Jen Bowles Design

{Artful} Road Trip: Saratoga Springs, NY, Part 3

The drive from Schuyler Pond to downtown Saratoga Springs was a pretty one.  We drove past several lovely Victorian homes and an impressive looking brick building with a turret that turned out to be a military museum. 

Our first stop was a  at a florist/garden statuary shop called Hidden Gardens.  A giant pig, a metal tulip, 3 sheet metal sheep??  How could I resist??

Things here were a bit overwhelming and  pricey but worth the quick peek that I gave them.  I really did like those metal sheep...

After a drive down the Saratoga Springs main drag, we circled back to a restaurant Bubbe had eaten at the last time she was in town:  Scallions.

All I have to say is it's a good thing this restaurant isn't located close to my house--because I would go broke going there all the time!

As the tagline says, "Where good friends, food and art meet".  Yes, indeed. 

We managed to beat the post-Skidmore College graduation crowd and were seated right away.  We spotted a number of fellow Spring Fling patrons--maybe there was an inside tip? 

The food was delicious.  I had a mango-beet-quinoa salad over baby spinach and we split a piece of carrot cake for dessert.

As good as the food was, and as friendly as the staff was, the number one attraction for me at Scallions was all the artwork.  The entire space is full of custom pieces from Sticks.  Sticks handcrafts furniture, accessories and object art and each wooden piece is full of colorful imagery and handcarved words.  Amazing.  And Scallions is full of Sticks pieces.

Every dining table, the bar stools, the custom hostess stand, an incredible black and white carved countertop...

Over the top eye candy!

Just when you think you've noticed all the Sticks pieces, there are the accessories.
So fun!

But wait, it's not just Sticks items here.  There were a number of mixed media assemblage pieces sprinkled in as well, namely Fobots  by Amy Flynn and assemblage dolls by Bill Fink of Primitive Twig.

Even the lighting was beautiful. More Sticks, this time an amazing lamp:

No wonder it took me 15 minutes to use the ladies room (I was touring around the restaurant ooohing and aaahhing).

If you ever find yourself in Saratoga Springs, Scallions is another must-see for the artful wanderer!

Thanks for stopping by,

{Artful} Road Trip: Saratoga Springs, NY, Part 2

Today I'm going to share a peek inside Schuyler Pond Home and Garden.

Schuyler Pond (the shop)  is housed inside a charming restored barn.  Their wares and vibe  were the perfect complement to the Earth Angels Spring Fling sale going on outside. 

Fun and eclectic mix of home and gift items creatively displayed with vintage finds and architectural salvage...

Upstairs featured fully developed room vignettes in a style that I would characterize as ABC Home meets Anthropologie.  Oh. yes.

My favorite piece...

Schulyler Pond is a definite must-see if you're in the Saratoga Springs area!  The one thing they didn't have there was food (we did not attend the luncheon with Jo Packham, maybe next time...) so we finalized our purchases and headed downtown in search of sustenance.

Check back tomorrow for the final installment and to see the amazing restaurant where we had lunch--with a tagline of 'where good friends, food, and art meet', how could we go wrong??

Thanks for stopping by,

{Artful} Road Trip: Saratoga Springs, NY, Part 1

On Saturday morning I rose before the sun (hello, 4:40am!) to begin the odyssey that would take me, Bubbe (my mom) and Ebby on a quick trip to upstate New York.

Our destination was two-fold:  to visit our friends and to attend the Earth Angels Spring Fling Art Show!

You know the one, the event that's advertised in all the Somerset publications (there's even a feature on last year's event in the current WWC), the one that features an outstanding collection of handmade art and  artful goods by amazingly talented (and really friendly) artists.  Yep, we went there.

It was a beautiful day for the event held at Schuyler Pond, an equally beautiful shop and setting.

We were enchanted right from the walk down the path into the outdoor sale area.

The display area was split between outdoors, mostly under a tent and in a small barn.  At first glance I thought it was a bit small, but it turns out it was sized just right.  Reminiscent of a boutique Country Living Fair.  Not that I've been to the Country Living Fair...yet. At any rate, there was plenty of eye candy to enjoy and lots of fun display ideas.

We walked around several times, pondering, admiring and chatting, before making our final selections.

I met Jen (O'Connor), the driving force behind Earth Angels and all around ball of energy and enthusiasm--also a great model for the delightful Derby Blooms brooches by Maria Pendley.

One of those came home with Bubbe, it was hard to resist!

  My mom also bought the latest issue of Where Women Create and had it signed by Jo Packham who was stationed under a unique structure that Jen had constructed and dubbed the "Packham Pavilion".

Four poles from tree saplings, an elevated vintage lamp base and a sheet.  So cleverly adorable.

I also introduced myself to the talented and colorful  Shelly Kennedy of Drooz Studios.  Her amazing studio is on the current cover of Where Women Create. 

She was so sweet as I told her about how a photo she had on her blog a few years ago of her basement inspired the beadboard cupboard and shelves I designed for our basement remodel.  It's always fun to meet people you "know" online in real life.  And in my experience, everyone has been totally approachable and friendly.  Hurray for nice people!

Finally, after circling all of the beautiful goods and talking to lots of wonderful folks, it was time to make my final selections.  I bought two things.  The first is a pad of 150 Love Notes from Sugarboo Designs, Bubbe and I agreed they would be great for art journaling.  My next choice was harder. 

Hint:  this is the display I was pondering...

An overflowing tub of soft sculptures by Valerie Weberpal.  On the Earth Angels website, Valerie's work is perfectly described as being "beautifully textured and layered with festive abandon".  Festive abandon??  Love it!  After much deliberation I decided on a cat.

It was the tiny sweater and pearl buttons that put me over the edge.  Too adorable to leave in New York.  If going to the Spring Fling becomes an annual event, I could definitely see my collection of Valerie Weberpal's creations growing...

Check back tomorrow for a peek inside the incredible Schuyler Pond home & garden store!

Thanks for stopping by,

 

 

Photoshop Fun

As I'm delving into the nuts & bolts of the blog design class I'm taking with Elise, it has become necessary for me to re-learn my PSE skills.

I did not have a lot of PSE skills to begin with.

What I am pretty good at is finding digital scrapbooking elements to purchase and (hopefully) use in my blog makeover.

Did you notice the new banner?  Those elements are from Design House Digital, from Deena Rutter's Happier collection.  Who doesn't want to be happier, especially my previously sad looking blog??

Things are ever evolving here, but for today, I'm definitely happier with my new banner!

Thanks for stopping by,

{and new signature}

Trash to...Organizer: Washi Tape holder

Today I want to share a quick, cute and eco-friendly project from the studio:  a washi tape holder.

Ta-da:

Isn't it adorable?  Really, I'm quite smitten.

I started with an empty one of these:

First I removed the serated edge and the top/lid of the box.  I wanted to be able to see my tape. 

Next, using Mod Podge as my adhesive, I glued on the biggest piece of paper first.  I chose the teal dotted paper as my focal paper.  Though I suppose it doesn't matter, I started on the inside bottom of the box and basically wrapped the paper around. Initially I did a "dry run" and marked where I'd be folding the paper.  Tip: I used my scoring board to make the folding a bit easier.  Then I just put glue on the box, slapped the paper on top and glued and rotated until the whole sheet of paper was glued down.  I used the text paper on either end 1) because the dotted paper didn't cover the whole box and 2) for contrast.

After I glued the papers on, it still needed some embellishment.  I went to my ribbon stash and selected a piece of robin's egg blue grosgrain.  Mmmm, pretty.  I used my sewing machine to make a casual ruffle.  Very casual. 

I attached the ruffle with hot glue.

I purposely didn't make it long enough to go around the whole box.  Though maybe I should have...

I could've stopped there, but I've noticed that I do much better when things are labelled.  I rubber stamped 'WASHI TAPE' onto one of the Martha Stewart labels I got during my Staples shopping spree.  Perfect finishing touch.

And then I had to wait for the Mod Podge to dry.  Zzzzzzz.

The next day I was able to load up my new tape holder with all my paper tape rolls. 

Pattern, color, pretty!

With the extra layer of paper and Mod Podge it's really quite sturdy and looks right at home on my studio table.  Of course I can't believe that's all the washi tape I have--shameful!  We're almost out of Press n' Seal so I'm going to have another empty wrap box...

Hmmmm...

Thanks for stopping by,

Happy Mother's Day

To my children, I am so grateful for the privilege of being your mom.  Love you today, tomorrow and always.

Mother's Day, 2007

Now, please, don't make me cook for you today! ☺

And to my mom, simply, you mean the world to me.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

MOM Vintage banner

Ah, happy, sunny Monday!

I've been hard at work with my online blog design class and as such haven't been doing much in the way of creating any new content.  One step at a time! 

In the meantime, these photos of the banner I made my mom for Mother's Day  a few years ago seemed appropriate.

Here are a few close ups...

Mother's Day 2012 is less than a week away, I guess I should get started on this year's gift!

Thanks for stopping by,

It's May!

And that means...
I'm excited for the month of May for so many reasons.  Among them...

• Yard & garden projects!  Everything is so green right now.  And manageable and full of promise.  I've been weeding, moving shrubs, planting new plants and even started on my first wine bottle garden border--a bit of a challenge as we are a "dry" household.  Luckily we know lots of lushes ;-)
• More trips to the beach!
• Blog & etsy shop refreshment!  I'm taking an online class on Typepad blog design offered by Elise Blaha--Blog 2.0.  Over the years I've figured out just enough coding and graphic design to make me dangerous but far from proficient.  I'm so looking forward to learning how to make my blog look online the way it does in my head.  While I'm at it, I'm rethinking my whole blog/work/shop strategy.  Look for some big, good changes--hopefully sooner rather than later!

Hoping your May Day is a basket full of wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by,

{May Basket pictured above made by me for Ebby...in 2007}

Bloom True painting update

We finished up Flora Bowley's Bloom True e-course back in March.  I'd been in a holding pattern with my paintings ever since. 

Then a couple of things happened.

First, I realized the colors on my canvas were throwing me off.  For the course, I bought and borrowed Golden fluid acrylics along with some heavy body acrylics from Dick Blick.  Long story short, I didn't have the variety or the hues I favor when working with plain old acrylic craft paint.  So, I finally made the decision to just use my crafty acrylics.  Flora had said that would be ok :).

Next, I kept seeing paintings that people had creating during a class with artist Jennifer Mercede.  I was somewhat familiar with Jennifer's licensed work, and I love her whimsical, doodle-filled, colorful style.  Abstract, colorful...my wheels started turning.

With brush in hand the other afternoon, I set about transforming my first canvas.

So. much. better!

I liked it so much, I decided to bring it up from my studio and hang it on the wall (!).  

I haven't signed it yet, which means I'm not quite done tweaking it.  I may add some text and a few more details.  We'll see. 

For now though, it's totally making me happy!

Thanks for stopping by,

 

 

Friday Happy Spot

There's a spot in our breakfast area/family room that makes me smile whenever I look at it.  Yep, I pretty  much just love everything about it--not that's there's much to it.

Well here, let me show you...

Can you see it?  It's the shelf vignette just past the chandelier.

That's the spot.

When we revamped this area last fall, I decided it would be the perfect landing place for one of my recently displaced Ikea shelves.  I take great pride in noting that I installed the brackets and shelf all by myself-- with the help of a drill and a level.  And it's still there ☺.

Although there are only three things up there, they are 3 of my favorites.  And they were all cheap.

I love, love this painting.

  The colors.  Swoon.  I bought it at the Tri-Town Rotary flea market for $1. Yes, $1 orignal art.  Cannot. go. wrong.

This milk bottle collage print is from the Pottery Barn Outlet in Gaffney, SC.  $9.99. 

Considering I first saw it (and instantly coveted it) in 2004 at The Island Cow restaurant on Sanibel Island as part of their wall decor, I was thrilled to find it and make it mine.

The newest item, though I'm sure it's really the oldest thing up there, is the whelk shell. 

I broke my own rule and *gasp* bought it last year when we went to the Outer Banks.  I made the exception because the owner of the shop where I bought it assured me that he had personally found a whole big bunch of whelk shells on the beach in Corolla after a big storm the previous winter.  At $3, totally worth it.

So there it is: my $14 happy spot. 

Priceless.

Have a great weekend!