Sunday, June 30, 2013

Give Me the Goods Monday: Sunday Features!!!



You guys are rocking it!  We loved all your link ups this week.   
Check out all the fabulous features!!

Saturday, June 29, 2013

We have a WINNER: $150 Home Goods, World Market or Target Gift Card Give Away!!

Thank you so much to all of you who participated in our giveaway! 

The winner of the gift card is:

Melissa Riker! 
{Melissa, you have been contacted by email}!

Thank you to all who participated...stay tuned...more fun give aways to come!!


XXXOOO.

Artistic Inspiration #3: Charles Courtney Curran

This is my third weekend of artistic inspiration {every weekend I feature one of my favorite artists. To see previous posts click here and here}. I have eclectic taste, so you never know what or who will turn up!

On the Heights, 1909  Charles Courtney Curran was an American Impressionist painter... my three girls
"On the Heights", 1909


American Impressionist: Charles Courtney Curran

Charles Courtney Curran was an American Impressionist painter. A prolific and popular painter all his life, he was among the artists responsible for the rebirth of the genre tradition in late nineteenth century American art.


Ever since I had my third daughter, I've wanted to purchase a print of this American Impressionist masterpiece to hang in the hall between their bedrooms.  What a moment in time Curran has captured in this beautiful painting. 
XXXOOO.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Freebie Friday: Free Art Print

free art print! Original watercolor by JDC.

Jones Design Co is sharing this fun watercolor print that has SUMMER written all over it!
Emily is one of my favorite artist/bloggers.  She has many of her original designs available for purchase, but this "Summer Essentials" watercolor is her gift to her blog readers, for free :)
Hop over to Jones Design Co and print it out, put it up!
summer essentials {freebie art print}
XXXOOO.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Lime Green Doors




























XXXOOO.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Give Me the Goods Monday Link Party #14!

Welcome to Give Me The Goods Monday! 


Thanks to each and everyone of you who link up with us!  

We are so excited to have you here with us this week! In case you're new here, this party is hosted by FOUR bloggers! That means when you enter your links on one of our blogs, they will show up on FOUR blogs total! FOUR times the publicity for YOU! We will each pick our favorites every week, so that's FOUR times the chance for YOU to get featured!

Here are Our Goods from the past week!

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Give Me the Goods Monday: Sunday Features!


Welcome back to another week of features!  
You guys have all worked so hard and we're noticing!!  
Check out all our picks ;)

Friday, June 21, 2013

Artistic Inspiration #2: Leif Nilsson

Every weekend I'll be featuring a favorite artist of mine.
You never know what or who will turn up each weekend!

"Eustasia Island" by Leif Nilsson

My hometown artist...my favorite artist. He captures my childhood playground along the CT Shoreline. Someday, I will own an original. Someday Leif Nilsson will be considered an American Master, along the likes of Andrew Wyeth, in my opinion.

I would say that Leif is a "Contemporary Impressionist"...his works remind me of European Impressionist Masterpieces...but he is a Contemporary artist painting primarily in New England, with particular interest in the Connecticut Shoreline. What has always fascinated me and actually made me swoon  when I've had the opportunity to watch Leif paint or view his finished paintings, is the way he captures light on canvas. His paintings literally glow...he captures the moment of the day at which he painted the piece....dawn, dusk, mid-day. It is glorious. 

Perhaps I'm biased, because not only are Leif's subjects the stomping grounds of my youth, but I remember an instance, when I was a teenager, watching him painting the church across from my parent's home.  It was December and the light was Winter light...every day for a week he'd be at the church for about an hour and a half, the same time each day. I'd be doing my homework and looking out my bedroom window, seeing what he saw and watching him furiously painting away at his canvas on an easel. He was so cool. And I remember thinking to myself that if he captured the pink sunset the way it was in reality that no one would believe the color of the sky was really that pink...they would think that he was exaggerating the beauty. That's when I sort of realized that art isn't just about capturing what is there in front of you...it's about what the artist sees, feels, interprets.  That voyeristic art moment inspired me to create my own "art" and led me to experiment with art classes in High School and on to the beginnings of a BFA in college...that turned into an Art Minor {my Dad suggested that I find a more practical major...so I became an English Lit Major and because I had enough credits I was a double minored with Business and Art}.

"Chester Cove, Autumn Morning"

"Chester Center, Winter Dusk"

"Chester Center"


"Hamburg Cove"
CAT# 3182  Watch Hill Harbour from the Lawn  oil 24 x 36  Leif Nilsson Summer 2012 ©
"Watch Hill Harbor from the Lawn"
"East Haddam"
 CAT# 2883 Essex Cat Boat from South Cove - morning oil 24 x 48 Leif Nilsson summer 2007©
"Essex South Cove, Morning"
"Jennings Pond"
{the place where I caught my first frog and learned how to ice skate, btw}

I never did get to see the finished Church Paintings that he was working on , but in searching for it online I found this article with the picture of Leif working away, Church in the background.

For more about Leif, his studio, technique and his passion for marrying art and nature you can visit his studio page here.

And for a glimpse into Nilsson's Studio visit this interview about" Sunday Salon at Spring Street Studio and Gallery". 

XXXOOO.

Freebie Friday: Gingham Printables

Happy Summer!!!
Let's celebrate all things Picnics and Gingham!


Here are a few fun Gingham Printables I've found on the web!!

False
{"Let's Picnic" Printables from Eat, Drink Chic!}


{Free Printable Gift Box from PECUNIARITIES}

{Garden Party Invitation from Bird's Party}

False
{Free Gingham Cupcake Wrappers via SWEET EXPLORATIONS
False
{Free Gingham Paper Printables from JONES DESIGN CO}

And if you are a Gingham lover, check (get it...check?!) out my GINGHAM STYLE Pin Board!
XXXOOO.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Pinterest Board Spotlight: GINGHAM STYLE

I have always loved Gingham. And Buffalo Check...well, any check for that matter.

Even though Gingham is timeless, it doesn't necessarily need to scream "DOROTHY".
Stout-hazard45_rect640
Today, Gingham, Buffalo Check and other checkered patterns are staples...they work well with most other patterns and have bold graphic appeal that moves beyond it's Traditional vibe...although, if you are a Traditionalist, make sure that Gingham is on your list of go-to fabrics.

Here's GINGHAM STYLE:










Check it! {Get it, CHECK it}.
Pinterest Board: Gingham Style.
HA!
XXXOOO

http://pinterest.com/amydemik/gingham-style/

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Sherwin Williams "Repose Gray"











XXXOOO.

Ladies Choice $150 Home Goods, Target or World Market Give Away!!

We have a winner: Melissa Riker!!! 
You will receive an email with details regarding your choice of Gift Cards!!!
Thank you to all who entered!
There will be another fun give away coming soon!
XXXOOO!
A few of my blogger friends and I are having a Give Away...an AWESOME give away!!!! The winner will get to choose either a Home Goods, Target or World Market $150 Gift Card! A little goes a long way at these stores and you could really score something amazing for $150....or maybe re-do all the accessories in your room?! Home Goods, Target and World Market are all fantastic sources for decor, you choose whichever is your favorite and the most convenient for you!

Enter using the Rafflecopter below!
Winner will be drawn by Rafflecopter on June 28th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway