Happy thought - bobbin lace

My Darling mother just got me a bobbin lace kit for my birthday!! I shall take some pictures as soon as I get it set up! I am so excited to start making bobbin lace! This particular style of lace making fascinates me in the extreme! It is a very old and beautiful craft. 

Look at THESE bobbins! So colorful and abundant!

Here is a website that has examples of many different kinds of lace. They are So beautiful!

This is Queenie Turril from the tv series Larkrise to Candleford, who, besides keeps bees, gardens, and takes care of everyone, also makes bobbin lace. Happy thought!!

I'm so excited to learn how to make lace! Yay! 

If anyone who is reading this has made bobbin lace before, please leave a comment and tell me your thoughts on it! I would love to hear them. =]

Thanks Marmee! 

♥Marguerite

Wonderful glowing things: Nasturtiums.

"I looked out of my window just now and saw cousin Jimmy's Nasturtium bed-- 

Nasturtiums, who coloured you, you wonderful, glowing things? You must have been fashioned out of summer sunsets." -Excerpt from Emily Climbs by L. M. Mongomery

There meaning is: Patriotism
Of all the flowers...Is it possible to choose a favorite? No. No, indeed. But I might say that Nasturtiums should be at lease in the first ten pages of every ones favorites. For they are beautiful. and edible. and useful.

 

Don't you want these bodacious blooms outside your window?

 I am told that if you plant these flowers in with your Kale, (or anything else that can get infested with aphids.) the aphids will eat the Nasturtiums and leave the greens alone. This is Sad for Nasturtiums, Happy for your Garden.

Now the quite fabulous thing about Nasturtiums is that they are edible. (Make sure they are not sprayed with pesticides before eating them.) I think these are perfectly delicious ideas! 
♥ Rose Marie Nichols McGee posted about her Fresh Nasturtium Spring Rolls..
♥ Stuffed Nasturtium Blooms sound delicious. Appetizers are Happiness.
♥ Nasturtium Lemon Butter...Wouldn't this be good with scones? Sort of a twist on Lemon Curd.

I think if I was to paint flowers, I would paint Nasturtiums. They're such friendly flowers..
♥aimee

Lady Valentine...winner of the giveaway!

Hello and Happy Valentines Day/week/month/year....how long can we drag this delectable holiday out?
I am pleased to announce the winner of this fabo-fabo Puffy Heart Ring...

{We drew her name out of a boot! Marguerite didn't agree. But I told her we wouldn't be sending the piece of paper anyway. hee hee!} 

our winner is..

Ella from Sweet♥Ella.

Congratulations to you!

Thank you all for joining us in the giveaway and other Valentine posts. It was simply scrumptious. We relished each of your wonderful comments. 

Good day and Happiness,

Genevieve, Marguerite, and Aimee

AmandaBeth Online: My Love is Requited

There is a lovely post on Amanda Beth Online right now. 

AmandaBeth Online: My Love is Requited

Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway!

♥Genevieve

Eau De Parfum - a happy thought

I just happened upon these treasures from Anthropologie. I don't usually use a scent but these look quite tempting indeed... some of them even for the bottle if not for anything else. ♥ 

 

This, I could not help posting about. Of all the fragrances they have at Anthropologie, this one wins, hands-down. This gem of a fragrance! Is this not the most quaint little thing you've ever seen? Oh my! How my heart flutters at the sight of it! Ah me... 

Happ & Stahns 1842 Rosa Alba Eau de Parfum  

Inspired by The Grand Tour - a trip across Europe enjoyed by young ladies in the 19th century as a finishing course to their educations - this ethereal floral scent evokes rose gardens, high teas and happy accidents. The eau de parfum is housed in an inkwell bottle topped with a pincushion and Victorian-inspired pins, while the more highly concentrated parfum is housed in replicas of crystal tear catchers from the era. 

Created by Marypierre Julien of Givaudan, pink peppercorns and Darjeeling tea are splashed with a burst of grapefruit, a dash of wisteria and the scent of ancient Alba roses, then softened with amber wood and cashmere musk - For the hopeless romantics (Floral, in other words.).  68 dollars.

 I suppose, this would not be too hard to make for yourself! 

Your favorite vintage glass bottle or inkwell with a cork or lid... make a simple pincushion with your treasured, but too small for anything swatch of fabric and perhaps a metal lid turned upside down glued onto the top of the other lid. Voila! Then of course, there is the problem of no perfume, but that could be remedied with taking your favorite fragrance out of it's uncouth plastic spray bottle and filling your precious container with it's flowery contents. ♥ Is it not an inspired idea? I ask you!

These sound so nice... Inspired by Tea! And supposed to smell like tea too. That's the best part. :]

 1856 Darjeeling by Adriana Medina: touches of cardamom, mint, fresh jasmine and cedarwood highlight this yellow tea blend- for the woodsy gals (That's me according to their fragrance guide). :)

And it also comes in a 'pencil' version.  Fragrance Pencil, 1856 Darjeeling. This sounds very useful! And only 10 dollars. Not too bad for this particular store. :)

 Tocca Mini Eau de Parfum, Cleopatra 

Rich amber patchouli blends royally with vanilla musk and hints of tuberose and grapefruit (FLORAL) 15 dollars.

I picked this one out just because it's pretty. ♥

All my love, Marguerite

Part 10: Giveaway! of hearts and ecstasy!

O, Genevieve, hast thou ever had an unaccomplished bone in thy body? No.
Today is a great day. Today we celebrate Valentines day with a giveaway of wonder... Yes. Wonder and other flourish-y words such as, Fabulous and Marvelous and Peachy.
I hope you have had fun reading this valentines special. It has been much fun. I hope to do it again sometime.
If you have missed the previous parts you may read them here... 2012♥Valentines♥Event.

Alright, time for the giveaway! (Now we'll have some fun.)

This Giveaway is hosted by Pretty♥Wit.
And this too cute to be true Puffy Heart Ring was made by Genevieve. (Thanks Gen!)

How Do I Enter To Win This Fabulous Ring?

simple.
Leave a comment and tell us what your favorite accessory is. A Necklace? Handbag? Brooch? A Parrot? Perhaps an Indian Headdress? tell us.

For EXTRA entries:  (Leave a separate comment for each.)

♥ Follow our Three Spinsters Blog. (1 entry)
♥ Follow our Pretty Wit Blog. (1 entry)
♥ Add Pretty Wit and/or one of their items to your favorites on Etsy. (3 entries)
♥ Make a racket and blab about the giveaway on your blog! (6 entries)

We will select the winner in one weeks time. Be sure to sign up and tell your friends about it before midnight on February twenty-first!

Good Luck my doves! Happy Winning!
♥the three spinsters

pockets full of posies...

 Flowers are a joy to receive. You don't ask someone, Do you like flowers? No, I don't like flowers. Everybody likes flowers. Flowers are divine.

This is a wonderful booklet to refer to when you need to pick a posy or bouquet. It has the meanings of nearly all flowers and herbs and some vegetables too! I hope you find this interesting and use it. I am sad that the art of flowers is reserved to weddings and gardens. And the meanings, nobody seams to care about. Victoria's Flower DictionaryWe are in a great age for loosing all the lovely and meaningful traditions of the past. Ah me.. 'Tis too true.

Happiness,
aimee

Part 9: Valentines♥Day is fast upon us..

I have some goodies for your February Fourteenth Festivities.

I hope you enjoy them all! They're are some beautiful and fun tutorials and printables here so be sure to check them out. You might just find what you're looking for. ...or not looking for. *smile*

1. Make these.. Teabag♥Tutorial.
2. Bake these.. Chocolate♥Cupcakes. And why not print these to go with? Cupcake♥Wrappers.
3. Decorate with.. Flower♥Walls.  Why not tack them on the walls? Flowers are the most fabulous and cheery gift. They never go out of fashion.
4. Send this.. a Valentine♥card. What's this? Anonymous?
5. Watch these.. Romantic♥Films.
6. Go out.. With your mom, sister or good♥friend.
7. Buy this.. Valentine Art♥Print.
8. Make this.. Paper Heart♥Garland. or perhaps ♥this♥ swirly heart garland is more to your taste?
9. Watch these.. Romantic♥Cartoons.
10. Send these.. Posies. and look up there♥meanings.
11. Crochet these.. adorable little Plushy♥Hearts.
12. Print these.. PrettyWit design Love♥Bookplates.
13. Compose an original verse or song in honor of the day and recite it to your loved ones. or consult with Mr.♥Shakespeare. He's chalk full of lovely poems and stanzas. Try Sonnet numbers 18, 99, 116.
14. Host a.. Girl♥Party. You're spinster friends know how to have much more fun then most every one else.

I leave you with this verse:
OPHELIA  
Pray you, let's have no words of this; but when they
ask you what it means, say you this:

(Sings)
To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
 

Have a wonderful St. Valentines Day! And don't forget to make merry.

♥aimee
p.s. stay tuned for the PW giveaway tomorrow!

Part 8: Grandpa's Valentine World War II

A soldier mailed this to my Grandma in 1945. He was the most handsome man I ever saw. And what an artist! I think this is the sweetest Valentine card that ever there was. My Grandpa was a Staff Sergeant in the Trailblazers division during World War II.

Below (top right) is a photo of my Grandma taken on her wedding day. My grandpa carried it all through the war.

Think about the Veterans this Valentines Day and what they gave to win for their sweethearts back home.
Do you have any Valentines sent from WWI or II soldiers? They are so sweet to find.
♥aimee

Part 7: Romantic films..

Now is the time to pull out all the romantic films you love. Yay! We Spinsters love movies! Old and New and all the ones that are Positively Girlie. I have ideas for your movie choices. How about a girl party? sure. How about a valentines babysitting job? sure. Lets start with the old "talkies."

1. Girl Crazy - Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland!
2. The Philadelphia Story - Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant.
3. Little Women 1949 - June Allison, Peter Lawford.
4. Meet Me in St. Louis - Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien.
5. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - Jane Powell, Howard Keel
6. The Adventures of Robin Hood - Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland.
7. The African Queen - Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn.
8. As You Like It 1936 - Laurence Olivier, Elisabeth Bergner. Watch for free here.
9. Rebecca - Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine.
10. Sabrina 1954 - Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, William Holden.
11. Babes in Arms - Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland!
12. Casablanca - Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart.
13. Pride and Prejudice 1940 - Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier.
14. Bringing Up Baby - Kathrine Hepburn, Cary Grant.
15. Roman Holiday - Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck.
16. It's a Wonderful Life - Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed.
17. An Affair to Remember - Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr.
18. The Shop Around the Corner - Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullavan.
19. How to Marry a Millionaire - Lauren Becall, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable.
20. Jane Eyre 1943 - Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine.


Or perhaps you are going to "sit on the grandkids" this Valentines day? Just because you'll watch kid shows doesn't mean you can't watch a romance. Disney is chalk-full of princess movies. And if, by chance, you are watching little man-cubs, perhaps Robin Hood would be a better choice? "Love. It seems like only yesterday..."

1. Mary Poppins - "Cream of the crop, tip of the top, it's Mary Poppins and there we stop."
2. Sleeping Beauty - "The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam.."
3. Robin Hood - "Life is brief but when it's gone, love goes on and on.."
4. Enchanted - "I've been dreaming of a true loves kiss. And a prince I'm hoping comes with this."
5. Beauty and the Beast - "She glanced this way. I thought I saw.. and when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw. No it can't be. I'll just ignore. But then she's never looked at me that way before."
6. Cinderella - "Cinderella, You're as lovely as your name, Cinderella..."
7. Tangled - "I have dreams like yours. no really! Just much less touchy-feeley."

 It's hard to find good modern movies. Here are some romantic chick flick picks.

1. While You Were Sleeping - Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman.
2. Sleepless in Seattle - Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks.
3. A Walk in the Clouds - Keanu Reeves.
4. You've Got Mail - Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks.
5. The Man From Snowy River - Jim Craig, Jessica. (wait...)
6. 27 Dresses - James Marsden, Katherine Heigl.
7. Letters To Juliet - Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave.
{Use your own discretion with these modern movies. Some of these movies have parts that we fast-forward.}

And of course now we must include these most beloved films and mini-series as they are too wonderful to be true. Yay! for costume dramas!

1. Anne of Avonlea - Don't watch this one out of order! Anne of Green Gables comes first.
2. The Young Victoria - Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend.
3. Persuasion - Amanda Root, Ciaran Hinds.
4. Bright Star - Watch it with a box of tissues. Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw.
5. Jane Eyre 2011 - Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender.
6. Little Women - Winona Rider...Louisa May Alcott...Can it get better?
7. Sense and Sensibility - Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant.
8. Miss Potter - Renee Zellweger, Ewen McGregor.
9. Lorna Doone - It's Mr. Coxe! haha! Yes. If you love him in Wives and Daughters, you'll love him in this.
10. Emma - Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Northam.
11. Pride and Prejudice 2005 - Keira Knightly, Matthew MacFadyen.  
12. Pride and Prejudice 1995 - Jennifer Ehle, Colin Firth.
13. Ever After - Gustave! Drew Barrymore.
14. The Phantom of the Opera - Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum.
15. Wives and Daughters - There are so many wonderful people in it, I don't know who to name...
16. North & South - Richard Armitage, Daniela Denby-Ashe. Northbound Trains and Yellow Hedgerow Roses.. It's lovely.

Have a lovely St. Valentines day!
♥aimee

Part 6: Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love.

Today we will have another excerpt. Yay, Hooray!
I have chosen a much loved piece from As You Like It by William Shakespeare.
It is from Act III, Scene II.

Orlando:

Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love.

And thou, thrice-crownéd queen of night, survey

With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above,

Thy huntress' name that my full life doth sway.

O Rosalind, these trees shall be my books,

And in their barks my thoughts I’ll character,

That every eye which in this forest looks

Shall see thy virtue witnessed everywhere.

Run, run, Orlando, carve on every tree

The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she.

 -the end

I beseech thee, try being as romantic as Orlando this Valentines Day. It is no small task, I assure you.
♥aimee

p.s.
Here you may watch As You Like It starring Laurence Olivier for free! Go here for such a pleasure: As♥You♥Like♥It

Part 5: Sail my heart away..

What a pleasant way to receive a letter. I wouldn't mind having one (or indeed several) paper boats dropped into my mailbox at the end of the lane.

This is an easy and fun way to make your Valentine card more pleasant.
Why don't you watch this video tutorial and see how easy it is.
"How to Fold a Boat♥Shaped Folded Note." -video tutorial (scroll down)

This paper boat requires:

♥one piece of "letter size" paper. striped or not.

♥decoration. (this is oddly optional.) hearts? a quote? a poem? a novel? get out that dusty box of crayons you've been saving all these years. there must be something pink or red.

♥and much love.

I have also made a sweet discovery: "How to Fold a Heart♥Shaped Folded Note." -video tutorial 

It's lovely!

Happy Valentines!
♥aimee

Part 4: Oh the romance of the books....

Yes. I agree.
Do you have a special read for Valentines Day? My spinster sisters and I have put together a list of

Romantic Reads.

(While all of these are classics, there is one that isn't.. I simply couldn't help myself. It is my one weakness.)

Listed in the above picture are these books. We love them. Hope you do too!

1. When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke (a series) (Also, the Love Comes Softly series is quite lovely. I couldn't pick which is my favorite.)

2. Bright Star: The Complete Poems and Selected Letters of John Keats

3. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

4. The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter

5. The Sonnets of William Shakespeare

6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

7. Rose In Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

8. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

9. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

11. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

12. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Happy reading the week of Valentines!
♥aimee

Part 3: Valentine's Day cards

Happy (almost) Valentines Day Everyone! Everyone could use a card to let them know they're loved!  So I thought I'd post some card ideas for inspiration. =]

Aimee and I made these a couple years ago for our family and friends.

The shoe on this card is held on by a brad in the middle so it can "tap". (Aimee's genius.)

The silhouettes I drew on black paper and then cut out and pasted on. Except the blue one I did free hand (without drawing it first). 

These are miniature cards I made for our china doll friends. But they'd also be cute for little kids.

I got the clip art from The Graphics Fairy. - Great resource!

Well, I hope you are inspired a little. =] 

Do you have any good ideas for Valentines Day? Leave us a comment!

Happy card making!

-Marguerite