Notes from A Cottage Industry

Inspiration Friday-a truly inspirational person

     Have you read this book? Autobiographies, or biographies for that matter, can be so inspiring, and this book is at the top. I read The Glass Castle just about a year ago. Wow. Talk about inspiring.
    The maid-of-Honor (hmm, what should I be calling her now that the wedding is past?) and I were discussing the book and it's writer last night, and we decided that she is truly one of the most inspiring people of our time.
    You see, Jeannette Walls was raised by two completely mentally unstable parents,(an alcoholic father and a totally delusional mother) along with her two sisters and brother. They lived like gypsies, were homeless much of the time, and yet, found strength within herself, and, banding together with her siblings, was able to to rise above it all, becoming a well known MSNBC gossip columnist. (She recently left MSNBC in July to pursue writing another book...)
     Terribly sad in parts, but fascinating and incredible all the way through, this book is a perfect example of beating the odds. True inspiration.
     When I'm having a particularly hard day, when I am wondering how I am going to get through, I think of people, like Jeannette Walls, and I am filled with hope. I. am. inspired.

labor of love

    I'm up to my eyeballs in papers, glue, and scissors. We've been busy little worker bees assembling our Vendor Kits to start marketing the first (of hopefully many) Tumbleweed Cotillion vintage market faires. (if you click on the photos, you can see the detail much better)

      We wanted the kits to be over-the-top quality to woo our prospective vendors. We went for the charm factor, made with lots of love. And because we want this to be a fabulous event, like no other that has ever hit the biggest little city, it was worth it to put in the extra details.

     The business cards are printed on one sided scrapbook paper, with the printing on the white side. We made them look like tags, and tied both of our business cards together, then slid the inside a glassine envelope that we glued to the scrapbook paper border we put inside the folder. (I've had the envelopes for a few years and I just knew the time would come when I would have the perfect use for these envelopes. This was it!)
     I'm pretty happy with the results. What do you think?

fifteen minutes of fame....

(...or shameless self promotion. I'll let you be the judge.)
Whoo Hoo! I don't believe I've ever been a charter member of anything before, let alone something this fabulous.
I told you all about Women Take Wing a short while back. (And I have them in the links on the side here) It's the exciting new place online for women with entrepreneurial spirits to gather and grow. This week, I am the "Featured Charter Member" on the blog, and well, I am pretty thrilled about it all.
   OK, I am not thrilled about my photo. But, other than that, I am thrilled. (Try as I may,  I just cannot seem to take a decent photo if my life depended on it.)

Oh, on another note, I've added a posting to the Tumbleweed Cotillion Blog...we're moving right along here people. It's gonna be faaaaaaabulous.

You gotta dance like nobody's watchin'...

*sigh* Are they a beautiful couple or what?
The music at the wedding was phenomenal. This band could do it all. Classical music from the balcony up above the outdoor courtyard for the ceremony, Frank Sinatra, Michael Bubble type crooner music in the ballroom for the reception ("Real" music, as my Uncle Roger put it.)
       Oh, how everyone loved it. Young and old, folks that danced like Fred and Ginger, and folks with two left feet (I'm not naming names here, if you were there, you know who you are...)It was pure romance.
            If it wasn't enough that the bad played famously,(for seven full hours!) they even danced with the bride's gal-pals (ages 94 and 92 respectively..) when the bride's nurse-pals didn't have them out on the dance floor. As you can see in the lower photo, by Miss Zelpha's face, she was having the time of her life.

     One last photo from the bed and breakfast, that I forgot to share yesterday, and I promise to reel myself in and get back to the real world...

I took this picture right before all 18 of us sat down to Sunday breakfast in the dining room. The flowers were from the centerpieces at the reception and we just re-enjoyed them the next morning at the family style breakfast. *sigh* Gosh, it was such a wonderful weekend.
     OK, I'll stop rambling on now, I promise.
I just can't stop smiling.

Perfectly perfect wedding weekend

First off, let me say that I barely took any photos of the wedding day itself (I was busy being the mother of the bride, don'tcha know, and it's awfully hard to snap photos when you're sniffling and tearing up all day...)so I personally don't have many candid shots to share at all. (I can't wait to see the photographers pictures!)
Anyway.
     I don't know where to begin, so I think I'll just try to begin at the beginning. Of the most incredibly perfect weekend long wedding there ever has been, that is.
The White House was everything we expected, and more. Along with my little welcome care packages, the rooms had Moonstruck chocolates and homemade cookies, fresh from the oven, waiting for each and every house guest; a little welcome treat from the B & B.

Everyone oohed and aahed over their rooms, hand picked by the bride. (Notice that even the bathrooms had chandeliers!)

Having the wedding at the same place that most of the out of towners were staying was the best. (oh! And the food was to die for!)

    We all were able to visit, and the entire weekend was relaxing, carefree and oh, so, so fun!
   We were all quite touched at the friends and family that came from far and wide to celebrate this very special day.
     I know it was my daughter getting married, but really, really, it was the most beautiful, perfect wedding I have ever, ever been to.The setting, the musicians, the flowers, the ceremony. The wedding was so moving, so romantic, so touching, so perfect.    
     The bride and groom wrote their own vows, and let me tell you, there was not a dry eye in the place.
    Did I say it was all. just. perfect?
    *Sigh* Well, it was.

Words to live by- week 31

 

 Love bears all things, believes all things,
                  hopes all things, endures all things.

                  - 1 Corinthians -

Goin' to the chapel

We've only just begun, white lace and promises, a kiss for luck and we're on our way. The carpenters

Today is the day. The wedding!

And when the evening comes we smile,
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow,
And yes, We've just begun.
*Pictures coming later…
 

Inspiration Friday - old, new, borrowed, blue

It's inspiration Friday, and what can be more inspiring  and full of hope than a wedding? It inspires me to keep keeping the faith. In love, in marriage, in commitment to another, for all the days of their life.

Putting our best foot (feet?) forward

Oh ya. Getting ready for the big day with some quality mother-daughters bonding time over at the mani-pedi place. And all of us are looking miiiiigh-ty fine if I do say so myself.. I asked this before, but I'll ask it again- who says wedding planning has to be stressful?

A little something to make it feel like home...

     Here are the ingredients for the goodie bags that will be in the guest rooms at the bed and breakfast.Some treats to eat, a little game to play, and a personalized handmade tag...You could just as easily adapt this idea for a guest room when you have company that you want to make feel oh, so special.
     I showed you the Cadbury candy bars yesterday. Now, let's see what else we have here. First, there's bottled water. Just remove the label and add your own. How easy is that?

     Home-made trail mix, with the perfect shade of green jelly bellies, mixed nuts, golden raisins and pastel blue M&M's (it all coordinates oh so well with the bride's colors!)....quite a yummy little midnight treat, don'tcha think?

    Here is a word search I created for folks to have a little fun with in their room. All the words hidden are about the bride and groom! Oh, and of course, color coordinated pencils to do the search. (the Maid-of-Honor ordered them for the shower and it's impossible to see it in my photograph, but they each say "Happily ever after" on them)

     The gift tags are done with copies of old photos of the bride and the family member or dear friend staying in the room. On the reverse side the bride will write a note to each guest...The top photo in this post shows the bride-to-be on her very first airplane ride, seated on her Grandma's lap...*sigh* it's sure to bring a tear to the Sewing Queen of northern Nevada's eye.

A little peek at a sweet treat

     I've been working on little treats to welcome our extra special guests that will be staying at the Bed and Breakfast for the weekend of the wedding. Tomorrow I'll show you the finished product, but for today, I just had to share these fancy candy bars.

     Custom candy bar wraps are about the easiest thing there ever was to make. Simply remove the existing label from the candy bar, leaving on the foil wrap, (I used Cadbury chocolate and caramel bars- the big ones were on sale at the grocery...) take a piece of scrap book paper, cut it out and glue it as sleeve around the candy bar. Add a French ribbon wired bow ($1 sale bin at Michaels!) and you are there.

Oh, yes. I think these will make everyone feel special.

Two lips, er...tulips.

     Let me just tell you one thing. You can't buy hard coated candy that looks like eggs any time of year, except Easter time. (Who knew?) We wanted to do little nests for wedding favors, with ribbon weaved on them, filled with a few candy eggs, but try as we may, we never found the candy eggs. We searched online and all around town. Nope. The closest thing we ever found were rainbow assortment (or white) jordan almonds, that looked nothing like edible candy eggs. Aaaaaah!

     Enter Plan B. (B for Bulbs that is.) It was the next best idea I could come up with that seemed, well, nature-ish. I was worried I might be shopping too early for bulbs but found some tulip bulbs at my very first stop, WalMart. Yippee! (..and they were cheaper than any candy idea I had had! A double yippee with two snaps!) I then created the little tags that read "Love began in a garden" on the front, and "Please plant this little tulip bulb and enjoy watching it grow each year" on the back...voila', a wedding favor. This way, friends and family can plant them, and remember the joyful day, year after year. (I desperately wanted to play off of the two lips/tulips thing in the verse on the tags, but I was informed by the Maid-of-Honor that kissing involves four lips. *sigh* Oh well. It would have been too pun-ey anyway, I suppose.)

*another sigh* I just think they're awfully sweet.

Words to live by- week 30

Once again, as always, it's all about perspective and attitude; simply a matter of how we look at things.

An entire weekend of Bliss

Attention, all of you die hard Victoria magazine fans!!! I have big news that just got bigger! I received an email yesterday from Victoria's publishers that I simply had to share....here 'tis:

Experience a Weekend of “Bliss”

 

As a loyal reader of Victoria magazine, the editors would like to extend to you the opportunity to participate in a once in a lifetime gathering—a unique opportunity for dedicated readers of Victoria magazine to take a glimpse into the launch issue and through dialogue with the editors, shape the issues to come. Notices will be sent to many of Victoria’s former subscribers next week. However, as a thank you to your blog and its members for showing particular interest and enthusiasm about the re-launch, the editors of Victoria would like to offer you first priority for registering.

Join editors, stylists, photographers, and contributors from Victoria and take a sneak peak into the magazine to see what’s in store for this delightful publication.  But more importantly, take this opportunity to speak directly to the editors, giving them your input and ideas—and in doing so helping steer the future course of Victoria .

By participating in this one of a kind event, you will be a member of a select group of individuals to whom the editorial and creative staff will turn for ideas and inspiration.

In addition to opportunities to provide feedback to the editors, attendees at “BLISS” will take part in:

• Inspirational      demonstrations from featured artists and entrepreneurs
• Discussions      with a panel of Victoria      editors
• A delectable      lunch on Saturday with Victoria’s Editor-in-Chief, Phyllis      Hoffman
• A dessert      reception on Saturday night with the Victoria      staff
• Breakfast on      Sunday
• Friday night      cocktail hour and launch issue cover unveiling

It’s about breathing life into your dreams. It’s about setting a scene with style and charm, and slowing to a honeyed pace so that what was lost can be discovered anew. Victoria beckons readers to relax and indulge in afternoon tea with a friend or spend an hour with a good book—both with equal relish. It is a magazine for the woman who takes pleasure in the timeless and classic, whose home is her refuge, and who hungers for a life that is as poetic as it is full. With a focus that is unabashedly feminine, Victoria illustrates how to bring beauty and a romantic atmosphere into the home, recommends enchanting travel ideas, reveals the secrets of entertaining properly, and delivers inspiration in every issue.

Victoria “BLISS”
September 21-23, 2007
Hilton Anatole, Dallas , TX
Cost: $249 (exclusive of lodging)

For more information, or to register, call: 205.262.2145 or email:  khoffman@hoffmanmedia.com

 Katie Hoffman
Victoria Events
Hoffman Media, LLC
1900   International Park Drive, Suite 50
Office - 205.262.2145

Oh. My. Gosh. Doesn't it sound like an absolutely fabulous weekend? (and not a bad price at all! Hmmm, I bet I could make $250 if I had a yard sale.....)

Inspiration Friday- feelin' blue

    Colors can inspire. I've shared similar photos to the one up top many, many times before. That yummy blue wall....If you don't know it by now, my current favorite color is blue. Robin's egg blue to be exact. Mmmmm, yummy color. Soothing. Warm. Welcoming. Inspiring.
I have it here and there, in every room of the entire cottage. On some walls, in the bathrooms...

In the living room...

In the reading corner of my dining room...

What colors in your home inspire you?

My heart spilled over

     Thank you. So. Much.

Your kind words and prayers leave me speechless. (I really had no idea so many of you are out there reading!)
     I see that there is a light at the end of that tunnel because of your kind, sweet words of encouragement.

I am truly touched.

29 years and 78 days

I wasn't expecting it. I mean, not yesterday.

     Of course I knew it was coming, and I wanted it to be over, to be final, so I could move on the way he did the day he left me late last September, without so much as a note of explanation, just a half empty closet and three one hundred dollar bills on the kitchen counter.
     Realizing that the person who promised to be faithful, to love and cherish me all the days of my life, doesn't, is a pretty hard pill to swallow. All of that history; celebrating anniversaries, new babies, and graduations has a profoundly sad feel to it, looking back. Wondering when the exact moment was that he stopped loving us, or if in fact, he ever did.
     I thought yesterday was just another 'waste some time and money" appointment, but when we were finally done, after nearly three hours, it was officially over.
     I had tried many times to imagine what this day would be like, but never could quite picture it. I thought I'd be relieved, but instead, my heart broke into a million pieces all. over. again.
    I feel so lost. What do I do now?  Even after all these months, I still do not know where, or how to go on from here.
     August 14, 2007, I became legally divorced. 
I sure didn't see that coming a year ago.

getting ready for life's journey

   

 
     I got the bride and groom-to-be luggage as a wedding gift. Mmm hmm, a very large and a small suitcase for each of them, color coordinated, his and hers.      
     I went ahead and checked them through when I flew up for the shower. That way, it served double duty. The small cases were filled with the shower favors of pot potpourri and party games, and then, the small cases  were loaded inside the large suitcases.

I made giant bows that I packed inside and attached at the baggage claim in Portland. One read "Auggie's Bride" and the other "Lindsey's Husband". The fun tags and bows will also double as chair decorations at the reception on their respective chairs....I think they are just too cute!

Shower the people you love with love

Oh! The shower was such fun. The maid-of-honor didn't miss a thing in the details. We had champagne, and assorted cakes that were oh, so yummy. We played games that were very comical, and there was a lot of laughter.

     There were darling foofied up bags of potpourri for each guest to take home as a party favor (Lavender!)
     The Sewing Queen of northern Nevada outdid herself as well. She made the ring bearer pillow, and some darling monogrammed napkins, (we inaugurated them at the shower )

and if that were not enough, she made a vintage style (think June Cleaver) apron that was the absolute hit of the party.(The cardiac nurses were begging her to make them all some for those Saturday morning pot-lucks at the hospital!)
     The very best part of all was having  her family and friends there to share in the day. Of course her nursing buddies were there, along with her two favorite "Gal-Pals", Ella and Zelpha.

     The bride-to-be met Ella, (now 95, and still volunteering 30 hours a week for the Red Cross!) her neighbor at the time, when she was taking a geriatrics course and needed to interview a senior. She went across the street, knocked on Ella's door---and an instant friendship was formed. Ella introduced the bride-to-be to her friend Zelpha,(now 94) and they've all been "Gal-Pals" for more than five years now.    
     Aah, friendship knows no age.

Words to live by-week 29

 

Remember this,very little is needed to make a happy life. Marcus Aurelius

the shower gift

     I got the bride-to-be a photo album as a shower gift. I got my daughter-in-law the same one for her wedding shower. Covered in a cream linen, it's simple and beautiful.
     I added a few personalized details to get her started. As I sat working on this last night I was thinking just how fast the years have flown by.

It seems quite unreal to me, that this little girl could really be a grown woman already, getting ready to marry the man of her dreams.
   Where does the time go? It  seems like only yesterday she was getting ready to head out the door to first grade. She was, and still is, adorable. Inside and out. *sigh*
Anyway.

     So, where was I? Oh yes, the wedding album. I made a sweet little starter page,and added her shower invite and wedding invitation, and a page to use as the guest book. There, all done. She's gonna love it.

Inspiration Friday- time pieces

     **First of all, let me say thank you, thank you (!) all so very, very much for the kind words yesterday!!It was already so fun to be nominated for such a sweet award, but you made it all even sweeter. You really made my day. My week!** Now, back to my regularly scheduled Friday full of Inspiration Blog post:

        Time pieces. Clocks. They inspire me. Full of charm and character, they definitely add personality to any room.
     I have clocks in nearly every room of my home. Big ones, small ones, battery operated and wind up. The only kind of clocks I don't like looking at are digital clocks.

     I got this one about 18 years ago (really!) at JC Penney's catalog outlet store here in Reno for some ridiculous price like $24. It is oak and was simply stained when I purchased it (it was the 80's remember) and I loved it. I still love it. The lines, the detail, all of it. I painted it black and antiqued it about 8 years ago and have never regretted it. Take a look around (and at yard sales and thrift shops) and see if there's a clock you thought looked oh, so outdated. It could be reborn with just a smattering of paint.

     I love the charm the old shabby vintage frame adds to this clock in my bedroom.

     I like to have clocks in places you just might not expect them. Here's one in the laundry room...it's a yard sale find, with just a smidge of a tiny dent up near the top  (it must have fallen off a wall sometime before I rescued it for twenty five cents at a yard sale)and I absolutely adore the flowers on it. Very "Provence" don't you think?

     Clocks don't just add character and charm to a room, and they are a "working" accessory. They tell us what time it is, after all.
     *sigh* if only we could remember to wind them, set them or replace their batteries.

Oh my.

     I was so flattered to learn that Adrienne nominated me for this award! To quote her friend Kathy on her Blog post yesterday:  "This award will be given to those that are just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!"
     I am supposed to nominate 7 people for the award as well.. The thing is, (and you know I've said it before) there are so many nice people out there, and thanks to the wonderful world of technolgy, we can all have friends any where.
    I'm not going to pick any specific names to be nominated. You're all too special to me! Just please consider yourself nominated and spread the nice-ness!
     *sigh* It's a small world after all.

Extra special little details for the big day

 
     I am having so much fun getting ready for this wedding. Little details and sweet touches to add to nooks and crannies around the banquet room (and maybe in the powder room?) at the bed and breakfast. It's such a beautiful place anyway, but I want everything perfect for this long awaited happy event. Believe me, I am savoring every moment of all of this.
     *sigh* Who said planning a wedding was stressful?

Guess what's new...

     I've begun yet another new adventure and I wanted to share it with you here first... check out the purple words (the link) at the end of this post, and please give me your feedback!
     (**Please keep in mind that I just got the Blog up late last night, so it will have improvements and more information in the sidebars very shortly!)
I would like some input from all of you here---do you think a Blog is the way to go to share the information on the upcoming faires, etc. or should I change it to a traditional type website? Leave your comments here on this post please. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!!!!!
And now, I'd like to introduce you to the Tumbleweed Cotillion!

A little rearranging

     While cleaning my cottage this weekend I also did some rearranging. I moved my little vintage camera collection from my office to the living room, and I moved my vintage storage boxes as well. Aren't they wonderful?

   The bride-to-be got them for me (in Portland, of course!) as a surprise several months ago, and I love them. (she's got a great eye, doesn't she?) They're quite a nice size,as you can see in the first photo.

     From the looks of the insides of these boxes, they were both used for filing paperwork. They are very sturdy and have nice clasps to keep them closed. I also have a small faux "Book of Sweets"  that was my Grandmother's, and hers was originally a candy box. (She used it to store old letters)
     I think these fabulous storage boxes make a wonderful addition to my end table in the living room, and together with the cameras, and a black and white wedding photo of the newlyweds, add a nice, kind of sophisticated vintage feel.
     *sigh* I think it's always such fun to shake things up a bit by simply rearranging and moving items into new groupings. It makes everything feel fresh and charming in a whole new way, and all. for. free.

Words to live by- week 28

click the photo to enlarge...

 

A romantic cake stand is reborn

     Sorry, no junkin' photos today. I didn't have any luck at all out yard saling. I was actually only gone from my dear cottage a whopping 24 minutes. (you see, the navigator had to go out of town, and it's really just not quite the same without her along in the car.)  I came back home, deciding to use today as a catch-up day around my home. (having an entire to do this is really a luxury in itself!)
      With the hot summer we've had, it's been so hard to paint, and I had a desk, two chairs and two folding screens long over due to a good friend of mine. I spent the bulk of the day finishing them all up (they were nearly done anyway...)
     I decided to paint a couple of smaller pieces today as well, since the paint and glaze were already out. The picture above is a cake stand I have had for about three or four years. It's resin, and it was a deep antiqued sage green. Pretty as it was, it reminded me too much of my old house and so, with a little paint and a bell jar placed on top, it has now been reborn. Now, all that's left to do is find the perfect thing to put inside it,(when I'm not using it for cakes or cupcakes) and a special place for it to be showcased.
   Hmm, maybe it needs some of my darling little bird eggs in it?

Inspiration friday- hats as home accessories

    

      Way back in the 80's and early 90's I used to decorate straw hats and hang them everywhere in my home, (I think this was right after the original glue gun was invented...) and I have loved vintage looking hats ever since.

     A new vintage or vintage looking hat to add to my collection is pure inspiration to me. I'll spend an entire afternoon finding just the right spot for my new treasure.
     Here's a hat you've seen quite a few times; it is one of my most favorite hats to photograph because of it's simple lines and great color, and it's just a cheapo with great bones from WalMart about 8 years ago.

     They seem to add a softness to whatever corner or area you add them to.

I have them tucked under tables, like this vintage child's Sunday hat,

and on top of things, like the armoir in my bedroom.

I even have my girls hats (all done up by me to match some dresses they wore for a photograph in 1986) perched on the mantle in the diningroom, next to the actual photograph with the hats in the picture.(**Sidenote: the lace tablecloth hanging off of my armoir in the bedroom is the very one they are sitting on in the photograph)

Next time you're trying to add softness and age to a corner of your room, try placing a hat in the area. You just might be inspired too.

Countdown to the big day

     The big day is fast approaching! We're all busy tying up the last of the loose ends for the bride's wedding. We're going with a charming flowers, nests and bird-ish theme in the details (Oh, I know, you're very surprised at this idea.)

     Anyway, I just knew you'd want to see the cute piece we've borrowed from my patio to hold cards at the reception.  We're going to sprinkle a wee bit of birdseed in the tray area, to add to the charm. Isn't it sweet?

Vintage finds make the perfect backdrop

   

     I'm working on getting my merchandise photographed for my website, and of course, I am going with a vintage feel. It's a bit of a challenge, finding things like I'm after, here in Reno, so I find myself resorting to ebay, late, late at night, perusing page after page for fun cheap little treasures to fill in the gaps. I've gotten some real treasures in the last few weeks, for next to nothing, and I they are going to add just the right vintage touch to my photos for the website.

 
   Isn't this vintage dance card sweet? It's from a dance at the Carp Pleasure Club on September 19,1909 and was never used. I bet there's a story behind this dear little card. It so reminds me of Anne of Green Gables, where Diana Berry tells Anne she thinks Gilbert Blythe will fill up her dance card...*sigh* I love that movie.
    And these old skeleton keys, I just love them. They can be hung on a ribbon, or just tossed in a small bowl. So charming.

   You'll be seeing all of these little treasures in the background of my photos on the new website. Soon, I promise!