Fern & Flora Wednesday: Something New

The other night my Horseshoe Market Pal and I got together to whip up something new to sell at the upcoming market. It took a bit of doing to track down some of the needed supplies, but seeing that we both live a midst mountains of ribbon, paper and vintage tidbits, we knew that creating these romantic and pretty candles would make a lovely (and easy to create) addition to our market offerings. Now I want to just sit and make them all day long. It was really nice to switch up the creative process and work with a different medium for a moment. And talk about a splendid gift idea. Oh yes.

The pretties shown above will be available for purchase at the Horseshoe Market as well as a plethora of note cards, hair accessories and vintage wares. It's going to be a spectacular market, so please come if you can! 

Hail to the Hollyhock

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On Thursday night we went to a going away party for some friends. The lovely gent that hosted the party had some of these old fashioned beauties growing wild in his back yard. That's the thing about hollyhocks, they seem to sort of pop up without any notice. My grandma used to grow them down by the rhubarb patch at their farm. They're just so old timey and casual and sweet.... The pale pink gorgeousness above is a double hollyhock I believe - all ruffly and thick. Did your grandma grow them too? I bet she did.

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Talkin' 'Bout a Heat Wave!

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I think it's safe to say that virtually everyone in the whole stinking continental US is trying not to melt away from the blazing hot temps. Although the heat in our state is a dry one, we are 5000 feet higher than those living at sea level, so it's an intense dry heat and it's still gonna be in the high 90s if not 100 this weekend. I'm such a heat weenie. Don't like to sweat. Don't like to be out in the sun. Just wanna stay inside where it's cool and eat Pink Berry and watch movies. Yep. That's pretty much it. 

Where ever you are this weekend, stay cool and hydrated and dream of cooler autumn temps! 

xo

Something Different and Completely Tender

While listening to Talk of Nation this afternoon, the host shared that today is the 150th Anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run and then proceeded to play a clip from Ken Burns' film The Civil War - the reading of a letter by army major Sullivan Ballou, anticipating his imminent death, to his wife Sarah. I've heard it read before and it never fails to make me cry. I tell ya, people just don't write letters like this anymore. Ready the Kleenex... 

To Market, To Market

The fabulous Horseshoe Market is two weeks from this Saturday (eeek!), and this little lady is gonna be ready. No rushing around like a chicken with my head cut off or staying up half the night pricing. Noooo. I will be cool, calm and collected the days leading up to market. I'm pricing everything now and getting it all in my handy-dandy excel spreadsheet that Ike has set up for me and insists I use to track my merchandise. I hated that thing at first, but we're becoming friends now and it really does help me in the long run. Anyway, I spent the better part of yesterday pricing, tracking, tagging, etc and even though I'd rather be crafting, getting the icky stuff out of the way now, helps clear my head and just makes me feel good. Perhaps I'm turning over a new leaf...

p.s. if you're in the area on Saturday, August 6, COME TO THE MARKET. It is going to be amazing.

Feeling Loved

I had a truly lovely birthday weekend - the cards, phone calls, gifts, texts and facebook messages left me feeling like  the richest girl alive. 

Ike was so generous and thoughtful, leaving me little birthday notes around the house, and cleaning up with extra vigor and motivation while readying the house for company, and wishing me a happy birthday over and over. 

These flowers, along with a gluten-free cheesecake and a star-shaped sparkler dessert topper were thoughtful tokens from our friends who just moved into our neighborhood. I'm so happy to be two blocks from them, if only for a month before we move to our new place. 

And the gifts?! Hello fabulous. Vintage jewelry, art, delicious body products from Lollia, botanical stickers I plan on sticking on everything and a Kindle! 

Thank you friends and family for making me feel so loved. 

How was your weekend? 

Birthday Weekend

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Hello friends. How was your week? Mine had it's up and downs but now it's Friday (bring it on) and Sunday is my birthday so I'm going to spend the weekend celebrating. Yes ma'am. 

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What better to celebrate than with lots of tasty treats... 

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...and little gifts sent in the mail from family a far.. 

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...and the company of people you like (hopefully watching the US women's soccer team beat Japan in the World Cup finale on my birthday afternoon! I'm gettin all swept up in the fever)

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And if I really get what I want, there will be an outing for bread pudding with the mister. It's become my birthday tradition and it's fun every once in a while to shake a fist at gluten free foods and splurge on some gluten-full goodness. Happy birthday to me. 

And a happy weekend to all.