Ooh - La'- La' A French Antique Shop

Always on my way home from Maine I try and discover a few new unique shops. That's why my 10 hour trip becomes 15. The winner this year was The Marston House. My friend Jan knew of this special place as she had talked with the owner Sharon Mrozinski last year about her rental apartments in Provance. ( Yes I want to go there too!) It's hidden down a very green side walkway behind their bed and breakfast house.(I already feel like I am in France) with painted ladders, garden urns and just fun stuff.
But what's inside inspired me to run home and redecorate my house !!! I just love the simple clean design of linen, pottery, glass and common objects as art.






Doesn't this want to make you throw out half your picture frames and stack them in a bucket.


Where are my baby shoes?



I wish this shop was near me so I could investigate the selection of antique ribbons and tapes. Would these not make a fabulous trim on linen drapery panels. How about as a border in a picture frame, or on shams or decorative pillows??? I want them all.
Talk about antique textiles...... I purchased this mans pheasant shirt from the 1800 hundreds, It of course has been dyed this luscious color ( I think it was just for me as we know orange is my favorite) It is adorable on, Can't wait to pare this with brown leggings and little flats in the fall. I was a little nervous about the care of a 100 year plus dress, but Sharon said just throw it in the washer its linen it last for ever!!!!!

Why did I just throw out an old pair of scissors??


A better photo of this metal bed is on Marstons web site. I love the color.


The collection of antique textiles was amazing.





I fell in love with these old dyed linen napkins. I only regret what I did not buy.

So if you are ever in Wiscasset Maine please treat yourself to this inspiring shopping experience, or do as I am as soon as I finish my blog- and jump on to their web site. ( I do need those napkins) Bonne Journe'e or have a nice day

Back From Monhegan Island

This is the door I walked through.

This is the view I saw.
All-right now, I think I can be content for two weeks!
Our house Little Frost was charming. It makes me love using stuff in decorating. I think this level of comfort can only come from layers of books, loved objects, mementos, and time worn furniture. We felt right at home. I wanted to explore every nook and crannies of this house and imagine what the owners were like. It inspired me to do several watercolors and interior sketches of the home, also lots of pictures for studio paintings later. I understand, and like contemporary clean style and often wonder if it would be freeing for me. But this is the look I am meant for.





Of course by the end of the week we did a little rearranging of of the shelves and mantle. Just can't stop working.


Plain simple and beautiful.



The paint on the old doors was amazing, just layers of living shinning through.

The sunsets were magnificent, we could have painted at the house all week and never ran out of material.
The dinners were pretty good too.
Every where you look on Monhegan there is a painting. This is a Wyeth home.
Most houses have no electricity or limited solar power, so forget the hair and clothes dryers. I think this wash day shot will turn into a fine painting.
The second week we said goodbye to Little Frost and moved on to -
This view!!!!!
The Hudson Mason house was considerably smaller, and far more rustic. But charmed us and inspired us just as much.
It was nestled down a pretty path, away from others.





It was meticulous and clean with little notes of comfort from the owners.
This is truly my cabin in the woods.



There were beautiful paintings tacked up between the studs. I think the original owner was an artist named Poole, who was and early painter on Monhegan.

Good by Monhegan
Good by little house.

Back to Monhegan Island

Just when I need a little push in the freeing of my creativity there is always a friend to help me along. Show me ways to just dive in, forget how you look, not to worry about the finished product, and have a little fun.
I am leaving for Monhegan Island tomorrow 5 A.M. A blissful two weeks to think of nothing but painting and enjoying my friends.
This tiny Island off the coast of Maine has a way of clearing your mind, helping you start fresh, and just makes me a better person.
I first discovered this quaint island, along with my sister through a painting workshop in 2008. Where we met four amazing women who live scattered across the States. We have a developed a special bond and return to this creative Mecca every year.
Its not extravagant or plush, but we have plenty of wine.
There are all kinds of interesting and different people living here.
Art gallery's hidden on every curve in the trails.
A painting in every view. We all try to complete two paintings a day, we are not slouches!
A talent show in the church so I can make a fool of myself. ( that is me)
And much much more to help bring you at peace with yourself. So I will try and bring you bits and pieces of this experience ( They say our house this year has WI-fi but I know we are lucky to have even a phone connection). But I bet when I come back I will be writing a blog daily, and just loving life. Oh yea a special thanks to B.C. for holding down the fort, love you!

Why Am I Healthier ?

B.C.'s cholesterol is down, I have lost 5 lbs., I am more energetic, and my mood is really improving ( we know how I have been the last month). Why? I have a new life coach that is teaching me how to choose foods that are good for me. How to read past all the ( false ) claims on food labels. How to just balance my life, and in the right direction. She is not pushy, She does not make me feel bad ( like this morning when she called and I was pulling into McDonald's) and she makes it easy . Who is this wonder woman, this goddess, this where have you been all my life person???? O.K. it's Christine my daughter and I am her first client on the start of a new wonderful business. Christine developed a interest in eating clean, and protecting the environment that turned into a passion to help others feel as good as she did. So I am proud ( and feeling good) to introduce www.healthy-addiction.com a site to make us all stop and respect our bodies and good health. Please check out her web page and sign up for her newsletter, even follow her on Facebook ( designed and executed by Mike Collins , now I am double proud) ( he even designed her logo and did the photography: and they get along!!! ) I think I will be 18 till I die, and was that a smile I saw on B.C. this morning?

Where have I been?

I know I have been MIA for a while but I just could not post. Not with the negative feelings I was experiencing. I am normally a very upbeat person, loving my work, loving my customers, but when you feel betrayed it hurts. O.K. I am not Pollyanna, I don't feed the hungry or work for peace in the world, but I do believe in honesty. I think if every one would just be truly honest, what a great place this earth would be. When a clerk gives you too much change give it back. We strive to be honest with all our clients, work really hard to make each project the best it can be. When B.C. and I moved to N.J. and started Painted River Studios we wanted to have a business that we could put our heart and soul in; run without lots of employees, and enjoy our customers. I think we accomplished just that. We have made so many special friends along the way, and I truly treasure each and every one of you. But when you feel used its like hitting a brick wall. You start wondering why you do this, why you give so much of your self in each job. You think, "am I crazy, why am I putting in so many hours , taking away from my family". When feeling at my lowest a client & friend gave me a wonderful gift, just because, and friendship is developing with another new client, who is so easy to work with. So I will be back, my faith in people will continue. Just need a little time to regroup. It really is a wonderful world.