whisper your name


whisper your name on the things you find be~you~tiful . . .



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Feb 28, 2010

...5 days and counting!!



I know what your thinking...
What
is
she
thinking??!!
It's the middle of winter!
Well, sort of ~
 feels that way
anyway!
But baby ~
when the sun is out
and the sky is blue
get the camera quick!

Can you tell we are all abuzz with excitement?


sssshhhhhhhhh ~
don't tell!
 ~  if Nathan knew that I posted this,
I think I'd have to stay in wonderland
like...forever!!
tee hee!!


I figure three pairs of eyes
are better
for spotting 
the White Rabbit.
'Cause we're
goin' in after him,
on Friday!
The opening of
~ Alice in Wonderland ~


Okay... so I got into it a little more!
(see my heart shaped lips?)
That is so the Queen of Hearts will allow us into her garden!
We do enjoy a wicked game of croquet you know.
~
Dramatic?
Oh yes!
Whimsically thrilling?
ABSOLUTELY!
I recommend anyone to play dress up!
silly momments with my young adults?
priceless...

If you can dream it ~
You can live it!!

Now, if I could only get Jim to play...
....oh Honey ~






Feb 26, 2010

...romance


~ Romance ~
...to try to influence or curry favor with,
 especially by lavishing personal attention.
~
This weekend
spend time
with
the ones
you adore
and simply
be!

Romance your home,
Romance your heart,
Romance your life!











Feb 25, 2010

...aahhh ~ sssmmmmeeellll it?!

~ Spring ~
 that is
It won't be long!
all the snow will melt
and
beautiful buds will start to swell
on all the bare trees
and soon they will be dressed in gorgeous green leaves
and put on their spring dresses for a spring fashion preview!
but until then,
surround yourself
 with the ones from the flower stand.
They are beautiful too!
See the sparkle on these?
I didn't do that ~
God did!!
"Just another, ordinary, miracle today!" 



Feb 23, 2010

...Hey Mister!


...this is Burnell!
or ~ twisted whiskers for short!
see the twistiness in his whiskers?!


He is the newest addition to my collection of Mr. Easter Bunnies.
...okay, I'll admit it...
I have a thing for them.
and every year, the hunt is on for a new friend,
BUT
it's not every year that I find one
and
I'm very particular in my collecting...

first
 ~ it usually is a He that I pick!
I just like the smurks on them, okay?!
He should stand on his hind legs.
just in case I would like a waltzing partner!
usually carries a basket on his back
either, already full of goodies, or room for me to place said goodies! 
and when I'm picking one out of a crowd of bunnies
he calls to me
Rosemary, you know I'M the one you want!
and I'm not kidding, 
I have been known to line all the bunnies up like soldiers
and study each and every one of their faces
shop owners beware!
but ~ in the end,
the one who hops away with me,
is the bun
who made me
smile
 from the inside out!
see me smiling behind the curtain?! HA!

This year feels just a bit frenchy!
So stay tuned for how that turns out.




Feb 22, 2010

...a wonderland rose tutorial

I hope your weekend was full of happy moments :)
~
I thought today
I'd share a tutorial!
of a Wonderland Rose ~


You can make these in any color of dye you can get your hands on!
I just chose a blue for Alice in Wonderland.


Here is a list of the supplies you will need:
* rit dye, tea, coffee, easter egg dye
* a pair of rubber gloves
* coffee filters
* rose petals
* tulle circles or lace
* flat head brads
* glue (I like Martha's glitter glue, it sets up a little quicker than elmers)
* an image for the center of your rose
* scissors

Before you begin, you will need to dye your coffee filters and rose petals.
Here are a few tricks I have learned along the way ~
Rose petals ~ collect these whenever and wherever you see them!
I never pass roses up and have found them anywhere
from Michaels Craft Store,
to the Dollar Store and everywhere inbetween!
You will need to take them all apart! You only need the petals.
Coffee filters ~ you can use white ones or the natural
Dye ~ any listed above, you are only limited by your imagination!
Think outside of the box.

To Hand Dye:
 everyone has their method, this is mine ~
#1 ~ Where an old apron or your paint clothes!!!
#2 ~ Preheat your oven to a low temp, I set mine at 240 degrees.
I use a large enamel pot and fill it about 1/2 full,
then I put in my dye "of the moment" and GENTLY stir. 
Your are only dying petals and filters, not yourself!
#3 ~ Heat your dye bath until hot, but not boiling.
(You're not trying to scare your petals and filters!) 
I find that the filters and petals take the dye better this way, rather than in cold water.
But experiment!
#4 ~ Take a stack of filters and put in pot until color soaks thru.
#5 ~ With your rubber gloves on, remove the stack of filters and gently squeeze excess dye out.
Place on a baking sheet that you have lined with parchment.
(don't use your silpats, some of the dyes stain them!)
#6 ~ Place in warm oven until dry.
 This will depend on how thick your stack is,
I usually will dye a stack of 50 together and then just put about 15 in a pile to dry.
You do not have to worry about seperating them.
As they dry, they will just seperate themselves.
Check them every 15 minutes or so and turn the pile over.
(when it is summer, and really hot out, you can put them outside to dry)
#7~ rose petals, repeat steps #4 - #6

When all that is dry, we can assemble the wonderland roses!
Take a few of your dyed coffee filters and fold in half


then fold again into 1/4ths, so your stack looks like this:


next, cut your "petals" out


Be sure to leave some folded sides uncut, as this is what keeps them attached to each other! 
remember making snowflake in grade school??!!!

 

Repeat these steps with your tulle or lace.
(you can make it easier on yourself if you purchase
the tulle already cut in circles) 


Now the assembling part begins,
take a rose petal layer
and then add a tulle or lace petal.


stagger the layers as you go
next, take a coffee filter layer and crumple it up in your hand.


uncrumple, and place on your tulle layer


next, a tulle layer


then, a petal layer

 

remember to stagger as you go, add as many layers as you like
when you are pleased with the fullness of your rose,
it's time for the center!


take the leftover cutout part from your filter petals
and ruffle it into a circle, pinching and squeezing as you go


add some glue, and squeeze and pinch some more!
(I know~ it feels like we are still back in grade school again, doesn't it?!)


yours should look something like this

   
now push the flat head brad into the center
(just the paper, not your finger...
oh snap ~ I didn't have you sign a waver form, did I?!
well, just for the record, pleeeaaase be careful with pointy, sharp things, ok?!)


add some more glue


and then your choice of center


fluff until it pleases you ~
Now use the brad like a needle and start putting all your layers on
one at a time.When you get to the last layer, open the brad tines out onto the last layer.
This is where you could glue on a pin back and then cover that with a small, single petal.


Ta Da! ~ a completed wonderland rose!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
If you did, please let me know and maybe I will do more in the future.
Have fun making Your own version of
...a wonderland rose!



Feb 19, 2010

...in my studio

~ OH Happy weekend ! ~


I've been working in the studio all week,
mostly cleaning it!!
Just when I finish,
I end up pulling everything out due to inspiration :)
&
you guessed it...
POOF!
ribbons and flowers and paper, every where.


but
for a short time
I can see my sewing machine!



I love this little armoire,
It gets moved from Julianna's room (my daughter)
to my studio room, as we are constantly rearranging things.

 

I have four of these metal stand, two large and two smaller ones
and I didn't like seeing the plastic boxes all the time,
so I made some covers from lovely linen or crispy white sheets!
I really love the way they turned out, and the canvas shabby chic bins give just enough loveliness on top.
~
I enjoyed showing you where I make things.










Feb 17, 2010

...french inspiration

A very gifted friend
feature
~


~

Isn't this so lovely?
It was made by these very talented hands at:


She used an original antique paper lace holy card from France!
 
~
 
She also makes gorgeous French Saints Jewelry!  
...a beautiful pink opal rosary
 


~

...and an ethereal ivory shell and Filipino Mother-of-Pearl flower cuff braclet



She truely creates all of her pretties in love...
and it shows!
 
 


Feb 16, 2010

...changing

something deep inside
is seeking a
change...
~
I'm not sure what it is...
I just feel it!
~

The other day, I saw a greenhouse for sale at Costco.
I immediately felt excitement zing through me,
 as if I were struck with the very energy
that a plant uses to emerge from within it's tiny seed.
In that moment, I was taken back to
one spring, when I was in my early twenties.
(seems like such a lifetime ago!)
I remember longing to work in a greenhouse.
 I was a Candy Store Manager at the time
and
I quit,
to go work at this very large greenhouse!
Other than planting a small garden, I really had no clue about what I had gotten myself into!
Let me just say,
it is a challenge,
physically
pushing around very large carts filled with alot of dirt and alot of plants!
and mentally
when it is about 82 degrees in July outside
it's about 102 INSIDE!!!
and at that point, your watering yourself more than the plants!!
But I loved the solitude
and the joy of planting those tiny seeds!
After a few weeks
I remember walking in that glass greenhouse, and hundreds of flats of flowers had emerged
It was so beautiful!
I never forgot that feeling... 
~
Something like that is happening
 emerging
from deep within
...I wonder what it will be?!







 





Feb 15, 2010

...yummmmm!

I would like to know...
Do you like potato pancakes as much as I do?


Every year around this time,
I crave these!!!
cripsy
shredded
goodness!
I thought I'd share another recipe
that has taken me a few tries
to perfect these tasty cakes!


When I first made them ~
I followed Martha's recipe to a t!
~ and they were good...
at lunch time!!
but
being  more like a Sandra Lee girl
in that,
 I welcome a little help to cut my steps down!
that,
 and I would actually like to eat them for breakfast!
 I take a little help from Ore-Ida
 (that mandolin shredder is sharp, I tell ya!!)
~
Here is my altered recipe for potato pancakes!
Don't worry, these go together quickly!

* 1 bag of Ore-Ida Hashbrown shreds
(I like the flavor of the one with the red peppers)
* 1/2 cup chopped organic spring onions/scallions
(green part, unless you really like the white part,
in which case, go for it!)
* 2 large, organic eggs, slightly beaten
* 1/2 artisan beer
( I know what your thinking, but trust me, it makes a difference!!
I like the flavor the darker ales bring, 
but again, use your "flavor-ite"!)
* 1/2 cup shredded good parmesan cheese
(or use your favorite)
* 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* fresh ground black pepper to taste
* olive oil for frying
* garnish: creme fraiche (or sour cream), chopped chives,
and diced prosciutto that you have already fried

 * In a beautiful large bowl combine the shredded potatoes, spring onions and cheese shreds.
 * Then fold in the slightly beaten eggs, beer, flour, salt and pepper.
* In a heavy skillet heat over medium high heat, about a 1/4 inch of olive oil.
When oil is hot but not smoking, spoon about a 1/2 cup of potato mixture in skillet per pancake.
Depending on the size of your skillet, you can make a few at a time, being careful they don't run into each other.
* Fry on both sides until golden brown (about 4 - 6 minutes total, but I like mine a little more crispy so I just watch them! Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven (150 degrees F.)  while preparing others. Serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche, chives and fried prosciutto.

~
I do hope you try these delicious potato pancakes!

 

and hope you Enjoy!

xo



 




Feb 14, 2010

...Happiest Valentine's Day ~ my loves!!


Happiest Valentine's Day!!


May your day be filled with ~


all the love


that your hearts can hold!!!

Hug, Hug,
Kiss
Hug!

XO

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