Lawn Chair Love

Hi there. How are you? 

I'm happy to have another finished work to share. Entitled "Summer will come again. Someday", this piece seems quite timely. Winter just doesn't want to leave us this year! I about had a come-apart this week when it snowed all over my dafodils! 

I came across this scene while I was attending a party at an old golf course clubhouse a few months back.  I was drawn to the vintage metal chair, but also liked the way the plastic chairs were stacked up behind it. 

 

 

You may have noticed that lawn chairs and outdoor scenes have become quite common in my work. I just can't seem to get enough!  My trusty iPhone camera is filled with scenes featuring lawn chairs that I find when I'm out and about.

I found this one on a porch in Lowertown Paducah, Kentucky, when I was doing an art fair there last spring. 

This guy was found on a roof-top balcony on the boardwalk in tiny Makanda, Illinois. 

My newest piece,  features these beauties that live on the front porch of my friend Heather's house. 

Do you have a favorite lawn chair? Would you like to see it featured in my work? Please send pics! If I use your chair, I will send you a free print of the piece when it's completed. Sound good?

Hope you all is well in your world. Ta-Ta for now!

Its Not Always Sunny in Sterling

"Windy Pods" by Annie of DwellinStyle on Etsy

May weather in the Midwest is unpredictable to say the least. Snow is not uncommon......Either is an 85 degree turn on the A/C kind of day.

I spent most of last week in flip-flops, enjoying the warmth of the spring days and dreaming of my soon to come summer vacation. But, Mother Nature does not like Midwesterners to get too complacent or too comfortable, so by the weekend, things turned downright nasty.......Just in time for my outdoor show!

I was awakened on Saturday morning by the howling of the wind. I looked out the window to see drizzle and gloomy, gray skies. Awesome! Despite the awful weather and frigid temps, Matt and I made the hour long trek down to Sterling to set up for May Fest.

Nothing about setting up my booth went smoothly. Even though the I had zip-tied sand bags to each leg of the EZ-UP tent, the gale-force winds were knocking it around. I put up the tent sides to block the wind, which did seem to help for a time. Every time I got part of a table set up, a gust of wind would push against the tent side and knock it all down. I was frustrated, but determined, so I would try again. Eventually I just tried setting things up on the side of the tent opposite the direction of the wind. The last straw was the overturning of an entire table, busting 2 frames and denting several others!!!

My booth neighbor Rebecca, of Rebeccabags on Etsy was nice enough to help me pick up the pieces of what once was my booth. (She's got adorable floral themed wristlets and bags in her shop. Check her out!) I didn't foresee the weather getting any better or having much of a crowd showing up, so without as much as one customer, the day was over for me! Matt and I repacked and were on the road just minutes after the show was supposed to start.

I was pretty disappointed, but have to admit, it was a learning experience. I will be wary about signing up to do an early May event again, unless its in Arizona or somewhere else warm. For my next show, (Art on the Lawn, June 13th) I will have everything securely hung up on some sort of wall and not deal with easels. I also know that I have to find a heavy-duty method to weight down my tent. Any veteran outdoor vendors have any tried and true suggestions?

Have a good week friends!