Month: July 2012


Jul
2012

Frodo Ready for Dinner

categories: Uncategorized

Frodo showed up on my deck again today just in time for dinner, but apparently now he wants to eat at the table with the rest of the family. He’s getting a bit demanding. However, he was quite cooperative while we posed him for his photo shoot.

While we were snapping pictures, my daughter and I wondered if there was an online forum for toad lovers, and sure enough there is. Check out FrogForum.net. There were 200 members online when we visited the forum.

We had so much fun during our photo session. I think Frodo is quite toado-genic.


Jul
2012

Work in Progress–Parrot Tulips

categories: Watercolor

I went to the farmer’s market this morning and followed that up with a visit to a quaint Amish store called The Farmer’s Wife plus a quick stop at a local Mexican shop called Cinco de Mayo to pick up some goodies to get us through the week. I love living in a small, rural area. Everyone calls me by name when I enter their shops and we chat for a few minutes and catch up on what’s going on around town.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon working on a new painting but had to stop at sunset when the shadows got so intense that it was difficult to see my sketch on the paper. That’s normally the time when I grab my camera and snap a few pictures to post on my blog. I love how vibrant the colors look in the strong afternoon light.

I hope you did something equally relaxing and enjoyable this weekend. Watercolors on cold pressed Acquarello Artistico paper by Fabriano.


Jul
2012

Watercolor Elf

categories: Watercolor

I don’t know why but I’ve had a hankering for Keebler cookies all day. Could it be a little elfin magic? This painting was based on a tutorial in the book, “How to Draw and Paint Fairyland,” by  Linda Ravenscroft. Watercolors on cold pressed Acquarello Artistico paper by Fabriano.


Jul
2012

A Little Tangerine Tango on My Deck

categories: Pets, Projects

So I danced around my deck this morning and splashed a little Tangerine Tango here and there so we could enjoy lunch and a view of the garden from our colorful deck. Two of my dogs–Mary and Marty (aka Piggy) and my little toad friend, Frodo (see my previous post), kept me company while I worked. That’s a lot of activity on such a small deck. It took me a while to prepare the deck with a good power washing and a new coat of deck stain plus trips to various stores and online shopping, but the end result was well worth the time, effort, and expense.

For those who are interested, here’s a rundown on where you can purchase these or similar items. I purchased the Faraday Dining Table and Chairs, Peridot Sunbrella Chair Cushions, and Seagrass Chargers at Pottery Barn. I ordered the colorful Poppies Outdoor Rug and Market Umbrella in Tango (see, everybody is getting into the act) from Grandinroad.com. I purchased the Pavilion Pillows in Green at Pier 1 Imports. I bought the colorful melamine dinner plates, glasses and pitcher, silverware, dipping bowls, and mini candles at Target.

What a fun project. Work is progressing on my other Tangerine Tango home improvement projects. I’ll be posting photos of the finished rooms in the coming months. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed planning and pulling the rooms together.


Jul
2012

Toadstool

categories: Uncategorized

I was setting the deck table for lunch today and my little pal, Frodo, decided to keep me company while I worked. I placed him on a kitchen step stool for a little photo-op, and he happily obliged–and stayed in place while I snapped a dozen or so photos.

Since I’ve become so fond of him, and he’s been making an appearance on our deck each summer for at least the last five years, I decided to go online to determine what type of frog he is and how long he might live. Apparently, he’s an Eastern American toad which likes to live in swampy areas, near bodies of water, or even under an air conditioning unit (where the condensation helps keeps them wet), they hibernate in winter in underground burrows, and they can live up to 30 years.

I have no idea how old Frodo is, but hopefully he’ll continue his annual summertime visits to our deck for years to come. I think it’s about time that I bling out his favorite corner of the deck to make it more toad friendly. Wait until you see all the toad houses that are available for purchase online. The only difficulty will be deciding which house to build or purchase. I’ll probably ask for your help on that one. I’ll post a variety of options to choose from and let my readers help me pick his new home. What do you think?


Jul
2012

Watercolor Fairy Complete

categories: Watercolor

Last week, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and paint something completely different. So I picked up a copy of Linda Ravenscroft’s book, “How to Draw and Paint Fairyland: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating the World of Fairies,” got down to work, and this is the end result. Watercolors on cold pressed Acquarello Artistico paper by Fabriano.


Jul
2012

Orange Tulip Bouquet

categories: Watercolor

orange tulip bouquet in watercolor

And speaking of orange, here’s my completed tulip painting. I plan on featuring it–and the orange poppies my daughter painted–on my upcoming tangerine tango redecorating series. I may drop in a background at a later date, but for now I’m calling it done. I like the simplicity of this painting and intensity of the colors. This painting was based on a tutorial from the book, “Tulips in Watercolor,” by Fiona Peart. Watercolors on cold pressed Acquarello Artistico paper by Fabriano.


Jul
2012

View of My Garden From My Kitchen Window

categories: Pets

This photo is a bit dark since it’s cloudy today, but I thought I’d share a view of my garden from my  kitchen window while everything is still in bloom. Today’s show features red hardy hibiscus, red calla lilies, purple pansies, and purple crepe myrtle. Here’s a close up of a hibiscus bloom; humming birds can’t resist them.

This morning while I was eating breakfast and sipping my coffee, a humming bird fed at the hibiscus for a bit, flitted off for a snack at the crepe myrtle bush, then was gone in a flash. What a treat. Here’s a photo of my hibiscus plants from the outside.

And here’s a photo of my little pal, Piggy, hanging out in the garden with me.

That’s my boy.

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