Lilac Season + Progress This Week

The lilacs were gorgeous this year. Not sure if it was the mild winter or what but they were so full and pretty. I am slowly getting my interest in gardening back again. I will have my veggie/cutting garden tilled within the next two weeks I hope so I can begin planting it out. My peonies are looking like they are going to be beautiful in a few weeks. Cannot wait. 

I've been promoting my "Getting Stitched on The Farm" Summer/Fall Classes on my email newsletter. Seriously, I feel like a broken record - always promoting. But I know I have to do it if I want students to come. So here I go again...... Check out the upcoming classes at Leyden Glen Farm HERE. I have 3 retreats scheduled. The Early Bird Pricing has been extended until May 31st. There are only 2 spaces available in the first class July 16/17 Fabric Printing and Lampshade Painting so if you are on the fence, I suggest signing up soon. 

Once again, I am not sure where the week has gone. I spent the better part of it picking up our frozen lamb at the processor then unpacking it and re-packing it for wholesale orders. I spent all day Tuesday at the Northampton Tuesday Farmers Market where it was a dismal day for sales. It drives me absolutely nuts sitting there, not selling and thinking about all that I have to do. I'm not happy when I'm not chatting and selling to customers. I had some swatching with me to do so that was good but really - I just wanted to be home working on my book project.

The rest of my week has been spent painting, painting and more painting. I've been working on the re-do of the Garden Shed which I am modifying into a Pottery Studio/She Shed for my new book project. Have you heard of "She Sheds"? I guess they are popping up all over in homeowner's back yards. Take a broken down shed and gussy it up and enjoy the space for entertaining, writing, art or whatever floats your boat. The female version of a "Man Cave." 

There has been a bit of color trial and error to say the least. After the floor was laid with the leftover VCT tile I had stashed away, I wanted to add some color to the white walls that I primed back in April. It isn't the best lit space so I knew I wanted a great bit of white. Because I plan to be throwing pottery in here and there will be lots of clay and dusty mess, I chose a washable paint finish. I wanted to make the space feel playful and creative. I decided to mix up some bright colors that will coordinate with the super bright patchwork style floor. 

I began with a gorgeous turquoise and painted the large wooden doors and the small paneled door. I loved the color and how bright and cheerful it made the space feel. I also chose a lime green as another accent color. 

I decided that I would use the bottom edges of the 3 windows as a design element and placed blue painters tape across each wall. I also decided to change up the colors on each wall to continue with the creative vibe. 

The green was a total pain because it took 3 coats to get the color to cover. But it looks good. I love my new table - my friend Kevin built it for me using birch plywood and 4 table legs I had purchased in Tennessee on a business trip over 20 years ago. I knew I would use them one day. He also added wheels to the bottom of the table so I can easily move it around. Wheels on furniture are fantastic. I painted the base a pretty electric blue and the top is a clay white color. I actually took one of my handmade pots down to the paint store and matched it up with an off-white the color of my clay. I will probably be the only one that realizes that! 

On the adjacent wall, I began with a pretty electric blue. 

When it was done, I decided it was too dark so I lightened it with a bit of extra white I had lying around and I like it. 

Around the edges of each window, I added painters tape and painted a colorful border. The windows aren't trimmed out so I figured by adding some color, the rough patches wouldn't show as much. 

And then yesterday, I decided I had to do some of the fun part because I was sick of painting solid color. I cut out a triangle shape from a sponge and stamped a border in green. Here it is in process. 

Now I have to get back out there and do some more. The other walls await. I hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend. Grill up some lamb from your local sheep farmer!