A little inspiration for you ~

Back-in-the-day I used to buy TONS of magazines.

But I was very selective.

I had to be able to flip through the magazine very quickly and

have my breath taken away several times and I would KNOW

right then and there,

it had to come home with me!

Then as the magazine grew older,

I would eventually thumb through it with an exact-o knife

slicing out the pages that inspired me.

These pages would then be slipped into page protectors

that were placed into notebooks.

These notebooks were SWOON worthy to me!

I still have them too :)

I've scanned a few of my favorites over the years

and shared them here on my blog but

they never, ever fail to please me.

With blogs, Pinterest and other internet inspiration

it's getting harder to be impressed by magazines

but it is still wonderful to come across one that

you just can't leave behind.

To inspire you this Thursday:

(with a few prints and images sprinkled in too!)

I love the cabinet of curiosities feel of the shelf display.

Look at the slip cover on the dark chair and

the ballet shoe inspired leg ties!

Love it all...

Rustic but beautiful bird feeder ~

Ah...the shelf displays ~

I love that the statuary seems to be holding her flowers ~

A simple but elegant window treatment.

After working in a drapery room for a while,

do you know how easy it is to create these?

You simply measure from the outside left hemmed edge about six inches

(this measurement may need to be adjusted, play with the fabric and

the size of the window to really see what you like)

and sew on small plastic rings to the back, starting at the bottom and

working your way up about every four inches or so

up to the rod pocket (or just half way up is really enough).

Do this for the right side as well. Then just feed

some thin twine through the rings up
to where you want the curtain to hang,
usually just 3 - 5 rings is sufficient.

Do this for the other side as well and voila!

You have a gorgeous window treatment!

I love the double layer of curtains here...

Look at how these curtains drape so beautifully ~

A pie safe for your towels and toiletries...

Carol Hicks Bolton ~

Just beautiful to me ~

From the set of the movie 'Practical Magic' ~
that house is why I love watching that movie!

More Carol Hicks Bolton:

Just a little something to make you smile today!!!

Wishing you a wonderful Thursday sweet friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

On my work table ~

As I mentioned yesterday,

I have an order for ten lavender sachets

and of course I always want to make a few extra,

so I cut out FORTY!!!

Why? I don't know...I guess because I am a freak!

I do want to be able to add some to

my Etsy shop too though.

But I do love working on these...

I get to pull out all of my lace collection and look for

just the right pieces to put together.

Each one takes a considerable about of time,

thought and planning...

then there's the sewing on of all the chosen elements,

then the filling of each sachet with fragrant lavender buds.

It has been easier looking for lace this time as most all of it has been

organized on cards and old photographs.

What in the world am I going to do when I've used all

of this wonderful old wedding dress??!!

After the lace selection,

the sewing on of the lace,

the filling with lavender,

the sewing closed of the pouches

 comes seam binding bows...and beautiful buttons

all hand sewn on ~

These sachets truly are a gathering of goodies!

It's always good to be working on something pretty.

Have a happy Wednesday sweet friends!

hugs and love,

Dawn

My precious friends...

I can't tell you how many dear friends

I've made along the way

with this wonderful blogging journey!

It will be seven years this coming February and I have met so many

amazing friends along the way ~

Some have even been my friends since the very beginning!

I feel as though Dorthe of Den Lille Lade is one of those friends.

We have followed each other for such a long time....

cheered one another on and are such kindred spirits in

what we love with our taste in art and most everything.

I recently received a beautiful package from Dorthe,

who lives in Denmark, by the way, right on the Baltic Sea coastline ~

she sent me several treasures and I knew you would love to see them!

So much gorgeousness!!!!

Wonderful driftwood fragments that she gathers on the Baltic Sea coastline...

A gorgeous heart fabric collage! I love all of the elements Dorthe adds...

So much thought goes into her artwork ~

Even a lone tag is an amazing work of art!!!

I love it so much...

And Dorthe even created the leaf stamp herself!

Beautiful old treasures...photographs, ledger papers

written in a language I do not understand but love!

And these beautiful old wooden tools ~

Can YOU tell me what they were used for?

Maybe tatting?

I just had to share such wonderful mail with you ~

Because I know you love what I love!!!

I hope you had a relaxing Labor Day weekend, we certainly did!

I did cut out fabric for about FORTY lavender sachets

as I have an order for ten.

And I always over-do it so....

and I also worked on several egg soap orders ~

but I know you're sick of seeing pics of egg soap!!!

Wishing you a beautiful Tuesday dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn