A magazine for the soul

I was perusing my local Barnes and Noble last weekend, and this lovely cover caught my eye! If you haven't seen or heard of it yet, you are in for a real treat. Modele Weddings

Chock-full of vintage inspiration and lacy bridal goodness!

Apple picking at Eckerts!

Check it out! My very first, completely home-made apple pie. Made with hand-picked apples from Eckerts Orchard, and complete with lattice and little hand-made leaves. YUMMY!

There's something so comforting and cozy about baking pies just as the weather starts to turn chilly!!

Chawton Cottage - home of Jane Austen

Ever have one of those days where you wake up and don't want to do ANYTHING??

Being the procrastinator that I am, I hopped onto one of my favorite blogs and found this wonderful series of short video clips made at Jane Austen's home. Just look at her darling little writing table and chair! There are other videos with great outdoor shots of Chawton Cottage, the gardens, and other rooms in the house. Enjoy :-)

Just a short post

I am incredibly excited that Tuesday Morning has opened again near my house!!

It's like a giant thrift store, but all new merchandise, and great deals.

I have a huge weakness for organization tools... journals (lined and unlined), nesting boxes, post it notes, cute binder clips.

So how FABULOUS is this for keeping track of my best customers? Right down to the flowers in her hair. :)

Estate saleing!

I've gotten onto an estate-sale kick lately. I originally wanted to just buy some cabinets and rolling carts to organize my work-space, but it is turning out to be a full-time addiction, with me checking online ads and signing up for sales alerts sent to my inbox! *oh my* I feel ten years old again, going around to sales with my mom, the antiques dealer.

So yesterday morning I awoke at 6 am, rolled out of bed and into some comfy clothes, grabbed some coffee and by 7 am I was in the car on my way to an estate sale in Ladue, one of the nicer suburbs of St. Louis. The lady was an avid sewer and crafter, so her entire sewing room was for sale!

THE STUFF:

A neat vintage sewing basket...



This awesome 1967 type-writer, in great working condition...



Hand-painted antique dish...



Stuffed giraffe - his tail is a tape measure :)



...and probably my best bargain: 6 drawers of brand new sewing thread!

Drool-worthy print designs

If there is one print designer I simply cannot get enough of,

it's Cheree Berry of Cheree Berry Paper!

Some favorites...

Butterflies!! The designs don't like to be confined to paper :)

I love how her designs are just packed with whimsy, wit, and unexpected color, and she seems to be such a sweet and attentive person to work with, too! I'm also a bit partial because she lives in St. Louis. ;) Cheree has a fabulous following throughout the US, and had her own wedding featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. She was previously the art director for Kate Spade in NY, focusing on wedding stationery (need I say more?). See more of her charming designs on her website here!

Photo credits: 100 Layer Cake and The Neotraditionalist

Old into new

It always amazes me how transformative the whole “upcycling” thing can be. Take a look at these before and after pics! I found this (amazingly ugly, who wore bucket hats covered in flowers?) 1950s hat at a rummage sale, and have given it new life as a stunning hair crown.

I have this dream it will end up in some amazing winter photoshoot...perhaps of a girl standing knee-deep in a snowy forest, with her breath clouding the air before her, and some very red lipstick. All against a very gray forest scene. Wouldn’t that be so dramatic!

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