Jen Bowles Design

{Beach Art} Friday

Leave the rat race behind and join us...

{Horseshoe crab shells, Hingham Harbor, Hingham, MA}

Bubbe's Handpainted Buffet

Last month my mom (a.k.a. Bubbe or Mrs. Blossom) donated her time and talents to the North Rivers Arts Society.  She painted a buffet that was part of a silent auction at their annual Arts Festival. 

Now, I'm no stranger to painting furniture.  Give me a gallon of Kilz and some Oops paint and I'm good to go.  But my mom, she's on a whole 'nother level.  When she paints furniture she turns it into a work of art.

I don't have any before pictures, but when this buffet was dropped off at her house it was fairly typical: brown and dingy wood covered in dust. Inspired by a piece of Amy Butler-esque fabric, Bubbe freehanded the entire design with pencil and then went to town with acrylic paints and a black Sharpie or two.

The result=a-mazing!

 

 

Awesome job Mom ♥!

Summer

"What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with...no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade."

~Gertrude Jekyll

Wishing you a wonderful first day of summer and beyond!

{Beach} Love Friday

Wishing you a fun & fabulous weekend!  Around here, we're looking forward to the Bruins rolling rally☺.

{Heart shaped beach flotsam rope, Sandy Beach, Cohasset, MA}

Oh Baby {card}

Ok, maybe I am getting older.  With a daughter almost in high school and people I remember being born becoming parents, the writing is on the wall.

Perhaps I should begin stockpiling New Baby cards...

For right now though, I'm making them one at a time.  I made this one for a sweet little baby girl who was born in (gulp) February.  Luckily I thought ahead knowing my procrastination and bought her a couple of sundresses to send along in the gift box.  Summer clothing, right on time!

 
Stamp credit:  Stamp Francisco, ©1993

 

 

 

 

It is officially nearly impossible for me to make anything without cutting out tiny letters from old books.  It's like a disease--but not a bad one.

No more procrastinating, time to go to the post office and actually mail off a box of baby love ♥

8th Grade Class Night

I'm officially almost the parent of a high schooler.   

Almost.  No need to rush things! 

Though Ebby doesn't  get out of school for summer break until this Friday, last Friday the 8th Graders had 'Class Night'.  Held at the middle school, it was a night to celebrate with friends, food, photos, a DJ & dancing and no pesky parent chaperones (not to worry, there were plenty of staff chaperones).  Of course that means that pre-Class Night, us parents were out in full force--with cameras.

First we took a few pictures at home with just Ebby.

That Green Cord is not a drapery tieback, it's something the school awards to students who achieve First Honors for all 3 trimesters, all 3 years of middle school.  My eyes may have welled up a bit when I was up on stage with her on Friday afternoon at the 8th Grade Awards Ceremony...  So proud.

Ebby got her dress back in early March at Charlotte Russe, sans drama and sans high price tag.

She wore her add-a-pearl necklace that Bubbe is stringing for her each year on her birthday.

Black nails for a little bit of an edge.

And this one just because I really like it :-).

Then it was time to head over to Ebby's friend Katherine's house for  group photos.

Practicing for prom photos...

Black and white was a popular choice for dresses.

One of the moms suggested the jumping pose, always fun.

Finally, the whole group was assembled.  9 kids meant 9 cameras.  And to think Ebby was worried about me wanting to take too many pictures.

A great group and a great night!

Congratulations Ebby, xoxo

Happy Friday

Wishing you a wonderful, beach-worthy weekend! 

{ Razor clam shells & clam shell, Nantasket Beach, Hull, MA}

Hello

Freddy (the fish made of a reclaimed fishing float from By The Sea Driftwood) and I just wanted to pop in to say hello.  He had his picture taken last week when the baptisa was just starting to bloom. 

He thought he looked good.

I thought the baptisa looked good.

{Shhh, don't tell him about depth of field...}

Oh Freddy, you're such a good sport.

Junk Garden spotlight: Planter Chairs

We've lived in our current house for almost 3 years now which means this will be our 4th summer here.  As I've mentioned before, we have a decent amount of acreage here (3.5).  Too much sometimes--like when it's time for Bobby Law to mow the lawn...  In addition to grass, woods, woodsy-like areas and the chicken coop, there were three different garden areas on the property when we moved in.  I've been working ever so slowly to make each of the gardens my own with small bits of success.

The Junk Garden, or Trash Garden (TG) as the rest of my family likes to call it, is a small shade border garden.  This garden is home to many of my roadside finds, some rehabbed, some still awaiting some love.  I recently moved my desk and now I look out onto the Junk Garden as I sit at my computer.  More motivation to get a few projects done in there!

These planter chairs had been sitting (on the ground) in the garden since last May when I picked them up for free at a yard sale.  The grass green paint was chipping and peeling and the legs had long ago been cut off.  Last week I finally pulled out some of my painting supplies and got to work.

First I cleaned off the dirt and peeling paint.  I wasn't too picky.  Next, I used interior paint to paint two coats on each chair.  I freehanded the words 'grow' and 'love' using white acrylic craft paint.  It took me a while to figure out how to hang them from the fence and still be able to put flowers on the seats.  I ended up using screw eyes and picture wire and hung the chairs from nails set into the horizontal fence rail.  I'm sure my neighbors don't mind...

My next task was to figure out the planters.  Fortunately I have plenty of junk in our garage as well.  My first find was a colander that was missing one of its three feet.  I spray painted it apple green.  While the spray paint was drying I pulled some moss out of the backyard to line the colander.  A few minutes later I added potting soil and impatiens.  I placed the colander on the hanging 'grow' chair and it was love at first sight.

I repeated the same steps for the 'love' chair planter except I used a clementine crate lined with a plastic bag poked with drainage holes.

So there they are, my hanging planter chairs, tucked among the wisteria foliage making me smile everytime I catch a glimpse of them.

Trash Garden.  Ha.

Have a great weekend!

Have you ever seen?...

A ladybug on the beach?

Curly, rusty nails?

A parade of life guard chairs?

A photo of a Cape Cod beach (or any beach) that didn't make you want be there?

Bob Marley on a windsurfing board??

{Just seeing if you were paying attention ;-) }

Happy June!

Beach photos taken on Mother's Day this year in Sandwich on Cape Cod