On a return trip to West Elm I found two more DBO collaboration vases to compliment the large one in the back. It was great timing for the unsold Valentine's day roses to go on sale. I especially love spray roses, a friend says it's because I tend to prefer the 'garden look'. She might very well be right. It was fun using an entire florist bunch (10 stems in this case), abundance of roses make any girl happy, no?
This arrangement contains spray roses (10 stems), seeded eucalyptus (1 large stem/branch), leucadendron (2 stems) and curly willow (1 piece).
After reading too many reviews and considering the advice left here (thank you so much to those of you who weighed in), I ended up ordering a cuttlebug through amazon prime along with a c plate and embossing mats as well as a lot of spellbinder nestabilities from ebay. They arrived mere hours from each other (bravo ebay seller!). I sat down and Finn climbed on top,sooo heavy, to give it a test drive and we both give it thumbs up!
It's a slow process, completely unrelated to cutting with a cricut expression or other electronic machines. You can only cut ONE shape at a time, so basically you need to be in love with that shape. That said the result is much crisper and artisan-looking which pleases me to no end. The machine was cheap (and tiny), the dies less so but that might prevent me from going bananas and spending as if money grew on trees with paper leaves born a electronic cutter.
Finn very helpfully pointed at my calligraphy supplies and asked me why I was keeping those since I "don't ever use them anymore?". I can take a hint too, so here we are addressing Finn's save the date birthday envelopes. His class is populated with American presidents (Ford, Lincoln, Jackson) and Stephanie Meyer fans. I wonder what they would be called, all those little humans if we lived in France. For that matter what would Finn be called? Maxime or xavier I think...
As a French born vegetarian, I find it always takes an herculean effort to get in the Thanksgiving mood. This year was going to be different, starting by baking something we would really like, something sweet... Started yesterday, finished this morning, these little meringue mushrooms are truly something to be thankful for, much more than a classic meringue somehow. The bittersweet chocolate does all the heavy lifting.
Nibs and ink are back in use, lest I forget absolutely everything Melissa taught me. It's sad how fast you can loose you hand with things like calligraphy. But back to the mushrooms with a closer look and the recipe link.
Yesterday was lousy, a typical sick day stuck in bed. By five I couldn't stay there a minute longer and decided to practice a little calligraphy for a little while.
My aunt is organizing her sewing room in France and has asked me to write some labels for her to place on all kinds of haberdashery boxes. Even though the labels feel very smooth to the touch they are not necessarily so. I had a lot of fibers stick to the nib. In the end it just broke in a spectacular ink spray landing guess where: All over my face. See for yourselves!
I am 100% better today and should be able to face replacing the nib. I find it excessively hard in these wooden holders and I would not recommend them to beginners (such as myself). Once you figure it out they are second to none.
Believe it or not, this is the first sympathy card I ever sat down to write in my 34 years. I usually intensely think about how I should write one and then cannot come up with anything to say. It was time to grow up as a neighbor with whom we have quite a bit of contact lost her father to old age and illness last Saturday.
I realise that "sympathy" isn't written strait and the ink splattered on the envelope but better done than ideally perfect in my mind don't you think?
A little morning calligraphy... I got the gift of a kid-free start of the day, time to read the newspaper (maybe the Wall Street Journal is not the very best choice for a stress-free day), time to drink some water (no excuses), write a friend some proper mail bound for New York and sit down to work on this little project conceived while watching Finn take swimming lessons from this wonderful woman named Roberta. I will bring it to her this afternoon. I hope it stays dry!
Finn is really astonishing us with his athletic prowess! This weekend he started riding a normal bicycle on his own (with a little help at the start), now I am told that he will be swimming much sooner than anticipated... Surprise, surprise!
I have been working on this hostess gift for a little while, the dish is in fabulous shape and my pride and joy from a thrift expedition a few weeks ago. I know the Art Nouveau flowers will compliment nicely the recipients other treasures. The bath bombs are freshly put together and come in three scents. I added no oatmeal this time so they can be used in a jetted tub without fear of weird mold or anything.
I just love making hostess gifts (recent inner self discovery). It's all about putting different things together, some bought, some made and thinking of the gift-ee while creating a lovely package.
The tag reads in French a casual "for You". If you feel compelled to make your own and need a little formality write "Pour Vous" instead. As this card is for a family member that would be a little much! French is very specific when it comes to addressing people formally, it's a great relief living here in the West not to have to worry about such things. When the height of polite address is adding Ma'am at the end of a sentence you know you are most likely on safe grounds anytime.
Only three days left on my class! mild panic setting in. I have enjoyed this so much, and would love to keep learning. It's all going to be about practice now. Although I suspect the back pain comes from the appalling position of my shoulders when using the pointed pen.
The quote of the day comes from the movie Sabrina, I haven't seen it in ages, could it be on Netflix?
Last night I went to see Moonrise Kingdom again, it's not likely to get old any time soon... I make a mental note during the movie of all the great quotes and titles that would make good calligraphy homework. This was the first one that came to mind, and after trying and trying again a dozen times I feel a bit of a lunatic myself!
I think fake addressed envelopes are next; I remember when Coraline came out, people exchanged little boxes of crafts and objects in the theme of the movie, Moonrise Kingdom seems tailor-made for a repeat.
This little YouTube film features an animated version of the book snippets read by Susie in the movie, Wes wrote the text and had different artists draw illustrations for the covers.
And finally, for K. a little Francoise Hardy:
Meditate on how far music videos have come these days!
Still doing daily exercises with the pointed pen. My online class is almost half way done and there are still so many basic questions I need to answer. Such as which nib is right for me? existential surely... Or why does the pink ink give me more trouble than the black ( no, no, not like my soul I assure you).
Anyhow, It's my 'mamie's birthday in July and as she lives over the ocean I must hurry with my package. I am happy with the card, it took a few tries of course, which is always problematic as I was using the actual paper for my mistakes as well.
The little felted mushroom is from etsy, purchased many years ago, but still cute with jute and pink ribbon.
I hope she will forgive me for using English. Joyeux Anniversaire seemed rather danting as I am not a fan of the capital J or A these days.
