Today marks the last day in a month that is notoriously famous for people making very specific goals. They tend to fall under the categories of health, organization, education, or employment. I’m not really one to make resolutions, but on January 1st I made a promise to myself. I will be Seeking Happiness. I was going to actively seek happiness every day. Now this concept is nothing new. Truth be told a few years ago I tried keeping a gratitude journal. #fail Seeking Happiness But ... View the Post
Archives for January 2016
A Romantic Jane Austen Inspired Mantel
After clearing away the excess sparkle of Christmas my mantel sat bare for a few weeks. Soon after my thoughts turned to February and romance. I decided to create A Romantic Jane Austen Inspired Mantel. A Romantic Jane Austen Inspired Mantel Many of you know from this past year’s Halloween creation that I adore Jane Austen. She is, in my opinion, one of the most romantic writers in the world. I recently found an entire set of Jane Austen novels at a second-hand bookstore. Their ... View the Post
A Jane Austen Garland & Other Touches of Romance
Thank you so very much for all your kind comments about the Romantic Jane Austen Inspired Mantle. Today I am sharing A Jane Austen Garland & Other Touches of Romance. A Jane Austen Garland & Other Touches of Romance As promised here is the quick and easy tutorial on how to make a Jane Austen Inspired Garland. I searched for antique and vintage engravings from all of Jane Austen’s books. My favorites were done by the prolific illustrator Charles Edmund Brock. The British Library ... View the Post
Easy Romantic Scarf Made from Doilies
Last year my cousin Lynn sent me a large box of vintage embroidered linens and doilies. I have been giving it my best shot to follow her instructions “to make something lovely”. As the weather turned chilly and Valentine’s Day crafts floated through my mind I thought “Could I create an Easy Romantic Scarf Made from Doilies?" Easy Romantic Scarf Made from Doilies I quickly laid out a few doilies and decided I would create a pattern that would range from a large 10-inch doily down to a small ... View the Post
Forget the KonMari Method Share The Love Valentine
Yesterday I spent most of the cold January day indoors working upstairs in the combination office/craft/sewing room. Like so many other people I am trying to organize my home this month. The hot trend right now is the Japanese method of tidying up. The KonMari method believes that you should hold each item in your hands and if it does not “Spark Joy” then you should get rid of it. If the author, Marie Kondo, ever came into this space to assist me in organizing she might run screaming out of the ... View the Post
Cruising the Panama Canal
Cruising the Panama Canal is an amazing combination of ingenuity, engineering, and sheer mastery. Cruising the Panama Canal I recommend that you first start with a visit to the Panama Canal Miraflores Visitor’s Center. The three-story center has a museum and theater so that you can understand the history of how the Canal was created and how it operates. In a nutshell, because of the difference in water levels between Gatun Lake and the two oceans a boat/ship must be lifted or lowered ... View the Post