Gathered Inspiration

Hello friends! 

Oh it feels so good to be back here again! 

Thankyou for spending your precious time with me.  

 Yesterday I said I'd take a better photo of the spine on my book 

so you could see the narrow lace that actually holds my papers inside.

Pretty simple and easy to move things around. 

I pulled  things out this afternoon to use
so hopefully I don't  spend as much time searching for stuff.
Also inspirations started coming too. 

A friend of mine sent these lovelies and already I've used a snippet of the 

beautiful pink ribbon; tying it to the lace on my cover.  

My one little word for 2019 is "small" and the book page she sent has 

that word on it.  I love the larger font of these words and cutting words from 

old book pages to use in journals is one of my favorite things.  

(Thanks again Dawn!)

When I think of Valentines day I see hearts and cupid.  

Looking through old buttons and pendants got me in the mood to create.  

This antique ROSE button is a favorite in my whole stash. 

I kinda feel like it needs to be in this book.  

Anyone else a button lover?  

-buttons always inspire me.  

"small" things.  

So here's a basket at my table all ready to go.  

Extra papers, and pretties to pull from without having to 

jump up and search and dig.  

When putting it together,  I thought of the gradeschool girl I once knew decades ago 

who positively adored making her valentines box.  Cutting all those pink and red 

construction paper hearts and pasting paper doilies...   

What wonderful memories.  

Remembering those days 

got the juices flowing.  

Like many of you I have quite a few stamps collected.  

Not sure what I'll be using but... 

the "give Love" one definitely feels right.  

I'm glad they're all at my table now  because if you're anything like me-

If I don't dig them out ahead of time ----I spend most of my time 

walking in circles looking. 

Washi tape is another thing I love using.  

Although,

 -I wish the washi's matched better.  

ha-

(say that three times real fast)   

Pretty sure I'll use every one of these things.  

Fountain pens and ink ... have my heart. 

If you enjoy pens and writing and have  never tried a fountain pen...??

-- You really should!  

 Writing  is important to me. 

Fountain pens can be like ...chips and salsa.

After a bite... you wanna just ... double dip.    

The two pens on the left are my absolute favorites ever.  

Conklin Duragraphs.  Thee best writing pens I've ever ever 

ever had.  The far left has gray ink, and  the blue one is filled with black 

carbon ink.  It's a daily use.  You can draw and sketch with it... and 

it dries fast and can then be watercolored over without bleeding.  

The red in is called red fox and far right is pink glitz. 

See what I mean... like chips and dip.   

The pink glitz is glitzy alright...

see the gold on the bottom?  You gotta shake it like crazy before filling your pen.  

But wreeet wreeew!  Just write for Valentine's day.  ;)  

So I had another inspiration that came "yesterday." 

Inspiration of the pink roses kind.  

Our grandgirl spent the day with me and 

she pulled her little table into the center of her room 

for a tea party.  Setting the table with our teacups she went to her 

kitchen and got her vase of flowers- one is a rose.  Can you see it?

She went and got it all by herself to grace her table.  She's 2.  

They always set at the back of her sink n stove... 

but yesterday I know she remembered something from Summer and 

she got out of her plastic chair and went and got her "flowas" to 

set at the center of her table.   

What I think she remembered was  a bouquet I made her  and put

in a vintage bottle.  Pink oxallis .. and roses. 

See the vase to her left? 

My little sweet inspires me.  

I jot these memories here today because 

afterall it's all about the love.  

Love that was hand picked and 

spent making mudpies with lovely garnishes.  

Love sweetly scented and 

breathed deep.  

Little hands and pink roses...

These beautiful little memories to document and  savor.   

Because love gathered right here. 

xoxo