degas, you are brilliant

Whenever I get the chance to take the Metro into DC the smells, sounds, colors bring me right back to my high school days.  And I love it.  My family and I moved to Northern VA in the middle of my junior year in high school.  Not knowing a soul at my new high school and feeling like a fish out of water, I spent most weekends with a loaded up back pack trekking through Georgetown, Alexandria and DC.  Or some days meeting my dad for lunch at his office in Rosslyn.  I couldn't get enough of all the art, history and interesting atmospheres right at my fingertips. Pretty fabulous.

So yesterday was special because it was the last day of the the Degas exhibition at the Phillips Collection.  I got to take the day to myself as a birthday present (today marks number 34 for me!) while my husband took care of Leila.  There was a street fair going on when I arrived in Dupont Circle:

It was a gorgeous day.....I had a great lunch at a yummy Italian restaurant before heading to the show:

The show was absolutely amazing.  The line to get in was wrapped around the corner so I ended up becoming a member just so I could skip the line.  It was pretty packed but his compositions, use of color and texture.....I can't say enough.  My heart was pounding I was so excited!  Really looking forward to taking Leila there now that I am a member....its such an easy metro ride in, she's going to love it!

Treated myself to this vessel to hang on the wall and house my rings at Tabletop

When I arrived home last night my husband had planned a surprise brithday dinner with our family......so fun!  More birthday loot :) So thoughtful and unexpected.....

Leila's gift from the Degas show.........

Have a great week everyone!!!

shop local

You may remember, not too long ago I wrote a post on Karen's Emporium and Antiques in Churchville, VA.  On our way home from my parent's house yesterday we stopped by and saw Karen....she greeted us as any proper Southern lady would.  With a huge hello and an offering of apple cider and a tray of crackers and a delicious cheese spread.  What a sweet woman she is...and with a store to match!

I try to shop locally as much as possible.  It makes me feel so good to support the community and any local business.  You really can't beat it.  Karen's sweet 13 year old employee helped me with my bags and carrying Leila out to the car and I thanked her profusely and appreciated it more than she will know. (until she has kids of her own and knows what a precious offering that is....)

Here are some photos of her charming store.  But first, a few pics of the girl :):

Shopping at Wolf Creek Gallery in Lewisburg, WV

so proud of herself sitting in her chair!

in front of her fun tree!

got this cool old tin box...

and a sweet ornament handmade by a local artist from an old quilt

and a shoe (an old, old shoe :)

and I love it!

(and the tin too to house my beads!)

7 months prego in nyc

Yep.  That would be me 7 months pregnant (technically 8 if you are being polite when thinking in your head how large I appear).  Yikes, it seems like ages ago.  My husband and I decided to celebrate his 30th birthday and have our last HOORAH before Leila arrived in NYC. 

So while we saw the sights and walked every Upper, Lower, East, West side you can think of...our (or should I say my) feet and back were shot by 5:00.

But, that didn't stop us.  While I managed to get us lost in Harlem we also did the following:

Snatch up a fabulous GG Boss leather bag at a street fair for half the price:

 Pick up a present for the bambino:

Hit the sack early at our amazing hotel...love it when there is a missing 13:

See a Broadway show:

 

Eat some amazing food:

Have breakfast in Central Park:

Celebrated his 30th with a Guinness and Irish Whiskey (him not me) at a hole in the wall Irish pub where the bartender had a massive thick Irish brogue.

And in the middle of it all and ever since that trip I have had these street vendor flowers:

And those umbrellas in my head for paintings:

Especially these umbrellas....I am in LOVE with the idea of doing a massive painting with funky colors of an aerial view of these in Rockefeller Center.  I happen to have a 4' x 4' frame that just needs fabric and I can start.  We'll see where this takes me.

Happy Friday Everyone!!!!!!

chartreuse II and more

today "amber" took on a life of her own and my original vision is way skewed.  But, that's the surprise in painting....you never know what will happen.  Almost done.

13 months

got away for a bit this afternoon to get my

newfound Chartreuse fix:

Walked away with a $3 frame that needs some love, but will be fabulous when done!  Will create an oil painting on wood for this....