Welcome. I am so happy that you stopped by. My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of tea early in the morning when the air is bright and fresh and still cool from the night time ocean breezes. Most of Southern California is sweltering, however, we are still staying fairly cool near the coast compared to the high temperatures inland. I can tell that Summer is starting to wind down when it is time to pick the last of the Hydrangeas to dry to use in Fall arrangements. Let's join Bentley, my helpful Studio Assistant, in the garden to see what is ready to cut and then find something to paint. The Delphiniums are fading and it is time to pick the last of them. I love the blue and purple color of them and they are one one my favorite cottage garden flowers. These are the pale washed out blue Hydrangeas. These are the brighter blue ones! The difference in colors of the flowers on the same bush is amazing. This year some of my hydrangeas were a lovely blue and some of them a more washed out pale blue - it is hard to get them the right color. When I add the acid early in the year before they bloom - I never know what color they will be until they bloom - some turn out dark and some turn out light!!! My vintage blue Rocket bicycle is the inspiration for lots of my bicycle paintings - you have probably seen it many times and I hope you are not getting tired of it. I decided to paint it with some of the hydrangea blossoms in the basket. I put 3 coats of vanish on the little bicycle paintings so I can hang them outside in the garden. I always take lots of photographs so I can use them for reference after the real flowers in the garden are gone during the Fall and Winter months. I love the classic look of blue and white china and decided to paint the blue Hydrangeas in a blue and white vase. Blue and white china has become a signature for me and is found in most of my larger paintings. "Art In The Garden" Dear Readers, Thank you for stopping by. I sincerely appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those of you who follow my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special. Due to the numerous requests I receive regarding purchasing the small original art I usually blog about I made the decision to sell only small art in my ETSY shop - all art is an original and will be $45.00 or less and vary in size from 9x9. 8x10 or 8x8 or smaller. I want to keep the shipping price to a maximum of $10.95 and will ship via US Post Office. I will be on a blog break until August 24th so I can work on my ETSY shop. My ETSY shop can be reached by clicking on the photo of any painting on the right side of my blog under MY ETSY SHOP. My large paintings can be found at the Heart of The Island Gallery on Balboa Island. Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin "The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places . . . and you shall be like a watered garden . . . whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11