joie de vivre

Have you found your "joie de vivre?"

How do you create or find exuberance?

What brings you joy~

Is it your garden, taking care of your home, your family, your work?

Could it be cooking, creating a meal or baking?

Mine is capturing moments in time and then sharing it in my art.

Mind you life is pretty energetic around here at our home.

I am happiest when I capture artwork in a loose fashion with energy.

When I labor over something, it suddenly looses fervor or spontaneity.

It's like someone working too hard to sell you something.

Places. Parties. People. Pets and Posh things.

I work with a local framer who is passionate about framing my art.  

He really rocks when it comes to framing.

This one I had sent to Joni at cote de Texas a few years ago because I know her passion is all things french.

If you could have anything illustrated by me, what would it be?

Tell me what subject would bring joy to your life in a pve work of art?

let's face it

What a wonderful collection of framed photos and artwork hung on this wall.  Let's face it, this is an easy thing to do.  Pick a wall in your home and hang a collection of mementos, photos and take time to honor some special faces in your life.

Thanks so much for your well wishes, my daughter is fine.  A visit to the Doc and some time to rest and recharge has her ready to face a new day.

Let's face it, we all need to take care of our health, our homes and those we cherish.  It's friday people and I wish each of you a fabulous day.  I hope that whatever challenge you face today will be followed by something special.

friday frame of mind

Desk of Charlotte Moss

I usually send all the artwork I do finished with a mat, ready to frame - however I had to send one without and the client posed this question;

"What sort of frame and mat would you choose?"

Well, let me answer firstly by saying that this is very personal and it depends of course on your decor. I am a lover of the rich thick archival museam mat in a sort of slight tinted gray or a hint of the palest color and then the frame is like an accessory. There are plain and fancy frames, wooden, black, gold, antiqued and it all depends on your own style. I do love a collection of individual frames or a wall of frames that were framed to match.

Tell me, what sort of frame of mind or frame in your mind is your favorite on this friday?

case of the missing art

Brooklyn Limestone posted this empty frame - part of her "trash to treasure" collection.She found them while on her hunt for her sofa.  They were literally in the trash.  What a steal. 

She posted them on her blog looking to readers for help, the frames were missing something. Help being in the form of ideas left as comments.

Funny, when someone asks for ideas I can pull them out of a hat.  I happened to find these great photos in a European Magazine at the Paris Apartment from the 1990's - which I was delighted and thought they would be just the thing for Madame Limestone.  Borrowed ideas, not stolen.

A perfect solution for the case of the frame missing the art.  What thinks thee?

image of heirloom family photos, from a vintage French decor magazine

These items of a personal collection suddenly become transformed into one private place of honor. Perhaps a scrap of wallpaper serves as the perfect back drop to off set a collection.  Don't you just love the mix of frames within frames.  I could see some of those fabulous old keys displayed in frames that Madame Limestone found during the renovation.

These remind me of my teenage "shadow box phase" as I made them for gifts.  

My Mother still has one 

that I made and I look at it in awe of the patience that it must have taken. (all done pre-children of course)

image from a vintage French decor magazine

Elegance is in bringing a collection to one particular spot.  Mixing minimal with baroque or family heirlooms all provide for a unique private collection.  What would your private collection be?  Do tell.  This gives me impetus to hang my illustrations in one giant frame.  I know my framer, Elegant Poster will love this idea too.  "Cha-ching" as my daughter likes to say, unless of course, I can find some frames in the trash.