Campanelli's Apple Blossoms...

'Apple Blossoms' and 'Wild Rose Berries'

I was just browsing the internet for some inspiration for my next piece of art (starting and -hopefully! -  finishing this weekend!!) when I stumbled across the above two prints - which I really like!!

With a little follow up research, I found out they were by the American artist, Pauline Eble Campanelli (1943 - 2001). She painted superrealist still lifes, and although she never got much interest from prestigious galleries or art museums, her prints sold by the thousands through catalogues and poster and print shops. She had reportedly rivaled only Andrew Wyeth in sales by a living artist.

See my previous post about Andrew Wyeth and his artwork here.

'Mute Swan' and 'Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket'

'Summer Peaches' and 'Nuts and Oranges'

'All American' and 'Shoo Fly'

Lucky Stars..

Hiiii.... yes, I know, the regularity of my posts has well, left little to be desired...

Anyways! I'm back, and all has VERY thankfully found it's way back to being normal and good again.

Over the past week I've hopped over to Michigan to see my Dad and my Sister (who's been over from England). It was so very good to see them both, I was glad to find them both with smiles on their faces, and to join in with that comforting security a family can bring... at the end of the day, there is something so wonderful being surrounded by people who would go to the ends of the earth for you, if you needed them, if you asked them to. My family is so priceless like that, I thank my lucky stars to have them all.

Above is a purdy pic of my Sister, Kathryn, it snowed a ton in MI and it was our job to shovel it off the driveway - but not without a few snowball fights and snow angels!!! You'll see Dad's dog Rufus in the background, who has a taste for eating the fluffy white stuff as well as rolling in it!!!!

So posts will be coming thick and fast again soon!!

Work and M&M's...

Well, I'm taking a break, so I thought I'd do a quick post. Yup, it's President's Day.. but I'm at work. Just as I was yesterday too. Still, I think I prefer the office when I'm the only one in it! Nobody is around to bug me or distract me.. oh yea, and I get to listen, sing, and dance to some terribly cheesy music and no one can see or hear me!! ha!

The below card from Someecards.com is so perfect it made me laugh out loud!!!

Anyways, regarding the M&M's above... I'm eating them as I take my break and thought I'd give you a random fact about myself. Something I bet very few people know about me!
When I open a little pack of M&M's (which unfortunately isn't often! ha!), I sort them all into color order... long stringy lines of chocolate morsels! I flip them up so their M's are showing too. If any are badly damaged, they usually get eaten and get to bypass the whole line thing.. lucky M&M. Then, one by one they go, the colors I don't like first.. yellow, orange, green. Then my red's and browns. I like lining them up to see which color I've got most of!
And then there's my favorite.. the BLUE ones!! I'm happy if I have more blue ones than any other... this time though, green outdid them all by about five morsels.
Blue ones go last.. not that they taste any different mind you.. I just like the blue ones.

Anyways, enough of my random (and slightly weird) habits... time to get back to work!

Meow

I know my posts have been scarce recently, I've had a lot on my plate, and plenty weighing on my mind... Still, hopefully things will be looking up soon, and my posts will become regular once again.

In the mean time, a totally random thought. When I leave NYC, I've pretty much decided I'm going to get Oscar a little friend (and no, this doesn't mean I'm going to be a crazy cat lady!). Oscar is a hyper little fella, and a little sister would entertain him and bring him someone to play with all the time... I think he'd like it! So a little fuzzy pale furred lady as a feminine contrast his dark, would be perfect.. just like the cute little dopey eyed kitten above!

Still, I couldn't have one now, mainly because I don't have the space for two, and I don't want to be unkind... so I shall await a bigger abode where they can run havoc!

Pool...

I went out last night with a few friends of mine, we had a great time! By the end of the night we were playing pool, much to my delight! I LOVE playing pool!!! I swear I spent most of my youth playing on the pool tables in the pubs in England, so without trying to toot my own horn too much, I'm not bad at it! However! Last night - after not having played for a year or more, I was rusty - too rusty! And although I made one or two peerrrfect shots, I was not on top form. I was disappointed with myself! Still, I shall give myself the excuse that it was about 2am!

Anyways, I secretly want a pool table in my house one day.. in the basement or library or something! Maybe a gorgeous antique table - I like the aubergine felt better than the green too!

Anyone for a game?

Tim Walker... more of!

As promised, here is some more Tim Walker Photography! I particularly like the two Vogue ones above, and adore the two whimsical one right below! The one thing that really draws me to Tim's photography is his use of light and shadow, through this, he can make an image really powerful and quite striking, like the one right below on the left - LOVE this photo...

Hooked...

Today I checked out Tim Walker's Portfolio again, my last post of his work was here in November!

I was thrilled to see more of his photography shown on his site (I'll post more of his work soon!), but this one made me think of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson...

"Beauty without grace is the hook without the bait"

My favorite white stuff.

It's been snowing again in NYC - and if you didn't already know, I LOVE the snow.. and as there isn't much winter left (I think!) Here's just one more snow post... :)

(Above - Cavalli!)

Lotus Love - in situ!

A little while ago I posted about "Lotus Love", my admiration for a lotus flower chandelier made of hundreds of hand cut capiz shells edged in metal to make these gorgeous spheres!

Well, I found a couple of pictures on Shootfactory which had them perfectly situated and looking gorgeous.... mm, preeetttyy!

Wish Two...

Milan's famous Teatro Ala Scala.

Time for another Bucket List entry....

I LOVE Italy, I went once when I was about 18, and fell in love with it... I dream of when I'll go back again, stay longer and travel a little more within it...

And so, with that, one day I want to go see a classic Italian Opera, the real thing. Maybe 'La Traviata', of which, is in the youtube link below. I can only image how stunning it must be to hear their voices live, how breathtaking.

Next, where? Well... of course, if I'm going to do this, I want to do it right... so how about Milan's famous Teatro Alla Scala. An absolutely beautiful building, designed by neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini. It opened in 1778, and after being badly bombed during WW2, it reopened in 1946, and quickly regained it's prestigious reputation.

And then, of course, it's the dress.... oh yes, the dress!

I don't think I have ever disliked one of Oscar de la Renta's gowns... I love his consistency of shape and the design of his dresses, he really does know a woman's body - and how to make her look stunning, so feminine, so beautiful, so flattering... and what more does a woman want when they go to the Opera, but to feel absolutely heavenly?

I love the following three Oscar dresses... I'm not sure I could pick between them!

Or perhaps some stunning, silky Versace?! I love all of the following three, careful pleats and shape with a beautiful flow.. gorgeous. I love these colors too...

And yup, I know there's one thing still missing with this trip... but maybe one day I'll get lucky there too, and he'll look just to die for in the perfect suit!!

And so, until then... 'La Traviata' clips from youtube...