Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Creekside Studio under construction




Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

I'm sorry to say I've been neglecting this blog for months... but...
we have been busy on our new land, and I'm proud to say that I now have a 'Creekside Studio' in the works! We have transformed the above old shack (1st 2 shots - before) into a small studio. It isn't completed yet, but check out the 3rd shot (after). We had been searching for wooded land and we fell in love with this plot the first time we walked down the rough trail to the creek. The minute I spotted the old dilapidated shack - I pictured my studio. My Honey wanted to tear it down and start anew, but I would have none of that! I wanted to keep the character of the weathered wood and the way it blended in with the natural surroundings. And best of all, it sits next to a beautiful creek and is surrounded by forest...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

View from the trail. Before and after shots. The 'Shack' as we still affectionately call it is 10' x 16' inside. The large lower windows are above my work bench, and there is a window on each end of the bench as well. The small upper window looks out from a small writing loft...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

View from the back. Before and after shots. We added lots of windows for light, and for the view of the outdoors. The 8' x 10' porch will be screened in, and have an entrance stoop on the other, front end, as well...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

These pics show the areas on each side of the full glass door, leading out to the porch. We luckily found the door at a second-hand store. We've painted the interior white to enhance the brightness inside for work purposes...see further photos below...

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

These views show the relaxation area of the studio. Though the project isn't completed yet, we've moved some furniture into the more finished areas, since so far this is currently the only building on the property. Soon a prefab outbuilding constructed by the Amish will be delivered and placed at the top of the hill, serving as my Honey's woodworking shop, and as a temporary shelter until he builds our small one bedroom cabin. It will be situated in the clearing near the wood shop, by the old apple orchard...see further photos below...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Creekside Studio under construction



Photos artfulexpress all rights reserved

These photos show my small writing loft, hastily furnished. A laminated hardwood floor has been installed in the loft and in the relaxation area below. My art workbench beneath the loft will be laminated white, with the little sink at one end. The floor in the work area will be linoleum for easier cleanup. The loft 'ladder/stairs' are in place but still need to be varnished. I've gathered cabinets, etc. which will need to be painted, before I can start bringing in some supplies from my other art room at the house in town. I will post further photos upon completion of our building project. I'm lucky to have such a creative, capable and generous carpenter sharing my life!

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Sunday, May 10, 2009


Original Photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Remembering my Mom, on Mother's Day. Though I was young when I lost you, your spirit is still with me...

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Getting Creative in the Yard!


Original Photo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Spring has sprung and my mind is reeling with ideas for my flower gardening play. As soon as the seed and plant catalogs start arriving in the mail I begin my creative daydreaming...drawing plans, making lists, researching and then imagining the fabulous results. When the weather is warm enough, I start relaxing on the lawn...staring...at each section of the beds...making my frivolous ideas come to life in my head.

In the middle of weeding (which I should have done last fall) I stop, settle into a semi-comfortable position in the crabgrass and stare. The neighbors probably think I have fits of catatonic eschemic attacks. Then one day, poof! All those ideas are discarded with one fleeting thought of a new vision that completely changes everything. And I start all over again.

Since seeding your own plants is much less expensive than buying grown plants to set and sooo much more satisfying. I diligently shop for all the best supplies and carefully take over any area in the house near enough to a window to receive at least some natural light and fill them with the trays of seed pots. Throwing any items that occupied the space before into a corner, for now.

Each day as I prepare to water and turn the fragile seedlings so that they grow straight and strong, I take one look at them and start thinking how beautiful they will be in the garden and begin wandering off into my creative daydreaming again. Forgetting the reason I went to them in the first place. Soon the precious sprouts are shrinking to withering heights.

I eventually abandon them all together, thinking that they will be alright until I tend to them later after my impromptu trip to the local nursery. Of course the greenhouses filled with healthy thriving plants fill your senses with gardener's delight. (Of course I have such a hard time producing seedlings, I need a greenhouse!) and (Of course I can't resist buying tons of setting plants much too early, or they will all be gone!) I take them home, thinking they will be fine until I get the beds ready for planting, once I get those damnable weeds plucked out.

Finally, the beds are ready to plant! Oh dear, some of these plants have not done so well, I guess I forgot to water them for a few days...oh my goodness, these ones are not even salvageable, well, they are a weaker variety...Fine, I'll just stick the ones that survived in the ground and buy a few replacements. By then, the plants at the nursery are few and far between, overgrown and root bound. No problem, they just need a little tender care, and since the type I wanted are all sold out I'll just have to update my garden plans a little...again...

Once the remaining plants are in the ground and nature takes over, all is fine. Ahhhh, my yard is especially beautiful this year. All that creative thinking really paid off! Just have to mow the lawn 'once in awhile' and do 'a little' weeding. Oh, and then there's the herb garden to attack, and the tomato patch hasn't been watered in days and the weather has been awful dry. . .

Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Original Artful Express logo by RLHall artfulexpress all rights reserved

Just put a new, more visable, link to this blog on my MySpace profile. Look for image above if you go to MySpace Profile, to get back to this blog. Thanks!


Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Earth Day MySpace Comments and Graphics

Comments - Graphics - Layouts - Photobucket



Any comments are more than welcome, please feel free to express any thoughts by clicking on the small purple comments link below ;)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Twitter-Pated

Just discovered that you can post pics on Twitter now... great for getting your Art seen... and fun too! Got 18 hits in 10 min.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

'Seashell Birdbath' original photograph by RLHall all rights reserved.

The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness. ~William Saroyan
Ahhhhh...the sun is shining once again! THAT makes me Happy!!!!