this IS heaven!

I just checked out my friend Beth Logan's blog...."almost heaven".  We were having a long, catch-up chat today and started talking about lilacs and how much we love them....can't imagine spring without them...simply can't live without them! My earliest flower memories are from my grandmothers garden, where each May we would pick bouquets of every shade for her to enjoy.  Along with these gorgeous blooms, I just love tiny blue forget me nots that pop up every year.  I'm often reminded of the William Blake quote....to see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower.  I've been so busy with work and getting my house ready to put on the market lately...I finally took a few minutes to just stop and breathe in these beautiful flowers.  hope you enjoy looking....

Winter Blossoms!

Here it is the beginning of February!  Where did January go???  We had the warmest January on record in Seattle (since they started keeping records way back in 1891)!  Every January I look forward to buying primroses.  I always spend forever and a day searching for the most unique colors, although I end up with basically the same ones every year.  I love, love, love the brilliant colors and sweet scents in the midst of dreary, gray winter.  Even though spring won't technically be here for a few more months, these sweet little blossoms make it feel like spring. 

Haiti Earthquake Relief

Like everyone, I've been helplessly watching the horrors unfold on the news.  And like most everyone, my funds are pretty limited these days.  I thought and thought of what I could do, and found that eBay has a wonderful program called "Giving Works", where you can donate from 10-100% of your final sales price to any charity organization.  I have lots of sample products so I decided to list some to benefit the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. Currently, I have 2 of my digital scrapbook collections listed and plan to add more products in the next few days.  thanks for reading....

A dream come true!

My most favorite artist in the whole world is Marjolein Bastin from Holland. I'm so inspired beyond words at her beautiful art of nature.  I've collected her cards, calendars and giftware for years.  On January 8th I finally got the chance to meet her in the Lang Showroom in Atlanta, where she signed her calendar for me.  She is such a gracious, lovely person! Marjolein has a fantastic new collection called "Nature's Journey" with Demdaco and was signing canvas prints in their showroom.  Thank you dear Marjolein.

AmericasMart - Atlanta

I just returned from the Atlanta Gift Show, where I had the opportunity to meet so many artists whose work I've admired for years, including Susan Winget and Tim Coffey. My agent and good friend, Alicia Dauber and I had meetings with great manufacturers, current companies that license my work and new ones too.  Seeing my products in the showrooms was such fun!

One of the highlights of the show was the Lang Artist Meet and Greet.

They are such a wonderful company to work with and I am so excited to be part of the Lang family of artists!

Inspired New Year's Eve

I celebrated New Year’s Eve at a wonderful Michael Tomlinson concert on Bainbridge Island. I  recently rediscovered his music and had spent the last few weeks helping Michael promote his concert locally. It was a small crowd and everyone enjoyed a warm evening filled with song, laughter and friendship. Michael’s beautiful melodies are interwoven with soulful, inspiring lyrics of nature, friendship, love and life.  If you’d like to learn more or would like to take a listen to his music, check out his website.

2010 Calendars

Here are three calendars that I designed for Time Factory Publishing last year.  "Bless This Garden" features beautiful floral paintings with inspirational quotations, "Garden Fresh Herbs" has interesting facts with favorite herbs, "Fruits of the Seasons" is filled with colorful watercolors of fresh fruit.  Time Factory Publishing is a wonderful company, committed to the environment and powered by their own wind turbine.

New Year, New Decade

Well, I've done it...I've started my blog, finally!  It's been in my things to do list for a very long time and I thought what better time to start than the new year.  One resolution to cross off my list.  I'm much better with a paint brush than with words, so this is going to be work in progress as I find my way.  I hope to share bits of my art, photos that I take along the way and things that inspire me.  So, Happy 2010 to everyone and thanks for reading!