rainbow tomatoes

rainbow tomatoes, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

A quick pop in to say happy Monday. Here is a spectacular shot from daughter Grace before she hopped off to college on Sunday. Of course we had to go replace her hard drive on her mac book on the way ... thank goodness for local Apple stores. It gave up the go the night before we were to leave, but they popped another one in and she was 100% by the day's end. Phew.

I will be posting as much as I can over the next two weeks, with some great new works coming into the gallery, new links and lots of fun photos from our trip too.
Just a lot on our plates right now! Squam Arts Workshop is coming up on the 10th and I have a few details to wrap up with our next exhibition too! Did you miss what we have been showing all summer? I hope not! Take a peek over here at the shop to see what we have left of "Pigmentary Portraits"... it's beautiful!
My mother has been ill as well, so perhaps there will be less posts than normal until mid month. Who knows!?
Be good everyone and keep your sunny side up!

Sailing back home

two in a boat, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Back home again, to a sunny day in NH, (I heard there were very few whilst we were gone!) a wet garden and lots of friends and family to greet us. Our trip was picture perfect with loads of relaxing and family/friends to catch up with. I even met my buddy Kristina who flew from Rome to visit us in Muenster. Angie and Beatte came to visit too, so happiness abounded in visits from blogging buddies. Visiting our local Muenster friends was special too with loads of cake, grills and lots of prosting going on. The family love was strong too. Did I mention I was rested? And the cake! Oh my.

On to the photo above... I am posting this photo of the illustration I did for my inlaw's 50th wedding anniversary for two reasons. First you asked to see it and secondly as a response to Illustration Friday's prompt: Sail.

These two are in one boat - one sails by the stars, one by the storms.
It's sort of like life. A good life and one greatly worth celebrating. More photos and finds once I sort out the bits. Until then, you can peer at my flickr as the photos pop up. Still downloading mass quantities! (edit::edit::edit thyself)

We are off!

So off we fly to Germany today... our bags are packed and ready for some fun. I hope the next weeks are wonderful to you all and that you check in from time to time to see some snaps from the other side of the pond.
Another lovely photo from Matthew Wyatt - all in the shop.

Senf again...

After a few inquring emails, I realized I had to show the bottom of these lovely glasses. Call me obsessive, silly or plain old boring, but as much as I love my fine glassware, I adore these little gems.
Note the photo is of our tablewares in bookcases. Yes, whilst my in-laws are here, we are mid stride in a MAJOR kitchen renovation. (think walls torn out no floor no cabinets and new electrics being installed by DH) Call me crazy, but it has to be done. Photos upon completion - for sure. We are so inspired by the lovely photos and posts over at design sponge - of homes we have seen and having purchased a home three short years ago, room by room we have been working hard to make our "cape cod on the outside home" into a "modern on the inside" home. Thanks Grace for all the inspiration!
It's slow going, although with the kitchen, I have insisted that it be finished by Thanksgiving.

Kiosk

Cuckoo Clock$180.00

Gernrode/Harz
Wood & Clock Mechanism
8"x7"x7"

My DH is rolling his eyes over this post, but I can't resist a good Black Forest Cuckoo clock! (ok harz is not anywhere near the Black Forest...) We have seen ones similar to these whilst traveling through the Black Forest on the way to friend Angela. This particular one is so lovely I think, because of it's natural wood tone. It is available at Kiosk right here and will satisfy all your needs for time... which today seems to be ticking away a bit faster than ususal...
Also at the fabulous Kiosk is the beautiful, handmade comb from Groetsch. The Groetsch family has been making these combs since 1848, it is a father, mother and daughter operation, which is pretty incredible as their combs are fairly well represented in Germany. The father's father was the last master comb maker in Germany. Today all of the work is still done in the traditional way by hand. Read more about them here and to purchase.
I can't leave this post today without mentioning a beautiful post which you might not have seen yet - Cally gave us a peek into her world of art with her pods in drawings and sculpture.