Nature Break in my Backyard

It is a GLORIOUS overcast and cool morning today...decided to take coffee & tablet to back yard and plan my day.  However, was distracted by a hummingbird bathing in the droplets of water on the leaves of one of my rosebushes.

Which led me to grab my camera.

Although, I was unsuccessful at capturing the hummingbird in a photo, I wandered the yard shooting pics of other things.

May you enjoy a slice of my world...

Strawberry in my bicycle basket.

Fairy size flowers from a blooming succulent.

Gorgeous pink trumpet flowers.

Love this iron bicycle.

This Fat little male sparrow and his mate nest in my attic each year.

He is valiantly trying to get her attention all day long until he succeeds and they raise another batch of chicks.  I think they raise at least 4 groups of chicks, one after another until fall.

The moisture on everything intensifies the colors.

Another dreamy succulent in bloom.

Sweet trumpet flowers again.

Water droplets are dreamy to me...

The contrasting colors of the tomatoes got me to take this picture.

After 9 years of living here, this volunteer grape vine that grows and dies each year is yielding it's first cluster of grapes.  Rancho Cucamonga was once nothing but vineyards until they destroyed it all to build houses.  Probably an old vine from way back.

Pretty Petunia...

The graduating color on the Fern is lovely.

Sweet alyssium pops up here and there every year.

Off to the studio...may you all have a lovely Tuesday!

xo,

Lisa

Parasol Break!

Yesterday I spent all day with Rita Reade of Mammabellarte creating a long awaited crown for a class we are teaching together.  It was  LONG day and Rita spent several hours finishing it at her Studio today with components we were out of yesterday here in my studio.

Click my Classes tab at the top of my blog for more info.

Today, Emily and I decided we had to make this lantern idea that was emailed to me through Etsy yesterday....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck69TvG3xnQ&feature=youtu.be

It took almost 2 hours and we chose a large 20 inch lantern.

We just love it.  It is whimsical, light and colorful.

All of the things our Home does not lack.

Color and art are everywhere!

I found the Etsy Video to be a little over simplified.

For example.  The vid shows the last step to be trimming the hold where the light goes in.

Actually, trim that after you glue the first row at the top.

I placed my hand on the interior of the lantern and pushed the 

hot glued tip through the paper. I felt this holds it to the lantern better.

I also used a little more hot glue than it calls for, putting some on all of the splines 

at the center underside nib.

The lanterns are available at Pier One and Ikea.  

They are cheaper at Ikea, but are on sale for 20% off at Pier One.

I purchased three 24 packs of 6 inch paper parasols at Party City.

At the end of the project 13 were left over...but you might use less if you choose

a smaller lantern.

For me the project was about $16 since I had the light kit already.

Fun project to do with your daughter this summer.

Put it under a Gazebo in the garden for summer outdoor evenings or hang it in your studio or daughter's room.  Ours is above the dining table...for now!

Would make a darling grouping too with other lanterns.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Oh, I feel like a terrible blogger.  It has been WEEKS since I last posted.

The past several weeks, I have been working like a Mad Woman.

(madder than usual)

The Gift show is two weeks away and I am frantically pulling

it together.

This is undoubtedly the largest undertaking I have done and of course I want it to be PERFECT

and be totally prepared...hence my absence in Bloglandia.

Spending Most waking hours in my Studios.

I did however, manage to work on my Dream Board....remember from a few posts back?

It was fun cutting words out and seeing where they took me.

Most of the Dream Boards I have seen have pictures, sentences or words.

Things that inspire.

I am eternally inspired by the written word...in lyrics as well as literature.

But I decided to create clouds out of my words and phrases...

a visual reminder that these should be my thoughts...

Positive, uplifting, goal oriented...affirmations more like it.

Thought Clouds.

The thought clouds are only tacked on.

I can move them, make more or whatever.

Happy that I unblocked myself in doing this and gearing up for The Gift Show.

Hope to post again before the show, but please forgive me if I don't.

Much Love to you all and hope you are having a pleasant summer and surviving the HEAT!

XO,

Lisa

Painting the Roses Red

Saturday was spent pushing paint around.

I thought of this while creating an Alice in Wonderland Mural for a good client of mine.

In essence, we painters are pushing paint around to create a picture of some sort.

I thought is was a funny way to look at it.

This is the 3rd mural for this client, her and hubby's third child.

I ADORE Alice in Wonderland, so this was really fun.

I also painted a Cinderella over 2 dogs in an old mural as well as clouds on the new nursery's ceiling.

In total, I was at the client's house for 12.5 hours Saturday, 11 of them painting....LONG DAY.

But I wasn't really tired, I was in the Zone yesterday.

I somehow, forgot to take pics of the clouds I airbrushed onto the ceiling...oops.

Very pretty colors.

Not sure if you can see it, but I start by sketching the entire mural on in chalk.

The White Rabbit.

One of the Queen of Hearts Guards.

Can't you just hear the Cheshire Cat taunting the white rabbit?

Cheshire cat makes me laugh!

Kuddos to Dad who suggested the lettering for the signs...cute idea!

Loving The White Rabbit!

I am such a crackhead, I know every song and line in this movie (4 kids and lots of Disney movies)

So as I am painting, I am singing in my head and reciting lines from the cartoon.

Notice the cake...big brother and sister got a "hand" in the mural as well!

 

This character was done in honor of big brother!

Lastly, I painted over the dogs from a previous mural.

These were the family dogs, not to scale, they were about 160 lbs each...ENORMOUS.

One had passed  away and the 2nd dog attacked and nearly killed the daughter at 18months old.

Her scars are visible, but not as bad as I had thought they would be.

As Mom told me the story I wanted to cry for her.  I can't imagine the terror of your child's face being in the mouth of a 160 lb dog.

I was happy to paint Cinderella instead.

Aren't these the CUTEST kids EVER?

I painted all three of this Family's Kids rooms.

Of all of the murals over the years that I have done, nothing is more gratifying to me

that to paint a child's room, see the light in their eyes and the magic as the painting comes to life.

There is nothing in the world like the spirit and the soul of a child.

It was a long but very gratifying day indeed.

Thanks Kari!

XO

Vintage Flair

A good customer of mine, Lucy Burks,

who I have also become to call a friend has a darling little shop in Riverside.

Vintage Flair

The shop is located off Magnolia/Market in a little hub of Thrift & Vintage stores.

The shop is a GEM and located down a little alley.

One of those stores, you really want to keep to yourself because the selection and prices are so good.

But as self employed women, we should always be willing to support each other.

Lucy has great store hours and you really need to go see her,

you will not be disappointed.

(909) 904-9164

Sweet Sunday

A few days behind on blogging, but thought I'd just keep posting even though.

Sunday was a working day around the Casita.

Emily stayed in Jammies all day and even though I didn't,

I remained in my ever so CUTE comfy owl slippers....

SEXY, Huh????

LOL

Hope you had a nice Sunday!

Field Trip Friday

This past Friday Emily & I headed out the door at 8 am to meet some friends

for a field trip at Keys Creek Lavender Farm.

We LOVE field trips and adventures, so we were excited to take off.

The Lavender Farm is in the country, an area called Valley Center.

Winding roads, cool pieces of property.  Lots of oak trees.

When you take a right on the dirt road you really feel like you are on an adventure...

I am a country girl at heart and adore

old dirt roads covered with trees...

Another couple bends and this is the first lavender field to greet you...

I was trying to get a picture of the bee, see him blurry on the flower closest to the foreground?

I love bees.  Without them, we would not have a lot of our food and flowers.

 

Lots of lovely varieties here...look at the various shades of Lavender!

After the Lavender Farm, it was off to lunch at our friend Christine's House...

er...ESTATE!  Great piece of property, loving the birdhouses in her garden!

Christine, Vicki and Rachel treated us to a delicious lunch and then we were off to Matilda's Mouse.

Having hear of Matilda's Mouse for the past 2 years, it was a treat to finally get to go!

Look, more FABULOUS  birdhouses!!

Um, my favorite things...the Broken down pickup truck and the uber cool,

Fairy-like Birdhouse below!

Darling vignettes everywhere...

Loving the ceramic bunnies.

The entrance decked up for 4th of July!

Lastly, this is Matilda herself.

The 15 year old namesake for the store.

Poor thing, she is blind AND deaf.

Doesn't look happy to me.

What a FUN day!

Just what we needed, to go spend time with about a dozen good friends...

and you know you are in the company of good women, when not one

woman fought over any antiques that another was buying!!!

True Friendship!

Love you ladies!

Where are we going next?