Thoughts from Alice W.

summer garden...

It's hard to believe that it has been so long since my last post. Time sure is flying by around here.

Joshua and I are staying very busy preparing for the arrival of Baby {Girl} W. 

We recently held a yard sale to clear things out and make some money, which turned out to be a great success!

We are actually already excited to do it again next year.

But, lest you think I am ahead of the game, allow me to correct you...there is still so much to do around here!

I get emailed and facebooked quite frequently about the status of our nursery, and while I wish I could say I have been working on it, it just isn't so.

The room that is to be our daughter's room is still our bedroom and will remain so until I clear out the master bedroom

{currently my "hoarding room"...aka art studio}.

Being now 7 months pregnant makes it difficult to get a lot done in terms of clearing out and organizing, so it has been a slow process.

I do assure all of you waiting on me, however, that I will definitely share the progress here...

Once there is any progress to share of course!

Today, I thought I would share some summer 'garden' pics with you...

Mind you, I did nothing with planting...all of our beautiful blooms simply appeared one day and I am enjoying them! 

Still in love with my sweet Mary that came with our house...

Josh brought home this cute wicker bench just the other day, and for now it is residing on our front porch...

We ended up donating much of the leftovers from our yard sale to a local church for their upcoming sale, and while we were dropping it off,

I couldn't resist rummaging through what they were throwing out...

We stumbled upon about 6 or 7 boxes of these old Atlas canning jars.

I love to use these for vases, art studio storage, you name it...

Since we acquired so many, some will likely find their way to my Etsy shop one of these days.

My next big project of the summer is preparing for my upcoming baby shower which we will be having on July 9th.

My sister and mother are planning it with me, and I have LOTS of ideas brewing.

Can't wait to share pics with all of you after the festivities!

I hope that all of you are enjoying a safe and relaxing summer thus far...and staying cool!

Till next time...

P.S. I also recently had the privilege of being featured in an article written by Josh's cousin for our local city paper...click here to check it out!

the romantics

For years, I have dreamed of one day being featured in the highly coveted annual feature in Romantic Homes of women who inspire...

this being of course, The Romantics...

Never actually thinking it would happen, you can imagine my surprise and delight when I was approached by them a few months back about being included in this February's issue.

I had to write a short essay on how I live my life romantically as well as summing up in one sentence the most romantic thing that I have ever done.

Oh the pressure!

But I enjoyed every minute...and was even more thrilled when I discovered that it had come out {thanks to you wonderful blogging Ladies who keep me up to date on things}...

There are several other wonderful women featured as well, so you must go get a copy if you haven't yet...I insist :)

In other news, I also had an article come out in the Winter 2011 issue of Somerset Life featuring my lavender sachet cones, also now available on news stands.

I purchased a lovely bouquet of dried lavender sprigs on Etsy to inspire me as I wrote...

For those of you who pick up these magazines, I sincerely hope that you are inspired and enjoy the articles...

Till next time...

 

a little more press and a show...

I hope you will forgive me if I indulge in a little more bragging...

If you are an avid reader of Romantic Homes, you may have already seen it, but if not...

I am so excited to share that my blog has been featured in the September issue!

This is such an honor for me {and thank you Allison for alerting me that the issue was out. Lately, I seem to be the last one to find out about my features!}.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been preparing for a local show that I was invited to participate in.

Joshua and my mother decided to join in with me to combine our efforts, creations and offerings...

If you recall my last experience with a show, I typically have not had great success with these ventures, and unfortunately, this one was no different. All three of us barely broke even with what we had invested, but we did enjoy spending the day together, meeting some nice people, and getting lots of compliments on our 'vintage inspired' booth.

I took several photos and thought you might enjoy seeing them even though the show was less than a success for us...{makes me all the more appreciate the great online market!}

My mother and I combined our items in the majority of the booth...

We had lots of vintage items, antiques, and vintage inspired home decor...

{I have started receiving requests for the Toy Land Nesting Canisters featured above. I still have about 4-5 sets left, so for those interested, they are $12 for the set of 3. Just send me an email with your location and I can give you a quote on shipping and send you the link where you can pay through Paypal. And if you see anything else in this post that you are interested in just let me know. Thank you!}

I also included my photography and some handmade pieces...

as well as Halloween creations...

 

My mother also had her charming handmade wreaths...

This adorable retro Christmas wreath was my favorite...

We had a vast selection of jewelry {which is where the sales eventually came for Joshua and me}...

Joshua's jewelry received so many compliments and the most interest.

Most of the visitors had never seen anything like it....

I think from now on I will think a bit longer and harder before committing to do a show - they are exhausting! I am sure they can be worth it, if you make a good profit, but I just haven't yet had very good luck with that. Perhaps it was the location, the economy or any number of factors, but I think I will stick with what I know and appreciate that all the more ;)

Till next time...

A Summer in Somerset...

It feels like forever since I have been here! Well, it has been quite awhile hasn't it?

So, I thought I would take some time to share what I have been up to this summer...

First, I just received the Summer 2010 issue of Somerset Life. I have been anticipating this one for awhile but due to some postal issues and Border's not having a copy, it took awhile for me to receive it.

But alas, it came and I was delighted to see my article with a featured headline on the front cover!

The wonderful new editor, Christen Olivarez, wrote me a few months back and asked me to write an article based on this previous post featuring my vintage recipe cards.

It is funny how things work out in life...as I was certain that post would go by unnoticed by most when I first wrote it. And then it inspired an entire magazine article, who knew?
 
 

You can find my article on page 82, where I share how I acquired these vintage cards and what I have done with them, as well as some inspiration for your own recipes to share with others.

I am a firm believer that in today's fast paced life, a home cooked meal with friends and family is so important. And when the basic act of cooking it together is shared, special memories can be made.  I know that we all get busy and live in a society of instant gratification, so taking the time to prepare food and allow others to "help" can seem daunting, but it is the lessons learned and time shared here that will be treasured forever.

At least...in my humble opinion...

I was delighted to see that my article inspired a new challenge for readers...

You can share with them your own ideas for recipe cards, and if you do, I would love to see what you come up with!

{If you are interested in purchasing a set of the recipe cards, I still have several available and you can find them in my Etsy shop by clicking here.}

In the same issue, I was also featured in the article 'Simply Add a Button'...

It was based around embellishing packages with that little 'extra something' and just goes to prove that even the smallest of details {ie: a button} can have a big impact. Who would have thought by embellishing a previous box I sent into them, would result in a little spotlight?

And...I am honored to have three of my photographs featured in their Miscellany section! It truly has been 'a summer in Somerset'...

Some other events of the summer, I have joined this century and finally got myself on Facebook.

I know, I know...but I wasn't a 'fan' of it previously.

Since then I have found it can be enjoyable place to catch up with old friends/relatives...and keep in touch with people. I even created a little 'Alice W.' fan page for all of you, so that you can keep up to date with all of my shops and happenings if you are so inclined.

And some other big news of the summer...

Joshua and I are purchasing a home!

Finally, after a couple of months of looking we found the right one for us. We have already had the home inspection, applied for our mortgage, etc. So now we are just waiting and hoping it all goes fine as we wait for the closing date, which falls in the middle of August.

And then I will really be busy! Packing, moving, cleaning...and eventually my favorite: decorating my very own place.

I simply cannot wait. I am already looking at paint colors, scouring magazines for inspiration and dreaming of how I will make it my very own home sweet home.

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to check up on me this summer. I really appreciate all of your friendship and love!

Wishing you all a wonderful August...

Till next time,

Guest Curator: Who Me?

Yup, that's the first thought I had when I received an email from the editors of Etsy's blog, asking me to be a guest curator.

The subject read, "Etsy Loves 'Thoughts from Alice W."...that alone made my heart skip a few beats!

They wanted me to share tips on how to create my "cozy aesthetic" along with my picks from Etsy and my sources of inspiration.

I was thrilled...and I won't lie...quite a bit nervous too.

And then this afternoon my article was live~ so I thought I would share it here as well {they requested I spread the word ;)}...you can head over to Etsy to see the full deal...but here is the gist...

If one word could describe my lifestyle and design aesthetic, it would be romantic. Having always been a dreamer at heart, I love incorporating romantic details into every facet of my creative endeavors and home décor. Though my personal style may evolve with the times, one thing remains the same — finding beauty in the details and romance in the simple things.

For me, this is mainly achieved through antique and vintage finds. I spend all spring and summer scouring flea markets, thrift stores and the like, finding those one-of-a-kind treasures to fill my home. I love the history of pieces from earlier times. They exude mystery, whimsy and of course…romance. Anything French is sure to make my heart swoon. The best part about Etsy is that these finds can be found all throughout the year — you don’t have to wait for warmer weather to start collecting.

 
Vintage Etsy finds shown above that caught my eye:
Vintage Italian Tole Candelabra from thepetitemarket, Chandelier from kgentinetta, Antique French Dictionary Pages from elitas, Rescued Horsehair Brush from fadedprairie.

A staple of my design style is a monochromatic palette. I am a lover of white-on-white decorating with bits of black and brown thrown in for good measure. There is something so soothing about a palette filled with cream, ivory, beige, gray, ecru, sepia, etc. that speaks to my soul. When louder colors are eliminated, textures and finishes take center stage and are allowed to shine, such as ruffles and wrinkles of linen, the coarseness of burlap, as well as chipped surfaces and worn patinas. Bits of gold and silver sparkle in chandeliers, candlesticks and ornate mirrors.

 
 
 

Monochromatic textures from Etsy:
Burlap Table Runner - Ruffled by SimpleLinens, No. 231 Burlap Bolster by AlicesLookingGlass, Belgian Linen Ruffled Tablecloth by kgentinetta, Jelly Cupboard Early American Country by JosephSpinaleFurn.

Collections are another aspect to vintage romance that adds interest and appeal. Ironstone pottery and plain white china are favorites of mine. The more aged and crazed, the better. Vintage alarm clocks, religious relics and old photographs are among others. Curious finds gathered together are sure to become conversation pieces. Whatever it is that you love collecting, curating them strategically will have a bold impact.

 

Start your own collections with these curious and vintage finds:
Vintage Store Price Display Stand from oldohiofarmfinds, Vintage Alarm Clock Sevani From Armenia from ClockworkUniverse, Vintage Photos from rebeccasthriftshop.

Inspiration for this design aesthetic can be found in plenty of places. Two sources that I admire include the home and interior details of June from Laughing With Angels. Her elegant grace with gathering beautiful pieces together always serves as something to aspire to. Another favorite of mine is Andie Edwards, artist and lover of all things white. The simplistic beauty of her style exudes romance.

 

First three photos by June of Laughing with Angels, mosaic of photos by Andie Edwards

Some of my favorite blogs and websites for further inspiration:

• Romantic Vignettes
• Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic
• Jeanne d’Arc Living
• Chez Fifi
• My Petite Maison
• Belle Blanc
• The Old Painted Cottage’s ‘Cottage of the Month’

Well, I do hope that you enjoy my post! And a very big thank you to Etsy for giving me such a fun opportunity!

Till next time...