I woke up like this

Autumn is here or is it?

Autumn is here or is it? It is about 95 degrees here and you would think its in the middle of summer but no we are at the end of September. The kids are soo anxious to decorate for Halloween but I cannot even think of it with all of this hot weather. We are planning on going Apple picking this weekend which is always a fun time, but I am hoping for some more normal weather. It just doesn't seem right to pick apples when its hot, I like to have it about 60 degrees where you need a little jacket and want hot apple crisp to snack on.My boys cannot wait for Halloween and neither can I. We go all out here on decorations and I will post them when they are all up. Each year we add something new so our collection keeps growing but I am finding it hard to find space for all the stuff we get. Here is to real Fall weather and let's hope it joins New England again real soon!!

Ellen

Time to paint!

Time to paint up some storage shelves and cabinets to help with my storage problem! I have not fixed up anything in soo long I almost forgot how much time it really takes, even if it's not the most beautiful piece of furniture.

This cabinet was in my Dad's studio and I got it because he had to move out and did not need it. My Dad you know is a very talented fine artist and his building where he had a 3,000 sq foot studio was bought and he had to move! I have not seen his new place but when I do I will take photos of it! I had to use that horrible spray paint on this cabinet but it was well worth it since it makes it look new! Watch out for those spray paints, it nearly killed my Dad one year, which is a long story but very true!!

This shelf belonged to the ladies across from my Dad and now it will have a new home with a fresh coat of white semi-gloss. I am in need of big shelves that can hold my books and supplies. When I finally get these set up in the studio I will show the end result. Hopefully it will bring order to my chaotic studio and life!

Ellen

Time to clean up!

My office has become such a mess that I am going to begin the process of cleaning it up and redesigning it! I cannot function in this space with so much stuff and as you can see from the next few photos this is only a small portion of the stuff I have. I have soo many products up in my attic that I cannot begin to tell you. Every year I try and give a big bag of stuff to friends and family around Christmas to help get rid of it but its very hard when you constantly get goods!

As you can see from my desk I do not even have enough space to paint! I have to start to clear off the clutter on this big time!

In one small part of my studio I have these giftbags and wrap, and I keep them out so I can use them when I need to wrap a gift or place it in a bag. One convience of being a designer of such goods is that I never have to go out and buy them!

Here is a curio cabinet that my husbands grandmother gave us that I place some of my favorite products in.I have been thinking of painting it white but he does not want me to do that. Since I feel it is not a collectable why not? I am not fond of dark wood and so painting it would make me happy.

This is a close-up of the top of the cabinet. I had these products in Fred Meyer stores last Easter and they did very well I hear.

Here are some more Fred Meyer products that will be in the stores this Halloween and Easter. My boys just love to get the snowglobes! I think they came out great.

More Fred Meyer Halloween and I have a ton of ceramic that is in the back of my studio in boxes that came out great as well.

These just came in yesterday and they will be in various stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops and others I do not know. The Christmas design took quite awile to paint up so I am hoping they do well. So now you see my problem, I just have too much stuff! I also have an un-organized studio so its time for fall cleaning!! I will post the new and improved studio when its all done!

Ellen

Remembering....

Its hard to believe that its has been 6 years since 9/11/01 and I can still remember taking this photograph on my sophmore year of college. This was the view I had at Pratt on the 15th floor of our dorm room apt. and it was a fantastic one. I loved going to college in New York and all the exciting things it had to offer a young artist. I can remember feeling like I was finally home with people that could relate to me. Back in my small town in Massachusetts it was hard for me to have friends that understood what I was all about and my interests were so far from most of them that at times I felt as if I did not belong. However the day I went to school I can recall how wonderful it felt to be with kids my age who were just like me.
Although I had gone to school in New York and lived thereafter for about 8 more years I never had the desire to go up the twin towers. Somehow I felt I didn't need to and now I wish I had. I still remember how I felt everytime I would drive from home back to New York and to see those amazing towers just off in a distance I knew I was back again.
I had decided in 1997 to leave Brooklyn because they had found an arsenal of pipe bombs around the corner of my apt. and I just got the feeling something bad was going to happen. Little did I know it would be four years later, as I watch with horror like the rest of us the towers collapsing right before my eyes. I had to call all my friends in the city right away to see if they or their friends were okay. One of my close friends did lose a cousin ( a firefighter) in the South Tower I believe. She said it was soo hard to deal with all the stress of hearing the sirens all the time.
These days when I go back its as if nothing has happened which just shows you how life moves on. I know that this day is very hard for my ex-fellow New Yorkers so with that in mind I pray for you today, and to all of those who lost so much on that horrible day.

Remember to always validate, appreciate and tell all those you care for you love them because you just never know if today would be your last day to see them! Peace to all!

-Ellen

Bountiful Harvest

These last few days of summer as I call it are full of new growth. I have this little sunflower
my son named "mini" that just sprouted up on its own. The seed may have been dropped
by a bird who was gathering some from my neighbors yard, which boasts sunflowers 20 ft high!

These beauties were given to me last Saturday from a friend who is quite the gardner. I am in awe if
someone can grow such heirlooms. I always seem to have trouble getting them not to split when they
get too big.

These are the kind of tomatoes I have been growing this summer. Those little grape like cherry tomatoes
that taste like sugar drops. We have enjoyed putting them on salads and making sauces out of them.
My little guy just likes to eat them plain.

These have been growing by the handfuls and I am constantly giving them away. The cubano peppers,
which are very sweet and thin and easily cooked. I just love them stuffed and sauteed in olive oil.
Here is to all you wonderful gardners out there, I hope you are enjoying your bountiful harvest before
the frost.

manja!

Ellen