Drawing Challenge : Dress

Am I the only one who remembers paper dolls? It seems they are now a thing of the past. I have many fond memories of hours upon hours spent creating & playing with paper dolls. So when I saw the theme for this weeks drawing challenge I knew that I would be reliving a happy part of my childhood.

I am having way too much fun, time to move on to some adult activities. 

Thanks Patrice for inviting me to participate & bringing out my inner child.

Autumn Light

Charleston style…..

Wishing you a light filled weekend.

Enjoy the subtleties.

l'alchimiste du potiron

Last summer I had the pleasure of having lunch with the French artist & sculptor Francoise Jolivet & her husband Roy Lekas, a documentary film maker. It was a delight to meet this charming couple & to learn about their work. Roy is American but at the formative  age of twenty he traveled to France where he immediately fell in love with France & Francoise.  He has never looked back.

Now this being the season of all things pumpkin, I thought it a good time to share some of the lovely work of Francoise. Her beautiful sculpted pumpkins or potirons have been exhibited in Paris & through out Europe.They are also the subject of a film by Lekas, 
L' Alchimiste du Potiron.
This collaborative effort by husband & wife documents the artistic process of these most intricate organic sculptures.

Photos from website of Francoise Jolivet

You may wonder as I did why the pumpkins do not decompose. Francoise has developed a method of hardening & preserving them at just the desired maturity, turning the living pumpkin into an actual stone sculpture. 

I thought that you too might find this talented couple & their work interesting just as I did.

So to celebrate the pumpkin season I am linking to Paulita's Dreaming of France.

Patterns & Details

Have a great weekend everyone!

Vintange

October is the month of the grape harvest in the Gaillac wine region near where I spend my summers. I have had the pleasure of being in France at this beautiful time of year & have many fond memories.

These photographs were taken on just such a late autumn visit. However, I was happy to see some recent photos of a harvest at a small local winery here. I adore the photo of the mid-day meal, an important part of the daily harvest.

And just in case you too are thinking of the autumn grape harvest in France I am linking this with Paulita's weekly meme Dreaming of France. 

Happy

I love that I can leave my back door open.

I love the many color combinations of Charleston homes.

I love that this tiny cottage has a fan on the front porch.

I love how flowers seem to pop up everywhere….

….& how these chairs are a part of an over grown garden.

 I also love the old & forlorn…

…the abandoned & forgotten…

 … & the patina of peeling paint.

I find beauty in it all.

Have a Great Weekend !

The sun came out

in all it's glory

& we ended up at the beach

to celebrate

& stayed till the shrimp boats came in

& the sun began to set.

Wishing each of you the same glorious sort of weekend.