Leslie Graff: Artist, Mother, and More.

When I first heard about Boston-based artist Leslie Graff from Design Mom, I instantly fell in love with her work. Tuesday night, while at Pivot Boston (an amazing event that brought together women who want to make or have made a change in their careers that bring them more joy/fulfillment/peace of mind/etc.), I squealed a little when I realized she was a panelist (actually it was more of loud WOOT! followed by a burst of clapping). After hearing her speak about the journey to her "pivot," owning an original Leslie Graff shot to the top of my wish list. I'm particularly fond of Leslie's Domestic Series, a collection of paintings that features an unidentified woman (turns out they're self-portraits) in fabulous heels running her household and raising her children. While the scenes could be straight out of the 50s or 60s, the clothes are just modern and sexy enough that I feel like Leslie has captured today's working mom and honored her in acrylic.

Learn more about Leslie's background, see her portfolio, and buy her notecards and prints here.

Image credits: Leslie painting from her blog Smart Mama; "Ironing it out" notecard from the Pivot Boston goodie bag

What are you doing this weekend?

I'm off to Vermont this weekend for a family wedding (congratulations Lauren and Justin!)...how about you?  The wedding is in the north country, so I'll have lots of time to catch up on reading on the way up and back.  It's been a really long time since I've spent hours getting lost in my favorite blogs, so I'm really looking forward to it.

See you soon!

Want to get lost in The Mudroom? Start with my most popular DIY posts:

An easy inspiration board

Making bookshelves pretty

Paint can lighting

Naptime? Makeover!

Image credit: Mary Sarah Holland

Let them eat cake!

In another life, I was a pastry chef. Seriously.

I can barely cook an egg, but man, can I bake a good cake.

Ok, so it's usually from a box, but I make it really pretty when it's done, just like these...

{aren't they divine?}

{spring is just around the corner...}

{'scuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin}

{makes me want to get married all over again}

These sweet paintings are the work of Paul Ferney, husband of the lovely Jordan Ferney (whose panel on the fine art of Throwing a Great Party I attended at Alt, and boy-oh-boy does she throw a fabulous fete).  While the original cake paintings have long sold, you can buy the 5x7 prints (printed on an 8x10 sheet with a border) for a mere $25 during The Great Cake Sale.

Don't miss it, or you'll have to settle for crumbs.

Image credits: all images are the work of superbly talented Paul Ferney

Jellybean Rugs

About six years ago, I developed an unhealthy obsession with hooked rugs. My husband and I had been invited to spend the weekend at a quintessential Nantucket home, complete with a garden full of hydrangeas, comfy slipcovered furniture and a serene wooden mermaid perched in the front hall welcoming visitors and friends. And on every floor were hand hooked rugs in the most gorgeous patterns and colors I had every seen.

Unfortunately, the rugs were way out of my price range (just like everything else in the house with the exception of the paint color, which I immediately copied and have used in every house I've owned), but it didn't squash my love for them.  So when I arrived at my stepmother's house this weekend and saw this beauty from Jellybean Rugs, I was immediately smitten.

Although it's not hooked, the look is so spot-on that I was immediately, well, hooked.  And that was before learning that it retailed for $30 and was indoor/outdoor...perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, and welcoming guests or pets.  Here are some of my favorites...

Cute, no?

Image credits: Paige Lewin's iPhone and Jellybean Rugs; online retailers can be found here.

Punxsutawney Phil and Bucks County Frames

In case you hadn't heard, Phil predicted an early spring.

Yeah, right. {she says, staring at three feet of snow outside her bedroom window}   

Anyway, Phil isn't the only good thing coming out of the great state of Pennsylvania these days.  On a recent trip to the land of Etsy, one of my pals showed me a piece she picked up for her living room.  She had been staring at a giant empty space above her fireplace for a couple of years and finally knew she had to do something about it when her six-year old son took note .

"We need some color in here, Mom.  It's totally boring."

So she searched Etsy, the place to find fantastic, one-of-a-kind art pieces (among other handmade delights).  She wanted something whimsical and colorful and LARGE...all for a good price.

And she found it.

Whimsical, colorful, large and an amazing value...Bucks County Frames totally delivers. 

I love this one...makes me want to get on my Gary Fisher, pronto.

And this one? It conjures Vermont in July, watching the parade go down Bristol's Main Street. 

I'm so ready for the beach.

I've never been a huge fan of fine art photography for my home, although I think it's a perfect fit for plenty of others. 

It's nice to know that my mind can always be changed.  {Thanks for introducing me  to Bucks County Frames, Michelle!}

Image credit: all images the work of Carl Christensen, Bucks County Frames and can be found here.  Also, click each image above to find it in the shop.  Support independent artists!