MAKE YOUR OWN STILL LIFE

I saw this item from Barking Sands Vintage on Etsy and loved the color combination.

The blue milk glass with the oranges is perfect. Find it here. I love supporting independent artists on Etsy!

OH, SUZANI!

WELCOME TO MONDAY!

I hope that you had a good weekend.  I was enjoying some beautiful & sunny 88 degree pool/beach weather here in Florida.  I promise you that I am not trying to rub it in, just reminding myself to savor this cooler, humidity-free weather before our 6 months of intense heat and moisture set in.  About the time things start getting pleasant for the rest of you, I am heading into steam room season. It's all good, though and I have SO very much to be thankful for.  Everyone has Spring fever, it seems and I am working hard here in the studio to ship out your orders, finish commissions and churn out many new items.

Today I am offering my "Suzani Settee" print for the first time. You can find it here.

SILHOUETTE PAINTINGS

Here is a recent commission I completed for one of my clients overseas.  She wanted a silhouette painted of her daughter to match one she had of her son. This was painted on a canvas measuring 12x12x1.5.

Don't forget - I also paint adults and pets as well.  My prices are reasonable and custom colors, sizes and fonts are available as well!  Please don't hesitate to contact me here for more info.

Enjoy the first weekend of Spring!

ITALY REVISITED

A good friend that I've had for quite a few years recently returned from a trip to Italy with his cousin.  He was able to return to his grandfather's hometown and meet some of his relatives and cousins for the very first time. He is a very sharp and funny guy who remembers every detail and has a keen appreciation for things that your average tourist might miss. His account of the trip was intriguing - but his wit and humor, along with TONS of photos, made it all come alive.

This temple is actually a fairly recently excavated Greek edifice built just below the town his family hails from. He also found out that he is descended from these Greeks that settled there.....he had one fascinating revelation after another. Reminds me of that TV program "Who Do You Think You Are?"  Pretty cool!

He was thoughtful enough to capture this chair - he said he knew when he saw it that he needed to snap a photo of it for me!

 

He attended the New Year's Eve Mass at St. Peter's which wasn't exactly a low-key affair....

He even got close enough to get a great picture of the Pope in his distinctive ride.

He didn't forget the "Umbrella Pines" of Rome - I love these trees!  Seeing his photos made me want to go back again and now that I've found I have some family roots in Lucca, it would make another trip to Italy even more interesting. Andiamo!

FRAMED

I want to thank the fabulous Australian designer/blogger Anna Spiro for featuring a post that included photos of my "Anna Spiro" chair original gouache painting I did for her a couple of years ago.  It was exciting to see it hanging in a great grouping in her new home.  Most of you already know of Anna, but she was one of the very first bloggers to feature my work 4 years ago and has been a great blogging friend and support to me over the past few years since I started my own blog. A print of her now famous gilt striped chair is available in my shop. Catch her post here at Absolutely Beautiful Things

Thank you, Anna!!

CURTAINWORKS MAKEOVER

From this,

to this.

Curtainworks recently sent me this pair of chenille drapes to give my window a makeover.

As you can see from the photos, this is a small side window that is basically very non-descript and looks out on my neighbor's pool. The window had been left as it was found with some very basic white blinds for privacy.

Once these chenille grommet Curtainworks drapes were hung, they helped to soften the look of the window and provide additional coverage. Check out Curtainworks for yourself to see how many moderately priced options there are for your windows, from silk to cotton to REPREVE recycled fiber. 

ANNECHOVIE IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Modern Jane in Prince Edward Island, Canada

Effortless Style in New York

Thanks to these bloggers for including some photos of my prints in their homes in recent posts!

I am honored to have a small role in your stylish decors!

Get your own special piece of art here.

TWO OF LIFE'S GREATEST ASSETS......

are PATIENCE and WISDOM!

Very true words, indeed. I hope this makes you smile. Have a stellar weekend!

NO SHRINKING VIOLET

ENOUGH SAID.

I love this illustration of the dining room in George Washington's home, Mount Vernon, by megatalent Maira Kalman. 

HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL WEDNESDAY, EVERYBODY!!!!

MASSIMO MONDAY



I hope that you all had a nice weekend!

 I am glad to report that my computer was released from the hospital and has now recovered fully. It's pretty tough to carry on without your computer when you run an internet business. So, now that my internet capabilities have been restored, I am getting back to life as usual, thank God!

I love Massimo Vitali's work.  His portrayal of beach life in Italy captures the essence and celebrates the kitsch of European resort culture.  A couple of these hanging on the wall would be a nice addition to any eclectic decor. Check out his wonderful range on his website here. I also really dig the sound of the surf as his audio backdrop. Ahhhhh........

TAKE A SEAT....

I hope that you're having a good week so far. March has "come in like a lion" and I've been a bit out of commission this week because of major computer problems. UGGH.  My computer is in the shop and I feel pretty handicapped work-wise.

 I am borrowing someone elses' computer to post this and I hope to catch up with your comments and emails  very soon!

This 12x12 original painting on panel "Cote D'Azur Chair" was just finished and is available in my shop now!