The Art of Simple

Earlier this summer my family and I enjoyed a week at my favorite sandy spot in Seaside, Florida.  I tell ya...there is some sort of a chemical reaction that happens to my brain and body as we approach 30A when I can finally inhale the warm and sultry gulf breeze and salty air.  I cannot wait to wiggle my toes in the sugary white sand and cool off in the emerald waters.

It's almost magical ~ the stress of everyday obligations, deadlines, and work just disappear and life for a few moments in time is ~ simple. 

This feeling consumed me throughout our week and it was with this in mind and of course my camera always close by, I tried to capture the "Art of Simple" in my images of our time at the beach. 

Classic, simple, soft white stucco architecture...

 

and clean curvilinear lines.

Perfectly turned ceramic bowls...

utilitarian galvanized metal wire containers...

...and some pale pink seashells delicately placed in a stone bowl.

Stacked sea grass baskets...

crisp natural linen coverlets fill some...

and others are perfectly tousled in those wire baskets.

A wonderful old French dress form {I want one!}...

luscious vanilla cream and almond heart shaped soaps...

and some hand carved and painted wooden coasters tied up with natural twine {wouldn't these be fabulous stamps?}.

It's always here in front of us ~ in black and white.

On painted Bohemian boxes...

and umbrellas for those sudden rain showers...

that catch us a bit by surprise...

...so we wait for our favorite Airstream snow cone cafe and refreshment sidewalk spot to re-open.

In the meantime I check out these simple buckets and white wooden hangers...

...naked "paper" dolls which are waiting to be adorned, simply.

I grab a copy of The Seaside Times to read...

in a quiet spot...

 

and observe masterpieces in the sand...

carefully crafted castles...

and a masterpiece of nature.

No cell phones here, just the "old fashioned" kind {cell phones do not work under the tin roofs of the beach cottages ~ cannot complain about that!}...

it just puts a smile on my face and simply put, it is...

Thank you as always for taking a few moments out of your day for your visit. 

Ciao amici,

Suzanne

PS

Although I am a day late, please visit all the other fabulous "White Wednesday" blog stories.  It's always such a fun tour!  Just click on the badge below.

Did You Miss Me?

Hello dear friends ~ I have missed you!

After much too much time between my last post and today, I have some announcements to share with you ~ fun stuff, which I hope you think was worth the wait.

So have a seat and relax in a spot like this charming porch...

"Coralicious!"

grab a healthy snack...or not...

...maybe a cold beer instead {depending what time of day it is, of course} and...
read on.

~ ~ ~

For those of you who are following The Creative Connection event which will be held in Minneapolis this September, and especially for those of you who may be attending, I am proud let you know that I am included among the panel of artists, designers, authors, and other entrepreneurial women as the featured designer at the Editorial Panel Breakfast on Saturday, September 18th. 

Earlier this Spring I met Jo Packam {Where Women Create}  at a wonderfully Southern art affair that my friend Jenn hosted in Savannah.  Before I knew it Jo wrote to me and asked if I would be interested in being the featured designer at the Editorial Panel Breakfast at The Creative Connection. 

Not only that, but she wanted each place setting at the breakfast decorated with my white cotton millinery flowers pinned on napkins in a heavenly display of "crisp country whites" so that each attendee would get to take home one flower as a memento of the event. 

Hmmmm...I really had to think about that one! 

{Event poster designed by Cori ~ so cute!}

{And this one too, by Leigh!}

The rest of the details have been in motion ever since.  Working with Jo and her adorable assistant Paige has been a complete thrill.  It is such a privilege and opportunity to be included in this event and have the chance to meet so many women in the arts ~ most whom I have only known through e-mails and the Internet. 

Take a moment and click the links to visit their blog to find out more about The Creative Connection.  They are also hosting a give away of a set of my grapevine cotton millinery napkin rings this week ~ so leave a comment to be entered to win!

~ ~ ~

One of the lovely people I will be meeting at the Editorial Panel Breakfast at TCC is the Editor in Chief of Stampington Publications, Christen Olivarez who I must thank once again for including {three} of my photographs in the Miscellany section of the latest gorgeous issue of Somerset Life.

I continue to be flattered and humbled by the inclusion of my work in these publications.  As I have said before, it truly keeps me motivated to stay creative.

 ~ ~ ~

Now, for those of you who entered my summer give away, thank you.  Since not many of you commented {where were all of you?} on both My Front Porch and here {which was the original idea}, I am going to include all of you who have commented on any of my posts on either blog since I posted the give away, including this post.

I will be drawing the name of the winner of one of my original colour photographs on Friday, July 16th and will announce the winner on My Front Porch. 

The winner will receive one of these photographs ~

"Painted Tulips and Summer Peaches"

or

"Gerber Daisies"

 ~ ~ ~

Happy Summer and good luck to you all.

Ciao amici,

Suzanne