Garden Inspiration: The Philadelphia Flower Show

We're still working on the new blog and website! In the meantime....

Is the nice weather putting you in the mood to get outside and work in your garden? If so, I have some inspiration for you...

Waaayyyyy back in March, we visited the world famous Philadelphia Flower Show. Everything was so beautiful. It is amazing to think that all of the gardens and even buildings were constructed inside the convention center... you really feel like you are walking outdoors through garden after lovely garden.

This year the theme was English gardens. There were teapots, umbrellas, and Union Jacks everywhere! I loved it.

I have to say that the problem with going to this show is that I come home with way more ideas than I have the time, money, and energy to implement in my own garden. There was inspiration everywhere! Oh, how I wanted to come home and start digging in the dirt immediately!

You can't celebrate Britain without Big Ben:

Or a tribute to the Beatles:

All kinds of English gardens were represented at the show. A formal garden:

A quaint cottage:

A royal garden gate:

Beatrix Potter's garden... perhaps she sat in a garden like this and 

was inspired to write Peter Cottontail??

Jane Austen's garden:

One of my very favorite displays was this Cricket Club. (Remember- all of these displays were built inside the Convention Center building, were displayed for the 8 day show, and then had to be completely dismantled once again!)

Entrance to a "Secret Garden":

 Another of my favorite displays was this simple collection of cloches, glass jars, and concrete containers holding all types of vegetation: potted flowers, cut greenery, vegetables, and succulents:

(Don't you love the giant fern fronds in this cloche?) 

(Who would have thought that rutabagas & turnips planted in concrete containers 

could be so fun and attractive?? I love this!)

Harry Potter themed display:

There were also lots of ideas for fabulous and dramatic tablescapes:

 (In addition to the very large urns full of flowers shown above, there were also smaller arrangements scattered about):

So that is our tour of the Flower Show. This is just a small representation of what was shown there. Truly incredible and inspiring!

Now I must get out into my garden... While it's easy for me to have grand plans, it is usually all I can do to get my existing flower beds weeded and mulched... but it's nice to dream.

If you could have any kind of garden or outdoor feature (such as a fountain, fire pit, etc.) what would you choose? I have been telling my husband for years that I want him to build me a wood-burning pizza oven outside!! I'm still waiting!

Photos of Spring: Yellow

In the latest issue of our beautiful e-magazine, which was sent out last week, we celebrated Purple:

Today, a little mini-celebration of another favorite color....

Seen on a recent walk on my street, Yellow is popping all around:

 wild rabe

 dandelion

 daffodil

street in front of my house

Happy Spring :)

P.S. We are still working on the new website and blog and we are nearing the finish line! Stay tuned....

Happy Town Happenings

A GIGANTIC THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our quilt contest for Quilts for Kids. The contest required that the quilts be made with my Happy Town fabric- all of my profits from this fabric line will be donated to Quilts for Kids. I will be heading up to the Quilts for Kids headquarters in a couple of weeks to see the wonderful quilts that were submitted into the contest. The winning quilts will be displayed at International Quilt Market in May. ALL of the quilts will be distributed to seriously ill children by the Quilts for Kids organization.

Speaking of Happy Town fabric.... I also wanted to show you some fabulous projects that folks have been making with my Happy Town fabric.

Teresa from A Quilt and A Prayer

Teresa also made this super quick & easy preemie quilt.

Needled Mom

Mary On Lake Pulaski

Barb at Bejeweled Quilts

Also by Barb at Bejeweled Quilts

Connie at Free Motion by the River

Snoodles at Lilypad Quilting made this great quilt with the panel from the fabric line.

(Make sure you click on the links to see more photos of the projects.) 
I think these projects will inspire you to get into your sewing room- I know they have inspired me!!! 
Now let's go make something :)

In The Studio Today: Painting & Playing

I have been taking Brenda Pinnick's Color and Mixed Media class. One of the things I have most enjoyed is experimenting with products which I have not tried before. One of these products is called Yupo Paper. It is a synthetic material, and unlike regular paper, it does not absorb the paint or water- the paint sits on top of the surface of the paper. You get a really different look than you do when painting on typical paper- more streaky and "loose," less blended colors. Here is a  quick little painting that I did while I was "playing" in the studio:

Doesn't it look cool? Because Yupo doesn't absorb the paint, it does make layering colors much more difficult. I don't think I will be moving to Yupo for all of my future projects- I like a lot more details and layering in my paintings than I am able to do this way- but it's fun for a change of pace.

The other thing that is cool about Yupo is that there is a version which is translucent, like tracing paper. You can place a drawing under the Yupo paper, and do a quick painting that way, without having to sketch it out on your painting surface first.

I love venturing into nature for inspiration for my artwork. After 3 1/2 days of cold, raw rain (thanks to Hurricane Sandy), it is finally dry and seasonable again- good weather for walking and hiking. Although much of the brilliant foliage is gone, but there is still plenty of nature's handiwork to admire....

My husband and I went on a "date" on Saturday, and went for a long hike through a nearby state park. The beauty and stillness refreshed my soul....

Being outside always calms me down and relaxes me. What recharges your batteries and refreshes your soul? Is it a favorite place? Music or books? Prayer or meditation? A special person or people who make you feel warm and loved??

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.  ~e.e. cummings