Sweet Girl

This is our sweet girl Lulu.  She is enjoying this fine spring day.

It has been very warm, but we never skip our walks.

She loves to soak up the sun. She's smiling with her eyes closed.

Couldn't resist taking her picture!

Now and Then

This painting is called Show Me Your Heart. It seems apropos of this day. 

Today my dear husband and I celebrate a milestone anniversary: 

Ten years! It's hard to believe. It seems impossible. 

We actually met in 1989! Now that is really crazy. 

The time has gone by so quickly. It was the most 

beautiful spring day for our wedding! 

Feeling a bit nostalgic.  I have  been looking at 

old photographs and paintings that I made ten years ago. 

I have always made self portraits. This painting is called Mini Me. 

At the time, I cut up a lot of paintings that did not work. 

I stitched them back together with waxed thread. 

A little patchwork of paper. 

Style Maven

I love fashion, old Hollywood glamour and 

style maven, Edith Head. Frankly, I admire 

Edith's unique look even more than her designs.

I love everything about her. Her buttoned down, 

serious expression, her coif, her glasses and those bangs!

My latest treasury on Etsy was inspired 

by Behappynow's green portrait.

A striking resemblance to Edith Head.

The Darlings

For the bird collector. 

Meet the darlings, my latest drawing.

Two Bluebirds in a little wire birdcage.

Drawn with a quill-type nib and calligraphy ink.

Add to your menagerie.

Available in my shop.

Victorian Collector

I have been looking at so many contemporary 

artist-collectors, that I thought I would revisit

one of the greats. One who has clearly influence many: 

Joseph Cornell. Cornell searched the shops of New York for all 

kinds of bric-a-brac and ephemera. His exquisite 

assembages and boxes are simply fantastic. 

Cornell pieced together miniature worlds. He created 

tiny aviaries and celestial wonders inside his boxes. 

Here are just a few to pique your interest!

Curious Nature

I think we are all collectors.

We pick, we sort, we organize, we display.

Apartment Therapy recently featured the work of

French artist, Maissa Toulet. Her collections are enchanting.

I am all agog! Her work reminds me of Joseph Cornell's 

assemblages and boxes - with a slightly more 

contemporary sensibility.

Tangled Together

Take a peek at my latest collaboration with amazing Etsy 

artist and indie jewelry designer, Cat, of Polarity. 

Cat designs the most hip and contemporary industrial lockets 

made from repurposed auto parts. They are so cool! 

The magnetic lids are interchangeable and feature two popular pieces 

from my collection: Weavers and Ensnared Hearts.

I'm thrilled to be a part of this project!

Fine Lines

These are my latest line drawings

of little birds and dogwood blossoms.

Drawn with a quill-type nib and my new

sepia brown calligraphy ink.

What do you think?

Early Bird

The early bird gets the worm!

Perhaps it's the Robin who inspired this old saying,

as robins are the first in line at the all-you-can-eat

earthworm buffet. The American Robin is considered

a harbinger of spring, since it is one of the

earliest birds to migrate. This is a little ink

drawing of a Robin perched on a 

budding Dogwood tree.

Blustery Day

A day trip to the City of Washington.

The beautiful, blush pink cherry blossoms are in bloom.

Clear blue skies. Blustery winds. Warm Sun.

Tiny petals float through the air.

A perfect day with friends.

Magnolia

It has been overcast and raining all week.

I've been listening to the Magnolia soundtrack by Aimee Mann.

I love her moody music. It is perfect for these rainy days.

It is April after all. Finally, a beak in the weather. A ray of sun.

I took these pictures yesterday afternoon on my walk.

The beautiful Saucer Magnolia trees are blooming.

It's pretty outside. The momentum is building.

Inside is a different story.

Insect Heaven

This work gives me butterflies in my stomach, quite literally. 

It's that feverish, nervous feeling I get when I'm so inspired.

I discovered the work of Jennifer Angus by chance. 

All I can say is, where have you been all my life? Angus merges 

two of my most favorite things: pattern and natural history.

She creates the most stunning and arresting wallpaper installations.

Beautiful, intricate, lacy patterns using real insects.

Yes, that's correct, real insect specimen!

Her work harkens back to the Victorian era,

a time of prolific collecting.

Butterfly Hatchery

This is my latest watercolor painting.
It is a little cluster of chrysalises.

A butterfly hatchery.

Spring Emerging

This is a moment I long to see.
A Monarch butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.

I think it would be quite special.

Last year I found a newly born cicada

crawling out of its shell.

Nature is far better than TV.