Happy April dear friends!

There are blossoms beginning everywhere, I even saw my first poppy this week, followed by 3 more.

I am Painting flowers day and night, when I am not busy busy with life's happenings.

I have two spots where I enjoy painting the most.

At the Country House it is in this little nook, with a skylight overhead, and the door with windowpanes behind me.

Tucking little treasures here and there and making your space your own can be really helpful in cultivating a space where you feel inspired to create.

The colors and textures you choose can also have a wonderful influence on your mood.

I felt so lucky to be able to pick flowers yesterday and tuck them in amongst my old little bits and bobs.

I am having so much fun painting flowers into the wee hours of the night.

It's bringing me so much joy, and peace of mind and soul.

To just get lost painting pretty little things is so good for me.

I've surrounded myself with things that I have had for 20 years, my favorite cozy studio chair, my old desk, my little tattered curio cabinet.

The things I find comfort in, and that are so familiar to me.

Not to mention the shelf that hung in my studio from the beginning, now repurposed here.

I had taken it down a couple of years ago to change things around and was so happy to put it back up here.

Flower bundles drying...

Some kind of bliss.

Just a cozy little nook for a girl in search of beauty.

I like to find it in the smallest ways, jam jars with blossoms - 

Colorful old spools of thread.

A cloche with old tid-bits.

Happy colors and me, cozied up in my little space.

This is where you will find me this afternoon, listening to audiobooks and mystery shows.

Whilst swirling paint together.

Yellow, red, white - the most perfect pink.

The dogs are snoring, the sun is getting warmer and warmer.

I woke up this morning in my country house bed, windows open and birds chirping (with Teddy tucked into my side), and I swooned at all the new leaves on the trees.

It was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes.

My familiar view of giant trees in the distance, and my own trees close by.

I was amazed at a tiny tree that has been tiny for 15 years, now a big tree, with arms outstretched.

This was its year to grow up I suppose.

As I get older, nothing is taken for granted.

Every moment, everything I see that is familiar to me.

The sounds, the smells.

My trees, the sound of coffee percolating, the rustle of the huge eucalyptus leaves in the breeze, orange tree blossoms...

The mountains, pink in the afternoon.

My garden paths.

Wisteria and gigantic bumble bees.

Rosemary scented dogs.

Oh, so many good things.

All the little things sewn up together to make up the map of my heart.

How wonderful to be able to appreciate and enjoy them still, on this Easter Weekend.

I feel so lucky to get to experience another season of spring.

Happiest Easter wishes to you.

I hope to return sooner than the last time.

Love,

Vanessa