The ideas for Five Romantic Decorating tips for Valentine are coming along well. Its a VERY short segment on the local Lawrence, KS TV station. So short, that the ideas can't really have any explanation or how-tos, just time enough to see the pretty ideas.
One of my ideas will be an arrangement of heart shaped candy boxes in the kitchen. I'll add something next to it, (photos when I figure that part out…)
This one came about because I bought the red vintage box over the weekend at the Farmstead Style retreat I talked about in my last post. The other boxes are empties I saved from last year's half price, after Valentine's Day candy shopping spree. (the emptying didn't take long) I've foofed them up with old wallpaper, ribbons and flowers.
Did you notice my newest French netting score!!??? There are two of them, both from Saturday's fun shopping/crafting trip to Platte City. (they are both pillow cases, one was $10 the other $4)
Here is the 2nd piece, I'm lining this terra cotta pot with it. The sheet music, ribbon, and rhinestone buckle were added for the TV segment I mentioned. For that day, I'll put a pot of mini roses in it.
For today, I've filled it with homemade soaps. Book club is tonight, and we are discussing The Geurnsey Literary and Potato Pie Society. In the book, one of the characters makes use of a dead pig by making it into much needed soap, and wrapping up the bars with red yarn to give to the other members.
Well, I didn't have red yarn, or a dead pig. But I made some soap, using glycerin bars from the craft store, melted in the microwave. Instead of pig fat, I added olive oil, and some powdered goat's milk, with a splash of epsom salts.
In the book, the soap was scented and colored with paprika and cinnamon. Sounds awful, huh? But I tried it, and actually, its kind of nice. I hope the book club agrees with me, I'm bringing these as gifts tonight.
Today is crazy and hectic, I have Sugarwings, for an unplanned afternoon, and errands to run before I pick her up. So, this is a quick post. I wanted to let you know that these medals are listed in my Etsy shop now, 4 for $2. I have about 50 of them, so if the shop is out, please email me to let me know if you need some.
I also need to announce the winner of the January Giveaway-
Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered
Who, by the way, has a GREAT blog. I love her style.
Info about the February Giveaway will be coming up. All comments are entered. My giveaways are kind of loosely done. Sometimes people win and didn't even know they entered.
I just happened across your blog one day and I am in love. It is very clear through reading it that you are so in love with your family and what you do. It took me a week to read your whole blog. (yes I liked it that much, no I’m not a creepy stalker..lol!) Your blog is very inspiring to me, thank you.
Blessings, to you and your beautiful family!
Charmaine
I would love to try making my own soap….
Cute valentine boxes….I bought one yesterday at an antique store…to get me in the decorating spirit.
I love Valentines Day!!!!! I also adore mini roses…yours will look wonderful in your little decorated pot.
🙂
Karla, i am smitten by your wee papered heart box…it is a stunner…i love the colors, trims, the millinery, well…everything about it as a matter of fact!!! congrats to your winner!!!
Your ideas for the news piece are so pretty…very romantic. Congratulations to January’s winner…I stopped by her blog and it IS beautiful!
My book club loved that book. We would have loved your soap even more. 🙂
Stephanie
I love the music paper covered pot and the netting inside of it along with the soaps. Isn’t the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society a wonderful book? I loved it.
Lorrie
Great ideas for the show, and not too complicated, which is perfect! Now, why don’t you have a dead pig? ha! I think I’d rather get the soap! I actually have an old farm journal where one of the pages talks about having to scald the pig…..ewe!
Karla, love the heart shape candy box.. that is my ultimate dream, to own a vintage candy box! hehehehe
love the ideas for KCTV (karla’s cottage TV)!
have fun!
xo
elyse
Those little valentine boxes are so pretty!
Karla,
I love your life, your crafting with friends, being on TV, writing for cool mags, cool marriage, darling Grand baby & kids, fun book clubs, My Gosh Girl…do you ever stay in jammies all day & watch Oprah? LOL I always love to hear what your up to. Love my wallpaper, got it today. And YIPEE I won!!
oh my word, those soaps sound gorgeous! I love the choccy boxes that many of my favourite site owners seem to find. Never found anything like that in the UK! However, I happen to know that a certain husband of mine (just to clarify, I only have the one!) has ordered some Charbonnel & Walker chocs for little Miss Piggy here for Valentine’s Day, and they are in a pink heart shaped box! Might have to do a bit of ‘foofing’ up to make it look vintage.
Thank you for the speedy response to my email! Much appreciated :o) xx
congrats, karla! i would love to know when that segment is airing!
Actually, I think that soap sounds fabulous, but I love savory scents like that! LOL!
I received my wallpaper and DARLING book…”The Grumpy Fairy”…….I have no grandchildren YET, but I enjoyed reading it and looking at your wonderful illustrations…..
your blog is my favorite by far….and I look forward to reading it……I am getting SO many new blogs to read…by all your referrals, though…..that I think I have to quit my job! 😀 deb
Karla: I received my wonderful order of wallpaper today. What a great assortment. I never can find old wallpaper here in Michigan. I posted about the paper on my blog. Hope I did you justice. Your ideas are great.
The medals you are selling are called “Miraculous Medals’. Mother Mary , in a vision, asked for this medal to be made and many miracles have occured for the devout wearer. I wear one myself.
karen
I’ve never seen French Netting, so I doubt that I’ll ever be lucky enough to find some. It is beautiful.
I love how you’ve decorated the flower pot!
~elaine~
Karla amor, more french netting??? Now I am green 🙂 Congrats to Lisa, she is truly such a love, I adore her blog and her sweet personality, she always makes my heart smile 🙂 Besos, Rose
Those boxes are so lovely, it’s hard to imagine them holding anything half as amazing. They show your love of beautifying very well.
You must make one of the best book club members ever, the way you take extra effort to bring the books to life like you did with the soap.
Hope errands and an afternoon with Sugarwings went well. * hugs *
Karla, what a lovely place ~ I am in love with the picture of the candy boxes…and the flower pot with the music sheets and soaps…well that is fabulous too! Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have the chance to do so often. I’ll be following along too! 😉 Have a wonderful day ~ Rebecca
Love the candy boxes…and of course the medals.
Shoot – I came across this too late! I am so behind in blog reading! Anyway – we also did that book in our book club, and we had a whole meal based around it, along with hats from kinda that era. I have a big blog about it on my blog – August 29, 2009. And I was just searching under “Book Club” for ideas – this Thursday we are meeting at my house – and we read “The Color of Water”, a wonderful book, but am having a hard time figuring out what to serve either for supper or appetizers that go along with the book! But I loved your idea of the soaps – I never even noticed that!!! Such fun! Well, just had to stop in and say Hi!
Hugs from Michigan – Diane