creatively inspired

Did you notice my new header?  I have wanted to come up with an original image for my blog for a while now and thought why not pull out my watercolors and give it a go?

So I began doodling and painting and then doodling some more and this is what I came up with...

What do you think?  This is just one of the little things I've been tinkering with around here.  I have been toying with the idea of switching to wordpress but I am just not sure this old brain is ready for that.  I am having a case of the "if ain't broken then don't fix its".  We'll see...

No telling what I'll come up with next now that I am creatively inspired.

Enjoy your weekend!

xo, Patty

a chill in the air

As I sat down to have my quiet time and coffee this morning I actually had to pull out a throw blanket from the basket beside the couch.  The skies outside are quite gloomy and there is a definite chill in the air....I am loving it!  After our stretch of 90 plus degree weather this is definitely a welcome relief.

You know what else I am loving right now?  Life...

My creative brain has been on overdrive.  I have spent days holed up in my craft studio behind the sewing machine, cutting out pretty paper, ribbons and lace, putting paint down on canvas and words down on paper.  I know these spurts don't last forever so I am enjoying every moment of it. 

Now you know why I have been such a sporadic blogger lately.  Heading into my second year of retirement I finally feel like I have a direction for my life.  I have a couple things in the works that I can't share with you yet but I really feel God moving and guiding me in them.  It is amazing how He positions us just where we need to be when He wants to use us, all the while allowing us to work through life experiences and hone our talents.

I have no idea what it all means just yet (the details are His) or where I am heading but I am excited to see where it all leads.

What about you?  What's been keeping you busy lately?

xo, Patty

abundance

It has been so hard to watch and absorb the devastation that Moore Oklahoma is facing today in the wake of that massive tornado. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to come out of a cellar and see your home leveled with even the property lines and neighborly fences gone.

The thought of children being trapped in their school is especially hard to stomach.

This is not the first tragedy we have faced as a nation this year. It seems we are in a period of testing and trial with one blast coming on the heals of the last.

We live in a land of abundance, we are a country of survivors and I have no doubt we will come together as a nation to help re-build the very heartland of America but what can we as individuals a half a continent away, do to offer a tangible hand right now?

I read this post from the Pioneer Woman who is an Oklahoman, with a list of places to donate to.

And of course, we can pray.

xo, Patty

life is like a bowl of cornflakes

Just sitting here pondering life over my bowl of cereal...

Life is like a bowl of cornflakes, it starts out all crispy and full of promise and then you add milk and it begins to get a bit soggy.  Just when you start to get a little bogged down you find a hidden bite of banana to sweeten it up just enough to see through the bowl.

Here's wishing you a day full of hidden bananas!

xo, Patty

taking the indoors outside - the garden tour continued

One of the things that impressed me most last weekend on the garden tour was all the little (and not so little) indoor touches that these gardeners used outside.

The chicken coop at Boho Farm is just beautiful.  If I were inclined to lay an egg, this is where I would want to come home to roost.  It is charming, from the cute burlap bunting banner...

to this adorable screen door.  I have seen pictures of the pretty chandelier that hangs inside the coop but unfortunately the girls laying quarters were off limits to the crowds and I can understand why.  It might take a little while to get back to a laying routine after having several hundred people trample through during the day.

I love this little shelf with practical  gardening tools collected in unusual containers.

I took a couple of pictures of this rustic chandelier and am busily trying to figure out how I can duplicate it for my own patio.  Some people are just so clever!

A pair of Adirondack chairs and ottomans are on our list for this summer.  I would love my morning coffee reclining on one of these before the heat of the day rolls in, wouldn't you?  Just to relax for a minute or two and take in the view of these gardens would be heavenly.  (I wish I could give credit to this particular gardener but I took so many pictures that I am not sure what garden goes with what gardener.)

Isn't that lamp with it's striped shade adorable?  This whole corner is overflowing with charm...

And finally these metal baskets turned upside down as lampshades hanging over this metal dining room table and wire chairs...genius. 

The little touches of indoors tweaked for outside have me itching to do a bit of outdoor decorating in our backyard.  I have a whole new list of things to be on the look out for next time I hit the flea market.  Don't you love being inspired to try something just a little different?  I sure do.

The clouds have rolled in here again so I think I will take advantage of the cooler weather and go outside, pull some weeds, and do a little dreaming and planning of my own.

xo, Patty

you know your a gardener when...

You know you're a gardener when you are willing to travel over five hours in scorching heat across miles of sandy desert during record breaking temperatures just to go on a garden tour.

Crazy, I know but that is exactly what I did this weekend with my good buddy and blogging friend Elaine from Sunny Simple Life. 

When we found out that Caroline from Boho Farms home was going to be on the Arcadia Edible Garden tour in Phoenix, Arizona we knew a road trip was in order so we packed an ice chest and hit the road.

After a few hours we realized how out of our minds crazy we are...the California desert goes on...and on...and on...

And then you hit the Arizona desert and yep, you guessed it, it goes on...and on...and on...

I cannot tell you how much fun it was!  I think somewhere around mile marker 199 we got a little punchy and really started cracking ourselves up.  The desert can do that you know.

Luckily the gardens were gorgeous.  I came away so impressed and inspired.  How these gardeners achieved these lush, green gardens with such amazing character in the middle of the desert is beyond me.

Needless to say, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.  Elaine was such a fun and easy travelling companion.  We have already started planning our next road trip and while it will also include miles of sand, this time it will also include the oceanfront to go with it. 

If you haven't been on any road trips with your girlfriends in a while, I say start planning.  The destination is not nearly as important as the ride!

xo, Patty

Come back tomorrow and I will share a few pictures of the working gardens, tool keeping and patio areas...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

 

xo, Patty