Thank You, Sweet Friends.

Thank You! It doesn't seem to be enough, when I am thanking you. When I first started blogging, I had No Idea. No idea what you would mean to me. All of you.


No Idea that you would email me, share your hearts, your loves, joys and sorrows. No Idea how much I would love you.

Whether you visit this blog daily and leave without a trace, or leave a comment or two, or email me personally or send me a sweet gift, you are all so special to me, my blog friends. Merci....I appreciate you very much!

I will be on an extended buying trip for a week or so, and will be gone for that time from blogland. But I will be thinking of you.....and hopefully buying wonderful things for the shop. And taking some photos,for all of you, too! Au Revoir....mes amies.

More Glitter!

As promised, the last of the photos from GlitterFest! I am sorry about the quality, the lighting was so difficult to deal with at the venue, it was dark, but at the same time, bright light came in through the overhead windows. Never mind, I know you will all love the gorgeous creations. :)

These magical creations are by Sue Smith, of Fox and the Hare. She hand makes each piece, adding tinsel, crepe paper, Scraps etc. to each piece. Love these boxes....don't you?

Patriotic Ornaments to hang on your Feather Tree {or anywhere else!}

Wheee! What a fun ride that would be.

Gardening Mouse, made of cotton Batting. Sue has a way with tiny creatures that I love. You can reach her at FoxandHare@Cox.net for information. She does not have a blog yet, but I did my very very best to talk her into starting one.

Next, one of my very favorites. Lori Gutierrez is one of the most talented artists I know. She makes these to die for Crown and Tiara creations. They are absolutely perfect, her workmanship is beyond compare. So pretty! What's great is that she just started her blog. Go over and say hi! Put her in your favorites...I know you will love her, and her talent.

See? Just so beautiful.




Lori not only makes Crowns. She is a very very talented Painter.

I just love this name...Dollybelle Atelier. Everything is magical in Dollybelle's place.

Dolls and Jewels and Feathers and more

Christine Rose Elle is the real Doll behind the scenes. I am sure many of you know her. If you don't, visit her HERE

And then here is the real Dollybelle....Christine!

Next, dealer Stacey Steimle had a great array of things. She has spaces at Country Roads in Orange, and I think I never leave there without buying something from her.

I'm not sure if all this wonderful goodness is Stacey's or Cheryl's {visit Cheryl at Whimzy's Whimzies} I think she made the collages , as well as the hats.

I accidentally put Stacey's name on the photo, but the hats are Cheryl's. How cute is this one with the little porcelain doll?



Last, right before I headed out the door, I'm glad my friend Karen pointed out this display ~ it was so F U N! Susie Scott is not only a talented artist, she is so very nice. Love her work. She has a great sense of humor, and all her characters do, too!




There are plans in the making for a Fall Glitterfest. Can't wait.

Wishing all of you a happy relaxing Memorial Weekend.

xo moi

GlitterFest

Glitterfest! It was wonderful, magical, and all things inspiring. Starting out with the friendliest greeting "at the door" by these two sweet ladies, who gifted us with a little glass vial of g l i t t er* !

The very first person to greet me inside the "hall" with a big hug and her sunny smile was Christie Repasy.

Christie is an extraordinarily talented artist, her paintings are beloved by her fans from all over the world. She grew up in my home town, and is a California treasure. {she's beautiful too....both inside and out}

Her work is gorgeous!


The cutest ever Pink Chair, fit for a little Princess.

I wanted to go back and talk to her some more, but every time I circled around, there was a throng of people there, and no wonder, with exquisite pieces like the one below for sale.







Next stop, the magical world of Melissa Tereck. I first saw her work in Cambria, at BirdsofaFeather here . It was such a delight to meet her, and her creations are beyond cute!

This is Melissa, and one of her dolls she makes by hand, and paints. They are beyond adorable. You can see the one my friend Karen took home with her. so cute.

These girls are made with antique and vintage Hats and Bonnets, they are boxes. love. them.







Georgia Hecht and Kim Kosta of SaltwaterStudio always have the best stuff! I didn't get a chance to take many photos as their booth was so packed with people all the time.

The oh! so talented Wendy Humphreys makes the most gorgeous Jewelry. She had amazing pieces for sale.

Marrion Ballog, author of the book "Mini Boxes" had a great booth, filled with adorable things in boxes {no surprise there!} to give as gifts.









These two, many of you will recognize. They are the queens of Tiaras and Crowns, Kerri Judd and Danyel Montecinos. Both darlings. yep, they are.

Kerri's Paintings and Danyel's Crowns




Beautiful Tags in a variety of colors {glittered, of course}

Any one of these things would add beauty, fun and charm to your life, wouldn't they?

Kristy Pfannenstiel's booth was a total beauty spot, too. {okay, are you getting the idea that every single space at GlitterFest was wonderful? Yes!!}

Here she is next to her mannequin {wearing a killer antique wedding gown!} and some of her jewelry designs. {ps. Kristy...your business cards? Totally cute, and yes, totally worth all the time you spent on them. I put mine on my bulletin board}

See these dolls?? They are the hilarious creations of artist Christy Silacci . They really are so funny. She has such a way with her "children" that you will love. Go see some of her work. It will make you smile.

See?

I am ending this post with the Sock Monkeys by artist Terry Hale. They are in their "Spring" outfits. I still have another post or two to share from Glitterfest, since I still have 2x as many photos as the ones I've shown here. 'Till then! Hope you visit all the artists and enjoy their work.

I'm all glittered out for today. xo xo

Weekend

There aren't enough days in the weekend. ~Rod Schmidt In my case, I seem to be running out of days in the week! Which wouldn't be so bad, except I've been awfully absent in writing to you, sweet bloggers. I apologize. If only life wouldn't be so full, right now, I could do better.

Unfortunately, it's glorious weather outside. {read: once I'm done with work, I want to spend time out there in the garden, or taking a walk, or sitting on the deck with a glass of iced tea reading a good book}

I am going to GlitterFest tomorrow, and will try to take some great photos. Just for you. That will keep me from buying too much stuff. maybe. Hope you have a great weekend, and if you are in the area...stop by the Glittery Fun! {say hi, I will be hiding behind my camera trying to get a grip on my wallet}

XO

Weekly Favorite

I love antique embroidery, first, because it's so beautiful. Second, because I am pretty sure that I wouldn't have the patience to do it. Patience was a virtue for Victorian women...they made outstanding finely crafted pieces, many of which are still around today for all of us to admire, and decorate our homes with!

This is a beautiful example of Society Silk Embroidery, a wonderful Pillow Cover. This type of Embroidery was named for the Royal Society of Embroidery ~ they made both the Silk Embroidery Floss, and many of the popular patterns. Started in England, it is sometimes also called Art Embroidery, Art Silk Embroidery, Needlepainting, or Silk Work

Society Silk Embroidery was something wealthy women of the Victorian era loved to do, they had the time to complete the intricate projects, and also the money to buy the expensive Silk embroidery floss. It was really popular in America, and many of the American Embroidery Floss Companies such as Corticelli, Belding, and The New London Wash Silk Company all offered kits, embroidery floss and detailed instructions on how to care for these little works of art.

This is one of my all~time favorites, the American Flag with a Pink Rose, so finely done. You can clearly see the most characteristic stitch used in this type of embroidery, called the Kensington or long-and-short stitch, which allowed gradual color shading for extraordinarily wonderful realistic effects.

I love that the "rope" for the Flag was missed by this excellent needlewoman, so it's not perfect. {she was probably so anxious to put this on her settee that she figured no one would know! And I don't blame her, how long do you think this took to make??}

Although the blue of the Flag is faded a little, the rest {red, pink, greens etc. } are still as bright as the early 1900's. Smaller pieces of this type of embroidery are much more commonly found, such as doilies, and small runners. Once in a while, if you are lucky, you can still find beautiful smaller pieces for around $15-$50. Larger pieces like the Pillow Cover above, because of the size, rarity and condition, will go for around $185- $450 and up.

Shop Candy

Before deleting these from my computer, I thought you might want to see this candy. Shop Candy. Photos of things I love, and haven't been able to take off my photo program yet. All these photos were taken at Gilding the Lily in Fullerton. And since I asked not to get any real candy for Mother's Day {I am a fat Mommy} I will enjoy this kind of candy.

Things that I adore, get inspired by, and I'm sure many of you do, too. Like the prettiest petite Chandelier, above, from Lily's window. How cute would this be in my {your} bathroom, or over a comfy chair for reading?

This hatstand...she is divine. I love these, with the old, old composition Boudoir Heads on the top. It's a shame to cover her up with a hat, isn't it?

This old Net Lace Dress in the window, prettied up with Pink Ribbon and Pink Blossoms, ready to wear to graciously float onto the Veranda and drink a Mint Julep this weekend.

I hope you are not tired of these beautiful Millinery embelishments and ribbons, I never tire of them. Even when they are just a photograph, they still make my heart beat faster!

Lace? I don't have to say anything about that. I know you know.






sigh. One of the prettiest Hats I've seen in a long time. Pink. with Morning Glories all over, little Leaves, and even those cute tendrils. I would love to wear this on Mother's Day...if only I looked good in hats!

This Pink Chenille Trim is so beautiful, after opening the glass cabinet this was in, I really wanted to squeeze it...but was afraid I'd get in trouble, or worse, get it dirty.

The inside of Ms. Lily is so beautiful, I could live there. Look at the Pink Fabric in this case!!

Ribbons, lots and lots of Ribbons. I can't get over the colors.



And Girls. and Pearls.

This is one of the cutest Mannequins I've seen....with little legs. so sweet, and I think I need one to keep my other mannequins company at the office. really. they are lonely.




I probably need this, too!! How great is this, the perfect thing for the studio, and I'd never ever have to search for a ribbon color again. Great idea.

Close up of that Pink Fabric.

Mannequins dressed in White, wearing a lot of great Jewelry made and sold by Nancy at Gilding.

Little Violet~Purple and Lavender Vignette on Nancy's Desk. Everything looks better with ruffles, ribbon and dolls. I hope you all have a fabulous Mother's Day....if you are a Mom, have a Mom, want to be one, or have kitties and dog children. Happy Mother's Day!

Give Away

Kim, at The Twice Remembered Cottage, One Woman's Cottage Life, is hosting the 3rd Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway. Those who are participating in this event will each be holding their own blog's drawing on May 30th to give away their prize. {is that fun, or what?!}

My blog friend Brenda , her blog is Cozy Little House, is giving away a $100.00 gift certificate to FrenchGardenHouse.com. I hope you visit her, her house really is so cozy. Ask for a cup of coffee {you should see her coffee bar, she has three coffee makers!!} and sign up for the drawing.

Then visit all the other blogs that are part of the fun. :)

The party is over....

Baby Showers are the best kind of parties to give. Everyone is so excited about the baby, and the gifts couldn't be any cuter!

We were so lucky with the weather, it was sunny, but not too hot, so perfect. This little grass Bunny was on guard at the front gate to welcome Baby Aubrey Kate {still to be born}

Since we had over 44 guests, and the opening of gifts would take quite a long time, we kept the "hors d'oeuvres" extremely simple ~ so we could eat lunch pretty quickly after the guests arrived. My daughter makes this amazing White Bean Dip, and Pita Chips, we had that, some celery and carrots for those watching the carbs, and tiny little Pink Paper Cups filled with Mustard Pretzels {for those who are not} This was on a small table under our Rusty Chandelier on the patio. I will apologize now for not taking great photos, it suddenly got so very busy that I totally missed the opportunity and was too busy hugging and greeting. sorry.

Here's my Baby Banner I made with Scrap Booking Papers. It hung over the Candy Buffet, which was backed up to this window outside. I used my big huge pad of Scrapbook Paper everywhere, on the appetizer Table above, as a "runner".....

and as Placemats on every table. Each table had a white table cloth, the Scrap booking papers, and a vase from Ikea filled with Sugar, and big Lollipops in Pink & Green. We had seven tables, and each table had different bright colored paper. Since we were giving each table their own glass bowl of Chicken Mango Salad {and bottled Poppyseed Dressing} I had to keep the center of the tables pretty clear. Once the Salad was there, the tables were full! Our menu was very simple, the Salad, a Blueberry Muffin, and a cluster of Grapes, and one perfect Strawberry. We served Pink Lemonade with Lime slices, and Kiwi Strawberry Champagne Punch.



We set up a smallish Candy Buffet. Double stick tape is now my new best friend! I made the little Pink Labels for each kind of Candy, and used Green & Pink Gingham Ribbons to attach, and then the double stick tape. Worked like a charm, and now that it's all over, it came right off.



It was sunny, so we did place a black Umbrella right over the overhang on our patio, over the Candy Buffet, hence the shadows. I was lucky to snap this picture before the people started to arrive. {see the plastic is still over the Pink Bears, above} There were little waxed bags in the dish to the right, for holding the candies during the party. Towards the end, we had cellophane bigger bags and ribbons, so that everyone could make their own bags to take home.

Here are the Dots boxes my girl and I turned inside out, and covered with more Scrapbook paper. They looked great, and were inexpensive, too. Candy Buffets are kind of expensive, so I tried to save some money where I could, buying some at the 99cent store, and some online here and here . {The Strawberry Malt Balls were a huge hit, and those came from the 99cent store.} I was actually surprised at how much fun having a Candy Buffet was, and how much everyone {of all ages} enjoyed it! No wonder they are such a "trendy" thing right now.

For a sweet finale, these beautiful cupcakes made by my Megan looked so great on this stand. There was also a big tray, which she walked around with after the salad course was cleared. All in all, it couldn't have gone better. The baby gifts are so darn cute...and the mommy~to~be had a wonderful time.

Since some of you have asked for the Salad recipe this is what it is:

I bought big boxes of mixed Lettuce at Costco

and added:

• Mango Chunks {bought frozen at Trader Joe's and defrosted}
• Bbq'd Chicken marinated in Teriyaki Marinade overnight {thank you, Mr. FgH!}
• Poppy Seed Dressing in a Bottle.

That's it! Yummy, and a great, super easy way to feed a crowd for a luncheon. I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the evening. Maybe read a little. And try to stay away from that left over candy.....

Tara Frey, Blogging for Bliss!

I am taking time out from Shower Central {my kitchen table is covered in 46 cupcakes in various stages of frosting and sprinkles as we "speak!"} to share this exciting event with you. Our very own dazzling TARA FREY has written her first book, and it's available for pre order right now!

Here, and at Amazon. It will be in your local bookstores starting August 4th. How exciting is that??

A huge CONGRATULATIONS {insert party horns, streamers and yippees here~ champagne corks popping} to Tara. I am beyond thrilled for her.

photo of Tara at work! {courtesy of Tara Frey}

And also for us. Thrilled. This book is going to be a delight to read. Full of tips, tricks, advice, and i n s p i r a t i o n, too. And about a bazillion gorgeous photographs! Can't wait to buy a copy. Or a few to give around. :) Yippee. So very proud of Tara for going for her dream in a big way. Go and share in her excitement!

{in other exciting news, we have finally found the perfect line of Reproduction French Furniture! The below photos are a few peeks of what's to come in the middle of June at FrenchGardenHouse.}

All photos courtesy of furniture manufacturer.