I've always liked the dreamy quality of this late 19th century lithograph. From her white gown to the wild flowers beneath the tree, the artist, Philip Calderon, captured all the details perfectly.
Called Spring Time, she stays out all year. In fact, can you spot her in the Christmas photo in the blog post below?
Hard to believe that it's only six months until Christmas -- that means decorations come out even sooner! Above is one of my favorite shots of one of our trees all lit up with a roaring fire. The mantel has a snowy village scene with clusters of vintage decorations -- spun cotton animals,
I can't get enough millinery! This time of year, when the garden suffers from summer heat, paper and fabric flowers decorate the house as everlasting bouquets. Above is a group of vintage sprigs from Japan displayed in a footed cloisonne vase. The beach scene in the background is a painting from several Christmases ago; it's my absolute favorite place in town besides home.
Zooming in... made with meticulous attention to detail, these blossoms are nearly as good as the real thing!
They're also displayed in an antique sterling pitcher. I just love the handle featuring Mercury.
Be sure to visit Faded Charm for more pretties in white!
This time of year, with our workshop in full swing and supplies all over the place, I start to get super excited about Christmas. How I'll decorate, when I'll do it, where the tree will go, and what gifts I'll make are all on my mind. I wanted to share a few of my favorite Christmas supplies with you, just in case you're also thinking Christmas.
Last but not least, we have a group of spun cotton mushrooms from Germany, a trio of multicolored bottle brush trees and lustrous embossed foil trim that looks so gorgeous lining shelves or on a mantel.
Over the years I've seen so many beautiful dishes that strike my fancy, it was inevitable I'd become a dedicated mix and matcher. These two are part of a small luncheon set I couldn't resist, made in Limoges, France by Haviland.
This turkey always makes his way into the rotation come fall.
And this cow! He's one of my very favorites -- I love the way he's curled his hoof under.
It's not uncommon at all for us to keep holiday pieces out all year, like the Victorian bunny nodder above. He makes his way around the house, mixing with other favorite items, but never finds his way into the closet to be put away. Currently, he's hanging out with a still bank and a Victorian yardlong of flowers and music. The kitty bank has been a favorite of mine since childhood.
Here's a close up. I love the little ribbon around his neck.
We have Christmas on our minds all year -- planning, creating, prototyping, collaborating -- but as soon as summer begins our Christmas activities go into overdrive. This time of year we create most of our stock for the upcoming season and our workspace goes from relatively organized to a whirlwind of sparkle, supplies and finished pieces.
Once we decide on a design, we create its pieces and cut them out of sturdy paper board. Next comes painting, putting cellophane in the windows and gluing pieces together. Then we add one or two bottle brush trees. After all glue has dried, we apply "snow," Dresden trims and mica, plus vintage glass beads to decorate the trees.
Can you ever have too many seashells? I think not! It's easy to find pretty ways to store them -- jars, bottles, boxes. Here are some of my all time favorites stored in a vintage seed box with tiny iron animals keeping watch.
Zooming in on the box, above and below.
Zooming in a bit more to see the shells.