Thursday, August 18, 2011

the boy who lived

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sorry harry potter this nickname belongs to my 3 yr old (as seen here riding his beloved steed ‘Pokey’)… while you might think this makes reference to the fact that he was born with a blood clot that occluded venous drainage from his liver and required weeks of injections with anticoagulants to save him-- in actuality it has reference to the fact that he dumped and smeared 1/2 a pan of red jell-o on my studio carpet and is still alive to tell the tale (or rather have it told by his mother, on her blog)

176 volumes

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I did this piece over vacation earlier this summer. Mixed media on 30x40 canvas. I decided to be simple and start naming these pieces based on the number of books on the shelves…

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

if you’re patient

Well today I stopped in at the mall to pick up another $4 pair of butterfly copysunglasses, after mine faced an ignominious death-by-porta- potty, at the town beach earlier this summer thanks to my youngest son. When I spotted this shirt. I knew I had to get it- see many years ago (circa 1993) I had this friend gwen, who lived on my floor in my freshman dorm, and  I always coveted one of her pairs of pants—they were white with butterflies on them. I always wanted to borrow them because, well they were just so cool but given that she was petite (probably about 5’2”) and I was 5’10” wish fulfillment was not in order –unless I wanted to sport some ill-fitting high waters.

So the moral of this beautiful story is if you wait long enough your dream for butterfly clothes might come true or else dropping your sunglasses in a port-a-potty might be some sort of wishing token like coins in a fountain.

Ps if you too coveted gwen’s pants you can find the butterfly shirt at charlotte russe—and I bet you won’t even have to sacrifice your sunglasses to the potty gods to get it…

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

just wanted to go on the record saying

that people should give playlists better titles… like…

“makes me feel sappy and nostalgic for being 16 and slow dancing with boys”

“makes me shake it while I cook dinner”

“I hope none of my neighbors hear me listening to this cheesy music—because really I am not a cheesy person”

“things I listen to annoy my kids”

“songs that help me stay up till 2 am painting”

“dang it I don’t care what anyone says I really like the Bee Gees”

IMG_2009or at least those were accurate descriptions for some of the thing is was compiling on spotify the other day… after all I am all about descriptions and creativity (and verbosity). I have a long tradition of creative naming. In college it was a tradition, amongst my roommates, that all mix tapes included the name Jermaine in the title—(after a basketball player who always needed my help in freshman physical science class). Suffice it to say lame people title their playlist things like “work out music” or “love songs”. And if you are a playlist titling novice you can always fall back on “play it again, jermaine”

(and yes that’s me cutting the rug with my 3 year old at my cousins wedding last weekend- I was also going to start in on why people over 30 are afraid to dance but I’ll save that for another day…)

so what are your playlists really all about?

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Thanks to design mom gabrielle blair for her kindly press - Leslie Graff, domestic series. I have to say it brought so many compliments and kindly emails to my inbox it made my day.  The internet was nothing but love today!  outsidepaint

Thursday, August 04, 2011

this picture is the way i want to remember mothering

yah we all know it’s not like this all the time, but the best moments are—and that’s what I want to remember!

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Actually --The look of elation probably has to do with the fact that I found the bottom of my new yellow swimsuit (only 2 weeks old)which had gone AWOL. It disappeared. I waited for ransom demands, they never came, I offered up rewards—no one came forward with information. I searched my whole house for 4 hrs (oh ask my husband it was a tense, thorough operation, all family members were impressed yellowinto service). As you can see it was a cute suit and I was not about to see disappear without a fight… my search included under sinks, every drawer 3x, broom closets, pantry-- you name it I looked there—I have sons I never know where I will find anything. After I gave up all hope I found it the next day- as I was carrying things to the attic. Yes it was 9 1/2 feet in the air in a tupperware cake tender top on a high cabinet in my laundry room. Obviously I did not put it there- and it did not get there by any natural means. If I had to make my guesses as a veteran mother of boys for the last 10 yrs I’d say it’s lycra spandex nature probably made it a natural candidate for slingshotting- oh tell me I love them!

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

scenic views

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In all of the chaos of motherhood  you sometimes need things to look at that aren’t easily messed up…

Here are some of my favorite spots to look at in our house…

dining room shelf of abstracts

family room back wall, 1960s slat table and arc lamp

stirring things up with vintage mirror and tiered tidbit tray

cherry chairs with volumes piece

 

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