... all on a summer's day ...

(aka... boredom busting project #2)



Dear Mr. Warren Kimble,

Several years ago, my Mom gifted me a lovely picnic basket with one of your folk art styled images on the lid. It is the one with a striped light house and sailboat on it. I have loved it over the years, it goes with our family on all our outings to the park. Would you believe, I even have the set of matching dishes and cups too? Though, some of the cups have cracked and some of the plates were used to make some resin art jewelry on. We still use, what we have left of them, when we eat out on the deck.

Anyway, I am babbling. I am writing this post today as an apology of sorts. From one artist to another, I am sure you can understand that not all people like the same thing. And while I can appreciate your unique New England style... light houses and sailboats, they just aren't "me". The other day, I decided to change up your picnic basket lid.



At first, I tried just peeling the paper image off, but props to your manufacturer, Mr. Kimble... it was really stuck down! I tried wallpaper remover, and a scraper, but finally, just had to pick and pick and pick at it with my nails. And then I sanded it and put down a layer of primer. The project ended up becoming so messy that I couldn't keep working at my small kitchen table, I had to set to work in my studio floor.



But what to do with that fresh, blank slate of a lid? I knew it needed some blue, it is my favorite color these days. And although I liked the rustic denim blue that you used in your seascape, I am more of a teal-blue gal myself. Mixed with a little cream and some seafoam green too. All blended together... *sigh*... is it such a wonderful color.





I doubt that you are familiar with my work, but I have been know to paint a project or two from time to time. And I love black and white stripes/checker boards. Hmmm, I wonder if that might be why my Mom bought me your picnic basket in the first place? The light house what striped! Surely, that must be why. Checkerboards are just plain fun, don't you think? They make me think of mid century kitchen floors and poodle skirts... and oddly, at the same time, I think of imaginary places too. Like... Alice In Wonderland.

I love the poem in Alice In Wonderland (the one with real people that aired on TV a while back with all those well known actors in it that I can't name at the moment... you know the one) where Jack is on trial for stealing the Queen's tarts.

It goes a little something like:

The Queen Of Hearts, she made some tarts, all on a summer's day...
The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts, and ate them right away...

As I finished up the edging on my basket, I knew I needed one of those lines on this lid.





So, no hard feelings right? It really was a nice basket before, but now... NOW.. it ROCKS! And it is so "me".

Sincerely,
Kerry