I've moved...

I've moved beyond the fitful starts and into launching my dream.
It all picks up at Nyssa, Ink.  
Please visit when you can!

buntings, bibs and bears

And on a lighter, sweeter note today... 

Some of my summer days were spent sewing. Yes, I made friends with the machine again. I somehow found myself in a two week fit of producing buntings and bibs. Baby showers can inspire such frivolity.

reversible baby boy bibs

I found the (easy breezy!) pattern for the bibs here at Prudent Baby. 

And a nice little summer shot of the buntings, bibs and this charming bear displayed on my wood stove. The bear, or model's name, if you will, is Ashley. Please note that she has a friend, the kitty. A treasured gift, I've had Ashley & friend for years, like almost 20 (omg). Ashley & friend were made by artist Mary Holstad who, I found out, compliments of Google, still produces today. What I remember loving about this series of bears is that I was told that each bear has it's own kitty because the artist moved a lot as a child and was never able to have her own kitty... as an only child, who also moved a lot, that touched me.

bibs, buntings and bears

The buntings (and some outdoor lights) also added a festive touch at our camp site. Next time I'll bring at least triple. I spent a lot of time just coloring with crayons. Sigh...

Lots of great memories were made here, a homey outdoor getaway established in 1936 by a woman serving food to fishermen and hunters and apparently developed by FDR as part of the New Deal. He even stayed there himself, as legend goes. Cabin #1. I asked at the general store about pictures from the 30's, 40's and 50's... but no such luck. One waitress has been there 29 years and "knows a lot" but we were visiting in late September and the restaurant had closed for the season. I imagine the photos I would be looking for are only to be found in the albums of families who have enjoyed the retreat for the last 3 generations.

Oh, and did I mention we had no cell service in the area at all?
How dreamy.

And wow, the pelicans and cranes,
owls screeching at night,
... and farther in the background, the coyotes.

It's an amazing place. I recommend clicking that link above if your curiosity hasn't gotten to you yet.

Our dogs learned to swim.
And despite great efforts, they didn't catch a single chipmunk.

Fish were caught, and all let go, except for the one, who was filleted, cooked in foil over the camp fire with butter and onions and devoured.

A Yahtzee Champ prevailed. A trophy was given.

Thoughtful talks about life, love, loss and laughter around the campfire were savored.

The lake was fished, swimmed in, floated on and hiked around.

3 camp photos courtesy the hubster. 

Master smores skills were developed- yes, I said Master level smores skills, we challenge anyone to an official smore-off!

A great time was had by all and the happy memories will live on....

art and life, then and now

"Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads." 

quote by Erica Jong 

Original art by Richard H. Dawson. All rights reserved. 

What do you think of when you see this image? 

At this stage of my life (thankfully) I no longer believe that talent is necessitated by suffering... it is indeed possible to be wildly creative and, yes, happy. I once believed otherwise.... but I now know that suffering is the human condition; in no way reserved for just artists and misfits.

For me, there is a release in this, a freedom-- no need to fear the dark places our talent may lead us. We are headed there anyway... willingly or otherwise, such is life.

So, I will laugh. I will create. I will mourn. And I will be happy.

But, like authentic blues singers, the ones who have seen the darkest shades of blue can sing it like no other. The piece above, done by my father, reminds me of the dark places his talent led him, symbolizing for me, a chaos of the mind. Dark? Yes. And beautiful, still.

"Each day comes bearing it's gifts. Untie the ribbon."
 quoting Ruth Ann Schabacker

on hitting the road...

"the road was new to me, as roads always are, going back"      

 ... quoting Sarah Orne Jewett 

Original art by Richard H. Dawson. All rights reserved. 

on collecting...

I have several "collections"...

Small pitchers or creamers (I would share a photo but they currently reside in a cupboard- in our last, roomier home they had their own proper - albeit dusty- shelf).

Vintage ceramic and glassware, resting comfortably in a beautiful french hutch (and would make another lovely blog picture, I am sure).

Art, piles and stacks of art (to fill way more than my own home).

Vintage linens (in a heap, waiting to be laundered).

Barbies. Yes, lots of Barbies (sadly, stacked neatly in a closet). It's the little girl in me and Barbies always make me smile.

But one of my very favorite collections (all fitting nicely in one little shoebox) is the pile of hundreds of quotes that have moved or inspired (or even just made me laugh) that I've collected over the last 25 years... this collection is one that actually makes a real, measurable difference in my life. I call on those quotes-- to just get me through life on some days, and, on other days, to help me make the most of life. These quotes, becoming my own personalized book of inspiration, remind me of the beautiful and amazing fact that I have the ability to control my mind and focus my thoughts in the direction of my own choosing.

Original art by Richard H. Dawson. All rights reserved.

.... quoting Geothe--- "Nothing is worth more than this day". 

and according to Ralph Waldo Emerson--- 

"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind". 

Simple as that. 

his legacy, my honor...

When someone you love so enormously leaves you suddenly and unexpectedly, it is a complete shock to the system. No time for those last goodbyes, to say the things you would have wanted to say, to ask the questions you wanted to ask.... and for me, the result was that everything he left behind became incredibly precious to me.

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder- as they say, and as such, I've never felt as though I was able to see his art with an objective eye. To me it is amazing, powerful and beautiful. After all, it is my father's legacy. And now, today, experiencing others experiencing his art is so powerful and truly just blows me away...

Original art by Richard H. Dawson. All rights reserved. 

I imagine this little painting is based upon his travels in France, Italy and Switzerland... it reminds me of a painting called "vision of Toledo" that he sent me for my 30th birthday, just a couple of years before he died. I am grateful and honored to be the caretaker of his legacy... and I take great refuge and solace in the images he left behind.

little boy blue

Original art by Richard H. Dawson, all rights reserved. 

I'll admit it, some days I can really relate to this little boy.

But that's part of the beauty of life... without suffering, how would we measure joy?

In the moments when I feel lost, unsure or scared, as I reach for solace, I always find joy.

her inspiration

Original art by Richard H. Dawson. All rights reserved. 

This image is the complete view of my current profile picture, a mixed media done by my father, Richard H. Dawson (1948-2001), titled "her inspiration", one of literally hundreds of works of art that came to be mine upon his passing. I adore this painting and in sadder times, her image has brought me much comfort. The simplicity, use of color, graphic boldness, the sadness in her eyes and background text all draw me in...

One great thing about being 41 now is that I have those fantastic 70's shots in my collection... and this is one of only 2 photographs I have of my father and I while I was a child. The only other photo I have with my father was taken when I was 12 or 13. The photo shown here was taken in Eugene, Oregon, likely in about '72 or '73. The home, on 13th street, near the University of Oregon campus has long since been torn down. As my only memory of a childhood visit with my father, what always sticks out in my mind is that he seemed SO tall to me, and as basically a stranger to him, I was indeed both excited to spend some time with him but also a bit scared. So, imagine then how that little girl felt when she walked into the house and the original version of Frankenstein was playing on TV! And throw in the fact that he had Great Dane at the time!! See, that's the thing about my dad though: he always made a big impression on all who came in contact with him and it certainly was no different for me. As a pre-teen I began the slow process of getting to know him and over the years we became very close. He always told me, as a young woman, that I was "his greatest masterpiece" yet he was also always careful to never take credit for how I turned out, acknowledging he hadn't been the father I needed. We loved each other very much and losing him is still, nine years later, a shock to my system.

On a lighter note... this blog was inspired in part by an apple a day, one of my very favorite blogs. The day I found her blog a good couple hours suddenly disappeared while reading her archives and I always eagerly anticipate her future posts. For one, she loves old things at least as much as I do. She shares about her family, their country home, treasure hunting, her creative work. There is a simple, sensitive and somehow raw sensibility to her photography and writing style...

before & after

From average run-of-the-mill framed corkboard to beautiful, stylish,

one-of-a-kind custom idea board!

The picture doesn't do it much justice however.

I needed a start-to-finish afternoon project to get lost in for awhile... but I wanted the sense of accomplishment that comes from fully completing a project in a short spell. I didn't need a mess on my hands for days on end, right? So, after hmmming and hawing for the last few weeks about how to treat this corkboard I just decided to act.

I painted the frame a white wash (using acryclic paint from my art supplies) and used samples from a wallpaper book that I patchworked to create sections and texture using photo mount. I was determined to keep it super simple and didn't even trim one piece of the scrap wallpaper. I just layered where I needed to.

I added the vintage ribbon frame along the inside of the wood frame and finished the corners with upholstery tacks. The teal blue ribbon detail is velvet, edged with a tiny white lace. The lace doily was a gift from a dear friend, pinned to the board with a sewing pin.

Oh, and I must include thanks to my studio assistant, Bailey.

I love creating something entirely new and wonderful using only what I have on hand. Free is a very good price. Now I just need to put some ideas on the board!

from tired to inspired

Let's be honest, some weeks are more interesting than others. This past week, frankly, left me tired and uninspired. I choose to blame the stretch of insomnia I've been struggling with, but I know that some weeks are just like that. Tired and uninspired.

What always inspires me and lifts my spirits though is collecting vintage treasures and I have been searching high and low in thrift and antique stores for charming vintage jars to serve as spice jars. I stumbled upon this set of 15 pre-war jars quite some time ago and love love love them. I had no idea then how difficult it is to find vintage jars with their original lids so I am ever more grateful that I bought each and every one. Problem is, I need about 15 more in varying sizes to fill this fantastic antique shelf that *will* be morphed from super cluttered yet functional spice shelf to super cute and functional spice shelf. The shelf sits in our dining room just around the corner from the stove so "super cute" would be super cool.

The question remains... do I spray paint the lids to create a cleaner, more uniform look or do I leave the rusty lids in original condition? I figure at this point, safety isn't a concern- I mean what is unhealthier flaking off into your herbs and spices- rust or spray paint??? Seems like a toss-up to me. So, stay tuned: one happy and very inspired day we'll revisit the spice shelf with the complete "before and after" makeover. In the meantime, the search continues for more vintage glass jars. Until then, super cluttered yet functional will have to suffice.

late bloomer

I am a late bloomer... to the land of blogging, and admittedly in some aspects of my life. I read my first blog, oh, maybe a bit more than a year ago. I married at the age of 38. But here I am now! Blogging. Married. And I'm happy to be here. The truth is, I am just not a "computer person" but I found myself so inspired by the first blog I read (thank you Amy at angry chicken) that I began seeking out other blogs... one blog lead me to another and then another. Whether I am able to inspire someone else over time remains to be seen... but I feel confident that blogging will, at the very least, inspire me. I intend to share bits and pieces of my life here... my love of Astoria, thrifting, antique and vintage treasures, taking pictures, art, sewing, cooking... It is my hope that someday someone will stumble accidentally upon my blog and find something that makes them smile, or think, or do-- as the bloggers I follow have done for me.