etsy roundup: a valentine to wear

Etsy does not fail me when I inquire after a necklace for the Valentine season.  Each of these brought at least one friend or family member (or myself!) to mind.

I love PA - a way to proclaim your love of place

Heartache and Sorrow journal necklace - for those who'd rather there wasn't a Valentines day

Hershey's Valentines stamp locket for my Cousin in Hershey

infinity - for mushy newlywed types

circle pendant - for those who think hearts are too cutsie (and for me!)

an old fashioned locket - for those who are both sentimental AND on a budget

An even cooler locket - for those not so much on a budget.

a very petite heart - for those who like subtlety (and for me!)

a love knot - for when it's "complicated"

for the vampire fans - it's ok, we can still be friends

for the textile nerds

for the romantics (and me!)

for the crafty ones

for the bling-addicts

Midwinter itch: crocus

I think the most important flower for any garden to have is the first one to bloom each spring.  And the earlier it can do that for me, the better.  I am a woman who can barely tolerate winter and by February I just about lose my mind.  So having some perky little crocuses appear in March is akin to having the heavens part and a choir of angels sing.  You'd better believe that if I live where there's winter, I will always have crocuses planted.

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Etsy love: Tush Tush

I was trolling through all my saved favorite Etsy sellers lately and rediscovered Tush Tush.  If I could pick one talent that I absolutely do not have and bestow it upon myself I think I'd choose to be able to paint like this.  (Or play the violin... but that one I may still be able to tackle in this life).

I found the chandelier of my dreams

But I have no idea how to find it in real life.  (The blog post I saw it on had no sources).  Dreams are more fun anyway.

Quote of the Week: Stars

"If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and stare."
Ralph Waldo Emerson



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Rhythm and ideas

My friend Shelley reminded me recently of the awesome webzine Rhythm of the Home.

Check it out for some awesome Waldorfian ideas of what to do with bored kids.  What, your kids are never bored?  Well what am I doing wrong then?

Some of my favorites:

St. Lucia Day
Storytelling with Young children
Mail Kit
Plough Monday
Art Bag
Embroidering your children's artwork
Benefits of Play
Pop up books
Crafts for young children
making playscapes
wishing rocks

The perfect shoe

In my mind, is a T-strap with a short 1-2" heel.
Stylish and sure-footed.  Not too trendy, and you could walk a mile in such a pair, and look good doing it.

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When life gives you lemons...

decorate with them!  Something about lemons seems so clean and perfect for a new year to me.

William Sonoma Home

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Laura Dowling

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project wedding

NZ House

The Knot

B*spoke

super stock

on etsy; make your own monster

The mother of boys in me loves this idea.

by David Scott Cole 

arts and crafts and transoms

I have such a soft spot for arts and crafts architecture.  Lately I've been dreaming of a friendly little bungalow with lots of built-ins and details.  Details like these sublime art-deco and art-nouveau transoms above the front door.  Pretty sure I'll have a few of these in heaven.

Visions in Glass

Glass designs by George

Simply Stained

Art Fix Daily

Lynne Parrish

Fairgreen

And wouldn't it be the ultimate way to mark your address?  I adore this idea:

R.A. Cleve

Sunrise Stained Glass

Quote(s) of the Week: tulips

The thought of the first spring flowers and blossoms tends to be my lifeline through the doldrums of real winter.  It's time to be forcing bulbs and branches in order to feed my soul.


"But I have always thought that these tulips must have had names. They were red, and orange and red, and red and orange and yellow, like the ember in a nursery fire of a winter's evening. I remember them." 
— Neil Gaiman

as tulips do

the tulip doesn’t know the word pink,
but lives it every day, warm
as the inside of a mouth

its petals don’t know their name
but the inner-breath of lovers
repeats it over and over,
like veins

it has never heard of the word bulb
yet from the dark earth
it pushes its heart ---


  as headdress,
  as opened light


 Nicolette Marguerite van der Walt

kids stuff: Snow Fortress

If you live where it snows, and you have a boy (or three) then you might need one of these.

Ask me how I know.