Christmas Weekend Sale

20% Entire Store 

Saturday & Sunday

Click here once to avail the discount then enjoy 

shopping!

French Body Form

French Body Forms 10% OFF  

Decor accessories that can keep your favorite jewelry 

or mementos out on display to enjoy and organized.

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Gifts for Crafties

Gifts for Crafties ~Rolls of Twine
Shop here:

jute ideas from pinterest

La Vie Parisienne

 Vintage Style Elegance

carefully rendered from the original molds stampings used by jewelry makers 

in decades past, some over 200 years old

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Great Gifts Ideas Under $20

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Park Hill Metal Lanterns

Our most popular lantern,

 Park Hill Lanterns, are on SALE

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Lantern ~ Complete Fall Decor

The many ways to use lanterns.

Check out what we have to complete your fall decor.

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Vintage Plaque

Walk down vintage lane and stumble into these treasure finds ~ and you will be glad you did!. 

 Check out these pair of gilded wall plaques.

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Locket Love

Mon Amour! 

Who we love dearly becomes part of us, 
 forever holds our heart.

 Special lockets to keep a lifetime treasure.

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Feel the linens ~ Classica Linen by Pom Pom at Home

Waking up to a cool crisp morning and this Classica Linen beddings ~ simple yet luxurious. 

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We will try to return your messages as soon as we can. Thank you!

photo via http://www.pinterest.com/pin/183803228512942469/

POM-POM THROW

A 50 X 60 huggable fur to sooth you any day,

shop this soft and furry 

Pom-Pom creation

Now available in pewter…couldn’t be any better!

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Bundled by Love Nest by Waxing Poetic

Bundled by Love Nest

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”
― Washington Irving Penn

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Customize It ~ Waxing Poetic

      

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Luxurious Goodness

The bed is a bundle of paradoxes: we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret; we make our minds every night to leave it early, but we make up our bodies every morning to keep it late.

 ~ Charles Caleb Colton

 We do love to sink into our bed with comfort and luxury~ and why not treat yourself

 to a complete oasis!

Shop Here!

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Bird Feeders

Create a focal point in your garden or under the trees and enjoy the view of your favorite species.

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ROLLING IN STYLE

When I watch Old Hollywood films or look at Vintage-themed 

photo spreads, I can’t help but get enamoured by the mystery and 

the nostalgia vintage cars present me with. There’s something sexy 

yet reserved about it. It has a sophistication that takes you back in 

time where everything is glitzy and glamorous. This timeless 

piece goes beyond the value of its age. Its beauty gives itself a life 

of its own, depicting an era of glamour and romance, telling us 

tales of love, freedom, and heartaches, too.

I really think vintage cars transcend its purpose as an old

automobile. It is a piece of art made useful or it’s something useful 

made into a piece of art or both. When Old Hollywood portrayed 

so many love scenes in these cars, they have immortalized a 

beauty, that now, stands on its own, romanticizing even the 

simplest moments captured with it.

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

by VC

Venice at Night

The song that inspired me during the travels, La Vie En Rose, was played by the orchestra in front of Caffe Florian right before we called it a night…Sweet memories!  

Thought you might want to play it as well…

The square at night is aglow with live mini-orchestras and friendly visitors enjoying wine and the sounds of classical music.  I felt like I was stepping back in time as I was listening to the classical sounds and absorbing the beauty I was surrounded with.  In one corner is Caffe Florian built in 1720 known to be the first and oldest existing cafe in Europe.  It is one of the popular landmarks in Venice with a wealth of history and a collection of 18th century art.  Some claim Casanova stopped here for coffee before fleeing Venice. Whether a tale or true, got the point!  Not so surprise, it is pricey for a small cup of coffee but it is all worth for the experience!

Steps away is St. Mark’s Basilica

The side of  Basilica next to Doge’s Palace exit

The Tower at the Square

The architecture that surrounds the three sides of the Square.

 Grand Canal

A shot during a late night stroll along the Grand Canal with empty streets 

and the echo sounds of footsteps with guided street lights and bright moon. 

The choppy water signals the presence of breeze. 

Beautiful Venice at night sans the gondolas, an unfamiliar place yet so serene…

Do come back next week and I will show you the palaces along the Grand Canal.

Mary Ann

A Novice Account: Soap Making 101

I am not an expert, but I am always willing to try some new recipes. Soap making, ooh~that’s a different story. But may I say I am an expert try-er. That’s not a word you would find in a dictionary, but for the sake of blogging, let’s use it!

Lavender is known to have its benefits and cure. Its soothing aroma helps alleviate insomnia. 

It is also known for its anti-septic and anti-inflammatory effects ~ for boils,

 blemishes, fever blisters, to name a few.

After visiting the lavender farm,  I was inspired to experiment some simple recipes I found online.  I am also a visual learner, having a video demonstration does help but I applied some variations.

Most of the ingredients I used (including herbal oils) came from the Lavender Farm.

 You can check online for a variety of products.

(photo taken at Lavender Hollow Farm)

Rose Buds

Rose Clay

Lavender-Rose Soap Recipe

For Infusion:

1/4 C Lavender Flowers

1 C Water

Simmer for 10 minutes, lightly covered and let sleep overnight

3 C glycerin soap or castile soap

1/4 C infusion of lavender flowers

Add 1 1/2 teaspoon lavender oil (may use in place of olive or almond oil as shown on video)

1 1/2 teaspoon rose oil

Colorant (Rose Clay - to give the pink look)

Steel cut oatmeal (optional, as shown on video) 

Dried lavender flowers and rose buds for decoration topping

Combine melted soap base and all the herbal ingredients, stir slowly in low heat until blended.  Pour into molds and cool.  

To get an authentic look, use a loaf mold (available here) or you can find it in Amazon.
For glycerine soap base or castile soap, just type these words in your search bar to choose a variety of products available online.

Though above recipe is the modified version of the video instructions, watching this video helps me understand the principles of soap making! Have fun!

Lavender Heaven in California: Lavender Hollow Farm

July is the peak of lavender season in Provence and I was just there two months early and missed the experience of the Lavender season. Yap, how can I not know that!? A tad of frustrations overcame when I found out about  Lavender Hollow Farm in Escalon, California. It is only a few hours drive from my place and only open through the month of June.  Lavender Hollow Farm has an array of lavender products that are locally produced. Aside from the lavender fields,  it boasts a sprawling garden of summer blooms.  And for you avid crafters, they offer a lavender wreath making class!

Trying to get my model to pose with the lavender bouquet ~ my little Grectchie seems to love the grass better and got distracted by the wide grass field!

Mary Ann