Cloches

It is finally Spring in Michigan.  I wasn't sure it was coming this year.  The maple tree outside of my bedroom window has had little red buds on it for months, but as of yesterday they are finally turning into leaves.  It seems like overnight the Winter left us and the Spring sprung.  A welcome change.

This sudden change made me realize how behind I was on gardening plans.  We have almost half an acre here at the house with several beds.  And I am trying to create gardens out of the mounds in the parking lot at my church.   Last year at the church,  I planted from root several red daylilies and started a butterfly garden (more about that later).  I checked the plants on Sunday.  They are starting to pop up out of the ground.

I remembered from last year that the deer and bunnies nibbled quite a few plants away.  We need to stop that this year.  So I started researching cloches.

Cloche is French for bell and that is basically what they are.  Glass bells or domes that go over plants to protect them from the frost and allow planting earlier in the season - which is what we need here in Michigan.  They were popular in the Victorian era.

20101129cloches.jpg - An image I picked up off Google.

Aren't they beautiful.  I would love a garden full of these. What a wonderful romantic idea.  Wonderful and expensive.  They start at $26 each for a small one.  Needless to say, these won't be protecting the plants in our church gardens.  But I still need something.  I thought of using netting - not very romantic and rather ugly.

Ultimately I found wire cloches at Gardeners Supply.  Still expensive.  However, this is an idea!  One I can work with.  I can't hand-blow glass, but I can cut chicken wire.  I looked up some ideas on Pinterest.

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/chicken-wire-cloche/8590210.html

This is what I came up with.  

While cloches were used for gardens, today they are used for interior decor.  They are used for just about everything:  to display collectibles, house candles, store jewelry, or as decor at weddings.  Making your own chicken wire cloche is an inexpensive way to "get the look".

Grasser+Wire+2+Piece+Cloche+Set.jpg at Wayfair.com

Julie's Butterfly

6x6 oil on canvas - This was a commissioned painting and is sold but I love the colors in it and had to share!

OFF THE SUBJECT but what do I do with my bathroom window?

Those of you who know me know that I have a quirky house... I love this house. It is an adorable, perfect-for-me house... in fact, I am certain that God looked at everything I had last year and built this house 30 years ago just for me. It is a quirky house just the same.

One of the oddities is the bathroom window.  Not an ordinary bathroom window (although it does have one of those too).  This window goes from the bathtub/shower into the living room.  It is quite sizable... about 5x5 foot.  It was originally covered with a window shade on the living room side. That was dusty and dirty and I am sure filled with all sorts of germs and simply had to go!!!!

Boat paintings

Manteo Boat - 24x12 Oil on Canvas - Sold

Daybreak Two - 18x30 Oil on Canvas - $300

These are two recent paintings.  The first is of my favorite little boat that sits outside of Festival Park in Manteo, NC.  The second is a painting similar to one that I did a few years ago.  Hope you enjoy!

Hope from a Humble Heart

Hope from a Humble Heart - 12x16 Oil on Board - Sold

Hope from a Humble Heart Framed

This is a painting done on commission with the theme of hope from a humble heart.... It was so much fun painting the butterflies!

By the Lighthouse

Oil on Canvas, 16x24

Not the best photo (I will try and get a better one later), but it is finished.  I've honestly played with this painting for months and am rather glad to have it done.  It's not that any part of it was difficult, just time consuming; however, I am coming to expect that out of my window paintings.  For those who are not familiar, the window frame is painted on the canvas.  These paintings are fun because they give you the view you would love to have.

Little Butterfly

 Little Butterfly, Oil on a wood cradle panel, 4x4 inches - Sold  

I am currently working on several large commissions that are not going as easily as I planned.  In order to step away and get a fresh perspective but still be painting, I did this little butterfly on a cone flower.  I'm planning on doing more of these small paintings or little gems and will be posting them for sale; however, I haven't yet figure out how to put a "buy now" button so if you are interested we will have to do it the old fashioned way via email.

Tea Time

Tea Time     12x16 Oil on Board     Sold

It has been almost two years since I've started this blog.  I am now back in the states (actually for some time now) and am painting continuously.  My goal is to accomplish a painting a day and work on major pieces too.  In order to do this, the daily painting will need to be small as I do not work quickly.  I have a love for detail.  These small works of art will be "little gems".  While I am getting things in order I will be posting pictures of some of my older and more recent works.  Please enjoy!

With Love,  Lisa

The beginning

It is a beautiful day in Italy.  I've come here to spend some time with family and see the sights.   Early morning and coffee is poured.  I am playing with the idea of a blog for my art before I start the day.  As an artist, I believe that the more exposure I get the better.   One site for artists,  Daily Painters, requires a history of a blog and a painting a day... So here is a new project beginning.

Here in Italy, I do not have my paints.... shame on me.  This has caused me to return to the basics, pencil and paper.  I am accomplishing a drawing every couple of days and can very well use them for future paintings.