Back to the Drawing Board

We're taking a turn away from fashion today and on to art. Last weekend, I broke out my acrylics and painted a little bit. I hadn't painted in about two years, and realized I had really missed it.


The pug painting (above) was a little birthday present for my friend, Stephanie, and the barn owls (below) were just for fun. Both were painted on small pieces of plywood/driftwood I found at the beach, and they both only took about 30 minutes to paint; like speed-dating, but with art!



It's also helping nature because I scavenged my "canvases"; they're both technically painted on trash picked up from the beach (see the nail in the lower right-hand corner of the owl piece?).

What do you think? Should I start it up again and practice, or should I pack up the paints?

*swoon*
Paige

Thirfted Thursday - Large Wooden Japanese Fish Platter

From what I've been told, my great-grandmother was an explorer, always traveling to exotic countries to seek out her next big adventure...

I will always remember the story of her visit to a monkey temple in Nepal: As she walked up and down the stone steps, wandering along the large rock walls, a monkey jumped on her back and started yanking at the pearl necklace that hung around her neck! She tried to shake it off, but it yanked so hard that the strand broke and her pearls went spilling down the steps and into the cracks in the stones. Those that didn't get lost into the rocky crags were scooped up by the other monkeys roaming the temple who made sure to hoot and holler loud enough to scare her away! Now, don't ask me why she was wearing a pearl necklace in the Himalayan jungle, but she is a woman after my own heart: No matter what she was doing, she was always doing it in style!

Unfortunately I do not know the story behind this fish platter, but I have been told it was from one of her adventures in Japan. I have had it ever since I can remember. It's made of very solid wood, so it was able to withstand many preschool tea parties. It's not necessarily something I would be attracted to otherwise, but it reminds me of this amazing woman that I never actually had the chance to meet. It now holds a prominent spot in a built-in shelf in my living room. The curve of the fish's back fits the coved top shelf perfectly. I think it was meant to be.



*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Owl Paper Holder

I imagine this little wooden owl is actually a napkin holder; however, I use it as a place to store my current stationery and thank-you cards.


On its own (or against to knotty pine wood paneling), it could be considered dated; but I have it on my desk alongside various white ceramic containers that hold my other desk supplies - a milk glass mug for pens, a white ceramic plant pot for scissors, rulers, and X-Acto knives, and a Jonathan Adler-esque white ridged mini-vase from Ikea. The little wood owl pops rather nicely against the collection!

*swoon*
Paige