Paris and London Journal Notebooks

I am getting ready for my trip and wanted to make a small hostess gift for my friend who has invited me to visit her in London. Also, I needed a small birthday gift for a new friend that I met when she came for a visit over Easter with my cousin from Sweden. We will be staying in London and making a short 4-day trip to Paris - and meeting up with my new friend who will also be visiting London - small world!

After weeks of searching - I knew what I wanted, just didn't know if it existed - I found these beautiful papers online (they are from Cavallini). Of course, you can buy the journals already made, but what fun would that be?!

I found journals on clearance at Michael's and mini-notebooks at Target. I just used decoupage glue to attach the papers and a spray sealer to make them a bit water resistant. Tomorrow I am going to figure out how to attach elastic to keep them closed -I already have the holes punched, I just have to figure out how to use eyelets!

Any ideas about airport legal, non-crushable packaging? Maybe those clear fabric gift bags?

A New Project In The Works!

I am in the middle of a new project - Crowns! It took a while to get just the right shape. Who knew there were so many decisions to make. Tall and skinny, short and wide, "jewels" on top or not, 3 points, 4, 5, angular, curvy, and the list goes on! (I hope to unveil them next week!)

I'm so excited about crowns right now - who doesn't want to be a princess! - so I thought I'd share some beautiful crown-themed items made by fellow members on the Cottage Style Street Team from Etsy.

PinkButterCreme - ornament

TheDecoratedHouse - mixed media art
SouthernLadysVintage - hand felted applique or brooch
SomplaceInTime - faux sugar cookie
SunshineAndRavioli - gift tags
PopaliciousToo - wood cut-out

Talula on Etsy

Today I just have to share one of my favorite sellers on Etsy.
Talula is also a Texas girl and is so sweet!
I love her style - everything is so vintage-y, and aged, but absolutely gorgeous!

I purchased this fabulous necklace before Christmas and wore it constantly with some of her too-cute antiqued brass bell earrings.


This spring, I was so disappointed because I could not find a spring pair to match up with the necklace. So, I sent an "emergency" email to Talula asking for some that "matched, but didn't match." She knew just what I wanted.


After just a few hours, she had a pair just for me! And they "matched" perfectly!

If you click on the photos, you will find that I have linked them to similar finds currently available in her shop!