Garden Daydreams, Kayak Hopes, Garage Sale Prep, & Some Halloween Folk Art

 Still snow in the mountains

 

Today is a beautiful blue sky day after a few dreary gray days.  It is still not warm, but the sun and brightness bring thoughts of gardening and kayaking back to the forefront.  I really wish April would make up its mind!  She is a notoriously fickle thing.  Part of the joy of living in Vermont is the changing of the seasons, but this particular change can be downright cruel.  After a long 4 to 5 months of being cooped up and cold all we want is a half way passable day to just get outside!

I keep glancing at the kayaks leaned up against the back of the house, knowing there is probably ice still on the ponds, but ever hopeful that a kayak is in the near future?

West Hill Pond here I come.....soon!

 

Keep looking at the mud patch that is my garden, ever hopeful that in a little bit I can be out there digging in the dirt.

 

                                                                         Needs work!

 



 

Needs Pruning!



 

Ready when you are April!

 



 Halloween Creations

 Mystery Unraveled

 

So at the conclusion of the last blog post, I showed a mystery project.  I am working on some Halloween folk art creations in between my usual Santa work.  I have to say I really enjoy all of the possibilities Halloween presents.  So far, I have been working on assorted pumpkin heads.  Just like the Santa's no two end up being alike!  The expressions and combinations are limitless.  The finished pieces pictured above are some I have done in the past.  I have ideas for some witches, larger pumpkin heads and many Halloween people like the black and white guy pictured in the middle.  He is actually my first attempt at a Halloween character.  Bill likes him so much and has said he is a keeper!  I don't end up keeping many pieces, but I agree, don't think I could part with him.  The white and orange jack-o-lanterns are HUGE and they take alot of time to not only shape, but dry.  I love using the dry brush technique for these guys as it adds so much depth to the colors and character to the final piece.  I will be sure to post a finished photo of all of these WIP guys before posting to my Etsy Store.

 

Lastly, a lot of preparation is going into our every three years without fail garage sale.  Is it that time again already?  Well my collection of cast offs says yes, it is time.  A funny thing is happening to me......for so many years it has been about the hunt, acquiring, collecting, but of late I feel like I just want to minimize.  I have heard this happens, but never thought it would happen to me.  Nobody enjoys a good garage sale or flea market find more than I do.  For the past few years though, I have just really had a different mindset.  Many years ago my grandparents did what I thought was the unthinkable....they decided it was time to move to Florida, sold their house to my folks and left just about everything except their clothes!  I could not believe it!  How could they do that.....leave all of their treasures that they had accumulated thru the years?  I guess they were just ready to have a new adventure and that they did.  I am certainly not there yet, probably never will be, there are things that I could just never part with....well like that little black and white Halloween guy!.  That being said, the hoeing out is really liberating and the garage sale pile is really building!

 

Until next time.....keep thinking Spring!