Monday, December 31, 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR


Wishing you and your
family a very Happy New Year!!


I love the old Victorian postcards
with their nostalgic message!

Saturday, December 22, 2018

TEA TIME AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE

Today three Columbia friends
got together for a lovely
Tea Time lunch (at Janice's house).
Her tree was so beautiful!


Janice's home was full of Christmas
wonder and surprises.  She prepared
a lovely meal of soup and salad and
cheeses, dips and finger goodies.
We had cold and hot tea.
(Gina below)


She made a cake that was out of 
this world delicious 
Coconut with Cream
Cheese frosting:
(Janice below)


Her kitchen was like a gift shop
with sweet treasures.


And then we shared gifts
and chatted for what seemed
like hours.


Will you be getting together with
friends for the Holidays?


Friday, December 21, 2018

EPHEMERA ENDEAVORS

I am happy to have some time now
to try my hand at some Shabby
Chic/Victorian Ephemera endeavors.


When I make things I don't always
spend a lot of time designing.  I
just pick up things in my hand that 
I have purchased or made
and gathered on
the table - in this case lots of
tables and then I go forward. 



 I know many people
draw out designs, etc first.  I did
use my sewing machine to hand
gather and pleat tissue papers that
I had cut into strips and also tulle
that had been glittered.  I tried using
my ruffler/pleater but couldn't get
it to work so I just did it by gathering
along on the sewing machine.



I guess I put the most in this cone:


I printed out some Ephemera paper
snow angels, etc that I purchased
on Etsy.  Right now I am also drawn
to French writing Ephemera 
and Madonna's.



This is called a Hearth room
 which is
part of our kitchen:



I set up a table temporarily
to enjoy watching Hallmark's
while I worked these last
two days.




And this last one:


Of course this means making some
messes too but that's ok.



I made a little label that I glued
on to the back of each one that
says "Victorian Ephemera in the
21st Century by Bernideen". 

Monday, December 17, 2018

CHRISTMAS AT THE FRONT DOOR


This year's front door is
decorated very simple with
a greenery base with a few
pine cones and some hydrangeas
a friend gave me!




Some snow would be lovely now!


I am finishing some red toile tea cozies today
to post on my Etsy page and then I hope
to have time to play with some Ephemera
Christmas ornaments a little!

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

HOLIDAY TIME AT LAFAYETTE PARK - ST LOUIS

I have some more photos to share of
our tour Sunday in St. Louis
in the Lafayette Park area:


 Here is one of the houses
on the tour and you can see
 the line of people waiting
to go inside:


I enjoyed seeing
 many beautiful 
chandeliers:




The garden statuary was 
really eye catching:





Quite a few of the larger homes
had their own carriage houses
behind them near lovely gardens:





And a few more of various
houses around:








So you get the "flavor" of this
area and I highly recommend
a visit here if you go to
St. Louis.  Be sure and
see the Lafayette Park area.


Do you know who Lafayette was?

Monday, December 10, 2018

LAFAYETTE SQUARE HOLIDAY PARLOR TOUR: St Louis, Missouri


Yesterday I went to St. Louis,
 Missouri to the Lafayette
Park area to visit their
 Holiday Parlor Tour!

My friends and I had
a great time even though
it was cold.  We walked
a lot visiting 10 homes
that were on the tour:




This home below is for sale
if you are interested:  $899,900.
It was not on the tour.


We were glad we all had coats on
because it was chilly.

We picked up our tickets
at the garden house in the
central park area:




The trolley was available to
ride to different designations too:


Mostly, we walked and
were quite tired by the end.

included this home.  Many of
the homes lined up are built in
the "French Second Empire" style.



This was a business on a nearby
side street:



There were row houses and free standing mansions:



I am quite captivated
with all the tall doors:


This was a lovely parlor:


This was a favorite staircase:







This will be a last photo for today
but more to follow: