Little Bits of Charm | No. 3

Hello! Hello! I’m back with another Little Bits of Charm for you this week.

You all seem to be enjoying this series, and I am too, so we’re carrying on! I feel like I have a little less to share this time around. Life has been busy, but it’s been the less noteworthy kind of busy. Even so, I managed to gather a few gems for you.

Before we get into what’s new, I thought we could begin with a little check-in from last week.

• My zinnias are coming in like crazy and, so far, have yet to be eaten by anything. It feels like a small garden miracle.
• The dahlias, however, are really taking their time this year. I planted 26 tubers, and while some are still quite small, I have about 20 coming up nicely. Two never sprouted, and another three or four are really struggling. A couple started growing more than once but kept rotting back, while the others are just moving along very slowly. We’ll see what happens!
• Some rabbits discovered a few of the dahlias that were doing well, but I have them caged now, and I think they should recover. Gardening is always an adventure.
• In case you missed it, last week I shared Lately in the Studio | No. 2, with a little update on what I’ve been working on art-wise, including preparations for an upcoming group exhibition.

Curtains in My Dining Room

I finally found curtains for my dining room!

I’ve been hunting for the perfect ones ever since I had the room wallpapered last year. This was the third set I ordered and tried, and thankfully, they were a winner.

I had a stripe in mind from the beginning, so finding these felt a bit serendipitous. I landed on the brown stripe. They actually come in two other colors, which I also tried. They are lovely too, but the tone just didn’t quite match. Anyway, so many returned curtains! But this color ended up working best.

In the end I really like how they look, and they have such a great weight and quality too.

Inspiring Books

50 Ways to Break the Rules in Oils by Haidee-Jo Summers

My friend and fellow artist Haidee-Jo Summers recently released her third book, 50 Ways to Break the Rules in Oils. Congrats, Haidee-Jo! And thank you again for the book.

It’s a winner! I’ve been flipping through it whenever I have a little spare time, and the nuggets of information are so good and incredibly spot-on. It feels as though she’s spilling all sorts of artistic secrets for making better paintings.

One thing I’ve always loved about Haidee-Jo’s books is that they’re filled with photographs of her work, both finished and in progress. I’m a very visual person, so seeing everything unfold is especially helpful to me.

Atmosfloric by Sean A. Pritchard

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that I’m a huge fan of Sean’s work and overall aesthetic. I’m constantly sharing his images in my little Sunday roundups of things I’ve saved on Instagram.

I already have his first book, Outside In, so Atmosfloric was a must-add to my collection.

Things have been busy, so I’ve only had time for a quick look through the book, but it is everything I hoped it would be and more. His work and style are just so charming and cozy. I can’t get enough.

Schmigadoon!

The Tony Awards were on recently, and while I didn’t watch the full show, I did catch a few of the performances on YouTube. Then, as YouTube does, it started recommending similar videos, including this stellar performance by the cast of Schmigadoon!

I first heard about Schmigadoon! when it came out on Apple TV+. It has since been adapted into a Broadway musical and just won the Tony Award for Best Musical.

I had wanted to watch the television series when it originally came out, but never got around to it. All this renewed attention finally pushed me over the edge. I also noticed that I could get a free month of Apple TV+, so I figured, why not?

I’m only a few episodes in, but I’m really enjoying it. I’m already a fan of musicals, so that was an easy win. I also love the style of the music and overall vibe. I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but I’m here for it.

And the songs are so catchy! “Corn Puddin’” and “Tribulation” are two current favorites.

Extra Bits of Charm

• Over the past few months, I’ve been finding roses at ALDI. They are $7 and incredible, especially the white ones with a little pink. They have lasted for weeks and are stunning! I’ve bought some of the other colors, and you can’t beat the price, but they don’t last as long. (I shared a picture of them earlier in this post.)
• The Canada Dry Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale Zero Sugar (wow, that’s a mouthful) is my new go-to soda. I really don’t drink soda much, but sometimes I get that craving, and this hits the spot, especially during the summer months. 

And that’s a wrap on another Little Bits of Charm! I sure hope you enjoyed it and picked up a new idea, recommendation, or a little inspiration!