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Oct 31, 2013

...perspective...



you may have heard the phrase




"a picture is worth a thousand words"




i agree.




i also believe




that two people could be looking at the same photo




and if they were to write their thousand words,




each, would have something a little different to say.

for that photograph 
would be as a mirror to the contents of their heart
and a reflection of how it touches them...




being a part of this blogging world
is unique.
in that, you may or may not ever meet me face to face.




but by visiting
you  read bits and pieces
of a bloggers world
and by their photos
you visualize the contents therein ~ 
such as these photographs of my dinning room.




and over time,
a story of their life appears.




i have always shared with an authentic heart
to all of my dear readers,
and tried to convey my
perspective...
ie. the way i see things




nothing more.

i seek to inspire
and
have enjoyed connecting with other kindred hearts 
along the way


(sea-side pretties from a treasured friend ~ merci!) 


each of us sharing what we have ~
from our hearts




and from our hands...




what you read and surmise is totally up to you




in turn,

becoming

your

perspective...

~


sharing this post with:
petite michelle louise's: grey dey thursdey
common ground's: be inspired friday
french country cottage's: feathered nest friday
my romantic home's: show and tell friday





may love and beauty always find you,


Oct 25, 2013

~ elegant tissue box cover tutorial ~

..."aahhh-choo"...

*bless you*

as you reach for a tissue
in a pretty cardboard box...

NOT!

seriously

~ i ask you ~

WHY
has no one 
started printing pretty cardboard tissue boxes?!

perhaps a neutral french script or a fluer-de-lis design would be nice
( i bet a pair of fairy wings
that THOSE tissue box sales would increase!! )

and i am certain that there are a few out there
that this really won't matter to
but 
if the ugly tissue box quandary has stymied you ~
be stymied no more!!




for here is a tutorial
to make a FULL SIZE tissue box cover
in whatever color/pattern you choose!

cause the holidays are comin'
and details matter!!

shall we begin?!?

  


supply list: 
* a blank wooden tissue box 
 can be found at your craft store
* a can of your favorite color spray paint
mine choice was Krylon's Sterling Silver
* pretty paper napkins
you will need 4 small cocktail napkins for this project
* mod podge matte 
* a small paint/sponge brush
* rhinestone blingage
or other embellishment that you desire
or, none at all!




step one: lightly spray your wooden box.
i have chosen to spray paint my box
 rather than to paint it
because, 
i desired a slightly luminous quality
that would appear from under the paper napkin.
that could only be achieved with the spray paint
and if sprayed lightly, is translucent.




step two: open your paper napkin 
and lay it over your box
 until you are pleased with the design placement.
( don't cut anything yet, you will do that later )
 i have chosen to use a paper napkin
 as opposed to a piece of paper
because it is easier to apply
 and
 it attaches itself in a way that melds with the actual box
 as opposed to laying on top of the box.
and hello!
tissue
as in, a tissue box!!
lol!!




step three: separate the napkin layers,
for you want to see the slight color underneath silly!!




if your napkin was not double ply, simply skip this step!




step four: start on one side,
and brush on a nice, smooth coat of mod podge matte medium




~ smooth coat ~




then lay your tissue layer
 on the mod podge coated side.




very CAREFULLY smooth the tissue layer
almost patting it lightly with the pads of your fingers
to adhere it to the mod podge.
fold excess underneath the box for now.




now, simply flip the box over and repeat the previous steps.




when you get to the box ends,
and BEFORE you coat with it mod podge,
 lay out the placement of your tissue layer
and trim the sides a little larger than what meets to the edge.
this will allow for a clean edge.
don't trim the tops.
you will find that all the paper napkin points will meet at the top
and should line up and touch when folded over.
mod podge the tissue points at the top of the box first
 folding them towards the center "tissue opening"
fold excess underneath to the inside of the box
and attach with the mod podge.




then mod podge the short sides.

when you get to the bottom of your box,
trim the excess tissue paper to about a 1/2 inch all the way around.
mod podge the bottom lip and about 1/2 inch inside
then gently smooth the tissue over.




step five: when all the sides are covered in the tissue paper,
lightly brush the entire box with a coat of the mod podge.
this will give the paper a protective layer.




step six: add your embellishments, if any.
i used two rows of sticky back rhinestones 
around the top of my tissue box
for a little sparkly bling!




add an actual box of tissues
 and voila!!
you will have yourself one lovely tissue box cover




and the next time you reach for that tissue
you'll be thinking
"aahhh~pretty tissues"
as you sneeze!!

lol!!




sharing this post with:
petite michelle louise's: grey dey thursdey
common ground's: be inspired friday
french country cottage's: feathered nest friday
my romantic home's: show and tell friday




here's to pretty little details!

Oct 17, 2013

...sea bag...

 
...i willingly admit
that  
 
i. am. a. seeker.
 
of  unique,
one of a kind, artisan items...
 
 

  
pieces that speak to my soul
and that are created with much love...
 
 
 
 
i have been searching for a bag that i felt was "me"
for quite some time.
 
i looked
and
i looked...
until i figured out,
what i searching for, just wasn't out there.

go figure.
 
 
 
 
so this is the tale of a most beauteous leather and lace bag
and how
it came to be.
 
 this lovely bag
is the creative work by the hands of
her shop is one of the very first shops
i stumbled across years ago,
when i first opened my etsy shop.

i bought a whimsical slip dress from her vintage shop
that i have worn for my birthday,
every year when i visit Carmel-by-the-sea at sunset!
(but that's another story!)

her ooak leather bags are highly sought after
and don't linger long in her etsy shop!
 
so i contacted Stacy, to inquire if she perhaps,
 had something just for me....
 
 
 
 
she sent me a few leather swatches to choose from,
 
i knew right away which one would be mine!
 
 
 
 
i fell in love with it instantly
it was one of the most lovely, pieces of variegated leather
that i had ever seen ~
 
besides having all the shades of my fall/winter closet ~
 
it reminded me of the sea!
 
imagine my dears ~ a sea bag!!
 
 
 
 
i asked if she could also incorporate a grey lace embellishment
i sent to her
and if she could give it an organic, whimsy feel...
 
 
 
 
she agreed, 
it wasn't long before my beauteous bag arrived!
i knew it would be fabulous
and
it absolutely was!
 

 
 
to christen my bag ~
i added a sprinkle of bead embellishments
a few moonstones, crystals, sequins and grey freshwater pearls.
 
i also dusted the leather with a sparkle leather wash...
 
 


it's like a little fizz :)
subtle, but there!
 
 
 
 
everywhere i carry my sea bag,
other kindred hearts
stop and tell me how lovely it is
 
and to that,
 
i wonderfully agree:)
 
thank you dear Stacy,
i ADORE my sea bag! 
 
 
next up ~
 
 
i'll be sharing a tutorial
on making this elegant tissue box cover
 
 
sharing this post with:
petite michelle louise's: grey dey thursdey
common ground's: be inspired friday
french country cottage's: feathered nest friday
my romantic home's: show and tell friday
 
 
 
 
here's to beautiful lace sea bags!
 

Oct 3, 2013

...fairytale sea-pumpkins...

aaahhhhh...
autumn at sea ~
when the days start to turn on the crispy side,
and the sun wanes earlier,
my thoughts wander even more
to the beautiful sea.
the word
~ resplendent ~
comes to mind
and
captures my emotion brilliantly!
as my home continues to be spun into
  an elegant seaside style
with a twist of simplicity of the french-nordic style
i find myself creating pieces that i adore
colors, textures ~ magic!


my latest collection simply being
~ fairytale sea-pumpkins ~
i crave materials that are ethereal to the touch
and appealing to my eye
i delight in a mound of the like,
just waiting to be spun into loveliness!

sumptuous silk velvet,
hand dyed in shades of the ocean side
along with gorgeous dupioni silks
made into the most lovely ribbons you could imagine
so much so,
if i have a choice,
i will only use them in my created pieces...
and oh my!
the exquisite beaded lace!


beauty is,
as beauty does
and don't let anyone ever tell you that the inside doesn't matter!!
'cause in a fairytale pumpkin ~
IT DOES!!
luxury filling with a touch of silk,
a sweet kiss of organic lavender,
tucked within a sachet
lie below the beautiful velvet that you see...
rendering a luxury fabric pumpkin
that will delight one for years to come...


bringing with it, a love of beautiful sea ~


~i surrender~
LOL!!

i have been making these pretty fairytale pumpkins for years
and their shades always surprise me...
the few that i have shown you here
are the grey shades.
sharing this post with:
petitemichellelouise's: grey dey thursdey
common ground's: be inspired friday
french country cottage's: feathered nest friday
my romantic home's: show and tell friday

and next time,
i'll be sharing with you ~
this fabulous leather sea lace bag...
until then,
sea whishes of autumn joy...
...here's to everyday fairytales!