First tastes of Spring

Those first shots of beautiful clear skies and 65 degree weather have always worked their magic to tease me into thinking spring is right around the corner. Some internal switch inevitably is flipped and a flurry of activities are started. Gardens are planned, seeds are bought, baby plants in little cups, peat pots and trays begin appearing in every windowsill and upon every window graced surface. A whole new raised bed system to maximize space is conceptualized as the shovels hit the ground.

I wondered if my first taste of Spring in the High Desert was going to be any different than it was in the Willamette Valley. What I neglected to mention in that visual I just created for you in the last paragraph was that normally, in my life to the West, what followed those 3 blissfully warm days of spring weather was 2 months of drizzle. The skies would then clear again just long enough to pull you from a deep depression caused from gray skies and a severe Vitamin D deficiency. Only then to return to another month of rain.... Summer would then start the slow process of emerging.

Not to put a damper on Valley living, it definitely has its strong points. But I must say, over here in the High Desert when the forecast is for rain.... it lasts about 10 minutes. Blissful. Knock the dust down, water all the plants, rinse off the cars and get on with the sunshine. How sweet is that.

Spring for us has progressed much like it always has. The garden has been redesigned, the baby plants have started filling the windowsills, and there are piles of seed packets with sticky notes to forwarn of the next planting date. In the shop, the weather has lead to a host of new products for the season of Art & Crafts festivals we find ourselves immersed in. Garden and Patio decor and accessories that will brighten and enhance the next BBQ or family get together have been our focus this year. We have designed some fabulous new small furniture pieces to decorate the patio. Everything from standing halaks to birdhouse topped bookcases and side tables. the new designs are adorable.

Wreath making, a love of mine from long ago is back in my life with a new found joy. I had made too many wreaths for too many years and had found myself sick of the process. I had to stop. I think it has been about 5 years since I have played with dried florals, and it feels wonderful again....

You will have to check out all our new products at one of our local stores, upcoming Art & Craft Festivals, or online at our Etsy shop.

The view from here

Moving is quite a process. It has been a very long time since we have made a move of a great distance. While a hundred or so miles is really not a great distance, when you start to think about packing, loading, hauling, unloading, unpacking etc. etc it wouldn't matter if it was 1000 miles.

I knew we had a lot of "stuff", but just how much "stuff" you really have comes crashing down on you like a dose of reality when everything changes over to cube size boxes... and lots of them. I don't know how many tens of thousands of pounds we ended up moving, but the process left us with a new appreciation (forced) for the aging process.

We are in our new place, but there are still boxes tucked here and there. They will probably be there for a while too, as the moving in process has been put on hold to immerse ourselves completely in the creative process of the upcoming season.

The most blissful part of this whole relocation process has been the genuine friendliness of the people here. I know that must sound corny as all get out, but they really do grow them a little different over here. I am beginning to think there really is something to the theory of just how important vitamen D is to your everyday outlook on life.

Think I'll go sit in the SUN a while....

Serendipity

Serendipity plays host to our latest surge of creative insights. It seems the reinvention of the creative spirit has come easier than either of us thought. We seem we have landed, and found a comfortable place where barn boards, vintage hardware and moss merge beautifully with the icy beauty of aqua furniture, an old world styled entry table, and two incredible doors that still carry with them 70 years of stories in the amazing layers of paint they possess. I initially wondered how we would successfully blend such distinctly different crafts that would normally not be put together. Old-tyme folk art made new with the infusion of fresh fabrics, and the twisted branches of the nesting birds really complete the picture.

Although I have been living in the world of creative endeavors for more than 20 years, the world of creating for the purpose of resale is a new one to my Husband. While creativity is definitely nothing new to him, nor the idea of building this or that, creating a product line is very much a new process that has been a fun one for me to watch evolve in him. We have been married now for 8 months and have been working at reinventing our talents, merging them into one cohesive product line that would work together and speak for both of us.

The newest location to house our art and vintage treasures is located in Salem, Oregon. Our product line can be found in the upstairs loft, artfully displayed in a charming store called "Serendipity". We create new treasures daily and change the look and feel of our loft there on any ole' whim.

Serendipity is located in the heart of Salem, Oregon in a fabulous vintage styled home brimming with three full floors of unique home furnishings and amazing reinvented treasures plus an adorable outdoor garden area that is sure to please the tastes of even the most eclectic gardener. Their address is 890 Saginaw just off Commercial (503) 362-3341. Look them up if you are in the area.