common ground

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Of Roses and Redoute...

Last weekend I shared some photos of the front yard, and a Knockout Rose bush that is blooming profusely this year. Our yard has two levels and this bush is nestled in a little grotto area that is shared by a much used bird bath and surrounded by Black-eyed Susans.

I thought I'd clip a few sprigs of blooms and bring them inside to enjoy up close.

I thought they'd feel at home in this petite Staffordshire Crown China teapot, trimmed out in a lacy pink pattern of flowers with gold trim.

I also just recently found this little white chippy box and thought it might work for one of my "Vintage Seed Box" embellishments. Spring and Roses go together beautifully with one of my two vintage Redoute framed prints from the 40's, that I had on my baker's rack on the sunporch.

Below, I included some interesting information about Redoute. Knowing a little about the artist makes these beautiful prints all the more interesting.

Pierre-Joseph Redouté (10 July 1759 in Saint-Hubert, Belgium – 19 June 1840 in Paris), was a Belgian painter and botanist, known for his watercolours of roses, lilies and other flowers at Malmaison. He was nicknamed "The Raphael of flowers".

He was an official court artist of Queen Marie Antoinette, and he continued painting through the French Revolution and Reign of Terror. Redouté survived the turbulent political upheaval to gain international recognition for his precise renderings of plants, which remain as fresh in the early 21st century as when first painted.

Paris was the cultural and scientific centre of Europe during an outstanding period in botanical illustration (1798 – 1837), one noted for the publication of several folio books with coloured plates. Enthusiastically, Redouté became an heir to the tradition of the Flemish and Dutch flower painters Brueghel, Ruysch, van Huysum and de Heem. Redouté contributed over 2,100 published plates depicting over 1,800 different species, many never rendered before.

Marie Antoinette became his patron. Redouté received the title of Draughtsman and Painter to the Queen's Cabinet. In 1798, Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, became his patron and, some years later, he was her official artist.

What perfection is found within the bloom of a rose.

My heart is heavy with all the devastation in Oklahoma. We are in the same "tornado alley" as they are. Storms start in North Texas and then take the northeast route each Spring. Many of us here in Missouri have basements, but Oklahoma has so much bedrock that basements aren't incorporated into a home's structure; not much comfort, but a little. I'm praying for all those who have lost so much in these storms this week.

I'll be linking up to these parties this week:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Stone Gable
House Party at No Minimalist Here
Rooted in Thyme
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
Jennifer Rizzo
Craftberry Bush

xoxo,

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Marketplace; Etsy and Online Boutique Showcase

Hi Everyone, welcome to

The Marketplace!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend, and are you ready to check out what's new in the world of Etsy and Online Boutique shopping? You came to the right place! Time to link up your wares and join the fun of checking out some new goodies. Here are some pretties from last week's party.

Porcelain Rose Basket

from 20 North Ora

Vintage Electric Swedish Brass Sconce

by Western Reserve

Small French Meditations Book

from Faded Charm

Antique Cottage Oil Painting

from LemonVerbena1

Custom Velvet Book Markers

from Keepings from Kirsty Girl

The gals from Sweet Magnolias Farm Shop have some wonderful new items, just for you from their Farmhouse. Take a peek at a new line of soaps and body lotion. If you need a special gift for someone, or you just want to treat yourself, hope you'll run by and check out all the wonderful Farmhouse Goods!

And I love these great Mason Jar Lid Coasters,

perfect for your outdoor tablesettings and gatherings!

Thanks Abbey and Sara!

If you have an Etsy Shop, sell on Ebay, or have an online boutique, come join in by linking up to three of your individual items from your store. And if you have a shop blog, we'd love to see what you have going on. Please be a follower of Common Ground, and if you have a blog it would be great to have you grab the image below for somewhere on your blog, just to let others know about The Marketplace.

Link up the goods, then stay to shop!

This link gathering stays open all week, so be sure and stop back by later to see what new has been added. Thank you, everyone, that takes the time to join in...

Sunday, May 19, 2013

What's Growing On...

Between the late Spring and snow in early May, to the every other week out of town doctor visit trips for hubby, I'm way behind in getting plants potted and the deck and outdoors spiffed up. I was able to get a few containers put together for the deck this week, but it's been slow going. (so many of you have asked how he's doing and it's also been "slow going", but he's making improvement little by little. Thank you all so much for asking, and for your prayers)

I was able to winter one of my mint plants, and after cutting back the unusable winter growth, I'm just now getting some new leaves. I use mint every day in my green tea and lemonade or my new favorite Crystal Light Mojito, club soda, fresh lime and mint. So easy, tastes like it's alcoholic cousin, no calories, and creates a party in your mouth!

(angel vine)

My small urns are planted with variegated Impatiens...

always a favorite, and so easy.

We recently gave our humongous gas grill to our daughter and her husband. I'd never liked using it; I swear I could taste the "gas" on the steaks. (they don't notice it.) The deck is now 3 times as large without that eyesore taking up so much space, and we're on the hunt for a smaller charcoal grill. One that actually produces a great tasting meal.

These are a couple of the new containers filled with Million Bells, Geraniums, and Verbena. I winter my Geraniums, but this year when we were gone for a week with my hubby's surgery, they became a salad bar for the rabbits...nibbled down to the stubbs. So getting them back will take a while.

In the front yard, Iris are blooming. I transplanted them from my m-i-l about 5 years ago, and they've not been much on blooms, but this year I have some beautiful ones.

I'm also having Peony blooms for the first year,

but the ants are loving them too.

A Knockout Rose that creates a little secret sanctuary for the bird bath.

The robins love it, and have a great time flopping, chirping, and cooling off.

This rose bush has gone nuts this year.

A few just potted red Geraniums with "soon to be trailing"
Verbena next to the garage.

And more Impatiens in the twin urns on the front steps.

It looks pretty bare out here without color,

hopefully, the Impatiens will add some soon.

(If the brick looks wonky, it's because I "cloned" out the house number plaque)

Last year this Hydrangea was all but dead. The drought and temps in the low 100's almost everyday caused it to wilt and killed the blooms. It was so disheartening. No matter how much I watered it, the bush just couldn't take the heat. But I started treating it with coffee grounds, and it rallied late in the season.

Now, it's covered in little immature blooms...

and I'm so excited.

This may be it's year!!

joining in with these parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

The Scoop at Cedar-Hill Ranch

A Stroll Thru Life

Knick of Time

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Savvy Southern Style

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend,

xoxo,

Friday, May 17, 2013

Be Inspired #140 I Love "Junk"!

Welcome to this week's
Be Inspired!

Oh yeah, there are a lot of us that love our junk...
And today I want to share a post with you that grabbed me in so many ways.
Silver, Sunroom, lambs, chippy tables...
and yes, my favorite number 3.
I think Susan does "junk" right!