A LONG SHOT BUT…..

Imagine……

 

SENDING JOY AND PEACE TO YOU AND YOURS EACH DAY AHEAD!

Will be back after the holidays….Merry Christmas!!!

 

FRENCH DOORS….MAIS OUI!

I love French doors!

They exude mature elegance…..

I love the way they “part”… to allow entrance…..

Whether they are dividing rooms…..

Or dividing environments…..

Whether created from wood…..

Or fashioned from glass and iron…..

Whether costa rica blue…….

Or lemon drop yellow……

Whether two stories up…..

Or two steps up…..

I ADORE THEM!

And coming from a window covering designer….I know this will sound strange….but I love the door to remain unadorned, bare, au naturale!  It is lovely to surround the door opening by a lovely fabric that you could close for privacy if needed.  However, the door itself, the sweet paned windows, should remain undressed…don’t you think????

Mais oui!

BREAKING BREAD….

Break the bread of bounty with those you love, with those that you strive, with those that are strangers; for by sharing that which nourishes our bodies along side our fellow sojourners, may we find it also nourishes our spirits in kinship toward one another.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

 

Grams

The mention of oak leaves in our family always brings a giggle and groan out of each of the members. 

The home that Grandma (or “Grams” to most of us) lived in since the 1930’s sits on a sizeable lot overhung by towering  and numerous oak trees planted (I am sure) back when time began!  Every autumn when the wind blew cold and finally brought down the last of the oak leaves,  as many family members as were available would gather under the swaying giants and rake….and rake….and rake…and rake. 

I cannot see an oak leaf and not be reminded of those marvelous days of laughter, children under enormous raked piles , the smell of the crisp leaves, the wonderful aroma of hot chocolate in Gram’s cozy little yellow bungalow, and her gracious giggle of delight to have us all tumble in her back door, leaves and all!

Grams was 99 years old when we buried her this week and our family spent sweet hours reminiscing countless stories over the five generations that came to honor her life.  Just as the leaves keep falling this brisk autumn day and will for countless years to come, her legacy will go forth in our lives, our children’s lives, and their children’s live.  That’s comforting!

“When an oak is felled, the whole forest echoes with its fall, but a hundred acorns are sown in silence by an unnoticed breeze” Thomas Carlyle

FOR THE LOVE OF LINEN

Who doesn’t love linen????  Sure, it wrinkles…

but it is so durable, looks so great, and is so

product diverse that you just can’t help yourself

from suggestion a few samplings to your client.

This flax plant, from which REAL linen

is manufactured, has been used in textiles by

humans for over 10,000 years, if not more.

After the plant is dried and combed……

and spun into coarse yarn……

It is ready to weave into a multitude of linen

fabric types…

From which we crafty ones can indulge

our imaginations…..

and artistic talents…..

and fashion fancies……

express desires…..

and, of course, enfold our cherished surroundings in

a gift from Mother Nature!

IN SPITE OF MONDAY….

Yes, the weekend has ended!  Yes, the bedside

alarm has jolted us into another work week!

HOWEVER…

HOUZZ.COM

Bring a smile

to at least

one other person’s face today!

HAPPY MONDAY!

AN ARRAY OF STYLES!

Recently my days have been filled with fabric searches for various projects and clients are leaning toward autumn colors, I dare say because of the lovely colors we are experiencing all around us.

Various vendors for different projects…..

Lively and bright….

Quirky and traditional….

To adventuresome and creative!

Fun fabrics! Fun trims! Fun time!!!

All picture sources can be obtained by clinking the pictures.

 

QUOTH THE RAVEN….

The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!’

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.’

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."’

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

AUTUMN’S INSPIRATION

I love watercolor!  I love leaves! I love old books!

Creative and inspirational….

Treasures from nature….

Through the eyes of one who loves life and dreams

in color!!!

All photos from a dynamic new blogger I discovered: http://craftberrybush.blogspot.com/

Enjoy This Day!!

DELICIOUS AUTUMN!

source: www.browndresswithwhitedots.tumblr.com

I COULD LIVE IN AUTUMN FOREVER!!

Happy Monday Everyone!

ON A SIDE NOTE….

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray you, love, remember.”
-William Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5)

I harvested my flower boxes for autumn and brought in to dry my…..

rosemary….

thyme…..

and lavender…..

and I hung them in bundles above my studio work table.

The fragrance is so commanding, so overpowering.. …I am having trouble concentrating!!!

What a lovely distraction!!!

READING ROOMS…

I HAVE BEEN SO INTO READING AS OF LATE, I FIND I AM DRAWN TO THE “LIBRARY” SETTING.  GIVE ME A GOOD BOOK, COMFORTABLE READING CHAIR,  AND A WINDOW TO DREAM FROM….

OF COURSE, BIG WINDOW, BIG DREAMS…. NO READING!

SOFTEN A ROOM WITH FABRIC AND ADD A CHANDELIER AND I WILL STAY ALL DAY…..

I LOVE THE BRIGHT AND FRIENDLY GREEN DRAPERY PANEL AGAINST THE MULTITUDE OF COLORFUL BOOK BINDINGS AND THE INVIGORATING PATTERN IN THE RUG.  A ROOM RIPE FOR SOFA SNUGGLING AND DIVING INTO A THRILLER WHO-DONE-IT!

MY FAVORITE, OUT OF SO MANY BEAUTIFUL ROOMS, WAS THIS COZY YET LIVELY LIBRARY EQUIPED WITH FLORAL CHINTZ SOFAS AND  WELL CHOSEN PACHYDERM IN THE HOME OF ACTOR JIMMY STEWART.  (elephants are a family favorite with us!)

YET, A CLOSE SECOND WAS THIS SOPHISTICATED AND LIVELY ROOM EQUIPED WITH CLASSY SWAGS AND KEPT CASUAL WITH WOVEN WOODS UNDERNEATH…..AND RED IS JUST SO FUN TO BE AROUND!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORIE ATMOSPHERES FOR READING???

ENJOY THE WEEKEND!!!

WINDOW WISHING….

If I could wish a window, the window I wish……

photo courtesy:  housebeautiful.com

HAVE A GREAT WEDNESDAY!!!