In the depths of winter...

source

It's been awhile since I posted...I wish I could say

'wow...time flew' but I can't- it doesn't.

This time of year, time more like stands still. I've been somewhat inflicted with the winter blahs...the kind where you don't feel like doing anything.

I cook, and we eat..then I cook again...and we eat again...this seems to be the routine as of late. It's getting old. Hurry spring...my waisteline depends upon your timely arrival!

I'm hoping the next week will be better than the last. In my mind I've so many things to get doing- but no get-up-and-go to do them with.

Perhaps next week will be better. I'm thinking of starting some seeds indoors just so I can feel some dirt on my fingers...that is always comforting for me. Today I'm going to pick up a Lilac scented candle...the aroma might just do the trick.

CSN winner & new signs!!

Well hello sweet friends!I want to say the chill is ending here but I'm afraid to jinx us and *poof* make it snow!lol...so I'll just hush and enjoy the sun quietly.
Hope it's getting better where you are.I know one place that will be happy today...over at Linda's ...aka A La Carte!!Linda your lucky number 11 came up! Congrats on winning my CSN $55.00 giveaway!!

Min:1
Max:42
Result:
11
Powered by RANDOM.ORG
(I tried to get that little random.org photo to put here but??? it wouldn't let me??)

Okay...take a look, I've been a busy bee painting these dreary winter days away!
(each photo is a link to the item in my etsy shop)


First... a little bling for your studio!
next... I finally finished my latest putti... she now declaresLa Belle Jardin ~ The beautiful Garden~ ...all chippy, cracked and worn but oh so elegant!

Then a little ooh la la...

tell your sweetie it's okay to get you lingerie this Valentine's day...lingerie for the wall ... oui!

Off to London, Notting Hill to be exact...well, dreaming of it anyways,

someday

*sigh*

Okay...I saved the most exciting one for last.

I've gone a little retro with this one.

It was inspired by everyone's favorite carnival gal...Lulu!!

did you see her blog post where she shared this photo she snapped?

well it inspired this...



The Tempest!...so much fun to create... the whole time I was remeniscing about my teenage years..Friday nights at Rocky Point Park in Warwick Rhode Island...it was THE place to be...any of you New Englanders remember Rocky Point? I was there just about every friday night ~ either there or Bobby's Rollaway in Pawtucket, roller skating! okay, now I feel old. :( Hope everyone is having a good week! I'm off to clean my studio, I've created quite a mess, as usual:)

Let's warm up with a HOT giveaway!

This winter chill isn't giving up. What ever happened to Delaware January's where we would reach 60 degrees on some days? It didn't happen everyday, just enough to give you a break from this bone chilling weather. C'est la vie! But suppose we make our own heat...with a giveaway! When CSN contacted me about doing another giveaway on my blog, that's just what I thought. CSN has over 200 stores that carry everything from swingsets to firepits to hot tubs, and they are offering a 55.00 gift certificate to the winner...to spend anywhere in one of their 200 stores!

take a look at a few items that *warmed me up*!

a girl can dream, right?

Entering is easy...just leave a comment on this post - (feel free to gripe with me about this cold weather!) and on Wednesday (19th) I'll pick a winner via random.org -simple!
Good luck & think spring!!

Glass Trees

We really lucked out...1-4 inches of snow was predicted for last night- 5-8 inches upper state, which meant 1-8 for us~ {I've learned the hard way that's how it works!}

When I went to bed last night is was just raining, yay! This morning we woke to .4 inches, just enough to call off school in this state! But look what else mother nature left...glass trees...

Tried so hard to capture the beauty with my camera, can you see the ice covered branches?

With the sunrise it was just breathtaking!

I was so suprised to see I had captured a bird in flight among the tangles of icy branches...

Hope all my snowbound friends are fairing well...I'm so glad we lucked out with just a dusting~ I've just sorta~kinda~really had enough snow to last me a lifetime!!

{adoring} a beautiful mess

Had to share... discovered in the New York Times...did you see it?

the first thing that drew me was the name of the store...

'a beautiful mess'

(oh! that's what I call my home too!!)

Located outside Malibu, Ca

(just another reason to move to visit Cali!)

Take a stroll to their website and be delighted...
a beautiful mess...
and then hop over their new blog...
a beautiful mess

but don't miss

3 Fine Grains

Kimberly Frasers website

(the incredibly talented co owner of a beautiful mess)

...oh the inspiration you'll find there!
Her creations are simply gorgeous!

{pure love}

It's been a very busy first week of the year here in my studio. Late yesterday afternoon I realized I hadn't left my beautiful mess all week!- (with the exception of an occasional post office trip)- but all in all it was a good week... lot's of orders finished and some new designs started!

I'll be sharing those with you soon:)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Almost time for L.O.V.E. !!

'All You Need is Love' by TagSaleFinds

The Word Love.

Enjoy this etsy treasury!
Do you have Christmas down, packed away? Me neither. But it's almost time for Valentines Day!! that should get me moving ...chocolate, roses, smooches...yippee!
A big Thank You to tagsalefinds for including my sign!!

TTV All You Need Is Lov... mingtaphotogra... $30.00	Silk Shantung Scrabble ... bambina $160.00	LOVE upcycled license p... tomboyART $70.00
LOVE Languages - ShortS... BucktoothedBun... $20.00	Love You xx a token of ... EnchantedGlass $20.00	Tattoo inspired headban... janinebasil $23.00
DeepBlueC Boutique Cust... mydeepbluec $135.00	LOVE is all you need vi... castleandcotta... $36.00	Custom LOVE Wedding Ban... bekahjennings $18.00
FREE SHIPPING - Vintage... vintagemarvels $30.00	Pear and Apple. lavende... lapomme $35.00	Scrabble Love cozy rockentot $12.00
CANDLE - LOVE LETTERS &... kokocandles $20.00	Wood Wedding Puzzle (gu... BellaPuzzlesTo... $385.00	LOVE - CIRCUS PILLOW PillowPallooza $115.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

The first sunrise of 2011...

and it was spectacular! It holds so much promise for a beautiful year ahead, as do I. Each New Year's Eve I never make it to watch the ball 'drop', but getting up early today to see this ball 'rise', over the rooftops and through the trees...well....that more than made up for it.



We had a perfect New Year's eve with good friends, Moggie and Charles. Although they live next door, we just never see them enough! I actually made my first Lobster bisque and it came out perfect. After searching for the perfect recipe, and realizing lobster bisque could be very complicated, I settled on Paula Deen's Creole Shrimp and Lobster Bisque

- simple & divine!

Moggie and I are not only neighbors but kindred spirits as well, as she is an entrepenuer and an artist- she and her daughter Meg own Bead My Love -

a company they created together, out of their love for beading and bead embroidery.
Their creations are exquisite, truly breathtaking works of art!

They travel extensively...attending bead shows and teaching classes throughout the year- quite the dynamic duo and I envy their amibition as well as their talent!
At the end of January they'll be exhibiting at the To Bead True Blue in Tuscon, Arizona, a big event they are very excited about. Visit their website for more info about this talented Mom and daughter team ~ who I'm proud to call 'neighbors'!

We're supposed to be in the 50's today and sunny, I may just be on the tennis courts breaking in my new racket my darling children gave me for Christmas! The perfect start to 2011!!

Cheers!