winsor newton – StyleNectar

Edible Flowers

Nasturtiums have a lovely minty flavor
Nasturtiums and Pansies are wonderful additions to your veggie garden! They'll add hits of gorgeous color to your plots and Nasturtiums will even ward off many pests. Best of all…

They're also edible!

Flowers in the Viola Family, such as Pansies (and Violets) have a faint minty flavor. The flowers and leaves of Nasturtiums have a peppery watercress tinge. Toss their brightly hued flowers on top of a salad or include as a pretty touch on an al fresco dinner plate.

Two simple ways to Live Beautifully!

Pot of Pansies, Quick, gestural watercolor on Winsor Newton Paper (Click image for better, larger view)

Art, Style

Lighting Event

We were on the edge of our seats guessing at the winner in the dessert round on Chopped, when our power went out. Heavy, wet snow had been rapidly accumulating to the measure of about 6 inches per hour so we weren’t terribly surprised. But wait, what was that orangey-blue-red glow flickering outside?

Our entire yard, then neighborhood, lit up in 360 for as far as the eye could see… what the heck was going on? Was our roof on fire? What should we do? We soon realized the five minute mega light show was courtesy of two fallen power lines.

Followed by a very cold and uncomfortable three days without power.

Should one be taking anything for granted, there’s nothing like the absence of life’s basic necessities to put things back into perspective:-) So I dedicate this post to light!

I love the warmth and coziness various lighting options provide. Carrying on a tradition from childhood, we enjoy eating by candlelight every evening at dinnertime. Tiny stained-glass night-lights pave the way in the kitchen and upstairs near the guest room. Wintertime window candles and tiny lamps cheer up otherwise dark corners at night. For parties, I light tons of miniature glass votives on all the windowsills and transoms, and I add hurricane lanterns going up the stairs for ambiance.

There are infinite ways to utilize lighting creatively within your decor. Here are a couple of my paintings (watercolors on Winsor Newton paper) and photos illustrating a few fav’s from my home.

If you like this post say thanks by sharing.

Art, Style

Wild Things

"Corn plants are impossible to kill," Dale, the garden center guy, told me yesterday. He hadn't seen mine. Two of its three stalks are now leafless, bringing me to the garden center for a replacement. Sorry Corn Plant 🙁

But all's well that end's well.

Having received Dale's top 5 water & fertilizer tips, I've since clipped Corn Plant's (CP) remaining dead brown leaves and found him a flattering new home in back of a tall chair. We truly feel as though he's going to make a full recovery. And as if that's not fabulous enough, it does get better. A brand-healthy-new Parlor Palm now sits proudly in CP's old corner. I'm pleased as punch. Here's to hoping Dale's plant-savvy has rubbed off on me.

Now I certainly hope my challenges do not in any way dissuade you from inviting a plant into your own home. While they do require some specific care, the exciting memories and good times they add to your life are priceless. (lol)

In fact, there are several ways I enjoy bringing a touch of the wild into my home, not only via rare tropicals (jk) like CP, but with furry beasts and flying friends too. Perhaps the reason we're so attracted to nature and animals is they're perpetually authentic, unlike us humans, forever cloaked in the drama of our personalities.

Do you have some favorites also? I'd love to hear about them.

Parlor Palm. Found the little butterflies hanging from the plants in a flower shop in Budapest.