Sleepy Winter Days And Some Knitting Experiments

I cannot believe it has been two weeks since my last post...I guess these winter days have everyone in my house, including me, in a funk. You might notice a theme as you look through these photos......are we lazy?? The answer I think, must be no, I guess everyone in my house just knows the value of a good nap now and then. I can never put the sheets on the floor on laundry day before bringing them down to the basement or little Dudley will set himself up for a long nap in them.

A typical lazy scene in the living room.

Simiilar scene except for the fact that everyone has migrated to the dining room, not by choice either, this photo means that I'm currently busy vacuuming the living room carpet and needed to move the dog beg (dogs and all) so I could clean around the spot this bed usually occupies.

While I have felt the urge to curl up on the dog bed and sleep away the rest of winter, I have resisted the desire and instead have been having a lot of fun getting started in knitting. My first two projects were a baby blue scarf and matching fingerless gloves. I've got more to come and I'll keep you posted. Knitting, as I'm finding out, is quite an addictive hobby.

Painting More Pendants.....

I truly don't know where the time has gone this week....I had really meant to post earlier on in my week and it just didn't happen the way I planned it.....you know what they say about the best made plans.

I've been working on more glass pendants and puzzle pendants as well. I love the fun shapes and angles I get when I work with the puzzle pieces.

I keep rotating the pieces until I get just the right shape for my creations, puzzle pieces are bit more work to turn into pendants but are well worth the effort.

Now I just have to get myself back into the studio to finish a painting I've had in the works since before the holidays. I seem to be running way behind this year, I actually just took all of my Christmas decorations down yesterday.

A snow capped flower scene above might be the perfect thing to cheer up a cold winter's day. A customer of mine from Hong Kong asked me to create a painted tiger pendant on glass for her celebration of the Chinese New Year.... I have yet to start on it but I think it will be a really interesting and challenging art pendant. http://www.artfulcreations.rubylane.com/

Puzzle Pendants

Just the other day I finished my first puzzle pendants of the new year. I have 2 huge puzzles that we put together years ago, sitting down in my basement and this is a great way to recycle them.

I was looking at these huge puzzles just a few months back wondering what in the world we should do with them. I hated to throw them away, yet why save them and have them collect dust when we are never going to do anything with them again. This was the perfect solution...now when I need some new puzzle pieces, I just go check out my stash in the basement and select the ones I want to use.

Some are comprised of two pieces and others are made up of four. It is so much fun to twist and turn them to decide which side should be the top and which one the bottom. I just finished my second batch yesterday....I'm coming up with lots of new designs and ideas for these pieces. Available through my Ruby Lane shop: http://www.artfulcreations.rubylane.com/

Spheres Of Light

A brand new year.....but an older painting, well, not old but this multi panel acrylic painting was my last of '09.

"Spheres Of Light" is a dreamy and colorful contemporary tree-scape painted on 2 14" x 18", 1 1/2" deep gallery canvases. The total size is a large 18" h x 28" w.

High up in the treetops, spheres of colorful bright light are growing from the branches to produce a lovely glow in the sky.

The sides are painted a sleek black to go with any interior.

I hope you've enjoyed "Spheres Of Light" and that the colorful sky brings you cheer and light on a winter's day. http://www.artfulcreations.rubylane.com/ Happy New Year!!!!

The New York Botanical Garden Train & Miniatures Show

Every holiday season Chris and I try to go see the miniatures show at the NY Botanical Garden. Gorgeous landmarks, homes and famous buildings all made from flowers, twigs, leaves and fruit.

The Enid Haupt Conservatory above is where the miniatures show is held each year and also is home to my favorite event at the garden, the Orchid show. I think the consevatory is one of the lovliest buildings in the display.

The William K. Vanderbilt mansion.

The details are just amazing. If you want to take a closer look, you can click on any photo for a larger view. The roof on this house is well worth seeing, it is truly gorgous.

A street scene........I guess we just missed the train.

This is Kycuit, the Rockefeller estate.

The George Washington Bridge.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

All of the buildings are nestled in among the greenery in the conservatory.

Boscobel estate in Garrison NY. I really love to visit Boscobel, it is about 15 mins across the Hudson River from where I live.

I hope you've enjoyed this sampling of all the beautiful houses and buildings and the intricate details that make up each one. See you in the new year, Happy Holidays!!!!!!

Indoor Gardens And A Lucky Giveaway Winner

When it's cold outside there is no better time to enjoy my inside garden. My Orchid garden keeps me happy and inspired all throughout the winter and seems to make the time between winter and spring pass more quickly.

Thanksgiving weekend we journed to Parkside Orhids in PA, my very favorite place to buy plants and I purchased the sweet yellow Phalaenopsis above to add to my collection.

I also purchased this lovely yellow/purple Cattleya. I had thought it would be white and purple but to my surprise, when it opened, the blooms were a yellow/purple. Yes, I did read the info on the card, this Orhid was also sitting with all the white and purple orchids that I loved....the name was the same but the colors weren't. While I did mean to pick the white Cattleya that day (I was in a white mood I suppose) I'm perfectly thrilled with this beautiful Orchid. It made for quite a nice surprise.

Now that this beauty went out of bloom it is time to repot this very large Orchid, it is quite root bound in it's current plastic pot.

I also purchased this lovely small white Cattleya which is not only beautiful but very fragrant as well. Parkside Orchids is a wonderful place to shop for plants....I always have great luck with each purchase I make there. http://www.parksideorchids.com/

A sunny dining room window where some of my Orchids grow on their humidity trays. I also had a happy surprise this week, I just discovered my Phalaenopsis on the far right hand side in this photo, is spiking. In a couple of months I should have some large pink/purple flowers on it to show you.

Something I've been wanting for a long time, a grow stand for my dining room. It took so long, searching on line for weeks, to find one that was a nice piece of furniture as well as offering me ample room for plants. This is my Christmas present....I got it in October, I wanted to get an early start I guess.

I was on my way to the recylcling bin last week and couldn't believe my eyes, a rogue Black Eyed Susan was blooming in my sleeping perennial garden. This was a first for me, a bloom among the snow and ice. I had to run out with the camera and take a photo.

Last week I was thrilled to find out I was the winner of a giveaway held by my artist friend Catherine Holman. I got to pick the print that I wanted from her ETSY shop and I couldn't resist this summer print, I think it is just beautiful. Thanks so much Catherine, I cannot wait to get a frame for it. Catherine is a wonderful and talented folk artist and you can visit her at: http://www.catherineholmanfolkart.blogspot.com/ to see her beautiful creations.

A New Passion-Hand Painted Puzzle Pendants

I didn't really think it was possible but it seems to be, I've found a new pendant addiction....puzzle pendants. It all started when I was wondering what to do with 2 large puzzles we've put together over the past couple of years. I didn't want to throw them away, nor did I want to keep them so, I decided to recycle them and paint puzzle pendants.

The prep work on these is a bit time consuming as I reinforce them to give them lots of strength
and get the surface ready to accept paint.

I'm definately addicted to the process though because last night I woke up in the wee hours and found myself coming up with new designs in my mind for my next set of puzzle pendants.

They are so much fun and of course, the design is dictated by the shape of the puzzle pieces. Each and every one are unique, which lends itself to designs that are really fun. These are my first 2 and I have more to come. These are in my Ruby Lane shop: http://www.artfulcreations.rubylane.com/ . Enjoy.