Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Botanical Gardens – *Mosaic Monday*

We took a picnic lunch to the Botanical Gardens at Asheville

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and enjoyed being surrounded by beauty!

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Here in the mountains of NC flowers bloom all summer long!

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I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend!

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What did you do?

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I’m joining Mary at the dear little red house

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for Mosaic Monday!

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I’m getting ready to have a GIVEAWAY this week so come back and visit soon!

 

Friday, July 29, 2011

Big City or Small Town?

Where do you live?

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I live in a small city and I love it!

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Last night I went to Fletcher park to walk….

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and it looked like a movie set from the past!

The truck even played that ‘ice cream truck’ music!

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It was a beautiful evening! I didn’t walk very fast…too much to see!

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Do you see the ice cream truck where you live?

(and when did the price go up to $2? heehee!)

Happy weekend!

PS. My hubby made me a blog button! It’s on my sidebar if you would like to grab it! Let me know if you do!!! HUGS!

 

 

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Take a trip with me?

It’s summertime…where can we go?

Let’s go to the library!

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This is the Fletcher Public library and ‘THE’ place to be on a summer day!

I went by there yesterday and it was hopping with activity!

And where else can you go WILD and get THIS many books at one time!

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See anything you would like to read?

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Oh…

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and the movies are FREE for ONE week!

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I had planned to share this decorating book with everyone…

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but then I got carried away thinking about my neighborhood library!

Don’t you love the pages in this book?

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All of the beautiful color…

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and decorating ideas!

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Do you decorate with bold colors? Do you dress in bright colors? I am wearing HOT PINK today! I could go for a walk in the dark and I could be seen! lol

Enjoy your day! HAVE FUN!

Monday, July 25, 2011

I love this video!

I know it’s not new! But I love the movie and this is one of my favorite videos. I realized this morning that I didn’t know how to insert a video on my blog and hubby is helping me learn how this afternoon!

So now my Elvis video in the previous post is easier to access…..

and here’s “She” from the movie Notting Hill!

 

ENJOY!!! And THANKS hubby!

What’s your favorite video? I’ll watch it, too!

Happy Birthday ShellBelle!

I’m sending you birthday wishes from the Mountains of North Carolina!

I know we share a love of the ocean, Rhonda but we also look up wherever we go!

So I made a collage of mountain photos…with some pretty clouds…just for YOU!

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Enjoy your special day!

Birthday HUGS coming your way, my friend!

Eat lots of cake and how about a little dancing? Click on this link…..

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Visit Shellbelle HERE at the Tiki Hut!

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I’m joining lots of mermaids for all of the

birthday fun at Mountain Mermaid !

HAVE FUN!

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Your best blog buddy,

Lavender Dreamer….Diane  ♥♥♥

Sunday, July 24, 2011

The art district’s gardens…”Mosaic Monday”

These are just a few photos of the gardens in and around the Asheville, NC River Arts District.

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It was a beautiful day here in the mountains of North Carolina!

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I hope you enjoy the photos of some of the art featured in the gardens outside!

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This is the 3rd post in a series on the Art District.

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I hope you’ll stop by my blog to see more photos and the post entitled ‘Meet the Artist'.

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My Lavender Dreams home page is HERE!

I’m joining Mary at the dear little red house

for Mosaic Monday!

Have you been to an art gallery or museum lately?

Saturday, July 23, 2011

“Meet the Artist” Jenny Mastin

I was privileged to meet Jenny in the River Arts District in Asheville a few days ago. She was working upstairs and allowed me to photograph some of her work. I even went upstairs to see her ‘at work’!

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When we entered the Constance Williams Gallery, this is what caught my eye…

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These works of art are called ‘Going Coastal” and I kept going back to look more closely!

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Do you see the detail in these pieces?

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She told me that she uses shells she has found herself and other natural elements of the sea in each one!

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In her ‘artist profile’ she is quoted as saying, “Each creation I design may be based on a cultural myth, folklore, legend, or my observations to convey my own personal narrative. My works are hand built, sculptural, low-fired clay forms. The surfaces may be impressed and/or incised with a compilation of textures, patterns and symbols to convey a story.”

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I was so impressed with her art and enjoyed meeting her!

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I knew you would, too! Her website is HERE!

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And thanks to the Constance Williams Gallery at the Curve Studios for your warm welcome and for allowing me ‘behind the scenes’ access!

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Are you drawn to art that features elements of the sea or of nature?

Friday, July 22, 2011

Enter Asheville’s River Arts District!

We spent a wonderful afternoon

in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC

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and look forward to going back again soon!

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You can NOT see everything in one afternoon…

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or even in one day!

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Are you tired

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and ready for a break?

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Do you want to stop and see the train go by?

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Or would you like to walk across the street and get some ‘world famous BBQ’ at 12 Bones!

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President Obama and his wife ate here when they visited a couple of years ago! And yes…we got some Beef brisket, ribs and a half chicken TO GO!

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I’m planning some ‘Meet the Artist’ features that I hope you’ll enjoy!

 Do you like seeing artists at work? Are you in a creative mood today? CREATE something beautiful!!!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Elizabeth Adler Books…Three in a Row!

I picked up this book at the library because I liked the cover photo!

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And it was GOOD! A light read that was very entertaining! Lots of descriptions of places, food and even clothes! I love any book set on the beach!

So off I went to the library for this one set in Italy!

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And now I am reading another one set in Italy!

They are light reads…with a little mystery thrown in for extra interest!

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Amazon says this about the author, “Elizabeth Adler is a self-confessed romantic, a travel addict and a foodie, all of which she brings to the reader in her novels, along with a tough thrust of suspense and an unfolding mystery that keeps you on your toes.”

Warning….They are romance novels so there are a few ‘grown up scenes’! The first one I read was the best one so far, There’s Something About St. Tropez!

I’m joining the What We’re reading Linky Party this month! Thanks Ricki from Art @ Home for inviting me to join!

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I hope you will, too! Do you like books that take you to the beach…or to Italy? What are you reading right now?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Lying on a quilt under the tree….

reading Nancy Drew books!

I found these two at my favorite Thrift Store and they sure brought back memories of summer days and checking books out at the library when they were ‘hot off the press’! ( one of them was printed in 1956 and the other 1962!)

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And I was thrilled to find this old cedar chest. My mother was given one like it when she graduated from high school.

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And I remember having a little plastic cosmetic bag like this and now it would be considered ‘retro’! It’s clear but I tucked a paper towel inside so that the print showed up better for the photo!

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I love finding treasures…especially those that bring back happy memories!

My granddaughter is reading Nancy Drew books now and she was surprised when I mentioned that I had read them when I was a girl!

Here’s a neat website that I found….Nancy Drew !

Did you read Nancy Drew books? Did you want to be an amateur sleuth…a young detective with a life filled with danger and adventure?