crumpets, clearly

You know the "keep calm and..." posters that are oh, so trendy these days?

Well, HERE is a site where you can make your own!

Marvelous, eh?

I should probably get this printed for my sewing room....

What would your keep calm poster say??

thrifty thursday, via Scarlet Threads!

Clearly you know of my great love and new involvement (which I still need to tell you about!) with Scarlet Threads, right?

Well, do have a look at this, via Eileen, one of the amazing women behind it all!

Is anyone out there familiar with Extreme Couponing on TLC? I am completely enamored with the thriftiness of these folks, but I am completely incapable of duplicating their efforts in my own world. In the spirit of couponing, however, we at Scarlet Threads decided to create a deal for you!

One Thursday per month we will have a special one-day sale where the discount is entirely based on how many new facebook followers we received since the preceding Thursday. We will announce the date of the one day sale on the Thursday before to allow you the opportunity to spread the word about Scarlet Threads to all of your Facebook friends
We shall call this "Thrifty Thursday!" In order to increase the discount, use the "suggest to friends" button to introduce your social network to Scarlet Threads. At a future date, we may choose to do a Thrifty Thursday based on Twitter or Blog Followers. We are not super stealthy, so we will let you know which social media we are selecting for the one day sale, how many current followers we have, and how we will calculate the discount.
I wouldn't let you down, would I? Now that you've read about the concept, we are announcing that NEXT THURSDAY will be our first Scarlet Threads Thrifty Thursday.

Current Facebook Fan Count: 3200

For every new fan from now until I check the account on the morning of Thursday next, the one-day sale will increase by 1% (up to 50%). For example, if we receive 27 new fans the sale discount will be 27% and if we receive 52 fans the discount will be capped at 50%. See? Isn't that fun? You can command your own destiny and demand your own price.

Ready? Set. Suggest a Friend!

HERE is their facebook site. Go like them. You know I do!

be cheerful. strive to be happy.

Have you ever heard of the Desiderata (Latin for desired things)? It is one of my favorite poems, and really serves as a good reminder of how to live ones life, I think. I found this little postcard on etsy a few months back, and I keep it on my desk at work, to motivate me.

Love it.

I was poking around etsy earlier and found this desiderata cuff bracelet, which I really, really want. I don't often wear bracelets, but if I do, I prefer the cuff style, to something with a chain.

WANT THAT BRACELET!!!

The Desiderata was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann, but wasn't really known until after his death, and now has become somewhat of a devotional. It is just so lovely and so true and reminds me to try to be a better person. When I get married, I want it read at the ceremony.

****************************

The Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

**********************

What words inspire you and keep you moving? What is your favorite poem? Favorite quote?

stationary party!

Hi! I am hosting a "virtual stationary party" this week, as I really like this company quite a bit. I thought I'd send the details out, in case you are in need of stationary!

I've been a fan of English Tea Paperie for a while now, and Chloe, the owner is really marvelous. She's English, but is married to an American and they live in Richmond, VA and have a really darling daughter called Emma. She runs her own stationary company and her designs are just gorgeous! I've bought several times from her, and also have run a giveaway on my blog with her products! Also, she has been featured on the Richmond groupon deal twice now, and was on the local news there too, apparently! She's really great to work with and will custom design whatever you like!

Chloe has monograms galore and sorority letters! She has all sorts of designs, but other items, like calling cards, recipe cards and thank you notes.

Here are the details-http://www.englishteapaperie.com/

The party code will be TEACRUMPETS, which will deduct 15% from your purchase sales this week, through Sunday the 22nd. At the end, when going through payment, there is a box that asks for a discount code, so you'd use it there.

Let me know if you have any questions :)

(mostly) wordless wednesday

I love fresh flowers to brighten up a room.

{pretty pink ranunculas- one of my favorite flowers}

(did you link up?)

tasty tuesday and other fun stuff

Happy Tuesday!

I've been featured today on Scarlet Threads blog with my chicken pot pie recipe! I've posted it here already, but go have a look, in case you missed it the first time around.

Speaking of Scarlet Threads, I have some exciting news regarding them, but I will save that for another post. Oooh, the suspense! It involves me, them, and a giveaway! So, stay tuned!

Also! I will be hosting an online stationary party next week! I've had a giveaway with them before, but Chloe of English Tea Paperie does really marvelous work. I just love her. She's so sweet and easy to work with, and amazingly talented! Monograms galore! So, stay tuned for that announcement as well, next week!

Also- DC girls- anyone interested in joining my book club? Two of my best girls, Heidi and Liz, and I have had an on and off again bookclub for the past few years and are getting it started again next month. If you are interested in joining us, please let me know! Must love good books, good conversation and good wine :)

How's your Tuesday looking?

sweet Saturday

Last Saturday, I made a wreath for the front door! It is slightly lop-sided, but I think it is still pretty cute!

I'd been wanting something like this for the door, but everytime I saw one that I liked, it was something like $40, which seemed a bit much. I don't consider myself to be cheap, but I knew I could make one myself for much less. Turns out, I was right ;)

I bought a 12" wire wreath from hobby lobby several weeks back for a different project, but then never used it (I had bought two, so I used the other one). I was at Joann Fabrics last weekend, and they were selling these garlands that were about four feet long! They had a few different designs, some with flowers, and this one, with little white "berries." They were on sale, two for $10, so I bought two, of course. I figured I could just wrap them around the wreath, but the wires inside the garlands were quite strong and hard to bend! I ended up getting a pair of shrub cutters and cutting them into smaller pieces, which made them easier to bend! Of course, in the process, a good nunber of the berries broke off and rolled all over the kitchen floor, where I was sitting!

I've been really liking wreaths lately. I have to post photos of another one that I made recently, this one was yarn covered with little felt flowers! I think this one will stay inside though, I wouldn't want the yarn to get wet! I have a few other wreath ideas, so I will be working on those too, I think. They are easy to make, and lots of fun!

Do you have anything hanging on your front door? Post a picture, I'd love to see it!

flowers!

Happy Monday and happy Royal Wedding weekend! I will admit that I was totally and completely obsessed with the Royal Wedding. I was up at 4:30am on Friday watching, while having crumpets with jam and English Breakfast tea! Seemed appropriate, eh? I went to work, but had my dvr recording all day, so when I got home Friday night, I watched what I hadn't seen (double kiss! swoon!) and then watched the recaps and then watched more on Saturday.

I won't post tons of photos, because you've all seen them, I'm sure, and I don't have anything overly creative to say that hasn't already been said! I thought that Kate looked amazing and I loved her dress. I loved her simple hair and that she did her makeup herself. I loved that Prince Harry turned around and snuck a peek while she walked up the isle with her father and I loved that Prince William whispered "you look stunning, babe" to her when she reached the alter. I loved Pippa's dress and I loved the little bridesmaids. I loved the Queen's yellow and I even loved Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie's fascinators! I loved that when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took off in the carriage, she turned to him and said "I am so happy." I loved all of the little looks that they shared throughout the day.

Swoon.

I also really loved this photo, which I hadn't seen a close up of.

Kate's bouquet!

I found the photo on people.com and they had this description, which I really love-

Symbolism was key in the small bouquet Catherine carried, designed for her by Shane Connolly. In addition to the flower sweet William, the bouquet included lily-of-the-valley (for return of happiness), hyacinth (constancy of love) and ivy (for fidelity, marriage and affection). Also key to the arrangement were stems from plants grown from sprigs of the bridal bouquets of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

Love this, love love love it. I don't know a great deal about flowers and their meanings, but I am interested in learning a bit now! My mother carried ivy in her bouquet when marrying my father, and now I wonder if she knew about these meanings behind it! I'd love to incorporate something like this into my eventual wedding, I think. Makes it so special.

Did you watch the Royal Wedding? Did you love every minute of it?