Merona Resort Collection

Have you seen the cute new Merona Resort Collection at Target?  I like the coral pink and grey combinations, and I like that the pieces are very feminine.  Now if I only had a new wardrobe budget...

Emma Smith's Quilt

We went on a day trip to Nauvoo for our anniversary on the 12th.  It was a very lovely day.  While we were there, we visited some of the Community of Christ sites, which include the Smith family properties.  Although we did not see the quilt, their gift shop has a kit with a pattern for making a wall hanging of Emma Smith's quilt.  It looked like a fun project.

Jane Austen Centre Giftshop

I went to lunch with my friend and Jane Austen teacher a couple of weeks ago, and she gave me some of this fancy Elizabeth Bennet Hand Cream.  It's from the Jane Austen Centre Giftshop in Bath, England.  They have a lot of great items available online, including this fun variation on the Keep Calm print.  The quote on the mug, as you might know, is from Mr. Darcy's proposal.  Fun!

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: ggbytech

We've been thinking about Turkish Delight lately and wondering where we could get some authentic treats.  I found someone on Etsy!  Their lovely candies come directly from Turkey - ggbytech sells Turkish Delight and hard candies, and it all looks delicious!  (This kind is pomegranate and pistachio.)

Thursday Tunes: Hebrides Overture Op. 26

The other morning as we woke up we heard Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture Op. 26 on the radio.  The tune is very beautiful.  It's so interesting to me to know that people in the 19th century traveled so extensively as as to make it to the Outer Hebrides.  This piece is known as Fingal's Cave - listen below.

Singer 160

I noticed this beautiful sewing machine at JoAnn's - have you seen it?  It's an anniversary Singer made to look like the old ones.  My awesome '80s machine still works well, but this would be a very pretty upgrade.

Archiver's Visit

On my latest trip to Archiver's I got some great paper.  I love the Sasparilla line by October Afternoon.  And I discovered Teresa Collins.  It's so nice to stock up!

Tulip Teacup

One of the souvenirs that I brought home from Istanbul was this tulip teacup.  I thought it was so beautiful.  It cost 10 Turkish lira, which turns out to be about $6.  Lovely.

Friday Featured Art: Lichtenstein

A new exhibit opened at the Art Institute two days ago.  Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective runs until September 3.  I'm kind of excited to see it.

Thursday Tunes: Fallen Empires

Have you heard the latest Snow Patrol album?  Fallen Empires is fantastic.  I really love pretty much all of Snow Patrol's music.

Heirloom Jewelry

Do you have any jewelry that's been passed down in your family?  I have this beautiful ring that belonged to my dad's mother.  She died when he was 13, so I never knew her.  It's so special to me.  The last time we were in Utah, I had it cleaned up by my jeweler.  It is well worn and rather scuffed up, but I think it's lovely.  (And since my grandmother was a 6' tall Dutch woman, it will always fit one of my larger fingers.)

Bibs

A few of my friends are having babies in the near future, so I've been sewing a lot of bibs.  I really liked the fabric that I found for this one.  I got a fat quarter of it on clearance.  So cute.

Peck-Gandre Paper Dolls

When my sisters and I were younger, we had some fabulous paper dolls.  I never knew it until recently, but the Peck-Gandre fairytale paper dolls were created by two women from Salt Lake.  (Here's an article from the Deseret News.)  I know I have these somewhere - I hope I'll be able to find them!

Friday Featured Art: Hello! This is Liberty Speaking

I loved seeing the propaganda posters at the National World War I Museum.  This one was especially cute - and it would be relevant now (or probably anytime...).

Thursday Text: In Flanders Fields

When we were in Kansas City last month, we visited the National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial. It is really incredible. The origin of the poppy as the symbol of the war is this poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae: In Flanders Fields.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Microwave Popcorn Popper

I found this awesome gadget at Target for my husband's birthday. It's a microwave popcorn popper made by Nordic Ware (USA). It pops kernels - with or without oil - right in the microwave. So simple.

Turkish Pillow

When we were in Istanbul, I bought this pillow cover.  The guy told us that the design along the edge is supposed to look like the fence at Dolmabahce - the palace of the sultans.  I don't have a great picture of the fence, but you get the idea.  Then I bought a yard of fancy fabric at JoAnn's to cover my chair.  It was on clearance for about $4.  (The books are a set of Robert Louis Stevenson classics that my mom sent to me - I'm running out of room for books!)

Mara-Mi for Target

Have you seen the Mara-Mi line at Target? It is lovely.

Friday Featured Art: Salt Lake Temple Model

Have you been to Temple Square lately?  The South Visitors' Center has an incredible scaled model of the Salt Lake Temple.  Go here to read more about it.  Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc. created the model.  It is very informative and beautiful.  Here are some pictures from the Peter McCann web site: the whole model, the side cutaway, the celestial room, and the baptistry.

 

Thursday Tunes: By Your Side

Do you like Sade? I think I do. We heard By Your Side on the radio a couple of weeks ago, and I really liked it.

The Southern--Mac & Cheese Store

If you're ever in Chicago and looking for something to eat that's not pizza or hot dogs, The Southern--Mac & Cheese Store is a fantastic option. They have about 12 different mac and cheese options - half are vegetarian. Delicious!

Found

It's been kind of fun flying through major airports lately - we've been finding interesting coins. On the left is a Polish dime that we found in Chicago on our way to Istanbul. In the middle is an Israeli coin that we found in Chicago on our way to Seattle. And on the right is some kind of Asian coin that we found in Istanbul. So interesting!