Home at last...

Well to my utter delight and astonishment, my desk is done and in her new home. Time for the unveiling...cue the trumpets...

May I present to you...

the grand duchess of the desk world,

ta da! My refinished roll top desk rescued from the Salvation Army Thrift Store.

(link to the before pics: http://merrysmix.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-find.html)

I used a product similar to Hormer Formbys furniture refinisher, sandpaper, lemon oil refinisher, stain and varnish.

I am really happy with the way it turned out.  

It was rather a mess when we brought it home.

but she's a mess no more little lassy!

She's a grand lady now.

Mistress of her domain!

These roll top desks were very popular at the turn of the Victorian century. They held ledgers and receipts and many other various and sundry items for businessmen.

Mine is housing jewelry and craft items, the little drawers and cubby holes are just perfect to create some order out of the chaos of jewelry making.

Deep in the Heart of Winter

Deep in the Heart of Winter...

I don't know but it seems this year has been an unusually cold bitter year for weather.

Here in the southern part of the great Northwest, mother nature gave us week of balmy 50's then turned on her heel and flounced some 20 degree nights our way.

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63025246/snuggle-solid-perfume-lotion-bar

One thing I do know, it is perfect 'Snuggle' weather.

Here we sit deep in the heart of winter.The world will not remain a cold, dark wasteland forever.

We will see blue skies and tufts of green will spring back to life again. We will welcome spring from her long winter sleep.Till then, Snuggle, a celebration of warm and cozy moments.
A lotion bar is the perfect medium to showcase the rich, pleasing scent 'Snuggle'. A combo of three amazing scents a delicious house blend of three exotic perfume oils; Absynthe, Arabian Spice and Dragons Blood.
Absynthe: not the woodsy herbacious one, this blend is heavy on the spice
Arabian Spice: the stuff that dreams are made of. Myrrh and Orange, with middle notes of Ginger.
Dragons Blood: deeply scented oil, that holds notes of rich vanilla and patchouli, which is then rounded off with extremely light hints of sweet floral notes.
Snuggle has a scent life of over 8 hours and can be layered with other scents. This is over 1oz of lotion bar/solid perfume weighed separately from the container. Solid lotion/perfume bar, a brilliant idea made better by the wonderful natural ingredients in the bar. Almond Oil, Grapeseed oil, Olive oil, Beeswax and coconut oil. My gypsy grandmother's recipe. Or it would be if I had a gypsy grandmother. Anyway, my own formula not a commercial base.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63025246/snuggle-solid-perfume-lotion-bar

It is nice weather to snuggle in all right. A deep burrow in the evening under blankets that envelop you in a hug... hot steamy beverages are pure comfort and become more than just a caffeine kick in the morning. Peaceful moments with a good book are tailor made for a snowy afternoon. In fact if you don't have any deadlines snowy days can be really peaceful. If you are warm and snug it is a perfect time to be thankful and practice a day of gratitude.

This seems like a peaceful lovely thing to do on a cold and snowy day, I found it on the Internet in a random hop around, just thought I'd share. (..sorry I lost the link to it.)

Take time this week to have a daily check-in with yourself:

1. STOP – take 10-15 minutes and find a quiet place to sit – no radio, music, television, kids, phone, etc.
2. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Focus on your breathe and imagine it flowing through you as you breath in and out.
3. Imagine a small flame in the center of your chest. As you breathe in, the flame expands. As you breathe out, the flame flushes out anything negative in your thoughts or feelings.
4. Sit in silence for a few more minutes. Remind yourself that there is NOTHING for you to do right NOW.
5. When you feel complete, slowly open your eyes. Continue with your day remembering the calm darkness that envelopes you and the warmth of your light within that fuels you.
It is so important that we take the time to recharge, hibernate or go within and stay in that calm darkness, knowing that our light is always there – we only need to allow its gentle flame to regenerate and recharge in the silence of our own winter. And when we honor that cycle of death and rebirth, we will be even more prepared to perform our mission in the world – whatever it might be.
Blessings,
Rev. Tricia

Well on to my own day, I send my blessings as well, taking time for grateful moments!

Like Honey

Some days are just golden...pure honey...

You wake up normal enough, but as the day wears on,

lovely gifts appear and are delightful to the eye and to the heart.

These I Can Promise Author Unknown

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;

I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;'

I cannot promise you an easy pathway

That leads away from change or growing old.

But I can promise all my heart's devotion;

A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;

A love that's ever true and ever growing;

A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.

Marriage Advice

Jane Wells (1886)

Let your love be stronger than your hate and anger.

Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break.

Believe the best rather than the worst.

People have a way of living up or down to your opinion of them.

Remember that true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship.

The person you choose to marry is deserving of the courtesies and kindnesses you bestow on your friends.

Please hand this down to your children and your children's children.

A Good Wedding Cake Author Unknown

4 lb. of love.

1 lb. butter of youth.

1/2 lb. of good looks.

l lb. sweet temper.

1 lb. of blindness for faults.

1 lb. of self forgetfulness.

l lb. of pounded wit.

l lb. of good humour.

2 tablespoons of sweet argument.

1 pint of rippling laughter.

1 wine glass of common sense.

1 oz. modesty.

Put the love, good looks and sweet temper into a well furnished house. Beat the butter of youth to a cream, and mix well together with the blindness of faults. Stir the pounded wit and good humour into the sweet argument, then add the rippling laughter and common sense. Work the whole together until everything is well mixed, and bake gently for ever.

Yes, it was a warm sunny honey dripped kind of day. Full of love and happiness.

And I even got the books that I won on ebay, print date 1904 volumes of poetry, I got them for arting around in my spare time (laugh, hearty laugh). But you should see the covers of these books... the picture just doesn't really do them justice. The bindings are rotted away, and the front and back covers are disconnected , but the pages are almost pure white still and printed on the nicest heavy weight paper. I'm very pleased, they will make something wonderful if I get that creative bug nibbling at my behind any time soon.

Well I hope your Valentines day was a honey as well, here's to love!