Written by Since I’m a bit shy about painting blossoming things, I try to sneak in a prompt of flowers every now and again to force myself to practice a bit more. Here we have a tiny little vase of orange flowers, mostly because orange is one of my favorite colors. Philippe and I tried to have fresh flowers like this in our home, but although we purchased them together in glee, neither of us signed up for the care and feeding. Once they were in the vase, we assumed they could take care of themselves after that. I’ve no idea why we thought flowers were somehow self-sufficient once uprooted and plunked in glass, but as it turns out they do actually appreciate a bit of care. I’m always amazed by those domestic goddesses that always seem to have a home with a sort of plan. Our house is less of a planned concept and more of side effect. The first floor is open concept, which means you can see everything at once. This includes the kitchen which is both my temporary art studio and Philippe’s primary domain. Basically, it looks like we’ve just had a party most of the time even though we’ve neglected to invite anyone. But it’s what we call home.
Philippe and I have several projects we constantly talk about doing in our house. For example, there’s a cabinet in the dining room that is covered in crap. Not actual crap, of course, but a few bags of watercolor paint, and some various knickknacks we’ve acquired, stacked on top of each other. We have many conversations about how we are going to clear it all away one day. But the clutter doesn’t end there. Nearly any available surface is fair game to have something plunked there “temporarily” until we can decide where it should actually go. The problem is, we forget about the thing entirely most times and the temporary spot starts to take on an air of permanence. Our shelves once seemed well-manicured and the Lego architecture sets on them seemed like a bit of hip art. Then more Legos arrived and the scene turned into a something that looked more like an end cap at a toy store. It’s not exactly messy, just dense and lacking the minimalist precision seen in magazines. That carefully curated look that keeps only the elements that are required to complete the scene. Suffice it to say, we won’t be appearing in any magazines anytime soon.
Perhaps this is why I’m incapable of painting very abstract watercolors. The kind with just a semblance of the image, made up of just a few precise strokes. Though still perfectly loose and quick, my doodlewashes furiously attempt to capture all of the little details that the subject has to offer. Within the first 10 minutes of painting, I have something that I’m certain would be more like those other images I’ve seen, but I simply can’t stop there. I go back and continue to form and model things a bit more, only stopping when Philippe shoves a plate of dinner in front of me. I then stop, eat, and scan whatever happened and that’s what I post here. After I ramble through this post, I do my level best to clean up whatever happened in the kitchen that night. It’s all so perfectly mundane and silly, but it’s become a rather beautiful little ritual. I’m certain if we invested that same bit of routine into our domesticity we could have that picture perfect abode the magazines display. But that’s not what actually happens. Instead, something far more beautiful occurs as Philippe sings to himself while perfectly wrecking the kitchen for me to clean up later, and I happily sit for just a moment, scribbling flowers.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Benzimida Orange, Quinacridone Red, Leaf Green, and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop! |
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Your house sounds like mine. I bow to the glory of Chaos, that almighty force that has its way with the universe. Why fight it?
hehe! Yay to that, Sandra! 😃💕I think that chaos is simply another definition of creative. lol We simply can’t fight it.
Perfect! I have decided that no one ever loved me, or visited me because of my neat, or not so neat house. I am not my kitchen counter. Or my art table.
Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕 And yay to a kitchen counter art table. The best kind of all! And one many guest should be lucky to experience! hehe
Magazine homes look clinical to me, I couldn’t or wouldn’t live like that. Being surrounded by the clutter of things I love is home. Sounds like yours and Phillippe’s is perfect.
That’s so awesome, Julia! Thanks! 😃💕I do think that a house should feel a bit lived in in order to be truly considered special. 😉
Yours sounds like a perfectly wonderful domestic scene, and the flowers are perfectly lovely. Life is a fantastic but messy enterprise, so minimalist perfection can never be achieved.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 So true! Life itself is messy, so anything that isn’t seems a bit fake. Or, at least, that’s how I justify my very messy life! hehe
I really love this bouquet of orange and glass, and if it was in my house, I wouldn’t care if the rest of the place was a mess. Which it usually is. I can’t clean up because every pile of something or other is an amalgam of things I love – every object was a gift from someone dear to me, or is a photo of a face I love to see. So here’s to the clutter that makes our lives rich. And to orange which is frankly a vibrant and exciting color.
That’s the most beautiful anthem to clutter I’ve ever heard! I love it! 😃💕SO true! It’s not really clutter when it’s a piece of our hearts.
Your flowers are beautiful and it sounds to me like your home is lived in…just as it should be :-).
Thanks so much, Mary! 😃💕 I think a home should always betray a bit of living in it to be truly comfortable! 😉
No need to be a bit shy about painting blossoming things. Your flowers are beautiful!
Aww thanks so much! 😃💕 I’m so thrilled you enjoyed my flowers!
These are cute. A bit of spring in our day. I like this style better. Its whimsical, kind of like you! 🙂 My house is tidy…….about one hour on Friday. I clean on Fridays, but once my son and husband come home, it’s all over. The only people that come to my house most of the time are friends. If you have to impress them, then they aren’t your friends. The occasionally surprise visit from the in-laws used to send me into a panic mode. Not anymore…..I don’t care. If they don’t like it, they can stop coming over. Ha ha ha!
Thanks so much, Lori! 😃💕Wow, you and I are totally long lost siblings! I agree! If you have to impress your guests then they aren’t really friends at all!
Your house may not ever be in a magazine, but you have just described a HOME and that is far more important.
Aww thank you Sandra! 😃💕 That’s such a beautiful thing to say. I do think that HOME is the very thing we should always strive for!
Gorgeous flowers Charlie, you sound like husband , im always clearing up behind him lol
Thanks, Phil! 😃💕 hehe! Aww the joys of married life! It’s so crazy, and yet, SO worth it! hehe
Before I even begin to read, I must tell you, I love those flowers and glass. Perfect timing too,
it is just cold and gray here. Those flowers bring the beauty back.
The best giggle ever… Charlie says, “it looks like we’ve just had a party most of the time even though we’ve neglected to invite anyone.” The best kind of party. Just a kicked back celebration.
Charlie’s wisdom of the day: “Instead, something far more beautiful occurs as Philippe sings to himself while perfectly wrecking the kitchen for me to clean up later, and I happily sit for just a moment, scribbling flowers.”
Precious in every sense and a lesson to be learned about the joy of contentment.
Aww thanks, Sarah! 😃💕hehe… he does really wreck a kitchen though. lol But it’s all beautiful in the end! 😉
Oh my God! I also have the same problem of clearing the clutter from my home…When will I start cleaning the clutter ??????? Nice doodlewash of the jar and flowers!
Thanks, Anita! 😃💕 Hahah! Yay! thrilled to hear I’m not alone in the clutter conundrum! lol I see clutter as simply a tapestry of beautiful memories! 😉