The Art Of Life

The art of life consists in taking each event which befalls us with a contented mind, confident of good. This makes us grow younger as we grow older, for youth and joy come from the soul to the body more than from the body to the soul. With this method and art and temper of life,we live, though we may be dying. We rejoice always, though in the midst of sorrows, and possess all things, though destitute of everything.   James Freeman Clarke

Hope

For those who can see, the worlds beauty outweighs it's burdens, it's grace is greater than it's grime!

Kitchen oven

Chocolate, banana, cranberry, muffins. My first baking attempt in the new kitchen.

New kitchen is almost done!!!

The back splash comes tomorrow. Looks great so far.

Cabinet installation

The cabinets are ready to be installed. So grateful for this blessing. We will have our kitchen back soon.

Fascinator,,, the first attempt

This is my first attempt at making fascinator hats. They are such a kick to make, pretty much anything goes!!! Kate  Middleton, here's to you.

A Eventful Day ...

Last Saturday was an exciting day!!

My sister and I have been talking about "cold calling" on some boutiques in the Laguna Beach area.

We set out with 3 bags full of my creative, handbag designs, and hoped for the best.

Close to Laurie's house in Laguna Niguel is a delightful store called "Unique Accents"

where we met Azi. She will take items on consignment as it gets closer to Christmas, but on July 19th from 5-8 PM she is having an open house event where she will set up a display of my Essential Luxuries, and serve wine and appetizers.

I couldn't say "yes, well, OK" fast enough. OMG

Then it was off to Laguna Beach where we found the store Duet Laguna.All merchandise is designed by artists from Laguna Beach, the US and Europe. The owner was very nice and right now his store is brimming with a number of purses, so he suggested I check back in September....but he told us to walk down the street

to "Just Looking" boutique. It was there we met Heshmet, and after showing her all the purses, she chose 3, to place on consignment in her lovely store that carries very expensive and unique designs....I'd say my handbags will fit in just fine!!!

Carpet Bag Blues....sold

The Carpet Bag Blues sold this month at Truely Tattered in old town Tustin. Some lucky gal is wearing some vintage "arm candy"....this handbag has denim, mixed with a true carpet bag velour material and shades of blue pearls,circa 1960, placed on top of cotton crochet lace.

It all started with a BRA...

I purchased a new one, and the bag that the salesgirl gave me holding my new purchase

was

WAY TOO UNIQUE.

It looked like different adds from old magazines

all Maidenform bras

all rather risque

all vintage styles.

I came home and cut up the bag thinking

this would make the cutest

tote-handbag.

The glare in the photo is due to the plastic

I used over the original plastic bag, itself.

I also used real BRA straps on the handles

and it can be closed at the top with the back of the bra fastener!!

Tea Towels from the Past

I found these lovely tea towels at a great, little shop in Lake Elsinore, called Mora's Antiques.

I just can't pass up anything embroidered  that's this cute.

 Does anyone still IRON on a weekly basis, like our grandmothers did???

The little kittens on the towels are so sweet.

The "Wall Street" Handbag

This handbag was purchased by Patti, who owns the wonderful store called Truely Tattered, in Old Town Tustin. I'm fortunate to have some of my purses on display among the great "vintage" treasures, that abound in this small, but quaint shop.

The purse was made from three different mens suits, and some embossed vintage fabric. Large buttons accent the front and back,

I also used the  pockets which were on the suit, as handy outside pockets for keys, or whatever.

The back has another "different" suit pocket

making this a fun

and functional

handbag!!!

I'VE BEEN PUBLISHED !!!!!

Wow...here it is,the cover of the latest Haute Handbags magazine...

and inside among many cute and stylish purses, is my

backpack....the one I called A Passion for Crochet.

I feel honored to be chosen and included in this fabulous

magazine.  The feeling of flipping thru the pages and

seeing my name in print and pictures of my design was

truely amazing.

Now, it's back to the sewing machine and more creative

designs.....

MY RUG SOLUTION...

This project started as a solution to my cotton, braided rugs that seem to get dirty...imagine that...

The dry cleaning is too expensive.

I did wash the rug ONCE in my washing machine

and had to "babysit" the load to keep the machine from

getting "off balance"...NO FUN!!!!

I thought I could eleminate the rug

but bare feet on cold tile is not something I enjoy.

So why not make a "slip cover" of sorts for the rug.

It could be taken off and washed when dirty

and popped back on..simple.

I rummaged thru my fabric stash and found a piece of material I had used for the bathroom valance...PERFECT!!!

Just enough....I love it when that happens...

is it fate?

 I take this as a sign and continue looking for something to put on the back.

This would make the rug reversible...buying me more time between washings.

Am I lazy?

No...just would rather be doing something creative rather than

laundry

ANY DAY!!!

After some pining, sewing, and stuffing of the rug into the slipcover...here it is!!

The front (or right side of the rug)

And the reverse (or back side of the rug)

Whew....mission accomplished!!!

My washing machine is happy...

My feet are happy (and warm)...

I have saved money...

And my cotton, braided rug doesn't have to spend time in the closet...or the misfortune of being donated to the thrift store.

One of my favorite sayings...

Necessity is the MOTHER of INVENTION!!

God knows when...

God knows just when to withhold from us any visible sign of encouragement, and when to grant us such a sign. How good of us to trust Him anyway!....would you believe I read this in my devotions this morning.

And today in the snail mail, I received a letter of NON-ACCEPTANCE to the Glitterest application, that I had submitted for the upcoming show in March.This show is where I thought I could sell some of my handbags. I was surprised and dissappointed, but went back and re-read the quote that was meant for me.  So what does one do now, but wait and hope that another door will open, after "this one" was shut.

I haven't posted on my blog lately, and when I fianlly do, you get to read about my dissappointment!

Perhaps I should have written something fun, and exciting...

but sometimes the events in life just

BITE.

What else can I say?

Life goes on, and we trust that the One " who knows the number of hairs

on our head"

also knows what is BEST for us!

JUST THINK A MINUTE...

Just think a minute about what takes place on and around the kitchen or dining room table. It's where all our family dramas, major and minor, tend to unfold. It's where we prop our elbows and talk, or sit up straight and dine. It's where we sort through the mail, dash off a note, make a to-do list, or chat on the phone with a friend. It's where the day begins and often ends, and where all that occurs in between gets discussed and revisited.

This is the intro to a book that I just finished reading. It is the most delightful book I have seen in ages, full of recipes, stories about how table linens have influenced women,  how to care for the linens, design with them and just plain "enjoy" them.

I have always been drawn to vintage towels, tableclothes, napkins, just about anything that looks like my "grandma" might have made or stitched it.

If your looking for an  "eye candy" book with lots of nostalgia, you must get this little gem.

  Let me know what you think after  a "good read"...enjoy!!!

http://www.apronmemories.com/...

GARDEN OF ELSINORE...

My garden is a  special place, filled with all sorts of "whimsical yard art" and of course lots of plants. I love stepping stones, and picked these up at the Vintage Marketplace, from Sandra's booth, Under the Sun With Me.



This gal will greet you as you enter my garden area, she gets all her clothes from the local thrift stores, or the Salvation Army, which she prefers...her shoes are from Holland, actual wooden clogs. She has her pitch fork and is ready to do some weeding.



 There are some seedlings ready for planting, which my sister gave me. And the little chair and stepping stone are part of the "whimsy" I was talking about!!

This area is inside my patio area, by the front door, the stone is another one from Sandra. Having a "thing" for little chairs, this garden patch holds part of the "collection"... did I mention shells are another one of my weaknesses?

I painted this gate a number of years ago, it leads into the back yard, and makes me smile and "check" my heart every time I walk thru it. How is your heart today?

Oh, for the love of wicker, and a quiet place to sit and listen to the birds and all God's creatures that seem to find their way into my yard.

Sam would love some "pets" if you would be so kind. I still have the Christmas plants out, better get them put away until next year.

This is the backside to that gate, and I stole one of Mary Englebreit's favorite sayings....BLOOM WHERE YOUR PLANTED... what a great thought to keep in our minds... we can shine no matter where we are in life. Well, I hope you have enjoyed the "tour"... I need to get back to pulling some weeds and planting those seedlings.
One is nearer God's heart
in a garden
than anywhere else on earth.

One of my favorite shops in Old Town, Temecula

NO, THIS IS NOT THE SHOP,HAHA.  JUST ONE OF THE QUAINT, OLD BUILDINGS YOU WILL FIND IN OLD TOWN



INSIDE ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOPS, ROOSTER CREEK, YOU WILL FIND LOTS OF GOODIES...LOVE THE CHICKENS!!




SOME OLD QUILTS ARE HIDING UP IN THE CUBBOARD




I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE COLORS RED, BLACK AND WHITE...THE BLACK CABINET IS WONDERFUL!!




THIS OLD TIME FIGURE FORM, IS DRESSED FOR VALENTINES DAY




THIS SIGHT GREETS YOU AS YOU WALK INTO THE STORE, THE WHITE FRAME IS A KEEPER!



THERE ARE MANY SHOPS FILLED WITH UNIQUE ITEMS AND LOTS OF ANTIQUES. TAKE THE WHOLE DAY AND ENJOY OLD TOWN, TEMECULA.

It"s time to get in the clean-up mode.

It's time to start the clean-up process... the Christmas projects are done for another year, and the dust has settled, so it's time. I may run across that catalog I lost, and get some fresh ideas, as everything gets put away. Do you have any secrets for organizing or storing "stuff" that you would like to share???

IS IT THE CHRISTMAS BLUES.....

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel so full of emptiness, no that's not quite right...deflated? Maybe that's it, I can't put my finger on it...it's been a month of preparation and thoughts about Christmas gifts...Christmas music...Christmas crafts...Christmas baking....and then "THE DAY" comes and flies by so quickly, and then it's OVER!!

There is no more hustle, bustle, no more anticipation, or excitement about seeing loved ones, or opening something special that's under the brightly, shining tree. Or what- ever else, you may have been wondering and dreaming about in regards to

Christmas day.

So as I wonder if I'm losing it, I think back to past years, and there seems to be that same familiar feeling, these thoughts have been "here" before.

And I realize it's OK, and tomorrow is a "NEW DAY" and it will all be better.

It has been a wonderful Christmas Season, and even with a wandering mind, I wouldn't change it for anything.

Thats' a good thing...

Merry Christmas to All

Well, it's only 3 more days until Christmas, and I have been listening to my Christmas CD's, I absolutely LOVE Christmas music. I will sure miss it, when the season is over. Tomorrow my daughter and I are meeting my sister and niece at the Irvine Spectrum, and I discovered I had need of a black, stylish, cross-body style handbag, and my "purse shelves" held no such item, can't imagine that, really, I thought I had every type of handbag....so I went into my studio and ended up with Black Magic. It will be just fine, and can you believe it, my wallet, and keys fit!!