Learning To Sew

Hello Blog Friends!

I know my posts are still far and few between. I promise I will be getting “back to work” soon and share some of my projects with you. I am participating in a big swap meet sale on August 6th and need to get some furniture pieces ready for that sale.

In the meantime, I just wanted to brag al bit about my daughter. She took a great sewing class last week. It was a sort of “camp” for young seamstresses.

The local fabric store and sewing shop called STASH (cute name, right) offered the class. In addition to making this great backpack, she learned the basics of the Bernete 46 machine.

At the end of thee class she took hoe not only the adorable backpack, but the machine too! What a fabulous concept and class idea. Thanks to Ann who owns the shop and teaches the classes.

She has already helped me with a few small sewing projects.

We are going to get a few simple patterns for her to work on this summer.

I hope this is a skill she continues to develop and love.

Here’s to learning a new skill and exploring your creative side!

I’ll check in soon.

Best,

Cori

Cottage Love And Lavender

What girl doesn’t dream of having a little cottage all her own?

I am no exception. I dreamed of this cottage and it became reality.

After my son and his girlfriend left a few weeks ago, I decided to freshen up the cottage just a bit.

I pulled a chippy white vanity desk out of my “furniture waiting for love” pile inn the garage. It just seemed to work better as a base for the flat screen tv in the corner. I didn’t paint it, just gave it a good cleaning and lied the worn look it already had.

I moved my hand painted fireplace screen in front of the fireplace (instead of in front of the tv table to hid cords).

I love the way it looks in the place it was originally meant to be. I put one of my favorite vintage tablecloths on the table and placed an old shutter door found at a yard sale in the corner.

I also pulled out the area rug that had been in front of the sofa. It was time to reveal all of the beautiful hardwood floors. It makes the room feel quite a bit bigger.

I made a few changes in the bedroom too.

Another yard sale find was a sweet chenille bedspread with just the perfect shades of pastel to work with the neutrals. I placed it over the coverlet.

I love the way it makes the bed feel. There is just something about chenille that reminds me of my grandmother and sleepovers at her house.

Sweet memories.

I moved my music sheet dresser into the room.

I have had it for sale for quite some time and no one wanted to bring it home. I decided it was meant to stay with me and make it’s home here in the cottage bedroom.

I’m glad it stayed with me—I just love it!

This cottage is not only a place for my guests, but a little “home away from home” for me.

I love to spend time in this space. I use it as an artist’s studio when creating dress forms, bring paperwork I need to concentrate on, and even a quiet place to escape the sibling bickering that happens at my house often.

There are no kids that live in this cottage. No long-haired white cat and no gorgeous yellow lab that sheds like crazy.

When I clean it, it pretty much stays that way.

You’ve gotta love that…right?

Oh…I almost forgot…I pulled the sofa away from the window and placed a white console table there. It’s a great place to put a lamp and other fun treasures.

Now..let me share my lavender. I have wanted to grow lavender since we moved here three years ago. I planted quite a few plants and although they survived, they really didn’t produce much in way of flowering lavender. Then, this spring my husband planted 6 plants. They grew beautiful stems of lavender that we “harvested” a few days ago. It makes me smile.

I am continuing to enjoy this summer and the joy of being outside and the beautiful warm evenings. Check out this full moon last week.

Such beauty.

So glad you stopped in and I hope you are also taking the time to stop and smell the roses of summer.

Best,

Cori

This Is A Very Good Sign

I know I have been neglecting my blog over the last month or so…

I needed a break. I was feeling a little burned out.

Well….tonight I felt like making a quick post and to let you know that I’m still here.

Don’t you just love this sign?

Diane made it special for me and my little guest cottage. I’m just loving it. It is perfect. She actually painted the cottage and really captured the “feel” of it, including the three sets of French doors, the stone chimney, and the cupola with it’s French flag weathervane on top.

It now sits on the mantle and looks fabulous there. Thanks you so much Diane!

That’s not the only sign Diane made….let me share some of the other creations she worked on over the last month…

I’m just crazy about the two big eye charts she did—one with a black background and one with a white one.

We accessorized one of the spaces at the store with all the great signs. Check out the piano key signs she did.

I just love the black and white accents of the piano keys. They sit nicely on a ledge or table.

The Paris and New York subway signs would work great in so many spaces.

Well…I hope this means I’m back on track to post at least a couple times a week for the remainder of the summer.

Thanks for not giving up0 on me and I look forward to catching up with all of my favorite blogs to (I’ve missed that!).

Have a great weekend!

Cori