Map Pins

We've had fun marking all of our travels on a big U.S. map and decided to begin marking one of the U.K.  Large map posters are about $12 from National Geographic.  With a little spray adhesive and foam posterboard, they're ready for pins.  We've been using silver glittered map pins to show where we've been.  This isn't the greatest picture, but you get the idea!

Charm Bracelets

You must know by now that I love charm bracelets.  Here is the bracelet that started it all.  My sister sent me this photo of my sweet grandma's bracelet from the early '40s.  She received the charms from boyfriends, and I love the variety.  Next is my charm bracelet that I've been working on for a few years now.  I pick up charms on our travels - notable charms include bagpipes from Scotland and Abe Lincoln's top hat from Springfield, IL.  Now that it's full, I've started a new bracelet (with a mama bear and cub from Mount Rainier National Park)!   

Kikkerland Bag Clips

Do you ever see things from Kikkerland?  I believe they're a Dutch company.  I love their great design and creative products.  We recently found these adorable Woodland Bag Clips at Mount Rainier National Park.  I immediately donated all of my bag clips to Goodwill.  I'm also eyeing these Travel Map Laundry Bags...

1803 Candles

I know I've mentioned 1803 Candles before, but they're worth another mention.  I love to burn their soy wax candles as I work around the house.  Their wax melts are also very nice.  They weren't far from where we lived in Illinois, but you can also order from them online.  Northwoods Cabin is one of my favorites.

Craigmuir Castle

A couple of weeks ago we visited the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center and learned a ton about our area.  We saw some pictures of historic homes and buildings in the town and then drove around to see some of them.  This one is called the Craigmuir Castle, and it's on the market.  It's quite beautiful if you have $2 million.

Hair Romance

I love looking at the Hair Romance blog.  It's a valuable resource for girls with curly hair.  Christina blogs from Australia and posts fantastic tutorials.  Her new ebook is 30 Days of Curly Hairstyles.  With her help, I'm going to challenge myself to do my hair better!

Burstenhaus Redecker Bottle Brush

I got a new bottle brush a while back, and I'm loving it.  It's made by German company Burstenhaus Redecker from beechwood and horsehair.  The horsehair smells a little bit when it's wet - kind of like wool - but I like the texture of the brush, and it's pretty!  (I got mine from Amazon.)

Love & Friendship

Have you heard?  There's a new Jane Austen movie out!  Love & Friendship is based on one of her early works written by way of letters.  Since she only wrote six full novels, it's rare that we get something new.  The film isn't playing in my area, so I may have to travel to see it...

Library of Luminaries: Jane Austen

I went to the fun letter-writing club at the Pickle last week.  Of course I have to purchase something whenever I'm there...  This time a book caught my eye - Library of Luminaries: Jane Austen.  It's an adorable illustrated biography of Jane.  There is so much research based on Jane Austen that it was refreshing to find something simple (and not overly scholarly).  Find it on Amazon here.

Nautical Knot Bracelet

When I was thinking about Young Women activities the other day, I noticed this Nautical Knot Bracelet tutorial on Etsy.  These are so cute, and I think they would be a perfect activity for teenage girls.

Tilly and the Buttons

I picked up a recent copy of Mollie Makes the other day, and I really loved looking through it.  One thing that caught my eye was a skirt pattern by Tilly and the Buttons.  Tilly's web site is fabulous.  It's full of patterns and tutorials and help for sewing clothing that you would actually want to wear.  There's even a guide for designing your own fabric.  I think I will be spending a lot of time learning from such an amazing seamstress.

Moonstruck Drinking Chocolate

I found some of this Moonstruck Drinking Chocolate by Sunshine Dairy at our grocery store on closeout.  It was so delicious and a great deal, but now they don't have it anymore!  I'll have to check around.  Best chocolate milk ever.

Liberty Bias Tape

I posted about these wool blankets from the Purl about a year ago, and I'm thinking of them again.  They sell the Liberty bias tape in their shop, and it's so lovely.  I think this would be a fun project!

Flower Bouquet Garland

I've been looking into the Liberty paper goods a bit more, and the Meri Meri shop that they are sold through is so cute.  I especially liked this flower bouquet garland.  (But it's sold out!)

Victoria and Albert Museum Fabric by Rowan

I loved the few pieces of Victoria and Albert fabric that I bought at Suppose so much, but the fabric is so hard to find online.  I turned to Etsy and found a few sources and ordered about 8 or 9 yards (including these designs)!  You can find some at the adorably-named FlyingBulldogs Etsy shop here.

Pendleton

As we drove back to Washington from Utah a couple of weeks ago, we stopped in the Pendleton Mill Store.  Of course we love their clothing and blankets, but we could not afford anything - until I found some fabric by the yard.  This lovely 100% wool was $5.99/yard!  I, of course, made a zipper pouch with some of it (lined with Liberty).

Sewing!

I got a new sewing machine, and I've been putting it to good use!  My first project was a tie for my husband.  (Pattern from the Purl here.)

Then I made some of these cute travel Kleenex pouches.  (Pattern from A Spoonful of Sugar here.)

This little pattern was so great that I was able to adapt it for other pouches!  I made this little Swiss dot pouch for my phone.

And then I made one for my Kindle out of some of the fabulous Victoria and Albert fabric from Rowan.

Pearl Earrings

My sweet grandma passed away, and her funeral was held a week ago.  She was so glamorous and lovely.  When each granddaughter turned 16, she gave her classic pearl earring studs.  I think everyone should have a pair.  (photo from Macys.com)

Robert Browning - Home Thoughts, from Abroad

There are only a couple of days left in England, and I've been thinking of this poem all month, so I thought I'd share it again.

O, to be in England
Now that April 's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!
And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossom'd pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge—
That 's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

Bath and Body Works Hobnail Candles

Have you seen the hobnail candles at Bath and Body Works?  My sister gave me one for my birthday, and I love it.  (She gave me a blue one called Peace.)  They smell lovely and look so pretty.

Threshold Performance Sheets

I picked up a second set of these Threshold Performance Sheets at Target the other day because I have loved mine so much.  They are outstanding.  They're 100% cotton, made in India, and have great elastic all the way around the fitted sheet.

Huntsman Trophy Sheffield Lamp

This lovely Ethan Allen lamp was featured in Country Living: the Huntsman Trophy Sheffield Lamp.  It's so classic.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

I had heard about this book and picked up a copy: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.  It's been an interesting read.  I could tell you that her organization theory is to throw everything away, but there is a bit more to it...

Pure Wool Pillow

My husband's been searching for a good pillow for years.  We keep buying them and then throwing them out because they're not firm enough!  He just found an excellent solution from The Wool Company in England: a pure wool pillow.  It's packed with 100% wool filling.  They also sell extra bags of wool so that you can add stuffing as the pillow goes flat.  Genius.

Joseph Alleman: Wildflowers

I love this large oil painting by Joe.  (It's available through Astoria Fine Art in Jackson.)  It's so beautiful.  I love horses.

Liberty Party Goods

I recently learned that Oh Happy Day has a shop.  They have cute Liberty of London party goods, like these cupcake flags and paper napkins.  Lovely!

The Ultimate Classic FM Hall of Fame

When we're in England, we like to listen to Classic FM.  Lucky for us, we can get the station on TuneIn.  Over Easter weekend each year they broadcast a Hall of Fame of the top 300 pieces.  We loved listening to it.  They've been doing it for 20 years and have now compiled an ultimate collection.  Amazon says it will be out in October, but we already got it on Amazon UK!

Silver Dollar Eucalyptus Wreath

I saw this lovely wreath in a recent issue of Country Living.  It's from Williams-Sonoma, and they have a great selection of natural wreathes here.

Pepsi Ginger Cola

We were in Canada again a couple of weeks ago and found this interesting product in one of their stores.  Pepsi Ginger Cola tastes like a ginger snap in a Pepsi!  Very interesting.  (I just discovered that they're introducing a fancy version in the U.S., along with an 1893 Cola...)

Brahms Op. 118, No. 2 Intermezzo in A Major

We heard this song the other day, and I thought that it was so lovely.  Brahms composed 6 pieces for piano, and this is number 2 of his Opus 118.  I found the sheet music online - now I just need a piano!  (I'm not sure who this guy is, but the sound is great.)

Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy

I think I talked about this when we first went, but I've been thinking about it again: the toiletries at the first hotel the first time we went to England were from the Spa Therapy line by Gilchrist & Soames.  We stayed at the Sofitel Heathrow, and every time I catch a whiff of one of the Spa Therapy items it takes me back!

Bulk Barn

We were in Canada over the weekend and visited one of our favorite Canadian stores: Bulk Barn.  It's so great.  They have rows of bins of bulk candy, grains, dried fruit, beans, mixes...  We got some multi-grain crepe mix and some dried cherries and some granola.  I wish they would bring something like this to the States!

The Good Home Co. Laundry Fragrance

I don't know about you, but I have not found a natural laundry detergent that actually works.  I stick to Tide, but I've gone to the liquid one with no dyes or perfumes.  So I usually add some of Mrs. Meyer's Scent Booster in lavender.  I heard about another laundry fragrance made by The Good Home Co., so I ordered some to try.  It's a liquid version with a lavender scent.  I like it (but I have to admit that my husband thought it smelled a little like patchouli on his clothes...).

Starbucks Caramelized Honey

Starbucks has a new flavor: caramelized honey.  I had them put it in a hot chocolate for me, and it was delicious!

Norma Bassett Hall

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture is currently showing an exhibit of Norma Bassett Hall's work.  I really enjoyed learning about this artist when we were in Spokane.  Her block prints are so lovely.  I liked that there were cozy European cottage scenes hung next to quintessential Western scenes.

Squirrel Earrings!

We were in Spokane over the weekend for the NCAA games, and we visited the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.  More about the exhibits later, but one of the highlights was these adorable squirrel earrings that I found in the gift shop!  Of course I could not pass them up.  They're made by Boma.

Boden Classic Shirt

Do you ever shop British clothiers Boden?  I have admired their catalogs but never purchased anything - until now.  I bought two of the classic shirts.  The colorful one (bottom) came, and I like the fit.  The chambray shirt with maps of the British Isles is on backorder, but I'm excited for it to arrive!  (And, of course, I got them both on sale!)

Teton Cuff Bracelet

One of my husband's colleagues at his former school often wore this incredible cuff bracelet.  She has a daughter who lives in Jackson and bought it when she was visiting so that she could remember the mountains when she returned to Illinois.  I want one!

Utensils

I decided that I needed some new kitchen utensils.  I opted for wood or metal (no plastic) and found some lovely pieces at World Market and Williams-Sonoma.  Below is the beautiful wooden spoon I ordered from World Market - it's made from olive wood.  Change is good after 17 years, right?

Fireworks

As I've been traveling recently I've gone through the Seattle airport, and I discovered a fun shop called Fireworks.  They have all sorts of lovely little things from jewelry to beauty and home products.  (I even found my favorite Barr hand cream!)  Check out this cute cosmetic bag and bunny lip gloss.