Spring.

The flowers in our yard are going crazy (no lilies yet), but I don't have a camera to capture them with. There's the 18 different types of daffodils, and a variety of tulips and hyacinths. Spring is wonderful even when it's dumping down rain and completely gray - at least there's something beautiful to brighten up the yard.
We installed our raised bed a few weekends ago, but haven't planted anything yet. We're talking about carrots, radishes and lettuce. To me there's something so special about making a salad from ingredients grown in the back yard.

The Doors.

I have trouble watching suspenseful movies. I remember being 5 or 6 and my parents renting "Little Shop of Horrors" and being traumatized by it, and since then I have found little enjoyment in anything that's suspenseful, violent, or scary. I'm a wimp. So, when we watch anything that's even slightly frightening, I either leave the room or draw. Drawing somehow distracts me. These were drawn while watching movies this weekend.

Chez nous

Dog.

I've been saying that I'm going to do a portrait of the dog, but keep putting it on hold. I've been working on sketches for the last few weeks. He's generally a ridiculously happy dog, so these make him look a little over-serious.

les fleurs de printemps

The watercoloring continues. I'm not sure what's inspired it, but I'm enjoying playing with paints and spring flowers. We have 5 or six types of daffodils flowering in our garden right now. The pink ones (below) are really fluttery and delicate. 

le petit maison jaune

I'm on a watercoloring kick as of late.

Playing with more paint. I like the roof on this one.

Why don't you have a piece of fruit?

Tropical fruit watercolor I painted while in Kauai. If I could retire tomorrow (at age 28, which is unlikely), I think I would spend a little time every day painting.

drawing

I've been avoiding the internet for the past few weeks. I started to feel like it was taking up most of my free time, and I wasn't getting anything done, and I definitely wasn't being creative. This is the result of being isolated from the internet: painting & drawing. Good stuff. Hopefully there'll be more to come.

sewing

Image via {frolic}
Spent the weekend sewing a new dress (not the one above). I'll try to post pictures soon. I've become inspired to sew all kinds of dresses and skirts and other things. I love the dress above - it's perfectly summery and light.

A few weeks ago I spent some time at the Mill End Store, where they have delightful fabrics despite the weird building and location. It's a Portland classic.

Into the wild

Source unknown.

Ole! to you.

This is worth the time to watch. It made me a little teary-eyed because it spoke to me on so many levels this morning at 10 AM. Enjoy. (via bacon is my enemy)

money.

This is one way to make money during an economic downturn.

Turquoise

Turquoise is both feminine and peppy. Somehow it reminds me of 1986, but it has a clean fresh ladylike feeling.

renovation de la boudoir.

Image via desire to inspire.

We're planning on a huge re-vamp of our bedroom this spring. This includes tearing out the lath and plaster on two walls and replacing with drywall, re-texturing, re-wiring, refinishing the fir floors (tearing out wall to wall carpeting), replacing a window and painting. I hope to collect some bedroom inspiration photos over the next few weeks to help make the the finer design decisions.

We have a ceiling fan similar to the one above now - somehow it's OK in this room, but I HATE ours. Unfortunately it's got to stay, and I'll have to somehow work it in to the room design.

Anticipation.

We have some huge house fixing planned for this spring. I just can't wait for the season to change (and to get our tax return). Tonight on my walk I could smell flowers starting to bloom, although I couldn't see them. Spring is getting closer by the moment. I just can't wait!

Oh my valentine.

Yesterday was a lovely day. Full of pink, hearts, smiles, and smooches. Hope yours was delicious and sexy too.

I've been uninspired of late and trying to avoid spending too much time on the internets (thus the sparse posts). Eventually I'll fall back into my old patterns and have something more to say.

home again, home again, jiggity jig

Kauai was beautiful, relaxing, wonderful. I really couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable trip, even though it was short. It's coming back home that 's the trouble.
I'm trying to enjoy the wintertime, but that's proving difficult when it seems full of rain, snow, clouds, cold, grey, and sickness.
This weekend I noticed that there are hyacinth, daffodil and tulips poking through the ground. Finally. Spring is just around the corner. It's just a matter of making it through the rest of February.

Intermission

Aren't protea incredible?
Tomorrow I leave for Kauai for some time with my family. I'm excited to get away from the wintery weather again. A little intermission from the frigid temperatures.

Belle Jour

• listening to the sound of the dog licking his paws