Imagining Easter...

What better way to find some spring inspiration than to pop into my favorite local nursery Nature's Harvest for some fabulous Easter ideas. Enjoy!

They had a bonnet theme throughout that was absolutely delightful!


Here is my own Easter table last year.

....and out!

A little bit of spring started to pop outside. Hurray for crocuses!

A lovely Baltimore Oriole nest.

Looking for spring....inside

It's wintery white outside today after a snowstorm last night (sigh). So we headed to the local garden store for their spring fling. Did you hear that mom and dad? You probably don't want to come home from sunny San Diego quite yet!:) We were temporarily soothed by the wonderfully bright flowers and fluffy baby animals. A little winter therapy.



Just a few days ago we did find the slightest bits of spring, like this bright green moss.
And some muskrat houses on the lake.

Patience....

Jumping in....

Hope and I are journal buddies and she told me about this book Style Statement. It seemed like a really fun exercise to go through a bunch of questions and come up with two words that integrate various aspects of your being into an effective balance. I was ready to jump right in!

"Your style statement defines your authentic self. It is a compass for making more powerful choices, a guide for designing a life that reflects your whole being. An anchor, a symbol, a mantra. A declaration, and affirmation, a reminder.

You, fully expressed."

I am working through all the questions in a notebook and then working with images and just a few words to summarize in my art journal. Here are the first two sections (of eight!!) that I have completed.

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Discover...

~Happy April~Thanks for all the sweet comments and suggestions. My new little nephew now has a name...Hans. Such a cutie! I found out about this neat book Style Statement from my journal buddy, Hope. It finally arrived a few days ago and I've really been having fun with it! There are many questions to answer about different areas of your life and then they are compiled into a two word style statement. I'm working in a notebook on my answers then I've begun to work with it in a visual way in my art journal. After I do my weekly check-in with Hope tomorrow, I'll post my pages.
Also looking forward to looking through Somerset Art Journaling issue #1, guaranteed to inspire. While I was looking through the bargain area in the book store I came across this fun interactive Beatrix Potter Journal for just a few dollars. Neat style and content. I always thought it would be fun to publish one of my own journals in such a way.

Welcome little one...

My sister welcomed their third child, a little boy, into the world last night. I couldn't be more thrilled to be an auntie again! I made this welcome banner that my parents brought with to put up when she comes home with the baby. No name yet. Anyone know a good Scandinavian name that goes well with Annika and Lars?

What's your style?

Happy Friday! Happy Birthday Joe! Yes, you've seen this cover before and the first few pages below. A year ago, to be exact. I began this new art journal in earnest Jan. 2008 and stopped just as quickly after completing only a few pages.
I've peeked at it here and there knowing that it meant something to me. I enjoyed the colors and the style, but just couldn't put my finger on where to go with it.
Then this friend came along and inspired me to take a look at it once again. We decided to become art journal buddies and encourage one another with questions and prompts and weekly check-ins. I am very excited! This week I worked the pages below and decided that I wanted to take a closer look at my aesthetic. Really examine what I like and dig deep and ask why?
I'll also be looking at this book and this concept of Rebecca Purcell's upcoming book. If you click on the cover, there is a fairly lengthy look at this term Modern Nostalgia. Very interesting stuff!
I began my exploration of the aesthetic of sweet and what it means to me and why I'm so attracted to it. I've listened to some facinating interviews with Dylan Lauren, the owner and founder of Dylan's Candy Bar about how she got started and "why candy?"

I started exploring what this love of childhood exploration and inquisitveness means to me in fueling the imagination and invention.

Generally began the exploration of my "happy places" and where that all fits in.

Fun stuff! Can't wait to see where this leads.

Have a great weekend! I'm looking forward to cake and a simple birthday celebration with my kids tonight for my hubby.

Ode to the egg....

It's a rainy day here in Minnesota, reminding me that with the spring rain comes flowers and new life in the coming weeks and months. Nothing is more symbolic of new life to me than an egg. I love the egg form and all the images that come to mind. I bought some large paper mache eggs at JoAnn fabrics last spring on clearance. I have been wanting to paint, glitter and embelish them ever since. With a weekend of craft binging I was able to alter the eggs you see here. Then I had a blast doing a little photo shoot with them. These make me smile. Enjoy!

Handmade heaven...

I found an amazing assortment of linens, doilies and other handmade treasures at an estate sale today. I think my favorite are the natural colored linen doilies above. Gorgeous!

I could not get over all the beautiful handsewn embroidery on these pieces! I am so drawn to the beautiful patterns and edging on all them. So much detail. I cannot even fathom the time put into these beautiful linens. I could not resist!

Then some fun vintage kitchen towels to top it all off!

Hope you're having a great weekend!