newsworthy: Romantic Homes

I am so pleased to share that my blog has been featured on RomanticHomes.com. Visit the site here to see the gallery series titled "Blogging the Romantic Life".

Storage Worth Stealing: Packaging/Wrapping Station

I am a big fan of stations in my art studio. All my needed supplies and tools for a task are organized together. Because I love pretty things that make me smile to look at them, I try to surround myself with beautiful things.

I use this station for packaging all of my orders. It could easily double as a mini and portable gift wrapping station. I store scissors in an antique flower frog...twine in a vintage sugar dispenser...a metal tin holds business cards...note cards, tags and labels for wrapping the parcels are stored in vintage glass jars.

I use two antique textile spools to hold a roll of brown paper. These rest on the edges of a vintage wire file bin. Portable and so pretty!

Halloween: vintage circus tag cards

I LOVE to use what I have lying around the house....I LOVE feeling like I have purged bits of things that I couldn't part with. I have been on a mission lately to make this happen....little by little.

...so I had most of the supplies lying around..........grabbed a few paint chips from my local store, and a few basic tools and here is what happened.

...SUPER SWEET VINTAGE CARNIVAL HALLOWEEN TAG CARDS.

Gathering supplies:

Here's the how-to:

And you have it! Halloween Tag Cards to share.

New Art Journal {SNEAK PEEK}

I have a supply of lovelies out as I am fashioning a new Art Journal for my Etsy shop. Stay tuned for updates!

storage worth stealing: studio drawers

This is a new piece of storage for my studio - a small metal drawer unit - a recent gift from a friend I don't get to see very often. She saw it and instantly thought of me and my space. How sweet. I love it.

The piece I was using, while I loved it, was tall and wide and didn't leave me much room for sewing. I need to have my basic supplies near me as I use them daily.  This drawer unit was perfect for close by storage.

 I love the tiny tart tins on top. i use them for storing the extra feet for my machine making switching them easy.  String. Need. Love. Use. DAILY. The tiny burlap "wastebasket" was a happy find on a trip to Utah with friends. I use it to catch all my threads and tidbits as I create at my sewing station.

PERFECT!

{Obstacle in the Road}

I know that there are times in every artist's creative life when they encounter an unexpected OBSTACLE. When it seems that the way is blocked by unmovable objects. It happens to everyone. Nonethless, when it happens to you, it seems you are the only one - EVER.

I hit that obstacle recently. One that made me sit back and re-evaluate. I asked myself questions that start with "Why..." and "What if...".  Part of my struggle is that I live in THE STICKS. It can be very isolating.  My dearest friends, support system and COMMUNITY live far from me. I was stuck and I was alone. Of course, there are phones and texts but I LONGED for eye to eye, heart to heart, soul to soul contact with my peeps that know me and love me.  I needed advice, lifting up and brushing off.

Today, I traveled down the long road and met up with my dear friends who I can count on and whom can count on me. We laughed, we planned and we found solutions to what seemed insurmountable OBSTACLES. I drove back down my road uplifted and re-inspired.

I do this because I love it and my art/my craft fills my life with joy. I love sharing it with you. So, join me as I RECONNECT with the very essence of what brings me delight.

It is going to be a WONDER-FILLED journey!

{friday fill-in's}

And...here we go!

1. You don't have to be afraid to move forward - just BRAVE.
2. But it's the ALWAYS the little things that count.
3. Basically, I am feeling yucky and uncreative this week .
4. How I interpret God's choices for my life have changed a great deal over the past two years.
5. In this way, I can GROW and live a richer life.
6. I believe that this is going to be a big year for change.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sitting with my little girl and embroidering together, tomorrow my plans include trying to motivate myself to get in the studio and Sunday, I want to go to church and create something - ANYTHING!

remnants to ruffles: sweetest ruffles yet

{  I   A M   L O V I N G   T H E S E   N E W   R U F F L E S...  }

...THEY MIGHT JUST BE MY FAVORITE SCRAPS SO FAR THIS YEAR!

Deeper colors for the impending fall season, but still some brightness to them. I love the chevron patterns and big floral prints - a throw back to some of my favorite home decor fabrics from the past. I put a new spin on my signature floral brooch too. I love the new mix of solid and hand dyed silkies. Even my leaves have "sprouted" and become ruffled themselves. A trick that only sewing on wool can produce!

I wonder how anyone could ever tire of ruffles and rosettes?

I love her.

So - do you love her?

old quilts new life: day planner

{  I   L O V E   M Y   N E W   P L A N N E R   C O V E R ...  }

and planning has never been so pretty.

... ALMOST AS MUCH AS I LOVE PLANNING !

Every year I look forward to the day when the upcoming new year's planner will be released on the store shelves. I love planning. I love lists, notes, and agendas. All sizes. All shapes. But the past few years I have noticed that I have been purchasing a planner that is smaller than years' past. I like the size that I can toss into my backpack or totebag or purse easily. I think it might be 8" x 5" or something close to that. Big enough I can SEE what I am writing in it but small enough it fits in my bag.

And you wanna know the best part? It is refillable - like these.

Every year I can just pop out the old one and place the new one in it's place.

N O  W   H O W   I S   T H A T   F O R   P L A N N I N G ?

{friday fill-in's}

1. Seeing is definitely believing...and a gift!
2. It's never too late to chase your dream.
3. According to the weather we are in for more rain.
4. As we start a new school year we realize how quickly times flies.
5. I associate positive attitude with happiness.
6. Long ago people lived their craft.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some artsy time with my retreat friends, tomorrow my plans include photos at the beach and Sunday, I want to spend time with visiting relatives!