« January 2010 | Main | March 2010 »
While the dust was still settling after a whirlwind of spring cleaning yesterday, I walked outside to soak up a little sunshine and fresh air, and was surprised to find something wonderful had happened. Look!
A perfect little bunch was gathered up.
So pretty.
Perfect for illuminating a dark corner.
No matter how you look at it.
| |
Welcome to the last week of February. I can't believe how quickly it's flying by, can you? Spring is on its way for sure and I'm keeping an eye out for it like a long-lost friend. A dear old friend that has been away far too long. In the meantime, some serious spring cleaning has begun. These past sunny days have illuminated the charming "corners of my home" in unexpected and frightening ways. Time to find my feather duster and a sandblaster and start whipping this place back into shape. (The miniature country cottage is shaping up nicely too.)
| |
I am still enjoying my Valentine's Day bouquet, and yesterday the lily bloomed! I'm sharing it mostly for those who are snowed in and still digging out--a little breath of spring to revive you. A few people asked me if the daffodils (on the last post), were photos from last year. Amazingly they are not. I keep checking every morning to see if they've bloomed, but nothing to report yet.
Inside, we are setting things up for the next doll house project. (Coffee first.)
| |
I hope every body had a thrilling Valentine's Day. We always decide that we are not going to make a big fuss and then change our minds at the very last possible moment. Thus, the kitchen scene yesterday morning as Grace suddenly had a surge of cupcake inspiration. All good and most appreciated, however!
Nothing wrong with homemade chocolate cake and organic candy bars for breakfast now is there? I'm kidding of course. We actually waited a respectable moment or two after breakfast to sample them. The cyclamen and African violets are for the girl's bathroom. There's a huge skylight that showers down the most wonderful light. (I'd try growing tomatoes in there if I could get away with it.)
Also. . . pretty flowers in an array of colors from the Mister that filled my heart and sent my mind wandering to Spring.
It feels a long way off sometimes, but I know it's coming. Any day now.
| |
Maybe some will remember this darling book and so many others that followed over the years, the absolute epitome of gentle wisdom and caring. I remember clinging to these books as I was growing up, how they gave me hope and inspiration and pulled me through the tough times.
This is one I still have, published in 1960, and so sweetly written and wonderfully illustrated by Joan Walsh Anglund. I am happy to know that many of her books are still in print and available. I'm always scouting for them on my thrifting expeditions too. They still inspire me. And with Valentine's Day falling on Sunday, it seemed fitting to share a bit of this one:
" Love is a special way of feeling...It is the safe way we feel when we sit on our mother's lap with arms around us tight and close. It is the good way we feel when we talk to someone and they want to listen and don't tell us to go away and be quiet. It is the way we feel when we save a bird that has been hurt...or feed a lost cat...or calm a frightened colt.
Love is found in unexpected places . . . it is there in the quiet moment when we first discover a beautiful thing...when we watch a bird soar high against a pale blue sky . . .
when we see a flower that no one else has noticed . . .
. . . when we find a place that shelters us and is all our very own.
Love starts in little ways...It may begin the day we first share our thoughts with someone else...or help someone who needs us. Or, sometimes, it begins because, even without words, we understand how someone feels. Love comes quietly, but you know it is there, because suddenly...you are not alone any more...and there is no sadness inside of you. Love is a happy feeling that stays inside your heart for the rest of your life."
Happy Valentine's Day!
(And...THANK YOU...Joan Walsh Anglund.)
| |
And. . . .the mini Gazebo story continues! And. . . .Thank You for all the sweet comments about our little 'garden party reception' display. (Those pictures did not show up on the screen as nice as I'd like them, they are very grainy-looking to my eye.) But anyway, you'll never guess what happened. Yesterday, just seconds after I hit the 'publish' button for that last post, the Fed-Ex truck pulled into my driveway and delivered a rather large heavy box. A box, as it turns out, and as you can see, containing my consolation gift from HBS. I was expecting a small token of some kind for participating in the contest, but this is what they sent me. It's the Country Cottage kit and a 2010 contest entry form! Needless to say, there was a vast amount of high-pitched squealing and jumping and clapping between the girls and I. Now, I know I told you I was tempted. But now what excuse do I have? Oh dear, I'm afraid I am not going to get much work done. We've already started kicking a few ideas around and our excitement is growing. I think I will have to put it off for a bit longer though, while I finish up the new book, which is coming along in its own lovely fashion. First things first, as they say. Because, SPRING is right around the corner. I'm already seeing small glimpses of it now and then, and that alone is bound to bring with it another glorious array of distractions. So, nose to the grindstone while I still can.
| |
Here it is, as promised, one of the little projects we started last summer.
I must admit, this all came about rather impulsively as I perused the HBS miniatures website and noticed they were hosting a contest featuring a simple Gazebo. All that was required in terms of crafting and decor, was that their Gazebo be used. I thought it might be fun and the construction was simple, so for $19.99 I bought one, glued it together, and then spent several months staring at it. There really wasn't a lot of extra time to devote to it, but one thing I knew for sure though, was that it had to have a little cake somewhere on the premises! And Grace fashioned a beautiful one as you can see.
The idea for a "garden party wedding reception" came to me, oddly enough, after I found a string of silver bead garland at a thrift shop for 25c. After I cut and hot-glued it in sections to the rafters, creating the illusion of lights, the rest just sort of fell into place. A silk curtain made a soft backdrop, and I just filled in around those two main elements.
Grace meticulously made the climbing roses with tissue paper and wire. The "white-work" tablecloth was fashioned from an antique hankie. Oh how I hated to cut it up, but as you can see it is very effective--but then after I made it, I wished I'd made it floor-length. But, oh well. The topiaries are Styrofoam balls rolled in crushed oregano and stuck together with toothpicks and glued into pre-fab flower pots. Sarah did most of the foundational painting and helped wrap tiny presents.
The dishes, candlestick, cake server, and other accessories were purchased from HBS. All in all, a fun mini group project. However, we were completely out of our league as you can see by the contest winners and the honorable mentions. I am just really so amazed with the level of crafting that went on there. Click on each of the images to see all the fabulous little details. The new contest has already begun and features a sweet country cottage. Find out more about it here, if you dare. I must say, I'm mighty tempted!
| |
Now that Grace is busy with college courses and other pursuits, I was afraid the doll house bakery, and Le Petite Patisserie--which for a time on the blog seemed the center of our crafting universe, had all but been forgotten. But, now it would appear that there's another apprentice baker waiting in the doll house wings. Miss Sarah (12) made this darling charm bracelet for her cousin, and another for a friend's birthday last month. I was stunned by how cute they turned out! No word however, whether more of these will show up in the shop though, which as been empty for awhile. Will keep ya posted for any new developments on that front. However, it hasn't all been dull as dishwater around here...as Grace and I did collaborate on a much bigger miniatures project a few months back. And that I will share next time. Toodles!
| |
Yes, so the French cooking continues here and that means lots of GARLIC. I love garlic, but peeling it is such a chore sometimes, which is why I am SO excited about this garlic peeler.
Maybe some of you have already discovered this little gem, but it was new to me and I'm still reeling over how ingenious it is. You just roll a clove of garlic inside this rubber tube a few times, and it removes the skin completely---in about three seconds. That's right. It completely peels the clove in seconds. The first time I did this, I actually jumped back and gasped! I couldn't believe it. It worked so well, that I decided to peel two whole heads of garlic while I was at it for convenience sake. My hand was tired after all that rolling, but I had weeks worth of garlic ready and waiting, which I stored in this covered glass dish inside the fridge. So worth it in the end; as a huge time saver. You do need to rinse the skins out of the plastic tube every so often otherwise it loses its friction power, but other than that, I couldn't find anything wrong with it. Oh, and it comes in a cute little case for storing too. Found it on-line here.
And thanks everybody for the cookbook suggestions, I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for them. (no pun intended!)
| |
