]]> http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/2011/11/06/before-the-leaves-started-to-turn-and-before-the-snow/feed/ 1 http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/2011/11/06/before-the-leaves-started-to-turn-and-before-the-snow/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SarahBlank/~3/wd_razvo4fE/ http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/2011/09/30/septembers-end/#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:46:47 +0000 Sarah Blank http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/?p=1027

Oatmeal cardigans and apple picking. Windowpanes and golden light. Waking up to the sound of the crows caw. The smell of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon filters through our rooms, apple pies baking with crispy, sugar topped crust. Days spent at the park with my little guy, swinging… giggling… taking dreamy walks. First steps and leaf collecting, raspberry picking. Crisp pages in forgotten and new books. Reading and curling up with a quilt as the nights get longer and chilly. Life has been so completely full.

I have been extremely, all too quiet here as of recent. August flew as it does. September in all it’s golden glory has swept me off my feet. In autumn time I find myself so vividly awake. Ideas are filtering through my head and in dreams, hopefully to get out onto sketchbooks soon. If not I think I will go crazy. Hello October!

Keeping busy making summertime concoctions, as well as drying herbs for fall’s tea-time weather. I made some refreshing vanilla-infused lemonade from organic lemons the other day (my little one wanted to help until he realized how sour the lemons were). But to me it was so delicious!

Yesterday I decided to harvest some mint and lemon balm from my mothers herb garden. It was so relaxing to be in the sun shine with the bees and monarch butterflies. I made these into a few bunches and they are now hanging upside down to dry (their sweet smell filling my little studio room.) I can’t wait to see how my handcrafted tea blends turn out. I think I am going to store them in old mason jars with pretty hand-drawn illustrated labels.

And thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post (about leaving my job). So far this summer has been such bliss, I couldn’t be happier.

A side note-recently I have been snapping photographs with my iphone, which is quick and ok but I really, really need to start using my real camera again:)

Beardtongue flowers (part of the foxglove family, growing wild in a meadow) and the full moon last night from my studio window.

Absolutely, positively soaking in and savoring these past weeks of summer. The last week in June I said goodbye to my job, my commute and all else that went along with my former busybody life. And I say former due to the fact that I have given up my beloved day job to stay at home with my little boy and paint. A great big change for our little family indeed! I am so, so excited and grateful for all that is and will be. These past few weeks we have been falling into our groove a bit, going to the park, swimming, going on long walks, visiting with friends and family and enjoying nature and town life. And s l o w i n g down (the best part of all). I can’t even begin to express how happy my heart is. Happy summer!
]]> http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/2011/07/17/something-i-have-been-meaning-to-share-for-some-time-now/feed/ 4 http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/2011/07/17/something-i-have-been-meaning-to-share-for-some-time-now/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SarahBlank/~3/vNLiEGHls6o/ http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/2011/06/11/my-garden-is-in-the-wild/#comments Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:31:00 +0000 Sarah Blank http://sarahblankstudios.com/blog/?p=1005 Around his time of year I long for a little plot of land to plant a few herbs, maybe some roses or lavender. Even more so now that Little One is here. I’d love to plant a patch of sweet strawberries with him (once ripe he would be excellent at picking them and putting them in his mouth). For now my only garden is one of wild roses along a wooded path. The flowers that exist untended to can be just as beautiful and satisfying.

I have big, dreamy gigantic news to spill very soon. Soon! And thanks for all your sweet comments and great ideas! It seems that I can not get my blog fixed to reply. It has been eating away at me that I can not figure out this problem, and I do not have time to redo my whole blog. So for now it exists in this state.

Walking through the woods last weekend, I noticed hundreds of patches of pretty ferns. Little One was quite smitten by the ferns too! He even tried to eat one. I think next time we’ll collect some to press as a memory for our forest walks during his babyhood.

The other day while perusing in an antique shop I found this photograph of a lady in the prettiest lace dress holding a bouquet of ferns.

I was so surprised when I lifted the photo out of the folder for a cleaning…another version was behind it, this time her lace dress fading away to reveal ectoplasm underneath (yes, I know it was a glitch in the developing process but oh to dream). If you read this blog you already know delicate, antique lace is one of my favorite things.

Started collecting mini greenhouses. I have two! However, I can’t find a fern small enough to live in the tiny greenhouse.These little conservatories have been enchanting me ever since I found the larger one in a church thrift shop. They live on top of my curio cabinet in a sunny corner of my room.

And the newest photos for my collection. I think I’m going to paint her this summer when I get back in my studio.

And here she is, as a ghost:

A happy, long weekend to all those in the United States, summer has begun!

modest indeed, but I do love old tobacco tins to store my paints, lace collars to sew on cozy cardigans and tiny manicure scissors just because they are so petite and pretty.

thank you for all your comments on my ceramic platter painting from last post. The platter was kiln-fired at a studio shop so I really don’t think I will be doing any/many more in the future. Maybe I’ll buy some craft-store ceramic pens to experiment at home for fun though.

Went painting pottery on my birthday. I am pretty happy with this one, considering I was holding my little one in one arm and painting with the other (something I will not attempt again). It was good until the end, the glaze did some strange speckle thing in the kiln but oh well, it’s my first and I’m sure not my last.

So happy because the end of April till the beginning of May are celebratory times for me! A beautiful orchid for my birthday, lunch at my favorite restaurant and cupcakes (sans Little One). My first mothers day brought more flowers (the darkest blood-red roses I have ever seen) another favorite restaurant and a giant red velvet cupcake (Little One joined us this time). Long walks were had on both days. Kitty stayed home and guarded the orchid.

A very beautiful Mother’s day to all moms!

fyi my comment section on my blog is doing a strange thing I can not fix. I like to reply here but sometimes it won’t let me, or it puts my reply at the end which is very confusing. So sorry! Thanks so much for all your comments!

in my sketchbook (I keep going back to this one, a fav)

♥recent loves: packages. little hands (and feet). blackberries for breakfast. infusion of white tea and lavender. wandering. treasure hunting. working. dreaming of summertime.