Holland Pouches

Several months ago while reading a post from Wendy at Pieceful Thoughts, I came to a quilted, zipper bag that she'd bought a pattern for and made. It was called a Holland Pouch. I had my new sewing machine that I hadn't really quite made friends with yet and thought this might be a good opportunity.  I bought the pattern.  I'm pretty sure I got my $10 worth out of it.

I made a few.

I made mistakes and figured out how to do better.

I made some more.

I learned a lot about my machine and what it would do.

I got pretty good at it.

I made a lot more.

I found the act of sewing the quilting lines so relaxing.

I loved using up scraps of material.

I made so many of them!

But I needed so many of them!  I had 36 grandbabies, grand nieces, & grand nephews who come to The Lake every year and wonder if Aunt Helen remembered to make Lake Bags this year.  I always ask the oldest ones (now 17, 16, 15....) if they're too old for a Lake Bag, and they assure me that they are not.

They got to choose their favorite bag then choose the goodies that would go inside.  

Their moms got to choose a Lake Bag this year too!

I love it!

And.... I'm not sure I'm finished making these Holland Pouches. Hmmm....

Sunset Over Lake Hamilton

Original Oil Painting on 30"x 40" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Original Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Original Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

Click Sunset over Lake Hamilton if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Gently Down the Stream

[Serendipity - the occurrence of pleasant events that happen by chance]

In 2016 we had a vacation that was filled with serendipity. It began with a trip to Cooperstown, New York where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located. That part was great, but the serendipity began as we left.  We'd found a bed and breakfast lodge not too far from there which seemed like might be a nice place to spend a few days.  

It all started with checking in.

"We have a wedding party that would like to use the whole lodge, would if be okay if we moved you to our cabin? No extra charge." 

Ummmmm... Yeah!

The whole property was just one relaxing surprise after another....

   Row boats on a placid lake...

   Ducks with babies following behind...

   Nature trails with swings to rest on...

   Flowers in bloom everywhere...

   Hammocks in random places...

   Weather in perfect mid 70s...

   Peaceful... Relaxing... Soothing... Restful...

Why would we ever leave!

One morning we decided we would leave to eat some place local.  We asked the teenager who took our order what there was to do nearby.  "Oh, not much really... unless you want to go to Woodstock.  It's about 15 minutes down that way."   

Wait... Woodstock?  You mean Woodstock, Woodstock? 

"Yeah, there was a big concert thing there a long time ago.  There's a museum and stuff."

Ummmmm.... Yeah!

(I'll save our Woodstock adventure day for another painting, another story.)

Here's a sample of our restful time at Lake Joseph, New York. 

No idea what this is, but they lined the forest paths.

...Literally lined the forest paths.

"What are you looking at?"

Row, row, row a boat... any boat.

Sweethearts.

Even the animals were relaxed.

Places for naps everywhere.

Swings for taking breaks (although no breaks were needed).

This makes my 20th weekly painting challenge with my friend and art mentor.  The challenge was "A Sunny Day."  I hope there's a calming feeling from this painting of a sunny day on a row boat.

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

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You Can't Miss It!

"Barely There"
photo by Sara Harley 

When I first saw Sara's Inspiration Image for January's Inspiration Collaboration, I thought, "Wait... I don't see anything!" Then I looked closely. There's so much to notice, but it's "Barely There."

There's a shoreline with trees and other vegetation.  There are so many houses. Everything is subtly reflected in the water. Sky and water seem to be one in the same but they are cut in half by the strip of life.

Oddly (or maybe naturally), my mind went in the complete opposite direction.  

I'm fascinated by people who choose to paint their houses loud colors. (By the way, my house is a calm khaki tan that blends in with the trees.)   I'd recently seen a show about the brightly colored houses in Scandinavia where so much of their year is colored white. It reminded me of the bright blue beach we stayed in which was next to houses of every color. Then I thought about the random orange or purple house I might drive by on an otherwise fairly normal-colored-house neighborhood street.


If you know me at all, you know that the next place my mind will go will be to some children's book that I love. Have you read The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater? (If not, click the link right now, head to Amazon and spend the $6.99 to get it!) 

Mr. Plumbean lives in a perfectly perfect neighborhood where all the houses look nice and tidy and perfectly alike... until... You'll just have to read it to see how that big orange splot gets on his house and how he decides to fix the problem!! 

I think that Mr. Plumbean would LOVE Inspiration Collaboration where creativity and individual style is recognized and celebrated!

Click the link and go have a look.  
You are welcome to join in.









Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]