Tasha Tudor Day...

The gloom of the world is but a shadow.
Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take Joy!

{Tasha's favorite quote} by Fra Giovanni

Is anyone besides me excited? *smiles with giddy joy*

Even though for the past few years something always prevents me from doing exactly what I want to do for Tasha Tudor day, ON Tasha Tudor Day... I usually find a way to do something special for it during the month of August... {Click here to view our first Tasha Tudor Day party}

 {"Thumbelina" illustration - Isn't this a cute idea?)

 But for today, (since I just came down with the flu *ugh*) I'll just imagine the perfect day...

Ideally... My day would start with waking up in early morning.. slipping into my slippers and putting the kettle on for tea. Then sitting in the warm morning sun, reading my Bible for half an hour with tea in my hand and a warm fuzzy cat rubbing against my feet.

Then, after a breakfast of porridge, putting on my homespun work dress and sun bonnet, heading out to the garden to pull some weeds and gather vegetables for lunch.

“I enjoy doing housework, ironing, washing, cooking, dishwashing. Whenever I get one of those questionnaires and they ask what is your profession, I always put down housewife. It's an admirable profession, why apologize for it. You aren't stupid because you're a housewife. When you're stirring the jam you can read Shakespeare.”  - Tasha Tudor

Next of course, I would go for a swim in the pond to cool off and stretch out. (There is nothing equal to this.)

Watermelon comes next, and spitting the seeds at my sisters naturally follows...

 After I rinse the pond water off, I put on my pretty afternoon dress with yards and yards of skirt and an apron and make delectable things for lunch which we eat in a shady place in the garden.

I would drink guava green tea with my family and friends and work a few rows of knitting or maybe try my hand at watercolor while the scent of rose and mint filled the air and the summer breeze floated by like a happy phrase of delicious music.

Then perhaps go for a canoe ride...

And do every creative thing I could think of...

 After several hours of this, we would cook our dinner.

We'd make a salad with fresh greens from the garden and cook a beef and vegetable stew using only ingredients that we've grown to make a heavenly tasting meal that we'd enjoy while watching the fire and rose colored sun set through the trees.

After the dishes are done and darkness has fallen among the living things... I would like to go out and lay down on the sweet smelling grass to gaze up at the stars and be swept away by the wonder of the work of my Saviors hands...

And before I have gotten quite sleepy, I would like to make some hot chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon and a few marshmallows and light the oil lamps and a few candles and cuddle up on the couch with my Mama and sisters and talk a while before heading up the stairs to my soft bed and beautiful, blissful, (hopefully) well earned... sleep.

What are you doing for Tasha Tudor Day? I would dearly love to know!

All my love,

♥Emaline

The View from Fanny Simpleton's Neck of the Woods

 Let me tell you a story...

 One particularly cold, rainy, gloomy, March day at my home, Rise and Shine Farm.. I walked stiffly down the road to the mailbox.

I glumly opened it, not expecting anything but bills or advertisements. And Lo and Behold! Sunshine shone right out of it! For inside, there was a package. Not just any package of garish orangey-brown paper, but a Large, bright, pink package with stickers and handwriting that I could recognize anywhere. A package from my dear friend, Jean of Windy Pines.

At first I thought, "Oh! I must wait to open it on a brighter day so that I can take pictures and show it off to everyone!" And then I thought, "What?! Wait? I can't do that! I must open it RIGHT THIS MINUTE! I cannot wait!" And so, reader, I did. And the next few minutes.. ok, maybe closer to hours... were spent so delightfully perusing this beautiful handmade book over and over again.

Spring had at last come. 

And I got to meet the enchanting Miss Fanny Simpleton for the first time...

And hear all about the happenings at Windy Pines...

"Goose antics and canoodlings" What a phrase!

Happy, happy day!!

{Started over at the beginning several times...}

Miss Jean's cottage is always decorated so charmingly. It is like walking into a storybook.

It is an accordion style book and has not one, but two sides to goggle at.

Sometimes I think... we must be kindred spirits... I do believe I will have that cup of tea first.

So I had to write a thank you note while I ate my Easter chocolate. :)

{Thank you so much Miss Jean for such a thoughtful gift!}

 She is such a fun and talented person! Creativity simply pours out of her! And what a kind thought to send me and my friends at Rise and Shine Farm a handmade gift! {You are too kind Miss Jean!} 

I hope you've all enjoyed the View from Miss Fanny Simpleton's Neck of the Woods at Windy Pines.

I most certainly have!

♥Emaline

Doll Bonnet TutoriaL: Part II ~ decorated bonnet

 

Here are some pictures of my bonnet after I decorated it.

I decided I didn't like the green ribbon and exchanged it for a lovely blue one. I almost didn't  because I thought it might not match very many of my dresses. But then I remembered this bonnet!

And she wears it with orange gloves! And I figure that if Elizabeth Bennet can do it than so can I.

And so part of my inspiration for this choice was this bonnet that I love! 

The linen I used was a gift from my darling friend Cora and the ribbon is what she used to tie it up. Thank you Cora dear!

 And here it is on Alice. Doesn't she look charming?

 For the decoration I gathered the ribbon in the same way I did with the green (see Doll Bonnet Tutorial Part I), but this time I pinned it on with applique pins! You can find them at any fabric store I dare say. They're about 1/2" long so they work perfect for doll things. (And doll size pin cushions I might add!)

For the flowers I took these silk flowers off of the stems and pinned them all on separately.

Some time I'd like to add flowers on the inside of the brim and maybe add a ruffle (or what I believe is called a "curtain") at the back.

Here I am in my Sunday bonnet and shawl. (The shawl is in fact a lovely doily I found at a thrift store. It had a couple stains on one side so I just folded it in half! I am going to try to wash it though.)

I hope you enjoyed this bonnet tutorial! I had lots of fun with it. Please let me know what you think and if you try it, let me know if you have any questions! And now that it's finally done I can get to posting some other stuff that I've been wanting to do. Including some really fun photo shoots with me and some with Alice!

I hope you all have a fabulous day! 

Love, Emaline