How Does Your Garden Grow?

Tiny pansies in a hanging basket

New, adorable, mushroom solar lights

Green things

More green things and a sunflower solar light

Milkweed

The scarecrow sometimes acts as a weathervane. Sometimes he's standing with his back to me and then the wind blows and he's looking at me. Pulling into the driveway, it always looks like someone's in the yard. Very Stephen King.

Corn. Knee high by the Fourth of July

How does your garden grow?

Monet and Me

got a rush job of lettering in two baby books for a baby shower yesterday. Actually, I did the lettering while Monet supervised.

The books were presents from a great-grandpa. Initially, he wanted me to write in the books. To Baby Name and From Great-Grandpa.

I have written in books before, but it's quite scary as there's no room for error. When the books were delivered, I told Great-Grandpa, I wouldn't be able to write in the books as the pages were printed on glossy paper. My ink wasn't going to adhere.

What to do? We brain-stormed a few ideas, and he liked the suggestion of a bookplate. I cut a scrap of Arches 90 lb. watercolor paper to the size of a business card (3.5" x 2 ") (It was a relief to know I had more paper to use when the pen caught in the paper and dragged a fugly, thick line of ink instead of the graceful ending to the letter "e".)

The area on the front piece (verso or left page) wasn't large enough to fit the two lines of writing.  He decided the bookplate  could be glued onto the title page

and that's what I did

Finding a spot for the book plate on the second book wasn't easy. There wasn't a front piece or a title page. There were felt flaps, but again, not large enough.

On the last page there was a felt cloud which when pulled down revealed a mirror. Since the left page had a square cutout so part of that blue felt could be seen, the bookplate had to go on the inside of the cloud. Problem solved.

Job dusted and done.

Castle in the Clouds

The weather was predicted to be cloudy and with a chance of a shower. Not an ideal beach day. We decided to take a trip North to Moultonborough, New Hampshire to visit Castle in the Clouds, the Lucknow Mansion.

After a harrowing ride up a twisting, turning mountain road because Waze decided we needed a heart attack of a ride. (The road reminded us of "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut". If your school or library hasn't banned or burned Stephen King books, you can find the short story in King's Skeleton Crew) we found ourselves in the relative safety of a parking lot with signage directing us to the Carriage House (gift shop) where we could purchase tickets. After getting tickets and donning a sticker, we were directed to wait

for the trolley which would take us up to the house.

The views of Lake Winnipesauke and the mountains were just spectacular

You can take a self-guided tour of the house which began in a sunroom where we watched a short video about the history of the house and owners. I was charmed by the adorable bunny doorstop.

The house is named Lucknow. "Originally comprised of 6,300 acres, the property featured a 16-room mansion, stable and garage, two gatehouses, a 100 foot greenhouse, farm buildings, an 18-hole golf course, tennis court, a man-mad lake, and 45 miles of carriage and bridle paths."

The architecture belongs to the Arts and Crafts movement. "Though its construction employed modern materials like steel beam and terra cotta blocks, the exterior was veneered with hand-cut stone and adorned with hand-scalloped oak timber framing. - the house was intended to fit naturally and comfortably into the landscape." (from the brochure)

awesome front door

The house was built in 1914 and was the home of Thomas and Olive Plant. Plant's story was rags to riches rising "from factory laborer to proprietor of the Thomas G. Plant Shoe Company by the age of 32. By his retirement in 1910, his shoe factory was the largest in the world." (from the brochure)

State of the art appliances and technologies are seen throughout the house. At first we thought this was a dumb waiter and then realized it was a refrigerator and freezer. Not an icebox! The cooling system for the units was ammonia brine refrigeration system. The house was also equipped with a central vacuuming and intercom system.

At the time the house was built and lived in, the couple was very wealthy. Unlike the mansions in Newport, Rhode Island with their  flamboyant opulence, Lucknow was a tastefully decorated home. However poor budgeting and over spending collecting object d'art plunged the Plants into financial difficulties. A friend of theirs bought the house and allowed them to live in it until Thomas' death in 1941. The house was sold and Olive moved back to Illinois to her family. 

Fountain in the "backyard"

While the furnishings inside the mansion were beautiful to look at, the real jewel was the magnificent views of the lake and mountains. As you can see, the weather dudes lied and the weather cleared to another fine day.

This torture device isn't an Iron Maiden, but something called a needle shower. Showers were for the men only as it was believed women were too delicate to withstand the shower. On the other hand, I don't think I would like sharp jets of water blasting my kidneys.

Overlooking the front drive 

This was my favorite wallpaper in the house

It was used as a maid's room for helping repair madame's frocks

or a sewing room. My mother would have loved this room.

her writing desk

tea service

Another spectacular view

A covered walkway from the house

leads to a pergola

With squirrels carved on it. The squirrels had been lost, but restored last year.

After touring the house we caught the trolley to go back to the Carriage House (gift shop) and parking lot. Doesn't the trolley look like Mr. Roger's Trolley? From the parking lot, Waze graciously found the main exit so we didn't have to go through Mrs. Todd's shortcut again.

When Your Muse Takes A Powder

 

From June 22, 2009

An author friend posed some answers to the question what do you do when your creative well runs dry?

Creating something with my hands is such a rush. Though I sometimes refer to my work as play, it's still work. (Though some don't view it as such). It's hard to be creative every single day. Sometimes the demands of work and family just sap my energy. When I feel that happen, it's best just to step back and leave the drawing board. I find if I'm not in a good mood, not happy, my mood comes through my hands. But there's also the need to get that creative energy back. Some things I do:

1. Being a couch potato and watching movies.

2. Cleaning and organizing the studio. Though this can also be a procrastination technique, touching the art supplies sometimes cause my fingers to itch. Sometimes I just have to get my hands in the paint. Afterall, art is a contact sport.

3. Reading blogs by creative friends and colleagues. Looking at what they are doing can be very energizing.

4. Flipping through my calligraphy books, art books, and color swatch book, makes me want to get back in the saddle.

5. Making ATCs just for me and not a trade. Too many times things made are given away or sold (a blessing). I can try a new technique and have fun without the pressure someone is waiting for a piece to be completed.

What are some of the things you do when your muse takes a powder?

A Happy, Little, Time Waster Tribute: Happy Towel Day!

 

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Chapter 3: Towels (narrated by Douglas Adams)

Towel Day celebrated on May 25 is an homage to Douglas Adams, the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Don't panic, but do you know where your towel is? 

Throwback Thursday - THE ONE. The Giant-Size X-Men #1

 

On the wall across from us at Lou Roc's diner were a series of comic book posters. We had just been shown to a table when Himself gasped.

"That's it! That's THE ONE I had."

THE ONE. The Giant-Size X-Men #1 comic book. The first edition. He had it one day and then it was gone (figuratively speaking). 

His mother used to organize  a fair/yard sale for Jerry Lewis' Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. There were games like ring toss with prizes and a White Elephant table where for a quarter or less, we could buy some perfume for our moms, beads, and other trinkets. All going for a good cause.

And that's what happened to the first edition Giant-Size X-Men comic book. Sold for a quarter or less all for a good cause. 

Now he might be mixing memories and another of his comics went for a good cause. See, the Giant-Size X-Men  #1 came out in May 1975. Long after his mother's fairs. Not to say that the comic book didn't find its way to a yard sale, or was given away to a cousin, or younger neighbor.

Himself still mourns the loss. 

Apparently, this particular comic book is worth a chunk of change. According to Quality Comix, "The introduction of the "new" X-MEN was a game changer for team books! Giant-Size X-Men #1 is one of the most in-demand comics on the market, and one of the most valuable books of the 70's! What's Giant-Size X-Men #1 worth in 2023? A NM/MT [ed: that means near mint to mint condition] 9.8 set a record for the book with a recent sell price of $13,300! As an investment collectible that is still a reasonable price for such a top tier book in the current market. FN 6.0 books will bring in the range of $1,500 against about $350 in 2009. Solid GD 2.0 are still well under $1,000 coming in around $600 versus just $100 in 2009. A solid performer with A LOT of upside in the wake of the news that MCU powerhouse Sony has acquired the rights from lackluster performer Fox Entertainment. The next big move in the value of this issue could be sooner than later and frankly that leaves no time to waste for the educated buyer!"

Maybe I should mourn the loss, too.

Happy Towel Day

 

Don't forget to bring your towel wherever you go today.

Book of Marks - Last Two Pages Reveal

The last two pages

The left side with collage and Ascemic writing

The right side. "We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." - Anais Nin

If I had waited until the button was sewn to the flap, I could have punched the hole so the button would be centered in the square. Oh, well. It goes with the Ascemic writing on the opposite page.

T Stands for Kittea

 

While browsing through Michael's, I saw the book Kawaii Kitties. If you're not familiar with the term "kawaii", it's Japanese and means cute, über cute. As seen in Japanese Anime. Hello, Kitty is kawaii and so is Pusheen from pop culture.

So I splurged on the book and thought I'd have fun with some of the exercises. So for T Day, I'm serving up some kittea treats.

Drawings done with Micron Pigma pen, Prismacolor Watercolor pencils, Metallic Gelly Roll pen, on Canson Mixed Media paper

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Inktober 2022

10/13 Challenge prompt: kind

Always try to be nice

But never fail to be kind - The Twelfth Doctor 

Winsor Newton Ivory Black gouache, Nikko G nib, Micron Pigma pen, Tombow Dual Brush markers, Gelly Roll pen

10/14 Challenge prompt: empty

Nothing exists except atoms and empty space;

everything else is opinion - Democritus

Winsor Newton Ivory Black gouache, Nikko G nib, Micron Pigma pen, Tombow Dual Brush markers

10/15 Challenge prompt: armadillo

Micron Pigma Pen

10/16 Challenge prompt: fowl

We shall sooner have the fowl by hatching the egg than by smashing it. - Abraham Lincoln

Winsor Newton Ivory Black gouache, Nikko G nib, Micron Pigma pen, Tombow Dual Brush markers, White Gelly Roll pen.

10/17 Challenge prompt: salty

Salty Girl

Winsor Newton Ivory Black gouache, Nikko G nib, Micron Pigma pen, Tombow Dual Brush markers, Clear Gelly Roll pen.

10/18 Challenge prompt: scraped

"I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread. - J. R. R. Tolkien

Winsor Newton Ivory Black gouache, Nikko G nib, Micron Pigma pen, Tombow Dual Brush markers, 

10/19 Challenge prompt: ponytail

Chantilly Lace had a pretty face

And a ponytail hanging down

a wiggle in her walk

a giggle in her talk...J. P. Richardson

Winsor Newton Ivory Black gouache, Nikko G nib, Micron Pigma pen, Tombow Dual Brush markers,