Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone is enjoying all the fun Halloween can provide.

 My son Easton and I had a ball while he was growing up.  Making and designing his costumes every year.  Decorating the house and the garden.  We made the garden into "The Witches Garden" and invited the kids from the neighboring countryside to visit.

 We scared so many and had more fun making the corn stalks move!

 

I still decorate for Halloween and hand out goodies to the kids every year. Halloween to me is more like a celebration of fall and all the fun and creativity it can provide. Have fun! The memories I made will last me a lifetime.  Looking forward to more!

Easton in High School!

The Witches have Arrived!!

The front door Welcomes the Witches!

 

 

Tis the SEASON!

How time fly's!  Another "Holiday Season" is about to begin!

I am one of those people that simply loves the entire season! 

 Decorating, cooking, crafts, trimming the tree, on and on!

  It is a true joy!

 Over the next few weeks I will be sharing with you many NEW things. 

 The most exciting of all is the "Ms. Elizabeth Holiday Collection" that will debut Monday, November 3rd.  This is the second part of the collection. The products were designed for children and adults that love a little FUN in their lives.

I am very excited about my ON LINE Stores and the comments that I have received.  I want to thank-you all for shopping them and hope your having as much fun as I am creating them.

New products will be released in each store over the next week.  Some NEW products that you will see range from throw blankets, silk scarves, rugs, wine tags, bath items...just to name a few!

The studio the past few months has been VERY busy creating everything from ornaments, new paintings, and even "Ms. Elizabeth's Dollhouse".  I will be posting more information on her house in the coming week.

I  just completed over 30 wood ornaments that will be released next week. 

 All are hand painted and one of a kind.  My father hand carved them and then I painted them. 

What a very special opportunity for me!

 I also have sewn a variety of ornaments that I think you will all enjoy.

Some of the other up and coming ON LINE HOLIDAY EVENTS will include:

Every Monday ~ Jennifer's Holiday Give Away!

Jennifer's Holiday Treasure Hunt!

Jennifer's Gingerbread Competition!

So stay tuned and LIKE my BLOG....and SHARE it with FRIENDS so they can join in the FUN!

Have a wonderful afternoon! 

Your Artist Friend,

Jennifer Lake

The Witches Have Returned!!

In the middle of the night last night I heard a GIANT BANG!! The wind blew against the windows and the rain began to pound!  I heard an owl off in the distance and the coyotes were howling.

All of a sudden....total silence.

When I went outside this morning you could see that the

 "Witches of Sisters" have Returned!!

I decided not to

touch the remnants of their arrival.  I am not sure what would happen if you picked up one of the hats.  Would you become one of them? Or would you end up like this Witch..tossed into the wall?? 

 I am not that brave.

What ever happened in the middle of the night last night I am sure it was a wonderful Witches Party. They did a great job of decorating I think.  Simple, understated... but fun!

One thing over the years I have learned about Halloween is that you don't have to go so overboard when decorating. Sometimes like the Witches Simple Decorating tells the story easier.

They added fall leaves to all my pots of geraniums.  Love this idea!

They also added a Halloween Quilt to the wall out on the porch. One of them made a quilt using all my Halloween T-Shirts available through the "Ms. Elizabeth Store".

 http://jenniferlakeart.blogspot.com/

 How cute is this!!

Have fun decorating for Halloween and REMEMBER the Witches have RETURNED!

Watch out for those HATS!!!

What is it about fall in Central Oregon? The beauty of the new snow on the peaks against an incredible yellow leaf? The crispness of the air? The sounds of geese in the distance?

 For me it is about a feeling of peace, nesting, hiking, and birding. Friends enjoy gathering and catching up about their summer adventures. I take the last few bike rides. My kitchen is constantly cooking up something.  I guess its a feeling of "Home".

  Home is where you surround yourself with warmth, smells of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg...and cozy up to that first fire in the fireplace with family and friends.

As most of you know by now, I am a seasonal decorator!  I love changing everything from the art on the walls, mantles, pillows, tablescapes and even the porches.  One of my favorite fall pieces to decorate with is the painting called "Coming Home". 

The painting is part of the series called "The Oregon Love Story".

The photograph above shows the painting nestled by Aspen trees and Maples. Please note the twinkle lights in the trees.  I started placing twinkle lights in all my plants last year and on Friday night no matter what season... they go on....and then go off Sunday evening. 

 It is like a " Mini Celebration" every weekend. 

 I now have several friends that have started this tradition with their kids. 

 A time to "Celebrate their Family".

I love looking and adding "tiny" details to the base of the mantle. Here I added at the base of the painting faux leaves. My parents wonderful carved chipmunk sits in the middle of the leaves.

 A romantic old book with a great cover mixes in.  Decorating with books is so much fun. 

Just find topics that relate to your current decor. 

 Guests like picking them up and going through them.

Note the depth that adding layers creates on the mantle. The chipmunk here was my Grandmother Lillian's. Select different heights and also combine colors that compliment and add more interest....such as using one of my copper lustre vases to capture light. Note the mini chipmunk...just to add humor!  Most of all have fun!  Have the entire family help decorate.

 I started another tradition this year at my house.  I brought back "Sunday Supper" just like the days when I was growing up in Michigan and when my son Easton was a little boy.  My grandparents came to dinner every Sunday. When my son was being raised we packed the house every Sunday with family and friends.  It was the largest meal of the week.  Most everyone helped prepare the meal. I am thrilled that I brought this tradition back into my home.   As matter of fact... I have been cooking all day and must sign off.... guests are coming over...and a few more things to prepare.  The turkey, acorn squash, pumpkin mashed potatoes, pumpkin soup and fresh Oregon cranberries and Oregon green beans are all ready.

To top it all off homemade Carrot~ Spice Cake.

Fall Table

I guess I found the answer to my original question.  I love fall because its a time to

 "Celebrate HOME".

Please leave a comment on why you like Fall...would love to hear them. 

Have a wonderful "Week Everyone"!

The Lifetime Joy as a "Birder"

I have been a "Birder" all my life.  Influenced and educated by my parents in the study of birds.  I can remember hours of going into the field with my 4-H Bird Group and studying the sounds, habitats, and behaviors of birds.

  I was taught to "SEE" at such a young age.  A gift that has stayed with me my entire life.

In 1964 I was given a Christmas present that I still have and use. 

 The gift was my " Birders Life List and Diary".

 My Mother gave me the book to track all the birds I see.  Now 50 years later the book has become a diary of my life.

I laugh at my hand writing when I was a little girl and how it has changed over the years. 

 The bird diary can now take me  back to all those places and moments.

 I have now recorded over 400 species.

 I marvel at the amount I still have not recorded. I wonder what the diary will look like in another 40 years.

  

Birding is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreational activities in the United States.  In Oregon we are very fortunate to have the Oregon Cascades Birding Trail.  The trail has over 200 sites along more than 1000 miles of scenic roadways.

  The trail provides well over 300 species of birds. You can contact the trail at www.oregonbirdstrails.org.

 They produce an unbelievable brochure. 

Over the years my love for birds has turned into a creative art form.  I have painted many birds ranging from water fowl to song birds.  I have now opened an on-line store called "Jennifer Lakes Love of Birds'.

 Painting birds has been very interesting.  The years of studying birds and understanding their bone structure and habits  has provided me details that are necessary to create them.  Some of the birds are whimsical some are serious. 

There are over 100 paintings so it will take me a while to load them all. 

 For now I hope you will enjoy the first few I have introduced. I will update you when I add more.  

If your looking for a great family hobby in the outdoors....

BIRDING provides a lifetime of JOY......and a LIFETIME OF MEMORIES.

Have a Wonderful Day and I hope you will look at birds just a little differently today!

Your Artist Friend,

Jennifer Lake

http://jenniferlakeart.blogspot.com/

http://www.zazzle.com/jenniferlakebirds

"Fall Tablescape"

The Season has changed quickly! Fall is in the air and it is time to redecorate the house!

  I love to seasonally decorate!  It adds such a freshness to your life.  I change out pillows, paintings, mantles, porches and the dining room every season

I based this months "Tablescape" on a piece of artwork my parents produced.
 My parents are well known bird sculptors.  I am fortunate to own several of their bird pieces. 

 I decided to base my fall tablescape on one of their designs.  

The "Flying Mallards" are only twelve inches wide and each duck is only two inches.
 The "Green Winged Teal" is larger. 

The two sizes will add interest to the setting on all sides.  

You want to create tablescapes with a lot of 

interest...to entertain your guests.

They should be interesting from all angles. 

Never worry if a guest starts playing with the tablescape...its just the KID coming out in them.
  I consider it a compliment!

 Finding pieces in your home and creating something from them is

 such a joy...especially when they are from your family. 

 I made a pattern of one of the small mallard's

 and used this as the end cap to each side of the fabric center. 

 I then hand painted the canvas fabric to match.

I cut out leaves to match and coordinate with the colors and used a variety of patterns to create interest.  The leaves and the cloth bird were sealed with non-fray on each edge.  I used a variety of sewing machine stitches to adhere the images.

I try and keep the tablescape simple so you can actually complete them in a short amount of time.

Below are several photos of my dining table complete.

I used my Lewis and Clark plates that were made the year I was born 1959...the 150th Celebration of Lewis and Clark coming west.  I have collected these plates for years. After painting so many paintings of Oregon I just thought they were a perfect addition.

I love mixing pattern on pattern...and color on color.  I think it adds so much interest.

I hope this will make you look at things you own in a different way and most of all 

THINK OUTSIDE the BOX.