Pretty Sensible Stuff

Jealous Cats

2011-10-13T06:29:00.003-04:00

The cats are jealous the pups were posted.

I thought cats were suppose to be arrogant.

But mine are not too proud to beg.

Painted Pups

2011-10-12T06:01:00.005-04:00

For being a cat person I am enjoying painting pups for the Salty Paws Festival. We dog sat for a pair of pups for 6 days and went thru at lot of Milk Bone Treats. I was hoping to scare off the deer from eating my flowers and the raccon from eating the cats' food but not only are the deer and the coon still well fed but a fat possum was eating the from the cat's bowls last night.

Capture the Booty

2011-08-19T05:38:00.000-04:00

Sun dancing on undulating water
sparkling like diamonds.
Divers lured to the depths
of beauty held by the Caymans.

Discover the island’s treasure.
descend to the fish school ledger.
Uncover the sea-life down under.
Dive in and capture the plunder.

Isolated grains of sand shining
bright as polished doubloon.
Illustrious characters of time noted
from a glorious plume.

Discover the island’s treasure.
Uncork the history of pirate pleasure.
Listen for tales from voices gone mute.
Dive in and capture the loot.

Traces of sea bask in moon beams
mellow as the glow of gold.
Golden camaraderie formed
as opportunities unfold.

Discover the island’s treasure.
Realize bounty without measure.
Broaden the band of friendship ties.
Dive in and capture the prize.

Sunset reflects the day as if a glint of steel
forged into a gleaming sword.
Beached divers deposited in the after
noon sun along the dockside moored.

Discover the island’s treasure.
Proclaim the quest for leisure.
Do rum with something fruity.
Dive in and capture the booty.

Angelfish and like fishes

2011-08-18T05:55:00.000-04:00

When identifying fish the body shape, cross section, and proportion are taken in consideration. Angelfish and like fishes have a disk shape profile, have a highly compressed cross section, and have a deep-body proportion. A fish is deep if the depth measurement (from back to belly) is high compared to its length (from snot to tail). Sea chubs, spadefishes, butterfly fishes, angelfishes, and surgeon fish are in the family of fish known as Perciformes. Butterfly fishes and angelfishes are favorite subjects for underwater photographers because they are colorful and easily approached by divers. Spadefishes swim on the edge of the reef. And Surgeon fishes are herbivores and swim in schools like cow herding.
By the amount of paintings I would say they are my favorite to paint.

Seafood

2011-08-17T06:41:00.000-04:00

I love seafood. One of my favorites is Ceviche.

Dockside Buoys

2011-08-16T05:36:00.000-04:00

barnacles cling
to the waterlogged pilings,
as water laps

Pelicans

2011-08-15T05:45:00.000-04:00

Sailing into the town docks of Oriental, N.C. the pelicans greet you from their perch on the pilings. After sailing east down the Neuse River from New Bern, the sight really gives you the image of a coastal port. The smell of saltwater and the fisherman's catch mix with the sounds of gull's cries and the water slapping against the boat hulls. The nets of the shrimp boats are spread like the wings of the seabirds their harvest attract. The docks are teaming with vessels from many ports and it is enjoyable to read the names and places each boat had been christened. But what I really like most is the welcoming committee of pelicans.

All in a Row

2011-08-12T05:22:00.000-04:00

hot road dirt

posted on posts, sit all

in a row

Real Mermaid

2011-08-11T05:23:00.000-04:00

I dressed as the “Chicken of the Sea” mermaid one Halloween. Another Halloween I dressed as a sea maiden with green skin and starfish in my hair. Another time as a water nymph with a useable tail. I made it from a iridescence, plastic shower curtain and put hook and loop tape on the bottom to insert swim fins to stiffen the tail. But my most effective mermaid costume is my scuba tank and gear. In it I can swim amongst the fish and sea creatures like a real mermaid.

Floating Vessels

2011-08-10T05:29:00.000-04:00

Water slick, sweet and flat
against its surface floats vessels.

Vessels crowd, pull and tug
against the worn, wooden dock.

Dock cleats, denies and forbids
against freely floating vessels.

Vessels whine, creak and protest
against the bonds of captivity.

Sticky Summer

2011-08-09T05:18:00.000-04:00

hot sticky air-
thirsty humming bird drinks
water stick sweet.

Bird's Eye View

2011-08-08T05:48:00.000-04:00

My first pet was a bird. He lived in a wire cage and I followed his eyes blink and dart around. In my twenties I had two birds. I gave them a nest and nesting material and they made baby birds. They lived in a bamboo cage and I followed their eyes as they blink and dart around. The beauty of being a bird is being able to fly and dart around in the sky. I paint birds that are free and can fly all around. But I still follow their eyes.

Beach Architecture

2011-08-05T05:19:00.000-04:00

Silhouetted in the sun
man’s mark on the beach.
Wooden structures sprayed
with the salt water’s reach.

Pitted with blasted sand
nature’s mark on the beach.
Worn wooden structures
an architectural niche.

Sand Sculpturing

2011-08-04T05:14:00.000-04:00

Using clay carving tools I scraped away sections of damp sand to help create a sculpture in the court yard of Glaxo-Smith-Kline rented building. I was working as a sub-contractor and it was a team building project I volunteered to participate in . It was a far cry from the plastic bucket and shovel found in a child's sandbox or mom's beach bag; but every bit as fun.

Day at the Beach

2011-08-03T05:28:00.000-04:00

One harsh, Michigan winter we took a family vacation to Florida after opening Christmas gifts. The day slated to visit the Panhandle's beach was not a balmy, sunny day but it was warmer than home so we made the most of it. My brother and I gathered driftwood for our attempt to build a beach shack and image we were cast-a-ways on a deserted island. Except for the shore birds, the beach was quite empty so it was not hard to imagine. We tried to imitate the sandpipers playing chicken with the surf. We rolled up our pant legs and ran up to the waves and tried not to get the dry, rolled fabric wet. We ran backwards as fast as we could without being caught by the sea foam; giggling and laughing as we played. But no matter how fast we moved our feet we could not match the agility of the sandpiper's moves. They move their feet very rapidly as they run along the water's edge. Their head and body stay perfectly immobile, floating above the river dance style footwork. The sand dancer's did not care if it was sunny, rainy, balmy, or brisk; they know a day at the beach is better than a day anywhere.

Sand Shoot

2011-08-02T05:37:00.001-04:00

sunrise touches
wet grains, seashells crush
as waves recede.

Sea Shells

2011-08-01T06:25:00.001-04:00

When I was in girl scouts I earned my “collector” badge collecting sea shells. With no shells on the shores of Michigan to be found, it wasn't as easy as it sounds. But I learned to identify, label, and display the collection. Now I can not walk down the beach without stopping to look if that piece of a whelk is just a shard or a peek at a whole intact shell hiding under the sand.

Butterfly Garden

2011-07-29T05:42:00.000-04:00

The sun streaks through the window and the flutter dance in the garden is in full view. Years ago the view from the window was a picturesque plum tree. I was sadden when a violent storm pushed the tree over leaving only its root system pointing at the sky. Removing the tree remains left an empty hole in the earth as well as my heart. But today the trickling sound of water bubbles up from a tall, clay vessel that creates a backyard water feature is in its place. The fountain is surrounded by a wonderful butterfly garden.
It has all the elements needed to attract and maintain the winged creatures visits. The space receives six or more hours of sun daily, it is sheltered from the wind, it has a wet area to land, humid atmosphere, and nectar rich food.
The sunny area provides sunlight for the flowers and resting butterflies to soak up the sunshine. Since the space is situated next to the deck, which is perpendicular to the house, the corner configuration blocks the wind which makes it easier for the dragonflies, butterflies, and moths to land on the flowers.
The water feature provides circulating water which attracts the winged insects and the splashing water creates a humid atmosphere and wet area to land. The butterflies need to rest and spread their wings in the sun as well as a puddle to drink water to balance their diet.
Butterfly bushes provide a food source for caterpillars and butterflies while vibrant colors of red, yellow and hot pink generate a garden that is easy to spot. The circle of blooms are in varying heights, including a window box, so the butterflies can share their flight pattern with other nectar seekers.
So the flutter dance is performed right outside my window; what could be more wonderful?

The Birdhouse

2011-07-28T05:16:00.000-04:00

Poem by Andrew Walker

I had a vision
It started out so small
I would build a birdhouse
That was it, that was all
But then I thought
What if this birdhouse had
Three levels and two wings
And then I said, “Egad!”
It needs squirrel defense
But squirrels need homes, too
So I added nine levels
And I wasn’t quite through
If squirrels and birds need a home
Well, what about the fish and the deer
I started more planning
It was all so amazingly clear
A home for the animals
It was just not enough
I needed a bigger one for me
So life wouldn’t be so rough
I designed a grand house
With room attached for squirrel, fish, deer, bird and bear
What a marvelous idea
Such an awesome space we could happily share
But what about my neighbors?
They had animal friends as well
So I started to add more rooms and more levels
As I descended into designing hell
I designed a whole city
This is what my birdhouse had become
And as I looked at it
I wondered how could I be so dumb?
The city wasn’t big enough
There were people and animals left out
So I added more wings and more levels
Until there was surely no doubt
Everything was accounted for
Every plant, bird and bee
This thing would stretch
Further than the eye could see
My design was finished
After a week’s work it was complete
So with a smile and my wallet
I set off down the street
I went to the hardware store
Intent on getting supplies
Until I saw the pricing
Which shocked my poor little eyes
So I scaled things down a bit
Down to what I might afford
I built a little birdhouse
And a happy bird sang a happy chord.

Clay Pots

2011-07-27T05:36:00.000-04:00

Vessels, teapots, plates, and bowls; I love ceramic pottery. The rich glazes are alive with color and texture and adorn the clay sculptures. The mystery that forms from painting on glazes and waiting until it emerges from the kiln to see the results is half the art of ceramics, But when it comes to container gardens I like to mass together simple terra cotta pots. Their exteriors bake in the sun like the potters of native Americans and the old world across the pond. The contrast of rich, black soil and the orange clay of the earthenware cause the green leaves to look greener, the tender leaves to seem fresher, and the simple garden to stay simple.

Eggshells

2011-07-26T05:18:00.000-04:00

twigs, twine, mud
circle; while eggshells
wait to crack.

Morning Walk

2011-07-25T05:09:00.000-04:00

As I round the bend on my morning walk I notice movement cross my path.

little feet scurry
to hurry caterpillar’s journey
to be a butterfly.

Oh, I need to lift my head, exhale; I’m suppose to be exercising!

The love of paper pulp

2011-07-22T05:28:00.000-04:00

I love printed books for the same reason I love to paint on paper or canvas instead of painting on a computer. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure in the future I will be reading from an electronic reader and saving trees. I already go online and request books to be put on hold from the county’s vast collection instead of being limited to the small library near my home. But while I still can, I will enjoy the old fashion wandering through the stacks and pulling out a book with artwork on the front that catches my eye. Yes, I do judge a book by it’s cover, it’s an artist thing. However most importantly it is the “shopping” for books at the public library I enjoy; just present your piece of plastic with the library’s name on it and you get to take it home, read it, and return it without the fear of buyer’s remorse or adding to the clutter of your abode. It really does fill the need to get a “shopping fix” that fits my budget.
I love the feel of the pulp on my hand from a paper book. I guess that is why I write in a composition book before I type the text into my computer. Yes, one day the world will no longer product printed novels, paper sketchbooks, and lined ruled composition notebooks. So guess I will just have to paint over the pages of outdated textbooks and fill up the pages with more of my babbling; either that or finish the altered book I started in 2009. Yes, one day I finish it.

Rendered Spaces

2011-07-21T05:28:00.000-04:00

From dollhouses to tree houses to a degree in interior design, the desire to design living spaces endured. One of the required classes for the degree was a rendering class. And I still enjoy rendering interiors. Each illustration creates a setting for a unique story just waiting to unfold.

The Apple House

2011-07-20T05:13:00.000-04:00

Up on an apple tree branch, under the canopy of green leaves I would sit and plan the perfect tree house.
When my parents were actively house hunting we would go every Sunday afternoon to look at yet another potential residence. One winter day we visited a small house with a large yard full of fruit trees, mostly apple trees. The house had been unoccupied for a while so the un-harvested fruit had over-ripened, fallen, and rotted where it lay. We had looked at so many homes the activity of house hunting seem more like a ritual than a serious endeavor. So when my older sister whispered rumors of actually buying “the apple house”, the title she had anointed it, I did not believe it. It turns out the rumor was true. And I became an official tree hugger. My favorite food (not counting pizza) became fruit and because the trees had been pruned to produce more fruit, they yielded great tree climbing branches.

Enchanted Forest

2011-07-19T05:16:00.000-04:00

morning arrives early
sunlight stripes the forest floor
drying damp moss air.

Beyond the hanger

2011-07-18T05:20:00.000-04:00

All of us had our first lessons in fashion from our Barbie dolls. The perfect clothes hanger: no skin to pinch, no cellulite to cling to, no bugles to cover. Yes models are suppose to be live clothing hangers but I love to capture the sculpture of the human body – dressed; And dressed beautifully. I also wish to capture the emotion in the eyes, creating a true portrait not just a clothes hanger.

Lookdown Fish

2011-07-15T05:32:00.000-04:00

Round the rock cropping, down the drop off, between the soft coral beds, round the bend and back again; Round and round the school of fish follow the pattern again and again. When I first started shooting underwater digital photography I stood in front of the tank of lookdowns at the NC aquarium and watched behind the lens. Watching and waiting for the point in the pattern that had the best shot; Pressing the shutter button after subtracting for camera lag time over and over until I got it right. The practice paid off in the water and in the watercolor paintings.

Lookdown fish are in the same family of fish as Jacks.

Horses of the Sea

2011-07-14T05:50:00.000-04:00

Horses of the sea,
whom never felt the golden glow of sun
curl their tails of spiny bone
around the barnacles odd.

Twisting through the eerie tomb
of sailor’s dreams
amongst the shipwreck
the horses bob and nod.

Horses of the sea
on rusted steel and coral laced with fire
bobbing up and down
as if listening to a tiny ipod.

Gallop Pole

2011-07-13T06:29:00.000-04:00

silent carousel music
no wiggling, giggling children ride
painted pony’s day off

dinner bell

2011-07-12T05:14:00.000-04:00

air condition restaurant
clang of flatware being cleared
rumbling stomach waiting

Coffee Cup

2011-07-11T05:35:00.000-04:00

My first full-time job was as a waitress at the Waffle House in the suburbs of Detroit. The whole concept of a Waffle House up north is quite ironic since we served instant grits (I don’t think any of us had ever tasted true grits). Although I don’t drink coffee I brewed and served a boat load. Most folks just stopped in for coffee (maybe it was because of the instant grits). The cup of coffee signified the start of their day, the end of their day, or for the truck drivers, to keep their day going. For me the coffee cup is the anchor of the dinnerware design. When walking thru the displays at the department or home décor stores it is the coffee cup that depicts the atheistic of the set of dishes: sleek and modern, stout and substantial, homespun and friendly, or earthy and exotic. Each set sends my mind traveling to a sidewalk café, sea-side resort, mountain cabin, or small-town diner. Well when you are a waitress at the Waffle House you tend to develop wanderlust. So let your cup take you to desirable places.

Fashion Friday

2011-07-08T10:17:00.001-04:00

When I lived in Fayetteville I worked part-time at The Showroom for a short time before landing a full-time position as a mechanical drafter. Friday was the military's payday so the evening was bustling with business. It was as if you were shopping a giant closet; pulling together outfits for customers was such fun. So in honor of fashion Friday I have a closet full of apparel paintings.

Watering Cans

2011-07-07T06:06:00.000-04:00

Whenever we go to the farmer's market I like to go across the road to Market Imports. It's a candy store of antiques, antique reproduction accessories, and oodles of garden stuff. There amongst all the earthy pottery and the graceful bend of iron, the simple sculpture of galvanized cans always catch my eye.

The quaint watering can with its utilitarian sprinkle head spouting from the side balanced by a shapely handle just say. “art” to me. The feeling sprouts from high school drawing class where the coated metal sprinkling can was the center of interest in the still-life set up in the center of the room. It still remains at the center of my interest.

Lunch on the deck

2011-07-06T06:53:00.000-04:00

lunch in the umbella's shade

a brite blue dragonfly lands on the rim

of the empty plate.

Sea Turtles

2011-07-05T08:53:00.000-04:00

In continuation of sharing my source of artwork inspirations, I am including an entry from my dive log. I became a certified open water scuba diver in 1996.

“My husband motioned for me to come look at yet another spotted eel which had twisted itself into a figure eight in-between two rock croppings. As I swam over the eel’s hiding place I noticed something over my husband’s right shoulder swimming in the distance. I fin kicked in that direction to see a small turtle duck behind a coral head to avoid me. I descended lower and rounded the coral head to surprise the turtle and try to get a good shot with my camera. To the turtle’s delight this game seemed to be fun as she circled around me as I continued shooting. The turtle and I parted but by this time the rest of the group of divers has spotted the turtle and proceeded to approach and continue the photo shoot. The turtle retreated from the wall of divers and I swam to meet her from the distance. When I became within an arms reach, I extended my hand, palm up and the turtle placed her flipper in my left hand and held it there for a few seconds. This was the day I held hands with a sea turtle.”
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Dangleben’s Point, Dominica
Dive # 250 41 minutes @ 100 feet

Since then I have logged a number of more entries in my dive log and held hands with more turtles but I still love remembering the experience when I paint sea turtles.

Independence Day

2011-07-04T16:06:00.000-04:00

We celebrate Independence Day for the day when the writing of the Declaration of Independence was complete. It took a month for the document to be edited, penned onto a fancy parchment scroll, and the guy’s to sign it. I guess they needed a faster administrative assistance. Nevertheless, in 1777 they celebrated the day by shooting off 13 rockets to signify the 13 colonies and today we shoot off fireworks to celebrate the meaning of …life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Photos taken 7/3/11 DBAP

Bluebird of Happiness

2011-07-04T15:47:00.000-04:00

I am always saying each piece I paint is one-of-a-kind. Not only are no two bags alike, but the artwork is a one-of-a-kind original piece. Some subjects have been repeated yet in a difference way or perceptive. I was organizing my artwork and realized the repetition the subject matter tells a lot about me. So I though I would share my stories on how a particular subject becomes one of my inspirations.

In the sixth grade my English teacher had us write a paper about a famous woman. The Redbook magazine had run a story about how Eleanor Roosevelt used her time in the White House promoting the “pursuit of happiness” part of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” quote. What I gleaned from the writing exercise was happiness is like success it is defined differently by many people.

A poet wrote about the bluebird of happiness to symbolize good fortune. I can see why the bluebird is associated with happiness because whenever I see a bluebird it brings me joy. I guess that is why I have painted a number of them in the last two years.

What are the freshest picks at Pretty Sensible Stuff?

2011-05-06T13:31:00.000-04:00

peas, carrots, maters and beans;
lettuce, cabbage, peppers and greens;
butterflies, ladybugs, and bees with queens;
rakes, hoes, and cultivators in blue jeans;
all create picturesque garden scenes.

from “The Gardening Scene”

Two new garden journals “Sunlit Garden” and “The Gardening Scene” is a great way to plan your garden and keep track of your planting schedule. Like all the blank journals they are inscribed with an original poem by Lynne, have plenty of blank pages, and is enhanced with a beautiful, original, one-of-a-kind piece of art hand painted in acrylic color. Each journal is embellished with a unique ribbon bookmark that is adorned with a small charm or button.

The newest stuff to be introduced to the Pretty Sensible Stuff product line is the Flowerpot Wraps – a piece of art wrapped around mother nature’s works of art. The wraps come in two sizes to fit around a 6” or a 8” pot. Choose from all the wraps in new collection:
“Garden Gnome”
“Being Green”
“Dig In”
“Just the Beginning”
“Southern Living”
“Birds in a Row”
“Rabbit Rap”
“Sunflowers”
“Peepers”
“Garden Rain”
“Fly Away Home”
“Purr”
“Nipping at Nectar”

“Smooze” throw pillow cover
You will just want to cuddle up and “Smooze” with this throw pillow cover.

The hand painted bunny in the garden is a great way to bring the outside in your outdoor room or screened porch. The Velcro opening makes it easy to slip the cover over an existing pillow or plain 16” x16” pillow form. It is simply irresistible.

“Latest Buzz” sling sack
The “Latest Buzz” is the newest sling sack to arrive from Pretty Sensible Stuff. Similar to the magical Mary Poppins bag the bag holds an amazing amount of stuff, yet it is lightweight and comfortable on your shoulder. The interior is lined in a black and white cotton graphic print and a delightful golden bird print resides on the interior pocket. The outside pocket is handy for smaller, need in a hurry items, and is painted with a bee visiting a luminous sunflower. The artwork is created with gouache and acrylic paint and is an original, one-of-a-kind piece. The closure is fabricated from repurposed earrings and adds the ideal finishing touch.

“Apple Pie” artful apron
This pretty, ruffled baking apron not only with protect your clothes from batter and flour dust but the vibrant green polka dots will freshen the look of your kitchen without a big renovation. The hand painted apple is made into a handy pocket and the Velcro loop holds a coordinating oven mitt with a rubber backing to protect your hand from the heat (include). It's a simple as pie to fall in love with this "Apple Pie" artful apron; why resist the temptation?
The apron measures:
26” tall
20” at widest point
11” neck strap

So take your pick.

Sunlight warm as
green herbal tea;
Propels rays thru ever
green forest tree;
Shafts stretch far as my
green eyes see;
Nourishes the tender
green sweet pea;
Ignites the murmuring
yellow bumble bee;
Roaming the garden
green with envy.

from “Sunlit Garden”

So what else is new?

2011-05-06T13:21:00.000-04:00

Here is a sampling:

“A melody can be heard, if you listen with your heart,
A tune can be felt if you touch another soul,
But a song can only be created if you design it with your dream”.

“Song Bird” messenger bag
If you have music in your head and lyrics on your lips you will love the “Song Bird” messenger bag. This cross body bag keeps your hands as free as your mind, yet lets you carry your essentials carefree while you get in the groove. The integrated artwork is composed by layering pigment to build up a harmony of color and a sweet little song bird. The original, hand-painting is protected by a layer of clear acrylic sealer and the contents will be at peace with the yin and yang charm as a fastener. This one-of-kind bag is as unique as the song in your heart.

“Day Tripper” mini tote
The perfect bag for day tripping is a mini tote. It is just the right size for a no-fuss outing. Painted in sunny yellow and earthy sepia the bicycle overflowing with flowers adorns the art pocket that can hold your little stuff with ease. The main bag has an interior pocket and a sturdy side shoulder strap that is incorporated into the design to hold the rest of your things. It is topped off with a dragonfly pin to accentuate the lovely yellow cotton print of lady bugs and dragonflies and makes a dandy fastener. The “Day Tripper” mini tote is a stunning as it is sensible.

“Black Coffee” sling sack
Intended to carry a good sized load, the lightweight linen fabric makes a perfect roomy market bag. The outside art pocket is back-dropped by the prettiest paisley print and lined in a fun black and white polka dot pattern of soft cotton fabric. The hand-painted cup of coffee is created with watercolor and gouache pigments and shaded with clear acrylic so it can travel with you across town or across the country. The bag features an interior pocket and is finished off with a cream colored cutwork pin as a closure to the “Black Coffee” sling sack.

“Beyond” signature bag
Beyond the cover of the forest this magical fairy sits on the front of the art pocket of this captivating handbag. The flowing wings reflect the wonderful woven print fabric used to create this sculptural bag. The bag has an interior pocket in the same cotton fabric that lines the bag and is finished with a magnetic snap and a pair of wooden handles reclaimed from a cast-away.

“believe in things magical, believe in things that can not be; and your heart will take you,
…beyond ecstasy.”

“Gallop Pole” mini tote
This colorful painted pony gallops across the front of the art pocket on the “Gallop Pole” mini tote. The reclaimed earring makes the perfect ending to this storybook tale of the creation. It's the ideal size bag to take to the park or the office to carry all the good stuff. You can take your own gallop poll but this bag is the most endearing.

“Songwriter” literary satchel
The siren’s song is sweet in this underwater serenade to the fishes. The “Songwriter” is one of the newest literary satchels. This colorful satchel makes the perfect book bag fabricated with a sturdy, side integrated shoulder strap and hard bottom insert to keep books in perfect harmony with the toting process. Great for beach reads on your next vacation or staycation; just kick up your feet (oops fins) and relax and enjoy the serene sounds of summer.

Welcome the Elegant Envelopes.

2011-05-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

The elegant envelope is a sculptural shoulder bag when unhooked converts into a slim tote bag.

Not only is it functionality unique, but the painting is a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Check out the choices available:
“Under Your Wing” – a colorful bird with a pink flamingo painting in its corner.
“String of Pearls” - an exquisite mermaid wrapped in pearls of the sea.
“Folded Frog” – peeking out of a jungle of green the brightly colored frog creates a charming corner of art.
“Fancy Footwork” – ballroom dancers rumba their way into the corner of this colorful eruption of bubbles on a black background.
“Running the Jib” – this yacht sails into the navy and white wavy stripes of this cotton tote with a waterproof lining.
“Beyond Fabulous” – high fashion model poses from the corner of this remarkable shapely bag.

“String of Pearls”
Adorned with a string of pearls this beautiful mermaid graces the corner of this elegant envelope. Unfurled the leather-handle bag and it becomes a 18’x18” tote bag that works as a one-of-kind shoulder bag or unique handbag. The striking pendant is not only an fabulous adornment but a useful bag closure. The “String of Pearls” elegant envelope is truly a gift from the sea.

“Running the Jib”
When you are the run and need a smart looking tote look no further than “Running the Jib” elegant envelope. Unclip the swivel hook and the shoulder bag adapts to a sleek tote with waterproof lining ideal for a day on the water. The artwork of vessel sailing hand painted with transparent watercolor and acrylic pigments. This one-of-kind bag is created with a navy and white wave strip cotton and finished with nautical hardware. It’s the perfect bag weather you are running the jib or the spinnaker.

Latest fashions from PSS

2011-05-06T11:57:00.000-04:00

For the stylist fashionista become a prettynista with Pretty Sensible Stuff.

“Beyond Fabulous” elegant envelope
For a bag that has street cred, the “Beyond Fabulous” elegant envelope hits the mark. The sexy shape and unique hand painted artwork create a truly one-of-kind bag. Simply unclip the hardware ring and the purse transformers to a slender tote for ultimate versatility. It’s beyond fabulous

“Latest Collection” sassy bag
The great outfit, earrings, bagels, statement necklace, purse, and the most perfect pair of heels; you don’t have to ruin your chic look with a paper sack or tacky lunch bag. With the “Latest Collection” sassy bag all your conscientious effort won’t be spoiled The fashion models hand painted on the art pocket of this unique bag are accompanied by a gorgeous vogue pin and together with the elegant embroidered fabric create the ideal lunch tote or small handbag. Style with confidence now that’s glam.

“Fashion Insiders” bohemian bag
The black and white paisley fabric shoulder bag is a hobo style bag and features a one-of-kind, hand painted piece of art illustrating dress-forms ready to help display the latest fashions. The “Fashion Insiders” bohemian bag is created with interior pockets and is fully lined. The bag is fastened with a sleek, silver pendant and is especially out of the ordinary.

“Independent Style” signature bag
Show off your personal style with the “Independent Style” signature bag. This gorgeous handbag features a one-of-kind, hand painted piece of art on reclaimed fabric. The signature bag is found no place else. Each bag is as unique and individual as you are.

“Traveling with independent style is often off the beaten path; go off the map and send postcards from far out places.”

New for 2011

2011-01-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

The Signature Bag
Show off your personal style with the signature bag. This gorgeous handbag features a one-of-kind, hand painted piece of art on reclaimed fabric. The signature bag is found no place else. Each bag is as unique and individual as you are.

“Plume of a Pen” signature bag
Flowing quills of peacock plumes stretch across the front of this intriguing handbag.
The feather forms echo the circular array of colors found woven into the reclaimed upholstery fabric. The artwork pocket embellishes the purse with unique flair. The bag is completely lined and has a interior pocket in a delightful printed polyester fabric. The handbag is completed with a magnetic snap and a pair of wooden handles up-cycled from a cast-away. Don’t throw away your chance to grab this bag.

“the ink scrawled from a plume of a pen, the paint stroked from a hair of a brush, the pixel formed from a pulse of a keypad, the love left from a piece of my heart”

The Bohemian Bag
Flaunt your individual style with the perfect fabric shoulder bag - the bohemian bag. This hobo style bag features a one-of-kind, hand painted piece of art on reclaimed fabric making it as eco-friendly as it is beautiful. No two bags are alike so your bag is as unique as you are.

“Radiant Core”
Coral pedals radiate in transparent layers to create pretty poppies and the stunning artwork hand bushed onto the generous, front pocket of this bohemian bag. The outer fabric is made from reclaimed upholstery fabric woven with a luminous coral thread. The lining is created from a crisp, cotton fabric printed with coral stars and has two internal pockets. The bag opening is fastened with a magnetic snap so you can grab it and go without losing a minute or the contents. Snatch it for yourself.

“pedals radiate around the core, heat radiates from the core, fear radiates to the core,
you radiate within your core”

Found exclusively at Jaspeer Boutique (next to the Cheesecake Factory) at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh the Signature Bag and the Bohemian Bag are now on available.
Jaspeer Boutique is an innovative shop highlighting local designers at affordable prices.
So next time you are in Crabtree, stop by and see the assortment of Pretty Sensible Stuff on display along with all the super chic fashion and accessories this unique shop has to offer.

http://http//www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/27/879786/jaspeer-brings-unique-clothing.html

Painting with words

2011-01-01T08:04:00.000-05:00

Welcome 2011.

I resolve to paint the year with words.

“Then she opened up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the thirteenth century

And every one of them words rang true
And glowed like burnin' coal
Pourin' off of every page
Like it was written in my soul, from me to you
Tangled up in blue”
Bob Dylan, Tangled Up in Blue lryics

While staying in my sister-in-law’s guest room I picked up a copy of Bob Dylan’s Lyrics:1962-2001 and thumbed through the pages. About halfway through the book, I realized that these lyrics were some of the best “poetry” I’d ever read.

“They walked alone by the old canal
A little confused I remember well
And stopped into a strange hotel with a neon burning bright
He felt the heat of the night hit him like a freight train
Moving with a simple twist of fate.

A saxophone someplace far off played
As she was walking on by the arcade
As the light bust through a-beat-up shade where he was waking up
She dropped a coin into the cup of a blind man at the gate
And forgot about a simple twist of fate.”
Bob Dylan, Simple Twist of Fate lyrics

I really miss the days of album covers. Not only were the covers large enough to exhibit great pieces of art but the words of the song were usually printed out and displayed the wonderful poetry of lyrics. I remember Carol King’s Tapestry album.

”My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue
An everlasting vision of the ever changing view
A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold
A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold
Once amid the soft silver sadness in the sky
There came a man of fortune, a drifter passing by
He wore a torn and tattered cloth around his leathered hide
And a coat of many colors, yellow-green on either side
He moved with some uncertainty, as if he didn't know
Just what he was there for, or where he ought to go
Once he reached for something golden hanging from a tree
And his hand came down empty……”
Carol King, Tapestry lyrics

Both good poetry and good lyrics possess: influential imagery, compelling themes, emotional impressions, and originality. But my favorite lines usually evoke a mental picture.

“I’ll never let your head hit the bed
Without my hand behind it.” John Clayton Mayer

In an interview with John Mayer, the interviewer asked the songwriter if he had indeed “gone back to his high school and ran out the door screaming”? Mayer reply he used visual imagery to convey a feeling and used his line from Your Body is a Wonderland to explain the poetic element.

Most figures of speech cast up a picture in your mind. These pictures create or suggest “images”. The poet uses images to convey more than what is actually said or literally meant. The poet uses sound words and words of color and touch in addition to figures of speech. Concrete details that appeal to the reader’s senses are also used to build-up images as if painting with words.

A good poet uses imagery to enable her to present her subject as it is: as it looks, smells, tastes, feels, and sounds. Imagery provides the reader’s imagination with something to seize upon.

There are seven different kinds of imagery:
Visual – something seen in the mind’s eye
Auditory – represents a sound
Olfactory – a smell
Gustatory – a taste
Tactile – touch (example: hardness, softness, wetness, heat, cold)
Organic – internal sensation (example: hunger, thirst, fatigue, fear)
Kinesthetic – movement or tension

“There’s something sexy about the rain
She said as it come pouring down
It feels like kisses on my skin
She spread her arms and spun around.”
Kenny Chesney,
There’s Something Sexy About the Rain lyrics

Do you hear the enthusiasm in her voice about the pouring rain?
Do you feel the wetness of kisses on the skin?
Do you see the girl with open arms twirling round and round?

“How your dress it just floated
All down around your knees
And I held my breath, my God my girl
Cause I could not believe”
Jimmy Buffett, Steamer lyrics
By John Scott Sherrill

Do you see the movement of the fabric?
Do you hear the catch of the breath?
Do you feel the butterflies in the stomach?

Do you see what I see?
Do you hear what I hear?
Do you feel what I feel?

I resolve to paint the year with visual imagery.

Melting Snow

2010-12-31T11:23:00.000-05:00

From the distance pine trees shimmer
Sunlight glistens on melting chill
Branches burdened with crusted snow
just aching to let go.

Hanging ice strips dripping
dissipating sculptures with droplets clinging
Tracing lingering contours, trailing gravity
to perforate the smooth plane
below.

Sun dissolving the landscape
swathe in snow.
Liquefying crystal to form an
upper crust.
Scab of ice, slick and flat
Residual shell penetrated by crunching boots
empty cavities left behind.
Lynne

The year of 2010 left behind.
And hopefully the snow.

Introducting Laptop Satchels

2010-11-23T15:41:00.000-05:00

The laptop satchel was created to carry a laptop PC with unique style. Each fabric satchel is integrated with an original, one-of-kind, hand-painted rendering on the front flap. The satchel is padded with a fusible batting and or felt or quitted fabric to protect the electronic notebook. The shoulder bag is constructed with a side one-piece construction strap for a secure, comfortable conveyance. Each bag is finished with a unique fastener to keep the front flap closed.

The “Time and Place” laptop satchel is lined with a soft felt fabric to keep your laptop PC from being scratched and the PSS original side strap one piece construction for a secure shoulder strap. “Time and Place” boast an elegant time piece as its original painted front panel. And the decorative button closure blends so well into the woven, upholstery fabric design you swear it was made for it.

The “Skinny Dipping” laptop satchel is enhanced with a pair of stunning seahorses taking a dip in the kelp forest. The neutral printed upholstery fabric is durable and attractive as it weaves it way around the hand painted artwork on the front flap. Lined in a cheerful green cotton fabric to cover the inner batting fabric and finished with a parachute buckle your PC will never be so happy to be lugged around.

The “Wings and Things” laptop satchel is painted with curls and swirls of golden flora with a beautiful butterfly stopping to take in the splendor. The prettiest way to tote your laptop PC. The soft, ruby and gold, upholstery weight fabric lined with a cotton fabric and felt fabric interlayer will snuggle your electronic notebook with style and flair. Fasten by a swirling gold clasp that finishes off the bag perfectly it will be your favorite tote.

Gift Giving Ideas

2010-10-31T20:23:00.000-04:00

I started to jot down a few gift ideas for the upcoming holidays. Weather it is a hostess gift for Thanksgiving dinner of deep fried turkey or a weekend visit to celebrate Christmas, thoughtful gifts are always appreciated. I came up with a couple choices or items that work well to together for an extra special offering.

Beachcomber – For the beachcomber on your list a straw beach hat will protect her hair and eyes from sun, sand, and salt spray. The Sassy Hat is created by pairing a vintage hat and a scarf hand painted with a simple design that wraps around the hat’s crown and enhances it beautifully.
Or present her with an adorable shell collector bag. The tiny bags are constructed in the same way as the large fabric bags only in a miniature size. The bags carries the beachcombing treasures but has a separated hand painted art pocket to keep keys or cell phone from the grains of sand clinging to the seashells collected along the way. For the perfect gift, pair the “Feathered Crown” sassy hat and the “Red Knot” shell collector bag together.

Guest Room Host - A throw pillow cover enhanced with a charming hand painted design is a welcome gift for any guest room. The pillow cover is made with a Velcro opening that makes it easy for the gift recipient to slip over an existing pillow or new pillow form.
Or bestow your hostess with an enchanting hand towel with an art pocket that can hold hand milled soap, toothbrush and paste, or washcloth. Pair the “Cozy Nest” throw pillow cover and the “Eggshell” hand towel together for a genuinely, wonderful gift.

Host and Hostess – A hand painted grilling apron is a nice way to thank your host or hostess for a delicious meal. The artful aprons designed for grilling are full length aprons and have a clever art pocket and two skinny, side pockets for grilling tools and a towel loop to keep a hand wiping cloth always accessible.
Or give a bottle of the hostess’ favorite wine in a hand painted wine bottle bag. The art work is integrated into the bag and the drawstring uses a wine bottle cork to slide the bags opening close. For a truly wonderful pair, give the “Shiny Grill” artful apron and the “Grape on the Vine” wine bottle bag together.

Beach House Owner – A throw pillow cover with a hand painted fish or ocean themed subject on a delightful seaside inspired print fabric gives an easy, eclectic look to any beach retreat that has a relaxed and comfortable feel. The pillow cover is made with a Velcro opening that makes it easy for the gift recipient to slip over an existing pillow or new pillow form.
Or consider the fact where there is water everywhere a dry towel is always useful; add a hand painted pocket that can hold soap, lotion, or the essential sunscreen and you have a hit. Even better pair the “Seaside Living” throw pillow cover and the “Seaside” hand towel to together for an unforgettable gift.

Avid Reader – For the avid reader on your list contemplate a remarkable bag designed especially to carry books. The literary satchel is made with a sturdy, reinforced bottom and with a 10” width to keep books stacked. The interior pocket is great for stashing pens and sticky note pads. The comfortable shoulder strap wraps around to the sides creating continuous construction for a stronger handle.
And what book lover doesn’t love soft, supporting pillows for their back in a remarkable, hand painted unique design on an attractive printed fabric? So a throw pillow cover would also be a good gift. Picture the reader on your list curling up will a new read she toted home from the bookstore or library in the “Rocking Chair Rhythm” literary satchel and the “Flower Lady” throw pillow cover; simply textbook.

Baking Babe – For the baker on your list, how about a sturdy shopping tote with a cotton lining? The fabric bag is constructed with a fabulous upholstery fabric. The strap is made of a cotton fabric in a continuous construction of the bag’s sides. The Velcro art pocket is hand-painted in radiant colors and keeps keys, cell phone, or grocery coupons handy. The tote is topped with a unique button or charm which functions as the bag’s fastener making the bag useful, eco-friendly, and shopping for groceries anything but lackluster.
Another thing a baker can never have enough of is stylish aprons. A full length apron with a hand painted art pocket gives her a safe place to stash rings when kneading dough or a recipe card handy, as well as adoring the apron with personality. The towel loop keeps a hand towel or oven mitt within reach. For the ultimate gift, pair the “Eve’s Temptation” fabric bag and the “Key Lime Pie” artful apron together and maybe she’ll bake you something extra special.

Yoga Enthusiast – If you list includes a yoga enthusiast a bag to tote her yoga gear may fit the bill. The “bag”uette shoulder bag will never compromise efficiency with a bag that will only hold half her stuff. Swap her bag for a “bag”uette to carry a mat, blocks, straps, as well as a towel and other personal items to yoga class. This roomy bag is constructed in upholstery fabric. The artwork pocket is hand-painted into a wonderful piece of art. Capped with a charm and elastic band for the bag’s closure, the bag is just the right thing to treat your friend.
Or give a hand towel with an art pocket stitched to the front so she can keep her favorite sanitizer or lotion with a towel that never mistaken for some other classmate’s belonging. Practical and pretty are always appreciated. For the optimum gift pair the “Half Lotus” “bag”uette and the “Zen Garden” hand towel together for your yoga guru.

Travel Buff – For the traveler on your list ponder a hand painted blank journal she can chronicle in on her next adventure. The Blank Journal is great to recount sensations of traveling to an uncommon environment. The cover artwork inspires a creative look at the new surroundings. Each journal is inscribed with an original poem by the artist Lynne with plenty of blank pages for a visitor to capture the moment.
For easy packing bestow your voyager a hanger pocket. They pack flat in luggage and can be filled with a prepared outfit for that big meeting in the morning or her favorite accessories of her vacation wardrobe. The hanger pocket marries a hand painted canvas front flap, enchanting print fabric, and a unique fastener to construct a truly one-of-a kind pouch. The painted surface front brightens any closet or gift recipient’s day. Pair the “Brochure Seduced Me” blank travel journal and “Lock and Key” hanger pocket together for a treasured gift.

Garden Gal – If you have a gardening aficionado you would like to give "the best gift", a waterproof lined tote to carry gardening tools or tote discarded weeds from the flower bed is it. The fabric bag is enhanced with gauche and acrylic layers of pigment hand painted illustration to create a wonderfully, unique Velcro art pocket. The bag is constructed of a charming printed drapery weight decorator fabric and lined with a waterproof vinyl for simple wipe down with a sponge.
Or consider an attractive gardening apron with a pocket to carry seed packets and gardening gloves. The hand painted art pocket makes the artful apron a one-of-kind. The original painting and steps-up the gorgeous printed fabric into a work of art that will be stunning just hanging in the potting shed or working in the garden along side the beautiful foliage. Give the “Home Sweet Home” fabric bag and the “Overflowing Support” artful apron together for an absolutely perfect pairing.

Southern Lady – A shoulder bag in a luxurious fabric adored with an elegant painting will look chic on the arm of the stylish lady on your list. A Boho Bag combines a hand painted canvas front flap, pretty fabric, and a unique fastener to fashion a truly one-of-a kind hobo bag. Each piece of artwork is hand-painted and is a different design than any of the other pieces making the painting an original piece of art. The painted flap is sewed to the rest of the fabric pieces creating artwork that is actually integrated into the purse. The crescent shaped handbag is fully lined and can be worn over the shoulder. Each fabric bag is enhanced with a distinctive closure to reflect the personality of the fabric & the unique artwork and secure the contents. A Sassy Hat is great for tending to her roses or a luncheon with the girls. The Sassy Hat is created by pairing a vintage hat and a scarf hand painted with a simple design that wraps around the hat’s crown that creates a truly one-of-kind head cover. The “Blushing Bloom” boho bag and the “Butterfly Bonnet” sassy hat are the perfect pair for the lady who enjoys being feminine.

October featured stuff

2010-10-13T20:25:00.000-04:00

This October treat yourself to a Sassy Bag; created from the trick of recycling. Sassy Bags are unique handbags that Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle old ojects instead of contributing to the landfill.

The "Leaflet Clutch" sassy bag is created from an old handbag that has been deconstructed. The magnetic closure, dark expresso stained, wooden frame has a new look, new shape, and new life. A new, modern, upholster weight fabric has been handpainted and fashioned into a new clutch bag with a fresh look. The hand painted artwork is stunning and the texture of the fabric is allowed to peek through the painting just as the Leaflet peeks through the frame of the painting. Simply unique, simply gorgeous, simply Pretty Sensible Stuff.

Back to the Books

2010-09-21T07:33:00.000-04:00

For students it is back to the books, for me my bookshelf is in constant use. Besides the art supplies and folded fabrics I keep at hand on my bookshelf are some Irreplaceable reference books. Besides the dictionary, Thesaurus, and journals, are my favorite art books. If I am researching or looking for inspiration my well-worn library card is usually swiped for: painting, color theory, sewing and craft books, books on small business, and subjects I’m researching from beaches to garden parties. But I can’t get out the doors without picking up a book of fiction. My favorite reads end up being fiction. Novels about female friendships/family relationships and mysteries involving women in the arts top my list.

Lynne Favorite Recent Reads:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Ladies of Garrison Gardens by Louise Shaffer (sequel to The three Miss Margarets)
Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray
Death by Design by Laura Childs
The Wrong Stuff by Sharon Sloan Fiffer
Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
The Hot Flash Club by Nancy Thayer
The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux
Swim to Me by Betsy Carter

I would love to hear your favorites that fall into this category.

September featured stuff

2010-09-21T06:51:00.000-04:00

“Fish Tale” literary satchel
When I say this literary satchel is the perfect book tote, it is not a “Fish Tale”. The hand painted artwork of a relaxing mermaid waiting at the edge of the sea was inspired by a sculpture in the gardens of the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas. The painting is created from brushing layers of acrylic paint and incorporating the lined pocket in to the sea of waves, upholstery fabric satchel. A mermaid strap and buckle embellish the bag and act as its closure.
The satchel is made with a sturdy, reinforced bottom and is lined with 100% cotton fabric. The interior pocket is great for stashing pens and sticky note pads. The soft, comfortable shoulder strap wraps around to the sides creating continuous construction.
This shoulder bag is as smart as it is delightful.
The bag measures:
9” across
14” tall
3-1/4” deep
outside pocket 7-1/4” x 9”
inside pockets 5” x 4-1/2”shoulder strap 26” from top of shoulder to bottom of bag - 3-1/2" wide.

“Hangin’ Out” literary satchel
Climb into a hammock and immerse yourself in your favorite read with the “Hangin’ Out” literary satchel. The hammock is hand painted with layers of watercolors on a pair of recycled blue jeans and incorporated into the tote. The sliver buckle makes a wonderful finishing touch and a great closure.
The satchel is made with a sturdy, reinforced bottom and is lined with the same printed cotton fabric as on the outside. The interior pocket is great for stashing pens and sticky note pads. The wide, comfortable handle wraps around to the sides making a secure but soft shoulder strap.

The bag measures:
8-1/2” across
15” tall
3-1/2” deep
outside pocket 7” x 8-1/2”
inside pockets 6” x 4-1/4”
shoulder strap 26” from top of shoulder to bottom of bag – 3-1/2” wide

“Beach Read” literary satchel
Grab your favorite “Beach Read” and head down to the sand with this lovable literary satchel. The one-of-a-kind depiction of enjoying a Beach Read is hand painted on canvas and incorporated into the tote. The vinyl bottom half will keep your books dry from any damp sand or wet poolside. And the adorable plaster starfish acts as the bag’s closure.
The satchel is made with a sturdy, reinforced bottom and is lined with the same red ticking fabric as on the outside. The interior pocket is great for stashing pens and sticky note pads. The wide, comfortable handle wraps around to the sides making a secure but soft shoulder strap.
The bag measures:
8-1/4” across
16” tall
3-1/2” deep
outside pocket 7-1/2” x 8-1/4”
inside pockets 6” x 4-1/8”
shoulder strap 26” from top of shoulder to bottom of bag – 3-1/2” wide

How to arrange a decorative bookshelf

2010-09-21T06:42:00.000-04:00

Paint – Begin transforming a bookcase into a work of art just by painting it. If you want the room to feel larger, paint the bookcase the same shade as the walls. Back shelves with paint or wallpaper to add dimension. Add color uniformly or stagger backed and un-backed shelves.

Purge – At some point early on you have to ask yourself how committed you are to the dog-eared paperbacks of your youth. Does anyone really need to see your college anthology of literature? Consider what you really want to keep and what actually has to be on display.

Organize – Even though it is a decorative bookshelf you should be able to find your book when you need it. Group your gardening books together then arrange the books in that group by size. Consider incorporating some horizontal stacks of books to mix things up, as well as to serve as bookends and risers for decorative objects.

Add Lights – Once you are ready to show off your arrangement, use small stick up light pods or a strip of fiber optic lighting to bring out specific objects.

Camouflage – If you have a section of tattered favorite you want to keep handy, you can hide them behind small works of art or framed photos. You might also consider removing jackets from some hardcover books, since bare spines can look warmer on their own.

Be Decorative - alternate sections of books with groupings of decorative objects. This is a great way to display collections – pottery, shells, or tell a story with objects. An award or dried flower bouquet made not look worth displaying but group it with a photo of the person it is attached too and something the value and it creates a story of your memory. If an award is in a velvet box, display it out of the box, the three dimensional object is more interesting to the eye.

Use boxes or baskets – Decorative storage boxes from a craft store, wooden boxes from the flea market, or baskets from a yard sale will help keep your odds and ends under wraps while streamlining your shelves.

Prettify – Place your most beautiful spines at eye level.

In search of Treasure and Adventure

2010-08-19T16:42:00.000-04:00

Mermaids may be a myth but seafaring pirates are still a reality today. The swashbucklers roam the oceans in search of treasure and adventure. The greatest flourish of piracy occurred in the Caribbean waters in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, dubbed the Golden Age of Piracy.

Even with the threat of hanging if caught, sailors went on the account in large numbers due to the perfect timing of supply and demand. The transfer of gold from the Spainish Main (Caribbean coasts of present-day Panama, Columbia, and western Venezuela) to Spain’s monarchy provided the supply. And the American colonist willingness to buy from the black market to show their distaste for English taxes created the demand. Add the underpaid, overworked sailors, who were tried of living in the cold and wet climate in northern Europe and the appeal of the Sweet Trade in the tropical Caribbean was too delicious to pass up.

The thrill of danger from sailing the oceans, doing battle with a merchantman ship or Galleon’s protection solders, and having the law on their tail gave the seamen the adventure they were seeking. The pirate profession offered a democratic society where the crew elected a captain and created a Pirate Code which described the fair conduct of the crew and the division of shares of the captured prize. It was a free wheeling lifestyle for the swashbucklers enjoying all the sweet rum and sunshine the pieces of eight would buy in exotic locations far from civilized society.

But innovations in maritime technology began to develop and Europe’s prospering shipbuilders and governments along with the newly independent Americans now had the means and desire to stop the pirates. The tax free goods the pirates sold in the ports were no longer in demand and the supply of American freedom and land was now available for freebooters who applied for a pardon from the governor. Soon the Golden Era pirates began to recede into the realm of legend and imagination.

Pirate Stuff

2010-08-19T16:17:00.000-04:00

Explore the recently created stuff with pirate flavor:

“Swash Zone” mini tote
The hard, wet surface of the sand where beach goers walk along the shore is known as the swash zone; where your bare toes taste the adventure of the rolling water. Fill your taste for adventure with the “Swash Zone” mini tote. The vinyl lining and interior pocket make this bag ideal for carrying your lunch on your next adventure or just to work. The hand painted artwork pocket of abundant doubloons is easily accessible but Velcros close to keep your treasures secured. The small tote is constructed of cotton fabric with a whimsical print of pirate crossbones and gold metallic dust. The bag is finished off with a miniature sword that acts as the tote’s closure.

“Lock and Key” hanger pocket
The perfect way to keep your special treasures under Lock and Key is this hanger pocket. The layers of translucent paint are built up to create the original painted canvas sewed into a fabric envelope. The envelope hangs from its own wooden hanger (included) creating space saving storage for your closet. The brass key is attached to the front of the pocket to provide its closure and the finishing touch.

“Wild Thing” hanger pocket
with co-coordinating translucent beach wrap

A classic companion to any pirate spirit is the “Wild Thing” hanger pocket with beach wrap. There will be no ruffled feathers when trying to find the accessories to pack on your next beach trip.
Translucent layers of sexy reds and tropical blues create this one-of-kind; original painting of an exotic parrot set against a chocolate tribal print cotton fabric and secured with an elephant brooch. This pocket comes with a wooden coat hanger. It also includes the beautiful, leopard print beach wrap.

A Hanger Pocket is a fabric envelope which hangs over a coat hanger (included) and holds scarves, jewelry, important documents, or any small treasure you wish to protect or find quickly in your closet.

“Long Boats” throw pillow cover
Man the “Long Boats” and shove off for adventure of peaceful refuge on the water. Slip the throw pillow cover over one of your existing pillows or a 16”x16” pillow form, and seal the Velcro strip for a quick update. The sea of navy and cobalt blue swirling waves is embellished with a hand brushed painting of wherries gathered around a floating dock. The layers of translucent pigments create the true tranquil essence of life on the water. Give your home the romance of the water with the “Long Boats” throw pillow cover.

Introducing Throw Pillow Covers

2010-08-09T07:15:00.000-04:00

The throw pillow cover is constructed with Velcro to easily recover an exciting accent pillow or new pillow form. Simply slip it over a pillow form and seal the Velcro for an instant update. Each cover is embellished with a one-of-a-kind, hand brushed painting masked out on the decorator fabric. The artwork is inspired by the fabric print and is sealed to protect the painting from the everyday elements. It is a sensible way to display original artwork without nailing any holes in the wall.

“Seaside Living” throw pillow cover

The laid back comfort of Seaside Living is easy to achieve with this throw pillow cover. Just slip it over a 16”x 16” pillow form or existing accent pillow and seal the Velcro for a simple change of pace.
The one-of-a-kind, original painting is achieved with layers of transparent gouache and acrylic pigments and topped with an acrylic sealer. The hand painted Lookdown fish swims amongst the bold navy and citrus stripes on the 100% cotton cover. Bring Seaside Living to your home or home away from home.

“White Heron” throw pillow cover

Feather your nest with this beautiful White Heron throw pillow cover. The hand painted acrylic artwork is brushed on a bold black and cream graphic printed fabric and is constructed into an accent pillow cover for a 16”x 16” pillow. Simply slip the cover over new pillow form or existing pillow and seal the Velcro opening for a quick change of décor.

“Double File” throw pillow cover

If you love texture and the wonders of the deep, this throw pillow cover is for you. Two File Fish swim “Double File” through swirls of aqua water created by painting transparent layers of acrylic onto this beautiful golden, swirl textured fabric. The Velcro opening provides a fast and easy way to cover an existing pillow or newly purchased 16” x 16” pillow form. Give your space a quick change with color and texture as well as beguiling piece of art.

“Flamingo Dancers” throw pillow cover

Add some color to your nest with this hot pair of “Flamingo Dancers”. The throw pillow cover is constructed with Velcro to easily recover an exiting 16” x 16” accent pillow or new pillow form. Simply slip it over the pillow form and seal the Velcro for an instant update. The artwork is hand painted on the retro decorator fabric. The one-of-a-kind acrylic painting of a pretty pair of pink flamingos is sealed with a clear acrylic to protect the artwork.

“Whelk in the Swash” throw pillow cover

The waves roll in and knock along a club shaped shell like a child playing kick the can. The elegant shell is all that remains of the sea’s night of tossing and shifting; wading in the wet golden sand framed with translucent waters. The scene is painted with acrylic pigments on a decorator cotton fabric and sealed with clear acrylic. The throw pillow cover “Whelk in the Swash” captures the feel of the beach by slipping the cover over an existing pillow or store bought pillow form and pressing the Velcro opening closed. The Whelk in the Swash waits for you to take it home.

“Clay Urn” throw pillow cover

Bring the outdoors in with the “Clay Urn” throw pillow cover.

The woodbine green leaves climb amongst a weathered clay urn

on a chocolate truffle background, hand painted on the upholstery weight designer fabric. The transparent layers of acrylic paint create a one-of-a-kind piece of art. The accent pillow cover fits over an existing 16” x 16” pillow or new pillow form purchased at a local craft store. Slip the cover over the pillow form and seal the Velcro opening for an instant décor update.

“Sandy Paws” throw pillow cover

This pup is enjoying the beach in the early morning sun on the “Sandy Paws” throw pillow cover. Hand painted on a stunning upholster fabric with layers of transparent acrylic pigment this work of art will be a home in a lovely, traditional room as well as a modern, urban loft. Give you space an original piece of art without pounding one nail hole in the wall and save the doghouse for your four legged friend.

“Fish Face” throw pillow cover

Perfect for your beach house or “beachy” house, the “Fish Face” throw pillow cover transforms any existing 16” x 16” existing accent pillow or plain pillow form to an undersea adventure. The hand painted acrylic, original artwork is created with layers of transparent pigment surrounded by a modern print of swirls

and bubbles.

August featured stuff

2010-08-05T05:43:00.000-04:00

“Red Right; Return” “bag”uette

You will never feel bad returning to port with wet snorkel gear if you carry your mask, fins, and snorkel in the “Red Right; Return” “bag”uette. This fun bag is constructed from a decorator fabric printed with the pattern of repeating colorful fish swimming in a pale ocean blue. The bag is lined in a waterproof fabric to make toting wet gear no problem. The bag features a sailing vessel at the dock of its home port on the exterior Velcro art pocket. And the bag is trimmed out with an oxide swivel hook as its fastener.

The bag measures:
12” across
23” tall
4” deep

Swimming with the Fishes

2010-08-05T05:24:00.000-04:00

As a scuba diver I have swam with the fishes, fining into a school so that they are all around me as if I were part of the sea life, a mermaid swathed in black neoprene. Of course I am dragging a metal cylinder on my back that has tubes and contraptions blowing bubbles from my body so I look more like a sea turtle than a mermaid, but that is beside the point.

A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female torso and the tail of a fish, who can breathe above and below the water. She is beautiful and depicted with long flowing hair. Mermaids are often found sitting on rocks or swimming about sailing ships. The word is a compound of mere, the Old English word for “sea”, and maiden, an unmarried woman.

Mermaids are often portrayed playing a musical instrument such as a lyre and have beautiful singing voices. A mermaid’s voice is supposed to have magical powers. Sea Sirens of Greek mythology sing to sailors and entice them into the rocks, sinking their ships and carrying their bodies down to the deep since they forget that humans cannot breathe underwater. Other stories depict the sea maidens squeezing the life out of drowning men while attempting to rescue them.

Other myths are of the magical changing a mortal woman into a mermaid. A beautiful girl is rejected by the man she fell in love with and throws herself or is thrown into the ocean where the mermaids uses their magical powers to transform the mortal into a sea creature.

Scuba gear may not be magical but it does afford me the pleasure of swimming with the fishes. And that is pretty sensible stuff to me.

Mermaids are swimming into view

2010-08-05T05:05:00.000-04:00

The latest mermaid creations are all lined with a waterproof fabric so your legs will not get wet carrying home your soaked swim suit from the water’s edge.

“No Myth” “bag”uette
This beautiful mermaid “bag”uette is “No Myth”. The enchanting painting of a mysterious mermaid is a real original piece or art; hand painted on an exterior Velcro pocket. The bag is lined in a durable vinyl fabric that makes it waterproof – sensible as well as sensational looking. The aqua, wooden bead bubble adds the prefect finishing touch and functions as this alluring bag’s fastener.

“Watery Respite” fabric bag
The perfect pool pal is the "Watery Respite" fabric bag. This mermaid bag is lined with a PVC coated fabric that is ideal for carrying a wet swim suit and towel home from the swimming pool or beach. The rippling waves of colors on the cotton exterior fabric surrounds the relaxing sea nymph hand painted onto the outside Velcro pocket. Now is the time to renew your spirit and let your troubles float away but not your personal style.

“Under the Waves” sling sack
This sling sack may be "Under the Waves" but it’s functionally is above board with the black vinyl lining. The lining provides a waterproof interior to tote a damp beach towel or wet raincoat without a fuss. The outside pocket displays an enchanting mermaid Under the Waves created with transparent gouache and acrylic paint. The original, hand-painted art is coated with an acrylic sealant to protect the work on the outside pocket and the Velcro keeps the pocket contents from going in the soup.

July's featured stuff

2010-07-10T20:53:00.000-04:00

“Steamed Crab” artful apron

The grill may be glowing but the “Steamed Crab” artful apron is red hot. The hand painted crab is rendered on a handy pocket and surrounded by two slim pockets capable of stashing tools to keep your hands free. A towel loop is sewed into the waistband and holds a colorful towel (included) always within your reach. The Steamed Crab artful apron makes the ideal grilling apron. Pretty, practical and truly one-of-a-kind.

Pair the Steamed Crab apron with the coordination Steamed Crayfish napkin holder for the perfect cook out.

Best of Both Worlds

2010-07-10T20:47:00.000-04:00

Introducing the Seashell Collector Bag

2010-06-21T15:45:00.000-04:00

The Seashell Collector Bag is a miniature version of the fabric bag. The bag is designed to carry your treasures found on the beach. The front art pocket will carry a small item separate from the sandy shells or sea glass.

“Red Knot” seashell collector bag
Succumb to the lure of this charming shore bird and he will join you on all your future beachcombing jaunts. The original painting is created with layers of translucent pigments to enhance the gorgeous print fabric in deep amethyst and bronzed sand. Not only is the Red Knot seashell collector bag very pretty its size makes it adorably cute. The front art pocket will carry a small item separate from the sandy shells or sea glass. The real scallop shell adds just the perfect touch to finish the bag and acts as the bags closure.

The bag measures:
6-3/4” across
10” tall
2-1/2” deep

“Neptune’s Ride” seashell collector bag
This seahorse not only brings big drama to this little bag, the front art pocket will carry a small item separate from the found beach treasures. The mini checked alabaster and jet black fabric makes up the bag’s lining and handle and compliments the colors of the seashore print fabric of the bag’s body. The real chip of nonliving coral provides the bag the ideal fastener and just the right splash to complete this work of art.
The bag measures:
6-3/4” across
9-1/4” tall
2-1/2” deep

Identifying Seashells

2010-06-21T14:21:00.000-04:00

A stroll along the beach usually can not be achieved without bending near the grains of sand to examine something that caught you eye. Most beachcombers are compelled to collect the results of their nature treasure hunt. The notion of a sea creature leaving behind something of themselves for others to find is enchanting to most shell collectors.

A shell is the external skeleton of a soft-bodied marine animal called Mollusks. Some animals, such as the tortoise, have both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton. The larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as “shells”.

Most shells are structured in two shell halves, such as clams, oysters, and scallops (bivalves), others are created from a single shell protecting snails (gastropod). If you wish to identify any shells you find on the beach first determine if the shell is from a bivalve mollusk with a hinged shell or a gastropod mollusk with a coiled shell. Other rarer mollusk shells are tusk shells (straight and hollow), chiton shells (eight articulated pieces), or cephalopod shell (Nautilus shell is from the squid family).

Other skeletons found on the beach are from Arthropods (crabs, lobsters, urchins, sea stars, etc.).

Immature shells often resemble fully grown shells of the same species but in miniature. A bivalve adds growth around the edges of the valves, enlarging the shell without changing its direction of growth. A gastropod grows around the open end of what is virtually an open ended tube. If the tube grew straight, it would become long and cumbersome, so it coils upon itself.

Similar to fish identification the classification of shells is determined by shape first and markings of pattern and color afterwards.
Gastropods have ten sub-shapes: Cap, Ear, Top, Pear, Corkscrew, Spindle, Club, Barrel, Egg, and Irregular.
Bivalves have seven sub-shapes: Discus, Fan, Triangular, Boat, Paddle, Irregular, and Heart.

You may not be able to identify all the shells see but by learning to recognize the sub-shape you will expand your knowledge a great deal. When you return from the seashore you can determine the species by the markings of colors and patterns with an identification guide book.

I went thru my bowls of shells for examples and here are the results:
Look at the aperture of the opening of the Gastropods along with its silhouette to determine the family of shape the shell most closely resembles.
Cap Shape – Keyhole Limpet is an example.

Ear Shape – Moon Shells are an example.
Top Shape – Checkered Top is an example.
Pear Shape – True Tulip and Turban Shells are an examples.
Corkscrew Shape – Screw Shells and Hatchet Pyram are an examples.

Spindle – Tibia, Couch Shells, Branched Murex, Pink Conch, and West Indian Fighting Conch are an examples.

Club Shape – Busycan Whelk, Votues, Murex shells, and Circumcision Cone are an examples.

Barrel Shape –Horned Helmet, Fask Bubble, and Tun Shells are an examples.

Egg Shape – Lettered Olive, Cowry shells, Flamingo Tongues, Olive Shells, and Angled Olive are an examples.

Irregular Shape – Spider couch shell is an example.

The Bivalve shapes are recognized by their silhouetted shape.
Discus Shape – Thick Licine Clam is an example.
Fan Shape – Lion's Paw Scallop, scallop shells, Cockle shells, Thorny Oysters are an examples.

Triangular Shape – Sunrise Tellin is an example.

Boat Shape – Venus Clam is an example.

Paddle Shape – Cockle Shells are an example.
Irregular Shape –
Heart Shape – Heart Clam is an example.
The thrill of discovery is enhanced when you have the terminology to convey your detection and a simple stroll on the beach becomes an adventure.

Collecting Seashells

2010-06-21T13:40:00.000-04:00

Create your own seashell collection with a selection of Pretty Sensible Stuff beautifully painted with depictions of shells found washed up on the seashore.

"Washed Ashore"

“Spirals and Shells” hanger pocket
Layers of transparent gouache and acrylic paint are brushed on to create the shells and fossils of the pocket’s incorporated canvas. Poseidon’s treasure is displayed on the Spirals and Shells hanger pocket but the fabric envelope is designed to protect your cherished treasures while sliding easily into your closet or suitcase. The real driftwood acts as the pockets closure and completes the functional artwork with finesse.

“Wind Swept” sling sack
Stuff anything you can not live without into this roomy bag and you’ll be ready for a deserted island; well maybe not deserted but certainly a tropical vacation. The Wind Swept sling sack moves your belongings easily from the flight in, to the beach or pool, to a day shopping in town. This lightweight shoulder bag is enhanced with an one-of-a-kind painting on the Velcro pocket. The sea star and seashells are created layering gouache and acrylic paint to create an original work of art on the practical outside pocket; making this bag not only pretty but beautifully functional.

“Shell Game” hanger pocket
Play your own Shell Game with this hanger pocket that can hide any important papers of extra cash you want to keep on hand. The violet, purple, and pink swirling pattern woven into this upholstery fabric keeps all kinds of riches safe and protected. Topped with a silky tassel and button as a fastener, the hand painted flap illustrates the sea’s treasures with two divine, scallop shells.

“Edge of the Sea” blank journal
Edge of the Sea blank journal features iridescent shells on the cover. The hand painted artwork is created by painting layers and layers of translucent yellows, pinks, periwinkles, and violets on prepared cotton. The 100% cotton shell print fabric completes the journal cover. Like all the Pretty Sensible Stuff journals, it includes an original poem by the artist with plenty of blank pages to capture your own reflection of the sea.

How to Choose Sunglasses

2010-06-18T05:58:00.000-04:00

It's time to hit the beach and with all the choices out there how do you choose the perfect pair of shades?

The Size: If you have smaller features, you don’t need tiny frames; simply make sure that any larger shapes sit high on your nose and that the frames don’t extend beyond the side of your face.

The Style: To shorten the look of your nose, choose a style with a bridge that sits lower. Steer away from frames in which the bridge is level with the top of the glasses. Your eyebrows should peek out about the top.

The Color: In a colored frame or tinted lens, start with the colors that usually flatter you in makeup or clothes. But within that group, skip shades that most closely match your skin tone.

The Shape: Square faces look right in frames with rounded corners. Round faces do well with more angular shapes. Oval faces can wear a variety of styles.

Brushstrokes on the Beach

2010-06-04T05:38:00.001-04:00

The surface of the beach is like a canvas painted in diverse patterns. Each pattern reflects a difference in the manner in which currents, waves and winds, and organisms operate on the beach. These bedforms (a general term for all small-scale features on the surface of the beach) result from a number of physical processes acting in combination. Each type of bedform provides clues to the processes that created it.

Swash marks, one of the more prevalent bedfroms, look like interlacing curves whose concave sides face toward the sea. The arc of each curve defines the limit reached by an individual wave in its forward surge. One component of some swash lines is the floating sand. When the water soaks into the beach, some of the floating sand carried along the leading edge settles to form the swash mark.

Seafoam forms naturally as pounding storm waves churn up sea-floor sediments. The process extracts organic matter from the sediment and violently churns it all up into white, bubby mast known as seafoam. Often inorganic clay particles (mud) are attached to the bubbles, so when the foam bubbles eventually collapse, a thin film of gray colored mud is left behind in the upper-beach or wherever the foam comes to rest.

Ripple marks are formed by wind or water passing over the surface at a high enough velocity to move sand. Each individual ripple is like a wave processing a crest and trough. One side of the ripple slopes gently while the other side is steep. The steep side faces in the direction that the current is moving. Where water flows as a current in a channel current ripples form. These ripples are usually much more asymmetric in cross-section than wave formed ripples, and their crests are less continuous and not necessarily parallel to the crests of adjacent ripples.

Just below high-water mark the sand sometimes shows “pinholes”, small holes that look as if they were dug by some small creature. Pinholes are caused when the swash of a wave flows in a thin layer over dry sand and the air trapped beneath the sand escapes upward through the weakest places it can find, making the pinholes. But not all the air escapes. When the swash of a second wave flows over the same places, the top inch or so of sand is already saturated and comparatively impervious. When additional air from below tries to escape, it raises the wet sand layer in domes.

Three forces are involved simultaneously in a continuing process: The backwash of waves sweeps loose debris from the beach into the surf. The coastal currents drag the material over the shallow sea bottom along the shore like a giant conveyor belt. And the incoming waves hurl debris back up on another beach. In general large, heavy materials are moved only slowing by powerful waves, while smaller, lighter particles are transported farther and faster.

The smallest, lightest grains of sand come briefly to rest near the water’s edge, then are washed back into the current or are blown up the beach by the wind to build dunes. Dunes accumulate like snowdrifts at the back of the beach. The shells on a beach also supply sediment as they are broken up by the waves or by scavengers such as skates or rays.

Whatever their shape and whatever the season, beaches have fascinating markings on them. Each marking displays the variation in the style in which currents, waves and winds paint the shoreline.

June's Featured Stuff

2010-06-04T05:30:00.000-04:00

“Going Ashore” fabric bag
Hanging on to her place on the beach this endearing sea star clings to the sand as the tide rolls out. This enchanting starfish is hand painted onto the handy Velcro pocket that’s great to keep your keys and cell phone within reach but out of the sand. The cotton bag provides lots of space for a beach towel, sunscreen, and great beach read and keeps your wallet secure with a fitting tassel and button closure. So grab your bag and get Going Ashore with this fashionable bag that’s as functional as it is attractive.

The Postcard Cliché

2010-05-14T06:48:00.000-04:00

You have sent and received enough scenic postcards to know that they are often bland and unexciting. Composition is conventional, and the different or novel approach is almost nonexistent. Camera owners can surpass the factory-produced picture postcard by trying the unusual and giving the photograph a personal touch or viewpoint.

Think of some photos that stick in your memory. Each of these memorable images had something unusual about it. Each photo was very likely a dynamic yet simple composition that could be absorbed quickly. Impact also results from seeing an ordinary subject in a novel way. By waiting for impressive light, using imaginative seeing through offbeat camera angles, and not being satisfied with “Just getting it on film” you can create a memorable image.

To accent forms dramatically, shoot as much as possible in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky, giving a golden glow to everything. The shadows give the picture dimension and contrast. Wait for clouds to move into your scene, or for clouds to pass if they shade the sun you want.

Choose camera angles that have to be searched for by walking and waiting. Explore different distances of a subject to give the picture more impact or personal story.

The only accurate way to determine the effectiveness of a particular viewpoint is by checking its appearance through the viewfinder. Looking at a scene with the naked eye, you are aware of a mass of peripheral information surrounding the area of interest. The viewfinder, however, shows the scene with clear-cut edges as will appear in the finished photograph.

Look for ways to simplify the picture by positioning yourself to exclude extraneous detail, or for unusual ways to present the subject. While looking through the camera try crouching down so that you are lower than the subject; or try standing on a small stepladder so that you can look down on it. Even by simply moving to one side you can show subject elements in a different way.

Look for contrasts; large against small, light against dark, bright color versus subtle, strong and weak, high and low, old and young, fast and slow, near and far. Make your subject stand out by using contrast or capturing contrast when you see it.

The next time you take portraits, use the light from a near window and capture the strong light-and-dark effect that happens when you move close to a subject for an intimate viewpoint. Take advantage of the camera’s ability to focus within a few feet from someone, and crop out irrelevant background.

Selective viewpoint
Be selective in crowds. Give yourself time for people to move into patterns you like, or away from a place that you don’t want congested. Figures give scale and human interest to pictures that may otherwise seem a bit empty.

High viewpoint
Find a higher spot to shoot from when you can, and get over the heads of everyone. Stand on a knee wall to give a more bird’s eye view.

Low viewpoint
The lower you position the camera and point upwards the taller the subject will feel. For more dramatic photos you need more dramatic angles from where the viewer sees the subject.

Close up angle
Make the viewpoint force the viewer’s attention on to the focal point that you are trying to capture. The selective view of an artist’s hands or an animal’s eye will give your pictures a personal affect.

Wider angle
Back up against walls inside large buildings to steady yourself and turn off the flash. The lens will pick up moving figures, but the sense of the place is real.

Vertical-format
Shoot more vertical-format pictures to show the foreground. Look for foreground elements to frame your photo and give depth to a scene.

Take plenty of chances (chances, not risks). If you are not sure of an angle click off two or three shots; memory cards are cheap compared to the tickets to faraway places you may never see again. Don’t “wish you had” shot something that you might well have waited for or walked to, then and there.

The more you experiment, keeping looking for new angles, and shoot more pictures, the better the result in creating memorable photos.

Some New Stuff

2010-05-14T06:03:00.000-04:00

Here some new stuff that will make your memory making activities that much more special.

“Summer Camp” fabric bag
The painted pocket reveals open boats waiting at the dock for some summer fun. Rendered in periwinkle paint to harmonize with the cotton periwinkle and white polka dot design and intertwining rope pattern on the strap the subtle tones are attractive without attracting a lot of unwanted attention. The cream, rope shaped button keeps all things private without sacrificing a care-free attitude.

“Pail Yellow, Brite Red” mini tote
A fun and functional beach bag decked out with a hand-painted sand pail and shovel on the practical, canvas Velcro pocket. The bag is constructed from cotton fabric printed with a variety of vibrant colored waves of ribbon and lined with a cotton backed vinyl which keeps the bag dry even while toting a wet swimsuit or towel. The coordinating red cotton strap keeps carrying comfortable and colorful. Trimmed with a translucent orange shell pendent for its closure, the Pail Yellow, Brite Red mini tote is excellent for the beach or the pool.

“Candy Apple Red” messenger bag
This sweet, across the body purse is just bursting with fun. Great for a day at the State Fair or a family day at the amusement park; it’s Candy Apple Red strap will keep your belongings safe and secure while you take a day off to play. This lighthearted bag is adorned with a hand-painted candy apple canvas integrated into the colorful, cotton fabric and finished off with a glass charm in transparent red reminiscent of a piece of hard candy for it’s fastener.

“The Complete Package” and “Small Batch” mother/daughter artful aprons
Pass on the secret to fluffy biscuits or grandma’s gooey chocolate chip cookies to your little batch and cut down on laundry as well. The hand-painted pockets will keep stuff nearby and your hands free while demonstrating the fine art of baking. The aprons are sewed from good quality cotton in a pretty pattern with hues that blends well with any décor. The adorable pair with keep the flour off your pair of favorite pair of jeans as well as adorn your kitchen with a useful piece of art.

“White Picket Fence” fabric bag The White Picket Fence and white clapboard sided house is punctuated with the brilliant color of the flowerbed and blue sky. The art pocket is surrounded by a tangerine fabric embellished with a beautiful, blue thread on the front of the bag. The bag’s strap and lining is constructed with a tangerine print upholstery fabric creating a very sturdy bag. The bag is finished off with an old, house key for the fastener. Hand crafted, functional, and very charming makes this fabric bag Pretty Sensible Stuff.

Making Memories

2010-05-03T05:33:00.000-04:00

No other doughnut ever tasted as good as the doughnut I made with my Mom when I was a young girl. Standing on a kitchen chair watching the oil bubbles surround the rings of dough we had just cut out of the rolled dough was exciting to watch transform into the golden brown cakes. We only fried doughnuts that one time but I still remember the sugary smell of oil vs. the aroma the oil emits from frying onion rings, hushpuppies, or fish.
Christmas time brought on a cookie baking marathon that left you tried of looking at cookies. But baking sugar cookies in our house was a common event as chocolate chip drop cookies to other kitchens. Of course I loved sugar cookies not only for that heavenly, vanilla flavor but mostly because we got to “decorate” them. That’s what my Mother call frosting them by piping on details and adding “sprinkles” or colored sugar to embellish them.
It is something we both still share. We both love to make “stuff” and then to decorate it. There is an old saying “Don’t make anything unless it’s useful; and if it’s useful don’t be afraid to make it beautiful”. I guess that’s why God made Moms.

May's featured stuff

2010-05-03T05:17:00.000-04:00

“Full Fledge” and “Young Chick” mother/daughter artful aprons

In this day and age of wireless the gadget, baking together is the perfect way for your mom to bond with her grandchild or you to carve out some time together with your fledging making memories. The mother and daughter artful apron sets are just the thing to make it that much more fun.
Pictured here are the Full Fledge and Young Chick mother/daughter artful aprons. The original canvas painting of a handsome hen set against a backdrop of black is stunning on this barnyard print adult size apron. The adorable baby chick painting is equally gorgeous albeit a tinier size. Both boast a contrasting black sash and apron strings.
This pair is ideal for sharing time in the kitchen or planting seeds in the window box and will bring a smile to anyone spotting them hanging in the kitchen. It’s also makes a great gift as a thank you to a girlfriend or co-worker who’s a Mom this Mother’s Day.

April’s featured stuff

2010-04-07T19:52:00.000-04:00

“Songstress” boho bag
Nothing shows off your unique, personal style like this fully lined, boho bag. Pair the sweet songs of the bluebird and the acoustical guitar together with a painted canvas and the "Songstress” boho bag is produced. The eye-catching flap is hand painted in layers of translucent watercolor and acrylic. The crescent shaped bag is made of a monochrome blue, floral cotton fabric that is fierce paired with blue denim. Chic, comfortable, and cost effective, now that is some Pretty Sensible Stuff.

Attracting birds to your yard

2010-04-07T19:50:00.000-04:00

Birds are natures own bug zappers but they are also amusing to watch too. Birds require three main survival essentials: food, shelter and water. If you provide for their needs, the bird-word will get out about your hospitality and they will not only keep you entertained, but they also help out with the chores.

Birds eat an unbelievable amount of bugs. They will eat up garden beetles, slugs, and grubs as well as leaf miners and keeping down the mosquito population. Supplement their insect diet by planting an assortment of trees, bushes and grasses that can provide berries, nuts and seeds throughout the year. A varied selection of flora gives wild birds a constant supply of food and shelter.

During the winter months put out a variety of birdseed, be reliable and consistent, keeping it full and clean. If you “hit and miss” the birds won’t build a routine of visiting.

Imitate factors that are common with nature. Many birds like the “edge” of the woods. Leave your lawn and shrubs a little longer than usual, and don’t bother deadheading your flowers. These things give birds food and a place to nest. Make sure there are no “fluttering” objects, such as windsocks, which may startle them.

Shelter can be provided with a birdhouse and birdhouses are charming garden ornaments. Place houses high enough (at least 6 feet above the ground) to prevent cats, raccoons, and skunks from trespassing. Nail a piece of thin metal around the post so that animals cannot climb up.

A source of fresh clean water is essential. Place a birdbath in a sunny spot. And keep it filled. Birds need water year-round. Keep the birdbath out in the open, away from shrubbery and other hiding places for potential predators.

Shallow water containers allow birds to stand and flutter the water around. A birdbath should be a t least 4 feet high.

Birds prefer ”noisy” or running water such as a fountain or waterfall. The moving water has stabilized oxygen content which is better than stagnant water and puts out ions which help freshen the area. For containers and birdbaths, flush both regularly with cold water to prevent stagnation and mosquito larvae.

Many commercial fertilizers can be toxic or inhibiting to birds, so the more natural methods you use, the more of an invitation you will give.

· When growing annual vines on trellises use twine made from biodegradable cotton string or uncoated jute. At the end of the season, you can cut down the entire mass of withered stems and twine, and throw the whole thing onto your compost pile.

· Toss your used coffee grounds around azaleas and rhododendrons, but not until after they bloom.

· Take any combination of plant-based kitchen wastes (no meat or fats), banana peels, vegetable ends, etc. and put them in your blender. Fill it with water and blend it all up and pour it around the base of perennials. They will produce beautiful blooms from this fortified drink.

Remember Earth Day is April 22nd.

Bird Food Plants
· Siberian iris
· columbine
· fuchsias
· salvias, both annual and perennial
· annual sunflowers
· honeysuckle vines
· viburnum
· fruit tree
· blueberry bush
· elderberry
· shadbush
· biennial verbascum
· rudbeckia
· trumpet vine
· Virginia creeper
· nandina
· holly
· ivy
· ornamental grasses
· asters
· lilies

Garden Party

2010-04-05T09:52:00.000-04:00

Take advantage of the weather as it warms this spring with an outdoor garden party. A garden party is a social gathering with food provided, in the open in a park or a garden. Unlike a picnic or barbecue which are informal, a garden party can be a prestigious event. Make it special by sprucing up an otherwise casual backyard garden with real silverware, elegant tablecloths and of course, oversized flower centerpieces for splashes of bright, vivid color.

Arranging Flowers
A round vase is perfect for roses, which look best in a container that mirrors their shape and is opaque. Round vases also work well for other round shaped blooms such as carnations.
A bowl is wonderful to float one peony in low, wide bowl or birdbath. Camellias and gardenias are also appropriate in this container.
An urn is great for dense flowers with large blossoms and long, supple stems such as tulips, complement the urn’s heavier shape beautifully. And the flexible stems let flowers stretch along the lip of the urn likes outspread arms. Hyacinth and Viburnum are also excellent options for these vintage vessels.

Put a spoonful of sugar for nourishment and an acidic ingredient like lemon-lime soda or aspirin into the water to help the stems to absorb the water more easily. Add a drop of beach to prevent bacterial and to extend their life

Wearing Fresh Flowers
Straw hats look wonderful with fresh flower accents. Cut flower stems short, about 2 to 3 inches, and insert them into plastic water picks filled with water. Tuck the picks into the hatband to hide them, or turn up the brim of the hat and secure it with a hatpin over the pick, allowing the flower to hang out. Or hide the pick with foliage; one large leaf might be enough.
To keep trumpet-shaped flowers (lilies, for example) fresh, moisten a tiny ball of cotton and tuck it into the center of the bloom. You can also use a hat as a centerpiece or hang it on a wall to emphasize a Mad Hatter theme.
Flowers that last for a long time without water (passionflowers, lilies, flowering maple) and flowers that air-dry naturally (rosebuds, hydrangea, daffodils) need only be pinned in place. Experiment, be creative, and have fun.

Address the Five Senses
Touch – real silverware and linens. Tablecloths in starched white linen, or a Provencal fabric, toile, or bold stripe fabric give an elegant feel.
Sight - flower arrangements and decorations. Decorations should harmonize with the already blooming flowers. Since garden is the backdrop for the party, focus on the elements of the place, such as its trees, shrubs, creepers, flower pots, etc. Just complement the beautiful flora, by making use of garlands and bunches of flowers as decorative items for the venue.
Sound – water feature and music. Don’t forget the music. Play Ravel or Debussy and give the garden an Impressionist theme sound.
Taste – food and drink. Keep things light with fresh, seasonal ingredients—and if you’ve planted herbs in your garden, be sure to incorporate them into dishes both savory and sweet.
Scent – flowers and newly mown grass. For fragrant, white, waxy blossoms to use floating in a birdbath or to scent the patio the gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) fits the bill.

Like any good party planner you should expect it to rain, and have an alternative space inside where guests can party indoors. After all, there’s nothing like being prepared for the worst to ensure it won’t happen.

So celebrate the onset of spring, the wonderful change in season by throwing a garden party in your backyard. Relish the season and adore your budding leaves and garden flowers.

Plants in Pots

2010-04-05T09:48:00.000-04:00

Plants in pots are more than just pretty; they are useful.

Define a spot to sit and enjoy the outdoors.

Mark your path with containers.

Cover a view of an eyesore by placing a group of pots in the line of sight.

Create a wall of container to block access to part of the garden.

Create a privacy screen with tall plants in containers.

Tame plants that would spread rampantly if in the ground such as bamboo.

Existing potted plants should have the soil replenished yearly. Remove the top 2 to 4 inches of soil with a fork, avoid harming fragile feeder roots, refill with fresh soil mixed with slow release fertilizer.

So plant something pleasing in a pot and create some pretty sensible stuff.

Meet the colors of Spring 2010

2010-03-24T20:48:00.000-04:00

Published bi-annually, 18-24 months ahead of the season, the PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner is based on the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standard in the world. It is produced by a team of leading visionaries from all over the world with expertise in different disciplines, providing a comprehensive color forecasting service for multiple design areas, including men’s and women’s apparel, beauty, interior and industrial design.

“Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Instead of re-inventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.”

Designers bring splashes of sunshine to the runway for spring 2010. Vibrant brights add a sense of excitement to the color palette, while practical neutrals provide a safety net for cautious consumers.

Turquoise
“Beachcomber” fabric bag will incorporate the season’s “it” color, Turquoise, into your spring wardrobe. And it is the perfect bag for the beach. The beach tote is lined with a vinyl fabric the color of sand; so you can stash your wet swimsuit and towel as well as your beach comb finds. The bag’s fastener is a miniature bucket filled with the tiniest seashells. How delightful.

Dried Herb
“Time Will Tell” messenger bag demonstrates how the hue Dried Herb can be used to update your spring wardrobe with style. The across the body strap is made from a beautiful, toast colored cording to accent the colors used in the hand painted antique clock face. The fabric is a gorgeous weave of textiles and gives this bag an elegant feel as well as a versatile look for jeans or a chic sundress. Now that’s timeless.

Fusion Coral and Aurora
“Sunbeam” fabric bag utilizes the mix of Fusion Coral and Aurora to create this striking tote. The Velcro pocket flaunts a stunning face of the sun, hand painted with layers of watercolor, gouache, and acrylic paints. The bag is lined with a coral and dried herb plaid fabric. Undulating goldenrod circles around the pendent creating a fantastic finishing touch to the enchanting bag. It is a fabulous fusion of colors

The DOT is HOT!

2010-03-24T19:26:00.000-04:00

I’m talking polka dots.
playful or sophisticated
bold or muted
colorful or monochrome
retro or modern
It’s the dot that hits the spot.

The polka dot collection varies from the playful, sunny
yellow & white fabric bag displaying a colorful “Butterfly Fish” swimming in Amparo Blue to the sophisticated, jet black & Eucalyptus hanger pocket exhibiting a classic “Derby Day” bonnet.
There is the choice of the bold, black & white fabric bag revealing the face of a “Spotted Trunkfish” on the Velcro pocket or the muted periwinkle & white fabric bag “Summer Camp” evoking a dock of awaiting boats.
The monochrome of the black, gray, and white accented with
Aurora and golden glow mini tote flourishes with a
“Puff Dandy” on the Velcro pocket. It distinguishes itself from the colorful Aurora, Tomato Puree, lime green, and bubble gum pink mini tote showing off the “Variegated” tulip.
The retro red & white with black & white artful apron with its “Cherries Jubilee” art pocket and the black & white “Land Line” messenger bag contrast from the modern black & white “Fashion Forward” “bag”uette with its modern twist on the polka dot; all make the polka dot collection truly diverse.

March featured stuff

2010-03-21T11:17:00.000-04:00

“Red Tennies” messenger bag

Like the tried and true of denim blue, “red tennies” are trustworthy and enduring but with attitude. The messenger bag is just the ticket to stash admission stubs for a concert on the lawn or hand wipes for a picnic in the park. The “Red Tennies” messenger bag is a hip bag (it hits your hip bone when worn across the body) but it’s pretty stylish too. The detailed artwork of classic Chuck Taylors are painted in “tomato puree”, one of this spring season’s hottest colors. The bold, colorful plaid fabric of the bag is complimented with a playful charm as its fastener.
So unlace the ordinary and wriggle into some fun with the “Red Tennies” messenger bag.

Restless Spirit

2010-03-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

To cure your yearning to break away Pretty Sensible Stuff latest collections….Adventurer, Island Hopper, Beach Trekker, and Armchair Traveler.

Adventurer

2010-03-09T08:50:00.000-05:00

“Love the World Outside” blank journal says it all about the Adventurer, from the exotic seahorse to the chorus of backyard birds, you gotta love it all.

“Love the World Outside” Blank Journal features an astonishing face of a barn owl on the cover. The hand painted artwork is full of texture depicting the delicate feathers of the prominent bird.
The cream and black graphic print of wildflower silhouettes enhances the fabric that completes the journal’s cover. Like all the Pretty Sensible Stuff journals it includes an original poem by the artist with plenty of blank pages for your own adventure.

Also pictured is the “Nobel Truths” “bag”uette. This bag is perfect for a trip to the yoga studio or to carry a sturdy tripod on a field shoot.
The “Endless Knot” mini tote is the ideal way to tote your packed lunch for an adventure, even if it’s just to the workplace jungle.

The “Chorus Line” fabric bag is the just right bag to take along on any adventure you may seek.

Island Hopper

2010-03-09T08:11:00.000-05:00

The Island Hopper enjoys the warm water home of fish and sea creatures and the cool breeze that rustle the palm leaves.

“Beached” hanger pocket
The hand painted island boat beached under the stirring palm fronds captures the easy pace of island time. A whimsical mini flip-flop acts as the pocket’s closure. Bright white and soft yellow accented with an unexpected wine color takes its cue from the tropical print fabric to create a wonderful addition to your island hopping packing list.

Also pictured is “See Horse” hanger pocket. The painting of the close up view of this handsome seahorse swimming in a sea of turquoise waters is enhanced by a real seashell for the pocket’s closure.

The “Coral Companion” messenger bag is just the right thing to bring along on an island get-away. Its gold cord crosses the body; keeping your travel funds secure and worry free and coordinates well with the gold coral design in the cotton fabric and the golden sea horse travel companion. The nautilus on the turquoise background is the perfect finishing touch.

Beach Trekker

2010-03-09T07:35:00.000-05:00

The Beach Trekker will love to travel to their favorite beach with the sights and sounds of the playful pelicans, inviting beach chairs, the terrific seashells, and the perfect beach wrap.

“A Day at the Beach” fabric bag
Feel the sand between your toes and the warmth of the sun on your face as the waves wash up shells and beach glass onto the beach. The bag is embellished with a glass starfish as its closure. Soft blue and white stripes frame this picturesque scene captured on the hand painted Velcro pocket. The one-of-a-kind painted pocket is set against a sea of soft blue and white swirls.

Also pictured is the “Pelican Brief-case” fabric bag. If bright colors are more your style you will love the lively pelicans enjoying the coastal seashore.

What is a breach trek without combing for shells? Find the perfect seashells painted on “Shell Game” hanger pocket. The plums, pinks, and violets blend wonderfully to fashion the scallop shells to remind you of your favorite beach. Finished with a creamy rope button and a plum silk tassel it is a truly one-of-a-kind find.

Wrap it up with the “French Angel” hanger pocket. A beautiful beach wrap accompanies the elegant, Grey Angelfish. The wrap fits perfectly in the hanger pocket, which is great to pop into your suitcase for your dream beach trip

Armchair Traveler

2010-03-09T07:21:00.000-05:00

The armchair traveler can travel anywhere without the hassle of TSA. She can plan a dream fantasy vacation with “The Brochure Seduced Me” blank journal sitting in the “Porch Rocker” on the perfect “Coffee Break”.

“Coffee Break” messenger bag
Creamy gold, toffee, and warm olive green pigment are used to depict this superb cup of caffeine. The same gold, toffee, and olive greens are woven into the cording to create this across the body bag. The delightful graphic print fabric is 100% cotton as well as lining of the bag. Its finishing touch is a vintage watch charm.

Also pictured is the “Porch Rocker” fabric bag. The bold graphic print of the cobalt blue and brite white inspired the bold graphic style of a simple rocking chair waiting for someone to enjoy the view from the porch.

“The Brochure Seduced Me” blank journal is scribed with a poem from the artist Lynne to inspire your own journey of words. Let your mind wander down the stairs and through the archways to a world new world.

And all that stuff...

2010-03-09T07:10:00.000-05:00

How would you like to have a large collection of Pretty Sensible Stuff in your own home to touch and feel without waiting for the next arts and craft show?

Just invite a bunch of friends over to share in the fun and email me at artworkbylynne@embarqmail.com to set up a time, day or evening. You can customize the collection to your guest’s interests:
A beach party of coastal designs
A garden party of floral and growing stuff images
A yoga party of “bag”uettes
A mix of fabric bags for gift giving guests

If you have at least six friends at the party you can earn a bag of your choice, free!

Spring Fever

2010-03-08T08:25:00.000-05:00

Spring fever is a physiological and psychological shift in the body’s response to changing seasons. Spring fever is not just in the head. It is caused by an adjustment in body chemistry and seasonal biology. It comes with restlessness and high-energy spurts and a yearning to break away.
As Mother Nature reinvents herself some feel the need to reinvent themselves by organizing and eliminating items that clutter up their home. This is commonly referred to as spring-cleaning.
Ugh.. This is the extent of my spring-cleaning.
Closet
Pantry
Lint trap
Eyeglasses

Clean out the clothes closet.
Pack up the heavy winter wools and tweeds.
Keep out the transitional long sleeved tops, the sleeveless tops you wore under jackets, and any light weight clothes.
Donate the stuff you didn’t wear this winter.
Plan new purchases based on gaps in your wardrobe. If you have a beautiful print skirt but nothing to wear with it, concentrate on finding a top to wear with it instead of the latest “it” item. Unless the latest “it” item would be perfect to fill the gap; that’s what I call guiltless shopping.

Clean out the pantry.
Just like the clothes closet, weed out the heavy winter items. That leftover stuffing mix from the holidays makes a great crust on your baked chicken. To get it to stick to the meat, instead of the mess of flour, milk, and egg, coat the chicken with Sticky Fingers Carolina Classic sauce. Put the stuffing mix in a gallon storage bag (if the crumbs need to be finer, roll a rolling pin on the outside of the bag) and add the chicken pieces one at time, shake to coat the chicken piece. Bake in a pan coated with cooking spray. Now you have used up your stuffing mix and added barbeque sauce to your pantry in time for grilling season.
Peanut butter and Pasta – create a pasta sauce of the peanut butter and sesame and ginger salad dressing. Now you have a break from tomato sauce pasta and added a new salad dressing ready for the crisp greens of spring.
Canned tomatoes and beans (black, chick peas, kidney, etc) – create a great dip by pureeing the tomatoes and beans with some olive oil. Add jalapeno peppers, chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.
Canned soup – donate it to the food bank.

Clean the lint trap.
When the birds have begun to build their nests, that’s the time to clean the lint screen in your dryer. Instead of throwing the lint away, put it out on a porch railing or even a branch of a tree. The birds will use it to line their houses.
Now that the nests are complete it’s time to start line drying your clothes. You know the gobs of lint you pull out of the dry filter? Those are bits of your clothes, fluffed and shredded from continuous rubbing against each other. Line drying save money on your utility bill and is good for the environment and the life of your clothes.
If your laundry is stiff when you take it off the line, the mostly likely cause is that used too much soap in the wash. Heavy items such as jeans and thick towels will stiffen a bit even if you used the right amount of soap. Pick a breezing day to line dry clothes; the movement of the fabric on the line is the difference in stiff laundry and soft, aromatherapy of fresh laundry.

Clean your eyeglasses.
Take a break during your after-lunch slump and wash off your eyeglasses. Freshly washed glass gives you new outlook for spring without having to wash windows.

It may not cure the fever of spring but it’s pretty sensible stuff.

Seven Sensible Reasons to Line Dry

2010-03-08T08:18:00.000-05:00

Clothes last longer. Dryer heat is especially hard on spandex and elastic, so line drying means basics like socks, undies, and lingerie won’t have to be replaced nearly as often.
Conserving energy saves money. It isn’t just the planet you are saving; it’s your own money. Use of dryer’s account for 50 to 65 percent of the average household’s electric bill, and that doesn’t count the extra air conditioning you may need to counteract the heat the dryer puts out.
Clothes do not shrink. Unless you wash a dry-clean-only item my mistake, shrinkage almost always happens during drying, not washing. Washing in cold water also saves money.
Save on anti-static dryer sheets. Clothes that hang dry don’t develop static cling.
Line drying cools the yard down. Air passing over wet cloth has a decidedly cooling effect.
Line drying keeps the deer away. The smell of humans is a deer deterrent and the fluttering, just cleaned, laundry scents the air and keeps munching wildlife away. Your roses and hostas will thank you.
Line-dried items, especially sheets, are much easier to fold than the tangled mass that comes out of the dryer.

Feburary featured stuff

2010-02-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

“Edge of the Sea” blank journal
The 9”x 11”, hand painted canvas wraps around a blank journal inscribed with an original poem, “Edge of the Sea” by Lynne.

Edge of the Sea
Sand, soaked shells
washed up on the shore.
Smooth, tumbled glass
carried from the ocean floor.
This is what I gather.
This is what I take
every chance
a trip to the beach I make.

Tip-toeing sand pipers
dancing with the foam.
Feather, flapping seagulls
perfecting the beach comb.
This is what I witness.
This is what I see
every chance
I get to the edge of the sea.

Lofty, flashing lighthouse
towering over the sand.
Old, abandon shipwreck
painted by a deck hand.
This is what I remember.
This is what I recall
every chance
I tell a story very tall.

But filled with plenty of spiral bound, blank, lined pages for you to compose.
The iridescent shells are created by painting layers and layers of translucent yellows, pinks, periwinkles, and violets on prepared cotton. The lining is made of 100% cotton, shell printed fabric to achieve the cover.

The blank journal is just waiting for your travels to the shore to capture your own reflection of the sea.

Introducing Mini Totes

2010-02-08T09:24:00.000-05:00

Mini totes are smaller versions of the fabric bag. Created to carry:
more than a hand full, but less than a bag full
They are great to carry a home-made lunch, to recycle a few paper back books, or to keep your hands free while collecting shells on the beach. But I bet you can come up with a lot more uses for this clever shoulder sack.

Pictured: “Dock Dazes” mini tote
The watercolor style painting of wooden boats at the dock is sewed into an outside Velcro pocket. The small shoulder bag is made of 100% cotton in navy, red, and gold and finished off with a twisted gold cord that loops around an gold, anchor charm. It is the perfect accessory for a day wandering around the docks of your favorite coastal town.

Mind Travel

2010-02-04T05:13:00.000-05:00

Ok, I am tried of looking out the window and seeing a blanket of snow covering the ground. It’s time to start thinking about traveling to a warm location in the Caribbean.

Half the fun of vacation is pre-trip planning, researching, and building expectations. I like to document the process in a travel journal. I start with fact finding about the location. Usually the destination has a tag line to brand them from the rest of the world. You probably hear of: “Everything is bigger in Texas”, “California Find Yourself Here”, or “Florida Keys Come as you are”. Well there is “Egypt: Where It All Begins” and “Croatia The Mediterranean As it Once Was”. The islands try to distinguish themselves from one another with taglines such as “the spice island” or “the gem of the Caribbean”.

This may give you a jumping off point to building expectations. Not only will your ability to picture a day on the trip help you with your packing list, it is a good way to visualize some of the photos you don’t want to miss. This envisioning of the journey is called pre-journaling. I find pre-journaling helps me get organized and encourages me to write while I am on vacation.

If my theme is “off the beaten path” then I may sprinkle quotes on the next few pages about the subject of paths people take. It is nice to discover them again while you are on your adventure and it is not so intimidating to try to write with all those blank white pages staring at you. I may also create a poem of my built expectations, the pace of the days, the sites that the place is known for, and the local customs and cuisine.

Of course it is also nice to write down all the facts and information you have collected in one place. Your flight schedule, there and back, the address and contact information of your destination (useful if your luggage doesn’t arrive with you), and your home emergency contact information; it all comes in handy when the flight attendant hands you one of those forms to fill out. Write down the currency used and the exchange rate; how many US dollars equal the foreign currency and also calculate how many coins equal the US dollar (this is helpful when you receive foreign coin as change to your US dollar).

A travel journal contains description of the traveler’s experiences while on a journey. So weather you are planning a vacation or experiencing weight loss or just escaping in a pile of books you may want to journal your realizations. Journal about your plans, hopes, and expectations; cause you deserve plenty of pretty sensible stuff.

Travel Journal Writing tips:

2010-02-04T05:10:00.000-05:00

1. Every trip consists of two simultaneous journeys: the outer journey and the inner journey. The outer journey is everything external: what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, doing, and such. The inner journey is what is happening in your mind. Great travel journals weave these tow journeys together.

2. Take a few minutes to scan each of your senses. Don’t just focus on what you see. What do you hear and smell? What does your body feel like in this place? Look for the hundreds of minuscule details that surround you and make a place feel foreign. As you wander through your day, take time to scan all of your senses. You will often find that one or two sense are overshadowing your awareness of the other ones.

3. “Show, don’t tell” is an old writing cliché; because it is good advice. Don’t just write that the place is “awesome”. Describe what is going on, the noises, the smells, the people around you. What is it that makes it breathtaking? Details breathe life into your journal. Don’t just write that a meal was “delicious”. How did your body react to the taste? What were the textures of the food? How did you feel when you were finished eating? What was the setting around you? Avoid vague adjectives, and look for specific details that define a place’s character.

4. Your journal doesn’t have to be a chronological play-by-play description of your day. Try choosing a different topic each day. It can be absolutely anything: transportation, language barriers and communicating, food, people’s clothes, how you feel about other travelers as you trek. Write an essay each day about your encounters with that topic.

5. For many, the biggest challenge of travel journaling is finding time for write. Write during “hidden moments” in your day such as waiting for a taxi or bus, waiting for a meal at a restaurant, waiting for your travel partner to finish showering. You may be surprised how may impression you can jot down in three minute bursts.

6. Make journaling part of your travel experience, not something you do in isolation. Try taking a “verbal snapshot”. Sit someplace interesting and write about your immediate surroundings. You are reporting live from your trip, writing things down as they happen around and within us. When you go back and read your snapshots later, you will return to the exact moment when you wrote it down.

7. Question your emotions and write them down. Culture shock is really an emotional response to a foreign environment. What emotions are being stirred up here that don’t get awaken at home? Are you feeling curiosity, excitement, disbelief, pride, embarrassment or anger?

8. One of the things that affect us most when we travel is the people we encounter. Sometimes, we remember people without ever even talking to them. Describe the person’s appearance and mannerisms. What was the setting in which you saw them? What was your impression of them? Why did you have that impression? Do you think your initial impression was accurate, or was it tinted by something in your own belief system? What do you think this person was thinking? Why did you notice this person in the first place? How did you meet them?

9. Caption your photos. Your captions can be a sentence or two, or they can last several pages. Since the camera has captured the visual scene describe the rest of the story; the sounds, smells, and how you felt as you captured the scene. View your digital photos while you write.

10. You don’t have to be traveling to try travel journaling. Try pre-journaling, and post-journaling. Pre-journaling is writing about your trip before you go. Journeys don’t begin the moment we step off the airplane; they begin the moment we start dreaming of going. Journal about your plans, hopes, and expectations. Post-journaling is writing about the trip after it has happened

Just a sneak peek

2010-01-29T07:10:00.000-05:00

Sneak a peek at just some of the new "bag"uettes
created this month.

"mark of existence"
"enlightment"

"zazen"

"teahouse"

"suspended breathing"

"half lotus"

The Great Silk Route

2010-01-20T05:43:00.000-05:00

Silk is one of the oldest known textile fibers and, according to Chinese tradition, was used as long ago as the 27th century BC.
The silkworm moth was originally a native of China, and for about 30 centuries the gathering and weaving of silk was a secret process, known only to the Chinese. Tradition credits Hsi-ling-shi, the 14-year-old bride of the Emperor Huang Ti, with the discovery of the potential of the cocoon and the invention of the first silk reel. While drinking tea in the garden a cocoon fell from a tree branch in the canopy above and landed in the women’s teacup. The hot liquid dissolved the worm’s handiwork and the cocoon became a long thread. His-ling-ski experimented with winding the thread to create the first silk reel. China successfully guarded the secret until AD300, when Japan, and later India, penetrated the secrecy.

The Europeans valued spices and silks from the East so highly the Great Silk Route was created. The Great Silk Route consisted of more than one route through the mountains. The route was so time-consuming, expensive, and dangerous that Europe’s leaders financed explorers to find an alternate route to the silks.
The alternate routes by sea resulted in the conformation that the earth was indeed round.

To produce silk fiber today the cocoons are still the bases of the delicate process known as reeling.

The cocoons are first heated in boiling water to dissolve the gummy substance that holds the cocoon filament in place. After this heating, the filaments from four to eight cocoons are joined and twisted and are then combined with a number of other similarly twisted filaments to make a thread that is wound on a reel. When each cocoon is unwound, it is replaced with another cocoon. The resulting thread, called raw silk, consists usually of 48 individual silk fibers. The thread is continuous and, unlike the threads spun from other natural fibers such as cotton and wool, is made up of extremely long fibers.
The next step in the processing of silk is the twisting of one or more threads of the raw silk into a strand sufficiently strong for weaving or knitting.
The fiber is stretched into fabric.
Because silk production is so time-consuming and labor intensive, silk is not an economic fabric.

Yet you can enjoy the luxurious feel of raw in this beautiful hanger pocket. “Hand in Glove” is hand painted with blue and coco to create an outer Velcro pocket snitched on a bed of opulent silk in French blue. The fabric envelope wraps around a wooden suit hanger and provides protection from snagging to your delicates yet can be retrieved easily.

January’s featured stuff

2010-01-04T07:05:00.000-05:00

“life force” “Bag”uette
The yellow and green colors of nature blend together to create this depiction of a transformed caterpillar hand-painted on a generous Velcro pocket. The artwork is set against a durable linen look fabric embellished with a woven pattern resembling a garden embroidered in black.
The “bag”uette is the perfect tote for long, tall stuff. “Life Force” is the ideal bag to carry your rolled up yoga mat to the studio with plenty of room for foam blocks, strap, and towel. The outside pocket is a great place to stash your keys, cell phone, and jewelry while you are in class. Start your new year on the right foot (and lift your left heel toward your left buttock as you bend the knee. Press the head of your right thigh bone back, deep into the hip joint, and pull the knee cap up to keep the standing leg straight and strong with your left foot raised and arms in a mountain pose) and organize your gear as well as your consciousness.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T10:45:00.000-05:00

According to the Harper's Index, we waste a year of our lives looking for misplaced things. A whole year; just think 2010 gone before it's begun. So if organizing is being able to find what you need when you need it, then disorganization is not being able to find what you are looking for. The new year is a good time to be inspired to organize, put things in order, begin with a fresh start.

Begin with putting stuff where you use it not just where it fits. Go with the natural tendencies. If you or your family, puts things in the same place over and over again, don't fight it, fix it. Observe your patterns of behavior, come up with a plan to put things in the place according to how you prefer to live and work and organize around that. Spend a day paying attention to what you do with your stuff. Where do you naturally put things or look for them first. Find a way to make these patterns work for you.

Physical clutter reminds us of things that need to be done which is stressful. To eradicate your mental clutter, remove your physical clutter and you will feel energized.

Monks in the Zen monastery practice a period of intensive group meditation, known as sesshin meaning "gathering the mind". Like gathering physical clutter to organize our physical spaces, gathering the mental clutter organizes our mental spaces. The practice of mediation and mindfulness of daily experience provides new perspectives and insights. The mediator strives to be aware of the stream of thoughts, allowing them to arise and pass away without interference. It is to understand harmony. The water in a stream does not slam into the rocks in the way, it flows around the rocks and continues down the stream.

If you focus on stuff you have the power to control, you will be less stressed, happier, and more successful. Sounds like a good way to start the new year; which is pretty sensible stuff.

Stocking Stuffers

2009-12-24T05:47:00.000-05:00

Legend has it, the origin of the Christmas stocking derived from the story of a poor man with three daughters. He had no money for a dowry to marry off his daughters and worried what would happen to them after his death. Saint Nicholas was passing through the village and when he heard the story he wanted to help. He knew the old man would not accept charity so waited until they were asleep and crept through the chimney. He had three bags of gold coins, one for each girl. He noticed the stocking the girls had hung over the mantelpiece to dry. He put one bag in each stocking and off he went. When the girls and their father awoke the next morning, they found the bags of gold coins and were filled with joy. The girls were able to get married and live happily ever after.

You may not find a bag of gold coins in your stocking, but I found all the little treasures I have gathered all year to use as inspiration and closures for a whole batch of new “stuff” for the upcoming year.

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas. Give them all a “squeeze” and let them know they are important to you; because you are import to me.
Merry Christmas.

December's featured stuff

2009-12-03T18:00:00.000-05:00

“Aqua Glass” hanger pocket
with co-coordinating translucent scarf

Translucent layers of blues and greens create this one-of-kind, original painting of glass globes set against a cotton black and white print fabric and secured with a coordinating white and black button. This pocket comes with a slim, black non-slip finished coat hanger. It also includes the beautiful, aqua floral print scarf banded in an equally delightful black and white print. It is the most wonderful gift of the season; even if the gift is for yourself.

A Hanger Pocket is a fabric envelope that hangs over a coat hanger (included) and holds scarves, jewelry, important documents, or any small treasure you wish to protect or find quickly in your closet.

Giving the Perfect Gift

2009-11-23T06:54:00.000-05:00

If you want to buy the perfect gift for your recipient, take the time to learn about the interest of the person you are buying for instead of buying something you would like.

Listen close to your conversations then casually ask questions to get more specifics. You’ll get clues about their desires. Pay attention to what they already own, what they could use and what their interests are. Color is very important when choosing a gift. Is their wardrobe heavy on a particular color combination or clothing style? What do they do when they are not at work?

When choosing a gift, make sure that will be useful. There are things that almost every person can use, whether the person is poor or rich, young or old, professional or not professional, working or non-working. Break out of a rut and give a truly unforgettable gift.

But what about buying a gift for the person who has everything? Here are a few ideas that may work:

Pair up an Artful Apron and a Napkin Holder for a unique gift. It works for a budding hostess or the seasoned host. The apron protects the hostess’ outfit while reflecting the entertaining atmosphere. The napkin holder provides guests with handy stain deterrent of their own while furnishing the table an original canvas painting to display. (pictured right: “Lime Twist” artful apron and “Lime Slice” napkin holder. The common thread is the fun fabric spritzed with hand painted lime designs. The citrus pair gives the kitchen or party an effortless zest that’s pretty sensible).

Make this winter’s flu prevention hand washing a scent-ual experience instead of a chore by giving a Hand Towel. The hand towel is a great gift by itself or add a bar of handmade soap, scented forming cleanser, or a soft bristled nail brush to the inside of the art pocket. (pictured far right: “Look Up Duck” hand towel. The hand-painted, whimsical rubber duckie on the art pocket brings a smile and supplys an eco-friendly alternative to paper toweling).

A Folder Holder makes a wonderful gift for your child’s teacher. Not only does it keep handouts in reach and the desk top organized but personalizes any work space. Your favorite educator will appreciate the thoughtfulness of this useful gift to help organize life. (pictured: “Apple for Teacher” folder holder. The quintessence acrylic painted apple artwork adores the front of the holder and adds a classic touch to any work area. A file folder 3 pack is included).

A Hanger Pocket is just the thing for the traveler on your list. The embellished fabric envelope packs flat in a suitcase or travels well in a garment bag. The pocket folds over a coat hanger (included) and holds delicates or valuables while hanging in the closet. The one-of-kind artwork creates a gracious gift for your recipient (pictured below: “Magnolia Bloom” hanger pocket. The elegant painting draws you closer with this big bloom artwork gracing the front of the fabric sachet of swirls of blues and greens. The pocket is finished with a feminine satin ribbon laced through an eyelet ribbon and wrapped around a sculptured cream button to keep treasures safe).

Introduction of new “Stuff”

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I am always churning up new ideas for new "Stuff" here are the newest creations that have materialized this month:

Messenger Bag

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The Messenger Bag is designed to be worn across your body when a hands free bag is needed. It is perfect for a day at the county fair, a night at the amusement park, or just to slip out to the coffee shop. Casual, comfortable, convenient, and pretty sensible.

“Coffee Shop” messenger bag is simple yet bold cross body bag. Chartreuse and chocolate brown artwork adorns the retro patterned fabric to create an unforgettable yet easy style.

Perk up any day with the “Pedal Picking” messenger bag. The color of this one-of-kind artwork shows off the variegated shades of red pedals emphasizing the array of bright and muted tones of the rainbow. Add an effortless flourish to your casual jeans and go.

“Apple Harvest” messenger bag is a noteworthy wardrobe updater. The sable, ice blue, and russet plaid is punctuated by the layers of warm toned acrylic and watercolor paint.
The rich color combination livens up weekend wear for a distinguished, individual look.
The feminine tassel contrasts with the tailored leather button that provides a closer to the bag and a great finishing touch.