Early Signs of Spring

Today I'm painting sunflowers along a winding roading through a little village.  Summer scenes have never been my forte.  I've always been more inspired by snow scenes, Christmas, autumn leaves, but generally not spring or summer.  But, today, kids playing outside, bikes, swings, flowers, aprons hanging from a clothesline and gently blowing in the breeze have been guiding my brush through this new scene.  As I got up from my table I was greeted by the sun shining through the trees and making the chartreuse green of the budding leaves and the lavender shades of the redbud blooms contrast against the dark shadows.  This has always been one of my favorite color combinations!  This is God speaking to me through the mess of leaves piled up and needing to be bagged.  Today I was able to see the beauty through the mess.  

I can see the beauty of His creation in the clematis vines with the buds soon to bloom.  Sometimes it's hard to see the beauty for the mess of weeds and dead branches, but if we look close enough it's there.

Yes, there are weeds to pull in my front corner flower bed, but I focused instead on the blooming dogwood tree in contrast with the red, white, and blue of the flag, I see the beauty.

I love my dogwood tree and it's lovely creamy white blooms and my neighbor's little white cottage. 

Here is a view of the dogwood from the window seat in my bedroom.  His beauty is all around us if we pay attention, even in the middle of our messes.

Favorite Corner in My Home

Melissa Michael's blog has been a favorite of mine since I first starting blogging a few years ago.  I was so excited to receive my copy of her new book in the mail this morning, "Love the Home You Have".   

If you're feeling your home is less than "Pinterest Worthy" or have the tendency to be envious and maybe even a little jealous of how bloggers decorate their homes, this is probably the book for you.

Melissa has asked us to share our favorite corner in our home on her Home Love Stories website and I decided to share it here too.

I seriously need to paint the walls in this room again, but try your best to ignore the walls and focus in on this rustic desk that my sweet sister, Patti, passed on to me when she sold her house.

This piece was handmade by a friend of hers.  I adore all the little cubby holes and drawers and this makes the perfect spot for me to fill and ship all my print orders from my Etsy Store.  Another reason I love this corner of my home so much is that it reminds me how blessed I am and thankful for each customer that chooses to hang my artwork in their home.  The little wooden chair came from Grandma's farm and that makes this space doubly blessed by these two special ladies in my life!

These little cubbies are the perfect spot for special items like the set of Jacks my sister gave me for Christmas one year.  We are still kids at heart!  I found the brass "Public Schools of New York" doorknob years ago and it fits here perfectly.

Before Christmas, I found this bundle of twig colored pencils at T.J. Maxx  and they've found a home on the corner of my desk.

Do you have a favorite corner in your home?  If not, gather some special pieces with memories and create one!