Skip to main content

Literary Captivation

So for Christmas DH got me this beautiful painting of a girl reading under a tree. Isn't it pretty?
"Literary Captivation"
I originally came across it in Trish's post on Bookish Gifts over at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? and loved it. I clicked on over to the Hilaria Galleries shop on Etsy and drooled over her lovely work. Trish had posted the print of the left panel but, when I browsed through the gallery, I realized it was actually one half of a two-panel painting. There were prints available of the left panel but not the right. However, the original painting itself (both panels) was for sell. I IMed DH and, being the devious man that he is, he oohed and ahhed over it with me, agreed how perfect it would look hanging in my library, and then proceeded to tell me (in a shocked IM voice) that it had just sold.
Sadness! Woe. It really would have looked so perfect hanging in my library...

This was all about a month before Christmas and I regretfully let it go and went on with my life. Then Christmas morning rolls around and what do I unwrap? You've got it. My very own two-panel painting. The little sneak. So thanks to Trish for the heads up, to Hillary Doggart-Greer for her beautiful painting, and to DH for being crafty and surprising me with the perfect gift. When my son saw it he smiled and said, "Mommy, that's you reading." So it was a universal hit. And wouldn't you know it--it looks perfect hanging in my library.

Comments

  1. I like that a lot, very pretty. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. i would have to agree. it does look lovely in your library. i'm a fan.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a sneaky husband you have! Beautiful concept though!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awww...way to go Aaron! I love it, and it's definitely perfect for you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love some of the cool things you can get on etsy. Sneaky, but then it was the best way to make it a surprise!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6:45 PM

    Awwww what an awesome guy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What an excellent trick, and what a beautiful painting. I love silhouettes. Gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's lovely! I'd love to see a picture of it hanging in your library.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks everyone! I'll try to get a pic of it in the room up soon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is lovely indeed.

    Talk about a man who doesn't let grass grow under his feet! That's some wonderfully quick thinking, indeed.


    Lucky woman you (and lucky man he :wink: )

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nice! Your DH rocks!

    And my nosiness took me to his site from your link--his photography is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG! I'm totally jealous! It's a freaking gorgeous painting! Lucky you. :D

    ReplyDelete
  13. Now that is a spouse who is a keeper. What a gorgeous painting!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. That is so beautiful! I love Etsy! They have great stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Azteclady, I know, right? I was impressed with his initiative. lol.

    Katy, you are sweet. He does rock. And I'm glad you enjoyed his photos!

    Trish, isn't it!? It's all thanks to your post!

    Jen, I agree. :)

    Isabelle, Etsy is amazing. I love prowling around and finding little gems like this one.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow! Thanks so much for your post about my painting :) It really warmed my heart to know that this piece went to someone who will love it as much as I did. It was a truly sincere work for me, as I'm an avid reader and under trees are some of my favorite places to indulge. What an awesomely thoughtful husband you have--and I would LOVE to see a pic of it in your library as well...

    Warmest,
    Hillary
    hilariagalleries.etsy.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow! So pretty! I want one! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I hope you do not mind, I used this picture in my blog today.

    ReplyDelete
  19. this post has excellent information.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The remarkable message

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

You Might Also Like

Interview with Diana Peterfreund + Rampant Giveaway!

Ever since I fell in love with Diana Peterfreund 's Secret Society Girl series last year, I've been hoping I'd get the chance to interview her here. Tomorrow marks the release of her new novel, Rampant , and let me tell you that you have not read a book like this before. You can read my review here , but all you really need to know is that it's a story about killer unicorns and the young women who hunt them. You want to read it now, don't you? Oh, yeah, and it's YA and the first in a series! To celebrate the release, Diana graciously answered a few of my most burning questions. As she is always a delight, I know you'll enjoy them as much as I did. First things first: When did the idea for Rampant first hit you and what (if anything) did you know right off the bat? In early 2005, just after selling Secret Society Girl , I had this dream of being chased by a very dangerous unicorn. I woke up and went to go look it up to see if I could figure out the meanin...

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

This book has made the rounds and no mistake. I started seeing early reviews awhile back and read a few delightful interviews with Leanna Renee Hieber and found myself intrigued to read her first novel-- The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker . I was, therefore, tickled to receive a copy for review from Ms. Hieber and quickly set about settling in. I knew it was a Gothic paranormal mystery of sorts, featuring (among other things) a group of loyal comrades, a private London academy, a bit of magic, an albino, and a swoon-worthy broody professor a la Richard Armitage in North & South . *moment of silence for the awesomeness of The Armitage* And that was the extent of my pre-reading knowledge. That and the fact that I loved the cover with its simple yet moody, midnight blue and its slightly off-kilter, scripty title. Miss Percy Parker is about to embark on an adventure, albeit a much larger one than she imagines. Leaving the convent--the only home she's ever known--a...

Bibliocrack Review | You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

If I'm being perfectly honest with myself, I've done a shamefully poor job of addressing my love for Cat Sebastian 's books around these parts. I've certainly noted each time her beautiful stories have appeared on my end-of-the-year best of lists, see:  The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes ,  basically every book in  The Cabots series , and of course  We Could Be So Good .  And the pull is, quite simply, this: nobody is as kind and gentle with their characters and with their hearts than Cat Sebastian. Nobody. I haven't always been one for the gentler stories, but I cannot overstate the absolute gift it is sinking into one of Sebastian's exquisitely crafted historicals knowing that I get to spend the next however many pages watching two idiots pine and deny that feelings exist and just  take care of each other  as they fall in love. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. Not this one or any other.  Only two things in the world people count b...