The Way a Summer Ends

Long weekends pretty much come with the unspoken expectation of lake-time and dog days. The boys can practically smell it. Regular weekends bring their fair share of head-tilts and wide eyes, but a long weekend? We'd better be high-tailing it to some water-hole by 7am, or live with Rudy's SadFace. I dare you to try.

'Land Between the Lakes' on the Tennessee/Kentucky border is our go-to place for splashing our toes and breaking out the picnic goodies with our friends. A perfect day.

From the department of wonderful news, has come whisperings that Forrest and I are to become an Auntie and Uncle! This is fabulous news indeed, and so with a paintbrush and a flourish, I set about designing a card. Inspired by my favorite scene in Dumbo...and plus, that is where baby's come from. Right? Congratulations Smanth and Rob!

Parts of the whole.

Like most people, I was afflicted with Olympic Fever for those three weeks of sporting entertainment. Being a British transplant here on American soil, I was quite glowing with national pride, and the abundance of Union Jacks on the TV was a heartwarming sight indeed. As flags go, I'm pretty much a fan of ours. So much so, that I set about this little painting project- a nice representation of the tea-drinking, chip chip cheerio-ing member of this household. It was probably long overdue!

Last Summer Forrest was sweating it out in Afghanistan whilst I was here in Tennessee trying to settle into our new house, train a crazy puppy and generally stay afloat in the mess of those circumstances. I am very dramatic. It really wasn't bad. On the other hand, having my husband here this year is a delight. Family lake-trips, neighborhood BBQs, and somebody to clink my wineglass with. 

The Good Life.

A Rainbow A Day.

I make lists as if my life depended on it. Open any notebook in my house and there will be a list. Actually 100 of them. Among these volumes and catalogues of my intentions are 'project lists'. Forever is how long I've been meaning to design some notebooks (stuck somewhere in the middle of a list, no doubt). I have this great idea for them and I'm excited. But then. Oh Then... I get sidetracked. This is what happened here when I started designing said notebooks, jumped on a tangent and ended up with something completely different. Totally. Entirely. Oopsy.... But I rather like these ones too! Rainbow Jotters, anybody?

Mister Fluff has been an almost constant presence in  my studio lately. Every day he inches closer to crossing the line between dog and human. He has a habit of sitting on things in a way that makes me expect him to throw on some reading glasses and open a newspaper. Any day now. Any day.

The garden has offered a welcome break from the magnetic lure of my desk. I'm not sure if it's wishful thinking or if it is in fact slightly cooler, but the vegetables seem to be breathing a sigh of relief that July is a thing of the past. Tomato plants are loving life, and grasshoppers and other crawlies are getting their share. Next I'll be living the dream (well, my dream anyway) and getting down to some canning. Proud of me, Mum? 

Rainbow notebooks, the newest addition to the LouPaper store. Come and visit!

The Details that make up a Day.

May I just say hooray! My first official order from the LouPaper shop is about to ride off into the sunset. Safe travels, little package! And thank you to my first customer (who is not a friend or family member...little steps, little steps!)

Other small delights arrive in the form of ripe raspberries and a pocket full of tomatoes. These little 'yellow boys' were from a volunteer plant (our home-composting really paid off!) and some of our most delicious harvests yet.

The carrots definitely underperformed this Summer, but they sure do look purdy. Curious George is always trying to find his way into the vegetable patch, but not this time, little man (probably next time. He is very sneaky!)

On the last weekend of Forrest's Summer leave, we were dutiful tourists in our State of Tennessee, and moseyed down to the Jack Daniels distillery with our neighbors. Here is Forrest with his 'back-to-work' haircut, and loaded up like a packhorse (his pockets are probably full of my junk, also! Good husband!). I could spend the rest of my life smelling whiskey more than I could drinking it, but it was a pretty beautiful place with a neat little tour. Sadly that marked the end of our Summer vacation, and Goodbye July.

(Greetings, August. I hope you are cooler!)

Endless Summer, occasional bummer.

Mostly it's been a Summer of weird looking bugs and spirit-breaking humidity here in Tennessee, but we squeezed a slice of Florida into July to balance things out. Swapping creepy crawlies for white sand and ice cream? Go on then, twist my (un-tanned) arm!

Felix, the reluctant swimmer has come on leaps and bounds (though he still whinnies like a horse as he paddles along). Rudy on the other hand cannot be contained at the sight of water, and is halfway across the lake before I've even stepped out the car, usually. Here he is safely anchored to a picnic bench, since he cannot be trusted to stay dry for more than 5 seconds otherwise.

August looks a little less promising on the vacation front, but at least we have the Olympics to cheer about for a while longer. You may notice I have not posted much art-related content this month.... Cough cough. My studio has been neglected, but now I'm back to work (or more accurately- make a mess, clear it up, and repeat), while I try and ignore the sunshine which turns me into such a terrible fidget. In fact, I think there are some zucchini seeds that need planting. And off I go!

Hope you are having a magical Summer, and avoiding 'horned tomato worms' more successfully than I! 

Tuesday Schmooze-day

I have always had a soft spot for Tuesdays.

and yesterday proved to be a fine day for BBQing with friends, soaking up some sunshine and inventing  cocktails. Blood orange + berries + mint  + rum had Forrest begrudgingly accepting that all his favorite cocktails are pink. Ha, macho man.

 And Rudy melts my heart in his 'scared of the vacuum' mode. BigRudy? BigBaby!

Summer at a Snail's Pace.

Print-making! A delight and a frustration all at once, as I cover myself from head to toe in ink, mostly.

Veggies from the garden are growing colorfully and deliciously. Slow-roasted tomatoes? Yes please.

And who's been sleeping in my bed? (asked Mummy-bear).  Felix! 

July has brought us a pair of hotdogs. Nobody feels like moving, much. Maybe only to go and grill some dinner. Or jump in a lake. Or....nope, that's pretty much it.