Country Sampler Home Tours Magazine

One of the reasons I started my blog was to share the joy and inspirations behind my art with others. Part of the joy of creating is sharing and what a delight for me to have the honor of sharing my personal California garden and flea-market style, which serves as the inspiration for my art, in the March 2009 Home Tour Edition of Country Sampler magazine. The beautifully written article by Elizabeth Preston, Associate Editor, shares seven pages with ideas on "cultivating the charm of an authentic English cottage garden, bright ideas for using flea market finds and mirrors and tips on designing a mini Provencal style garden".

One page shows the inspiration behind the garden painting on my blog banner (which I donated as a give away to the readers). Sunday Hendrickson, fabulous stylist, really made my garden sing and Mark Lohman's photography is perfection. I am not usually at a loss for words, however, when I read the lovely article Elizabeth wrote about me and my garden all I could say was WOW, I am speechless.

My thanks and appreciation go to Donna Marcel, Editor, Sunday Hendrickson, Mark Lohman and the entire staff of Country Sampler Magazine for the beautifully written and fabulous design of the article on "Fresh Impressionism". A very special heartfelt thank you to Elizabeth Preston for her incredible talent and vision of my little garden with all of my "flea-market finds". The magazine can be purchased at your local news stand or on line at http://countrysamplermagazine.com/

I donated one of the paintings in the magazine article as a give away for the readers. Directions on how to register can be found in the Home Tour Edition of Country Sampler, March 2009, or you can go on line to http://countrysamplermagazine.com/ and click on MAGAZINES - then click on HOME TOUR - then click on CONTESTS AND PROMOTIONS.

And yes, there is a photo of my Studio Assistant, Bentley, in the article.

Below are a few of my personal photos showing a little taste of my garden and flea-market finds not shown in the magazine article.

You can also see my blog friend Kim''s adorable Dear Daisy Cottage of the very popular Dear Daisy Cottage Blog, http://deardaisycottage.typepad.com/ in the magazine under "True COLORS". The article features eight pages of her adorable cottage with lots of ideas on "perfect your palette with sunny hues to get a carefree look that's fresh and fun". Kim's adorable pup Miss Maggie is also featured. Bentley and Maggie have become blog friends and Bentley is also wagging his tail in happiness that he and Maggie are in the same issue.


Congratulations to Kim and Country Sampler for the beautiful and colorful article on her Dear Daisy Cottage. Kim is a very talented decorator and writer who has a great eye for color and flea-market finds. . . as well as being a sweetheart. . .she took the time to give me words of encouragement to start my own blog. . her advise - just jump in and get started. Thank you Kim, I just dove in and love Blog Land.