Chloe and I went with my parents this morning on a spring wildflower walk. This is one of our favorite things to do this time of year. The woodland and marshy areas are full of spring surprises, like the yellow lady slipper (above). My mom and I love trying to identify the different wildflowers. Below you see bluebells, trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild violet, and marsh marigold. Enjoy a stroll through the spring woods of Minnesota... 
I guess I'm just going to have to go estate saleing this weekend to stock up on more supplies. The things I do for blogging:) hehe. Since you've all been so kind and supportive, I'm trying to brainstorm some ideas for offering more one-of-a-kind kits, supplies and art on a more regular basis. Stay tuned...
Is the weather as nice where you are as it is here? Gorgeous! It's like summer...75 and sunny.
Hope you're having a lovely day!
Well folks, my brain has been spinning ever since I started creating things for my etsy shop again. So many ideas, so little time. I'm having tons of fun finding inspiration everywhere...especially the local flower market! I'm getting so anxious to plant things in the ground, but here in Minnesota we must patiently wait until the threat of a frost is completely gone. FROST...yikes!! It's been warm and sunny, so people are starting to put their annuals in the ground. 
I've always loved what are termed "Cottage Gardens", lots of old-fashioned flowers with wonderfully pale colors and frilly petals. Inspired by the cottage look, I've come up with this fantastic peat pot full of goodies. Each pot contains 8 or 9 different styles of vintage wallpaper border. These are gorgeous and the colors can't be beat! I also included 4 rolls of vintage lace and ribbon, a bouquet of vintage lily of the valley and also forget-me-nots. I then topped it off with one of my handmade paper rosettes. 
Edit: Looks like all 5 of these were snatched up in an hour and a half. WOW...thank you! Looks like you're all into the gardening thing, so I'm off to make more goodies:)
The shop update is complete. Yay!! I'm excited about the goodies I created and hope to add to my shop more consistently. With the gorgeous weather we've been having, I wanted to create something fun and carefree. After oogling the article by Connie Govea Stuart in Somerset Life magazing....see this post, I just had to try making some vintage style paper dresses. I enjoyed making these so much that I couldn't stop. They are machine stitched all around except the neck and hem are left open. In the article Connie actually put a card or other sentiment inside the dress and used it as an envelope. You could put just about anything or it could stand alone. I added vintage flowers and jewelry and of course pom pom fringe on the bottom! They are so springy and cheery they just make me smile when I see them all hanging there together:)
I also have planting on my mind and came up with these adorable seed trays filled with vintage supplies. I did two with a purple (lilac) theme and one in blue (hydrangea). Love how these turned out. It was so fun to bring together all the vintage ribbon, flowers, fabrics and wallpaper I had in these palettes. The stickers say "From the Garden Of"...
I know it's way too early for canning, but I had a blast putting my strawberry inspired supplies into these adorable little canning jars. Things like ribbon, pom pom fringe, wallpaper and these fabulous fabric strawberry sticker embellishments from the new Martha line.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I thought I'd give you a little sneak peek of my shop update I plan to do on Monday morning. I haven't updated my etsy shop since Valentine's Day. Yikes!! I had a visit with my muse and came up with some fun goodies I think you'll enjoy. 
Also had some great finds at an estate sale today. These two butteryfly clasps, the tablecloth behind it and the wonderful throw below. Hmm...do I see a new color palette emerging as we head into summer?!
Of course it was!! I love that the focus of the magazine is on how extraordinary the everyday can be. It's about attending to the details; infusing every facet of our lives with beauty and meaning. I feel that that is what blogging has really done for me. I pay much more attention to the details. It has even made me a better homemaker (do people even use that word anymore?!!). I clean up much more than I used to. I pay attention to how I decorate and love to create little vignettes to photography to show you all here. It may sound strange, but I'm much more conscientious about making the world around me more beautiful and inspiring. I change the top of the dresser (below) that houses much of my art supplies every month or so. Since it sits in our dining room which is right smack dab in the center of our house, how it looks affects how I feel and how I look at the world. I love to showcase things that inspire me. I usually have artwork or other goodies that I have received from blogger friends all around my house. Here I have the piece from Pam that I purchased at ArtFest this year right in the middle. I look at this area a hundred times a day as we go about our routine. One could surely see what state of mind I'm in by looking at this space. 
"Bringing excitement and meaning to your days is as easy as looking at something with a new sense of wonder." ~Somerset Life
The magazine is filled with beauty and inspiration. Three creative blogs are featured Tongue in Cheek , Show and Tell and Heaven and Earth. A wonderful article and gorgeous pictures accompany each blog. Somerset is going to have a special Creative Blogging publication coming out this summer/fall. How do I know? Let's just say, I know... hehe.
Wow, what's a girl to do after a day like that!?! A heartfelt thank you for all of your thoughtfulness and hard work on the May Day swap. For your kind comments and for posting on your blogs the amazing baskets that were created. This swap was truly outstanding. What a creative group of folks you are!!! I hope the rest of May proves to be as fabulous as it began:)
At the grocery store today I picked up a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens publication 100 ideas flea market style. Pretty cute stuff. Worth a peruse.
For those of you asking if and when I'll be hosting another swap, I think I'm going to take a break for a bit and work on some new things for my etsy shop. I have some ideas brewing. I'm sure I'll have another in the not-to-distant future. You'll hear all about it here...
Have a great day!!
Now to share all of the extremely generous goodies I've received. The basket at the top of the post and filled with all the goodies shown here was by the wonderful Andrea Singarella. Her love of vintage truly shines with all of these amazing gifts that she found and many that she made. She actually soldered a charm and made a soldered pen with my name in it..I'm in awe! She said she was inspired by Sally Jean's book. Truly stunning. A heartfelt thank you to Andrea!
My next basket buddy was Dede Warren. Dede and I are so excited to meet each other at Silver Bella this year. Yes, I'll be going again and the amazing array of Prima Bellas looks extraordinary. Can't wait! Dede made this lovely canvas collage with a May Day theme and also exclosed a darling basket for myself and my daughter. I will surely add flowers to them today and hang them on our door. Thanks so much, Dede!
The next package that arrived was HUGE!! I had to take a picture of my 3.5 yr old son with it to show its enormous size. It came all the way from Beverly Hills...who could it be from?
None other than Mizz Suzi Finer. She packed this basket full of goodies! Wayyyy too many items to list, but it truly is a delightful basket. Very generous. Love all the velvet and silk ribbons. Yummy!
I think my favorite is the birdie on top and the gorgeous cards dangling that spell out May Day!!! Thanks a million, Suzi!
You are all so very kind. I also recevied some lovely "hostess" gifts. This wonderful basket (below) from Heidi at Birds of a Feather. I had seen these in her etsy shop before and just adore them. Thank you for the very sweet gift, Heidi!
My personal shopper Cerri over at Little Pink Studio sent a package of goodies almost to beautiful to open. Ok, she's not really my personal shopper, but I wish she was!! I love what she puts together for her etsy shop. Such great taste!! She pays attention to every little detail in her packaing too. Love it!
She sent me a bunch of goodies, including this darling little May Basket (above) with the birdie and filled with trims. You know I used the trim on this page within about 5 min. of receving it. Thank you!!
May Day Baskets posted across blogland:
Finished up creating my book, the cover and the first few pages for the new round robin I'm in. Then I'll be shipping it off tomorrow. Before it arrives home, four fabulous artists will be working in it. Can't wait to see how it all ends up.
The theme on this is a bit different. I was really stuck for awhile. The overall round robin theme is Spring Secrets. I just wasn't finding any images that I was happy with. I think I've done so much art this spring, I was coming up a little dry. Then I dove into my Anthropologie catalogs and (of course) found my muse there. I love these pages, they're quirky, whimsy and still have a spring feel. 
They really feel right to me right now. I'm happy with that. This page is in there too. It's one of my favorites. Well, the book is off to Lilia now to work in it first. Can't wait for everyone to share their little splash of art inside!
