A Fanciful Twist

Hollyhock Chalk Board Inspiration + New Paper Goods

A while back in time, and eye sore happened in the garden, right outside of the little gallery building.  It was because of an electrical upgrade, that our tiny vintage box with one handle (scary), had to turn into a proper huge large giant electrical box (yay safety).  I hadn't been able to see the last one, but boy oh boy could I see this one.

Months and months, and more months went by as I wondered what to do with the metal lemons into lemonade box.

It will come to me, I thought.

I was going to paint a mural on it.  But, wasn't so convinced about that.

So, I kept waiting.

Knowing it would come to me someday.

Then, one day last week, it did hit me...

Actually, it hit me when the hollyhocks began to bloom just the other day.

You see, I planted about 500 hollyhock seeds 2 years ago.

Back then, when I planted them, they sprouted and began to grow very slowly (biennials).

Then rabbits came in a mowed them down.

Gobbled up in one night.

Just like that.

But, a few were able to be saved by me.

I covered them with birdcages, and other cages I made with waffle wire.

I protected them, watered them.

I saved them from a huge wave of caterpillars eating all the leaves up, and thousands of their black eggs.

Eeeeieghwee.

And then, it was another year, another spring, and they began to grow tall and bloom in the now.

2 years waiting.

All of a sudden, I knew what to do with the electrical box.

The hollyhocks made me feel like I was in my own floral shop forest...

Soooooo...

I asked Mister Lovee to bring home some Rust-Oleum chalkboard spray paint.

And he did.

I cracked opened the can, spray painted, and never looked back.

I loved my decision right away.

Now I have a little place to write in the garden.

I'm smitten!!

The paint lets the chalk write so easily, like butter.

I so recommend it.

(oopsie, missed a "u" in bouquet)

Must thank the hollyhocks for chalk board inspiration for certain.

Thank you fluttery papery beauties!!

;)

Hollyhock love.

I don't know how I will ever be able to live without a hollyhock in the garden.

All it took to save them from the caterpillar invasion was spraying with dish soap water mixed into a spray bottle.

There are seemingly two kinds of flowers on these stalks.  Some stalks have single flowers, and others have ruffled flowers.  It is all so exciting and inspiring to me in some grander way.

Does that make sense?

Can't wait for them to bloom all the way up the stalk.

Would you believe I still had my Valentine's Day Balloons?

I hung them out there for my very proper and pretend flower shop opening...

Petite Fleur.

So, when life gives you lemons, buy chalkboard paint.

Is that the lesson here??

:)

Oh and... I must share some new cards I just put into the shop.

These are so scrumptious in person.

I took the drawing I did for the previous Mad Tea Party, and make proper invites.

These are the large 5"x7" card.

There are 10 to a pack, with envelopes.

You can find them in my shop here...

Below is the back-side of the card.

Super durable commercial quality.

I think perhaps you need to throw a real Mad Tea Party ;)

Possibly, maybe?

Oh and, since I was feeling extra sprinkly happy sweet like, I turned this image below into cards as well.

I had been wanting to turn these into cards for a while.

They are so fun in person.

I can't wait to send some out.

Also found in my shop.

So, that's my tale for today.

I am off to paint, and repair my new hot glue gun.

How about you?

 

See ya super duper sooooon.

Love, V

 

 

ps:  Oh, guess what?  Some have suggested that my meter reader will be smitten.  I only wish!  Sadly, he shall never spy it, for technology has him using a gadget to read my meter from far far away, digitally. Gasp!  ;)

It's true.

pss:

The best part of getting up at 5 a.m. and weeding and thinning the garden is (dark and chilly, but getting used to my summer hours)...

Nibbling crunchy cool baby carrots that had to be thinned.

This is my second round of thinning them.

I love taking the tops, sautéing them with sweet onions, and cooking them into an egg dish.

(I hear mixed reviews about the safety in eating carrot tops, any thoughts?)

So so so delicious!

It takes me 4-5 hours to tend my garden, so I have to get on a schedule, no lollygagging, or I will never get anything done.  Hello 5 a.m. :)   Eeks.

 

Sugar Plum Madness

Golden twinkles, a flurry of activity...

It's a little bit like a real toy workshop around here these days...

I am bound and determined that there will be elves and wee faces in this shop this very week!

Maybe not the huge bevy I had planned, but a healthy handful...

It is so cozy and warm inside, with a BBC mini series playing, and plenty of orange spice tea...

Whilst outside, it rains and rains, without a break.

How I love the few times we get rain, especially the winter rains.

Today it is watery and cold out.

Big fluffy clouds, snow capped mountains,  flannel ruffled nightgowns...

And lots of sprouts, from all the seeds I have tossed about, peek out, letting me know that they will be big and tall in spring if all works out.

But for now, there is paint + me working double time -

Unless the earth swallows me up, there will be wee faces this week, in my online shop.

I can't say what day (as I don't know myself, what with photo taking etc), but I will come here and post photos, and let'cha know when the adoption doors are open.

Finishing touches continue...

Random Chatter Alert -

Ages ago Mister Lovee bought me a CD on one of his many thriftventures.  But the funny thing was, the CD he thought he bought (the CD was taped shut so he could not check), was not the CD in the case.  Even funnier is that, the CD in the case, is even better than what he thought he had purchased. 

Boy, that was a mouthful :)

The CD in the case is a menagerie of songs on harp, which I adore, and am just now getting to listen to in full.  The Godfather, on harp, ha!  My Favorite Things, on harp, swoon!  And more.  So, between the smell of my spicy citrus tea, and the music and the painting, I am in heaven.

No to mention that Mister Lovee peeked his head into the studio to say that his signature French Toast was made and ready for me.  I should let him cook more often ;)

Although, this morning was a total surprise.

I love surprises, do you?

He is a good gnome.

 

Well, back to my elfin workshop I go!

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

ps:  I posted this a couple of years ago, but I just love it.  It makes my whole face smile.  Have you ever seen so many beautiful complexions in your life?  Not counting children and babies?

I love that I understand two things.

"I need a snow dream under the sky"

&

"Sha-na-na-na-na"

haha!

Wait, I think there was a third & 4th thing I understood...?

Anyhow, smilesville!

Flora the Gypsy Girl

She was a gypsy girl of sorts.  Traveling in her wooden wagon, colorful and beautiful, adorned with strands of flowers she would stop to sell.

She made sure to be in Provence for the blooming of the lavender fields in mid to late June.  And then, she spent the extra warm weeks of July in Tuscany, amongst fields of sunflowers.

 

She would set up her gypsy wagon on sleepy little village roads, selling her handmade garments and desserts she would concoct, from edible berries she would collect in the woods.

It was a wonderfully peaceful life.

A delightful journey.

When the cold months rolled in, she would park her wagon outside a little cottage in Switzerland.  A cottage that her great-grandmother had left her many years ago.

 

Her cottage was tucked in the woods, amongst trees.  It was a beautiful place to enjoy snowfall and deer friendlings.  A good place indeed.  A place to make lace, and embroider winter months away, whilst keeping warm.

 

The cozy cottage also allowed her to winter her hibiscus plants indoors.  They would bloom indoors, growing heartily, and offering her flowers to wear, flowers to make tea out of, and dried flower leaves to make red dye out of.  She loved to use the dye for wool and natural fabric.

She grew a variety of red flowers indoors, during the winter months... 

As soon as the snow cleared, she would ready her wagon for spring and summer voyages... 

Voyages to see butterflies and flowers, and marvel at the earth... 

That was her path.

A path she loved following.

As summer approached, she looked forward to Italy, and the little old man who tended the sunflowers that she always settled near.

At first sight of her, he would call out, in his thick Italian accent...

"Floralinaaaaaa, Floralina has arrive...."

And, she would smile...

With her lips, but mostly, with her heart. 

Flora, the gypsy girl (of sorts).

Original Painting

24" x 30" x 1.5"

 

Available in my on-line shop, right here...

 

See you very soon ;)

, V

 

Inspiration, Sanctuaries & It is not always too late to finish what you started...

In organizing the studio a bit, I happened upon little artworks that I started and then just simply forgot.  I have about 32 paintings of all sizes that are sketched or started to be painted, some even 75% completed.  It is pretty ridiculous actually...  What happens is that my attention gets taken by something else, and then voila, I am off to the next thing.

      

The bad thing about this is that you lose the creative mental space for that one piece.  The good thing is, sometimes you come back to it with renewed inspiration.  Which is what I am diligently focusing on...

Funny enough, I coaxed Dino, the little artist extraordinaire, into creating & completeing a painting for me. A trade or payment of sorts.  He obliged.  He started one day sitting at my table...

      

      

I told Dino what I had swirling in my mind in January.  He worked and worked and worked on it.... Check out the finished product which is now in my possession...

Some of my loves, which I explained to Dino are: Keyholes, Strange creatures, Fairytales, hidden doorways, forests, Cupid (see cupids arrow?)  I even talked to him about Snow White vs. the Witch and the poisonous apple....Needless to say, this is what I got, and I am overwhelmed with delightment....

      

Sometimes I like to wander my two little dweillings, searching for inspiration.  Not really actively searching, but seeing if little things catch my attention and get my mind rolling...Kitchens are so inspiring to me... Probably because I like to paint pastries and cakes....I just love my kitchen.

It is a tad small, but it is so fun to bake in and share with little people who sit at this table and wait for their first bite...I have not finsihed painting my cabinet, but heck, it has been unfinished for years...See the pattern here, unfinished objects?? I made those knobs (on top & bottom doors)...  They were sooo much fun to make.

      

So, it is officially time for me to crack that whip and finish some of my own painting projects...I am feeling inspired...

You see, I found this piece that I started in 2000.  7years ago, when I met Mr. Lovee, I purchased this piece of wood and sketched this little girl...As I was cleaning this week, she came toppling down from a shelf.  And, I was in awe, I thought, "Wow, how did I forget this...." Don't mind the hair and face paint, that will change...

      

Then I found Miss Habit.  How could I have forgotten her also?? And several more below...Oh, seems as though I will be very busy for the next few days...A long weekend of painting...

      

      

      

I am giving myself one swap gift today, to treat myself ahead of time for attacking these projects...

This little love is from Lisa Solomon of Lisa's Musings. Of course, everything she sent had such sensory alerting items...Thank you Miss Lisa, so very much.  I love them each and every one!

       

      

       

I almost forgot, I got tagged by Miss Shabby in the City...But this is a tag I can live with, so I'll play along...  You "grab the nearest book, turn to page 28 and post the 3rd paragraph..."

I was a bit unlucky at this, as most of my books are informational, no third paragraph, or, page 28 had only one little burb. It was silly how hard it was...So, I finally picked up Anais Nin's "Fire" diary from about 1934-1937...Here is what it read:

"Richard Maynard telephones every day.  The violinist plays at town hall tonight.  After three talks with me, she played as "I never played in my life before, thinking of you as a shadow and seeing your green ring flashing before me.' "

I hope you have a lovely 3-day weekend.  And, either kick your feet up and relax....

      

Or tour your own space for inspiration...  It is so important to love your space, and fill it with things you love.  Even if your space can only be in one room, or one little corner, even a shelf. Make sure to make a space you love. Your own little sanctuary...

      

Enjoy special moments. Even if they only come in spurts...They all count...

(To answer a question., the Mermaid is not a lamp. Although, it sure does look like I am using her as such. With all those lights draped on her.  She is actually an old wooden creature, about 4.5 feet tall, once used in religious processions in the Philippines.  She came here many years ago from the Philippines with her owner.   Over the years I have collected many old wooden dolls, all quite large, with wooden joints. All said to have been used in similiar religious processions, where they would be dressed up to resemble a certian saint. Funny enough,  I later found out,  my collection came from the same owner...)