Fall In Love With Art!

That was our theme for this particular show. As you can see Alison Thomas of AKT Designs incorporated that theme quite well in her arrangement she did especially for us! She always does the most amazing centerpieces, etc. for all of our events!

Even with with chalkboard out front to draw in the masses….

To the incredible arrangement she did on the front door, everything was centered with art and fall in mind!

When Melissa arrived with her paintings the theme continued with her use of fall colors in some of my favorite pieces of hers! 

This was the first time we had ever had our artists actually paint in the shop. People gathered around and it was truly fascinating! This is Melissa showing how she actually starts with her paintings on a flat surface and then moves them to the easel.

To all of us it seemed effortless! 

She actually did two different paintings so here she is with the second one.

Lauren brought a wide variety of subject matter in her paintings and there was something for everyone!

She has started doing these smaller pieces on canvas and then framing them. ( she also has an incredible framing business!)

Here Lauren is getting ready to paint for everyone.

Again, it seemed effortless to her but amazing to all of us!

When it was time for Vicki to paint we cranked up the Country music and let it blare! Seriously…that's how she likes to paint and she names a lot of her paintings after certain titles or lines in the songs. I like to try to see if I can guess which song it is when I see her titles. 

How cute is she? One of my sweet customers stayed to watch all three artists and during the demonstrations she remarked that all three of our artists are all so beautiful! And she's right! They are beautiful inside AND out!

Of course with every show we have we always have to have good food! This time I kept hearing people say it was better than ever! That's what we are always hoping for!

It is a tradition to have these fabulous chocolate chip cookies with sea salt! Everyone loves them! My sweet granddaughter came by after school with her mommy and thoroughly enjoyed them!

We had art displayed outside and in! 

We were so full of art yesterday it was amazing!

Now we are full of fresh, new art and I'm sure many of the pieces won't be around for long!

Oh, and in the midst of all of that our beautiful hand blown glass pumpkins arrived! 

So many pretty pieces were left for us to enjoy and sell to you! 

At the end of the day, when all was said and done I took one more look at the beautiful flowers that Alison did and just took in everything that had gone on that day! It was a wonderful time spent with friends, family and artists!

We had three very lucky and extremely happy winners from our giveaway at the end of the day! What a treat! If you are looking for a piece of pretty art to brighten up your home we certainly can help you do that! Come see what's new at Mulberry Heights!

Never Before......

Never Before......have I linked my two blogs together....this time... I just had to...it embodies everything I've been doing...everything I want my friends to see, and everything I care about!

A long time ago...when I first started my blogging adventure...a dear friend told me that she wished she had never started 3 blogs!!! I had written her and asked her for advice, how to do certain things on blogger, etc....and I will never forget Shannon telling me that she truly wished she only had one blog!! You see...she had a cooking blog, a devotional blog and a blog that simply was there for her to talk about her "Southern Heritage".... I also remember thinking that I could do it all! How silly was that now that I can look back on it a year or so later!

Which is why now....my two worlds are meshing into one....simply due to time restraints and the fact that my life embodies who I am...and who I am is reflected in my shop! I've let it go for several months because of other issues in my life...like my children!!! at this very moment...my creative side is wanting to blog away about our Sip and See and my heart is aching to hear about our incredible win in Georgia against Eagles Landing.....but I'm coping....and it's ok!!! I'm loving everything I'm doing!! I'm especially loving the fact that my precious daughter Holly surprised me with a plane ticket and came HOME!

 She came home to help with... and enjoy our wonderful "Sip and See" event yesterday with Emily Ozier and Caroline Reehl....what a fabulous time we had!! It was only enhanced by the flowers that Alison Kynerd Thomas did and made everything look "that much better"! Thank you so much, Alison!

Thankfully, several months before.....

Holly convinced me to buy this chalkboard that I had been eyeing on one of our visits with them...and I'm forever grateful that she did!

Sweet Ellen makes it come to life... not only with our "events" but just with everyday life!

The shop began to prepare for this wonderful event many weeks in advance....in fact, while we were visiting Holly and Brad in New Orleans, Pattie and Ellen carried out our dream of having our very own water bottles! I know it seems silly to most people...but to me, it was heaven!

Just for the record...these days, it's heaven having anybody do anything to make life easier at the shop!!! I'm running myself ragged and I don't mind telling you! Obviously! If I didn't love it though, I wouldn't bring it up! Which is why having Alison offer to do the flowers for our Sip and See was just an extra added bonus!

             Just look at how beautiful they are!

Sometimes, the things that you love the most....are what you work the hardest for.....

To me...that includes family, friends and flowers......and "f"nomenal.......ART!

And.....the "f"act......that Alison is a forever, family, friend.....and I would do anything for her!  and then of course....there are......

 Color coordinated jelly beans! Who doesn't love that?

We began by setting the tables early.....and trying to think of the best colors possible to enhance the paintings, the pottery and the flowers.....hopefully, showcasing our new runners for holiday entertainment as well! We have them in so many great colors!

As well as.. to show off our fabulous cake stands! Once again, when I went to market  they forbid me to buy anymore cake stands with domes...because we shipped a million of them when we had them...but I simply could not resist these beauties! In fact, they made me order more once they saw them! My daughter wants one as a "stocking stuffer"!

Finally, when the day arrived.....we had so much fun with Emily's art, Caroline's pottery and Alison's flowers!

Here are some of the pictures of the fabulous artwork from Emily.....

In my "humble" opinion....these 3 trees should be bought together!!! I have some smaller versions of Emily's trees...and I wouldn't trade them for anything!

And of course....Caroline's pottery.....the pieces I have I adore so very much!

And delicious food....if I do say so myself! so wish you could have all been there!

It was one remarkable day! And it's still going on! People are still flocking in to see all of the art...

and not wanting to miss out on anything!

Aren't Alison's cards the cutest? Her work is incredible....just wait till you see her work at our shop at Christmas!

                        Hopefully, this painting will still be here for the B'ham Home and Garden's Inspiration Home......so glad Doug @Tracery Interiors was admiring it!

Here is a "replica" of the piece that my precious husband gave me!!! It sit's proudly in it's very own shelf on our new bookcases....we love it!

When we first started carrying Caroline's pottery, Pattie and Patti gave me my very first piece....they gave it to me to take to our beach house and that is where it has been to this very day....every time I see it I want to bring it home because of the special memories it brings to me...the special thoughts that were behind it and the special people that gave it to me!

 That's what this kind of talent does...it allows us to enjoy a God given gift...it allows us to share it with others and it certainly allows for alot of special memories when one is given the piece of a lifetime! I know that art is different to each individual...I also know...when I see a  wife get that special piece of pottery or that perfect painting...she is radiant! When I see a mom or a mother in law get a piece of pottery for being a first time grandmother...it is so very special! You can't "buy" these memories....they aren't a Visa commercial...they are real, and they truly are priceless! I wouldn't trade anything for getting to be a part of it! I'm so very grateful to Emily and Caroline for allowing Mulberry Heights Antiques to carry their art...to be a part of something so incredible and to experience the joy of art...a true, God given talent......

And just look at all of the food!!!!

 Pork tenderloin with two sauces,

 Incredible chocolate chip cookies with sea salt

 Sangria

 Black eyed pea caviar...

And friends and family! Thank you all for coming to our Sip and See! I'm already thinking ahead to the 

holidays and trying to plan another! ( much to Jim's dismay!)

My mom and her friends

 Gigi and Pam

 Holly and.....well, Holly holding Emily's precious baby! Getting "ideas"! 

 More of Caroline's pottery

 Alison.... I love you! I'm so glad we've been friends for forever...and we can pop those elbows like any young sorority girl!

And a lot of Holly's precious friends...that support her no matter what!!! you have a job at Mulberry whenever you want it!!! I love you all!