Monday, January 30, 2012

How Could I Resist?


This collage is my submission for The Three Muses Collage Challenge. The prompt this week was "Oooh-La-La!". Now, how exactly, was I going to resist that?

(Please click on the image for the larger version.)

(Thank you to Julia at Cemerony, Cristina at Asunder Ephemera, Ella at Calico Collage, Mark at Memories Emporium and Karen of The Graphics Fairy for the images I used.)

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Today, He Returns....

As gossiped about earlier, The Balloon Vendor returns today....




Balloon Vendor One






Balloon Vendor Two


(These are more from my new silk pillow card line.
Available only here.)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A Debut....

Tonight, I debut a new line of very special cards in
The Gossamer Tearoom shop.

The first two called....

I Can See You

and

I Think She Heard Us

are the first in a new line of silk pillow-topped cards.
The collages are my own design,
printed on silk
(like my brooches,
also in The Tearoom shop)
and then applied to small cards.

I lovingly decorate each one
with twinkly bits of glitter for sparkle.

Inspired by a time when you could buy
big, beautiful cards, printed on padded satin...

Very special.

A beautiful idea, now re-born....
Only available here.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Scenes from Two Shops....

Just in case shopping for Valentine's Day is on your agenda...

from Mirabella Morello:

Vintage Valentines

Vintage brooches

Vintage ring boxes (the top one in peach has just sold,
but the other two are just waiting to be sent to you!)

...and from The Gossamer Tearoom Shop:

Silk pillow brooches of...
...hearts that are sweet...

....and some that seem slightly sinister...

...lovers beautiful and beastly....

....and that most romantic symbol
of that most romantic place....
twinkling in the twilight....

And if you remember this and this
(and even if you don't),
keep checking back.
Our friend The Balloon Vendor has returned
in a completely different form!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Left for me in my e-mail...


My Dearest Mr. V left this quote for me in my e-mail and I thought it was just too interesting not to share! I have the flu again (for the second time this month) and so I think it took me much longer to make a little mini poster of it than it should have. But it speaks to me on a whole lot of levels and so I hope it does you too, My Dear Friends of The Tearoom!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Eyes Are The Windows To The Soul...


The topic of "Eyes" is the subject of the challenge at Collage Obsession this week. This is my submission. (Click to better see detail.)

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Monday, January 2, 2012

This is Me...

(This is my submission for the collage challenge this week on the Three Muses blog. I would like to thank Marsha of Tumblefish Studios, Karen of The Graphics Fairy and Kirsi of Itkupilli for the use of their images in my collage.)
This is me...
Standing on the edge of the most wonderful year EVER!
Just taking a moment of peace and still gathering my strength after last year....

A few things about me you may or may not know:
-I love the color purple and consider it to be a good luck color for me (who doesn't know purple is my favorite color??)

-I love the way they look, but I'm actually trying to get over my life-long fear of butterflies (yes, butterflies!). I have been afraid of them for as long as I can remember, but just last year, I was able to sit on my porch and watch them as long as they didn't get too close! So, my wearing butterfly wings symbolizes my facing my fears.

-This is the first time I have ever done a self-portrait, so that stands for all the new things I have to be willing to try in order for our lives to take a different direction.

-I'm dressed comfortably, even though I think I am waiting for something very important! It is vital to be very comfortable for these sorts of situations.

-I don’t like the cold, which is not good when you live in New England. Doing art keeps me from hibernating all togehter until April or so. If it was announced that winter was over for the year, you would find me doing The Dance of Joy until I passed out! I'm dressed for summer here because I can't wait for it to be here!

-Even though I lost both of my parents last year, I feel pretty strong and empowered because I am still in “warrior” mode. I was their medical advocate and I hope I helped make their last months and weeks and days on this planet as comfortable as possible.

-I found a quote from Mark Twain that I think is the perfect accompaniment to my collage:

“Twenty years from now
you will be more disappointed
by the things that you didn't do
than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore.

Dream.

Discover.”

Sunday, January 1, 2012

A New Year's Wish....


....received in my inbox from Fauchon last night....

Carpe Diem....Seize the Day...The New Year's Promise we should keep everyday.

(My apologies to my friends who don't love caviar. Maybe you can pretend it's licorice candy!!)

xoxo,

Betty