About Me

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Sublimity, OR, United States
****WELCOME FRIENDS****
I am artist of texture and color. I enjoy working with textiles, mixed media and the graphic arts. I am an avid cottage gardener with a love for pass along plants and big fluffy pink peonies and pink roses. Many of my tangible creations reflect my love of the garden and all its wonderful colors. I have been selling my creations online since 2002 beginning as a hobby. After 10 years I quit the day job to pursue my art as a full time passion.

21 August 2011

Sunday pleasure.....

It is a beautiful sunny, warm morning and this is how I feel today!



Sunday, seems to be my day to give thanks for the beauty that surrounds me. This is one of my favorite photographs. It is of Cascade Head which is located on the central Oregon coast.I do not live on the Oregon coast--I am 65 miles inland, but the ocean is so breath taking on a gorgeous day!

16 August 2011

Flavors Take Flight


 check out my Mango cake recipe!! I would love your vote! Click on the words below!

08 August 2011

Another summer project revealed

Remember this chair??


Here she is re-purposed into a pot chair
for my front porch!

She greets you as you step on the front porch

Welcome to Arbor Oak Cottage
est. 2005
Sanded primed and painted banana cream color, Then a white milk wash to age it a bit.  I actually have a pot that fits into the cut out, but I have not planted it yet. So for photo's sake, I sat one on top.
For the lettering I used a technique from Carol of the Polka Dot Closet blog. I measured the space and then went to my graphic program and created the stencil. Here is the link to Carol's tutorial Transferring Graphics on Furniture

05 August 2011

August in my Cottage Garden

It was overcast this morning, so a great photo opportunity in my garden. Every year, I take photos and with a cottage garden, it amazing how things change and come and go, only to reappear a couple summers later. Below is a picture of my half moon garden. The tree in the corner is a Lollipop Crabapple, it is dwarf so it is a perfect addition to the cottage garden.
 You can click on any of the pics for full size
To frame the garden, we collected boulders for the last 6 years, many we found at the farm across the road.
The hollyhocks put on quite a show this year. I started with one plant from the nursery marked "mixed". It was white the first year, then the next I had burgandy. Since then, I get several shades of pink too. I love the surprise they bring. I just let them reseed naturally...along with everything else!

In the back, are "Kiss me over the Garden Gate" They are not booming yet--that will be a new post in a couple weeks, The daylilies will need to be divided this fall, they did not bloom well this year.


Amongst the coreopsis, one of my favorite features, a shepherds hook with a watering can appearing to be pouring into the bird bath. I have actually put large chunks of ice in the can when we have outdoor parties. The water slowly trickles into the birdbath. I just finished adding some heirloom Balsam seedlings for some end of August color.

My most prized clematis! Betty Corning . She never disappoints me. She spreads her wings and blooms all summer lovely little lavender blue bells.

This is one of my newer small gardens in another part of the property, I have a young Eden rose and a butterfly bush in back. I am hoping for a spectacular show next summer.

I hope you enjoyed this tour, cottage gardening is one of my passions and I love to share.


 AND
 


Every Saturday

Where we reside

Where we reside

The Oregon Coastline

The Oregon Coastline