Outdoor Living - Window Boxes

Here are some images that are inspiring me this summer garden season.  I have a large window box on the front of my house and a smaller one on the back, so I am always looking at ways to kick it up a notch.   

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I actually tried to copy this a copy years ago, major fail.  My big window box on the second floor and is a major pain to water.  Now I plant asparagus fern, because it takes a lot of abuse.  


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Red and pink together is always a good idea. 


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All white - lovely.


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I love how full this one is, makes me think I need to triple the plants in mine. 


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And finally, these window boxes are just so sweet and look how healthy they look.  Check out this blog because she gives several tips on how to make this happen.  One tip is to water everyday.  Oh, so that's what I'm doing wrong...  :) 

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Around the internet: pinterest and other link love

None of the above, available here

Love this guide to the prettiest mani/pedi color combos from Real Simple.

This kielbasa & sweet potato hash recipe was delicious!  I added a fried egg and a side salad.  

Spiral cut hot dogs via HuffPo.  Cannot wait to try this!

Check out this artist's work: Joy Laforme.  Wow, she is amazing.  

Can you believe this faux wood is a stick-on embellisment?  Via BHG.

 

 DIY marbling via Honestly WTF.

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on my radar - round sunglasses

I admit it:  I'm a huge Real Housewives fan.  Especially the New York franchise.  I follow a lot of the women on instagram, including Kristen Taekman.  I noticed Kristen's Illesteva sunglasses last summer (I think it was that long ago?) and fell in love with them.  I just love her style all around.  Anyway, Illesteva sunnies are a little pricey, so I bought pair #2 from The Loft to see if I liked the style on me before I took the plunge.  Now that this round style of sunglasses has become popular, you can find lots of great prices from other companies.  These are a few of my favorites, and yes I still want #5 from Illesteva...
1. Crap eyewear (love the name!) 2. Loft (these are the pair I own) 3. Ray-Ban (in addition to round frames, I'm really loving colored frames.  Just bought a pair of Ray-Ban aviators with blue frames) 4. Tildon (found these via Atlantic-Pacific - these look so cute on her) 5.  Illesteva (so many different color combos with this style - love!)

1 comment Illesteva, style, sunglasses

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Recent paintings - landscapes

These are paintings one through nine of my landscape series.  My goal is to paint 50 landscapes of this size (12 x 12).  So far I have painted 16.  You can find all of my current paintings for sale in my etsy shop.

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inspo interiors - houseplants

I love houseplants.  They add so much to any interior space.  I have them in almost every room of my house.  I am not always the best at keeping them alive, but over the years and with the advice from my mother I've found a few that will stand up to my abuse.

These two plants are very easy to grow.  On the right is a corn plant (Dracaena), which is very easy to grow and maintain.  On the left is a version of a palm, I can't remember which one.  It's been incredibly tolerant as well.

These two plants are in my kitchen.  On the left are two ivy plants, English and Swedish.  English ivy can be a little temperamental, but the Swedish ivy (the larger leaf) is so easy.  I've got a bigger pot of it on my patio.  My mom advises to cut it back every year and it grows back even thicker and more beautiful.  On the right is a Philodendron.  Another easy plant.  Love how it trails along my counter.

This isn't my house, but I had to include my dream plant:  the fiddle leaf fig tree.  I know they are trendy and have been all over blogs and magazine in the last several years, but I love them.  The reason I don't have one is a) I haven't found them at any of my local nurseries or home centers b) I'm confident I would kill it and c) I know they can be pricey.  But look what it does to this interior:

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If you really do not have a green thumb there are still easy ways to bring some green into your home.
This is great example of branches in a vase.  Love this.  

 
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Another way to add green without the pressure keeping a plant alive is to use preserved boxwood (just needs to be misted with water every now and then).  Orchids are also a great decorative option. Now the orchids I have in my house are living, not faux, but I figure for the $15 or so they cost, it's worth it even if I don't keep them alive for more than a couple months.  I water them with ice cubes about every ten days, or whenever I remember...  I pick them up at Lowe's or Trader Joe's.  Love the color the life they add to my living room.  And honestly there's nothing wrong with faux orchids, if you're willing to pay a lot of money you can buy some that you would never guess were fake.

And that's it for my houseplant round-up  Have a great weekend!

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If I had a million dollars - No. 1

These are several items that caught my eye this week, and I few (5 & 6) I've had my eye for a couple months.  If I had a million dollars, I'd buy all 10!

1. The Row culottes 2. shift dress 3. loft mosaic stroll skirt 4. Halston Heritage gown 5. Steve Madden ankle strap sandal 6. Tory Burch aviators 7. Ban.do ipad case 8. DV by Dolce Vita (on sale!) 9. H&M woven pants 10. Helmut Lang stretch-jersey dress

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Bird by bird - My first public art installation

I am very honored to be one of 22 artists who decorated trees with amazing art at Midtown Crossing at Turner Park.  This is my first public art installation, and I really enjoyed how the project not only pushed me creatively, but pushed me to use a jigsaw without cutting off a finger.  

This painting that I did last summer inspired my piece.  The quote is by my grandmother, which makes the project even more special because my grandmother was a big supporter of my art.

Initially I was afraid my idea was too literal.  You know, birds and trees isn't exactly original.  But I am happy with how it turned out and think it was a great process for me to take a watercolor painting and turn it into something 3D.

This was the initial sketch for the project.  My idea was to paint large abstract paintings, in my expressionist style, on plywood and then cut out the bird shapes creating literal birds with abstract colors.  I was going to wrap the quote around the trunk, but ended up making a banner and hanging it from a branch.  

In the end, I'm very happy with the project.  Painting on plywood definitely got my juices flowing and was something I've wanted to try for awhile.  I have one piece that I didn't use.  I think I might break it out today and see what happens. 

Leave a Comment abstract art, art, birds, Omaha, public art installation

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