When the Snow Flies...

Ivy Cottage in progress, originally uploaded by ivoryblushroses.

When the snow flies and winter seems endless, caught forever in the grip of the White Witch, I find myself dreaming of cottages and gardens. When the thought of shoveling more snow or dreading trips outside on the icy walks, I retreat indoors. It's a perfect time for dreaming and so I dig out my sketch books and work out my thoughts and dreams of perfect tiny little cottages set amid lush gardens.

While most of the cottage designs get started in a notebook on graph paper, over the years I have been transferring the designs to a little sketchbook where the ideas are rendered in watercolor and ink.


The first one I added was based on Thoreau's cabin. In 2002 I had the opportunity to travel with a friend to Concord, MA and visit the site of the original. I imagined what the cabin would look like if I were to stay there and all the things that I would want to have with me. In this elevation, you can see the fireplace wall, where cooking would occur over an open fire. You can also see one of the side walls where the table and kitchen hutch would be.


Here I imagined out the simple but basic kitchen supplies I would need, including of course, the teapot and a pretty cosie!


Even the pantry contents were considered, all basic, but well rounded enough to supply a balanced and moderately varied diet.


Though it is a simple cabin with few extras, a few lovely touches such as a linen cloth with lace trim for the table and pretty dishes make it a delightful place!


Ivy Cottage is a later design, inspired by a garden shed I saw in a magazine. I wondered if it would be possible to create a livable cottage out it. At only 187 square feet, I think it would do for one person or as a sweet guest cottage.


When I designed this in 1998, I created a watercolor of it. A black and white photocopy of it hung on the bulletin board over my drafting table at work in those days. I had been working on creating a companion piece to it at the time of our housefire and the original watercolor was lost. Using the B&W photo copy, I have now replicated it in my little idea book!


I've been doing a little stitching as well and am making progress on Ritva's Encrusted block. I've used a dragonfly charm from Goblin's Market and have been using some lovely silk ribbon hand-dyed by Pat Winter!