Cherubs & Seashells {a palette of white}

From our usual milky white snow-covered land to creamy white sandy beaches, the contrast of scenery was lovely and much needed, but all too short…as most vacations are. Although it is always nice to get home again too. Yet I’m still hanging on, grasping really…to those last bits of warm sunshine, remembering the feel of it on my face and the smell of salty sea air…the last glow of golden color faintly remaining on my skin…and the shimmering sun-drenched strands of blonde hair.

While warmer temps, sunny skies, and just the general laid back feeling one has of being on vacation is all wonderful…a highlight of these beach vacations for me is seeking out lovely seashells while strolling the beach, amidst shorebirds running swiftly in and out of foamy waves. It is such a peaceful and relaxing way to start the day. Mum & I also like to compare our finds to those in this shell book, a present I gave to her a couple years ago.

In addition to seashells, I have a fondness for vintage pedestal dishes (and most sweet white vessels really). Coming home I decided to combine the two to create an arrangement...a palette of white. I gathered together a few of the white vessels I’ve collected over time…and am using them to hold some of my most treasured seashells, also collected over time…to try to prolong that feeling of sun, sea, brightness…amidst the cold season of winter that will linger on and on here for quite a while still. And in addition to that, the sweet cherub dishes are perfect for ushering in Valentine’s day which is just around the bend.

I have some "seashell" craft ideas swirling 'round in my head that I can’t wait to try out and hopefully share the results with you!
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P.S. Also in the realm of "white" and lovey-dovey things…some new work on Etsy…here and here. :)

Back to Reality...

Reality being a 15 below temp this morning...driving hub to work again...sandy piles of laundry...stacks of mail and bills...much needed trips to the post office, grocery store, etc...

But before all that...a few vacation photos to share:

We spent half our time in Orlando at my in-law's lovely home situated on an orange orchard...so naturally we picked oranges and made fresh-squeezed OJ.

A fancy-shmancy dessert we shared (after our fancy-shmancy dinner).

An unplanned yet fun day seeing Disney for the 1st time.

Mickey & Minnie...topiary-style. My favorite ride.

In Epcot...a pretty pink tree.

We spent the other half of our vacation on the Gulf soaking up the sun, searching for seashells...and a little antiquing too.

Shorebirds.

Shorebird watchers with big big lenses.

The fishing pier.

Our last evening there...a perfect day, a perfect sunset.

P.S. While away, my humble little "love bird" cupcake toppers got a sweet mention over here. Merci!

I loathe...

…packing! But I love shoes. Hence the conundrum. Hub and I were in such a disagreement today over just how many shoes a girl really needs to pack for a trip. So I took some photos instead…to alleviate my packing stress.

I really can't complain though as I'm so looking forward to leaving behind this frozen tundra for a bit...yet not looking forward to the plane ride. Especially after seeing that plane in the Hudson River. Oh what a scary thing. Thankfully no serious injuries though!Have a happy weekend! :)

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P.S. Here are a few things I'm intrigued by, finding inspiring, and simply loving recently:

These terrariums...especially this red syrup one although sold already...have really been on my mind. I like how she styles her photographs too. They are just fun to look at.

This clutch...oh so sweet!

This sugar bowl candle...which I've long admired.

The sweetest pair of deer art print. LOVE at first sight!

This pretty floral fabric. (I'm still trying to inspire myself with regard to my sewing machine!)
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The Pink Bird Cage...

I fell in love with and just had to buy this pink bird cage last year, sometime back in May I think (remember?), and I'm ashamed a bit to admit that I have not put anything inside of it until just yesterday! But that is just completely me...I overthink things and try to figure out just the best thing to go inside it and all the while it sits (or hangs rather) looking so forlorn and empty!

I was frustrated by this fact the other day and had the idea to make a little collage of "love birds" to hang inside it...but I'm not too excited about how it turned out. I was more excited about the idea of it and now I'm really not thinking it looks all that great in there. So I'll just stick with it for the time being...until Feb 14th I guess.

So what do you put in a bird cage that is just for decor? If it were sitting someplace, I'd feel better about putting a pretty ivy plant in it as I had originally intended to do. But no way would I dare put one in there now with the little bench that sits below it. I can just imagine how many times Hub would stand up and bump into it with his head. I've thought about putting a votive in it. But I'd be reluctant to light it. I also had what I thought was a wonderful idea...but Hub didn't seem to share my same level of enthusiasm...I suggested we use it as a little place to leave each other love notes! Wouldn't that be the sweetest? To come up to our room and see a little note laying within pour moi! And no way would a real bird work inside of it! The bars are too far apart...not that I'd want to cage up a real bird anyhow. So my next idea I'm thinking will be to cut about 3 birds out of stiff pretty paper, in differing sizes and let them dangle within. I just want it to be something fun to look at, a little bit artsy...that's all really. So we'll see what happens next...let me know if you have any suggestions. Really important stuff going on here, huh? Well, my brain is a bit frozen as I've been tucked away today for most of the day working on a couple fun new projects I have in the hopper. Other than dropping Hub off at work and going to pick him up, I didn't leave the house at all. Which was not half bad considering the temperature was 23 below this morning (40 below with the windchill!)...hence why I played "chauffeur" this morning.

Given this frigid cold snap we're in, these mittens I'm knitting couldn't be more timely! I finally finished my first one last weekend. I'm a bit of a slow knitter...so at this rate I may have the 2nd one finished in time for next winter. In reality it didn't take me too long (considering I was learning and had to "undo" things a few times) and I think this pattern must be for very simple, beginner's mittens...which is perfect for me. I'm planning to bring along my knitting to do the other one whilst on holiday...oh vacation, please come quickly!

Sweet Things...

{some "sweet things" in no particular order...}

Lunched at the Tea Room yesterday...a sweet lunch spot that is so calming and girly...sipping on White Peony Tea from old, mismatched china.
Delivered more sculpture picks/cupcake toppers to this sweet shop...(have I mentioned how much I love packaging things sweetly?)
Went into a quilting shop with Mum to look at fabric...neither of us "quilt" but Mum loves fabric for other things like potholders and whatnot...and I think she was trying to get me excited about my new sewing machine. We both came out with some of this sweet fabric above. I don't know what I'll do with it yet but it sure is cute. Any ideas?

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P.S. I discovered today that my Woodland Sparkle Mushroom Ornaments were chosen to be part of the "Woodland & Feathers" gift guide on Etsy. It is such a neat gift guide to peruse too, chock full of feathery, woodlandish things. See it all right here. How sweet is that? :)

Pinks, Reds, & Grey In Between

{Some Snippets of Life Lately...}

An Impromptu Card-Making Session...Yes, can you believe it? The Christmas decorations have just barely been stowed away for another year and already I’m busy on Valentine-y things (for this lovely shop). It's so much fun though…I love the simplicity and sweetness of Valentine's Day (especially after the complex and drawn out Christmas season). I confined myself to a color scheme of rosy pinks and seafoam/aqua-ish blues. This made me feel less distracted as I pulled out all my artsy materials (velvet ribbon, paper posies, paper...) in just those 2 shades of colors and went to town spread out upon the entire kitchen table, not sidetracked by all my other fun things in various other shades.

Trying in vain to capture a video of the Northern Shrike impaling a vole under our birdfeeder. I witnessed the whole scene today firsthand…from him stalking his prey, to him catching it and poking it several times with his beak, to him flying away with his catch in his firm grip, and then coming back for more. It was so fascinating and he is quite a cute "hunter" bird with his pretty grey body and black eye mask. I wanted so much for Hub to be able to see this as well…as he’s been trying (in vain too) to catch the very plentiful, naughty voles (they destroy our grass making dead grass mazes that appear in the green of Spring) using mousetraps set up under our deck and has had no luck. That’s ONE for the Shrike, Hub…ZERO...so far! ;)
Looking forward with eager anticipation to our upcoming warm weather vacation...I bought a new swimsuit from Target yesterday for the occasion. It is red-ish with tiny white polka dots. What do you think? More than anything, I’m so looking forward to feeling warm, moist air. The dry air has to be one of my least favorite things about Winter time…staticky hair I try hard to tame and ultimately end up just throwing on a hat or pulling it back into a pony tail...dry, cracking hands...the electricity of sweaters as I pull them over my head...and oh are we going through the hand lotion like crazy! We should have big vats of it by every door and each sink. Our vacation can’t come soon enough for me now!

Nooks & Crannies {a few creative spaces}

Tiny dishes for containing,
Spools of ribbon upon a shelf are waiting.
Drawers full of paper, pens, and glue,
Cubbies bursting with materials both vintage and new.
A board above for pictures, notes, or inspiration,
These little spaces, a springboard for creative motivation.

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I thought I’d share a few of my little spots filled with art supplies and crafting materials. In addition to their function and necessity, just looking at these spaces can be inspiring, especially when it is a cute old dish or little teacup, for instance, helping to keep order. After the flurry of Christmas activity, I had to take some time recently to get things organized again in my little “studio”. With a clean desk, my mind feels de-cluttered too and ready for a new year of creating.

The grids that these tiny photos above are tucked into is actually a new* cutting mat, sitting crisply and cleanly upon my desk, just waiting to be cut upon…prompting me to pick up some paper and begin cutting. It’s been far too long and the ideas really are churning…but I almost can’t bear to start cutting on its perfect surface...yet. It looks too nice just sitting upon my desk, making everything look organized with its straight lines and calm colors.

(*Thanks Hub!)