Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 09 Petek Design

I love this little bowl. It's a perfect, sweet, pinched glass bowl ~ in the sunshine, it is an amazing butterscotch. The gradient is so very smooth and subtle that, when your eye tries to catch where the change occurs, no change can be seen. Probably because the change just keeps happening and happening.


The lovely Efrat of Petek Design has created a soft, gradient Treasury ~ cooling, somehow. And, right now, today, all this week ... I really need cooling.


And I love her complete mastery of color control and am so pleased she included my little bowl.


Thank you, Efrat xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 08 B Studio

I never realized that I like pink as much as I do. A born natural redhead, I've always steered clear of all shades of reds but, now that the graying is undeniable, my life has become about pinks and reds and salmons and mauves.


From Brenda of B Studio, comes a gorgeous Treasury done in tempered shades of Neapolitan Ice Cream ~ chocolate, cream, and pink pink strawberry ... with the accent on 'strawberry'.


Do check out Brenda's shop of gorgeous silk ribbon embroidery sachets, embroideries, ring pillows, home goods .


And this sachet is to absolutely die for! 

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 08 Squid Whale Designs

The lovely Beth from Squid Whale Designs has got my memory going ~ Beth included my Gwynedd Hudson Green Tiger Press "Advice From A Caterpillar" card in a great Alice Treasury.


But, you know ... Alice in Wonderland really isn't for kids, is it?  I found Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass all too frightening when I was a kid.


There is no doubt that I was a voracious reader but, even for someone as well read at aged 10 as I may have been, the Tweedle Dee and Dum thing just plain and simply creeped me out. And the Jabberwock? Good Lord! The image created in my head by the poem and then reinforced through the John Tenniel black and white illustrations of my volume ... those are downright frightening, for kid OR adult!


Poor Alice, even Disneyfied, wasn't made palatable for me. Even with her Alice-blue gown and long, perfect and perfectly straight blonde hair, even that homogenized-pretty, prim, and English Alice seemed cold and heartless and pretty much unsympathetic to me at 10 or 12 or ... now, much later.


What is it, then, about this story that draws us back, again and again? Because there is no denying that the story is loved. Or perhaps it is not exactly love, but a curiosity and an empathy toward Alice that we feel. Just as Alice was curious.


I was drawn into this discussion once with my mother and I can remember the exact time: it was 1967 and I had heard Gracie Slick and Jeff Airplane's 'White Rabbit' for the very first time and, typical over-examining teenager that I was, wanted to know if the song was about drugs as all the kids were saying. You know, that 'One pill makes you small ... ' thing. Yes, 1967 was a very different time that now.


Although my mother was seldom this serious for this long, I look back now and realize that it was the drug possibility which more than likely snagged her attention. I do not remember all the conversation but I do remember her musing, saying that she thought Wonderland is really 'Life': odd, beautiful, horrible,unexpected, fun, frightening, and not always fair.


Wonderland is Life. Yeah, I think that more or less sums it up. Mom was good at that. Thanks, Mom xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 07 Lost Sentiments

From Dawn, the wonderfully dear shopkeeper over at LostSentiments, comes a lace-filled collection of sentimental beauty.


My grandmother was very much into lace ~ she was a delightful Victorian lady with a ... how shall I say this ... with a "progressive" set of personal beliefs.


She tatted her own lace, was an avid quilter (and taught me!), was a rabid baseball fan (I have a dozen of her 'baseball quilts' ... she would do her hand-piecing whilst listening to St. Louis Cardinal games on KMOX radio during the summer and then hand-quilt them during the winter).


My grandmother was a hard-nosed card-playing church-going chain-smoking (Picayunes) tee-totalling beautiful woman, possessed of infinite patience and an absolutely wicked sense of humor.


She would have loved this Arthur Rackham card and she would have loved this Treasury. 


Thank you, Dawn! xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 07 StudioAmiel

The piano is my absolute favorite. Orchestrated, solo, rock, classic ... really doesn't matter to me as long as it's good. Rick Wakeman's 'Kathryn Howard' from his 1973 'Six Wives of Henry the VIII', anything by Chopin, Elton John's 'Burn Down The Mission', Mozart ... Piano.

This Etsy was curated by the lovely Chen Amiel from StudioAmiel ~ I was so pleased to see Mr. Wasern's Czerny Torture Circle Punches included (you just have to read my descriptions to understand).

Thank you so much, dear ... and thank you for the new piano music link for my collection xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 05 Middleburg

Susan is an artist of simply great style.


And that style? ... classic, friendly, elegant, familiar ... all simultaneously. And this is no small feat to successfully pull off. 
But ... there it is: Susan pulls it off. I have no idea how she does it and, believe me, I have tried to figure out how.


Check out her lovely shop, Middleburg, and you'll see what I mean ~ filled to brimming with really quite fabulous creations.


Yeah, so okay. I'm still jealous. And I am not embarrassed at all to admit it.


And, as if Susan knew of that weakness (my jealousy) and generously sought to sooth my bitter, bitter soul, Susan has been kind enough to include one of my papers (Seba's crabbies) in her gorgeous treasury.


And that was a lovely thing for her to do but, alas, I find that I am still quite jealous.


But. The flattery did help :)

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 03 Iris and Alice

1880 Victorian Natural History Chromolithograph

Love love love eggs!


This is a wonderfully curated Etsy treasury collection from the artist behind the shop of Iris and Alice, a self-proclaimed "young gypsy artist obsessed with everything vintage and Victorian."


Beautiful! Thank you xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 03 Clune196

mmmmmm blueberries and cream!  


Beautiful blues and soft creams ~ brought together in the lovely collection curated by Clune196 includes my sweet 1923 Hanschen in Blaubeerewold (Peter of Blueberry World) lithograph from the beloved Swedish children's book illustrator, Elsa Beskow.


Thank you, Clune!

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 02 LucyRansom

Summer has been here in full force this past week. Man. Upper 90's by noon, awful high humidity, horrible air quality, afternoon cloudbursts to finally clear the air and make it even more steamy ... as if that were possible.


And we're only just now coming into the horrid hot month of July. ...:::sighs:::... I am such a little flower.  I absolutely wilt in Summer and blossom in Winter.


But then I found myself in the first full-blown Summertime Treasury of the season yesterday: "How Summer Thinks About Itself", a lovely Treasury from Lucy Ransom. Lovely!


Take one look at Lucy's shop and you'll see the woman knows how to put her colors together. Fearless combinations of bold clear colors ~ perfectly combined.


The Lucy's Treasury choices are perfectly on point for her theme, too ~ hazy tones in Southwestern colors of topaz, teal, and burnt sienna (my absolute fave color of all time).


I'm very pleased to find my Gordon Ross Children's Munchausen lithograph part of her gorgeous Treasury ~ thanks, Lucy! xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 07 01 SatinAndBirch

I was thrilled to see that Leslie from Satin and Birch included me in one of her latest Treasuries. Fashions I know Rose would absolutely adore. As would Jack. ...:::sighs:::... Jack Dawson.


Now, if you haven't seen the soaps from this shop, you need to go ... and you need to go NOW!


She refers to them as 'jewelry for the bath' and that is absolutely right on the mark ~ her soaps are gorgeous! (I'm especially in love right now with the Old World Detail White Hearts. Fabulous!)


So here, then, is Leslie's beautiful curation ... a gorgeous ensemble of Edwardian beauty, tied together with the iconic Titanic theme.

So beautiful are her soaps that I shall, in fact, forgive her for sticking this blasted song in my head all. day. long.

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 30 ananemone

Look at this lovely Treasury! The wonderful Sara of ananemone was kind enough to use my pretty Flow Blue bowl as a cornerstone for her gooooorgeous collection.


Truth be told, blue has never been my favorite color and actually my most very favorite color, that is until it was been absolutely ruined for me by forces which shall go unnamed, 'orange' was my preferred color (see my numerous rantings on this blog my mad love for Burnt Sienna). And, of course, through it all, deep, deep forest green has  always been my love.  


But blue? nawww ... really never. Too ... cool. Too cold. That has to be it. It's not a warm color. I'm a Taurus and, although I'm not too up on horoscope-ie stuff, I do know that Taureans are earth-bound creatures and greens are the preferred color. 


So it always strikes me surprisingly that I love these blue collections as much as I do.  Sara's put together a gorgeous one here. I have other Flow Blue that I should be working on ~ photographing and researching to list for, yes, I have much more F.B. 


(I should do a series on the problems of procrastination. Someday.)


I won't list them on E, though, which is a shame. I like that Etsy listings can be included in Treasuries. Seeing the pretty things from one's shop teased out and included in wonderful combination with pretty things from other shops ... when done honestly and well (I don't have the Curating Gene) it's a lovely way to promote. 


And it's too bad ArtFire and Zibbet don't have such promotional opportunities. Perhaps I should make that suggestion, eh?


Thanks, Sara! xo

Classic 60's Tuesday, 10 06 29 DressUrDolly2

Mellow Yellow ... Good grief, I haven't heard Donovan's song in ever so long! What great memories for me! This was 1966 and I was all of 13.


I'm sure than my sweet Pattie from DressUrDolly2 didn't mean to get this going, but one really should be warned that this is what happens with me and my wandering mind.


And, if you have time, stay tuned following the Treasury below for a gentle trip back to the late 1960's and the fantastic song from that ever gentle Scot, Donovan Leitch.

Right below the YouTube video, you'll find the lyrics so you can sing along. And, by the way, having that electrical banana is completely optional.




I'm just mad about Saffron
Saffron's mad about me
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me

{Refrain}
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

I'm just mad about Fourteen
Fourteen's mad about me
I'm just mad about Fourteen
She's just mad about me

{Refrain}

Born high forever to fly
Wind velocity nil
Wanna high forever to fly
If you want your cup our fill

{Refrain}

(So mellow, he's so yellow)

Electrical banana
Is gonna be a sudden craze
Electrical banana
Is bound to be the very next phase

They call it mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

Saffron -- yeah
I'm just mad about her
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me

{Refrain}

(Oh so yellow, oh so mellow) 

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 28 LostSentiments

A first Treasury ~ I cannot remember the first time I created a Treasury on E. It had to be early 2007 some time, right after I opened ThreeFrenchHens there. But I do remember when I first discovered the tremendously vast ocean of gorgeous art and fine crafts available on E.


Adding to that huge, seemingly endless ocean now (for me) was first ArtFire and now Zibbet. And the offerings have become almost overwhelming in their selection and variety . A browser's paradise; a shopper's dream.


So it was a wonderful surprise to find I was included in the lovely Dawn's Treasury. Her beautiful shop is LostSentiments and I do believe that she has a wonderful future in Treasury curating. Don't you think?

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 27

I like when Etsy members create Treasuries including items they love rather than that blind sort of homogenized and, frankly, quite boring promotional curating we see pretty much 24/7 on that site.


You can tell when Treasuries are created with love. Oh, I know it's the homogenized ones that make it to their Front Page. A fact that is really kind of sad, if you stop and truly think about it. Same curators, same sellers, same stuff and, albeit pretty stuff, it *is* the same stuff.


A few years ago, maybe 2007? 2008? on New Year's Day (I think ~ or Christmas Day, I cannot remember) HeyMichelle called upon all Etsians to create Treasuries of meaning, of dedication, of purpose. Treasuries that actually meant something rather than the repetitious back-scratching monotony that goes on now.


It was a delightful day when Michelle devotedly placed one after another of those gorgeous and deeply personal Treasuries on the Front Page ~ all day long. A delightful day. I think many of us hung around just to see the Front Page change to a new surprise.


For reasons only Etsy understands, they decided to never do that again. The day, the project, and those Front Pages were wildly popular and tremendously well received. It united the Community and people saw items never seen before on the Front Page. I cannot help but think that this project must have either a. been too much work, or b. somehow frightened the Etsy gods. Lord knows how or why, but Etsy reverted back immediately to the homogenized ho-humminess for which they are renowned.


Well, this little mini-rant was by way of Carol having included me in a lovely and obviously heartfelt Treasury. And expressing to me, privately, that she holds out hope that it will make the Front Page.


Forgive the rant, Carol ~ I'm truly honored ~ I love your treasury, I love having been included and I adore your shop, Through The Woods! xo Thank you!

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 27 CalloohCallay

No one puts together a Treasury like CC. There's an easy flow to her collections that appears effortless. The graduation of one item into the next into the next into the next and to delete or move one item completely disrupts the mood and flow.


And to find that one of my listings has been included in her curation, well ... it is ever so flattering.


And anyone who does not believe that curating is an Art ... it is clear that they haven't seen a Treasury created by CalloohCallay.

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 26 Bear Paw Rustics

'Rust' is almost burnt sienna, isn't it? Yeah ~ it is. And not just because I said so. Although it is. See here.


And I love rust/burnt sienna. For whatever reason, it strikes such a chord in me. And it's not just the color ~ although the color is superbly sublime. It's masculine, active, time passing, aging, Life, a very natural progression. Rust ... is so wonderfully real.


This beautiful Treasury came from Bears Paw Rustics. Don's shop is filled with his fabulous bird houses and walking sticks and art from the heart of Maine. Beautiful stuff ~ and definitely worth your careful, leisurely browsing. xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 26 Little Alley Cat Design

I found my pretty antique celestial engraving included in a Treasury by the lovely Sarah of Little Alley Cat Design.


I'm hungry to go to a planetarium. Gosh, thinking about my last visit to one ~ the last time must be a dozen years or more ago: to the McDonnell Planetarium in St. Louis, Missouri's Forest Park.


Forest Park is fantastic ~ Huge, too. About 20 acres, I think. The Park was the site of the 1904 World's Fair. 


The St. Louis Zoo is there as well as the "Jewel Box", an unbelievable Art Deco botanical 'hot house'. 


That famous World's Fair ~ If you've ever seen the movie, "Meet Me In St. Louis", then you've seen Forest Park.


Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien. 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'.


Now, see what happens when you let your mind wander?


A pretty engraving ... a kind inclusion in a lovely Treasury ... a star-gazing planetarium ... a green and gorgeous park ... a sweet and sentimental movie ... an iconic holiday song.


Today, let your mind wander.

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 25 Entwife

I never grow weary of quilts or of quilting. 


So many people, I believe, think wrongly that quilting is one particular thing: one style, one look.


Oh, they're so wrong. The types of quilts and of quilting are endless. Quilting applications and uses are endless. And, like any other textile art, there is an endless variety of textures and themes, styles and motifs to be explored and enjoyed. 


Endless.


This beautiful patchwork Treasury was put together by the lovely Becca of Entwife.

.

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 18 The Tattered Gypsy

"May we all take pride in our own personal achievements, have respect for the uniqueness of each culture, and love for our fellow travelers on this journey called life." A lovely quote from Pamela, The Tattered Gypsy. 


Pamela has created a gorgeous dream bedroom, a Bohemian boudoir  ~ richly appointed, golds and burgundies, crystal, and Bohemian glass, deep colors ~ wonderful comfort, decadent luxury.


And a woman would be queen here. Thank you, Pam! xo

Treasury Roll Call, 10 06 16 PillowFactory

Celestial illustrations and engravings are so lovely when diminutive  ... images of this Life's huge realities larger than our imaginations can comprehend, made mentally bite-sized.


This lovely Treasury is the creation of the lovely Gioia and her California-based PillowFactory, a sweet Etsy shop filled with crayon-colored quilts and pillows.


Thanks, Gioia!