A Simply Pretty Bride To Be

Scones, tea and jam make for a sophisticated and delightful afternoon for a bridal shower.  Joanna and I pose for a memory photo before heading out  with friend's and family to Higinbotham's Tea Room in New Oxford, PA 

http://www.higinbothams.com/

Studio Cats

There are folks who like cats, then there are folks who LIKE CATS!   I suppose its because they inspire, calm and entertain us.  They give full attention when roused and give the unconditional love we all seek.  sigh......I mean, purrrrrr.

Those darn crazy cat folks seem to cross paths eventually or serendipity gets to playing a role in bringing them together, whether it be in the same town or from opposite ends of the universe.  I do believe it is the same with dog people, with parrot people, with fish fanciers, and the like.  How many crazy cat people do you know?

In the homes and studios of many a friend, family or artist, these satisfied felines have found the perfect places to eat, sleep and play...........

Check out what's new on this cat lovers web site,

http://www.simplyprettystuff.com/

Graduation Day

Yay!! Graduation Day.  'Tis the season for unbridled youth to step into the world ahead and take charge, armed with knowledge and brimming with confidence.  This is a day not to be forgotten.  That said, go ahead and put some of those special moments into beautiful ornaments.  Just visit me on the web at:

http://www.simplyprettystuff.com/47_Ornaments_1.html 

Alice In Wonderland

Is Simply Pretty Stuff

Everything Alice is hot now.  Me, I like the cat perhaps a bit more than Alice...but I like cats.

Check out these two new additions to the Simply Pretty Stuff collection.

click here to purchase

A Special Rose...

The vibrant, sunny color of the yellow rose is reputed to evoke feelings of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship.

This all explained by Pro Flowers online.  Sigh.  I would have said the same thing. I just rediscovered a very special Rose, after 35 years.  How wonderful.  

Rosemary was my run around fun friend, my scheming friend, my friend in the best of times and in those awful...break up with the boyfriend...times in high school. Yep, my yellow rose was...Rose !!

Well, time was kind to us as we don't look a bit over 18 then eh? ....check us out.  We met up in Washington DC this week and acquainted the hubbies as well.  There was so much to talk about, and so many new things, that it will take us, undoubtedly, 35 more years to catch up.  And that we will certainly plan to do.

These two are simply pretty stuff!!  If you haven't visited for awhile, go to it....and gather some of your high school memories to make an absolutely beautiful momento charm or ornament.  We did!!

http://www.simplyprettystuff.com/

Variety Adds Spice

The rest of my New York trip found the usual variety.  Well, oxymoron or not, variety is usual in the city.  Where else would you see a flying iguana, cool glass buildings, or a bazillion dollar chandelier all in one place, in one day?

This trip I was also lucky enough to connect with three special ladies....yes all in one short trip.  I met up with my friend, Mabel, from Nature Publishing, http://www.nature.com/ as we have continued to keep in touch these past few years.  

I then met a new friend, Anne Marie Paolucci, founder of ChemoComfort, http://www.chemocomfort.com/  which is a worthy non-profit in the city.  Each year ChemoComfort has a fundraising raffle which enables them to send much needed comfort boxes to women who have had chemotherapy for breast cancer.   Anne Marie will have a booth at the Greenwich Village festival ....just around the corner this month.

Last, but not least, I reunited with a most wonderful old friend, not seen for many, many years.  There was no loss for words here!  Susan Demark developed an excellent website about New York's history, photography, architecture and more, called the Mindful Walker.  Check her out!  http://www.mindfulwalker.com/

How wonderful and dynamic are these women?  ....rrrreal wonderful and real dynamic. 

Icing on the cake for a perfect week was being able to head up to Lexington Ave, where one of the street fairs was in full swing.  There was eye candy and real candy... lots to see and do too.  Such artisans and crafts people!

And even a celebrity spotting!!  Ah go on!

New York Threads

There are few brick and mortar places left in this shrinking economy where you can actually still retail yourself to death. New York remains one of those iconic places, even though tourism dipped just a bit last year.

The choices....the choices!  Eating, drinking, sleeping, shopping, hopping, and topping the list...people watching.  New York remains one of those Mecca Destinations for me.   I assume perhaps for most people, as well.

This trip was both business and pleasure as there were fashion trends to scout, ribbons and chains to buy and friends to find, both old and new. More to come on that after you have had the chance to...

Feast ye eyes on the most fabulous selection of threads, threads, threads, in a one block radius.

M&J Trimmings on 6th Ave, between 37th and 38th Streets, is THE supermarket of buttons, trim and bows. 

Mokuba, on 38th Street, boasts nothing but trims which are even more exquisite! 

Uptown off Lexington there is a very very old and well known buttons only store called...what else but.....Tender Buttons.

SIMPLY PRETTY STUFF, not kidding.

Mokuba

M&J Trimmings

Tender Buttons

Art To Wear

Another simply pretty charm on a clasp.  Wear it on a necklace, clip to a purse, cell phone or keychain.  Click on the link to check it out on the web!

http://simplyprettystuff.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=359

Second Chances

This gal lost her head as some of us sometimes do. Instead of giving up, she stood proudly among the rest of the antiques and unique items at Donna's ON A WHIM Boutique in Lucketts, VA .... and then I found her!!!

I cleaned her up a bit and can't wait to layer tons of necklaces and charms upon her definitely chic torso

More Simply Pretty Stuff

I must say April showers have been slight this year, but when there is a chill in the air while it rains, no one really wants it to rain.  Still, the soon to be lushness needs water, and it is only a matter of time until I complain about sweating. 

Other things I thought I would share from today are below.  Enjoy....And those Martha Stewart charms, shown a few posts ago, are still sitting on my card catalog,  awaiting their uncertain fate.....

New Necklace Shipment To Ellie's, A Chic Boutique in Sea Pines, Hilton Head

Been quite a bit in the studio creating and assembling.  I love that shop in Hilton Head, where Lindsey Spargur manages the most fabulous inventory.

There is also a juggling act going on here right now and the camera is on the fritz......oh, NO!  You cannot pick the days for this kind of emergency ~ anyway! 

In the middle of some early development for a new line of jewelry.  Ou la la I say, and hope others feel as well.  Unveiling will be in a few months as I prepare the tah dah factor.

Meanwhile, I loved how these turned out.

Toile Time

Indeed this dress form gal needed a release and a re-do of her worn and tattered polyester threads.  I have spent lots of time in the work room "toile-ing" her.  I used the spray adhesive and wished I could say the project was a romantic homes type experience.  Ah, but nope.  Lots of sticky fun though and a "well, she certainly looks better than she did before" attitude prevailed.   Simply Pretty Stuff in the end!!  http://www.simplyprettystuff.com/ will feature her in future necklace/charm shots for sure.

Martha Stewart Charms From The Past

I was going through some of my inventory, making room for the new.....funny how time flies and things change.  Anyway, I had done some work for both a publisher and a printer,  three years ago, making customer journal covers into charms for corporate gifts.  The sample charms I designed were from some of my very own journals.  At the time, I was recieving Martha Stewart Living from a school fundraiser drive.  Pretty clever, eh?  Not to mention (yepper) simply pretty!! They were intended for bracelets, ball chain necklaces, jacket zipper pulls, key chains, cell phones, etc. What do you think Martha would use them for?

Sparkle and Glitz

Had to finish these in the wee hours last night, since I have been looking for the perfect use of these glass rhinestone littl' bits!!  Sparkle charms are just Simply Pretty Stuff!  Look for more of these to post shortly at  http://www.simplyprettystuff.com/  website.  Just click "Charms" and the "Vintage and Ephemera" link.