a weekend trip. With leaving Thursday my week is shortened considerably.   

Another lovely day is winding down.  We have had a fabulous couple of days with the high temp being barely in the 80’s with the sweetest cool breeze.  Made for a great time this afternoon potting up Japanese Maple trees I had started from seed, as well as some English Delphiniums and a couple roses, one I had started from a cutting and the other was a gift from my mom, I have wanted an Eden rose for the longest time and she found one for me.  I dug up some Black Eyed susies for a gardening friend as well. 

I had to get out and work off a fabulous lunch of a big ol’ bacon burger and fries at Just Delicious café.  It was so tasty, I have not had a good burger in a very long time.  Good evening to one and all…until we meet again. Ta

Back to Paintin’

Here I am sitting back in my recliner, now in my bedroom instead of by the wood stove (as it was in the winter) listening to the hum of the fan drawing in the refreshing cool evening air.  I have wood glue in my hair and my fingers are dotted with paint that refuses to come off without extensive scrubbing. 

It has been a good day!  Lovely upper 80 degree temps for the highs and nearly 60 degrees for the lows.  I spent most of the day painting.  Remember my chairs I did my comparison of Rustoleum and Chalk paint on??  (click on the photo to go to that post)



Well, after painting on some special order signs I was able to finally get back to them.  Looking at the chairs closely I noticed the Chalk paint chair had started to crackle.  I love the crackle finish so I decided to go ahead and finish them in the Chalk paint.  I have gotten the same effect with Old Fashioned Milk paint,  it reacts with the old finish and crackles so nicely!



As I was painting I noticed some loose joints so I glued those (leaning over to clamp them I drug my hair thru the glue and tried to clean it all out but missed some as I found out when I tried to brush my hair later) and continued painting.  I worked on the seats as well.  I was inspired by this post by Christy Repasy, Drool worthy Painted Chair.

I have been a fan of hers for years and can only dream about painting roses as beautifully as she. (I would dearly love to take one of her classes).  Anyways, I have put off working on these chairs since I was stumped as to which direction I wanted to go with them and now I know.  So we shall see how it works out. 

In all our moving I have come across a saw I painted 10 years ago.   A snowy little country cabin.  Not a very good picture maybe I shall take another in the early morning when the lighting is better. 



I have some more garden shots to share with you but I will save that for another day.  My garden is in the height of  it’s glory and I spend every spare moment I can out there. 

Just the walk to the chicken pen is a treat.



remember what it looked like in March?    Shudder!



And the greenhouse…then



Now…



I much prefer the now. For those of you who know me that comes as no surprise. 

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