KENNETH COLE @ IDEELI
Seeing as it's still 95 here, I am not exactly in need of a coat right now. That hardly stops me from admiring this adorable Kenneth Cole number above. Ideeli is having another great sale on Kenneth Cole items including outerwear, shoes, accessories and men's and women's pieces as well today with prices starting at only $45! Check it out here.
*in the interest of recent FCL laws regarding full disclosure, I do receive a commission from sales, but I also buy from them myself simply because they have great deals and I am certainly not ashamed to recommend them to you, my readers and friends!
BEYNAC, FRANCE
I wanted to share one of my recent commissions of a lovely stone cottage in France. It sits directly next to a pristine castle in a Medieval village with gorgeous views of the Dordogne River. This was just restored by a fellow American blogger and her husband and is available for vacation rentals. They did a fabulous job of restoring it to its former glory, while adding all the modern amenities. You can check out more photos and details here.
If you're interested in having your own cottage or castle immortalized by me, please don't hesitate to contact me for pricing and details here.
LUSCIOUS LONNY
Uber-talented Michelle Adams (of Rubie Green) and photographer Patrick Cline have partnered with a bevy of brighties from the design community to put together this online magazine that will knock your socks off. It's amazing and I am sure, if you haven't already read it from cover to cover (like me), you're in for a treat. AND..... IT'S COMPLETELY FREE.....HOW CAN YOU BEAT THAT? Talk about a design stimulus that is sensitive to our current economic climate. Check it out here!
ENVIROSAX GIVE-AWAY
Envirosax is generously hosting a give-away for Annechovie readers. Two lucky readers will be able to sample the convenience of going green with Envirosax!
Envirosax bags come rolled up like this - they're the perfect size to carry in your purse, pocket, or glove box. The little self-tab ensures their tidy tucking away after use.
Here's what you need to do to enter the give-away:
go to http://www.envirosax.com/, pick out your two favorite bags, and then come back to this post, listing your top 2 faves and leaving your email address (to contact you if you're chosen). There will be 2 winners chosen via random.org who will each receive a free bag. Entries will be accepted until the end of this Friday, October 9th at 12 am EST and the winner will be announced on the following Monday.
TUCKER BLAIR DOG COLLARS
THANK YOU!
A Vintage Touch
I wanted to send out special thank you's to artist Lara Harris of A Vintage Touch for her interview post on me last week. I'd also I'd like to welcome brand-new blogger Amy Black of The Huntress Lives and thank her for her feature on my work! Also, thank you to Kathy Passarette of Creative Expressions and Lisa Porter of The Lisa Porter Collection for the kind mentions on their blogs as well!
VINTAGE PINK MINI
SATURATED VELVET
I don't consider myself any fashionista and am hardly what you'd call a clotheshorse, but I am loving these two pieces by Boden for Fall. The gorgeous color combined with soft velvet equals a rich touch of embellishment perfect as a little spark of brightness for your wardrobe. Way to warm up the cooler months!
PASHLEY, THE CLASSIC ENGLISH BICYCLE
When I was young, my bike was of extreme importance to me. I spent endless hours riding and took more than a few spills - I have a few scars to prove it. Then, when I was seven, we had a fire in our garage and my "Ramblin Rose" pink bike with the banana seat and vinyl woven basket got slightly charred and melted. If I ever were to get another bike, I would love one of these very classic Pashley bicycles like the Princess (above) or the Poppy (below). Pashley is England's longest established bicycle manufacturer and I love the way they incorporate the best engineering without sacrificing the classic form, which makes their cycles picture perfect. They look completely photoshoot-worthy to me. One would look good even just sitting around - like a scene in one of those old Laura Ashley catalogs from the 80's. Sigh.
NEW QUOTE POSTER MUG AVAILABLE!
YOU MAKE MY LIFE SWEET MUG by Annechovie
The companion to my latest quote poster is now available on my Zazzle site. Features my painting of a Laduree pastry, the St. Honore. Makes a terrific gift for someone special, even if that's yourself! Have a wonderful first weekend of Fall (or Autumn, depending on where you are from!)
WINNER OF THE LOADED TRUNK GIVE-AWAY IS....
Christy of "A Lil Welsh Rarebit" is the winner! Congratulations, Christy! You were chosen by random.org and will be receiving the $50 gift certificate. Thanks to all who entered and especially to Roni, the owner of The Loaded Trunk.
CHINESE TWINS
LOADED TRUNK GIVE-AWAY. LAST DAY!
Alert, alert!! Today is the last day to enter the Loaded Trunk Give-Away! The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate that can go toward any of their great items from around the globe, like this beautiful Suzani. Don't miss out, click here to enter!
LIKE CEVICHE?
My ceviche - I like it with lots of tomato (see all of the tomato juice mingling with the lime juice)I love to make ceviche with fresh fish, especially red snapper. It's best to make it the same day you get the fish - the fresher, the better. It makes a refreshing and nutritious snack or meal. Tastes great alone, wrapped in a tortilla or served with avocado slices. It's amazing how you can take the raw, cubed fish, marinate it in the lime juice for a few hours and the acid from the lime changes the structure of the proteins in the fish, so that it is "cooked"without using heat. Perfect if your stove is on the blink!
Ingredients
2 lbs of firm, fresh red snapper fillets (or other firm-fleshed fish), cut into 1/2 inch pieces, completely deboned
1 cup of lime juice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 cup of canned, diced tomatoes (or diced chopped fresh tomatoes)
1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning (I love this stuff on just about EVERYTHING!)
2 teaspoons of salt
fresh ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic (finely diced)
Method
In a non-reactive glass or ceramic dish, place the garlic together with the lime juice and add the fish, making sure the fish is pretty well covered by the lime juice. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for an hour, then stir to expose all fish to the lime acid - keep in refrigerator until all the pinkish-gray fish flesh turns white. Add red onion, tomatoes, Old Bay, salt, bay leaves and pepper. Let sit covered in the refrigerator for several hours, giving time for the flavors to blend.
Enjoy!
MONDAY SWEET TOOTH
(Click image to see detail)
Here's the latest new addition to my Etsy shop. This is the first in a new series of quote posters I have created that pair my dessert paintings with a quote. Combines two of my favorite things - painting and language! This features a painting I did a couple of years ago of a Laduree - Paris St. Honore pastry and the quote "You Make My Life Incredibly Sweet". Look for more to come soon and get this one right now here.
HAPPY WEEKEND!!
Is this not the coolest setting for a festive evening dinner party? I love it. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON
I couldn't resist sharing this recent photo of my 5 year old nephew, Sam, in one of his many dress-up modes. He put this look together completely on his own, ala' Sherlock Holmes. I love his creativity!THE LOADED TRUNK GIVE-AWAY
I would like to introduce you to a new website, The Loaded Trunk. Owner Roni Jaco describes their offerings as "textiles and objects with a global point of view". You will find all kinds of beautiful and unusual imports, from unique art and pieces for the home, to jewelry, scarves and textiles.
I thought this clutch was especially chic and it's made from a vintage recycled Obi sash that is worn over a kimono.
This Balinese umbrella in pink and gold was my favorite piece and at a terrific bargain price! These umbrellas come in many different color combinations and lend a refined and whimsical touch to an interior or table setting.
You could win a gift certificate valued at $50 from the Loaded Trunk! All you have to do is browse their site, then leave a comment here on Annechovie listing your top 3 favorites, along with your email address (for contact info if you are chosen). Entries will be accepted through September 23rd and the winner will be chosen via random.org and announced by Sept. 25th.
ARTIST'S PORTRAIT * LARA HARRIS
Where were you born?
I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan and grew up in Novi and Northville, Michigan.
What are your earliest memories of being involved making art or wanting to be an artist?
My mother is also an artist, and I remember always being surrounded by art supplies and doing all sorts of crafts with her. I've always been fascinated at my mother's artistic abilities, and wanted to grow up to be just like her.
One memory I have involving art, was when I was 4 years old. My mother went to lay down to take a short nap and while she slept I took a bright, red permanent marker and drew all over our white walls. I then signed the masterpiece 'Heath' for my sister Heather, as I didn't want to get in trouble. Needless to say my mother was beside herself, but in the end I was given wallpaper I could color in for my room, and my parents had to paint
all of the walls brick red to cover the marker.
What is your artistic background /schooling?
I could always draw from a very early age, in fact, I remember having a Thanksgiving drawing of mine in Kindergarten published on the front page of our local newspaper. I was always in art classes throughout my schooling and took a few private lessons. I was accepted to the Massachusetts College of Art & Design in Boston, but decided to go into teaching instead.
What inspires you most as your subject matter?
I am really inspired by a number of artists such as Karin Jurick and Chris Stott. I love Jurick's style, it's kind of a mix of realism and impressionism, and I love the vintage still lifes that Stott paints. I still feel that I am trying to discover my own 'niche' as they call it, but I suppose I have become known mainly for my pet portraits, still life paintings, and my Master studies. I love doing Master studies because I not only enjoy looking at such incredible work, but I've learned a great deal by studying such greats as William Bouguereau and Mary Cassatt, among others.
Tell us a little about your family and where you live
I was married in 2006 to a wonderful Australian man, and moved to Cairns, Australia in August of that year. We later moved to Sydney and now are back in my home state of Michigan. No one here in Michigan can understand why we would leave the beauty of Australia for the cold winters of Michigan, but we plan to have children soon and I could not imagine having children without my mother nearby.
What are some of your favorite things or things that are essential to your success/well-being as a person and artist?
Well, first of all, I believe God has given me this talent and I need to always be thankful for such a gift. Taking time to remember Him is definitely important to me. I pray daily and believe He guides my life and my career. The blogging community and loyal customers have been important to my life and career as well. Their encouragement and inspiration really brighten my day and keep me focused on reaching my goals in life! I am also very thankful to several fellow artists who have offered their support and advice along the way, as well as family and friends. I think a lot of times an artist's success is about making a connection, and I hope I do that not only through my work, but on a personal level as well. Art, to me, is sharing a little piece of yourself...it's not just about paint on a canvas.
Where would you live if you could live anywhere?
To be totally honest I probably would live on the Central Coast back in Australia, but that would only work if we had a private jet to fly back to the States 2-3 times a year!
What are the most challenging things for you about being an artist?
My biggest challenge by far is learning how to loosen up a bit and paint faster, smarter I suppose. My goal is to paint like Karin Jurick someday, yet maintain my own sense of who I am as a painter. I love how her work is realistic looking but with a very painterly feel to it. Her strokes seem much more fluid and her color choice is spot on. I often wonder where I'd be today had I gone to art school...but at the same time, I'd never take back the 6 years I was a teacher. I think the best thing I can do is just continue to paint, the sheer practice of it truly has refined my skills, and I look forward to where this new chapter of my life will take me.
Thanks so much to Lara for sharing more about herself and her work with us!
Check out her website here.
KATE SPADE SALE TODAY!
Today, starting at noon EST, ideeli has a great Kate Spade sale going on with prices starting at only $19! Click here to shop.