Hearth and Home ~ Carl Larsson

I remember when I saw Carl Larsson’s work for the first time ~ A freshman in college, 1971, and my roomie (and childhood and life-long friend) Janet, gave me a gorgeous birthday card. I still have that card, 40 birthdays later.

She and I had great fun as roommates ~ The summer before our freshman year, we made matching gingham patchwork quilts for our room, I made matching curtains for the windows, and she made huge, girlie gingham pillows for floor flopping.

We were … in Heaven.

Janet was/is an artist ~ Many was the long night I helped her memorize the seeming thousands of artists/dates/works of art for her Art History finals (“Madonna With the Long Neck”, 1535-40, Parmigianino … By the time we were finished cramming, I think English Lit Major me would’ve aced the final, too.)

But it is Carl Larsson's lovely art to which she introduced me 

that one May morning which has stuck with me these 40 birthdays and kept my love of Larsson very much alive.

Perfect, endless summer days. A beautify, happy gathering of family and friends warmly enfolding me.

I have some beautiful Larsson prints and lithographs in my shop now ... and I add to my collection with every opportunity!

Here are some of my favorites ~ Enjoy!

Mama, Belleek Pottery, and An Abiding Love of All Things Irish

My heritage is a bit of a mixed bag ... Irish, Macedonian, French. Quite a concoction, isn't it? But it is the Irish I see when looking in the mirror: for me there is no denying the Ould Sod.

And it was mother who gave me a love of all things Irish ~ from laces to Irish tenors (she'd stop whatever she was doing to see/hear John Gary ♥) to her More Than 10,000 Ways To Cook A Potato ... and a love of Irish Belleek.

And so, this morning she would have been thrilled to see the note sent to me via my Flickr account that one of my photographs, Belleek makers mark, was used by Irish Fireside on their site in a story of Irish Belleek Pottery.

For you, Mama ♥ I love you

An Artistic Journey Back To My Childhood

Every once in a while I discover a new (for me) artist or illustrator and it’s like a whole new world has opened for me.

I’ll google the name and learn what there is to learn on the internet. See what images and what additional books are there to be found and look through all the wonderful art and crafting blogs, most of which I already subscribe.


There are dozens of blogs sitting quietly there now, waiting for me ... it's ridiculous how back-logged my online to-read list is. Wonderful, beautifully illustrated blogs; all well-written and quite interesting. It is no exaggeration that my Google Reader “Unread” tab now numbers well into the 100’s. I’m still looking for a way to deny a need for sleep. Caffeine and chocolate can work for only so long before I collapse at the keyboard, only to wake in the wee small hours of the morning with “QWERTY” imprinted on my forehead.


Perhaps, if I'm still unsatisfied, I'll head to my library which, for a small town, is surprisingly deep in art books (yes, I know I’m lucky).

And then there is that other sort of discovery: re-discovery, actually. Art and stories from my childhood (mid-1950’s). My mother was a private artist, never published, with exquisite taste and an unbounding affection for Edwardian, Victorian, and Georgian art and sensibilities (mostly Georgian). And the books that graced our home (she cherished her books) reflected her deep affection.

So the other day, when a customer’s request sent me searching through my shop’s inventory stacks of images and books and then, still searching, to my own personal volumes in hopes of locating her request … I ended up not finding that particular image but, instead, rediscovering my childhood.

Miska Petersham

Aren’t these gorgeous? Each and every one. Gorgeous.

Miska Petersham was born in Hungary in September 1888 and immigrated to London in search of employment (unsuccessfully) and then to the US in 1912. He went to work for the International Art Service where he met his future wife, Maud Fuller, a New York writer and illustrator.

The duo was an early 20th century artistic powerhouse team, producing children’s books together for more than 30 years and winning both Caldecott Honors award in 1941 (An American ABC) and the Caldecott Medal in 1946 (The Rooster Crows).

For me, the joy of Miska’s art is the charming  world he create and the colors he uses. Yeah, for me it was most definitely his palette. I fell in love with Miska’s "Old-World" style when I was 4 years old, long before I understood what “Art” was (not that I understand it even now).


Looking back, Miska’s creations awoke in 4-year-old me a desire for a more beautiful world. I wanted to live in there, to know the people I saw there, visit the places. And, although that 4-year-old me did not understand that this world was *not* real, Miska's art *made* this world real ~ his paints and his imagination made it real for me.


… and, for that 4-year-old little me, what I saw was real *enough* and I wanted more.


And isn't that what Art is supposed to do for us ... and to us ... regardless of our age?

The Crafter's, Needleworker's, Cook's Dream Library!

I’ve been fortunate enough to have a crafter’s windfall come my way ~ a stash of needlework, crafts, recipe, and how-to books!

My friend is a seamstress, crafter, excellent cook, a knitter … she will be moving soon and wanted to clear out some of her books, booklets, and pamphlets to ease the tremendous crush of books before having to move them. 

She asked (!!) if I'd like to help her out with them ~ I was leafing through the titles before she finished the question! Her only request of me was that they go to a good home!

And these are beautiful books ~ each one of them in pristine condition … gently used (some I'm certain were not used at all!). She worked in a knitting/embroidery boutique and she is like me ~ absolutely unable to pass up these gorgeous books. And they were wonderfully and carefully stored. Quite a few are newer volumes (1990's and some 2000's). Some from this treasure trove date back to the 70’s and 60’s, and even the 50’s. As I research each one, I'm finding that many of the titles are no longer in print and, quite candidly, many of these are absolutely treasures of sewing, crafting, and cooking reference.

 

I’ll be listing the books in my Art Fire shop over the next few weeks ... there are hundreds of titles and yes, I'll be saving more than a few for myself!!

Come check out my shop's Toys and Books Section now to see what I’ve already listed.

And! If you are looking for a particular title, let me know ~ I very well may have it in this absolutely fantastic Treasure Trove. I'll list it especially priced and reserved for you!

xo karen

In Honor of the Kentucky Derby ...

Okay. This is definitely *not*, I repeat: *NOT!* for little kids' ears. You've been warned.


I cannot watch the Derby or the Preakness without this coming to mind, and it cracks me up, each and every time.


Enjoy! And please, do remember my warning!

The Muppets, Danny Boy, and St. Patrick's Day

Some very silly silliness for this St. Paddy's Day ... And why not?  Nothing says St Patrick's Day to me as much as the Muppets singing Danny Boy.


So, for my Irish celebration on this Musical Tuesday ... I present the absolute three best singers ever to grace the stage on the Muppets show.


((I ♥ Animal))


And it is a little difficult to say "relax", as you are about to hear ... so, how about this? ... have a beer and kick back.


Yeah, that is almost as good. And, considering the day, it may even be a bit better, actually!


Happy St. Pat's!


Love, 
xo Karen

Young lady, where have you been?

I hope you have been wondering where I have been. To have been gone as long as I've been gone ... and not be missed? Ah, you cut me to the quick.

I've been cheating on my Blogger blog with a new love. Someone handsome and witty, quick, quirky, and someone who is always there for me. And easy. Did I mention my new someone is easy? That's important for me in an ongoing online relationship. And my new love is certainly easy.

I don't even promote my shops ... and I have a ridiculous 6 now ... as much with my new love. Mostly, it's about things my new love finds for me, sends to me, presents to me. Oh, I continue to share my listings with my new love ~ freely and easily and it is clear that my efforts are appreciated: over 200 people tune in daily to watch the blossoming love affair we have going. It's quite the talk of the internet.

And I won't close this down completely. I still love this blog and will from time to time update it~ quite simply: I don't want to close off any avenue available to reach the people I love and for them to reach me.

But, for now, you will find me there, dallying with my new love. Daily. Daily dallying. Publicly, too. It's a joy.

Tumblr.com

Click on that, please. Oh, do please stop by! You can just scroll through my blog and the things I've 'liked'. You can ask me questions, send me notes. You can join yourself (you're going to want to!)

Tumblr fun, fresh, and completely addictive. If you have something you'd like me to share on my blog, just let me know ~ I'll be so happy to.

So. It's not like I'm leaving Blogger. I'm just busy with dear Tumblr right now. I do miss you and love you.

5 Mondays $5.00 Zibbet Sale

I am part of the $5 and under sale going on today only. Just swing on by http://www.zibbet.com type in 5monday in the keywords and see what great items are features by some amazing crafters and artist!

I plan to keep my tags up, but will only promote on months with 5 mondays. What a fun sale! Today is also the end of the back to school, bts sales going on, too.

Le Petit Poulailler

Three French Hens

The Little Chicken Coop

Blue Skies, Smiling At Me ...

And so again today I'm showing another collection created while procrastinating in one of my ArtFire shops ... These are pretty, aren't they?


I do enjoy making Collections ...usually at the end of my day. Relaxing. I don't usually have a purpose (The Man's collection yesterday was an exception ... which is probably why it made the ArtFire Front Page): I usually am just browsing and hit upon a thread, something cohesive, and just go from there.


And, if I am honest, it is never easy for me to decide on a theme. I like too many too different things.  Truth be told, picking a theme is, for me, the most difficult part of making a Collection. 


I do have a 'go-to' shop when making a Collection ~ GingerSnapz. Ah, see there? I've let my great  secret is out. Ellen has *THE* best eye (hehe) for color and form. I don't have it. But I do know it when I see it. She's got it. So you'll usually find one of her beautiful photographs in my collections and this one is no exception (the Jay!)


I hit on this theme, "Blue Skies" and thought ~ perfect! why not song titles?! So, here we go. The first in my Song Title Collections, this one brought to you by Irving Berlin and the wonderful shops of ArtFire.

... Nothing But Blue Skies

  Curated By: PetitPoulailler

Blue skies 
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see


Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long


Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly


Blue days
All of them gone
Nothing but blue skies
From now on

Too Busy Too Busy ...

I know, it's not a good excuse. I've been really very busy of late, personally at home as well as with my shops. There are new shops to fill and one sad little lonely shop to empty out.


But there comes a time when it's all work and no play and man, am I tired. Wait ... I don't think that's how the saying goes. What in the world will my life be like in another month when I am knee deep in ThanksChrisGivingMas? Okay. I'm going to sit quietly for a few moments now until that thought passes.


So I'll keep this post brief ...I woke up today to see that one of my Collections over on ArtFire was on the Front Page! yay!!  It was literally one I threw together very quickly, finding things that suited The Man.


And now, of course, he is taking full credit for that Front Page appearance. He's a sexy sweet Muse ... but he can be a pretty shameless Muse at times, too.


Here is the collection and here is where you can click to see all my collections over there. Now please, go and peak at a couple and leave a comment telling me that my curating skills are improving. Boy, when I get tire, I get needy :|


But I must tell you ~ collection making is fun anyway and a LOT easier than it was on Etsy. ArtFire really has a lot of great stuff goin' on! Enjoy!


xo karen

The Many Sides of My Guy

  Curated By: PetitPoulailler

ArtFire.com

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