New artwork

Hotel Majestic 30 x 30 mixed media

It dawned on me the other day that I have not posted any artwork in a long time. I have spent as much time in my studio as I can without being a neglectful parent and completely sleep deprived so I have quite a lot of work but I will only show a selection at the moment.

Truth be told, every time I take a photo of a painting I want to cry because my camera darkens things beyond belief and editing can only do so much. Only the sunniest days allow me a decent photo and that just won't do. I just ordered a new Nikon DSLR and a lighting kit so I can manage better photos.

Komorebi 30x30 oil on cnavas

Smolder 48 x 60 oil on canvas

99 miles an hour 48 x 48 oil on canvas

The only bee in your bonnet 24 x 30 oil on canvas

Choux-choux 30 x 40 oil on canvas

I have lots of forthcoming news about my work to share in the coming weeks, so stop back soon.

Room of the week

As much as I find the mod, funky, boho mix exhilarating, I find the traditional, symmetrical, predictable supremely comforting. Oh and that chic clutter is heavenly...as long as someone else does the dusting.

Witty willow

Sea monster plate

An old friend posted a link to the Kickstarter video for this product on FB last week and I was intrigued.

You can read about the entire process this illustrator uses for creating Calamityware here. The artist uses the traditional "Blue Willow" pattern and adds an element to create the "calamity". Look closely at the hilarious detail of these plates.

Scary flying monkeys

Giant robot

So far there are just three plates in production but the announcement of the fourth design was made public on Friday.

These cheeky things are just my kind of thing. I wonder how long it would take guests to notice the impending doom on their plates?

What is interior design?

OK, I am going to stick my neck out here with my opinion. I have two photos of living rooms. The first is a room that most people I know (in person not blogland) would call a beautifully designed room. At the risk of sounding elitist, I think it sucks. It has a little matchy, a little trendy, its all shiny and new and seems devoid of personality to me.

The next photo is something that I feel is a more inviting, "real" room. 

Home of Kate and Andy Spade

Not everyone can be Kate and Andy Spade and have architecture like this and a top-notch art collection but they can layer books and interesting furniture. It is so much more inviting to see mismatched lamps and objects that actually have a story to the homeowner beyond the trip to Homegoods.

What do you think? Am I a snob? Out of line?

Decisions, decisions

Do you ever stop yourself from buying something you love thinking that its use is too limited?

I almost did that last Spring while redoing my daughter's room.

painting/chair/planter/pillow /pouf/desk

I walked away from this fab mirror that was a mere $50. All I could think was, "I don't need a mirror" and "What if she hates it? Then I am stuck."

Silly me. I saw that mirror in vignettes on Pinterest and it reminded me that I won't necessarily always be in this house and they are growing up and leaving so I will other places to use the mirror when circumstances change. Luckily, my short-sightedness did not hurt. The mirror was still at the store a few days later.

I put together this board to see how I might use it in an entryway or little office nook. Can we just talk about that pouf? It was love at first sight. I was thinking I should just buy it or two then I saw the price. Yikes!

Have you ever walked away from a purchase that you are kicking yourself over?

Room of the week

I had to. I am sorry, its just that when I scroll through Pinterest my eyes glaze over from the familiarity. Boring, boring, boring!

When I saw this image, that is admittedly not an entire room, it both delighted and repulsed me.

I'd say this decorator is in the "go big or go home" camp.

Big and bigger

I have mattresses on my mind lately. I am wishing I had a more comfortable one on my king size bed and I am shopping for one for my son's first apartment. Did I mention I have to put it in my car next week for the four hour drive to school?

I double checked the twin length and we are a go for shoving it in my minivan but it got me thinking about the Wyoming and Alaska King beds.

Where do you get such a thing? Sheets? Won't most staircases be a problem? Um, doorways too?

I recall master bedrooms during our house search that were too cramped for our regular King size and it really made me wonder how a 9 foot by 9 foot bed would work in a space. Photos were hard to come by.

I found this photo that made me laugh. The decor was funny but isn't there some reality show about my three wives? Maybe that is why they were invented.

Is it bed overkill?

Room of the week

Great rug, great mantelpiece, warm wood table, ecclesiastical art and....

a trash receptacle mounted on the wall?

What would Mary say?

Someone please tell me that it is something else and my eyes are lying.

I wish I could see more of the space, mostly so I could understand the choice of chairs.

Design delight

Several weeks ago I was aimlessly scrolling through Facebook and saw the link to Traci Zeller's blog post on a dining room that she recently completed. Imagine my surprise and delight to see a painting that was commissioned directly by her client last year.

The client used Traci's Double Day Design service that is more personal than e-design and more affordable than full service design. I had no idea my artwork would end up in such a delightful room.

See the whole room HERE

Traci Zeller Design  Dustin Peck Photography

I'm baaaaaack

Actual key cubbies at our hotel

I am home.

Finally, after a crazy week of shipping my oldest daughter off to Maine and heading to a beach a bit farther away than our usual. 

We had a blast. It was a throwback in many ways. First it was the place I vacationed as a child and visited with my older children.

We stayed in a modern, expensive and less than clean hotel the first two nights and upon deciding to stay a third went for the retro place that was equally dirty but more interesting. I am kind of a germaphobe so my standards are pretty high but this place had actual keys to the rooms and fantastic features.

Art Nouveau paintings in our hotel

 The hotel had Art Nouveau paintings and chandeliers. The whole place evoked a bona fide 1920's feel and that's because it is actually that old. I have a very dim memory of a luncheon in the restaurant as a child.

 

Fairy atop old ticket booth

 We took my little one to the rides. Many of them are more than 100 years old. She enjoyed the same things that my older kids and I did a kid. It was a wonderful vicarious experience. 

The whole town was very familiar but changed, in that I-haven't-been-here-in-15-years kind of way.

The "Fairy Whip" enjoyed by 3 generations of my family

I truly thought I could have a "workation" and write a few blog posts. Silly me. I am back in the saddle with a bunch of projects just launching that I can't wait to share.