Summer and Chinese lanterns go so well together. I've been painting some with birds and flowers, and mixing them up with others and hanging them just outside my front door. It was just about 8:30 last evening when I snapped this picture. Still light out!
I even added some Japanese character handwriting.
We've been in Big Sur and a bit further north for the Mister's birthday. I hope if you haven't been before you can plan a trip here. It really is this beautiful.
And there's a couple of eateries you must try. The best bread, scones and Coffee I've ever had are here,
Just around the bend,
At the Big Sur Bakery. Do yourself a favor and order a scone. They have a wonderful cookbook too.
This is a beautiful porcelain tea light holder, (getting back to lantern light). Its got little raindrops etched in the side and gives off the prettiest glow. Its from Maki, athttp://www.makikohastings.blogspot.co.uk/
and all the proceeds from the sale go to a little village in Japan that is still trying to find its way after the terrible tsunami last year. Maki is going to hand deliver the funds right to the town.
The reverse reads 'The Light of Hope' stamped in.
Hope is a wonderful thing , as Rabbit well knows.
I've started to make little vegetables from porcelain. Radishes and turnips. In lantern light almost everything gets a lovely glow. Even turnips!
We visited a museum that had a rose garden in back.
The kind of painting that can make you weak in the knees. A scene of St. Ives, Cornwall painted by E. Charlton Fortune in the 1920's.
They were getting ready for the Lantern Festival in the Monterey Bay area.
It was a lovely time, but I'm glad to be home. I've got alot of blogs to visit and some recipies to try from the Big Sur Bakery cookbook. The first thing I'm going to try is the scone recipie and I'll tell you how they turn out, and share the recipie with you........thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my bird watcher post!
xxx
juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com
54 comments:
Love the lanterns - so very pretty!
Your lanterns are beautiful. Where do you get them? They are difficult to find in my area and cost an arm and a leg when available.
Big Sur looks a wonderful as it's always described,,,,someday!
Clay vegs....love it!
Dear Julie,
Your trip to Big Sur looks wonderful! What a beautiful bay! Congratulations to your husband.
I like the laterns you painted very much. They look beautiful in the twilight!
Happy weekend,
Madelief x
Hi Julie,
Oh goodness - the lanterns are beautiful and you bring them to life in your art - the lady is so charming and the rabbit is just adorable. Your art and blog always makes me smile when I visit.
Have a lovely creative day.
Belssings,
Erin
Welcome back Julie! I have been in that area (I think). Isn't that where Clint Eastwood's restaurant is? I think it's called Hogsbreath Inn. We didn't eat there though. It was gorgeous there though!
Love all your pretty pictures! And I love scones! Can I come over for some tea?
And your lanterns are beautiful! I forgot to say that! I would be afraid they would catch fire here...it's going to be 106 tomorrow.
It is simply wonderful to have you back. A scone recipe is always welcome. If ever you are interested we have a divine wholemeal and fresh date scone recipe which the children devour as fast as the adults in this house.
Pottery vegetables? This blog just keeps getting better :-)
I imagine you have read "Life On The Big Sur"?
Warmest wishes from France where the weather is finally veering towards SUMMER!
Stephanie
Dear Smartcat,
I got the blank lanterns from Ebay.
Very reasonable, just type in 'paper lanterns' in search and they should come up.
Lisa 106? yikes! You need a trip to Big Sur~
xx
Oh Julie! Your lanterns and your flowers are just to die for, you make everything magical my friend!
Your trip looks like it was lovely, and the bakery has my mouth watering...I get along well with bread, and butter too! Please let us know about the scones, I looove scones and love to bake. A sweet weekend to you!
The lanterns are so cheerful and your delightful painting on them adds so much charm.
Love scones and what a fun spot to enjoy them!
Love the idea of clay veggies, well anything you make is fabulous : )
xo <3
Hey Julie, I have to say your header painting is just gorgeous. The woman you painted has such a beautifully serene look about her. I always want to bust out my painting gear after reading your blog, but being Winter, it' all about crochet and sewing. Once Spring arrives I won't be able to resist the urge anymore.........
Sounds like you've been on another wonderful trip and the scenery around the Big Sur is enough to take your breath away. So nice to find wonderful eateries and cafes along the road.
Love your painted Chinese lanterns.....another delightful blog post. Enjoy the weekend.....
Claire x
I am back to say that I had to look at your post again, now IO have lanterns and scones on my mind! Also, I wanted to say that your blog banner is simply stunning....your paintings are gorgeous!
TOTALLY in love with your radishes (!!!!!!)
I would like very much to order one, if that is a possibility.
Your lanterns are lovely.... and so is the shot of Big Sur area. I was there for my 50th birthday and thought it to be one of those rare places of "Heaven on Earth"...
Nothing quite like the ocean, though I gotta say, the desert is pretty fab, too.
Happy to see your new post - always look for them...
xo
i bought that book last year when we were up there, and then gave it away! a good reason to go back! did you stay at deetjens? beautiful lanterns!
Beautiful lanterns! Your photos are enchanting. One more place to visit...And the promise of great coffee and goodies- yumm
xx
The lanterns and your painting in the top photo are adorable! I don't think I've seen any such delicate and pretty ones around here (apart from the fact that yours are, of course, unique because they are hand painted).
And to look at the scones before breakfast was a mistake :-D
Aaah! Sunshine, light summer breezes and flickering lantern light. Your pictures make me swoon from across the Atlantic in wet and windy old Britain. We've had the most atrocious summer so far so blog posts like yours are a pleasure to read. Thanks Julie. Eli x
I LOVE the painting in the header too!
The photos of the trip specially of the beach is so wonderful!
Happy summer days to you.x
Wonderful post Julie,, i adore the painted lanterns,,this is something that is definatly missing from my little court yarn..you have inspired me greatly...and that secluded beach looks divine...also something i could do with right now..xx
Oh Julie-- such a beautiful post-- the Chinese lanterns are gorgeous. ( I'm anxiously waiting on the shop listings--!)
Big Sur is so lovely- id love to go there-- the bakery--/ oh my- (sigh -----
Vicki
Yes, there is something very magical about Chinese lanterns. I love the light that they give.
Thank you also for taking us along to beautiful Big Sur, a place I have never actually visited.
Lots of beauty in this post!
A lovely journey with you. I'm always struck by the similarity of Big Sur to parts of Greece I lived. the lanterns are wonderful - and scones, now I have a hankering!
ahhh, what a great summer post! I used to have little lanterns hanging in my daughter's room when she was a little girl. It always felt like there was a party going on :)
painting lanterns is a fabulous idea!! love them. xo
The lanterns are gorgeous Julie, your bird paintings are so beautiful. Big Sur looks amazing and so do those scones :) I'm glad you had a lovely trip.
Thanks for sharing the link to the tea light holder, I'm off to visit now.
hugs
vicky xxxx
P.s I love the pottery veg!!!
o what look that cosy and beautiful the lanterns so delicate like the rose garden very nice and pretty love the lantern painting so beautiful very nice evening lovely sunday leon10
Your lanterns are just lovely - what a fun idea! Makes me want to try painting one. Your pictures of Big Sur are lovely - makes me want to visit the area again. Love everything in this post.
This was just lovely. And the pictures of Big Sur make me want to get on a plane NOW! Thank you!
I love your art so much...lanterns are one of my favorite things and your embellishment is beautiful. I love the little vegetables you made...adorable.
Are you sure you don't live in heaven, Julie? Love it all and the painting on your banner makes me go weak at the knees. Thank you for the bounty of beautyxx
Besos amiga !!!! cariños !!!
Hello Julie
your lanterns are so beautiful, one day I ould really, really like to visit your little part of the world , it looks to me to be the most beautiful place and I really love the style of the houses with the outside veranders. I think I will have a word with the mister and we shall start saving our pennies...maybe when the kids have flown the nest :-)
Such a lovely post thank you xx
How wonderful it must be where you live Julie! I can't imagine being so near to the gorgeous ocean. I'd love it. I love our pastoral beauty here though...God sheds his beauty all over his works. That I know. you always touch my heart as well as my eyes with your posts.... & I enjoy my visits! Maggie Ann
What a beautiful post from the chines lanterns to your pottery....beautiful!
I love your lanterns, so cheerful and the light, sweet, soft.
By all means, clay root vegetables!
I want to camp in Big Sur, waiting til summer is over.
lovely all of it, the rock wall, the paintings, scones.......
xoxo
I love your art ,I love your lanterns.
Love the veggies and the Chinese lanterns. I want to try to paint some for my porch to cheer things up. Are they safe to put candles in or do you use fairy lights? Anyway they are so - so fanciful!
V
Julie, I love all the things you've been creating. The paper lanterns are beautiful!!! I look forward to hearing how your scones turned out too. I love scones...especially blueberry. ;0)
What a beautiful place Big Sur is. You are very lucky to be surrounded with such beauty. I love the lanterns you painted. They are outside hanging art work!!
This is absolutely a lovely lovely post...I am adoring the chinese lanterns of summer....
warmest thoughts and hugs dear one..
Christie
Such a delightful post, Julie....I loved the lanterns they look so pretty. Big Sur looks beautiful, I know I'd love it too.... just as I love St Ives...how lovely to see that nostalgic painting. Yummy scones and sweet painting at the top... Your bunny beaker is adorable, and the little radishes made my heart skip a beat :)
Helen x
wow! lanterns and such a beautiful coastal landscape! how wonderful!!!!!x ;0)
Hi Julie
Just love your new header of your gorgeous painting! Such beautiful cheery colours. I was wondering if you have ever been asked if your images could be pinned on Pinterest with a link back to your blog? I would love to put some on Pinterest if you were happy with that, but if not then that's absolutely fine!!
Cheers, Trudy
Love the new painting Julie and the acorn necklace......
It's a dark, damp morning here, very hard to get out of bed. Lying there listening to the rain on the roof was bliss.
Have a great weekend,
Claire x
Your little rabbit with his hope lantern is just to sweet for words. And I love the lanterns out on your porch that you painted too. Truly lovely.
Big Sur is such a beautiful place! Your lanterns are lovely, but those porcelain vegetables are just the best! Will they ever make it to your Etsy Shop? Happy summer! So glad it is finally here.
love the new painting julie.....love...love
hi julie....love love your new painting.....i guess i have to keep posting as anonymous...for some reason i don't know how to achieve those other identitites...have tried...lol.....carol drummond
Love your painted lanterns, Julie! It seems that many times your posts seem to connect with me somehow.... I've been looking at lanterns all summer trying to find just the right one for my old screened in porch. Yours are lovely! So enjoyed your shots of Big Sur. I haven't been there for many years, but my husband took me all over the area before we were married (he had lived out there) it was a very special trip...
xo
dulcy
ps LOVE the veggie pieces!
Loved all the photos, especially the house with the white picket fence.
Oh, Julie, what a lovely, lovely post! The lanterns are so pretty, and of course, I'm in love with your Rabbit. :)
My son and DIL live in Japan. She had to close her two boutique businesses after the tsunami (they were living in Yokohama at the time) because of the ripple affects to the economy. Thank you for the link to Maki.
Hugs,
Zuzu
Absolutely love the porcelain vegetables. Do you sell them? They are wonderful!
Lovely laterns! You made them beautiful with your painting. I have always wanted to visit Big Sur, maybe later.........love your little vegetables!
I really admire your work. Pat beglin
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