The Gift of Art

Painting by my Mom with quilt she made on the chair.  

Growing up in the home of an artist has given me an extraordinary interest and appreciation for all things creative.  I am so thankful for the beauty that my Mom brought into our home.  She painted pictures of all sorts.  She sewed everything from clothing to curtains.  She made lovely flower gardens which supplied our table with fresh bouquets. Mom made me proud to have a guest in our home.  Even now, I am truly inspired every time I visit her.  Because she loves antiques - visiting her is like going to a museum.  It has been said of our place, too.  I guess, I paid attention in that class...       

Quilted wall-hanging by Mom.  Painting on left from thrift store.  

I want to carry on the theme of making a cosy home in this post.  What better way to add cosy than by adding beauty? And what better way to add beauty than by adding art?  Art is not limited to just things you hang on a wall.  When I spot antique books arranged on a shelf; I consider this a masterpiece, too.  One of my favourite sources of art is the thrift store.  The original oil painting hanging in the photo was a "must have"; I bought for about $5.00.  It suits our master bedroom perfectly.  Adding the warm and dark colours has made the room cosy for both of us.

Some favourite reads!

Sometimes just a print or card framed can be a touch of beauty.  It does not have to be original, just as long as it speaks to you.  After all, it's your home! 

Another thrift store bargain under $5.00 ~ I love it!

I am blessed to have several artists in our family.  This next painting is one my favourite cousin did.  It graces our downstairs office.  I have many delightful pieces of her art in our home.  Having family history in your decorating adds coziness.

Rhona's Painting

I need to run downstairs (I'm in my studio) and check out my daughter's baking; fold some laundry; and have a cup of tea.  You can see why I love the teapots above: I love my afternoon tea!

Cosy Garden Art by yours truly...

Enjoying a cup of tea in our cosy home,
Wendy     

Home is a Haven

Is your home a haven?  Do the other people in your home think it is?  Do you think it is?  I am asking this because I believe it is more important than ever to have a place of rest that adds to your quality of life rather than robbing from it.

If you have children, I suggest you may want to have furnishings that are not going to give you high blood pressure whenever young people spill something or trampoline on it.  We recently bought a lovely and comfortable floral sofa set.  I love flowers and this set looks tailored to our living room.  So far, it has remained stain free because it is covered in quilts, blankets and pillows.  I've had to wash these already.

When I see a risky situation taking place, I am calm;  because, although the set looks new... it was only $89.95 at a local second hand store.  A haven home should be a place that everyone can relax in and not have to sweat the small stuff.  Trust me, I have teens now and the stuff only gets bigger...why add to it?

Unless, of course, there are allergies in your family- are pets allowed?  I was guilty of a no pets in the house policy for years until I analyzed why.  I realized that my main reason was so that our place would not smell like pets for visitors. Whose house is this anyways?  Bring on the pets!  I do draw the line on the upper floor (we have three), since my studio is on it and I don't want the things I make to be offensive to customers.  It is reportedly good for your heart to have pets to love and care for.  Our two, above, are so cuddly that I'm sure our household blood pressure count is ideal.


Take care, Wendy


    

   

Home Sweet Home

I am the kind of person that really attaches myself to the nest.  Whenever my husband, Ian, and I have moved into a house that we have bought, I decorate it as if it will be our only "Home Sweet Home".  It is probably a little stressful for hubby, because I usually need to arrange the furniture a dozen times before it is just right!

After having bought and sold homes four times, I really wanted to stay in one spot for the duration.  So we bought six acres in a rural setting.  It came complete with marauding deer, black bears, raccoons, cougar and wolves to name the larger visitors. We never saw the wolves - but we heard them!  Thinking we could not have children we had a small character house, slated to be demolished, moved onto the raw land. Naturally, being the smallest place we had bought, yet, the babies started to come.  So, we moved on another character house to join onto the first!

Meantime my garden was struggling due to busyness on my part; but, I believed there was lots of time ahead, as our three children would not be small forever.  I wanted to make our nest a cozy, loving and nurturing one.  The garden and writing took back seat.  Just when I was able to really get into the garden again, after 16 years of just maintaining our place, stuff happened.  We needed to move.  We were not going to grow old together with our plum trees lining the driveway and with the fir floors marked from tricycle tires. Ian and I would grow old together in town.  

But, you know what?  Our new place was equally loved by its former owner, too.  Janet's son is a landscaper and he practiced on this .77 acre garden.  So while I was raising babies at the old nest, our future place was being planted with ferns, hosta, peonies, roses, rhododendrons, azaleas, lilies, maples, blueberries and more... The new nest also has all of the character of our old one.  Instead of tricycle tire marks on the fir floors, I found some toddler footprints stamped under a chair. Janet wanted someone who loved to garden to buy the place; that's me all the way!

I cried as I drove away from our previous abode.  It was a brief falling of tears because I had in mind another location that I would never have to leave.  None of the places we live in on this earth are permanent. The Lord has promised that He has gone to "prepare a place for us" - a place I can hang up my  "Home Sweet Home" sign forever.  In the meantime the sign looks great in the new dining room.

Moved in and loving it,
Wendy

P.S. I'll post a photo of my vintage "Home Sweet Home" sign next week!