March 1st

Early morning on the first day of March. And as soon as the bed is made...

I find myself looking out the window for the tiniest sight of spring. Little bits of green? Not yet. Mountain bluebirds flying low in the frosty fields? Soon. I can't wait to welcome them back!

Any signs of spring at your house yet?

DIY Trellis Inspiration Board

One of the things I talked about at the beginning of the year was to find ways to display some of my odd-sized art and crafts instead of storing it away in drawers. I love the look of collage-style inspiration boards and wanted to make one that would fit in a small space while at the same time reflect what I love most - nature and gardening. So I made a trellis!

Here's the DIY instructions if you'd like to make one too:
1) purchase four 1/2" square x 36" long hardwood dowels from the hobby store
2) cut them to size: one at 27" long, two at 21" long, and five at 9" long
3) give each piece a quick coat of primer and set them aside to dry
4) lightly sand
5) paint with your finish color and let dry
6) sand again (you can sand some areas down to the wood to give it more of a vintage look)
7) assemble the trellis together by nailing through the back
8) drill a 1/8" hole into the center dowel about 1" down from the top for hanging
9) hang it on the wall with a nail

Next came the fun part. I added little bits of ribbon, lace and vintage millinery, three of my tiny watercolor tags, a quick scribble sketch I did at the beginning of the week of a nest and eggs on old paper, the tissue fairy dress I made back in September 2010, the doily envelope garland, sweet gifts from friends, and a button heart ( so easy - just thread the buttons together with jewelry wire to hold the shape and then thread embroidery thread over the wire).

I wanted to still be able to see the trellis so I purposely left some areas open. And here it is...

Instead of growing roses on this trellis, I'll be growing inspiration by changing what's displayed with the seasons and holidays ~ and now all those little bits of art and crafts and miniature treasures that used to hide in the drawer can be enjoyed up close!

So that's what I've been up to ~ hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Shops Across The Pond

I don't know how this happened, but it has been over a year since I posted anything under my 'Artists and Cottage Industries' label. So today I thought it would be fun to invite you to jump "across the pond" with me to visit these three lovely UK shops.

The Real Flower Company
Started when "Karen, Rosebie and Tim met up and soon realised that they all share the same passion; to bring natural, scented, fresh garden roses, perfumed flowers, cut herbs, and seasonal foliage back to a market that had lost touch with the beauty of real flowers."

Sigh. Aren't their hatbox arrangements pretty?

Scented Narcissi Hat Box

Pink and Ivory Rose Hatbox Arrangement

Peony and Sage
I immediately bookmarked this site when Maria of Dreamy Whites blogged about it here last November. Kimberley Bell's line of linens and tweeds are "inspired by vintage and french fabrics and an eclectic mix of all the things I love."

So many beautiful fabrics - these two are my favorites.

Faded Roses ~ Pink

Blackberry & Bee ~ Dutch Blue

Lobster and Swan
This UK Etsy shop has been a favorite of mine for several years. Selling original collage art, postcards, garlands, and the kinds of things "just like you might uncover whilst rummaging through a long untouched attic."

Layers of time garland

Altered vintage matchbox with lace archive inside

Estate sale lot 37 Hedgerow treasures

Beautiful, yes? Just click on the shop names or links under the images to visit! Hope you have a great weekend!