pretty birds....

For many, summer is winding down. We don't start school here until after Labor Day so there are a few weeks left. Still have a trip to the sailboat and our state fair in store. Our weather has been very typical of late-August in Minnesota, hot and sunny! I've been hitting some estate sales when I have a chance and found these beauties.Love this handpainted cookie jar pair. This gorgeous typewriter is almost a hundred years old! A fun start to my autumn decor.Along with this pretty bird. Love that it's an original. Hope you're enjoying your late-August days, whatever you're up to!

nothing says...

end of summer like sunflowers and zinnias. My favorites!

Have a wonderful weekend!

nature play...

We were back at the arboretum today. I've been there several times this summer, but this time we found a truly magical place tucked in back of the learning center. It was a natural play area under a very old, absolutely breathtaking oak tree.The little "toad abode" and shelters and homes made from vines and tree trunks were so creative and wonderful.


Next to this beautiful playground was a children's garden with some of the tallest sunflowers I had ever seen.What an amazing place to nuture little minds, under the canopy of a giant beauty.

five senses friday: rainbow edition

My five senses friday speaks for itself today. Fresh, local produce=feast for the senses!

All of this was bought at our famer's market and grown locally. It has since been made into raspberry freezer jam, refrigerator pickles, tomato sauce, salsa and apple crisp.

I'm currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and am so inspired!!

thanks....

...for all the interest in this years Best Halloween Ever blog and sweet and sinister swap! It's really going to be fun with an amazing line-up of guest designers. All the details are HERE. If you've signed up, you should have received the invite to join the blog in your email. Partners will be assigned shortly for the early birds. Still taking registration until Sept. 1st. I know it's very early to be thinking about Halloween, but I'm kind of always looking for fun vintage Halloween goodies year-round. At a garage sale today I came across this little box of gems. Spun cotton picks from the 1940's, I think. Couldn't pass up these faces. I think my Halloween mojo is in full swing!
This guy is probably my favorite. He's got a little bit of sweet and a whole lot of sinister. hehe. Although the crabby witch and the trying-to-be-scary skeleton also put a smile on my face. Not sure what I'm going to do with them, but these alone could really be a big part of making this Halloween the best ever!

It's here!

I am thrilled to announce that the Sweet and Sinister swap is back! It's a little bit different this year, so here's the scoop.

What is it?

It's TWO things, a private blog and a swap.

The blog is called ArtsyMama's Best Halloween Ever and it will be filled with frequent posts with projects and tutorials from myself and some of my favorite artists to make this the best Halloween season ever. Over a dozen artists are coming up with projects just for the blog! I will have giveaways, inspiration and tons of other fun. For those of you that aren't as into Halloween, but really enjoy autumn, I will be sure and include lots of inspiration and ideas for embracing this wonderful season as well.

What projects will we be working on?
* An ongoing art/inspiration journal
* Home decor and craft projects
*Swap inspiration and project ideas

*Photography and scrapbook inspiration

The guest designers for the blog include:

Kerry Lynn Yeary

Heather Rowley

Julie Thompson

Heidi Wallingford

Hope Wallace

Holly Hanks

Crystal Hanehan

Cassondra Walters

Michelle Geller

Catherine Thursby

Candice Carpenter

Kris Hurst

Laurie

Linda Crispell

Karin

and more....

Tell me more about the swap...

For those that are familiar with my annual swap, the sweet and sinister theme is all about vintage style black and white. You and your partner can exchange information about what style you prefer. Swap items can be Halloween oriented, but they don't need to be. However, almost everything should be black or white or both (can be any shade of white/cream/antique white, etc.) A splash of orange in there is ok. If you need inspiration, be sure and check out the swap flickr groups here and here.

The swap will require sending to your partner:

something sweet,

something sinister,

a handmade item,

something thrifted

and a home decor item.

The mail out date for the swap is October 10th!

When does it start?

I will begin parterning people up immediately and will do so until the swap reaches 100 participants, or Sept. 1st. You will gain access to the blog right away and we will begin to get to know one another and be inspired. The tutorials officially begin September 1st.

How does it work?

You can participate in BOTH the blog and the swap HERE.

If you are signing up for the swap, please leave your name, address, contact info., blog or flickr url and mailing preference (are you willing to ship internationally) in the notes when you check out. Also, leave the email address that you want the swap invite sent to if that is different than your paypal email.

If you would just like the blog only, please go HERE to sign up.

Finally, be sure and grab a button from the wonderful Hope Wallace of Paper Relics to post on your blog. I think that's it! Let me know if you have any questions. Let the fun begin!!

p.s. I just listed some handmade blank journals that will be the same as I what I use for my examples on the blog for our inspiration book. They are here!

every last drop....

We're been out and about a lot lately. I have a mental end-of-summer list for August to take in every last drop. School here doesn't start until after labor day, so that leaves the whole month to soak in the sun and enjoy this fleeting time of year. Today was my day for a solo stroll through the stunning beauty at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It inspired and renewed me and made me realize how much joy I get out of photographing nature. Pure bliss!

Ode to the dahila....my favorite flower!!
I spy a little spider.


Even the crabapples looked pretty against the summer blue sky.
Summer, I bow my head to you!