August, September, October… Yikes!

Where has the time gone? I’ve been buried in commissions since August, and, well, life happened too. So here we are in October, and I’m finally getting around to sharing some of the new pieces with you. I’ll be spreading them over the next few blog posts, along with a few stories behind the places and the people who make them special.

First up, two places that have found their way into my collection for very different reasons.

Picolino’s is dear to my heart. It’s my local coffee spot, and until mid-July, it was also the weekly stop on my long walks with one of my dearest friends. She’s moved back to the UK, and I miss her and our walks terribly.

Our coffee stop usually happened about an hour into the walk, when we’d earned it. And what was meant to be a quick coffee could easily turn into a couple of hours. You know how it goes. A little coffee, a lot of catching up, putting the world to rights. Cheaper than therapy!

So when a commission for Picolino’s came in, I was absolutely delighted. It’s always a treat to paint a place you love, and this one comes with a whole lot of memories attached.

Picolino’s 6”x8” original watercolor on cold press watercolor paper.  In the heart of Sunset Hill, a neighborhood favorite and my local coffee spot. Buy me

If you’ve ever driven through Wallingford on your way towards the Eastlake Bridge, chances are you’ve passed Irwin’s. I know I have. Its charm has always caught my eye, but I’ve usually been on my way somewhere else. One of those places you mean to stop at someday!

So, another lovely surprise when Irwin’s came in as a commission. This one is a wedding gift for a couple whose first date was there. How sweet is that? I love that my paintings can become part of someone else’s story.

And there’s a bit of history tucked into this little neighbourhood spot, too. The building dates back to around 1910 and began life as a corner grocery, with living quarters upstairs. The Irwin family ran the grocery in the 1920s, and the name has carried on through the generations. Irwin’s opened as a bakery and café in 2000, keeping the neighbourhood spirit alive in a building that has been serving locals for more than a century. I do love a place with a story!

Irwin’s 6”x8” original watercolor on cold press watercolor paper.  A Wallingford favorite since 2000. Buy me

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I’m turning 60! Honestly, life has been so busy that I haven’t even had a chance to think about it properly. Sixty. How did that happen?

I’ll save the reflecting for next week, but I have been thinking about what I want this next year to look like. One thing I know for sure: I want to make more room for fun.

I’m toying with the idea of a little celebration every month. Nothing too elaborate. A weekend away. Trying a new restaurant with friends. A girls’ trip to our little place in Plain. Just having things to look forward to and making the most of the time we have.

For now, I’m celebrating with a houseful of friends over the weekend, which sounds like a pretty good start!

I have plenty more commission stories to share over the next few posts, but in the meantime, here’s my current short list of Seattle spots I’d love to paint:

• Lemy’s

• Eastlake Zoo

Let me know if you’d like to commission either of those and i’ll have it ready for the holidays.

More stories coming soon. Now, I’m off to enjoy being 59 for one more day!