A Birthday Tea Party for Ava

Today I would like to introduce you to a story. The story is of a 3 year old self proclaimed Super princess who left her family 3 years ago and leaves behind a heartbroken family trying to find a "new normal". Her Mummy Shaye Rosemeyer has documented the life of little Ava with soul piercing photos and words that will bring you to tears every time.
Today is her 6th Birthday and this is the perfect time to tell of her effect on me and to hopefully introduce a new outlook on mothering

I first came to Shaye Rosemeyer's blog to see her stunning photography. I then learned there was much I has missed. I read through her archives and have never felt such a pain. I have never experienced a feeling of loss. I am not familiar with death. I've had loved ones go, a grandmother, a childhood puppy but nothing that genuinely breaks my heart and opens my eyes to life like Shaye does with Ava's story.

I became a mother for the first time when I was 18 and then 15 months later had my daughter Valencia and 15 months later had my 3rd and last baby, Valoria. Life so often for me became mundane.
Their pregnancies and births were easy. I've never really had to go through a hard time and while I felt blessed I've never taken a look at life as I do now. Ava's story has matured me as a Mother. I'm no longer an unattached Mom with 3 babies.
I cherish and hug them, talk to them about anything and everything. I stop what I'm doing regularly now to stare at them, walk over and give them kisses. I hug them till they tell me to stop. I read to them now, I sing to them and scratch their backs now at bedtime when I used to only lead them to there rooms and be grateful it was time to relax.
Many, many times her posts have effected me deeply and I've felt pyhsical pain for her. Shaye is such an astoundingly strong woman to share her life, emotions, most of all the life of her daughter with anyone who will go to her blog.
Today the girls got new tea party dresses, snacks, cookies and pink lemonade and we went to their favorite spot on earth (Grandma and Papas backyard) and we had the most wonderful normal Happy day just like Shaye wanted.
I would recommend reading her story and giving big long "Ava" hugs to your kids and loved ones EVERY day, multiple times a day! Do silly things when your kids ask, Have a party when there is no reason for one. Read more about the life of Ava here at Rose ShayeMeyer Photography

Make your own Millinery

I don't know if any of you have this problem or not but it seems as though unless you live in certain parts of California it may be next to impossible to find any millinery flowers. Every once in a while i will find a vintage Hat at the Antique mall that I can cut the flowers off of but I don't have any to speak of usually.
So when I found these pink and peach Large head Peonies I grabbed them up and when I was at home coffee dying my Hang tags for the etsy shop I simply dipped these in the pan as well and let them sit for about an hour. Then I put them on a cookie sheet in the oven at a very low setting. About 22o degrees. it took them about 7 minutes to dry completely and the edges of the flowers got even a little more brown and worn from the oven.& Now they are exactly what I want. not too bright and brand new but now they look as though they've been resting on this vintage book for 20 years.
Obviously whatever use you can think of these for these flowers will be just wonderful. I happen to love them sitting on a vintage stack of books over on the bookshelf. you could also tie them to the top of curtains, use them as tie backs, a blouse pin, a hair clip, a headband, Rest on the edges of a multi tiered wedding cake. And on and on.

Very Limited Quantity avialable ! YourAngil.Etsy.com

August 2009 Etsy Shipment

Wouldn't this be a beautiful gift for a teenage daughter. A gorgeous soft pale peach satin jewelry box or keepsake box. This is a 40 year old box that I have embellished with vintage eyelet lace, va vintage lace rose and atop that the most gorgeous white flower pin I had.

The inside has been embellished with more vintage laces and includes a beautiful vintage pearl necklace with rhinestone encrusted clasp! I found these amazing white rose vases to sell in the shop. How beautiful would they be as part of a wedding table setting, a vignette on a serving tray or setting on a window sill with the days fresh cut garden flowers.
The sweetest shabby top I've ever seen that would look so adorable under a cardigan.
And two of the prettiest little Amelia Dolls. They measure about 7 inches tall and come dressed in the most gorgeous gowns~! my late grandmother Purl owned a collection of these and there is so much quality detail put into these little dolls. if it weren't for my girls being so young I' would start my own collection.







Happy Shopping!!! YourAngil.Etsy.com & Lollishops.com/YourAngil

Rustic Altered Cigar Boxes

My sweet Daddy gave me this Cigar Box knowing I'd want to make something pretty with it.
It made a beautiful craft supplies box and so at his next stop at the Cigar Store he picked me up a few more cigar boxes. In most cigar stores you can walk in and ask to buy empty boxes. The one by our house sold them for only $1 each!! I know! how cool is that! add that to your To Do list today.
Here are the pretty boxes that came from that trip to the store...








If you try this idea, I'd love to see how it turns out! please stop by and show me!!

Even More Hang Tags!!

At the beginning of August I introduced you to many of my new hang tag stamp designs. NOW! See these!! These are the newest hang tags available in my shop!