Have A Seat

Ah, the love affair with the cute little chair. Chairs have been appearing in design and paper crafting for the last year or two. There's just something architecturally pleasing about a nice chair. Canterbury Home had some lovely specimens, like the one above.



Of course, when we found this beauty, we all wanted a tutu chair, too! I decided to make a card today that pays homage to the tutu chair.



I spent an INSANE amount of time on this card today. I knew that I wanted to use a vintage floral paper, and I made several attempts at the "tutu". I would pick it up, add something, and lay it down. Go back a few hours later, take something away, flip it around, lay it down. But I think I finally got a configuration that made me happy.

{recipe: papers and lace from Websters Pages, Timeless Treasures (SU), Noteworthy (SU), cool caribbean ink and cs, tangerine tango ink and cs, blushing bride ink, scallop edge punch, pearls}

I hope the tutu chair made you happy, too. I pray that your day is tutu wonderful!

Birds and Botanicals

I am a lover of nature. But really, are there any people who say they don't like nature? Oh sure, we crab about the weather...a cold spring, a wet spring, a stormy spring, a buggy spring. But we still love spring, right?

I am a fan of all things birdy and botanical. I probably have a birdy botanical element in every room of our house. That's why I loved this little vignette at Canterbury Home. Bird nests, branches, and botanical prints. What's not to love?

I used the framed botanicals as my inspiration for today's card!



{recipe: Nature Walk (SU), Fancy Flexible Phrases (SU), French Script (SU), black ink and card stock base, baja breeze ink and card stock, certainly celery ink, soft sky ink, scallop oval punch, oval punch, baja breeze seam binding, amuse twinkles}

Thanks for stopping by the cafe today!

Rule of Three

Yesterday I posted images from one of my favorite shops. Whenever I visit family back home, I like to pop in to Canterbury Home in Sylvania, Ohio. They have some lovely home furnishings, and they carry my favorite Lollia fragrances. (And did I mention that Chandler's Cafe next door makes a mean Caramel Macchiato?)

I took so many pretty photos on my last visit that I thought I would feature them this week.

Today's photo features a table full of white china. I loved the three canisters.

Designers often talk of the rule of three. As it turns out, odd numbers are pleasing to the eye, and designing in thirds is often a visual trick that is incorporated in crafting and decorating.



Today's card features the rule of three. Three buttons grouped together to form a focal point. Three patterned papers...one larger pattern (red floral), a medium pattern (plaid), and a small pattern (strip of polka paper).

I am in love with the current button craze. Have you seen the Button Boutique stamp set at Papertrey Ink? I want it, I want it! But craft purchases are not in the budget this month. I decided to mimic the look of those vintage button cards by using a tag and a stamp from my stash.

{recipe: Stamp of Authenticity (Stampin Up), baja breeze card stock and seam binding (SU), Daisy D's Moda papers, black ink, eyelet border punch and buttons (SU), DMC floss}


Happy Easter Monday, friends!

Happy Easter!

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he is risen!" Luke 24: 5-6



Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!


(images from Canterbury Home, Sylvania, Ohio)

Goin' Round In Circles

My sister, Tina, is an artist with fabric. She sews, she quilts, she stitches, and all of her creations are amazing! This beauty is no exception. She made this lovely pillow using the coolest circles of felted wool. I love it! Thank you, Tina!



It makes such a fun and bright addition to my craft studio. It also serves as a really nice lumbar pillow for my back. Boring office chair is boring no more!


This week's sketch challenge at SCS incorporated a lot of circles...just like my sister's pillow. I turned a few circles into flowers, and voila! I added some drops of "honey" using dew drops, and I popped out some of the images with foam dimensionals. Sweet!

{recipe: stamps from The Saltbox Studio (amuse art stamps), Basic Grey Urban Prairie papers, white card stock, scallop circle and circle punch, velvet ribbon (SU), dew drops}



"The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb." Ps.19:9-10

Vintage Finds

Happy April, friends! I'm back from a blogging break feeling refreshed and ready to create. It's amazing how a little getaway can recharge you. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the sun is shining, the trees are in full bloom, and the tulips and daffodils greet me each morning. Ah, spring!

One sure sign of spring? Garage sales! Our neighborhood had it's annual spring sale last weekend. I managed to bless a lot of neglected items to new owners this weekend. It's a good feeling.

When I visit garage sales, I like to search for vintage items. Old china, pottery, and table linens are some of my favorite finds. Recently, I pulled out a few pieces that looked like spring. These linens were probably meant to be used as dresser scarves, but I like to repurpose them as table linens.

These beauties are hand embroidered. As a cross-sticher myself, I can appreciate each lovingly placed X. So sweet.





I made a card today! It's the first card I've made in quite a few days. I was inspired by the lovely linens, using lace, ribbon, buttons and other "stitched" elements for a vintage-feel.



{recipe: tag stamp and punch (Stampin Up), Aida stamp (SU), Melon Mambo ink and card stock, soft sky ink and card stock, pink pirouette card stock, soft sky stitched grosgrain ribbon, lace from American Crafts, button, tulip embossing folder (SU), corner rounder punch, Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie paper}



Here are two more favorite finds! This lemon verbena soy candle was a gift from my sister, Sue. Thank you, Sue! It is awesome! My new favorite fragrance for spring! If you love lemon verbena, you will also love this lemon verbena soap from Yardley. It smells so good! I bought my soap from Kroger for $1 this week. Sue will have to tell us where she found this awesome candle so that we can stock up on more.


Hope your week is "sew sweet"!

Where the Mom is

It is a truth universally acknowledged (thank you, Jane Austen!) that home is not where you reside. Home is, in fact, where your mother resides. I suspect that this is why my son returns home from college...every weekend! And who can blame him? Home is where your comfy bed is. Home is where all of your favorite foods are served. Home is where your mother can spoil you with love and attention.

I am going home to Michigan, home to visit my mother. I've been missing home for many weeks now, and we finally have the opportunity to take the kids and go. I just need to be surrounded by the people who know me best (and love me anyway! ha ha!).

We have lived in our Indiana home for three years now. (It became official just last week.) And while we have a lovely house with lots of room, it just isn't home. It never has been home. We felt much more settled in St. Louis than we do here. Sometimes you click with a church or a neighborhood or a town, and sometimes you just don't.

I'll be away from the blogging world for a few days. While I'm gone, you can visit some of the links I've provided. I will return next week with all of the adventures from our trip "home".

In the meantime, here's my yummy and healthy recipe for Mediterranean Couscous!

1 Box Couscous ( I like Parmesan, but roasted garlic is good, too)
2 cups rotisserie chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c. diced red pepper
1/2 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic
1 small jar diced marinated artichoke hearts, drained
olive oil
feta cheese
sliced black olives, optional

Cook couscous according to directions. While water and olive oil are boiling, add diced red pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook until softened. Add seasoning packet, stir. Add couscous and remove from heat. Cube chicken. Add chicken and artichoke hearts to couscous. Serve with crumbled feta cheese. Enjoy!




{card recipe: Earth Love papers, house stamp from wheel from SU, sentiment printed from computer onto daffodil delight card stock, circle punch, fence punch, kraft card base, prisma markers}

Blessings on your April days!