Original Frida Kahlo Painting by Candylei

Making Room

Frida Kahlo's two cats are very creative. One empties out the clothespins to make room for the two of them. Cozy cats. The cozier the better. Here all of this time Frida Kahlo thought it was the birds emptying them out. (Birds would probably fill it up with their 'junking' treasures, I believe. We have birds that are trying to fill up all of our chimneys one stick at a time.) Cats are curious and cats are clever.


Original painting for sale on ebay.

Shabby Chic White Westie and Kids Art

The apples are getting large and some are falling now. The deer have apple crisp right on the tree. Crisp and tart the apples are. I see the deer standing on their hind feet to reach the taller ones. Our westie tries to keep them at bay.

With this painting I've used rather antique colors, nothing too bright, but rather soft and subdued. I added more brushstrokes (sky) for interest and texture. I want it to look good in a mostly white room.

A print is now available on etsy.

Shabby White Marionette Theater

I have been working on doll projects, above is a wooden Frida Kahlo Doll, only now and then for most of the month because time is limited. Summer is the busiest time of the year here. There are various projects on my desk here and there. Sometimes creating is alot like Scrabble. We take the letters and place them next to each other trying to come up with words. In the creative process sometimes ideas spark when separate projects are placed together even just for a moment.





I had this frame that I thought looked old world a few years back. Maybe like something Monet would have had on a small painting with a linen liner. It was the only affordable one that came close to being compared with old world frames. It needed to shed that fake gold look and go shabby white...antique white sounded great.




As I started to paint it white I wondered what I had done? Did it look better before? Have I totally ruined it? When the second thoughts start kicking you turn to other projects. So this frame was placed momentarily next to the doll, where I also had some lace for another doll's dress.......and lightening struck! It was only a little bolt, but it felt right. I should make a marionette theater stage for my dolls! YES! The scrabble letters were doubling and tripling points now!





Here is my Marionette Theater in progress with Frida in her European white dress. It will have two walls and floor with the top open. The lace curtains need finishing and I will hang them on a wire...so I can change the curtains to red for christmas if I want. What I like best about this is the shabby chic white look.

Do stop and look at all the other White Wednesday photos here.

My Westie Dog Boy

This is our westie, Sir Salty, who could be a movie star like the two westie dogs below.










I see my westie when I look at these other two famous dogs in the movies. And they, the westies, get to do what they love most in the films...run and play. And they call it a job!





Our boy does everything they do and doesn't even get a paycheck for it. He does it for L-O-V-E! Okay I've not seen him climb a ladder like Bobby did, but that is because we don't leave ladders around.

Shabby Pink Cottage July Flowers

It can still look like England outside even in this heat wave of 100+ degrees. These soft pink/plum flowers are blooming now. Love the colors of this one over many other ones!

Doesn't this mallow, or hibiscus, remind you of raspberry ice cream?





It's paired up with Monet Moments, a bright pink lobelia. This one is to be much hardier for us than most. I love it up against the weathered gray fence.

ACEO FRIDA KAHLO Original Dolls Paintings

My spool dolls watch over me encouragingly every day

so inspiration struck to paint them and here comes

this little set of aceo paintings.

They are on 2.5 by 3.5 stretched canvas

and 3/8- inch deep with the sides painted black

She will be for sale

here this afternoon

where my real Frida sculpture doll is also for sale.

Paris My love- French Letters

I found these wonderful cake stands for a few dollars and the patterns are beautiful and all white! Now to bake some cupcakes or treats to adorn them. The roadsides are full of queen anne's lace or some people call them field carrots. I always pick some and admire their delicate flowers. And why not put them on a pedestal like they deserve.




Paris, my love. If I can't go to Paris I will bring Paris here. I stenciled this flower tin with white letters of a street address in Paris. They still look new but they will age outside on the porch quite fast in our hot humid weather. To add to the 3-d of the letters I went back on one side with gray paint and it gives them depth, the letters. Lavender plants set nicely in them and bring to mind Provence.




My helper and inventory specialist...one of our siamese kittens.

Do stop by all the other White Wednesday blog Links here for creative ideas and lovely pictures!

FRIDA KAHLO Primitive Dolls

Frida's birthday celebration continues here which started on July 6th. This delightful and adorable Frida Kahlo doll is the first in the Frida Kahlo Birthday Dolls. She has been sold and is off to her new home, traveling with her cat close. Who needs a cat carrier when you have two loving arms? And cats attract birds or is it the other way around? How could you make Frida dolls and not make her some animals and birds for company?

My dolls are handmade from my original designs and each is handpainted and not on printed fabric. It is like my pantings have come to life in 3-dimensions. Each art doll is a one of a kind doll which makes them extra special and squeezable. Check back for more.

Swedish White Transformation Decorating

Everyone's castaways find new life in someone else's hands.

I came home with a few things to spin a little white swedish or norwegian whites on.

The metal plates were 1.50 each the cast iron bookend was 1.00 and the bendwood chair was 2.50! Cheap enough to make the fairies dance in the moonlight. I used a slightly metalic white champagne over the tins and iron to add to the magic when we're outdoors in candlelight. A little extra shimmer!

I'm using the bookend as a paperweight. It's holding down the seeds I need to plant. The tins look great standing up in front of plain vases. The chair is unfinished yet, but do check back to see what we've accomplished while our white westie keeps check on everything here and I am painting.

Stop on over at Faded Charm Cottage, White Wednesday party, for more lovely white creations.

We did have a dark, dungeon moment the other day when my son accidently spilled soda on the computer keyboard and we thought fried the electrical. It did short it out and shut it down. We quickly unplugged it and sat looking rather horrified. After googling how to save it we let it dry for 1 1/2 days and then tried to restart it...to our delight it started up again.......horray!

Exotic Echinacea Flower Trail

This is the time of summer when we come to expect bold, splashy colors. Gone are the days of spring pastels. (Even though we still love and have white gardens.)

Top photo is Flame Thrower echinacea or coneflower. I took the pictures of the standard pink coneflower in the background so you can see the difference in colors.

These all look spectacular against burgundy foliage. Like these flowers in front of tall, large- burgundy-leaved cannas would be smashing.

The other two photographs are of the lovely neon-ish Tomato Soup coneflower. The color combinations you would know are my favorite. Orange, pink and burgundy. And just the right amount of each.

Prices are kind of high for each plant, (like $14.) but be patient as they will come down next year when newer ones are offered.

White Wednesday Horse Farm Dress

I love the vintage white lace dress that my daughter is wearing standing in a log cabin that was moved and is being rebuilt. The air smells like lavender and fresh cut hay! To think pioneers used to sleep on straw or hay beds and still thought life was good! That is why their dreams were sweet.

Horses are like my puppy. Once they are washed and clean they want to go out and roll around. This horse just rolled in the dry dirt and look at the dust as she shakes it off. Look at her expression too....

How do you ladies choose fabrics out at the fabric store when there are so many cute vanilla prints to play with?

My favorite coneflower - lime coconut.

Is everyone wearing white linen today or white cotton while you carry the hose from plant to plant? I am linking to
Faded Charm's White Wednesday blog party. If you love white vintage things you'll love everyone's pictures.

Frida Kahlo Birthday Dolls-Portraits

I am offering one of a kind Frida Kahlo Birthday Dolls this week to honor Frida's birthday today, July 6th!

Each one is handcrafted, handpainted and signed by myself. Frida stands upright by herself. Like most artists we craft what we like so it's hard to part with these dolls, but I know they will go to other art lovers.

To think, on this date today, her mother held her in her arms for the first time 103 years ago.

Kids Potager Vegetable Garden

The perfect childrens garden. Lots of leafy veggie foliage make this one so appealing. The circular design makes it easy for little gardeners to reach anywhere easily. When the kids aren't gardening the statuary rabbit will watch over each tasty morsel for you. Cabbage and lettuce have never looked so good. This little precious garden belongs to a friend of mine.