Call Me Crazy but.........................

I am making soft Gingerbread cookies while watching A Christmas Carol.  It only seems fitting as a chilly rain is falling, tis a mere 53* and the wind is blowing!!!  We've a roller coaster of  weather here in Vermont lately...it would seem there is a constant battle between spring and fall taking place!  Truth be told, I quite enjoy it. :)

IN THE HARVEST STUDIO.............A busy day is ahead as I continue to make great progress with my show preparations.  I hope to have some photo's to share soon.  I also have a new shop order that I will need to fit into my already tight schedule :).

In The HARVEST KiTcHeN :).....I do believe I will make a homemade pizza for dinner this evening.  Our weather is suppose to improve greatly by late afternoon.... if it does, I shall grill the pizza rather than make it in the oven :)

Ooops, I must run..the oven timer just went off....my cookies are ready!

Wishing you a Merrye Day. ♥♥Doreen

~Capturing The Scent Of The Air~

Oh how I wish I could capture the smell of the air this morning.  The sun is shining, the breeze is warm, the birds are singing and the air smells absolutely amazing.  A mixture of the abundant flowers & trees in bloom, last evening's rain and this mornings sun.  Truly heavenly and invigorating. :)A perfect way to begin a fresh new week.  Today's greeting is late as I have spent my morning in the gardens...planting another lovely lavender plant, a gift from a sweet friend, in one of the perennial gardens, adding two heirloom tomato plants, which dad sent home with me last evening, in the big garden and doing a bit of weeding.  I am happy to say that we have FINALLY gotten our big garden fully planted.  We've never been this late planting our vegetable garden but, with the cold, rainy weather we've been experiencing here in Vermont, it could not be helped.  Alas, it is in and looking wonderful and I am actually looking forward to the "fruits of our labors" being ready for picking a couple weeks later than they normally are.  Usually, everything seems ready to pick in the heat of summer and harvesting, canning and freezing must be done in the heat..perhaps this year it will be just a bit cooler when it comes time to attend to everything..:)

Along with planting the vegetable garden we had a busy & wonderful weekend with family.  Saturday Jenna & I spent the day together, we popped into the dress shop for our very first wedding dress shopping trip.

This is just one of the dresses she tried on...AND LOOKED STUNNING IN!! ♥♥♥

We also wandered around the  LARAC Art show for a couple of hours and then visited the Library's annual book sale..where we both bought an arm load of books!  Then, we had a bite to eat and wandered slowly back to her apartment to sit on the front porch. :)  Such a lovely day!!

And...yesterday..twas Father's day!!  Breakfast and bbq's with our dad's,  family and friends...a perfect weekend to be sure.  Now, we are all back to work and ready for a fresh new week.  Speaking of work...I had better get busy with mine...Moppets await.

Wishing you a joy filled day. ♥Doreen

~Of Wood Stoves & Coffee~

The aroma of coffee brewing and woodsmoke accompany me this morning.  Not your usual June  accompaniments to be sure however, it is true, we have our wood stove going this morning!  My mom was telling me yesterday that years back when we were children, there were snow flurries the last week in June..It is most definitely true what they say....any weather is possible here in New England.  :)  At any rate, the coffee taste wonderful, the warmth from the wood stove feels so cozy and I've a delightful day of stitching ahead. 

In The Harvest Studio.....I've moppets to work on.  I've olde pumpkin witches, snow folk, sweet bears, mousers and  tiny elephants coming to life.  This little guy in the picture I made back in 2010 and he &  his sweet little carved pumpkin have been inspiring me, along with our cooler weather, these last few weeks. :)

I'm off now to have a bit of breakfast, take young Oliver for a walk and head into the studio for the day.  Later this afternoon I have an eye appt..it's time for new glasses!!  Then I will be headed over to Jen & Bens for the evening as they continue to set up their new apartment.  I just LOVE their new place...the home was built in 1906 and the apartment is wonderful!  Hardwood floors throughout, a huge claw foot bathtub, floor to ceiling windows and a big front porch and large yard. ♥♥♥ it!!

Wishing you a Merrye Day :~)Doreen

~Inspired~

The scent of pumpkin chocolate chip scones wafts through the house on this dark & chilly Thursday morning.  I've Fall candles burning and a favorite movie playing as I prepare for a lovely day of stitching and sculpting.  Sounds like a description of a fall day doesn't it? It feels like one too!  Tho' I am beginning to wonder if normal June weather will ever arrive, I have been enjoying this reminder of Fall immensely as it has brought to mind the holidays ahead and brought to life some delightful characters.  One of which is pictured here.  I find her enchanting & can not wait to dress her in the attire she has selected.  It's funny how a creation can tell you exactly who she wishes to be when she's so far from life..she is merely a head and shoulders at this point yet she knows exactly who she wants to be..I LOVE that :)

I'm off now to spend the day in the studio stitching & sculpting as holiday movies play ...inspiration for my days work. :)

Wishing you a GREAT day. ♥♥Doreen

~Feeling The Rain~

~Some People Feel The Rain, Others Just Get Wet~

Good Wednesday morning to you.  We've another rainy, dark, windy and oh so inspiring day here in Vermont..this weather just puts me in the perfect mood to create.  I am definitely someone who FEELS the rain.

In ThE HaRvEsT StUdIo.....  Today I am working on mousers...and sculpted dolls...and bears...and rabbits..I've so many things in the works I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever manage to finish any of them....;~)..just kidding!  I was however, lying in bed last night thinking that perhaps I should just slow down and finish a few things before starting any others.

iN tHe hArVeSt kItChEn........Goulash is on the menu this evening and perhaps...popovers..mmm LOVE popovers.

Okay..I am off to the studio..things to FINISH :).

Wishing you a MeRrYe DaY....♥Doreen

~Contentment~

Oh how I love waking up to the sound of rain, especially when it is accompanied by the sounds & smells of bacon sizzling and coffee brewing.  For some reason I was wide awake at 4:50 this morning...perhaps I am finally coming out of this total exhaustion from fracturing my ribs.  It amazes me how tired being in pain makes you.  At any rate, I was ready to rise at 5:00 am, joined my husband for coffee before he headed out to work and since have been tidying the house and preparing for an inspired day of creating...OH how I LOVE these rainy day..fresh new ideas pour from my brain ...just like the rain falling from the sky!

In ThE HaRvEsT StUdIo....I am working on bears today!!!  Sweet little hand dyed wee ones for The Finger Lakes Lavender Festival In July..I have exactly one month to finish preparing!!! :)

In ThE HaRvEsT KiTcHeN....Cheese & Vegetable Quiche for dinner this evening along with a tossed green salad and crusty french bread.  I'm not sure why but when Quiche is baking it always makes me think of Thanksgiving..I'm sure there's a reason and a real memory there but I just can not reach far enough back to grasp it & bring it forth.

Oliver is giving me the nudge..tis 7:45 and he's worried I might forget that his breakfast is promptly served at 8:00 so I must be going :) After breakfast we shall head out for our morning walk....me accompanied by my favorite umbrella :)

Wishing you A MeRrYe Day...♥♥Doreen

~Merry Monday~

~Greetings & Merry Monday To You.  It has been far too long since I've posted a daily greeting to you here on my blog and I miss it, so I shall get myself back into the habit of it!

 We've a beautiful sun filled morning here in Vermont filled with bird song & the aroma of peonies, mint and other wonderful, just bloomed flowers, filling the air.  I've a busy day ahead as I send beeswax orders on their way, finish up a new pattern (release coming soon)  and work on moppets for my upcoming show.  Dinner this evening ~ Grilled Ham Steaks, Potatoes grilled with onions & butter and asparagus. :)Yum! 

I'm off now to tidy the house, walk young Oliver, do a bit of planting in the vegetable garden (this weather has caused our garden planting to be sporadic this year) and then head into the studio for the day.

Wishing you a joy filled day.~

~An Artist's Life....It's An Odd One~

Good afternoon.  Tis muggy here in Vermont with a severe thunderstorm watch posted as I put together my very first potato salad of the year and put chicken breast in to marinade for grilling this evening, ALL THE WHILE, dreaming of Halloween & Christmas!! Merrye thoughts of crisp & colorful leaves blowing about, geese flying high, wood smoke wafting from chimney's, frost on the pumpkins,  snow softly falling, fires burning in the hearth, comforting smells floating from the kitchen, evergreen tree's donned with paper chains and dried fruit, candles glowing in the windows.

 Thoughts and ideas for fall and winter have been on my mind in abundance this week and my fingers have been flying, making notes and sketches to capture these exciting new ideas before they flutter out of my head....gone forever.  Now, as I flip through the pages of my sketch book, there are new pumpkin~folk and snow~folk sketches surrounded by small pictures and notes with details as to how I envision them coming to life.  I await now for just a few more supplies to arrive...special antique elements, a certain mohair, a particular wool, a favorite cotton....

It's an odd life....this life of an artist...

hmmm....perhaps it's just me :~)

Wishing you a lovely day. ♥♥

~Merry Monday To You~

Monday has dawned muggy here in Vermont with a gentle rain falling, the slightest of breezes' blowing and a chorus of birds singing.  Tis oh so lovely.  Speaking of lovely....that describes our weekend to a tee.  Saturday was spent running errands, a bit of food shopping, a trip to the garden center, a bit of stitching on the front porch, time spent weeding the flower gardens and hoeing the herb garden.  In the evening, my sweet husband and I enjoyed dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.  Sunday dawned gloriously sunny....coffee & breakfast on the front porch with my husband and son and then I was off to pick up Jenna for a few hours of wandering through small towns and happening upon some lovely yard sales to which we made a few delightful purchases.  As the day progressed our outing was cut short due to a blustery November like wind and cold rain.  We hurried home to find Mark working in the yard and Kurt off riding his dirt bike.  Once inside, we lit our candles, started a cozy fire in the hearth and began dinner.  In the evening, we all sat down, including my mom and dad, to a delicious dinner of grilled eye of round, potatoes gratin and tossed green salad.  For dessert...Texas Sheet Cake.  A lovely weekend indeed.

And now on to a Merry Monday....

......I shall open the windows to enjoy the sound of the rain fall as I spend the day working in the studio....I've moppets to stitch, beeswax to pour, packing and shipping to attend to and writing class in the afternoon.

........Dinner this evening; I shall be making a shepherds pie with the leftover beef from yesterday's dinner :)

WISHING YOU THE MERRIEST OF DAYS. ♥♥ Doreen

~As Mary Poppins says, "Well begun is half done"~

 

And so goes my days!  Many "well begun, half done" projects.  I love it...I've lots of balls in the air and where I use to feel like I needed to settle down to just one "thing"....I now embrace them all. :)

My writing is very much this way...most of it is only "well begun" but I am okay with that..it will move forward when the time is right.  I have thousands of little beginnings, short paragraphs and sentences that flutter into my head at various times of the day and I have learned to always have a pad and pencil next to me and I know to jot them down.  As scrambled as they may be some day  they will find their way together.

  Since the beginning of my writing classes we have been encouraged to "read books similar to what you wish to write"  well, nothing could make me happier than to be told to READ BOOKS however, I did struggle with taking the time out of my already full schedule to actually do this reading.  That is until recently when, while doing an assignment, I came across this quote by Stephen King "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write!"  Well..there you have it!  I needed no further instruction, I now set aside time for "the world in which I wish to write about.  It is now factored in to my writing class schedule and I LOVE it.

Currently, I am working my way through Miss Read's Thrush Green Series.  I am on book two....Winter In Thrush Green..oh how I do so love it!!!  Have you read any of  Miss Read's books?  If so, how did you find them?

I am off now for a bit of lunch; tossed salad and a slice of homemade bread fresh from the oven.  Delightful. 

Wishing you a joy filled day.

♥♥Doreen