Summer Travels/Inspiration

birthday bouquet - berry patch table runner

Now that the summer is winding to a close, it's fun to look back at everywhere we went. I love August. It's my birthday month, and nature is so abundant. Our garden is blooming everywhere. The days sure went by fast! Mostly local adventures for me this summer, but I took in many beautiful scenes :) We traveled to the Oregon Coast, and up the Columbia River Gorge near Mt. Rainier. Then, we came back to town for the Pickathon music festival at a local farm.

Our garden- August

Adorable beach cottage on the coast. We come here every year with my parents. It's one block from the beach. This place is so sweet! The dogs got happily worn out from playing frisbee on the beach :)

I'm always in awe of the big July and August full moons....

Columbia River Gorge... isn't it stunning?

 Views of Mt. Rainier.....

Portland Japanese Garden...

Pickathon music festival...

Inside the Studio

Finally, I have more pictures to share... Welcome to my new sunroom art studio and office, I love it so so much. Here is the full tour. :)

The painting in the background is Nene Dreams.  This piece is a commission inspired by the endangered Hawaiian Nene goose, state bird of Hawaii.  Next I will add a border of beautiful Hawaiian flowers like plumeria, hibiscus, ginger and heliconia around the edges.

I set up display racks by the window...

Here's where my paintings dry... I used bookshelf cabinets and bins for storage. Love all the space it creates and they don't need much wall space. (As you can see the room is mostly windows!)

Iko cat sleeps on the loveseat all day.  And he claims the other chair too.. ;)

Peeking through the kitchen window...

 

Jorellis cat especially likes my fabric and sewing table. (Update- our sweet baby passed after 18-1/2 years. Now we have adopted Gina cat, the newest addition to the studio)

Looking out to the garden...

And.. here is my office. I'm lucky to have space for it in another room down the hall.

I'm usually surrounded by my four-legged family when I work. Meet the pets of the studio here! ♥