Art Happens Part Deux

A few of you mentioned you would like to see updates on the ice sculpture that forms from the water spraying out of the pipes that our water company leaves open in the winter. To view the original post click here.

The spray has now frozen onto a few small branches.

The way the ice has formed around these branches reminds me of a piece of coral.

This one is like pure white puffs of cotton.

Illuminated by the sun, it's almost as if it has been lit from within.

It has a majestic quality about it.

Much like imagining the ascension of an angel.

A Coastal Sign

I'm always picking up things from the shore, like this pretty sea urchin, that I can combine with other recycled objects.

I pick up wooden letters when I see them on sale, especially the ones that spell out my favorite place. In it's former life, this curved distressed board was part of a church steeple.

I gave the wooden letters and sea urchins a coating of liquid gold leaf.

I love how the board is weathered with just the right amount of chippy paint and empty nail holes that make me sigh.



I like the way it looks on the wall.

Especially, right above my tin lobster that I painted blue.

Angels Among Us

I dreamt of my Grammie last night. In my dream she walked into the room and when I realized it was her, my eyes were able to focus in so clearly on her smiling face, and all at once, I felt surrounded by her love.




She passed over in October of 1982. Just a few months before I met and married Henri. It was right around that time that I started collecting cherubs. This is one that Henri and our daughters surprised me with one year. It is my favorite.

I didn't know it at the time, but my Grammie collected cherubs too.

It just happened to come up in conversation one day as I was talking to my Mom.

My Grammie lived in Maine all her life.

Her name was Mayfair.

And I think in my dream she was smiling at me

because

she is very happy

that I finally made it back home to Maine.

My Funny Valentine

[Overheard at our house today. ]

"Is this someone's idea of a joke!?"

"You're kidding . . . right?!"

What happened to the chocolates?

"Don't I get any chocolate?!!"





"You know, you're really killing me with this!!"

"It's not easy being green."

[Most of this conversation was imagined.]

January Thaw Color Cravings

This time of year finds me out in our backyard looking for a little color to stash in our empty glass wall vases. This may be a bit challenging though, in our snow covered landscape.

Even my watering can is a welcome burst of color against the backdrop of melting snow.

Ahhhh . . . now we're talking! But, moss covered boulders are a little too heavy to carry inside.

But not so with these lichen covered branches!



And no water needed.

A few sprays of evergreen branches and a couple red twigs later

when paired with my 3 lovely dried hydrangeas, it suddenly becomes a feast for my eyes!

Mission accomplished and craving satisfied. Life is good in a Northern town.

Lost Cargo

I still remember the day this gemstone washed up right next to where I was standing in the water. At first I thought it was a piece of sea glass, but upon further inspection, it appears to be a lost gemstone from the setting of a ring. Someone lost this, yet what are the odds of them finding something they once lost at sea?

It was June 2008, when I found the gemstone, the same day we had beached our lobster boat in order to perform a minor repair. Below is a picture I took that day.

Today, quite literally in the same area as the above picture, we spotted a lobster trap washed up on shore. Possibly due to the over 60 mph wind gusts we had here yesterday -- the same ones responsible for last night's power outage.

For some reason, Henri decided to check to see if it could, quite possibly, be the trap we lost back in October when we were on our last haul of the season.

Each trap has a tag with the licensee's number stamped on it. Turns out, it was one of ours.

It sure is a vast ocean and we're not sure what the odds are of that happening.

But all we know is, today, our lost cargo found it's way back to us.

Sweet Nothings

The wind is howling outside, and we have lost our power. I was able to finish this topiary before it went out though.

With a little glue from my hot glue gun, look how much sugar I will save myself from eating.

Or maybe not.



I know it's a little bit early for Valentine's Day treats.

But to tell you the truth, the power was still on while I baked these.

And if you felt how strong the wind was blowing right outside our house tonight,

and you thought just maybe you would lose power at any moment,

like we did right after I finished making them, you'd be glad you had something to snack on in the dark too.

Thank goodness for cell phones and battery powered laptops (and in the interest of full disclosure, thank goodness for our generator too)!

Weather Indicators

This morning's sunrise.

"Red Sky at Morning, Sailor Take Warning"

Late afternoon today.

Mackerel sky is often an indicator of precipitation within 24 hours.

Tomorrow's weather forecast here calls for high winds and torrential rains. It's nice to know some of these common indicators. For those whose livelihoods depend on the weather, it's a common belief, that the sky does not lie. May God bless them all.

More Basement Studio Progress

Here's a 'before' shot of the kiln and shelf area of our basement studio.

And here's what it looks like now!

I brought our little french bistro set into the area. I have a feeling it will now get much more use than where it was before. I still have to remove the blue painter's tape on the floor after I decide on a color for an accent stripe. I ended up painting the floor a chocolate brown color to complement my lighter "area rug" color that I embellished with gold fleur-de-lis.

I thought a little green would add a nice touch to the area since it's the basement. But only one of them is alive.

Can you tell?





Take a look at this sconce I just found at GW.

And look how much atmosphere it brings to the space when it is lit!

Oh, and I was lucky to find a pair of them, and have plans for the other one too. It will be located in the last little space I have left to finish. Is there any doubt how much fun I'm having in here already?!