Monday Monday Monday

Knew it was going to be a long week when I

A) Told the man at the post office to "Have a nice weekend!"

B) Tried all day (unsuccessfully, I might add) to check my voice-mail. Consequently my phone is STILL beeping at me at a quarter past nine.

C) Completely forgot to cash in my paycheck. This is most unlike me, I assure you.


So I have compensated by

A) Taking a hot, hot bath.

B) Reading a fashion mag while in said bath.

C) Having a BIG glass of wine while Ollie did the cooking, STILL while in said bath. I only got out when water began to get cold and hands were prune-y and magazine was soaked and dinner was ready and Ollie knocked on the door and asked in a quiet voice if I was asleep.


Now I am

A) Ready for bed.

B) Ready for my days off.

C) Wondering what "17-year-old-Rhea" would have thought of this scenario.


See you again soon when I am a bit more "conscious."

XO,

Rhea

Mind your Manors...

"Aster Manors," that is.

The collection just arrived this week and all I can say is "Hubba Hubba."
















These are up in the shop, of course.

In other news, I have a new netflix obsession: True Blood, based on the Sookie Stackhouse books.

Just please don't watch it with your five year old.

It's pretty spicy.

In other other news I know the holidays are fast approaching because all the commercials on TV are making me cry.

And every weekend is filling up fast.

It's like some crazy Christmas Rubiks cube to fit everything in.

I know one thing, I am jonesin' to put up my tree, much to Ollie's horror.

Oh well!

See you again soon!

XO,

Rhea

Happy News

This just in...

Miss Jessica's engaged!!!
























It couldn't happen to a nicer gal.

Congratulations, Jessica and Jon!!!

XO,

Rhea

Book Review: The Gentle Art of Domesticity

Happy Tuesday and a great big Thank You to everyone who came out for our Late Risers Sale over the weekend.

It was really fun.

I'm such a nerd but I really look forward to Sale days.

And another Thank You to anyone who donated food to our Food Drive.

I have a lot of goods to deliver to the local food pantry and for that I am very grateful.

Please keep in mind that we are continuing our food drive through Christmas and anyone who donates a non-perishable food item will receive a free gift from us.

So if you did not make it to the sale or you forgot your donation then you are not too late!

Alright, on to the book review.

Today I wanted to talk about the book The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art and the Comforts of Home by Jane Brocket. We have been carrying this book at the shop for about a year now, so I am a bit late to the party for a book review.
























But, better late than never, right?

I have been reading Jane Brocket's blog for a long time and browsed the pages of her book many times. Both book and blog host beautiful photography. Eye candy, really. Porn for crafters. But up until recently I never really sat down and cozied up to the book.

Rewind to a couple of weeks ago when Ollie and I were on vacation to Bar Harbor. We stopped at an antiques store called "The Love Barn" (which, by the by, I had been trying unsuccessfully to visit for about five years now, but this time was triumphant). Upon stepping foot inside the building what should I see but the cheery pink spine of Jane's book peeping out. Never one to pass up a bargain but perennially one to forget a good book when I go on vacation, I bought the book, along with some really pretty vintage rose fabric that I think would make Jane Brocket very proud.

The grand total?

$7.00, thank you very much.

Now, let's by-pass the obvious question (which is "What the heck was this book doing in a second hand shop?"), and let's talk about the book itself.

Once I kicked back my feet on the hotel bed and started reading I became absorbed.

Perhaps with the exception of Midwest Modern by Amy Butler, this is like no other craft book out there.

First of all, there are no patterns, no instructions and no materials lists, so you must clear that notion from your head.

This book will not provide dimensions or facts and figures but it will serve as an inspiration resource.

Comprised of several vignettes where Brocket waxes poetic about her domestic endeavors, (beginning with what "domesticity" means these days), the book then goes on to tell tales of sweater vests, homemade marshmallows, knitting, embroidery and of course quilting.

You may not think that an essay on sweater vests can be absorbing, but you would be deliciously wrong.

Each essay is independent from the other, meaning you can skip around the book and read in short spurts, in whatever order you want (kind of like a magazine).

I had a great time breezing from one page to another, drawn in by the gorgeous photography, and reading Brocket's musings on cupcakes and tulip bulbs, the relationship between colorful fruit and even more colorful yarn, her first meeting with Kaffe Fassett, art, movies and yes... sweater vests.

Brocket finds joy, art and inspiration in the everyday.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to do the same.

There may not be any instructions for the gorgeous "Sunshine After the Rain" quilt on page 112 (which was inspired by a single piece of fabric: a process with which I immediately identified), but after reading Jane Brocket's process of creating the quilt you will want nothing more than to run out and make your own.

You will be inspired to knit and bake and clean and enjoy it like you've never done before.

Now, obviously, we don't all feel the call to be domestic divas.

But should you find joy and beauty in just one menial task or one hobby or one daily chore, or even if you just imagine what that may feel like, this book is for you.

A coffee table book?

Yes!

A bathroom book?

Yes, YES!

(And that is the highest compliment I have in my arsenal)

Even if you are late to the party, I highly recommend The Gentle Art of Domesticity.

XO,

Rhea

PS
I am pleased to announce that Jane Brocket will soon be releasing a book devoted entirely to quilting!

The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking will be released in the coming months.

Of course we will carry the book and perhaps if I am very lucky and perfect that clone I have been working on I will even review it in a timely manner.

Coming out of the closet

Maybe I am overtired from the looong day at the sales, but it seems like a good idea for me to come out of the closet.

I've been living a lie and now it's time to come clean:

I am secretly one of those girls with long legs and a giraffe-like neck and an A-cup who can eat whatever she wants and never gain an ounce but I am trapped in the body of a hobbit who hates to exercise and will probably always struggle with her weight.

Phew.

I feel sooo much better now that I've gotten that off of my chest.

XO,

Rhea

Just in the nick of time...

Look what came to the shop yesterday...

New Anna Maria Horner oilcoth!

(Also known as laminates...)
























(That was a nice surprise...)



And some new Kaffes!































(Also a nice surprise.)

These weren't supposed to arrive until December, but I'll take 'em.

Both are up and at 'em in the shop, just in time for the Late Riser's Sale.



In other news, my poor little sister Johanna got the Swine Flu.

BUT...

I am happy to report that she has already made a full recovery.

It was very scary, though, and my heart goes out to all those children who are not bouncing back as easily as she did.

I am so thankful that she is okay.


And today is my brother Jesse's birthday.

He is 28.

If you see him, give him a birthday smack from me.

For anyone out there keeping count, I have one sister (age 11) and at last count I had four brothers (ages 28, 15, 14 and 8... I think).

There will be sewing lounge tonight and I am looking forward to it, but I am kicking everybody out at 8:30 on the DOT so I can go home and catch a few winks before the Early Bird Sale.

It snowed again this morning which reminds me I need to get snow tires put on my car.

OH, and by the way...

About this Fine as Kind/ Finest Kind debate which was much more heated than I had anticipated...

I am sticking to my guns.

Here's why:

While I concede that one may say "Fin-est Kind," I know for a fact that some Mainers say "Fine as Kind."

A lobstermen told me it was "Fine as Kind" many moons ago.

It was Mark Libby, for any of you super-locals out there.

I wouldn't argue with him.

Also I have been to at least one cottage on the lake that had a carved wooden "Fine as Kind" sign.

I am also pretty sure that there is a restaurant in Maine named "Fine as Kind," but I am unable to prove it with a website, although I did find one guy with a "Fine as Kind" MySpace page.

So will you compromise with me and agree that one may say either/or, depending on regional preference?

(I know there are "Fine as Kind" supporters lurking out there, come on, speak up!)

I guess that is all for today.

Hopefully I will see a few of you tomorrow and hear from a few of you on Sunday!

Have a great weekend!

XO,

Rhea

Little Halloween Bodkins

Hello!

It is snowing here this morning (much to my delight).

I thought you all might like to see some of the little ones who visited us on Saturday...

Here's Scotty and Izzy:























(I was informed by Scotty that he is not holding a pitchfork: Devils and Farmers use picthforks. He is holding a trident, because Poseidon and Gladiators use tridents. I told him Thank You for clearing that up.)

And here's another shot of Izzy with her pink bow:
























(Because all little Mummies need a big pink bow)


And here's Blake the French-Canadian Lumberjack:
























Don't cut down my barrel, Blakey!!!


Here's my cutie-patootie next-door neighbor Olive the Octopus

























(Aren't I lucky to have a real, live octopus living next door?)


And I'm so glad that these two could put aside their differences long enough for a photo shoot:























(I thought that deserved some candy.)


And here's my little Lauren the Pumpkin and Sarah Mae the Witch:



















(Aaaawww...)



We also had a visit from Patches the Clown:

























(Normally this is the kind of thing that would scare the bejesus out of me, but luckily there was a Power Ranger nearby to protect us.)

And, I got a surprise cupcake visit from my good friends Shawny and Erin.


















Don't you love surprise cupcake visits?

(Sadly, most of these were accidentally eaten by Reuben, but he said he enjoyed them very, very much.)


Don't you think I had a nice Halloween?


(I do.)


How was yours???


XO,

Rhea

PS...

Don't forget: Late Riser's Sale this weekend for locals and non-locals alike!