inspiring New Hampshire

This week as the summer heat was showing its prowess I headed north with my family~... to one of my favorite spots - New London, NH. Although i was technically on vacation - I lasted only two days before I had to make dresses. The first two were made while visiting the Fells in Newbury, New Hampshire. It is an old summer estate that they have opened to the public and the grounds are breath-taking. Beside just the natural beauty of the gardens, this year there is a contemporary sculpture exhibit called Animal Attractions (very interesting), an area set up with rocks for anyone to create a sculpture if so inspired & a FAIRY VILLAGE where anyone can make their own fairy house (you can only imagine the excitement). My girls and i were happy building and creating until hunger overtook us. As everyone else was making fairy houses ~ I, of course, made dresses.

Then after the Fells we headed to the beach where I had to make a dress. This certain beach is one of my favorite places in the world so I had to "mark' it with a dress. While walking the shore looking for materials I began to notice these small, brightly colored leaves floating in the water ~ a sign of summer's end and fall's arrival. This time of this month does tend to make one think of fall ~ even with the unbearable heat, the light is warmer and the shadows are longer & you know autumn is just around the corner. So I gathered this small collection of leaves and created this petite dress right at the water line. I like the combination of the turning leaves and the bright summer flower ~ summer and fall. It was wonderful to be making dresses outside with natural materials but now it is back to eggshells......

Happy summer all & peace!!!!