Rustic Fall Decor Inspiration

There's something so cozy about simple, handmade decor touches. I adore items that have stories to tell, like a century old quilt pattern or a vintage-inspired painting. Living in a small town just outside the city, the rustic country vibe is all around us...

Rustic pumpkin baskets.... Pansies and Sweet Alyssum tolerate the cold weather, and I added a mini pumpkin for a fall touch.

Time for the garden to rest until spring..... Next year we're excited to plant a large vegetable garden again like we had at our old house. We had so many leaves (at least 12 bins!) from the huge maple trees in our front and back yards. Luckily we found a nice chopper to mulch them all and reuse them in the garden :). Right now our Japanese maple in front look like an orange dreamsicle.

In love with the new rustic quartz stone fireplace my husband Columbia River Tile & Stone just built for us! 

 

 

The studio door is now finished too! Soon, I promise to share the full house tour with renovations.

New patterns (quilt, sewing, cross stitch, dolls and ornaments) will be in my shop soon as well as special holiday items (art, prints and angels) so stay tuned! Also, I'm excited to announce a new contract with Patterns Gone Digital to release my patterns to shops nationwide :)

This past weekend, we visited the Portland Chinese Garden in it's fall splendor. The garden was built in collaboration with artisans from China, and it's a true treasure. Be sure to visit it if you are in the area!

 

Art, Craft, Design, Photo and Decor Inspiration!

Lately I absolutely love Pinterest. It's the perfect place to collect all my inspirations which find their way into my art, patterns and designs. I also share new art and designs here all the time. If you haven't found me there yet,  check out http://pinterest.com/rphillipsstudio/.

Here you'll find ......

inspirational messages
animal art
quilt and cross stitch patterns
cottage and country home decor
pillows
romantic scenes
vintage housewares
gorgeous cottages
romantic/whimsical/fantasy painters
folk artists
flowers and gardens
fabric and lace
nature photos from my travels
fairies and angels

and more!

Do you have an inspirational board? Feel free to share it here too :)

Beach Cottage

A magical summer weekend at a beach cottage on the Oregon coast. I love the ocean, the mist, the sights and smells. I could get lost on the beach forever! The way driftwood washes on the beach and the ripples in the sand. Fresh fish to fry and eat, games and movies, and a sky that never ends....

Cape Perpetua State Park, many fun trails and views!

The dogs swam and played and fought over sticks and frisbees :)

Inside the cottage, we put together a Charles Wysocki puzzle. I love his sweet, folk art America scenes :) Had to get another one to work on at home!

And cottage inspiration came home with me.... Here's the start of my beach cottage quilt table runner. First I created the pattern and measurements on the computer, and then started piecing. I hope to have the pattern available for sale soon. Stay tuned for more details!  Update: The Beach Cottage Table Runner sewing pattern is now available in the RPS gift shop!

A super cute beach cottage pattern from Country Cottage Needleworks, I had to get this one! I just love the effect of the variegated threads in the trees and roof. Crescent Colors Willow is used in the trees.

The Old Beach Cottage ©2012

And finally, I started a new painting inspired by the cottage, still working on the details....
See more of my art on RPS Facebook,  where I post new images often. Happy July!

Cabin and Coyotes

I've been working on a lot of crafts lately, inspired by cabins, nature and the simple life. I'm almost finished with this cabin cross stitch- I altered a pattern I found based on an old sampler.  Then, I've started a crochet sunburst square blanket in earth tones and forest colors. 55 squares total will make the blanket, only 46 left to go! It will be so warm and cozy, I can't wait until it's done.

These same inspirations are behind my recent painting, Coyotes Under the Moon. Here in Portland, coyotes live in the forested areas, by creeks and they often wander out at night. The evergreens majestically surround the city and there are lots of trails and wildlife. We enjoy going on a lot of hikes in the woods and in parks with our dogs. One time I was on a wooded trail near dusk, a coyote came running up the path and stopped about 6 feet away, wagging his tail. My dog wanted to play with him, then it was time to turn back the other way. My painting is about this spirit of playfulness in the woods and the mist :)

Coyotes Under the Moon © 2011