Antique Tile
Copper Window
Hello from Bramblewhite Cottage,
I’m delighted to be bringing you another watercolor blog. It’s been such a gorgeous day. I had so much fun wandering through this day taking photos to share with you.
This blog seems to be taking a direction all of its own, and I couldn’t be happier. Instead of focusing on sharing only watercolor, we seem to be sharing creativity. The blogs will always be based on a painting of mine, but the content will be more universally interesting.
If you are interested in learning more about how to paint in watercolor specifically, I’m always delighted to help in any way that I can. Don’t ever hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you explore what has brought me so much joy over all these years.
This month I’m sharing with you a very special painting. When we first moved to Fort Bragg, our cottage had an open fireplace. It was very different than it looks now.
The mantle was just a piece of redwood. There weren’t any tiles. The fireplace itself was open, no screen or anything.
Because of the beauty of this place and the need for as much warmth as we could get from the fireplace, we decided to make renovation of the fireplace one of our priorities. We installed a woodstove.
To beautify the entire fireplace, we hunted and found a lovely old oak mantle. It needed tilework around the front of the woodstove, and my husband gladly gave me the job of figuring out what we wanted to do with that. I was quite excited because I knew just what I wanted to do.
What speaks home to you? For me it’s my blue and white dishes, a good loaf of bread, sunlight through stained glass windows, a cozy fire.
“I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.”
And so began the hunt for blue and white antique tiles. I had so much fun searching for them. I was actually surprised that I was able to find so many and in such variety, and each one brough me pure delight.
Isn’t this a charming tile? It makes me think of my recent trip to Mexico by sailboat and our having to use the dinghy to get ashore.
I find this old pub to be quite charming. It brings back fond memories of a winter trip I took to England.
This is another one of my favorites. Who isn’t fond of such a scene?
By Villeroy and Boch
This tile is perhaps my favorite. It’s so hard to choose, and I was spoilt for choice. I do simply love the fantasy world you get to enter, and I couldn’t resist painting it.
I hope that this painting transports you from your mundane to the fantastic. We all can do with a holiday. Just relax and let your body slow down and dream away.
Hope you enjoyed that little escape. Hugo enjoys the roof. Maybe there’s something in that. LOL.
Here’s a photo of our beautiful fireplace. I hope that the joy my antique tiles bring me has brought some warmth to your day. I’ve loved every moment gathered here with family and friends.
Thanks so much, friends, for taking time out of your busy lives to spend a few moments with me. I hope that my creativity inspires your own and that your home is a place where love dwells.
