not much time left!

time is flying by and soon it will be summer...

photo courtesy of AitR instructor Kecia Deveney

don't miss out on a very unique experience of funky art & friendship

ART in the ROUGH - Mixed Media Art Retreat for Women

JULY 29 - AUG 1, 2011

photo courtesy of AitR instructor Kecia Deveney

we will explore new techniques, celebrate simple pleasures &

create beautiful art...

all in beautiful Maine.

Read beautiful blog posts from attendees of last year's event
ART IS YOU
LEMONCHOLY'S POST 1 and POST 2

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FOR MORE INFO

WORKSHOPS

INFO/EVENTS

SCHEDULE

REGISTRATION

in addition to creating great art, we are going to celebrate
our love of junking & antiques!

the barn will be chock-full of goodies for shopping and

on Saturday night there is a good old fashioned country auction!

there are very few spots left so REGISTER soon
we hope to see you at the festivities!

Happy Easter

 For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born.
~Alice Freeman Palmer

Wishing you & yours a joyous Easter weekend!

mushrooms!

wanted to share a pic of a new little adventure...
growing our own mushrooms!

for my bday I was given a super simple kit to give it a try
if all goes well, we intend on expanding our mushroom growing to other varieties as well
have you recently tried something new?

on a roll

I have been obsessed with upcycling papertowel and toiletpaper rolls for a couple years now...
it all started with a little post on one of my fave blogs mayamade - check it out here

ever since I have made all sorts of artsy goodies with them but this spring I decided to explore another idea I've seen floating around - as seedling pots!

so simple to do:
you can get 2 pots from a TP roll and approx 4 pots from a paper towel roll...if you start quite a bit of seedlings you will need alot of rolls but enlist your friends & family to save them for you!  It feels good to recycle and everyone gets a kick out of handing us our rolls when we see them.

1.  Cut your rolls with a hefty pair of scissors.  This does not need to be perfect but if you want every roll to be exactly the same size then you could always measure & mark before cutting.

2.  Once they are cut down to size, make 4 evenly spaced slits on one end.  The slits need to be approx the same length around 1-1.5" but again no need to be perfect.

3.  Fold each slitted piece down and ensure it will be a good solid bottom.

4.  Once happy with the fold, make a box bottom and then take a small piece of masking tape to secure.  I have seen these done without tape with just a overlapping box bottom but it was too fussy for me.

5.  Make a BUNCH - perfect for unwinding at night in front of the tv.

6.  Once all your seedling pots are gathered, place in a seedling tray and pot them up w/ your fave seedling mix.   Water from below by pouring room-temp water into your seedling tray.  The pots wick up the water perfectly.  Germinate & grow your seeds according to their needs.

7.  Watch grow, tend to them & enjoy!

Make It Happen

it was recently my birthday and I received a wonderful sentiment that was beautiful and inspiring.  so much so that it has inspired a painting that I have just begun
perhaps it will bring meaning to you as well and I wanted to share...

You are the author of your own life.
It's up to you to dream it,
imagine it, sketch it, shape it,
build it, go after it,
and make it happen.

And then color it in

with bright, shining

shades of joy

and deep, lasting

shades of meaning

that are yours

and yours alone.

No one else may know

the dreams you dream

or the strengths

you have within you

that will help you make

your dreams come true.

No one else needs to.

Because they are yours.

we are all fools here in Maine

April Fools that is...

just when the piles had melted, the grass was greening, the spring bulbs were sprouting, the days were becoming mild...mother nature had a little trick up her sleeve