Posts from — December 2011

Oh it’s such a special day!  Today we celebrate our accomplishments achieved in 2011 and think about our new goals, dreams, and aspirations for 2012.  I’m looking forward to lots of changes that will be happening in 2012 (more to come on that note!).  However, I wasn’t always so upbeat about a new year coming mostly because I focused on all that I didn’t do.  I would get really down and set myself up for failure in the year to come.  So about 5 or 6 years ago I decided that this had to change.  How was I going to better work at fulfilling my ambitions and arriving at my desired destination?  I’m not sure where I heard it first, but somewhere someone said if you want to do something, write it down and review it throughout the year.  And so I did.  I personally like to use pretty notebooks to jot down goals, ideas, thoughts, whatever I like.  Then I keep the notebook handy and review it over and over again.  You’ll be surprised how often this works.  So I encourage you, grab a pen and paper and start writing!

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year!  See you on the other side!

Images:  House of Many Hues

Good morning friends!  I am feeling a bit sore today as I’ve been taking the girls sledding for the past few days (in the little snow we have in our yard).  I guess all the pulling, pushing, and tumbling has finally caught up to me!

I’m thinking I need to invest in a pair of snow pants for myself – at least that’s what my cold legs and wet pants have said.  When I mentioned this to my husband, he started laughing almost immediately.  Hey – why is that funny?  Me in snow pants?  I don’t get it.

Anyway, I spent sometime catching up on a few sites I enjoy and happen to realize that I never shared with you the work of Danielle Thompson (see website here).  How have I not mentioned Danielle before?  She is a woman of with many hats and is simply amazing.  She’s a photographer, a graphic artist, a blogger, and runs an etsy shop.  Her one line bio reads, “A girl and the pursuit of all things cute, kitschy and crafty“.

What’s really cool about Danielle is her passion for everything vintage and retro (you will immediately notice this on her site).  She even carries this into the decor of her home.  Check it out…

I am seriously considering getting a smaller version of this Christmas tree!  I love how the colors from the ornaments just pop against the white.

Images:  Danielle Thompson

Images:

Oh my the holidays are almost here and I happen to find a fabulous gift – for our home!  I stopped at one of my favorite 2nd hand stores and by complete chance was captivated by a watercolor painting sitting on top of a huge pile of framed art.  Could it be an original?  I’ve almost been fooled before with watercolor replicas – but not this time.  Not only was this an original watercolor, but it so happen to have information on the back of the frame.

It was sold by the fine arts Birmingham Gallery by John McKinney in Michigan.  According to the handwritten portion, the artist was from Denmark and her name was Ulla Grau.  I was curious as to how old the piece was – my guess put it at either the 50’s or 60’s.  I wanted to know more but wasn’t sure if the art gallery was still around so I did a little research and got more than I was expecting.  The art gallery opened in 1968 and shut down in 1977 after owner John McKinney was violently murdered (case still remains unsolved – for news clippings see here).  As for information on the artist herself, I could find nothing which makes the art that much more mystifying!  The purchase price for this art with original frame – $7.99.

The colors are more vibrant than the picture shows – but it is a watercolor that is aging.  I hung it where there is no direct sunlight and hope it lasts!

Images:  House of Many Hues