Walking the Ridgepole: June 2011

Friday, June 17, 2011

"Bloom Where You Are Planted."

When I was younger, I didn't like this quote. I hadn't the maturity to think beyond the physical idea of it. I felt that it wasn't courageous or exciting...it was resigning yourself to a predetermined fate and not seeking new experiences.

Fortunately, I have found that having the strength, passion, and courage to do what you love or what you feel you should do brings about beautiful blooms.

Perhaps it is more about blossoming into the person you are meant to be or into what you are being led to do. It's much more than just "being happy" where you are or in your station in life.

These are pins / brooches my Mom (Yvonne) and I made for the Bridal Tea mentioned last post.

They will be available in our Etsy store and our website (links coming soon).

Some of them are all new materials.

But my favorites are those into which we incorporated vintage finds.

I really enjoyed studying the real flowers in my Mom's garden for inspiration.

Being the mother of two little princesses who really enjoy tea parties, I couldn't leave the children out.

With my girls' hair, hair clips are essential!

Many of these flowers are made in the ancient technique of Kanzashi and Tsumami.

It was such a fun method to learn. I am officially hooked. They produce such wonderful blooms.

Everyone was delighted to be able to pick one out to take home.

I have even caught some wearing them again! (Much to my delight and gratitude!)

Tell us what you think!

Heather

Finding Beauty in Small Boxes

I am a neurotic gift wrapper. Hey, they say the first step is admitting.

Yes...I use double-sided tape that does not show. Yes...I use artificial flowers, beautiful baubles, and fabulous ribbon. Yes...I crease the edges with bone folders and hide ends whenever possible. Yes...I have been known to use fabric, scrapbooking paper, and many other types of wrapping to achieve maximum effect.

Do they have a program for this? I hope not, because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I love giving gifts, but I really love making those gifts special to reflect how special the receiver is to me.

I recently had the opportunity to wrap over twenty little party favors for a bridal tea. They were wonderful little Victorian floral porcelain boxes that fit right in with the theme of the party. So, of course, the wrapping had to be just as fabulous. I was very happy with how they turned out.

It's all in the details.

We decided to personalize them since the tea was almost all family members. It reflected the closeness we all enjoy and will share with those we are welcoming into the family.

The tags were a lucky find at Michael's by my Mom (Yvonne). I actually found a Sharpie that was close to the same color! We included a little rhyme on the back thanking our guests for joining us.

Bridal Shower favors are almost as special as Baby Shower favors. They represent so much hope for future happiness and love. When they are for people you care deeply for, you want them to be as big as your heart.

My Mom teased that they would like the wrapping more than the gift. I think it just made them seem even more spectacular. Our guests were definitely appreciative and I have very great hopes for the beautiful couple.

In the spirit of the Bridal Season, here is hoping all you couples are finding all those details to make your day special. God Bless to you all!

Heather

Monday, June 13, 2011

Inspiration

We are very blessed. We don't have to look far for inspiration for our creations. My mother (Yvonne) is a phenomenal gardener and her fabulous flowers provide so much color and fragrance that you can't help but be affected and moved to create. Having a degree in textiles and spending so much of her career in product development with a textile company, she has also surrounded us our entire lives with beautiful things. She made sure we were exposed to a wide range of musical and artistic experiences. My father, outside of his excellence in accounting, is an amazing woodworker and problem solver. It is no surprise that all four of us "kids" have pursued creative careers of our own.

Since becoming a mother myself, I have found that this is a two-way street. My two girls bring so much joy and beauty into my life. They are my motivation to be my best in every way.

I mean, who would not be galvanized into doing great things looking at these two everyday?

The Panek Sisters

They, too, have caught the crafty bug. Their creations are an awesome experience to behold. Grace's art reflects sound and motion unlike I have ever seen. Her unique vision and quiet observance have given me a new view of the world. Sophia is a great appreciator of all things beautiful. She is deliciously headstrong and forces me to take pause and look at the wonderful things she discovered, no matter how simple they may seem. They are so different from each other, but in a complimentary way.

They have taught me to seek a compliment in my endeavors. Recently, I have discovered my mother is that compliment. When I have a new assignment or project, I often find myself stuck in frustration. There is always a small but important detail that is just not to my satisfaction. I go to her and, much to her dismay, usually nag her until she points me in the direction I had been looking for. In the same way, she approaches me with ideas and I figure out how to bring them to fruition.

This blog is to share the yield from our creative ventures. We hope you enjoy what we have to share.

Heather

So we have taken the dare....

Our "Josie" has posed her dare... “I don’t believe anybody could walk a ridge-pole. You couldn’t, anyhow.” (quote from Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery)

We stand at the precipice of our challenge, and this is our first step.

I hope you enjoy our ideas we share here. We thank you very much for showing interest in our little corner of the web.

Come be daring with us!