My friend, Bill Fry...

I went on a little journey this past weekend.
 I traveled to Mayfield, Kentucky, to meet up with dear friend Kim, and from there, we would drive to
her family's home in the small town of Eldorado, Illinois.

She grew up on this farm, with this big red barn…


…and her dad, Bill, would take me around the place and tell me stories…
and show me his garden
(the asparagus, gone to seed…where the cucumbers had grown...he just set out those over there…)
There was just so much to tell..and just so much to take in…


He was fairly excited. To say the least.

Kim and I have been friends for 20 years.
It was the summer of '95 that we met and found we would be teaching on the same team,
assigned to a profoundly wonderful group of 6th graders.


It had been 20 years since I had visited her childhood home, met her parents Vernie and Bill,
her little brother John and her big sister Barb. I learned she had lost her oldest brother, in a tragic accident.
But life had gone on…

And now, on this visit…we were grieving the absence of her mom, who passed on February 26th.
On the same day, I was remembering what would have been the 30th birthday of my Rachel Rose.
A day of grieving and loving and remembering.


Kim decided we would surprise her dad, with my visit.
Mission was accomplished.

We drove out to the family's lake house, built on the banks of a lake not far down the road from their home. John's bees were in a clearing, off to the side. Canoes were at rest at water's edge.
It was peaceful.


My friend Bill, calls me Chris. He just does.
This is what he has called me for 20 years.
So I answer.
He pulls out the photo albums, and tells me stories of friends in California…"..and there's me and Vernie…and there's John with Terry's son…" 
So many memories…
and I listen.


He flips through the pages, and suddenly it's time to go…

We will meet up with little brother John at the restaurant in town…
where everybody knows everybody..


and then we'll head back to the house..
and friends and family will drop by..and check in…and head out again..
Much laughter and story-telling..
and the cat's out of the bag.
Tomorrow is John's birthday.
43.
I can NOT believe it.


It was just the other day, he was that young man of 23…
Time marches on.

Off to bed.

Saturday morning, I descend the stairs and smell coffee. It's early,
but Bill/Dad has already left for work at the furniture store... NuWay…where he runs the show.
It was established sometime in the 20's. He's shown me the old photos…the old "cash register"..
He is there 6 days a week...

By 8:00 am..he's popped in with the newspaper…and then he's gone.
He calls to tell us there's gas in the car…"in case you gals want to go shopping"…

So we finish our coffee…and our long conversation…and we fix our hair and our makeup and discuss lipgloss colors (the things we used to do all those years ago)

We drive to the nearby town of Harrisburg, Illinois, and enjoy a grilled chicken salad at
The Burg.
It is such a darling cafe, with its framed flag with 48 stars...


It has been lovingly restored.
In its former life, it was a pharmacy…and then a tavern.
The owner saw its potential.
We're thankful.


We then make our way to the neighboring boutique Gypsy Moon…which was formerly 
Myrons (an upscale dress shoppe in the 6o's) and before that..
it was a bank…






We head to the grocery store, to acquire goods for the evening's celebration/cookout, and make our way back to her momma's kitchen...
and while Kim prepares appetizers and treats, we have more time to reminisce and share memories and talk about life…and our children...

At quarter past 4, with Dad/Bill riding in the back seat…
 we drive through neighboring Riverside to see the church where Bill and Vernie were married.
It had suffered a terrible blow by a tornado, a few years ago,
but reconstruction is underway, and we are thankful.
We are on our way to attend mass at "the little old country church" in Ponds Settlement.
I have never attended Catholic mass. This will be my first.
I am overwhelmed by the sacredness…the songs…the ritual…
Kim kneels..I kneel…I follow her lead.
We sing and pray and we share "peace" to our pew neighbors…


We stop by the house for the appetizers, and then it is on to the house by the lake.

There, John has grilled for all of us…and there are deviled eggs and cheese balls and fresh tomatoes and chips and all kinds of cookout delicious-ness…
and a birthday gift he shares with all of us...fresh bread, made by the nuns.
Goodness.

And then there's Kim's cousin Lennie, who taught kindergartners for 35 years..
and we are kindred spirit friends in an instant...



As dusk approaches, I look towards the water…

There is no singing "happy birthday"…
just this…


quiet moments. 
remembering.

Sunday morning the house is filled with the fragrance of home-made breakfast.
Kim has out done herself,
and I realize we have not captured a photo of the two of us.
Niece Jessica, snaps...


..and then it is time for goodbyes.
It is hard.
We hug and kiss and hug some more…
and he fills the back of the car with tomatoes and cucumbers, green beans and peppers…
"Chris, I got sweet corn for you…" 

and we're on our way…


I arrive home to one happy little girlie…



Monday morning, Sophia and I set up camp on the back porch and commence a lesson in the
snapping of green beans. 

(We find one of Grammy Nancy's bowls..
and have quite a discussion of this dear one who resides in heaven)




She digs the tiny "nuggets" within, and says, "Grammy, you can eat dese widdle beans! Dare da-wicious!"


That task is accomplished, and I am on to the schucking of the corn..


and she appears, with her widdle stool…and wants to learn…


I take over the peeling and slicing of the cucumbers..
placing them inside the refrigerator dishes passed down from my Uncle Neil and Aunt Lea…


….and this tomato! Good gracious…have you ever??


The purple of the eggplant and the yellow of the corn, alongside that 'ripened to perfection' tomato..
I am in Garden Goodness Heaven!

I add chopped onion and Apple Cider vinegar…a dash of salt and pepper... and scoop the concoction into another lidded glass dish and into the fridge for chilling…


Tim prepares the corn for grilling (melted butter and tarragon) and then returns with this mountain of caramelized corn…


The freshly snapped green beans are cooked down to perfection, the new potatoes boiled to just the right softness…and we enjoy the feast…
wishing terribly, that Bill Fry could join us at our farm table, here in our little cottage in Franklin.

As I reflect on the weekend, I am grateful for my friend Kim.
We had no idea, that summer of '95, that we would be enjoying such a steadfast friendship,
all these years later.
We had no idea the road ahead would have so many bumps and twists and turns.
This new road she travels, that her family travels….
moving forward, missing her mother's physical presence…
it is hard.

Our dads share the same name, and each of them is called Billy by family and forever friends.
My dad was born on November 7, 1931.
Her dad was born on November 11, 1932.
They each love their girls in a mighty way,
and they are proud of their accomplishments…and remind the world around them, 
of all their girls' successes, because the world needs to be reminded…always…
They both know Jesus, and their faith is profound.
I am thankful for these two dads. 

I have already relayed my thanks to Kim,
but to Barb and John..and to Patrick and Matt and Jessica and Bradley..and to Lennie and Roger…and Mark and Josh…to Sister Alicia and Aunt Ada…to Nathan and Courtney and baby girl Kennedy…and Brandy and Hayden…
Thank you for sharing your Bill Fry with this "long tall Chris" from Tennessee.
I am proud and honored to call him friend.

Blessings.

A Video…How Rose Water Cottage Press Came to Be

My dear dear daughter-in-love, Jenny Dew Blankenship…talented beyond words…has produced a video chronicling how Rose Water Cottage Press came to be.  She has developed a YouTube channel of same name (Rose Water Cottage Press), as well,  and we hope to continue to add more snippets of life at Rose Water Cottage…the reading of Bedtime Stories….How this adventure into storybook writing/illustrating began…and more…

Please feel free to share this video, if you feel it could encourage or inspire a friend or loved one in their endeavors to find their hidden gifts/talents, for we all have something to offer. Sometimes, it just takes someone believing in us.

I am thankful for those who have and continue to encourage and inspire me on this incredible journey.

Many blessings to you dear readers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfJ5vAuhJcs

(business cards)

(Quietness..a rose that survived Katrina, discovered in 2003, that I acquired at Antique Rose Emporium in Texas, April 2015)

(My hydrangeas in the old iron flower pots, have taken on a shabby chic look)

(Eliza sits atop her travel case, awaiting her adventure to a doll's fair in Vermont…sporting her new wardrobe from her dear friend Rachel Noelle Pallas who has the most wonderful things in her Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/Shabbyforme)

A Shabby Chic Workshop at The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell

It has been a whirlwind since the last post that documented the move into my little Storybook Studio. 
Thank you for your incredible patience.

In April, I traveled to Round Top, Texas, to attend the Shabby Chic Workshop at 
The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell…
conducted by Rachel Ashwell.

We gathered in the Ranger's Lounge there, on Friday afternoon, 
and I claimed space on a big comfy chair …Eliza takes up quite a bit of room, you see...


There were 18 women in attendance, and we were able to enjoy a meet and greet 
connecting with friends we had only known, thus far, through the internet. 
(There's quite a shabby chic sisterhood on Instagram)

Sweet Dee Magdalina, was one of those precious ones...



And then she was there…as lovely in real life, as we had all imagined...


It wasn't long, and we were on our way for a tour across the property.
My mother always taught me to sit at the front of the class, for that's where you will learn the most, 
so I headed for the front of the line…so I could learn from the best...


In the midst of the tour, there was a moment for a quick photo...



On the tour through the darling little cottages, Rachel shared her vision for the property and we saw all the many elements of her famous Shabby Chic aesthetic..

 vintage wallpapers and massive white framed mirrors ...


I love the sweetness of the prints and the soft palette…


Follow the leader into the Blue Bonnet Barn…


Inside the Pearl Barn, all of the images I had studied in her book…they were all before me...


Rachel's incredible collection of vintage prom dresses had been hung and appeared as if they were dancing amongst the rafters….


The Junk Gypsies created the "25" lighted marquis for the "25 years of Shabby Chic" celebration…
featured on their episode that aired July 10, 2015


We made our way back to the Ranger's Lounge, where a feast was being prepared…

Danny, the man with the big boots and hat, happy to wear a Shabby Chic apron, prepares fried chicken and french fries…


and sweet Kathy, one of the women who would "wash mousie dishes"..
falls in love with a certain little mousie girl, Eliza...


While the preparations are being made, Rachel invites me to the porch…where there is a bit of quiet..
and she meets this little mouse
in a tiny tutu, and tiny slippers, and a tiny tiara..
and a tiny millinery crown (a gift from one talented artisan named Rachel, as well)
and Eliza can hardly contain the joy.

They are fast friends…


It is time to eat.
We take a seat
and accept a gift…
Rachel collects cameos, and she shares.
The horseshoe is in honor of the great state of Texas.


She welcomes us to the table…her farm table…
with its pitchers of roses
and jelly jar glasses 
and 
pretty prairie dishes..


Dinner is scrumptious
conversation is riveting and lively
and then it is time for school
and we enter the classroom….
As it turns out, the big comfy chair I chose, is right alongside her perch.
That stool, there, is where she will sit 
and we will take notes and hang on every word.
Shabby Chic History, The Shabby Chic Aesthetic, Business
 These would be the subjects covered in each session of the workshop


 The next morning, we enter the classroom once again, and by noon, 
another delicious meal is prepared.

We are then given the choice to spend the afternoon shopping in town
or to hang at The Prairie,
as helpers for a photo shoot of the new comforters in the 
Simply Shabby Chic line of products.

Eliza and I are all about helping…


This suite in the Liliput Lodge is a favored dressing room for Brides-to-be,
and this darling girl, Valentina Pollard, is in awe of its beauty…
and the fact that it is hers to enjoy for the weekend, has her completely overwhelmed.. 
Add that it is the site for part of the photo shoot.. there are just no words...


Enchanted by the lighting…


Off to the Pearl Barn, to collect a barrel of silk flowers,
and we are treated to a peek inside Rachel's bag of "bits and bobs"..
vintage millinery and laces and ribbons…
those seen in countless photos and even the
 Junk Gypsies episode...



The barrel is retrieved and we make our way to the clothesline…
(The Blue Bonnet Barn in the background)



Every detail tended to …every single one…
until it is perfectly charming…



We were able to help a bit, but mostly it was watching and learning.
Her process of creating the "beauty of imperfection"
is something to behold.

And then it was time to clean up.
As these twin sisters carried away the barrel of flowers,
 I snapped a photo…How could I not…



Ali and Jen, you are two of the dearest and sweetest!

I was taken with every aspect, every detail of this place…this little piece of heaven..
with its fences and ivy and roses…
and enjoyed capturing some photos of my own...


Saturday evening at dinner, we realized a band from Australia, Heart Collectors, was in town,
and would be coming to serenade…
…and they did..
and we danced and sang along…


Before we could blink twice, it was Sunday morning…
and as I slipped out to the balcony of the Liliput, still in my Shabby Chic jammies and robe,
I spied sweet girl,
cup of coffee in hand, gazing down that long drive,
pondering the future..filled with promise...



and I do the same...



After a hearty breakfast, and conversations of reflection around the farm table
(with sweet Carolyn, from Australia)

it is time for the final session of the workshop.


As it comes to a close…
a message from her heart leads to a tender moment…



This shy British lady has dreamed big and worked hard,
and we are blessed to enjoy the fruits of her labor.
The World of Shabby Chic is alive and well.

I am forever grateful for this weekend of motivation and inspiration, 
and I look forward to sharing the tale of Eliza's adventure to this little piece of Heaven,
in my new book
"Eliza Visits The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell"










Blessings





The Storybook Studio at Rose Water Cottage

On Saturday morning, April 6th…the inside of my Storybook Studio was ready for moving in…


I couldn't believe it!

But first…a bit of cleaning was required…


Aunt Marguerite's table would be first…
this was where I wrote and illustrated the first 10 books…


…and then the first of the chippy white chairs…


And finally, this seed box filled with art supplies, could be pulled from its hiding place…
(one certain little granddaughter loved getting into Grammy's paints and things:)


The Singer treadle found its place…


This is where the stories will be written and illustrated..


Harbingers of spring…Lenten Rose and Snowdrops from the garden…and a lovely piece of gingerbread, my sweet husband had tucked away…


Wild Violets, and a lavender-filled sachet…


Potted a wild violet in a tiny teacup (my momma's Mother's Day gift to her momma, my grandma Effie Belle, when my momma was a little girl)


Slowly but surely, it's coming together.
Tim surprised me by purchasing this quilt-covered Victorian love seat, while I was in my booth with Eliza, at the Strawberry Patch Barn Sale, Fall 2012.
 I have waited so long for the day I could move it into this studio…


Really Old Bear finds her perch…alongside the bunting and lambies...


Could there be a more perfectly perfect spot for the little Beatrix Potter friends..


This photo was a gift from my very dear friend, Pam Hauser. She traveled to Beatrix Potter's Hilltop Farm in England, many many years ago. As I began my journey into storybook writing/illustrating, she decided the photo belonged in my studio …the photo of the garden gate Beatrix illustrated in The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck. This large Peter Rabbit sits alongside...


I remember seeing Jeri Lander's post of the little log cabin decorated for Christmas…decorated like Little House on the Prairie… it had a stove just like this one!  Finally, Jeri…a photo of ours…


I found this tea towel when we visited Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, last fall. I've been saving it for this…


And the pink lustre ware (just like Beatrix Potter painted in The Tailor of Gloucester) looks so pretty atop the stove…


Here are Eliza's little black cookstoves.
The smaller one is just like the one I had as a little girl…
 when I created little log homes out of sticks and carpeted them with moss…
after I had discovered Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series of books..


The old white kitchen cupboard has waited patiently. It will hold all the little books about Eliza, the Mouse in Grammy's House…


A set of the books is pulled together, and will travel (and be donated) to The Round Top Family Library in Round Top, Texas...





The Storybook Studio's signature color…




The vintage Laura Ashley dotted swiss gown is a perfect fit for "Old Gal" ..



Dear Mrs. Tiggy Winkle…


Plenty of irons and pegs for her laundering duties…
and a teeny tiny pincushion from that ever-talented Natalie Jo…


and a package arrives..on this most exciting day of moving in…


It is a floral crown from the amazing Rachel Pallas…


The millinery flowers are spectacular..
Pink Roses…for this Rose Water Cottage's Storybook Studio


…but that's not all! A surprise for one little mousie girl…


A floral crown of her very own..


She is Over.The.Moon.


 The chandelier is hung..and the studio is as cozy as I could have ever imagined...


Tim found and acquired this Eastlake doorknob set…the perfect match for this Eastlake door..


 The old beams from the barn (where the barn wood for the walls was reclaimed) add the perfect touch to the beaded board ceiling…
and dried roses and hydrangeas and yarrow and herbs and baskets will hang here


  Years ago…September of 2003… I attended a Ladies' Retreat, in the midst of a difficult season of life.  Several of us ladies went shopping in town, that weekend, and popped in at an Antique Mall. One of the booths/rooms was decorated in Shabby Chic style. I was smitten with the soft shades and florals. I wanted to purchase something (on my very limited budget) that would remind me of the way I felt when I was in that space. This little pillow…sitting there in that old wicker chair, with its fresh coat of Antoinette…has been that one reminder. All these years. And now…in 3 days…I would be flying to Texas for a Weekend Retreat…with a small group of Ladies…and I would be meeting the woman who created that style. Rachel Ashwell. The author of the books I perused and dreamed over and loved. I would meet HER! And I would share this story with her… and she would understand, for she too, had endured a difficult season.




 Blessings to all of you who are in the midst of that season. It will end. Don't lose hope. God is good. 

 And Blessings to all of you who have endured. For not giving up. God is good.



























The Dress



This dress-making consumed my entire Saturday, this past weekend, and its "adorableness" consumed one little 4 year old.

She just could not wait till Easter …so it was worn Palm Sunday…and several times more…and it's been hand-washed and hung to dry 3 times…and she will wear it once again, on Sunday…Easter.

She resembles a creme puff.
I am overwhelmed by her sweetness, the instant this dress pops over her head.

Thank you Alicia Paulson (of Posie gets Cozy blog) for introducing us to this vintage simplicity pattern…and Liberty of London fabrics….and your example of sewing darling little dresses for the darling little girls in our lives.

I realize the number of photos is phenomenal …I could not help myself.




This is why the sewing consumed the day…the entire. day.



While I have her hold up the dress for the length..fit..etc….she breaks into singing
…ever so softly…
"Peace and Homminy…in awwww da wuld…"
and then says..
"I wearned dat fum Peppa…"


I try desperately, to concentrate…I really do… but there's this knocking and chattering at the door into the playroom/studio/sunroom…
"Hi, Miss Cupcake! I have uh da-wivery!"


Finally…the zipper installation. We're getting close..


The afternoon is turning into evening…Sophia must must have her dress for "Sunny School" in da morning.
I pop popcorn…we watch Winnie the Pooh…and I hem and add elastic to the sleeves…


And I press the seams and hems…and I remember the woodettes I rescued and repainted.
Here is Alice…
and we had to have a Huffy Dumpy!


And just like that…
It is finished…


I'm exhausted …and exhilarated…


I learned so much…and can't wait to make another…now that I have this "first" under my belt.

She LOVES it!
And she twirls…


and she plays with her Humpty Dumpty (makes me a bit sad that she's learned how to say his name properly)…


She loves how he fits just right, in her little hand…


Alice is a bit fragile…
but Phia dolly is juuuust right…


She loves her Phia Dolly...
I love My Sophia Dolly…


I have to pull the dress off of her and replace it with a nightgown.
Next morning…it's on again…and we're off to "Sunny School"


Must have "Wip Gwoss" for it's the only thing that will fit in the tiny purse…


 church/lunch/nap…and then we're ready for a walk into town…on this Gorgeous Palm Sunday.

Jesus loves this little one…this I know…


For the Bible tells me so…
Little ones, to Him belong. They are weak,
but He is strong…

so thankful for the strength in this man that holds this little hand…









As we celebrate Resurrection Day, on Sunday…I will be thanking God for the friendships and blessings found here, with all of you…and I will thank God, once again, for believing in us enough to provide the grace and wisdom and courage to raise this precious little girl.

Warmly,
Grammy Christie and Sophia and Big Daddy

P.S….Sophia loves her Miss Maggie Rabbit (softie kit by Alicia Paulson) and is finally enjoying her dress and boots and knitted shawl I made for her Christmas of 2013. Alicia has the most wonderful things in her web store.



Tell me a story, Grammy….

We take walks through our Storybook Town…

…and we pass Storybook Cottages…



  …and I take photos with my phone ..that has a cover.. that looks just like a book..




So on this particular day…of sunshine and blue skies…
Little girl, garbed in nightgown and Elsa costume and Bunny hat and black fuzzy boots…
running and playing before our walk…
took a tumble and scrubbed her knees.
Big Daddy Tim doctored them and we were on our way…

But those knees hurt…and she wanted to show me …and wanted all to see her boo-boo's...


We continued on our walk ...and decided a visit to the Starbucks on the Corner of Main Street…
in our Storybook Town..
for a Blueberry Yogurt "Nuffin"
and a drink box of Apple Juice
was just the thing to make us feel better.




"Let's go, Grammy…" she says….


…but Grammy is posting these sweet photos and says, "I'll be right there…"

To which Sophia replies, as she heads back to the tiny table where I sit, "Grammy, tell me a story…."

So I open my Storybook Cover to my phone….
and I pull up the photos …
and I commence storytelling…

"Once upon a time there was a little girl named Sophia (She always likes to hear stories about herself)
…and having had a terrible tumble, she suffered with her bandaged boo-boo's.
She wanted all to see, just how terribly terrible they were…

She looks at the photo and grins…


Grammy the storyteller, continues…

"It is decided that a treat is in order. A Blueberry muffin and Apple Juice is found to be just the thing for making boo-boos feel better…"

Again, she looks at the photo, smiling….


"When the muffin is eaten and the juice is sipped….all is well, and little Sophia is ready to climb into her carriage for the ride through our Storybook Town…."


The "book" is closed and with a bit of a hop…lacking the usual bounciness…our girl is ready for the remainder of our walk…
back to our very own Storybook Cottage…


The mail has arrived, and the long awaited Storybook Fabric has arrived, along with a vintage dress pattern…


Sophia is off to the park with Big Daddy…after her afternoon nap…

and Grammy begins the pinning and cutting…


I haven't created a garment (using pattern and fresh new fabric) in many moons…and what memories flood my mind. Singer sewing classes in Junior High…sewing seersucker skirts as a young bride…making maternity clothes during my first pregnancy…more seersucker tops and skirts created, as a young mommy…and Laura Ashley dresses and jumpers in the late 80's and early 90's…
…and then life got busy….
…and the sewing machine was packed away…

What a glorious feeling to be back at it, at this stage in my life. How I wish I had had the time to sew for my little girl, but alas, she followed two boys…and my time was spent going back to school to become a teacher.

So, now, there's this little granddaughter…
and we live in this little house…
and we read and tell and act out stories and nursery rhymes…and there's time..
Time to create and sew and write and paint.

Sophia arrives home from the park and runs through the cottage to find me…to tell me all about the fun she's had with her Big Daddy…and she sees this project on the farm table.
I tell her, "This will be your Easter dress…see? It's Alice in Wonderland! and there's foxgloves and roses and rabbits and teacups…"
And she is beside herself with joy…."…and doze are awww her frwiends!" as she points to the other characters.

And I think to myself….  I am so thankful that these efforts in story telling and nursery rhyme reading and imagination encouraging are the very thing this little girl needed.

I am mindful of the grace and mercy God is showering over me, at 53 1/2 years old, to have the energy and physical strength to continue this daunting task. …raising one tireless, bouncing, chattering, never slow down ever, little girl.

Blessings, from this Grammy …living life in our Storybook World

Come, as we walk along the streets of our Storybook Town

"On a fairly lovely spring day, when all the trees wore flowers and all the flowers were abloom…"


So begins the story… the little book I wrote and illustrated in 2012 celebrating our life in Franklin, Tennessee… A Whimsical Tale of our Storybook Town…(Inspired and encouraged to write this tale, by our friend Dale Powell. She and her husband have a wonderful shop on W. Main Street…William Powell Home & Garden)

 ….and this is Fair Street…


….and the "flowers were abloom.."



"Felicity spies the glittery candles and velvet pumpkins in a French Boutique."


Avec Moi, with it's owner/designer extraordinaire, Bob, is one of our most favorite shops along Main Street. He creates tablescapes that are truly a sight to behold…



The velvet pumpkins…and now velvet strawberries... by Hot Skwash are sheer sweetness. We love the vignettes Bob creates….




"As they come upon the toy shoppe with such delightful window displays…"


Sophia loves this shop on Main Street..as it carries her beloved Calico Critters.

"…in search of packets of Foxglove seeds in the garden shoppe. He loves to look at the beautiful flowers on the envelopes."


You've never seen a cozier, gardener friendly shop…with the dearest owner, Sherri…and Sophia loves that she carries a line of items for our resident Fairies.

Our little granddaughter has fallen in love with the beauty that surrounds us in our little town…
…and she says she must snap a photo, as well…


We love that our neighbors write beautiful quotes on the chalkboard hanging on their front porch…


It reads…"Spring rains woke the dormant tillers, bright green shoots sprang from the moist earth and rose like sleepers stretching after a long nap." The Infinite Sea

Then we come upon a darling frog…sitting 'neath his umbrella…as the fountain gurgles and spills and splashes…


This stone "Falling Leaf Cottage" is straight out of a storybook…


…and the entryway of this home….well, my goodness… I was enchanted and could only think of the Secret Garden…


Looking up at the pristine steeple against a cloudless blue sky …the varying shades took my breath…and the birds fluttering about, were singing praises to our Maker….


So to walk…pushing a buggy/stroller…with a chattering, hopping in and out, jumping, skipping, "the sun's in my eyes can we stop and pet that puppy did you see those flowers can you run with me do I have to hold your hand I want to hold Grammy's hand I want to hold my own hands" 4 year old little girl, is going to provide enough cardiovascular/get yourself-back-in-shape exercise. Don't you think?


…and along the way…I'll snap photos…and be thankful for that man's hand that holds the little hand of that little girl….


*********

When we arrived home, with a fresh dose of energy, I searched through dusty boxes and tubs and finally came upon the container that had served as home to my childhood friend, Mrs. Beasley, since our move, here, 4 years ago….


I have been so anxious to find her,
as I want to add her photo in the pages of my new book ..
Eliza Meets Ella Grace Louise,
for it is dedicated to that wonderful librarian I loved as a new student in a new school,
who helped me discover a whole new world…
Miss Beasley…
who also had a Mrs. Beasley doll in her library at Eastern Elementary School, in Red Oak, Georgia.
She later married and became Mrs. Dean.
Oh, how I would love to find her.
If you know her…hug her…and help me get in touch.

Blessings

Remember…all my books and pretties and Grammy & Marmeé items are available on my "Storybook Cottage Crafts" Etsy Shoppe. Look for the link at the top of the post. Many Thanks!

A Bridal Fair….

The Grammy & Marmee Effie Belles and Wedding Belles (my embellished ballet slippers named after my Grandma Effie Belle) are creating a bit of a stir….and we were invited to have a booth at Rippavilla Plantation's Bridal Fair.

Last Saturday night I began working on a custom order for a little flower girl -to-be….
I had relaxation instrumental music playing on the computer…
The cottage was quiet ...sweet little Sophia was off to a cousin's birthday party…
Notions and ribbons assembled…
Commence...



The colors for the roses were to be browns and gold…




Husband brought home an old picnic hamper from the Antique shop down the lane, and it became the perfect place to stash ballet slippers and a sewing basket holding all the silk ribbons and notions…


I love this antique set of tiny boxes, pin cushion, and needle keeper..
A gift from Marmeé….last summer…before we knew we would collaborate...


While I was working, an order came in for a Miss Opal's Thimble necklace with Hand-Dyed hydrangea blue silk ribbon…


 I was so tickled with the tiny "Belles"… that come with my linen lavender-filled sachets tucked inside…


So before I would send them out by post…
I would be able to display them at the Bridal Fair today.

I had acquired a vintage Laura Ashley prairie style wedding dress, last fall…
before I knew I would be creating Wedding Belles …

(forever thankful to my college friend Denise Patnode, for spying my silk-embroidered sachets …requesting a ring bearer's pillow, as her son would be getting married this past February and then inquiring if I could make some white-on-white "Effie Belles".. which led to the term "Wedding Belles"...for the flower girls and her daughter-in-law-to-be.
Do you see what wonderful adventures are in store when you say YES …and try something new?)

...and before I even dreamed that I would be asked to be a vendor at a Bridal Fair…


It became the perfect prop …on the old victorian dress form I've affectionately referred to as "Old Gal."

Now It was time to prepare my ensemble for the event, and I had just a bit of help from little sidekick seamstress, Sophia.
She said, as she measured…"Da wace is 57 8 9 2 wong…Da back is 59 big…"
Okie Dokie.
I didn't argue.


My sweet girlfriend, Embi had given me instruction to keep some of the Victorian Lace for a project of my own.
This strip was the perfect length (as measured above and found to be perfectly perfect)
I attached it with a blanket stitch and placed our label above…anchored with vintage buttons…


Marmeé had originally created the dress as a nightgown, from a vintage damask tablecloth.
She gifted it to me, and I had embellished the front with a lace panel, a salvaged monogram from the handkersniff that had wrapped Eliza Mouse on our journey to Martha's Vineyard, and a ribbon embellishment from a Victorian crocheted piece…
….this was before we knew we would be collaborating…and I would need to change the label from "Little Cowgirl" to "Grammy & Marmeé"….



The car is packed, and we are on our way…
Smile sweet girl…


Husband/Big Daddy led the way in the truck and would take little missy to spend the afternoon with family in neighboring Thompson's Station.

We arrive at Rippavilla Plantation in Spring Hill, Tennessee, on the most gorgeous day of all …blue skies…birds singing…
and I find my table…and I position Old Gal in her Laura Ashley…and I drape the bunting…
the bunting that waves hello...


….and Eliza sits in her daybed…and greets the brides-to-be…and the mothers of the grooms…and the mothers of the brides…and the fiancés of the brides-to-be…and she is so proud that all love her little books and recipe cards and coloring books….


Sachets and Effe Belles and Wedding Belles…"blanks"…"in the works"….complete.... All can see the stages from start to finish….


….and the mothers of the brides-to-be spy Old Gal…and they remember these beautiful vintage dresses…and Laura Ashley…and they Sigh….


There are vendors with beautiful cakes …and flowers…there are photographers…and honeymoon planners….


and we congregate under this massive white tent that covers a bricked courtyard…
with the loveliest fountain…
trickling and setting such a delightful ambience for the afternoon…


…and there are even more vendors inside the Mansion.
But I come to this cake.
It is magnificent.
The creator began his craft after he turned 50…
hmmmm…
a kindred spirit.
His handmade roses were exquisite…


At the end of the fair…I wandered inside and found the florists as they were dismantling their magnificent displays. As I was melting into a puddle…she asked if I would like one of the Cabbage Rose blooms.
Be.Still.Heart.


As we were leaving the courtyard…all packed up…Sophia chattering and twirling along the path…
the vendor's husband walked by with an arrangement, saw twirly chatter bug, and offered her one of the very same blooms I had tucked in my basket.
She loved on it and sniffed it and tucked it in her carseat cupholder and sniffed it some more.
Can you guess which bloom is hers?

What a lovely event
on a perfectly glorious day
on the weekend before Spring.

How happy is my heart, for I was reacquainted with a beautiful grandmother who had purchased my little books 2 years ago…for her granddaughter Eliza. That beautiful little girl is about to turn 2!
Such serendipity. Or as a friend once said, "Some call these Co-incidents…I call them God-incidents."

I am most thankful for God's blessings, as He brought me through this week that involved 3 nights in the hospital, a CT scan and MRI…and finally a clean bill of health.
Life is fragile.
We count our blessings.
We give God the Glory.
We love well.

Blessings to you and yours!

"..…and the bunting waves hello…"

 I have finally completed # 12...the forever-in-the-works book for the season that is Summer. 


It follows Pick a Pick a Pumpkin (Autumn) Here We Go a'Gathering (Winter) Goat's Milk and Gardening (Spring)….


and...
It is my hope and plan to have the launch of  

Eliza Meets Ella Grace Louise

coincide with the launch of the clothing line 
Grammy & Marmeé
…clothing and accessories for living life in your storybook world…
including,
Christiefied Overalls…







Miss Opal's Thimble Necklace


with its tiny vintage button inside…


hanging from hand-dyed silk ribbon…
 ...numbered and personalized card, included…


and Pinnys …
(darling aprons crafted from vintage white damask table cloths)

...and Effie Belles
(dainty hand sewn silk ribbon embroidered rosettes, hand stitched to ballet slippers)


at 
The Hayloft barn sale event in Port Royal, Tennessee…May 2015


The first illustration sets the scene and takes you to the heat of summer…and barn sales…and vintage marketplaces…and old fans…and bunting…


It was decided that bunting would be created from fabrics we love…


old and new…and not so new…
and bleached…


and with lace…coffee--dyed… (Just like one certain little mouse;) ..
and with seam-binding ribbon…and old buttons …and sometimes new buttons… (we LOVE buttons)

Especially vintage Beatrix Potter buttons…
Sweet Little Miss Moppet…


…and we love Liberty of London fabrics and bias tape…
Who could NOT love it…




Little Eliza the Mouse, longs for bunting, as well…
and with the snippets that remained (feeling very much like the Tailor of Gloucester) …
I create Mousie-sized bunting…


Susan Branch was on her book signing tour in California, at the most charming quilt shop…
Strawberry Patches
in Bakersfield,
 and after she shared the website on her blog…
I ordered some of their fabric.
It is such a Happy print…


and there was this fabric, with its Polka Dots and Rose-y's…


….and a certain little granddaughter makes it even sweeter, as she poses with her piggies…


Now, there is a Bridal Fair…fast approaching…
showcasing the "Effie Belle's" created specifically for weddings…
  "Wedding Belles"


and there must be bunting…suitable for a booth at a Bridal Fair…


antique and vintage doilies in varying shades of white and off-white and ecru…


The other Bunting is sent off with creative artist owner of the lovely Vintage Patina House, Embi Ferro
…and there is a request for more sachets and hanging pillows.
So I begin…
with a heart of Liberty of London pink…attached with a blanket stitch…


…and I am smitten with my lovely new hoop.
It's called a Fanny Frame.
 It's amazing.
I can stitch without holding the hoop with my hands...


So I create.

This hanging pillow has stuffing...



These tiny sachets are filled with fragrant lavender buds…




These sachets are dainty… created from Victorian/Edwardian era fabrics and laces…
and embellished with french knots and silk ribbons...


Sophia has echoed my sentiment…
"it looks like a dress!"

Yes, it does….and tiny french knots are sewn across its "bodice"


 From the same piece, another fragile sachet is created, and french knots in palest pink, anchor the lace trim…





This piece…..


in its deliciously frail condition  ..


begins to whisper….


I "untangle" her silk hair
and tenderly stitch her lace round an embroidery hoop…


I attach my hand-dyed seam binding ribbon..
and bring her back to life as a dream catcher, of sorts…

She is quite lovely hanging on the Eastlake mirror over my cast iron tub.
Both are from another era…
and both have found new life...




Every snippet is used…
every bit of beloved lace…


and even the back of the sachet must be as pleasing to the eye..


They are especially lovely, hanging all together…
from the pink glass knobs of the glass doored cupboard…


The lavender floats about the "skirt" of the dress…
and the palest shades of pinks and peach remind our dear friend Georgie
of her grandmother's clear peach depression glass plates.
That something I created causes the stirring of a memory such as this…
there is no greater joy.
 

 From Pinnys and Christified Overalls…to Books and Bunting….Lavender Sachets and Embroidered Silk Roses….

To Create is Bliss.

The umbrella…or parasol…which seems more fitting...  
that is Rose Water Cottage, 
continues to expand.
.
Thank you for joining the adventure as we find our way on this journey.
Blessings to you and yours, as we approach Spring
with a new book…
and a new venture..
and hopes and dreams a'plenty.


 My little book, Eliza Visits Martha's Vineyard, is up for an award in two categories.


We find out in the next week or so, if we have won.
The awards ceremony will take place in Austin, Texas in April,
while I am in absolute entrepreneurial heaven at 
Rachel Ashwell's Seminar at The Prairie 
in Round Top, Texas
that very weekend.

My unending gratitude to Jan Pogue, Publisher
Vineyard Stories
Edgartown, Massachusetts,
for her belief in me as an author/illustrator
and her confidence that a win in both categories is a very real possibility.
That in itself, is a win!


Stay tuned….



The Nutcracker Ballet in NYC inspires a new book

So much has happened since the opening of the Etsy Shoppe, that I have not been able to do it justice.

We are currently working on creating a website that will pull together all things Rose Water Cottage…the blog, my books, handmade cottage crafts… and so many new and exciting things.

Since the last post…I have…

…flown with my mother to Orlando, Florida for the Art in the Garden Event…


Brother Brad has his gardening hat, shoes, and fresh bouquet (from his garden) ready and waiting...


 Precious ones greeted Ms. Christie…Mr. Jones' sister…


Impromptu …loved filling in and playing the flute for the garden fairy dance…


Sweet faces…


My little friends accompanied me…


Sweet girl…budding author/illustrator, Autumn…


Me and my mommy…both of us were presenters for this event. So special…


So proud of my brother, Brad Jones.  Grateful to Emeril's foundation for donating.  A Kitchen House will be on this property, alongside the community garden across from Orlando Junior Academy. I will look forward to an event there, next fall…


Cotton blossom…


Cotton boll…


A wonderful teacher... Valmae Lowrey…poses with me and her former student, Autumn. Valmae's class enjoyed being a part of the collaborative effort for my book, Goat's Milk and Gardening…


And it was there that the inspiration came for the new book "Eliza Visits the Ballet"…


I returned home to begin writing and illustrating…





…and created a costume befitting one mousie girl's imagination…




researched the musical score of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" to illustrate the correct musical notes..


propped her upon her favorite quilted pillow..


working tirelessly …from this chippy white chair in the makeshift studio in the dining room…


until it was time to travel to New York City with husband, to attend The Nutcracker ballet at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch theater (the culminating event to be featured in the next Eliza adventure…"Eliza Visits the Ballet"…)

We board the plane for a non-stop flight to New York City, and these lovely flight attendants, Robin and Laura, took such good care of our mousie girl, Eliza. Robin already knew her! Her daughter has some of my books. I was overwhelmed. Daughter loved them after reading them in her school library in Port Orange, Florida, and then asked her mother if they could purchase them when she spied them at their favorite children's bookstore in Daytona.
Did I mention…I was overwhelmed…


Then the ladies asked if Eliza could have her photo taken with the pilots…
Can you tell just how excited and honored she feels?


I put Tim in charge of carrying the portfolio containing the artwork/illustrations/text for the new book "Eliza Visits the Ballet" (along with the book for Summer…"Eliza Meets Ella Grace Louise")


Eliza calls "shotgun"…she doesn't want to miss a single thing…


Approaching Times Square…and the Times Square Crowne Plaza Hotel, where we will stay for the duration of our visit…


On Saturday…Eliza is tucked inside a lovely old beaded purse, perfectly perfect for a visit to the ballet at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch theater…


We find the display of the beautiful costumes of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier…


…and then…she sees this…


No, dearest little Eliza mouse…you are not this… you were created to be gentle and humble and loving..

This is one proud Grammy…holding her sweet mousie girl on the steps leading down to the Orchestra level seating…


and even more proud and excited for this photo op with the lovely ballerina named Eliza! Yes…her name is Eliza! Do you see the way God is working…the way He is affirming every step of our adventure…


 Such a big grin on this Grammy's face…


After the performance, I find that the pointe shoes are available for purchase at the gift shop, there…and Eliza decides, that because these are such darling shoes, size 4 1/2, that belonged to the ballerina who would dance as Sugar Plum Fairy in the following performance…she will trade in her daybed for the coziness of these tiny slippers, once belonging to one tiny ballerina...


Back at the Crowne Plaza.. (for that is where tiny ballerinas with tiny crowns rest their tired tiny heads)..we reflect on the days events..


The slippers bear the autograph of the ballerina...


…and we find a photo of her in the Playbill…


Eliza sees quite a resemblance to her hero, the Sugar Plum Fairy…



(More photos to come…)

I have also…

….decorated for Christmas at Rose Water Cottage with the help of my multi-talented friend Diann Rigsby

There are some other exciting possibilities that are being left in the hands …and perfect timing…of our Maker.

It is in Him,  my faith and trust lies.

Thank you for being here…for continuing to come for a visit, now and then…for having faith in me to keep it real and humble and honest.

All good things come to those who wait upon the Lord…

And so we wait…and we continue to work…and plant seeds…and hope..

Always, there is hope.

Blessings,

Christie




A Rose Water Cottage shoppe...

I had hoped for a Ribbon Cutting for the Grand Opening…but sometimes the fanfare just has to wait…

So without further delay, let's open this little Etsy Shoppe!

Rose Water Cottage …Storybook Cottage Crafts is now up and running.

We will have a link added into the side bar, but for now simply go to the Etsy.com site.

Type in Rose Water Cottage and click to go to shop with that name. 

You will see various categories… Cottage Correspondence, Tiny Cottage Cushions, etc…

Papa's Carvings is a collection of hand-carved wooden items, including miniatures and custom orders, by Bill Larkin, stepdad of my "daughter in love" Jenny.  He is an incredible artist, in his own right, and we are so happy to be FAMILY! We speak the same language…the language of artists…often talking to each other without having to finish sentences. (that's the true sign, you see;) 

I will continue to add items as they are completed, and if you think of something you've seen me make before, that you'd like us to make available in the shoppe …please let me know!  We're still tweaking so thank you for your patience, and we welcome your input and ideas.

Love to you, all, for your sweet thoughtful encouraging comments…your love…your kindnesses shown to me and those I love. 
                             
I just recently came across this bookmark I created over a year ago, before we traveled to Martha's Vineyard …before I met with Jan Pogue of Vineyard Stories…before I met Susan Branch in person…before a hundred more wonderful things had happened.  

God had given me the words to describe my journey…my heart…and I wrote them on a bookmark, and painted trailing ivy with my new French Watercolors.  

How amazing it is when we acknowledge our Maker…acknowledge gifts bestowed.

We witness happenings far beyond our comprehension…bigger, higher, larger, deeper than we could possibly know to dream!  
How wonderful to be on this journey…this adventure…holding on to the hand of the greatest Crafter/Creator of all… 

Thank you for joining me!


These are some of the items coming into the shoppe as soon as we can get them listed, there.  I will make copies of the bookmark, and they will be added, with your purchase, into your package... as my thank you gift to you, my dear faithful friends.

"Cherries..Rosies…and Polka Dots"




 New markers..softer shades…more options…  and the beginning stitches of "Foxgloves"


Completed Embroidery…awaiting "finishing" and posting into Tiny Cottage Cushions in the shoppe…


Such a resource for inspiring botanicals…and soft shades …and lovely lettering…


More of these favored Dog Roses to come…


 Blessings on all of you, dearest friends…

Christie

A bit of a delay …begging for pardon...

I am hoping that yesterday slipped away without all of you realizing there was 
no Ribbon Cutting…no Grand Opening announcement... no Light shining in the Etsy Shoppe Window

..if you did..and were very disappointed..
May I beg your pardon?

Because of foul weather..which blew in like Mary Poppins…our handyman was pulled from the job on the studio to tend to that list made by the Mrs. (me) for those little jobs around the house.  One of those jobs being the mounting of the curtain rod in the living room…the living room with 12' ceilings….
(Husband gets very concerned regarding the combination of me…and ladders... ever since the "fall" of 2012 ..not to be confused with the season "fall" …the Christie "fall" …it wasn't pretty:/)



Which meant that I (the queen of the "eleventh hour" club) needed to get those cottage curtains made…and in a jiffy…for a party would be taking place in the evening!  All of our children…the 5 we have  between us…their loves..and their children/parents/grand parents/uncle and one very special friend of mine who was working a vintage marketplace nearby.


Get to sewing, girlie…

11 yards of fabric were pulled off the bolt…Yes…ELEVEN!  Remember... 12' ceilings come with very tall windows.

The key to making these in a jiffy is easy…

* Don't stress over the number of yards

* Press all seams before you go to the sewing machine

* Keep a measuring tape around your neck in order to spot check your seams. (sometimes it feels like      one of those grocery buggies that always wants to pull to one side…that's what it feels like with my  sewing of long, never-ending seams.)




This was a critical step while I was sewing the rod pocket…



When the handyman came back from lunch…the curtains were ready to hang… WHEW!



They just need hemming, but pinning them up a bit, worked…considering the time crunch.  Lace panels went into the laundry and will be rehung, directly.

Now to "fluff" the front porch….

Handyman hung the shutters that once stood inside the living room "framing" the front window. 
Now they will "frame" the outside of the dining room window…in my favored Annie Sloan Chalk Paint shade, Versailles….

Leaves swept ..

Mums brought to front porch from the goat cart in the side yard…


…and just so you know that this little thing hanging near the front door is a greeting…


…and that my sweetheart found this old mailbox with a Rose on the front that would be perfectly perfect for the front porch of our Rose Water Cottage…


…and we left the front porch lantern burning, for any goblins and ghosties that might wander by Grammy's Storybook Cottage...


       ***************************
…and they did stop by…and thought it might be nice to see what Grammy's House looked like on the inside! Chloe, Ruby, and Wyatt (they were happy to introduce themselves, stopped talking collectively when Wyatt pointed his 5 year old finger up at me and exclaimed, "You are a Chatter Box!"
"Yes, I am!" I replied,
"Come on in!" (This was my kinda little fella:)

Walking right past the table filled with all kinds of family who were whispering to me .
."who are they?" to which I shrugged and answered, "Chloe, Ruby and Wyatt…our new friends we just met!
Our very first trick or treaters ever!…since we've lived in this house!"
Mommy Kristen was a doll! The children were lively! and when they all left, we said, with much empathy…
"God bless Kristen!"
         ***************************

Back inside to make some goodies…
I love this little apple-shaped cheese ball! So easy and fairly quick to make…


8 ounces of Creamed Cheese (softened)
8 ounces of White Cheddar Cheese (grated)
1/8 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Mix in a bowl and chill for 30 minutes

Sprinkle paprika all over the cheese ball that you've shaped to resemble an apple, place a 3" cinnamon stick as a stem, and place 2 bay leaves to resemble the leaves.
Boom! Cuteness on a plate!!
Add crackers of choice (Hubby picked out TownHouse Crackers)

(P.S. it was a hit with my Father-in-law:)

And those of you who have the Girlfriend's Calendar (I don't suppose it's actually called that..but most of us have one somewhere in our home. Susan Branch is the creator of the best calendar!) Mine is in our kitchen …which made it handy to read and prepare her recipe for Hot Spiced Apple Cider (on the page for October).... Note…it is not spiked apple cider! Just in case your guests get confused!
(btw…I had saved my plastic jugs for leftovers. So proud of myself.  Ha! NOT one DROP was left!)  

Husband came home and began the making of a big pot of his world famous chili…well…it's famous in our family;) and off he and Sophia went for a long Autumnal nap...

For the table…
I already had pulled out the velvet pumpkins on the silver platter, earlier in the season, but I wanted to add something fresh…

The horse apples that sweet husband collected for me, a few days ago (cause he just knows what I like:) had that perfect shade of green …and I had seen in a magazine (I'm thinking Cottage Journal) the idea of putting coffee beans in a dish with pumpkins, so I just changed it up and added Hedge Apples (as I've also heard some refer to these big green orbs.) 
One of them was so concave, where the stem had been, that it was the perfect spot to hold a short white (emergency) candle (found in the grocery stores.)


Eliza had not met some of the family, nor had they met her in person…errr….I mean…in….mouse?
Goodness…it is a quandary isn't it…

Well, alas, we found the perfect spot for her to enjoy the festivities, atop the soft beautiful pile of velvet creations…


 This photo of me and our five children was captured as the party was dying down…as their little ones were worn out from the festivities and the trick or treating…and I couldn't let the opportunity pass, as the occasions are few and far between, when we are all able to gather together. They have my heart…. 


….and so do all the ones who come with them…
in-laws, uncles, children, grandparents, spouses, boyfriends, and puppies (who stayed at home;) 


Nothing like a cottage full of love and laughter and jokes and birthday celebration and trick or treating and glorious chaos…nothing in this world!

So this is why the Ribbon-Cutting, Grand Opening, Etsy Shoppe Reveal was delayed….

cause this happened…and the world just had to stop... for a little while.

I will be back soon, when Eliza and Hitty Rachel Rose and Holly-Anne have recuperated from the parade of visitors through their quiet little cottage. 

Blessings (and to SB girlfriends…Rabbit Rabbit:)

Christie

P.S. You'll be tickled to know that sweet Xavier, a big 7 1/2 year old 2nd grader asked, 
"Where's Eliza?"
I fetched her and placed her in his hands…
"Oh, she has a purple shawl!" 
This thrills my heart…
This thrills Eliza's heart…He was her very first, very best friend…


and even though he thinks he's so big that it's time for a scary costume on Halloween, 
he still wants to make sure his little mousie girl is still around, here at Grammy's House.


XOXO

P.S.S.

Holly~Anne was so excited for Grammy to finish the tiny stitches and let her try on her new pinny made from a length of delicious pink Liberty of London fabric.  



And Sophia believes Miss Maggie Rabbit might need one as well…


You know how girls can be…
No favorites around here, though, ever…wink, wink...
Goodness…they all know Eliza's the favorite, and they're okay with that…
~Good Girls~

Drumroll please…..

Well, it is time… finally!

..time for a drawing…

Let me get Sophia, with her tiny little fingers…

Oh no… she's plum tuckered out from all the excitement and has fallen asleep…


What shall we do?

Heading back to the sunroom to confer with the girlies…


They've been guarding that hat …making sure no one tampers with the names. They take their jobs very seriously, you know. Just look at those faces! All business.

Hitty Rachel Rose offers to hold the hat for the drawing…


Eliza pokes her little nose in as if to say…"ummmm…excuse me…but do you think I could draw the name?"

"…cause…I could do that for you, you know…"


Hitty can tell straightaway, that this is simply NOT going to be an option… 
She has NO FINGERS…for goodness sake!


So it is decided that Grammy will have to reach in that basket with her waaay to long…waaaaay too large fingers…

Oh wait…what? 
Tweezers?  
Why, of course! Tweezers!
...those tiny-tipped craft tweezers…
..they'll be perfect for this job!

Hitty keeps an eye on this Grammy…making sure I'm not peeking at the tiny strips ..
Yes, I'm looking away… 

..and Eliza is keeping an eye on the tiny hat filled with names… you know..making sure I don't accidentally pick up two or three names at once...


…and there it is…a teensy WEENSY little paper…Ha!  and only one! 
(Just so you know, it is not as easy as it looks!)


Miss nose-y rose-y has to be the first one to see who won…. 
(And it's just because she's so adorable that we let her have the first peek at the winner;)


There it is…plain as day!  Our winner is…


LaVonne,  aren't you glad you decided to join in on the fun?


Eliza thinks we ought to include your tiny slip of paper in with your gift…so you can remember us here at Rose Water Cottage and how fun it was to play at Grammy's House.

Please email your address to me at christieray07@yahoo.com or message me on fb, our new-to-the-blog friend! We're so happy to have you here, and we hope you'll come visit often!

And to the rest of you who played along and joined in on the fun…A HUGE hug and a kiss and a great showering of blessings on your day.!

I have received word that the shoppe will open, officially, tomorrow!! YAY! 
Stop by for our "ribbon-cutting" festivities!

Always,

Christie

Have you entered the drawing, yet?

Alrighty, sweetums….
I've been writing out names…


on teeny tiny bits of paper ..
...folding them
..and placing them in the teensy tiny hat…



that tiny chapeau, with that tiny Green Gables silk ribbon…

…and writing even more names of the dear sweet girlfriends who have visited and entered...

and adding them to the little hat, as well…



This afternoon I will be drawing one of your names for the giveaway. 

You remember...that sweet little silk ribbon embroidered piece you see every time you come for a visit;)

Go to the post entitled  "How about a giveaway" and leave a comment...it can be short, long, two words...although, I find it hard to say anything in just two words;)

I'm not picky. I know some of you aren't used to posting comments on a blog. It can be scary. I know this, because once...long ago...I was scared, too.  Very intimidated.  But we're all girlfriends, here...we don't bite AT ALL;))

Now...wont you just say hello? That's the way to start...and then you'll see ... You could EVEN be the very one whose name is drawn from one darling little hat!

I will check the post after 3:00p.m. this afternoon, add the extra names to the tiny hat, commence with the drawing and posting of the winner, and give you an update on our Etsy shoppe!

But in the mean time…
there are tiny little stitches to make…


So Holly~Anne might have a pretty pinny….


for spring and summer frocks and petticoats…


(Petticoat…courtesy of aforementioned French doll, whose shoes and socks and pantaloons have been passed down, as well;)

We will be heading to Orlando in just a week or so, to visit the Edible Schoolyard at the Orlando Junior Academy for their annual event Art in the Garden.  I am honored to be a guest, again.
Hence, the need for lightweight attire…for it can be very warm there, this time of year.

I'll see you here at 3:00 or so (CST)

Best wishes and luck and good fortune and blessings,

Christie

The Holly~Anne (with an "e") Reveal

An early morning cup of coffee,  and I'm ready to get this dolly a head for her body…and some hair for her head.

Sophia says, "Awe, Anne of Geen Gables."  She knows this little dolly is heading into something involving scissors and needles and thread. So she gives her sweet hugs...


…and wouldn't mind if I took a picture of her, as well.  Cutie Patootie:)



And so (sew;) it begins… a girl's sock will be the head…


Wool roving…so very soft…will fill the head..I mean…sock…


I think I have stuffed enough….uh..no……  her head has to be just the right size to fit the size of the body.
More stuffing…more roving…


Two fabric-covered buttons found. Can't believe my good fortune..


This marking pen comes in handy for making sure I get the placement right …




Everything ties off in the back…


I used this heavy thread for the basting stitch and the eye placement…


Now it's time for the french knot nostrils and lips (not too crazy over french knots for the nose…hmmm…we'll see)


Then, to match some thread for eyebrows, to the mohair that will be her hair...


So, I'm not happy AT ALL with the pink nostrils and mouth.  No need to panic…it's thread…and a sock….adjustments can be made;)

I search for a better color, and Sophia pops around the corner to show me the colors SHE likes. 
ummmhmmmmmm….


The nostrils are changed out to the brown of the eyebrows, and I'm trusting it will all come together…


The needle and thread think they need to add some of those sweet little eyelashes in the outer corner…


The perfectly perfect shade of pink is found for pretty little dolly lips…


Another hug from Sophia sure helps after all this stitching and restitching…



Pink sidewalk chalk with bring some rosy-ness to her cheeks...




And I have just GOT to get those little button eyes painted…I want to see her… (a very very important part of dolly face creating)

Her eyes should be a hazel/green sorta shade…
I play with paints.


It's at this point that Sophia decides she wants to make a puppin, too.  A puppin?  Yes. For puppin Shows in a Puppin Feeter. You know, the place you go to watch Puppins:)
This door is to be her bedroom door when the sunroom is turned into her very own room, but for now, her clever little self has decided the open space will make a perfect stage/theatre for a Puppet Show!
Grammy is very impressed!


She has found an old sock and cut it with her preschool scissors, all by herself, and colored her Puppin with the crayons at her tea/craft table…
Again…Grammy is quite impressed …

Now,  the Puppin is an alligator crawling away…
(Just telling you in case you weren't sure what was happening here…;) 



It takes a few colors…
..a bit of mixing and swirling…


a few freckles made with a brown colored pencil..


 She's ready for some hair…some mohair…

Commence winding…winding…..and….more winding…


I do a lot of guesstimating, but if you're not a seasoned guesstimator, then stick with the directions. They are quite thorough.

Sew a center part…


Place on top of her head and begin the adjustments, finding where it looks best…not too far back on her head and not too low on her forehead.

Just right.  With a length of the mohair on a needle, make a running stitch to cover the white seam stitch.


Cut through the loops…

and then an all-over trim to even up the lengths…


A bit more blush and a few more freckles...


…a pair of pretty socks and kid leather, buckled shoes….hand-me-downs from one certain French doll who met with an unfortunate series of events…


And our dear dolly, Holly~Anne, is ready for adventures.
Although, I think she might need a sweet bonnet…and maybe some bloomers.  Oh…and a pretty little nightgown …a shawl…I could knit her a cottage shawl, just like Eliza's!


I declare, I do not remember having this much fun back in 1973 - 74, when I created my first Holly Hobbie.  40 years of life and crafts and projects and babies and dreaming has proven to be just the right amount of time to get it just right!
Don't you agree?

(and in case you were wondering…I have seen this vintage pattern on eBay…not pricey at all:)

Tomorrow, I will announce the winner of the drawing for the giveaway, so be sure you have left a comment on the post "How about a giveaway"for your chance to win.
We should also be ready for the launch of the Etsy Shoppe, as well!
Exciting days here, friends:))

Blessings,

Christie

Holly Hobbie…Part 2

My dearest readers…

I am so excited! My insides are all giddy and finding it difficult to make a body sit still….

The Etsy Shoppe is almost ready!
You know, there's all that painting and papering and hammering and shelf-filling and basket fluffing and sorting of ribbons to match mousie shawls…oh my goodness…whew;))

So I'll give you one more little post (gosh…it may be a long little post, by the time I squeeze in the rest of the photos and of course…chat about most of them, as I go…)

So …we left off at the sweet little pocket that reads ..Anne with an "e"… and I found out that Debs and Patti also have the middle name ..Anne with an "e"….
Love our Girlfriends!

It was Karen that determined we had a squirrel hole in the cherry tree.
I coaxed and coaxed and finally convinced little squirrel nutkin to come for a visit ...


He is such a tiny little thing. I just love red squirrels!

Oh my my… I almost forgot Violet Vale… I love violets, so I was glad to be able to include them on the sweet pinafore...


After the stitching was completed, in the coziness of the living room, it was time to move back to my little studio in the sunroom and set up camp on the old treadle sewing machine.
Time to make the dress...


Another tool I discovered I needed, after viewing Natalie Jo's blog, was a Clover iron…similar to a curling iron..but for tiny doll seams and pleats and sleeves .. (and a little bit of lavender linen spray makes it all smell so lovely:)


I love this tiny green gingham…it's shade…it's weight… it is perfect for my Holly/Anne Shirley

I had learned a sweet crochet trim that Natalie Jo uses quite often and just knew it would be the perfect trim on the neckline …


Oh, I just love it…




Well, of course, I had to add it to the sleeves…





One of the things I found most endearing about Anne Shirley, was the way she clung to that old carpet bag of hers…containing all her worldly possessions.
I love carpet bags.
I also love Mary Poppins.
I love that Mary Poppins carried a carpet bag.

Now, where in the world was I going to find a tiny pattern for a tiny little carpet bag for Holly Hobbie, who really wanted to be Anne Shirley?

I could not believe my search resulted in finding a pattern for a Mary Poppins doll…that also included a pattern for her carpet bag!


It would make a weensy little bag..that would meet with Eliza mousie's approval…
...for she would want to ride inside...


She thinks this will work just fine…


 I centered a pretty rose on the front of the bag…


…and think that this might just be the cutest little thing in the world!

I'm so thankful for a Mary Poppins doll pattern from the 60's…found on ebay...


Eliza just can't get enough of it. The felt lining is so very soft...


Now, to add the handles….


..and it would be finished.

This project came to a halt in February, when the Hitty kit arrived…leaving Holly headless…

When the winter ended…I ventured out to the knitting shop I love and came across the perfect "hair" for our Holly…I mean…Anne;)
and a little sock that would be her head…


Today, I picked up sweet headless Holly…Anne…
and realized it was time to get back to work and finish this dear little one…
…while it is still 2014;)


I managed to stitch down the back seams and add little snaps for closure on the dress and pinafore.

Eliza wanted you to see the completed Violet Vale…



and the pretty little carpet bag…


…that is perfectly perfect in every way;)

I will be working to finish sweet Anne's head and head full of auburn hair…and will post as there is progress.

And before I sign off, here, I wanted to show you some of the most adorable grandchildren a Grammy could ask for.

You remember Xavier, the little boy who comes to visit…and falls in love with Eliza….
Well, he is now 7 1/2 years old and is in 2nd grade. It does not seem possible.

Sophia, who loves posing in front of the tree in front of the restaurant we visit on most Sundays..


decided that she would share it with Xavier…who had joined us for church and a visit to the Cafe…


Those eyes…and that sweet little boy face full of freckles…


He's still Grammy's boy…
…and Sophia adores him!
"Big Daddy! Make me as high as Zaver!" she squeals….


They are my little Rays of Sunshine:))

Blessings,

Christie

But first, came Holly Hobbie…no wait…oh goodness...

If I could ever catch up enough so that I could do these posts in order, 
you would surely discover how one project actually leads to another…

viewing one blog can inspire a plunge into another craft ..
which then leads to something else..

In other words, there is literally a thread that ties all of this together…if you have the patience to stick with me as I try to explain.
…explain the process that I go through, as an author/illustrator/storyteller/crafter.

Maybe you'll pick up on that thread, as I post more of these adventures. 

And just so you know,  all this occurs in between books…
in between productive writing/illustrating….(most of the time…)
Stretches of creative crafting..
working with my hands.. produces endorphins (happy joyful stuff) 
so that when it's time to open the gate, allowing the story to flow onto paper,
it flows smoothly and easily.
Friends often ask, "How do you have time for all of that?" 
…and I get to respond, "This is my "J. O. B."  
This is what I do.

Okay…so here's an example of how it happens…

I come across a blog, maybe one that is mentioned in someone else's blog that I normally follow…
can't remember exactly how I came across Jessie Chorley, but I did, and she is incredible..and British...and adorable… (check her out:)

So I decided to try to stitch something like she stitches…


Nope, that's not how it went…hold on, I'm thinking here…back up just a bit.
Before I found Jessie Chorley…I found Alicia Paulson
SHE is FABULOUS! And a bunch of us were smitten with her darling darling felt Christmas ornament kits.




Oh, wait…I forgot to mention that before I found Alicia, I found Natalie Jo….
See what I'm talking about? One thing leads to another.  Natalie Jo has the most adorable pin cushions with little wooden dollies. AH-DORable!
And I had made one of her dolly kits into a doll for Sophia's 3rd birthday.





But before I had painted that dolly….she had mentioned something about Woodettes, ( wooden storybook character kits from the 30's or 40's maybe? ) and I had found an old set on ebay. I had so much fun re-painting those old broken water-colored woodettes….



And it was Natalie Jo who had introduced me to Wendt & Kuhn figurines (I guess I had seen them before, but she called my attention to them, along with this sweet sweet book…the author of which, wrote Hitty! That's how I came to find Hitty…through Natalie Jo's wonderful blog!
These little figurines were inspiration for the color palette I would use on the woodettes.


THEN I found out about Alicia…through a great bunch of girlfriends…

I had made a few of the felt ornaments and loved them so much, I had to move on to the adorable Miss Maggie Rabbit, also made from that wonderful felt,
and decided to make one for Sophia for Christmas.  (in the photo below, you will see the ornaments in the background and Maggie sitting next to a modified pattern of herself..my attempt at making a little sister rabbit per Phia's request)



Do you see that pretty little square of fabric with blue roses…you'll see it pop up later…


…and did you notice little sister's ears…the tiny pink roses fabric?  Yes…that would be used later, in the making of sweet Hitty Rachel Rose's dress.

Okay…so here's the Jessie Chorley inspired little piece… (I had loved the refresher course in stitches from doing the Alicia Paulson ornaments and Rabbits…blanket stitch, french knots, etc…..)


(That little heart filled with french knots…would turn up later on Sophia's quilt I just completed.)

So I decided to Christie-fy the stitching…make it my own…for there was already a Jessie Chorley:)


Note the blue roses…Liberty of London fabric.  It's a bit pricey, girlies, so save every little scrap. Use it for sweet things like this:)  …and this little patch would eventually wind up on a knitted shawl I'm working on.

And the other felt piece, pictured at the beginning of the post wound up on my green crocheted bag…


Yep…same Liberty of London fabric as Miss Maggie Rabbit's ears. Precious scraps.

I went digging for more pretty threads, etc. and came across some old cross-stitch patterns from child-bearing, nursery-preparing days…and a pattern..


…for the Holly Hobbie doll I made in 1974, when I was 12 - 13 years old.

I pulled out the fragile instructions and pattern pieces to discover  lavender oxford cloth still pinned to the bloomers' pattern pieces…with those old pins from my Mommy's sewing notions...


That fabric was 40 years old…that is just crazy…isn't it? Has it been 40 years since I was 12?

I have no idea what ever happened to my Holly doll, but I decided (last February…before I had a Hitty to make) that I was going to make another, more improved, Holly Hobbie, and I was so excited!  I had a vintage eyelet table runner, gifted to me by an antique dealer, and as it was a bit damaged on one end, thought it would be perfect for a pretty pinafore….



Then…a gift from Mommy.  Her cardboard storage box filled to the brim with plastic thread organizers.
It was truly the MotherLoad of DMC embroidery floss…every shade possible..


….maybe she was thinking I was still on the "stitching" thing. How could she keep up? I hop from one thing to the next, ever so fast.

Pinafore …completed…darling… (my red tomato pin cushion from 9th grade home economics class with vintage pins holding down the green felt)


But it was just so ….soooo…blank…empty…  like a white canvas..or watercolor paper that needed to be "drawn/painted/colored on… "Christie-fied" (I think you'll soon find that word in the dictionary…for it really IS a thing… to Christie-fy…it was Christie-fied…it will be Christie-fied:)


Yep…it was to be Christie-fied…

Little flowers crept across the hemline… a green vine became a basket. It couldn't help it…that was just what it had decided to be…


Little purple flowers wound through its handles…and little buttercups… for after all ..it was February, when little buttercups begin to pop up and stretch their little heads towards the first rays of sunshine after a gloomy winter...


Oh, my stars… I had forgotten about Holly! I suppose I must get her body made.  A very soft old cotton pillowcase will do…


If you don't know me well…I'm quite the little hermit in the wintertime. Ask dear husband… Not much he can do to pry me away from the coziness of the fire all a'glow in our living room's fireplace. So I forage …Ellie's favorite word…through baskets and boxes and cupboards and closets. You won't find me venturing off to a craft/sewing store;)

Didn't you always love that Raggedy Ann had a red heart that read "I Love You". 
I thought Holly might need a sweet heart… a Christie-fied heart…(ohhhh! that's used as an adjective, not just a verb!!)


…and a pretty grass-like blanket stitch around a sweet little pocket. (another Christie-fication….could it be I've now used it as a noun?)

Well, there was a movement amongst the girlfriends. We were all coming across old editions of Anne of Green Gables. We were watching our videos of the heart-warming story of Anne (with an "e") Shirley. We couldn't get enough…to the point of looking up the Lady of Shalot in my very old edition
of Tennyson's Poems…(and we had met darling Denise of Ingleside..who lives on Prince Edward Island…who became our go-to for Anne Shirley and Lucy Maud Montgomery facts:)


If you're familiar with the video…in the opening scene, Anne is reading this poem as she is walking through the woods…


I continued to stitch….on Holly Hobbie's pinafore…


…random, nondescript sweet flowers…
Until ….
I had an epiphany… 
a light bulb over my head turned bright…

What about Birch trees on the pinafore…


You know the ones….the ones at Green Gables...




And…what if I wrote/stitched some of my favorite quotes across the eyelet… (these things come to me in the night, and I can hardly wait till morning to bring them to reality)



This is one of my favorites…"Listen to the trees talking in their sleep…"


They were Poplar Trees…we had to have Poplar Trees!


Debs O'Brien, one of the dearest gals in all of Wales, is such a clever thing…she noted that the eyelet petals/holes resembled the leaves…or visa versa…
Well, I had been too close to the needlework to notice… but it was true!


My goodness, I couldn't leave out the beautiful cherry tree by Anne's window, now could I…


So little cherry blossoms began to bloom …it was like painting a scene…the needle followed the imagery in the pages of that book…and I tried hard to keep up with the needle.

Dearest Karen Peterson spied a squirrel hole…"Christie, it's a squirrel hole in the tree!"
(This was becoming quite a project! I was surrounded by a creative team…and we were having the grandest time!)






The pocket…that sweet little pocket.  I couldn't resist.  It was the perfect spot for 
***Anne with an "e"***


That's where I'll close for now, dear ones:)

I have more photos, and I will post them when I've had a good night's sleep.

Blessings

Christie

The Making of Hitty Rachel Rose

I look back through photos and realize so much has happened…so many adventures into new crafts…

The Hitty doll craze hit me, full force, in February, while it was cold outside, but cozy in front of the fireplace …
and I had to have one.
The search began.
The research was intense.
I came upon Gail Wilson's website and was immediately smitten with her version.
Those were the sweetest cheeks I had ever seen on such a tiny doll.

I decided to try my hand at completing the kit…
and an even bigger decision, was to paint her myself…
AND make the clothes.

My skills were growing steadily, so it was time to push that envelope one more time..
Could I do it?
I would never know if I didn't try...

The kit arrived…
I carved out a little space to begin …
and collected some sewing notions.


There had been a tiny mishap with my order. The wrong head had been included in the kit. Nothing to do but begin on the clothes while waiting expectantly for the correct head to arrive by post….

I figured out how to make the lace Gail created, using only a needle and thread. I used a couple strands of pale pink DMC floss to trim the tiny petticoat…


I then trimmed the pantaloons, as well…


I had been introduced to Liberty of London tana lawn fabric through Alicia Paulson on her blog 
Posie Gets Cozy  and her Etsy shoppe Rosy little things…so I had ordered a quarter of this sweet pink rose fabric (I don't recall the name of the design)

This little dress was a challenge in itself. I had never made a self-belt …much less, on this tiny scale…
so I was quite delighted to face and conquer that one.


You can see the muslin body pieces awaiting stuffing, extremities, and head. Also, the doll-sized carpet bag is one I made for Holly Hobbie…Anne Shirley look-alike…(that will be another post altogether:)

The next challenge for me was the placket in the back…I had never made one of those, either…
In all my sewing experience as a teenager, young bride and mommy, I had stuck to very simple, buttonless, placket-less patterns…(zippers were only on an as absolutely needed basis)


and….conquered… Whew!

Now for the painting…as the new head had finally arrived…


All these little pots of paints were included along with the very best instructions..




That wasn't too hard…

….and this part was going well, too…


…and then there was this "stage 2" for the cheeks…


I must've painted and repainted and painted over a few more times…tweaking and tweaking…
wanting to get those sweet little rose-y cheeks just like on that postcard…

I was finally happy with the results…


Now to attack the pieces and the parts…


Soooo so cozy in front of the fire…stitching away …watching this tiny bit of sweetness come to life…


In this month of February…


…the month that celebrated the birth of my 2nd child, a baby girl born 3 months early…


…29 years ago…


…on 2-26-85… weighing only 1 lb 11 ozs...


…and we named her Rachel Rose.  The next morning, we would say goodbye and release her to a heavenly home.

This little Hitty doll would need a name.  And as I had completed the final stitches on this very day, this 26th day of February, I thought this the perfect remembrance of my tiny baby girl.  For she too, had a head full of chocolate brown hair and dark blue eyes...


….and I would've dressed her in tiny dresses with tiny pink roses…


My baby girl will always be in my heart and memory…

but it helps now,  to have this tiny dolly to hold.


I don't suppose I'll ever grow to old for dolls and their tiny things…making pretty things for them to wear…finding just the right shade of ribbon for a bonnet…


…no…I don't think I ever will…


Because I'll always love movies like Pride and Prejudice…that will always cause me to venture to that period in time, when young ladies went to the milliner for a new chapeau…

If you are a doll lover, too…and feel you are all alone…fear not!  Embrace that little girl, inside…
What a lovely escape from the frustrations and stress and conflict and worries of everyday grown-up life.

You are always welcome here, at Grammy's House…a cozy, quaint little Victorian Cottage in a Storybook Town.

Blessings,

Christie

While we wait for the drawing…(with more photos included)

..why don't I show you a few photos from our trip to New England?

You've been so patient! My goodness…have you ever!!


On October 2nd, we awoke at dark:thirty…not my most favorite time of day, mind you, but this was the day we would make our way to New England for a long awaited trip of a lifetime. We would be taking a tour of Tasha Tudor's Corgi Cottage and Cottage Gardens!

We traveled by plane to Baltimore, changed aircrafts and continued our journey to Albany, New York. Once there, we rented a car…with a GPS system...
and made our way to Vermont.

It was October, the weather was glorious! After all, it was New England in October…

There were winding roads that led us into a magical place…a bit reminiscent of our familiar East Tennessee, but more.. More trees…More mountains….More roundabouts (we weren't quite sure what a roundabout was until we had traveled through several)

And there were tiny antique shops along the way…and I would squeal and point…

What a dilemma…should we stop or keep going…
Oh lets stop…at just one…

Treasures found:)

On to the Inn…the White House Inn in Wilmington, Vermont.  It was beautiful!

We were lead up to our room, opened the curtains, and this was our view…


Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! Never had I seen so many Maple trees…of every shade…

We drove up into town, found supper, did a bit of shopping, and headed back in for a good night's rest, for the next day would be a very big day.

Of course I couldn't sleep….

so I journaled and painted and made sure Eliza's new lavender shawl fit just right. I had just finished it on the flight….


Two new pens found at Bartelby's Bookstore (in Wilmington)


sleep came….eventually….

and then it was morning...


This hydrangea took my breath! I had never seen one as tall as a tree!


We enjoyed our breakfast.

Eliza was a bit fixated on the Concord Jelly…


Concord…Massachussetts …New England…get it? 
 Grape..purplish…lavender…the shade of my shawl…get it? 

That silly mouse…I can read her like a book;))

 We then made our way back upstairs to prepare for the visit to Tasha Tudor's.

Dear kindred, Linnie Nolan (of The Butt'ry and Book'ry blog) and I
had messaged back and forth for several weeks…planning what to wear for this most special occasion.
She helped me find a treasure on-line. Vintage Laura Ashley prairie dresses would be the most fitting attire, and she already owned one, so with my purchase, we would be twins:) ((Yes, we were sickingly giddy. Don't judge...We couldn't help it.)) 
We would also be meeting for the very first time…in person, that is…

I ironed the miles of ruffles on my lovely pink frock...


donned my soft new socks and new clogs… (Just so you know…I DID bring my purple "Iris" wellies, just in case it was raining:)


…and slid into the front seat of our "carriage"…with my journal and satchel and Hitty Rachel Rose and Eliza Mousie and a pretty handkersniff….and our tickets (don't forget the tickets, Tim said:)


We didn't have to drive very far…just a ways over the river and through the woods…
 and we were turning onto a little road..


...commenced squealing.


This was her driveway…the driveway she walked up and down with her Corgi doggies..

"Go, Tim…no wait..stop! okay…go…oh my gosh…" 



It went something like that until we spotted the sign….


The Rookery houses the office and gift shop, and this is where we would congregate…where I would meet, not only Linnie…but a new friend..made back in 2013…a twitter, blog, instagram, fb friend.
Karen and I would meet…finally!

The first chokehold went to Linnie…yes, we had quite a grip on each other!
This photo was taken after we had hugged 10 times already. She was exactly how I had imagined. ..and she was just darling in her flowing LA prairie dress and pinafore…
Mine didn't flow…at all…but I sure felt at home in my old-fashioned dress;)


I made my way inside the gift shop to sign in and find Karen.  I spotted her right away and round two of hugging-mania commenced.  Much squealing, etc.

(between my ecstatic emotions and an issue with my phone battery staying charged, I did not get a photo of the two of us. However…there were cameras clicking and Linnie has promised to share photos when her computer comes back to life;)

This is one of Linnie and Winslow Tudor…a fine young man…the grandson of Tasha...


Linnie and I left Eliza and the Mousiekins to get acquainted and hang out in the satchel (with Hitty in charge, of course) while we began the tour of the cottage and gardens.

3 1/2 years ago…Eliza sent Mildred Mousiekin a knitted shawl with a hydrangea blue ribbon (just like hers) Mildred, then sent the sweetest little thank you note Eliza had ever ever seen.



(I will be knitting these for the Etsy shop, in varying colors. Shhhh…don't want to ruin the surprises:)

These were a few photos I took before leaving the gift shop/office.

This is a photo of a replica of the tin kitchen (reflector oven) Tasha used for cooking turkeys on her hearth…especially on holidays...


 …and Eliza was just beside herself when she saw the black cookstove. It is so very much like hers...


And we recognized the paste ware…the dishes Tasha illustrated, that you'll find on her tin of Welsh Breakfast Tea


Before leaving the Rookery, I did a bit of shopping…

I found this book and a bundle of the fabric with the same theme…
along with Corgiville Fair (Sophia has gone off for the day with her stuffed Corgi Puppy she's named Buddy, and she loves this book:)


A Time to Keep is the sweetest treasure of a book.
Here is the month of October..


Do you spy the dried Hollyhock in this photo…



It was a volunteer..growing right out in front of the barn! Yellow…just like in the illustration above.
(It happened to get bent in all the activity of the photo session, and Winslow, being the dear that he was, saw me doting over it and asked if I'd like to have it. Oh, my heart!)

This is the photo I took of my favorite cottage garden bloom, when we had returned to the Inn…



A Settle for Eliza the Mouse, came home with us, and now she and Hitty Rachel Rose have a perfectly perfect view of Grammy's make shift studio in the sunroom and enjoy long conversations of their travels…



And a hand-carved chair (a replica of Tasha's art chair) by Seth Tudor, is such a sweet addition to my sewing table….


*********

As we gathered in front of the barn for a photo…the culminating activity of the tour… we found our places. Some of us stood..some of us lounged on the grass, chatting and hugging …and as Winslow snapped several photos, the images he would not be able to capture were those in my mind.  
There are too many to recall, but I suppose the image that struck me the most was the one of her kitchen.  
I had poured over every photo and every illustration of that room..and now, to see it in person, I could hardly take it in.  
Noting the dried flowers and herbs and baskets and tiny treasures hanging there, 
framing her kitchen .. 
I noticed they were forming a wreath, of sorts… 
I was filled with the wonder and realization that her art matched her life in this way, as well… 
her paintings and illustrations are framed, wreathed in fact,  
in the intricate and delicate flowers and baskets, etc., 
surrounding the images that depicted her old-fashioned way of life.

I had found comfort, knowing this woman was one after my own heart.  She had a passion to create..to grow..to experience life…to make every day count…
In her video, Take Joy, she mentioned that life became even more exciting the older she became.

I had met the kindred spirit, still alive and well in everything she left behind.
It is because of her beautiful knitted shawls that I had to learn to knit… 
and seeing her beautiful spinning wheels, I had to learn how to spin…




It will now be up to you, dear friends and admirers of our beloved Tasha, to make your way to this magical place ..to capture images in your own minds.

Tours are scheduled for Spring and Fall.
Next year will be a celebration of her 100th birthday. 

Following the tour, we were welcomed under the tents and treated to an array of sandwiches and tiny treats…


…and of course, a cup of Stillwater Iced Tea, as can be found in her beautifully written/illustrated cookbook.



"Would you like to hear a Chicken Story," she asks with such a modest, confident tone.
Having the bluest eyes and most endearing demeanor, we were compelled to sit in front of her little rocker…in the grass…next to a chicken crate.  There was a tiny table beside her tiny chair with a tiny sign that read…"Chicken Stories 5 cents" …alongside a tiny cup…

and she began….

She led us through the tale of one forlorn little chick named Injy. 
I'm sorry, but I cannot divulge any more of the story, for it was quite worth the money we spent to find out how he/she came to have such a name…and how he/she came to be her very own little chicken.
I will say this. She used the term "foraging" which is an awfully big word for a little girl celebrating her 5th birthday…that very day!
(Thank you, Ellie, for sharing your day with us:)

Her grandmother, Marjorie Tudor had made her darling little dress and apron, and she was quite proud of it…and her very sweet little pink sweater.  She noted that "we matched!"


She allowed me to hold her chicken (which was a first for me) so I asked if she would like to hold my Hitty Rachel Rose….


…and my little Eliza Mouse….



 Look at that face! Is she not the prettiest little thing? We were fast friends. 
She and Hitty and Eliza and I.

I know this, for as the festivities were winding down, she whispered to me, 
"Would you like a feather?"

Friendship sealed.


 I will continue our journey through New England in the next post.

*****
If you have not left a comment on the previous post, for the giveaway celebrating the upcoming launch of my Etsy shoppe, please scroll back and say hello:)

The giveaway…my handmade ornament inspired by Tasha Tudor's beautiful little book…
(book not included)



Blessings, 

Christie