tarnished and tattered: nature

Monday, April 4

Nature inspired give-away

I can't believe it's been 12 days since I posted last.

Now that winters chill has left us (I think) we are spending every free minute outside.

We went camping in Texas Hill country over spring break, & had so much fun we went again the next week,

& the week after that!

There is nothing better to me than heading to a National Park for some R&R.

Days spent hiking, looking for nature,

swimming in the still frigid water,

star gazing & of course MANY s'mores.

Right now I'm pretty much obsessed with everything nature.

Perhaps it's all the camping, or the evidence of spring in my garden, or the anticipation of Karla's Bird Songs event next month.

On my bedside table, 3 of my very favorite art books.

Nature Inspired by Traci Lyn Huskamp.

Mixed Media Nature Journals by LK Ludwig.

& the newest addition to my library, Eco Colour by India Flint.

You can find them all on my sidebar under Amazon Favorites.

Another HUGE dose of heaven to me is reading DJ Pettitt's blog, she is absolute perfection!

Someday I ~~hope to~~ will take a class from her, until then I will drool all over my laptop.

On my art table right now.

Playing with techniques I've learned from these amazing books.

Last week I realized that I've reached a milestone with my blog, over 1000 followers!

Wow, that's insane to me.

I think that calls for a giveaway, don't you?

The rules for my giveaways are always simple, just leave a comment on this post.

I will draw a winner on Sunday night, April 10th.

The prize????

A nature journal I'm working on, I'll try to post more pictures this week.

And so no one goes away empty handed, I'd like to share this sweet picture with you.

Maybe you can use her in your work.

Friday, October 22

Inspiration Friday/ Haunted House

Welcome to my little museum of natural science,
otherwise know as my Autumn house.

There are few things more beautiful to me than 'Stuff' that has past it's prime.

Nature always inspires me, living or dead.

It's the cycle of life, right?

So for my Vintage Inspiration Friday post, I am showing you what inspires my Halloween decorating.

Vintage nature!

My mantle holds a couple of my Round Top treasures.

Like this gigantic sunflower head, I bought from Sweet Pea Gloria.
Remember I showed you this pretty lace panel?

For now it's living over my mantle.

It's so long!

Beautiful old naked books.

Pages from a German nature book.

Lots of little pumpkins.

See the brown cloth pumpkin? Well, it was the beginning of a whole new obsession.

I just had to make some of these for myself.

So the first step......

Gathering!

My poor family was mortified at the pumpkin patch last week. I asked the owner if I could pick up any orphan stems. I looked like a true bag lady walking around digging on the ground for these babies.

Kevin kept saying, 'don't you have enough?'

Silly boy.

One down, 50 to go!

The leftovers make an interesting still life.

Meet the family pet ....not really!

Around this time of year we are most defiantly more

Addams Family than Partridge Family.

(It's eyes are not red, bad photography)

Last year at Marburger I bought this stuffed duck from Judy Hill.

I carried him around all day like a new born baby, scared to death he'd get bumped or damaged.

Of course my family thought I'd finally crossed the line into insanity with that purchase.

Due to controversy & molting he only comes out a couple of months each year.

Anne asked me if my Halloween style included blow up monsters in the yard.

Whadda you think?

So there you go, a little tour through my house of horrors.

Now if I could just figure out why the kids have so many nightmares in October!

I have to show you my new love!

I saw this amazing purse on a blog awhile back but passed on it when I saw the price. Most of my bags are either homemade or from Target. But when I saw her at Lonestar Antique Mall I could not resist!