Mushroom Madness + Post Of The Month Club
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Posted by Happy Homemaker UKIn England, we are definitely having an 'Indian Summer' right now - a welcome warm spellI was surprised to hear the English use the term 'Indian Summer',for I always assumed the phrase was a Native American referenceBut maybe they are referring to the country of India whe…
Work in progress...
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Just a quick update on the commission for the lovely H. Here's a little look at the underpainting as of last last week, although it's come along significantly since then. I'll share the finished painting as soon as it's signed, sealed and delivered, but until then, here's a snippet:I'm making a huge…
Obscure Gardens: World Garden Of Plants & Tom Hart Dyke
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Posted by Happy Homemaker UKI first learned of Tom Hart Dyke when I happened to pick up a book at a book fair,An Englishman's Home: The Adventures of an Eccentric GardenerIn this fascinating book (and quick read), Tom tells of a problem he shares with other families who have been bequeathed castles …
WEDDING IN LAS VEGAS - WITH FEATHERS!
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My friend Shawna says we are getting oldand she may be right - especially if getting old means we are losing our mindsI mean, what was I thinking when I agreed to do a wedding in Las Vegas?Read more »…
Peace out
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It's school holidays in this part of the world, and I managed to squeeze in a long-overdue trip to the beach last week. It was a gorgeous sunny day on the sunshine coast, with a warm breeze, and lots of seafood for lunch.....doesn't get much better than that.yep, that's the Mr - shy little wallflowe…
Obscure Gardens: Kew At Wakehurst
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Posted by Happy Homemaker UKCall me crazybut I had been DYING to visit the Wakehurst Millennium Seed Bank for over a year,located near Gatwick Airport in West SussexIt is a joint venture with Kew Royal Botanic Gardens (their 'country garden')and National Trust's most visited property, Wakehurst Plac…
Mission Complete: The Cleanse of 2011
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Posted by Happy Homemaker UKHere's the dealWhen I visited home over the summer,my friend looked so healthy, so glowingand so much smaller (dropped 10 lbs)I had to ask, 'What's your secret?''The Clean cleanse', she replied'oh...Darn it!...', I thought,grasping for a different explanationKnowing an an…
A blank canvas
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You might remember in my last post I mentioned I was about to start on a commission for a lovely client? Well, I thought this might be the perfect time to share a little of how I go about painting a commissioned work - before I forget all about taking pics along the way.here she is...a nice (big) bl…
Happy Hedgerows
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Posted by Happy Homemaker UKOne thing I adore about rural England is the hedgerows that crisscross the countrysideJust recently I grasped the importance of themI could just blabber on and on about themHedges have been an important part of the British landscape since Roman times, and some of these he…
Stripe me lucky
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Black and white is a classic combo that never goes out of fashion. Throw them together into a stripe, and it's even better. I've been seeing this pic all over the place lately, and it was love at first sight:is this not the most gorgeous storefront ever? It belongs to designer Liz Caan. Perfection.I…