Sunday, February 20, 2011

~ Spring Fever ~

It's a bit of Spring fever and mini fever too :) The other day we actually hit 65 degrees! It felt like 80 to me and the air was just so sweet and earthy scented, what a treat! It was a busy week in my Mini-Studio and to have the windows open and the breeze coming through was probably the best seasonal feeling I've felt in a long time! I hope you all had a taste of it where you live too! It kept me motivated to create with that feeling in mind...and the pictures below of my new miniatures hopefully captured that. They are all sold already, but Spring and Summery colors have always been the colors I decorate my Home with and my "tiny" things with too, so creating these gave me a sense of real happiness this week!

I like to "name" and "title" my Bakery tables and Kitchen islands. They all hold a special place in my heart and when they go to such wonderful new homes it's my way of sending them off with something permanent from me :) Below and above the tables are named: Summer Breeze, Bakers Garden, and Simply Divine.... They are being shipped out this week to where I know they will be loved as much as I loved making them...


Each time I create something , I first have to be inspired ... as anyone does who designs their own items...and blogland is certainly full of inspiring, incredible people and talent!

Color is huge for me, and my own Home has to be flooded with flowers and pastels and hints of strong popping pretties, all rolled into one room. It's the same with my miniatures. The Spring issue of Flea Market style sure did it for me this week, I saw the cover and then used what I love, remembered the feelings and emotions of Spring and out came new inspiration! It'll cause a stir in my big girl home too, because many of the things I create, I want to see every day in my home accents and designs. So once the Spring is settled here and the windows can stay open? I intend to create new feelings with fresh pops of color and design and do that Spring cleaning that I'm actually looking forward too! ( That's proof of such a bad long winter lol )

So here's a little bit of what I was up to this week..... Mini Fever style :)








I took my first attempt at lemons in miniature and was pleasantly surprised with the results..

I've used lemons in my home as a way to bring that pop of natural yellow on my own kitchen island, so I was determined to see in miniature. It's funny because it was years ago that I was watching Oprah and they showed her home filled with different ways she used natural fruit as decoration.... but with 3 grown-up kids, that never lasts long here :) but I loved how she had them placed in vases that were filled with water and THEN added the flowers. I love that :) Or had them filling up bowls in the living room etc. So fresh and colorful looking! So I needed some on my mini islands too...and my kids can't eat them and make them disappear here :)



I'm still filled with so much inspiration and mini making ideas, and with the hope of Spring "staying"? I think I will be very happy doing it all day long :)

I hope you find inspiring ideas everywhere......outside, inside, in a book, in a blog, in a smile, in a friend, to find a little bit of bliss in your day too!

Happy ALMOST Spring!!! :)

Love,

Cynthia xo

Thursday, February 10, 2011

~ I Heart ~

Hello Friends! With Valentines Day right around the corner, I thought I'd share some things I love :) First off, I love that we haven't had any snow storms this week! That's wonderful to me :) I was able to do a little shopping for myself, another wonderful thing I love. I am feeling Spring around the corner too and even though we still have snow on the ground, if I can't have Spring "outside" yet, I can certainly have it "inside". I found this pretty dishtowel at Tattered Goods, what pretty things she has! Plus there's something about crisp white that I love and if there's roses on something and a little blue, all the better!

I think she fits nicely on my island, don't you? It was meant to be :)

I also "Heart" me some Home Goods... The tray below was a recent find and again, pink roses always find their way into my shopping cart :)

And of course, I totally "Heart" Lidy's French Garden House, the pink mercury glass votive and soft burlap cotton pillow with sweet ruffles on my sofa are from her gorgeous shop!


I Heart white Swiss Dot curtains too, but I haven't purchased them yet, I'm thinking of changing out the ones in my Living Room to these from Country Curtains, they speak Spring and Summer to me for sure! Plus they are so easy to wash .... Hmmmm? I think I'm convincing myself they are a must :)


Anytime I'm longing for Spring, I grab a few quiet moments and a cup of tea or a glass of wine ( depending on the time of day lol ) and open up one of my Susan Branch books. I know I talk a lot about her, but if anyone has been an influence on me over the years as a Designer and Homemaker, it's her. She's also been a source of inspiration for my Miniatures too. I "Heart" picnics and beautiful weather, and her books bring me there when it's still cold out and give me hope :)


I also Heart Janet Hill.... I purchased some art from her a couple of years ago, and it hangs in my Kitchen and just touches my heart. Her oil paintings have a way of speaking to my very soul. My domestic/ cake loving/kitchen/bakery loving soul :) I had the honor of Designing a Bakery a few years back and it was one of my favorite Design Consults. The scents, the warmth , and the sweet side of that place still makes my mouth water up with sweetness! This painting that Janet did, reminds me of that very place :) It's on my "wish" list now :)


I "Heart" my new Miniature Bakery labels too :) Gotta love Photo-shop! Now I can send out Thank you notes with a touch of my own style.. Do you like them?

And last but NOT least, I completely "Heart" making Miniatures. But I think you know that already :)

I feel so blessed to be able to do something I love so much. Each customer has been so wonderful to work with and design for! After 20 years in the Design field, this has been a real pleasure and I look forward to each day that involves designing small things now instead of large :) These items below are sold already but it's what's been keeping my fingers very busy and happy lately!


I so heart the little towels below, designing in 1:12 scale is so wonderfully stress free, it's "Zen" to me....ok opps, not 100%. Truth be told, by hands could be 1" scale and that would certainly help a lot :) Then it would be a "perfect" job, but nothings perfect, so I'll take my hands as they are and keep doing what I love any day!





I really love filling my Etsy shop and creating for it , and I also love getting custom orders and this one below was such a pleasure to do. I normally paint everything I make , I am pastel crazy for sure, but this was a special request to make a vintage Flour Hutch for a customer and she wanted it to replicate her Grandmothers Hutch. So I left it in the wood tone she remembered. After I received her requests, I tried to imagine it all together and the days she spent there and what she did and saw and felt. After I made it and she bought it, I received such a beautiful note of Thanks that we both got emotional over it. Now, that is why I'm so passionate about what I do. I hope she enjoys it for years to come. It was an honor to make a customer that happy!




I've so enjoyed sharing what I love , so Thank you to you all for being there and listening and stopping in!

I completely HEART all of you!!

I hope you have a wonderful and beautiful and loving Valentines Day!

Much love and appreciation,

Cynthia xo