my new website and blog

I've moved! Please click here to be taken to my beautiful new website and blog.

acrylic prints

Flock



Three on a Line




Pear

I've been in a whirlwind since August. Fig Marmalade, and all that goes along with it, has kept me busy. Anna and I went to High Point, NC in October and had a good show, met lots of great people and saw beautiful scenery. Now, to get ready for Dallas and Atlanta in January!

A new product for 2012 is acrylic prints. The image is printed directly onto the back side of clear acrylic so that you're viewing it through the acrylic. They really are beautiful and lend themselves to a modern space or mix well with antiques. There are 12 images available and two sizes: 10" and 20".

And...a new website is on its way. These prints, along with some new items, will be up and running soon. Stay tuned!

amber's toms

My friend, Becky, who is turning out to be my best customer!, ordered yet another pair of toms, these for her daughter-in-law. Amber requested crowns and flourishes, a departure from my usual birds and butterflies. I was glad to get out of my routine and do something different. I think they turned out pretty cute and Amber needs good, cute shoes to chase after her cute, little toddler.

{I am really slacking in the picture-taking department. The lighting is terrible on these, and the last post's pics were taken at Pack and Mail with my phone. Life is a little hectic these days.}

bethany's toms

These toms were painted for a special little girl who likes birds, these colors, and dancing. I think she did an excellent job with the color palette and I hope she dances her way through life in her new TOMS.

fig marmalade {aprons}

Fig Marmalade offers two types of aprons: full aprons, made of ticking stripe, and utility, or half aprons, made of natural twill. My paintings are printed on the pockets. Both make the job or chore more pleasant!

fig marmalade {box prints}

Another Fig Marmalade product...Box Prints. I print an image of my oil painting onto canvas and stretch it across a 4 inch deep wooden frame wrapped in jute webbing. A great way to add color and interest to a wall or shelf. Especially nice in a grouping. You know the saying, "The cobbler's children have no shoes?" Well, this artist has had no box prints displayed in her environment until last week. I am so very pleased at how they look on my studio wall. It makes me happy every time I walk in.

{click here to see more design options and to purchase}

rock, scissors, paperweights

Okay, I know that's not exactly how it goes, but it seems to fit my latest art project. I used terra cotta clay and majolica glaze to make the pieces that I attached to river rocks; an idea that's been floating around in my head for a while and finally came out. I like how the shiny glaze contrasts with the smooth, natural rock. And, I have a thing about paperweights and other old-fashioned desk and writing accessories. The finer things from another era.

fig marmalade...officially launched!

Fig Marmalade...a tangy spread of artful goods, officially launched at the Dallas Market Center in June. My daughter, Anna, and I made that trip and one to AmericasMart in Atlanta in July. Both shows were great and we are loving meeting our new customers and the other exhibitors. Here are some pictures of our Dallas booth:

{aprons}

{pillows}

{box prints}

{me and anna}

{more pillows}

{tea towels}

{totes}

{wine bags and utility aprons}

Next stop...High Point, North Carolina, in October!

the orchard

We've talked about planting fruit trees for the last five years. Finally, on the windiest, hottest day this Spring, we did it. I'm not kidding...it was 101 degrees and the wind was blowing 100 miles per hour. I am sure it was no less than 100. Okay, maybe 60. We planted 7 peach, 1 plum, 2 apricot, and 2 fig. Only the thought of those juicy, delicious peaches kept us going. I should say, kept me going. David does not stop until the job is done. I, on the other hand, need lots of motivation. Fresh peaches will do it.

One fig. That's all. But, it carries the promise of a bountiful harvest someday. My mouth is watering. The figs will be for marmalade, but the best way to eat peaches is right by the tree, warm from the sun, juice running down your chin. Pure goodness.

I should show you the sequence of pictures I took trying to get this picture. Very funny. I am saving them for when I need a laugh. It was so windy (have I said how windy it was?) our hats kept flapping and flying off. I could hardy hold my phone out and push the button. David was not happy about the number of tries it took to come out with a decent picture. He will dig however many holes he needs to, but he will not stand still for however many pictures I need to take. We weren't laughing at the time (well, I was), but we are now :)

lala's toms

My great aunt, Lala, just celebrated her 97th birthday and this is what I gave her. She loved my painted toms and dropped a hint by making sure I knew her shoe size. She loves birds and the color yellow, so this goldfinch on the ash grey toms is perfect. I wish I could see them on her. It's time to plan a trip to Arkansas!

{Why is this photo so small? I've used pictures from my phone before and they've been the right size. Well, you'll just have to use a magnifying glass to see the shoes because, after three tries, I obviously can't fix it.}

off we go

I'll be at the Hico Antiques Fair, Friday and Saturday, with my good friends, JoCarol and Carol. The Love Boat (big white Excursion) and trailer are packed full. All of this to go into a 10'x12' booth space. Sounds impossible, but I guarantee we will make it work. If we can stop laughing long enough to get it set up. We laugh a lot. A whole lot. It makes what we go through getting ready for one of these worth it. It's only a two hour drive from Abilene, so come over - I hear it is a great show and a good time!

See you there!

home

This is the spot where we built our house. Looking at this painting makes me wonder if we should have left it alone. We have cluttered it up. It's still pretty, but now there are cars, a fence, water hoses, a driveway, cats, dogs, bird feeders, people. All the things that go along with a house. Laughter, good times, gatherings, memories, friends, family, love. That, too.

this would be pretty...

if it weren't so tragic. Will the entire state burn up before the wildfires are contained? No rain. So dry. And the wind. It is relentless. A fire broke out last summer on the property next to us and burned about 15 acres. Knowing the strength and stamina that it took to put out that small fire, coupled with the fact that breathing was sometimes impossible, multiplying that by thousands, makes it hard to fathom what the firefighters are living through. Some don't. PRAY FOR RAIN!

On the bright side, I can hang my husband's jeans outside and they're dry in 15 minutes. {Ladybird is concerned, too.}

But, not overly so.

if you're a cow...

you want to live at our house. They have it made. In the shade. They are content because they've just finished off the last of my daylilies.

round bales in sunflowers

We were driving home one evening and saw this field of sunflowers with round bales. It was truly a beautiful sight and I wish I could have captured it just as it was. Here is my attempt and even though it is lacking, it makes me happy to look at it.

indigo bunting

sold

This indigo bunting was on our back fence and was startling with its bright, solid blue coloring. I've not seen one before or since he and his mate came around last Spring. They were here for a short time, gave us a little thrill and went on their way. Spring is coming and I'll be keeping watch. That is one of the keys to receiving blessings...just look for them. They are everywhere!

bess's lamp

This lamp belonged to my great-grandmother, Bess. The shade isn't the original, but when I saw it in Uncommon Objects in Austin, I knew it would be perfect, as is, on this special lamp. Together, it's one of my favorite things.

framed eggs

Birds' eggs are tiny, fragile little jewels. I enjoyed working on these and marveled at the detail and perfection of each one.

karen's toms

I can't remember why, but I'm sure there is a good reason that the only pictures I got of these were taken in my car with my phone. What in the world?!

more pillows

These two are large - 20 x 26 and 22 x 22 - and look great, if I do say so myself, on a sofa or bed.

eggs

I painted these eggs on old ivory piano keys. Once again, combining my love of music and nature. I've got 13 framed and ready to photograph. I'll post pictures of them as soon as I take them.

Happy almost-Spring!

my new venture...

I am launching a line of goods featuring my artwork! It will include pillows made of burlap and pillow ticking, purses and tote bags, aprons, cup towels and whatever-else tickles my fancy. I will officially launch in June at Dallas and Atlanta markets. Here's a sneak peak:

The paintings {this is my calf, Gingersnap} are printed onto canvas and top-stitched onto old-time-y pillow ticking, French ticking, and burlap. I love the mix of old and new: the nostalgic fabric and my more modern artwork.

I call this one "Look Up."

Isn't the back nice? Molly made my prototypes and I couldn't be more pleased.




My goodies and I will be here!!! Along with my faithful friend and cheerleader, JoCarol. Come if you can!

{about the name} my great aunt, Lala, used to make fig preserves (her mother's recipe) with citrus peel in it. She didn't call it fig marmalade, but according to recipes I found on-line, fig preserves with citrus peel is fig marmalade. I like the farmhouse feeling that homemade preserves suggests and it is fitting that I would name my line of goods with Lala in mind. She is an artist and has always encouraged me in all my artistic endeavors. Roxanne, with the endless ideas waiting just below the surface for a reason to come out, came up with the tag-line. That was a fun day, brain-storming on her pretty porch.

{about the logo} Beth is the talented graphic designer, she is also Roxanne's daughter, who came up with the perfect combination of vintage and fresh. She exceeded my expectations and was such a joy to work with that I hope to have more reasons to hire her in the future!