A Multitude of Curiosities

 Hello friends,

I'm spending my days at the cottage working on the illustration for my very first children's book The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose™. I also spent a few days doing much-needed research and was able to get my company products trademarked and copyrighted. I feel quite pleased and genuinely proud of myself for so many things I've been independently accomplishing.  

 I also paint for myself when I'm not painting for my book, so that I will continue to hone my craft.

"I believe in magick"

This painting is for sale $25 sand dollars.  

"Ask~Beleive~Receive"

 This painting is for sale $25

I made a little jute line and hung my fall art to display for a photo shoot. Oliver was a terrific model.

I spend hours writing and practicing my penmanship and calligraphy. I have since I was a child. 

 I made an herb, flower drying rack for the cottage. I add baskets and all sorts of particulars to create a European look.

"Light Carrier"

 This painting is for sale $25.

A day at my childhood pond.

 A commissioned piece for my friend Janice.

 I've had so many things on my mind as of late. I've been walking to one of the ponds that are located two blocks from the cottage. I have really enjoyed the solitude and thinking deeply about a few particulars. One of those particulars is that without the announcement, I quietly deleted most of my social media platforms {all except Youtube and this blog} from my smartphone. I am quite a social person, and have loved sharing, but have felt in the last year I began to have a negative visceral effect everytime I'd open an app. I didn't delete my accounts but have found it to be something that I think will allow me to get many more ventures accomplished and I will have more energy and focus to place deeper and more consistent content on my youtube and here on my blog.

 It hasn't been twenty~four hours and yet I find I have such an open stream of joy in my day. I woke up enthusiastic about really making a go of my blog. In some weird way, I think that when one is not so available and connected everywhere, it leaves an open door for my true friends, viewers, and readers to seek out my work and to become more authentically engaged.

 During the fall months one of my dearest friends Janice that I met through the Tasha Tudor Take Peace sent me lovely fall leaves. I made garlands by stringing them all with needle and thread. I hung them in the cottage windows. The candles were all aglow and they were spectacular to look at.

My leaf garland I created for fall at the cottage "Staffordshire".

 I made my Mermaid Magical Peanut butter cookies for my tea time. I was able to find a lovely recipe to add to my recipe box. When my previous marriage ended it's funny how after settling in and beginning my new life I realized all the little things that I no longer had possession of. I no longer had any of my old recipes. It took me my whole life to create such a terrific collection, but I have learned how to begin a new with everything in my life. In speaking about this in a post one day, my friend Janice sent me along with her collected leaves, she sent me some vintage recipe cards and a cookie recipe from her own collection. I cried tears of appreciation that she felt impressed to share. I am so blessed by the universe/God every day.

I am going to continue to use this blog to share with you the many glimpses and moments of my life by documenting my journey and beauty of all the wonders I'm relearning.

I believe highly in spirit guides and know that one of those guides is Beatrix Potter. I have studied her life for over half of my life.

 I had the time to stop off at the nearest thrift store and found this solid brass candlestick holder for .75 cents, needlepoint serving tray for 1.25, and the fall needlepoint for .75 cents. I added some dried flowers to the sides to cover up the webbing, but I think it turned out quite charming.

 I love old-fashioned clothing and have worn old clothing since my childhood. I was slowly conditioned out of wearing the clothes that I felt most comfortable in however, I am slowly re-establishing a whole new wardrobe. I found this historical pattern on Etsy. I'm still seeking out the most perfect fabric for this pattern, so until then I have it all cut out and ready to go.

I bought several of Susan Branch's books for my newly created library at the cottage. I have loved her for so long, and she was a terrific encouragement as I rediscovered my art career. She's such an inspiration.

The Quiet Days Of Autumn

“Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields...Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.” 

― Mary Oliver

Good Afternoon, my sweet friends, I was blessed with some lovely Victorian antiques by a dear friend of mine, so I began creating a lovely space in my art studio, which is now named "The Nursery." I named it that (a friend actually named it for me) because it's the place where all particulars are born and grown, from a darling child to my art and books, and my beloved's flowers. I thought it quite fitting. 

I noticed after taking this little photo, that I really love the purple, mauve pink like color. It's in my lamp, my little Magnolia Pearl Jacket, my linen pants, and several of my scarves. I think we are most certainly drawn to certain colors. 

 A beautiful wooden antique bread bowl from my dear friend. The cotton floral hankie is what I use as little placemats underneath our supper plates during mealtime. I find them much sweeter than placemats you'd buy in the store.

"Who Rescued Who"

" Mr. And Mrs. Betrothed"

 As many of you know I am very keen on wearing and preserving the old Victorian clothes that I don. If I have them, I most assuredly wear all of them. However, when doing this... there is bound to be particulars that are inadequate to mend or salvage. Hence, which is what occurred with this Victorian under slip from the early 1900's. I will always invigorate, so I decided to turn this one into an apron. I removed the sleeves and made them into pockets and used an old flat linen sheet for the ties. I am getting such good use out of it, not to mention... it's precious to me.

 I added some lace valances to the kitchen cottage window. Isn't lace exceptional!

 I conclusively hung my shelf from the thrift store in the kitchen, along with my old drying rack made from a gardening tree stake I found in a trash pile. It has the perfect amount of age.

I don't go a day without lighting candles of all kinds at the cottage. I find it soothing, romantic and a beautful elegance permeates the cottage when candles are all aglow.

 The Autumn and Fall months are a delight. The weather is lovely, but there is a small disparity of sorts with mosquitos. I have never enjoyed the smell of citronella even though they do eliminate the issue. I decided to make a few illuminaries for myself with essentail oils and use what I had. They turned out charming.

 Mr. Oliver Twistytop sniffing my Autumn arrangement of flowers.

 I planted my hyacinth bulbs from spring, and I am so excited to see what comes up.

My BG (Beloved Gardener) brought me home some hand me downs and none of the clothes were much to my liking, except for a darling little dress. It was a tiny size so I turned it into an apron. I am wildly obsessed with aprons! Can you tell? If any kind of fabric stays still long enough I'll surely turn it into an apron. (Heh...)

 I made an Autumn wreath from the fallen Confederate Jasmine from hurricane Irma.

 " But do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life." ~R.L. Stevenson

I was determined to be successful with my sourdough starter this go around. I was very strategic. I watched it like a momma bird and it did not disappoint. I found the recipe in a Farmer's Almanac from before the Civil War. They would use potatoes as a sourdough starter becasue it was more common for them to have potatoes than it was milk on the prairies.

 I boiled them until they were able to be strained through a seive.

I'm so happy that it turned out and it tastes yummy. I froze a loaf for my parents to take to them on my next visit. 

 What I love about gardening is the variety of fresh vegetables that are in season. We had a nice tiny crop of cucumbers, squash, and heirloom tomatoes. My brother in law had a nice crop of onions, tomatoes and I think a few of his fruit trees gave him some sweet fruit. He lives where the ground is all clay so he can harvest more things than my BG and I can. It's lovely to share one's bounty with family.

 A little floral saucer that I picked up at the thrift store. It says "You Are Loved" and I love that daily reminder from God.

 I wanted some decor in "The Nursery" so I hung some dried roses with gold Washi tape. Have you ever used Washi tape? It's the lovliest thing around.

"Seaweed Bouquets"

 I was commencing on social media that I had attempted to make some peanut butter cookies for my BG and I and that I was discovering new recipes. I am creating a new little recipe box of receipts that I love. A sweet dear friend sent me a recipe she hand wrote with her peanut butter recipe and it was a big success. It was also the sweetest kindest gesture for her to send me a book of poetry, a teacup, vintage hankie, and her recipe. I had tears well up from the love I felt in that little gift package.

The cottage has been under renovation since I moved in, and I don't see it letting up anytime soon. (heh...)

 All the shelves and hooks in the cottage reveal something fresh always. I am forever changing the vignettes from flowers to candles, to vintage decor.

 I was feeling very Jayne Eyre this day and made myself a black lace apron for a more dressy look. It's not practical at all, but it's stunning to look at while wrapped about my waist. I may wear it with my Hallow's Eve costume and play dress up.

 Oliver and I having lunch outside and snatching up cuddles.

 Bonnets are the dandiest, they are the absolute most practical adornment for keeping the sun out of one's eyes. This one is my most favorite. I feel like a youngster when I'm wearing it, because I like to put my hair in ribboned pigtails. I feel a nostalgic child-like essence and it nourishes my inner spirit to the eenth degree.

 I'm not one to drink soda very often, however when I stop by the little retro candy store, I can't help but get a creme soda. I couldn't bear to toss it and so the spontaneous thought one day was to use it as a vase for the garden. I went on a jaunt one day after hurricane Irma hit because I was desperately needing flowers for the cottage. I couldn't hardly find anything, and then I saw these little daisy looking wildflowers and they straightaway made me go to the memories of my mother. Her most favorite flower is a daisy.

"How Well Did You Fair After The Storm?"

 Some of my art. I've begun painting oodles of fall images, which most assuredly will consist of crows, raccoons and graveyards. My Etsy shop is called RaquelMargaretCarter if you would like a commisioned piece.

"Adele At Thornfield"

I hope you are well and good my sweet darling soul spirited friends. Thank you for swimming by for a visit with me. I lovely love you!

Yours til my next swim, Raquel