David Charlez Designs created stunning custom architectural design for the Honeysuckle Lane II project in Wayzata, MN. Discover more project photos and details in our portfolio.
My 2008 collection of Puzzle Purse Valentines and other love tokens are now available at Honeysuckle Lane. More than 20 items were uploaded tonight and there are more to come on January 25th. You may see them here. Messages of LOVE are written on these Valentines which are folded in a precise intricacy so that as you open it according to the numbered sections, you read a verse or a phrase, and tiny hand painted pictures are revealed. The very inner most part of the Valentine sometimes has woven paper hearts or a woven paper heart and hand. They are sometimes tricky for the recipient to re-fold, which is part of the charm of the puzzle purse. These were inspired by the ones originally made in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. All artwork, which is a combination of naive / schoolgirl art / fraktur influences, is done with watercolors and India ink on new or aged (with a coffee or tea and vanilla mixture) parchment paper. I have searched through my American folk art books for ideas for flowers, birds, and other early American designs. I use poems of the 1700s and 1800s along with some of my own original phrases. Keep in mind these are hand done, so each one will be unique. The valentines measure 2 ½” square closed and 7 ½” square when fully opened. Each valentine comes with a 3" papier mache box hand painted with a coordinating design (see photo above description for example). These are time consuming, but I do enjoy making them. The papers are aged, distressed, and sealed. Next I do all of the cutting to size and folding. After that, each design is sketched in pencil, then painted with artist watercolors and outlined with sepia India ink. After all paints and inks have dried, I cut, fold, and weave the little heart and hand paper whimsies to go inside the valentines. Last, I fold the puzzle back into a little square for you to discover it's secret. Then it's on to the papier mache boxes. Each one is base coated, the designs are sketched, then painted and outlined same as with the valentines. After the paint has dried, the boxes are aged, distressed, and given a hand rubbed finish. I'll try to get a few everyday / simple joys photos on this blog during the weekend. Thanks for visiting! ~*~
I've had this heart in hand charm since last year. After I made the charm, I put it away in one of my unfinished project drawers and forgot about it. Occassionally I would run across it and think about finishing the necklace, but then I'd get busy with other projects, put it away again, and so the cycle continued. Well, this week I took it out of the drawer and placed it right in the middle of my work table so it would be in the way and I'd have to work on it. I used steel wire to make the chain links and spiral clasps. I wanted to keep everything red except for the aged metal, so I added red glass beads and red coral beads. Hanging right above the charm is an antique pressed glass bead that I removed from an old watch fob. The open length of this one of a kind necklace is 25 inches. My daughter tells me this longer length is very popular. I will list it in my Etsy shop sometime this weekend at Simple Joys Paperie. SOLD ~ thank you! I have a couple more that I'm working on; they are in shades of aqua and ecru and have paper hearts and fragments of antique lace inside the soldered charms. They will be added to my Simple Joys Paperie shop in a few more days. ~*~ Sea Glass Serenade... This is a necklace I made some time ago. You may remember it from an earlier post. I had decided not to sell it, but have since changed my mind. I don't wear jewelry that often and have more pieces that I can make for myself. It will go in my Honeysuckle Lane Etsy shop since it doesn't have any paper embellishments to qualify it for my paperie shop. Found objects include a vintage French perfume flask filled with German glass glitter and glass beads, an antique blue pressed glass bead, an antique green glass teardrop bead and matching round bead, one of which is surrounded by a brass filigree style flower, a vintage faceted crystal bead, and much more that will be in the Etsy listing description. Its open length is 28 inches and this unique necklace will be $85 plus shipping. I will list in my Honeysuckle Lane etsy shop over the weekend. ~*~ I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and a happy Valentine's day! Take Care and God Bless, Lana ~*~
Finally! You may see all of the pieces at my little shop blog: http://hlshop.blogspot.com/2017/02/love-tokens-2017.html
They are all names of a particular love token of the 1800s. Often called cobweb, birdcage, or beehive valentines, these delicate tokens of love were popular during the early to mid 19th century. Most featured a watercolor or lithographed image on the front, then opened to another work of art (or a poem) on the inside. This work of art was cut in intricate detail and had a string attached to the center. When the string was carefully lifted, the artwork magically spiraled open to reveal a third image underneath. (Above photo sources unknown. These were in my antique valentines folder, many of which were sent to me from people who knew I was interested in researching them.) When I first started making them a few years ago, I learned by looking at antiques in reference books and by trial and error. Today when I was searching for photos of antiques online, I ran across several tutorials. Hmmm, those sure would have come in handy back then! The cobweb valentines that I make are influenced by the antiques, but have my own style and color preferences. I listed several on my website, Honeysuckle Lane, tonight as well as a few more puzzle purse valentines. And again, I am inspired by the antiques, but try to add my own style to them. I also made one more framed love token which sold first thing (thank you P :) !). I had been saving this Victorian red velvet frame for some time, just waiting for an idea of how to incorporate it with the things I make. I thought the heart in hand would look pretty in the oval shape. And I really liked the worn areas on the frame ~ perfectly aged and worn! I added a touch of aqua to the piece, used coordinating ribbon and it was complete! I wish I could find more old velvet frames like this one, but so far I have not found any. This finishes my Valentines updates this year... in a way. I will be making more love token paperweights to list in my Simple Joys Paperie etsy shop, as love is never out of season. In between working on orders, I will be designing some new things for spring, which isn't that far away, you know! :) Thanks so much for hanging around and reading all my ramblings. I'll be back in just a few more days. Take Care & God Bless, Lana ~*~
Happy Sunday! Like so many of you, spring is has come early to my neck of the woods and there's lots to do here. With so many things on my to-do list, I won't be working on handmade items for a while. What few things I have had time to do are now available at TDIPT Mercantile. There are 3 petite silk ribbon daffodil pillows remaining. The pale robin's egg blue pillow is sold. I'll still be checking in and blogging about this and that... so come back for a visit when you have time, or subscribe to get Honeysuckle Lane's Simple Joys blog updates by email. You can find the subscription box in the sidebar, about 6 sections down. Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week! Take care, Lana ~*~
After a bit of fiddling and fussing, I finally got Cecilia dressed and ready to make her debut! I think the antique laces look lovely with the antique velvet... and the little cameo is just the right size for her accessory! If you are interested in her, Cecilia is available for immediate purchase in my Honeysuckle Lane shop. It's back to work for me... I have three more ladies waiting to be dressed and accessorized! :) Blessings, Lana
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Happy Sunday! Like so many of you, spring is has come early to my neck of the woods and there's lots to do here. With so many things on my to-do list, I won't be working on handmade items for a while. What few things I have had time to do are now available at TDIPT Mercantile. There are 3 petite silk ribbon daffodil pillows remaining. The pale robin's egg blue pillow is sold. I'll still be checking in and blogging about this and that... so come back for a visit when you have time, or subscribe to get Honeysuckle Lane's Simple Joys blog updates by email. You can find the subscription box in the sidebar, about 6 sections down. Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week! Take care, Lana ~*~
There is something about the arrival of another Southern summer that makes me feel like a child again. Summers in the South seemingly last forever, but nevertheless, I am always sad to see them go …
In Louisiana, the air was warm and moist in the spring. I would walk outside, barefoot and all, with a song on my lips and flowers in my hair. It was perfect weather for venturing out and exploring…
David Charlez Designs created stunning custom architectural design for the Honeysuckle Lane II project in Wayzata, MN. Discover more project photos and details in our portfolio.
Nature is not a procrastinator’s enabler. She moves ever forward, reminding us, we are on her time. We must nurture tiny seeds before the last frost. We must water before the intense heat of the afternoon. We must harvest in due time and then rake leaves over garden beds, blanketing them for the coming cold. […]
David Charlez Designs created stunning custom architectural design for the Honeysuckle Lane II project in Wayzata, MN. Discover more project photos and details in our portfolio.
Nature is not a procrastinator’s enabler. She moves ever forward, reminding us, we are on her time. We must nurture tiny seeds before the last frost. We must water before the intense heat of the afternoon. We must harvest in due time and then rake leaves over garden beds, blanketing them for the coming cold. […]
I finally rearranged things in my workroom so I can focus more on sewing... quiltmaking to be more specific. I’ve collected fabrics over the years with this intention but always put that idea away for when I had more time. And I finally realized there really is no time like the present. So I am working on quilts whenever I can find a little time here and there. I have the best little helper, ever! Jolee is very good at helping me “smooth it out” when I am layering the top, batting, and backing. I’ve already moved things around from what you see below, but you can see I keep my design wall next to my sewing machine. The less I have to travel from design wall to machine, hopefully the less chances I have to forget what goes where when I get ready to sew it. I will have at least 8 quilts to list by the end of the month. The sizes include baby, toddler, and lap quilts. Later, I may sell larger quilts but for now I will stick with smaller ones. But I haven’t forsaken my smaller folk art pieces! In a few days, I will have a dozen or so Christmas trees listed! I might just have a few more goodies, too! If you are reading this, thank you for visiting my blog. I have really missed blogging and I plan to post here more often. Take care and God bless, Lana
Recipe and Styling by Libbie Summers Photography by Chia Chong Fashion Styling by Brooke Atwood Model: Lauren Davis Production Assistant: Candace Brower Sweetness from the chocolate coupled with the flowery flavor of a melted honeysuckle butter trailing...
David Charlez Designs created stunning custom architectural design for the Honeysuckle Lane II project in Wayzata, MN. Discover more project photos and details in our portfolio.
Makes 8 servings
The Lavender Festival is this Saturday and I'm getting a bit antsy. I don't have time to make soldered jewelry as I planned, but I will have at least five or six dozen silk ribbon pillows and a few dozen flower pins made from recycled cashmere and lambswool sweaters. I hope that's enough to make my booth look full. Nothing will be over 8"x10" in size, so if needed, I can fill in with fresh bouquets and antique and vintage props. I read in the festival vendor information that the rose is the herb of the year, and I ended up making several spider-web roses using vintage seam binding ribbon instead of silk ribbon as seen in the photos above. It seems I had a lot of narrow ribbon in my stash, so I made several spider mum looking flowers. Thankfully they don't have to be technically correct, just pretty! I have just a little bit of handwork left to do and then I've got to get busy sewing on the backs and stuffing the pillows. Before I go, I want to thank all of you for your comments on my last blog post and for your email messages. I've been so busy working on festival stuff and then I had to go to the doctor today and haven't had time to answer everyone individually.... but I will soon. (((HUGS to all of you!))) Take care and God bless, Lana ~*~
Hallmark filmed the 2018 movie "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" in this gorgeous old house. In real life it's the Silas W. Robbins B&B in Connecticut.
The wild honeysuckle is blooming. We were standing in the garden over Easter weekend, my Dad and I, when the wind picked up. You can sure smell the honeysuckle today, he said. I'm not sure why, but that moment was so comforting to me, somehow. It turns out, honeysuckle in itself is very comforting. Its sweetly-scented blossoms are antibacterial weapons in disguise. One herb reference I read said they're useful for treating bacterial infections and dysentery, as well as urinary tract disorders. They also go to work on freeing your body of toxins and do a number on colds, flu, asthma, coughs, sore throat, congestion (chest) and laryngitis. Externally, honeysuckle can be applied to infected wounds, boils, swellings and rheumatism. Point is, honeysuckle is herbal remedy gold. I spent part of the weekend gathering a bucket full of blooms and leaves. (All part of the plant is useful except for the berries. They're toxic. Don't pick those. You don't want those.) The first blend I concocted was a Wild Honeysuckle Throat and Cough Syrup. I can't believe how simple and quick it was, and how soothing it's been. I've tried it for three days now, not because I'm sick, but because I figured with allergy season upon me it wouldn't hurt. And you know what? I think there's something to this syrup. I think I'll keep it around always. If you don't have honeysuckle growing wild around your little house, you can always use dried honeysuckle. I'm sure it can be found at herb shops online. The first step is just taking the plunge, trying an herbal remedy, and finding what works for you. And I'm not sure about you, but I'd rather put all-natural medicinal cures in my body anyday than lab-manufactured drugs with a book of side effects. For more on my Wild Honeysuckle Syrup, including the recipe, click here and scroll down. (Please know that I'm not a health professional or certified herbalist and my recommendations should not be taken as medical advice and obviously have not been approved by the FDA. You should consult your doctor and carefully study any herbal remedy before taking a swig. There. Had to put my law education to work. ;)
Hallmark filmed the 2018 movie "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" in this gorgeous old house. In real life it's the Silas W. Robbins B&B in Connecticut.
Linda Ross steps into the winter garden for aromatherapy of the botanical kind.
Discover transitional custom architectural design by David Charlez Designs in Chanhassen, MN. Check out our portfolio for more project photos and details.
Hallmark filmed the 2018 movie "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" in this gorgeous old house. In real life it's the Silas W. Robbins B&B in Connecticut.
