Merry Christmas Eve from us…

Merry Christmas Eve

This photo was taken prior to surgery when we were all living out of the sunroom to restrict movement until Charlie could have surgery. After surgery we had to move to the back of the house to prevent squirrel/cat/people chasing and allow the incision to heal – Charlie is getting stronger each day from his ACL/CCL surgery repair. Not fun for the beast. Not easy for the humans.

I guess what I’m getting at is to be thankful for what you have, whatever it may be. Gather together to help those who need it. Providing comfort and joy to others will make you a happier person. You know the adage, “it’s better to give than to receive”? One thing I’ve come to learn is how true that is. I am far more excited about giving a gift, it makes me happy to make someone happy.

Make that your mantra for next year. Make someone happy. Every day.

Merry Christmas Eve, Happy Holidays, whatever holiday it may be!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

I love this photo! Christmas Ornament in Window…

Christmas Ornament in Window

I love this photo. I snapped this a while back while visiting my parents around Christmas time. I always get up early because the sunrise over the water is so spectacular. I was walking around snapping photos when this little ornament appeared to be lit up from the light coming through the window. So much charm. I love the view from this window looking out over the river. Absolutely beautiful, just cannot beat it! What great memories growing up on this river!

Merry Christmas Eve eve!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Marieluise Hutchinson!

Snug as a Bug by Marieluise Hutchinson

Snug as a Bug by Marieluise Hutchinson  6×9″ Oil
(Bayview Gallery)

Today is the first day of winter. I cannot think of a more perfect painting. Isn’t this the sweetest? It makes me want to live where there is snow, a roaring fire, a very cool snowman and that beautiful dark sky. How happy is this? Marieluise has charming paintings. Each has character and life. They tell stories, and you want to just keep looking at them!

Trimming the Tree Tonight by Marieluise Hutchinson

Trimming the Tree Tonight by Marieluise Hutchinson  14×18″  Oil
(Available at Bayview Gallery)

Another, perfect for the season! I love the lights in the windows. Both of these paintings are available at Bayview Gallery in Brunswick, Maine!

Read a bit about Marieluise, from her website:

Marieluise Hutchinson, a self taught artist from Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts and Cushing, Maine, paints subjects of “roads less travelled.”  The distinct seasons of New England as well as its character present an endless source of inspiration.  A deep respect and sensitivity for the commonplace is evident as she records the passage of time of vanishing homesteads, fields and farmlands of rural America.  Marieluise is a Copley Artist at the Copley Society of Boston, a Master Artist at the Cape Cod Art Association and a member of the Cape Cod Museum of Art.   She is also in the permanent collection at the Cahoon Museum of American Art and the Cape Cod Museum of Art.

Growing up during the early 1950’s-a time when our nation was strong and at peace, patriotism played a significant role in the evolution of her aesthetic expression.  This accounts for the frequent appearance of the American flag in many of her paintings.

The basis of an artist’s work, the reasons behind composition and subject matter, is often the result of their personal foundation.  The influences and preferences of a painter are brought forth in a clear context by the way they paint.  Without question the idealogy  supporting the paintings by Marieluise  are due in part to her upbringing.  From “hearty stock”, her formative years were enjoyed in a bucolic 1820’s  homestead in Hanover, Massachusetts; Marieluise chooses the countryside inasmuch as it chooses her.

Marieluise is self taught. Many of her discoveries have resulted from trial and error.  Always drawn to creative pursuits, she did not, however, begin to paint until her late twenties.  Her work has a tone of thoughtfulness, a tangible silence. It evokes the feeling of a crisp autumn evening or the chilling snap of winter. Or the solitude that follows in the wake of a New England snowfall, smoke drifting from farmhouse chimney tops – a pale veil of white drifting up into a sapphire blue night sky.  Generally, no figures appear in her paintings but a human presence is implied by lights in the windows, clothes on the line or a snowman in front of the farmhouse.

Proudly, in 2006, Marieluise had an authentic barn raising in Cushing, Maine.  It is quintessential New England, placed in a meadow with stonewalls, woods and wildlife – her dream of the simplicity and beauty of America.  (Read more here…)

All images via MarieluiseHutchinson.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

What a day!!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Christmas is almost upon us. How did it sneak up so quickly? Why is it when you’re a child Christmas takes forever before it comes again? The mystery, the magic, the love, the lights. All are such wonderful memories… even Alfie, the kid next door… While all tucked in my bed and almost asleep I see his creepy grade-school aged arm reach up to steal a lightbulb out of the Christmas lights that hung on the house. “DAAAAA -AAAAAADDDDD!!!!!!!”  You know, those cool, big bulbs… creep! Got the bulb back, and Alfie didn’t try again. I wonder where that kid is now? Hmmm.

Thank you dad for getting the bulb back, for making holidays extra special, for being so cool, for being level headed and calmly teaching us what’s right. To always consider other people’s feelings. To not “cry wolf”, to “Do unto others as you would want them do unto you”.

You’re a great dad! Happy Birthday! Woohoo!

I’m am blessed to have such cool parents!

xoxo,

barbara

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Restaurant: Four Ninety Two (492) – Charleston, SC

Four Ninety Two - Charleston, SC

*FEATURING PHOTOS THIS WEEK; WILL RESUME REGULAR POSTS NEXT WEEK!

492 is a beautiful restaurant located on King Street in Charleston, SC. What a classy looking building. Kudos to a restaurant that takes an building that sat vacant since Hurricane Hugo in the early 90’s!

Check out their website for the current menu offerings (eyes roll back in head). Cannot wait to try this place!

Read a little about the history of Four Ninety Two, from their website:

During the renovation of 492 King Street, historical significance and attention to detail played a large role in creating the new space. The building dates back to the late 1800s when clothiers such as Reuben’s, Leon’s and Bluestein’s were a large part of the economy in Charleston, especially in the Upper King Street district. The button wall art installation in the main dining room, an interpretation of Chef Whiting’s photograph of sous vide leeks, pays homage to that history. Additionally, the fabric ceiling in the downstairs dining area is a replica of a 1902 city map.

The gates that enclose the courtyard were inspired by 30” x 40” Sanborn street maps of different colors, patterns and scale found while researching the building’s origins. As executed, the red rectangles show the 492 King location in an abstracted version of the 1884 map, noted by the circle. All the other lines represent the surrounding streets.

The building sat abandoned since Hurricane Hugo until it being purchased by the Relish Restaurant Group. During renovations, spearheaded by local architect Reggie Gibson, as much of the original building was left intact as possible. The red color in the dining room, called “eating room red,” and the “piazza blue” on the upstairs hall ceiling are both historic paint colors. The base of the bar is paneled in old tin that served as the ground floor ceiling of the existing building, reflecting a dedication to preserving and restoring this unique piece of Charleston’s history.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Margaret McWethy!

Winter Sunrise by Margaret McWethy

Winter Sunrise by Margaret McWethy  20×16″

Margaret McWethy. I love her style. Just look at that fabulous light. I can feel the sun hitting my back as I meander my way through the snow, walking in someones footprints who has forged the way ahead of me. She has such great brush strokes. Her coloring is just so wonderful. Be sure to check out her website and her paintings!!

Read a bit about Margaret, from her website:

Margaret McWethy, Impressionist painter, studied art history and biology at Swarthmore College. Since graduating she has sought teachers who base their art on training, careful observation, and understanding.  Master colorist, Henry Hensche and nationally known portrait artist Cedric Egeli, have been influential. 

Margaret, a native of Maryland, now lives and paints in Massachusetts. Since moving here, she has spent time studying the traditions and methods of some of the famous northshore painters. “They have a very different approach which I hope to integrate with what I have learned about color and light.” 

She teaches painting the Impressionist still life and landscape locally. She has won a number of awards and is a featured artist in the publications, Painting the Impressionist Landscape by Lois Griffel, Capturing Radiant Color in Oils by Susan Sarbeck, Painting the Impressionist Watercolor by Lee Boynton. She is a charter member of the New England Plein Air Painters. Her work hangs in private collections in the United States and Europe.

Interested in taking a workshop in 2016?  margaretmcwethy.com/workshops

Margaret also has a 2016 Desk Calendar available, you know it’s going to be a good one! Christmas is in ONE WEEK. Whew, time flies!

All images via MargaretMcWethy.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Houseplan: Berryville by John Tee!

Berryville House Plan by John Tee

This is the Berryville House Plan by architect John Tee. This plan is 1,269 square feet, with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This is a small plan that is so smart. You can live in a smaller footprint when the layout is ideal, and this one is! Charming front porch, isn’t it? It’s so welcoming! This looks like a home with character from years ago. I love that!

Berryville House Plan by John Tee

Two Bedrooms, each with a Bathroom on one side of the home and Living, Dining, Kitchen with a wonderful Utility room on the other side! The Utility room keeps the house looking neat. You can put shoes there, wash clothes, give the dog a bath, and then step out onto the back porch for a break!

Are you looking for a larger floor plan, look no further! Check out John’s website, he designs house plans of all sizes and types. All are just beautiful!

All images via JohnTee.com, used with permission…

Images are not for construction or reproduction, they are property of the architectural firm.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Joe Garcia!

Autumn Light by Joe Garcia

Autumn Light by Joe Garcia  12×16″ Oil

Joe Garcia. Fred and I met him about a month ago at an art walk in Charleston. (Joe shows locally at Horton Hayes Fine Art). What a nice guy, and a very talented artist. He captured the autumn light on this marsh so perfectly. I love that golden glow that it can have. The subtle ripples in the water and those wonderful trees are my favorite parts!

Be sure to look for Joe if you are attending Southeastern Wildlife Exposition here in Charleston, SC. SEWE is a huge event that fills the city to capacity year after year. This event runs from February 12-14, 2015! Just look at the list of events!

Read a blip about Joe, from his website:

Native Californian Joe Garcia is an established landscape and wildlife artist living and painting near the small mountain town of Julian, California. The natural setting amidst oaks and pines, and the golden hills of  Southern California provide endless inspiration and subjects for his art.

Joe earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an advertising/illustration emphasis from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He worked as an illustrator and graphic designer for 13 years then left the commercial field to focus full time on the fine art side of his career.

Today Joe continues to paint in oil or watercolor, and emphasizes composition, value and spontaneity in each medium. His works reflect his love of nature in landscapes, birds, mammals and a variety of other themes on location and in the studio. Garcia shows in exhibitions across the country, and his original paintings and limited edition prints may be found in galleries and private collections throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Europe.  

Joe’s art has appeared in numerous magazines, including Southwest Art, The Artist Magazine, Wildlife Art, and Watercolor Magic. North Light produced his books, Mastering the Watercolor Wash and the Watercolor Bible, and included his art in several other publications.

Joe Garcia’s enthusiasm and dedication brings continued achievement and success as he paints what he loves.

All images via JoeGarcia.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Flashback: Best Christmas Cookies in the World!

Decorate however you like, neat, messy, in whatever colors you create!
Decorate however you like, neat, messy, in whatever colors you create!

This is a Christmas Cookie recipe that our family has made since I was a little kid. It’s become a tradition. It’s fun because everyone can partake in the festivities. Especially if you bake the cookies ahead and then have a decorating party! We just put the frosting into zip-top baggies and cut a hole. Some years we have more colors than others. As you can see, this particular year, I was only loving my Christmas Tree cookie cutter, so that’s the only one I used. Recipe below as well as a link to print recipe only.

Enjoy!

The fun part is the decorating!
The fun part is the decorating!

Click here for a recipe to print (minus all the words and blah, blah, blah)!

Best Christmas Cookies EVER!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Sarah Yeoman!

Cafe by Sarah Yeoman

Cafe by Sarah Yeoman – Watercolor

Sarah Yeoman, what wonderful work. Her watercolors are just out of this world! I love this lively Cafe painting above. It has so many cool features. I love the people, they aren’t specific, I can use my imagination. I can tell that it’s a cool place, a place that would be fun to hang out at. Look at those wonderful colors and shapes

Morning Crows by Sarah Yeoman

Morning Crows by Sarah Yeoman
30×22″ Watercolor on Paper

These two crows have oodles of character, don’t they? Wonderful!

If you are interested in taking a workshop, check out the WORKSHOP or the STUDIO CLASSES pages of Sarah’s website!

Read a bit about Sarah, from her website:

Sarah Yeoman is an award-wining American watercolor artist and a signature member of the Philadelphia Water Color Society. Her mastery of reflections, unique surface layers, and unusual perspective clearly sets her apart from the crowd.

Living in Delaware in the northeastern United States, she is recognized for her command of light narrative and strength of story.  She is inspired by Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent, and in more recent years by Tom Schaller and Alvaro Castagnet.  In the summer, Sarah follows Winslow’s footsteps in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, hiking and paddling in remote locations where she paints and collects references.  She is equally at home in urban and lush garden settings; she lives on a private garden estate and draws on the greenhouses and gardens for inspiration, but also finds beauty in nearby Philadelphia and its rich architectural and human vibrations.  Her years as a singer/songwriter flow through her process in the melodious and lyrical qualities of her paintings.

Sarah describes her artistic process as “sculpting and pulling the form out of the paper,” much as a sculpture releases the form from the marble. Her imaginative and unusual perspective frames her work with the deepest ability to project how she sees the world, formed by shadow and light.  Her mastery of watercolor deepens the story and intimacy of her work, as the resulting texture, color shifts, and granulation reveal the warm feeling of light as well as the whispers of light air. As she minimizes detail, the abstract shapes and surface of the paper reveal her deep connection with the process.

Sarah is represented by Abanakee Studios and Gallery 3040 in New York State, Gallery One in Chadds Ford Pennsylvania, and Sharp Art Gallery in Washington State. She is also much sought after as a workshop instructor. For more information please visit her website.

All images via SarahYeoman.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Out shopping and need a quick bite?

Panera!
*FEATURING PHOTOS THIS WEEK; WILL RESUME REGULAR POSTS NEXT WEEK!

Don’t shop until you drop – stop at Panera and get a quick and healthy lunch. You have the power to control how healthy since they list the calorie content for everything. This particular day I was famished… so, I got a cup of Broccoli Cheddar soup (HEAVENS!), a sprouted grain roll and a half of Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado, dressing on the side. This is called a PICK TWO. Pick two of whatever combination of soups, salads and sandwiches.

I do like that Panera lists the calories, it helps you say NO a lot easier, also that they use clean ingredients and are transitioning to have even more very soon! All of this AND you can earn rewards when you eat there by signing up for a free Panera card.

So… don’t shop till ya drop! Stop and get a quick bite!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Holidays in Charleston!

Anthropologie Tree

On a recent trip downtown (Charleston, SC) Fred, Charlie and I perused the local stores, one being Anthropologie. They have such a unique selection of both clothes and home goods. I love this place! Look at this tree, how brilliant! They used what I would call “O” Rings into the floor (I’m not sure if that was what was in the ceiling as well?), then they strung this cool stuff to make a unique Christmas tree.

I love seeing the stores downtown all dressed up for the holidays!

Info about Anthropologie from their website:

Founded in Wayne, Pennsylvania in the autumn of 1992, Anthropologie remains a destination for women wanting a curated mix of clothing, accessories, gifts and home décor that reflects their personal style and fuels their lives’ passions, from fashion to art to entertaining. We are committed, as always, to offering our customers signature products and unmatched service, both in our more than 185 stores throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, and on anthropologie.com.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Magnifilous Toy Emporium – Charleston, SC!

Magnifilous Toy Emporium

*FEATURING PHOTOS THIS WEEK; WILL RESUME REGULAR POSTS NEXT WEEK!

I’m pretty sure Santa has this wonderful store help with his gift list! If you’re in the area be sure to check them out. I love that they offer unique toys, not the usual that are found in every store. They know about their products as well, which really makes it nice! What a window display!

Read about the Magnifilous Experience, from their website:

You may be lured in the door by the sound of our 1840’s nickelodeon playing nostalgic tunes or by the sight of the spinning carousel as young children enjoy a ride. Entering the door you will be greeted by an enthusiastic staff with only one mission, to ensure that each guest has a Magnifilous experience.

You are welcome to browse at your leisure but one of our toy specialists will be close by to answer questions, demonstrate a toy or help choose the perfect gift.

We strive to keep our inventory unique and ever changing so there is always something new to see whether you are a first time visitor or a loyal friend.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

A Holiday Window in Charleston…

Anthropologie Charleston, SC

*FEATURING PHOTOS THIS WEEK; WILL RESUME REGULAR POSTS NEXT WEEK!

Charleston is looking beautiful for the holidays! We were visiting some shops on King Street a few weeks ago and I couldn’t help but snap a few photos of store windows! This is a peek inside Anthropologie, love that place. Wonderful everything!

If you’re in the area, take a stroll, support the businesses in the area!

Catch you back here tomorrow!