A Fanciful Twist

Little Thing Magazine (updated links)

One of the loveliest publications I have ever seen (packed with oodles of inspiring goodness) comes from China, and is called Little Thing Magazine.  It focuses on illustration, fashion and creative design, and circulates in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

 

Issue 13 revolves around fairy tales, and if you ask me, it's truly enchanting.

However...

The fun secret I have kept to myself for way too long is that, I was asked to be a part of issue 13.

 I have a copy in my hands to share with you today.

The article that features my little world is called-

Little Dream House

Living in a Fairytale...

 

Okay, so, my life isn't really a fairytale ~

But let's just pretend for now, whatta ya say?

 

(I especially loved that the magazine is printed right to left, as opposed to our left to right.)

I was delighted with the layout, as I really didn't know what to expect.  I was so pleasantly surprised...

 

It would be extra fun if I could read the article.  I hope it says nice things.

Can you imagine if it said what a rotten girl I am?

hahaheeheee!

 

You can access most of these photos in the "peek inside my living spaces" section of my blog (in case you want to peek closer)...

 

I am super delighted with my little feature.

Now, if only my studio and office were that tidy today ;)

 

But wait, it gets better....

I have more snippets of the magazine itself (issue 13) to share with you below.  It's yummy!  And, I am not even showing you all the goodness in it.  After I chose these shots I saw others that were extra scrumptious.  So, I may share more in the future.  I only wish I could get my hands on every issue...

Who doesn't love fairies?

 

 

The magazine is page after page of pretty things...

 

There is a baking section, and even a gardening section too...

 

Sweet!

 

I particularly loved the Indian Style section...

 

Lots of fun fashion spreads...

 

And, a fantastic section on Lio Beardsley

 

There are make-up and skin care tips...

Brought to you by Alice, of course ;)

 

And lots of features on folks who make lovely things...

 

I really like the colors below...

Fun!

 

I am so drawn to simple lightheartedness....

 

So there you have it, a little magazine sharing for today.

Black paper swan included.  Don't you want one?  I do.

 

As for my real world...

It has been nutzz. 

I know I say that all the time, but really, I have come to realize the difference between pine nut days and macadamia nut days.

 

 And last week and into now, was and is, pure extra large macadamia nutzzzz.

There is construction going on in the garden. (exciting!)

Mombie and Dad came up on the weekend so I got up extra early to bake fresh bread for them, and to send a huge loaf back to Grandmammie and Grandpa too. (they loved it, yay!)

The pups are crazy playful (a good thing).

Miles is 100% well thanks to sweet potatoes and plain rice and chicken (made separately), by me ;)

And... I have two deadlines.

One down, one to go.

Oh also, it is a super important birthday for my sis this week, so I have been working on something fun for her, plus other goodies.

I am also finishing up a couple new paintings.

So, it's busy time.

But busy is good, it keeps my brain out of trouble.

The best part however, is coming here to share tales and treats with you!!

Thank you for being so much fun!

I guess I best be off to the post office. 

Save me a seat at the perpetual party table, I will be back soon ;)

Love, V

 

ps: ♥ HIYA Janel!!!! This ps is just for you  ;)

pss:  Little Thing Magazine has an incredible website, but it was down today, so I didn't link to it.  When it is up I will post a link because it really is eye candy goodness.  For now, here is a link to their blog:  http://www.littlething.cn/

psss:  The editor I worked with (Thank you Jie!) just wrote me back with the new web address for Little Thing Magazine.  It is http://www.littlething.cn/  Take a peek if you have a chance.  Their magazine section is awesome too.  You can click on any cover to see a snippet of the inside. Yay!

Of Wishes & Stars & Moons {Free Printable Treat}

When I first open my eyes from sleep, I seperate my dream thoughts from real life.  Trying to make sense of things.  My groggy eyes look up around my room, and reality flows in.  I think about the world at large and all its happenings, as well as the world at personal levels.  I think of friends, of loved ones, of people I don't know at all.  Then I make little wishes...

 

This week, with each morning, I have craved stars and moons hanging around my room.  I have envisioned them hanging from ceilings, from mirrors...

I have thought about how seeing stars when I wake up will fill me with hope and good feelings.

How each star could hold a wish.

So, I set out to make some moons and stars, and promptly decided to share them with you...

 

I took me a couple of days to whip these up.  So I am extra excited to be sharing them with you.

All you have to do is print, cut -

And,

"Wish with all your little heart..."

Then you can be on your way to making anything you want with them.

To get your own free printable treat, from me, 

simply click the link below, and give it several seconds to open.

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE PDF

When you click on the link above, you will receive two pages that look like this...

 

 

Print them out on card stock, for best use, and start creating.

You can write your wish on the front, or back, or keep your wish to yourself

:)

I made a couple of star and moon garlands for my room...

(I hot-glued my stars to ribbon to make my garlands)

 

I then decided I wanted to make a little star and moon mobile for my sleeping nook.

I found a round rusted metal thingamajig outside, which worked great.

I wrote my wishes on each star, and then covered both sides in craft glue and glitter.

More ideas for the base of your own mobile are -

The wire part of an old lamp shade.

Or perhaps, 4 sticks tied at the corners to form a square?

Or even, a sturdy wire, shaped in a circle to your liking?

The options are endless.

These also make fun and easy homemade gifts.

 I would love to receive a wish garland, wouldn't you?

OH OH!

Another fun thing...

I got a wee bit carried away, and decided to make

Fairy Wands with my stars.

I just found some sticks outside, wrapped and tied ribbons to them, and hot glued a glittered star to the end.

Isn't that fun??

You can make oodles of these for a party or any ole reason.

I mean really, who doesn't need a magic wand every now and then?

;)

I was playing with my wands, on my patch of winter rye grass outside the office (which I so enjoyed all winter), when Matty and Miles came over to see what was going on...

 

Matty very politely sniffed, and went on his way.

However...

 

His little brother...

 

Felt that...

He really needed his very own magic wand.

Of course, what puppy doesn't?

Silly me.

 

But, when I explained to him that it wasn't for eating, he gave it back.

;)

He has been so cute, walking around with missing front baby teeth.

Big boy teeth on their way.

So, there you have it.

Stars and Moons.

And wishes too! 

For you.

With love, from me.

 

 

ps:  Thank you ever so much for your Miles thoughts.  He feels great!

This is a stuffed rabbit sent to Baby by Auntie C, who gave it to Matty, who gave it to Miles :)

 

Tiny Nooks

What is it about the little things we are drawn to?  Tiny bits and bobs that we place on a shelf.  Things that bring us happiness, and make a space our own...

 

A lot of the things on our shelves might mean nothing at all to someone else.

That's only natural...

But to the owner, they mean so much. 

Memories, feelings, moments, inspirations and more...

I love to surround myself with items that express how I feel on the inside.  They sort of curiously remind me everyday, of well, me.

Secret nooks.

A space to fill with you-ness. (what's hiding in your nook?)

I like simple, sweet and happy on my shelves. 

Each bit, important in its own way.

Sure, these things called "our stuff" might be meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but creature collections, no matter how minuscule, do have their meaning to the beholder. 

 

Have you ever been missing a tiny golden thread?  Or one little itty bitty microscopic thing you placed on your shelf?  And you act as though that item has vast meaning to your existence?

Like, where is that teensy rock I put here???

Who took my teensy rock?

:)

Our collections seem to be a form of expression of who we are.

I for one am intrigued by what others collect.

Are you?

 

My shelves change all the time.

Maybe not much, but they do.

Colors I love.

Faces I love to see...

Random things that make me smile.

 

These nookling shelves make me feel like it's my birthday.

Like, I should be really really happy.

And today, I really am feeling pink and flowery, with touches of pretty blue.

I enjoyed my hidden space this morning, more than I have in almost two weeks.

Why you ask?

Well, Miles has been sick, and I have been making him homemade food to aid his tummy (and we have been monitoring his every moment).  We've had emergency vet runs, and lots of all-nighters (especially last week).  But he is almost 100% better (fingers crossed), and nothing was wrong with him in his tests.  Just  a puppy with a sick tummy, but still rather playful. 

I can tell he is feeling almost back to normal (fingers crossed again).

Today was an extra nice day indeed.

A day to stop and notice my silly creature collections, and even dust them a bit...

Whilst whispering hello.

 

There was rain all night to aid my seeds, a rare thing here.

And lots of pink, for smiles.

But enough of me, how are you?

How's your little world?

Love, V

 

 

 

ps:  Something Sweet for You.

It's Springtime, the only Ring-a-Ding Time...

Hola & Hello!

 

It is very very windy today.

Leaves twirling and swirling around.  Mister and me running around, making sure the garden nooks are safe.  Mad hair blowing in the wind.

I tip-toe over to my little enclosed space where I seeded grass last week...

Make sure you whisper...

There are baby grasslings sleeping... 

And soon, they will grow strong, and make another lawn to hide out, and picnic in.

Pretty fun stuff for the desert.

I am so heartily thankful for well water. (which I use carefully)

We rather mashed last year's lawn to bits with the

Mad Tea Party. 

 

Dancing and all...

Oopsie :)

 

I am almost getting carried away dreaming of this year's tea party. 

Will you be able to make it?  I sure hope so.  It shall be madder than ever.

(I will announce the date etc, next month)

Alas, I almost veered.

Let me get back to spring springing in, and all that...

So, I am spending overflowing goblets of time covering all the sprouts, making sure they stay safe.  Anything covered in dry brush is my attempt at keeping the birds away. (I also have burlap covers)

(Although the birds have already munched most of my 300 sunflower sprouts (sniffle), that's okay, I'll plant some again.)

So you see, below doesn't look like much...

But come on over here, get a little closer, and I shall show you something..

Hidden, growing, smiling...

Sproutlings!

This year I bought thousands of seeds, and made my own flower garden seed mix.  I hope it works. (I bought some of my seeds at Swallowtail Garden Seeds, including oodles of hollyhock seeds - fingers crossed)

I also used harvested seeds from last year.

And, I put in two vegetable gardens.

For a total of 10 gardening spaces so far.

Some small, some large.

I know, nutz. 

I have been so busy.

But it is worth it in the end, you know?

I plunked the seeds from my rotting Halloween pumpkins into the ground, and they sprouted in 4 days.

I discovered that trick last year, when I planted the seeds from a badly rotting pumpkin.  And then, proceeded to get about 30 pumpkins from those seeds.

I need to start thinning out the sprouts today.

I am showing you the brush covered areas, so we can see if the growing babes make it, and what the after might look like in a month or two.

One of my vegetable gardens below...

Doesn't look like much, eh?

But get a bit closer, and yippee :) 

I have all sorts of properly covered areas... 

And just look. Lots of cuties.

I am not sure what pleases me more than growing things, and baking things?

I am torn between the two...

Maybe growing wins?

I hope that the moonlight enchanted my sprouts into growing big and tall and strong..

Now all I have to do is, try to keep the critters out, in the friendliest way possible.

 

Not an easy task.

Mister Lovee says that since this is the desert, and there are very few people with gardens, all the critters are drawn here for a buffet.

Oh, Great!

:)

So, here is a shot of the gallery today, with the wind overturning things.  And, we'll have to wait and see if it becomes covered with sunflowers, and more, like last year...

A 2 year old, climbing banks rose, has its first bloom.

Tiny lovely little thing.

A garden is pure hope. (and hard work)

With lots to look forward to.

I wanted to end this post with a proper family portrait of the boys.

But, they had other plans... 

They would start to sit still for a photo op, and then Miles would attack.  Matty is so so good with him.  Such a total sport.

Alas, it didn't pan out as planned :) 

 

When they finally decided to sit still for a photo, I held my camera up, and they both changed positions, and did something goofy... (can you hear them giggling?)

Silly monkeys.

But lovable all the same.

 

 

ps:  I just L O V E this...

(Plus, Nie and her babes = happy Tears)