"Fairy Tale Friday".....

Today it's all about "The Wedding"!......I was taping it on NBC & BBC from 1:00am on. However, last night while in bed reading, my husband & I had the coverage on,... but we both fell fast asleep, with lights on & books open on our laps!?.....
Somehow though, I happened to wake just as the British Prime Minister was arriving!......then William,... then the Queen.... & then Kate!....Perfect timing!...
So both my husband & I watched "live", the unveiling of Kate's dress!.....We managed to stay awake long enough to watch her make her way down the aisle with her father & then decided the rest would have to wait till this morning.

At 6:30 we got up, & I made coffee...& then proceeded to the couch to work on pillows & watch the ceremony. Something happened though. I became over-whelmed with how traditionally lovely this wedding was. I stopped working & got cozy...
& simply enjoyed all the "pomp & circumstance"!

So far it has been the most wonderful Friday!....
a handsome prince,... a beautiful bride....and a palace & carriages!......

Fairy tales do come true!

heidi
xo

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"Remembering William....& his Lovely Mum".....

With the royal wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton just days away,...I couldn't help remembering his lovely "mum" Lady Diana....who I have been thinking a lot about these last few weeks.
You see I adored Diana.
It all began when she became engaged to Charles,.... at the time, I too was falling in love & was soon to be engaged as well.
When Diana got married, I set my alarm clock & awoke at 3:15 a.m.,.... along with my mother, to drink our coffee & watch every minute of the this enchanting wedding!

And when Princess Diana announced she was expecting, I too was just a couple months from announcing my pregnancy!....I remember sewing maternity dresses similar to hers & wearing her trademark white nylons & black patent leather flats!....
I felt a certain kinship with her,.... loving her style, her demeanor & her English ways.

I remember like it was yesterday, when Diana & Charles came out to introduce the world to their new son, William. And what a doting mother Diana was. In fact I think her happiest moments were those spent with her boys!.....I remember those adorable smocked "bubbles" that William wore & how I let all my girlfriends know I wanted to have some for my own new baby!...
( luckily one of my dear friends happened to be a Children's Apparel buyer for Nordstrom, so I received 1 large box where 2 smocked bubbles & 1 smocked dress where hidden!!!...thank you Celeste!!!)

How adorable baby William was!.....& how content he made his beautiful mother!

I watched as William grew from a baby,... to a toddler,... to a darling little boy....learning from his mother how to relate to the common man & to all those less fortunate the he.
I admired how Diana put off boarding school till William was a bit older than most royals, wanting to keep her children all her own for as long as possible.. and I loved how she was such a hands on mother.

Many years have passed since William was a child,....but he will always be his mother's son. How proud she would be of the man he has become.
Although Diana will not be sitting in Westminster Abbey on Friday to see her eldest get married,.... I like to believe she will be there, watching over William & Kate.....
lovingly guiding them to their future.

Here's To a Happily Ever After.....

heidi
xo

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"Little Faces of Spring".....

"The splendor of the rose and the white-ness of the lily do not rob the little violet of it's scent, nor the daisy of it's simple charm.
If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its lovliness."

Therese Leisieux

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"Kind Gestures & Girlfriends".....

*Sometimes I have a tendency to think a bit too large*

Let's take any holiday throughout the year,...Christmas, Halloween, May Day, or at the moment Easter,......I began thinking how lovely it would be to treat "all my friends" to a small, but very sweet gift.
Maybe "pansies encircled in pure white parchment paper".... & tied with a taffeta ribbon.....
or possibly a "delicious lemon bread" wrapped in clear, crisp cellophane & secured with twine & fresh lemon leaves,.....
or better still, a "floral teacup" ( found while out thrifting!) placed in a tiny box that has been wrapped in fabric & "millinery daisy-garland"!

Now as lovely as this would be, it all takes time, which is something all of us seem to always be a bit short of.
So I am trying something new....I am choosing one dear friend, each month to do something special for.
Nothing extravagant, nothing expensive.

Instead something baked from my kitchen,
or grown in my garden
or created with my own hands.
I will wrap it in the most charming way & tuck it in their mailbox or on their front porch,....
& of course it must have a pretty little card!
This way I will be able to treat each of my girlfriends to "sweet remembrances" in just a wee bit of time & very economically!

Here's to kind gestures!...& to friendship!

heidi
xo

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"A Springtime Pillow"...to give-away this morning!!

Good Morning Friends,.....
Today, I'm doing a little reorganizing here at my house & studio,.... & thought a "giveaway" might be a lovely way to start!......

In my shop, is the most adorable pillow,......It is made from designer Anna Maria Horner's "wallflower rose print",..... & is backed with a gorgeous yellow toile!.....
All in shades of aqua & soft yellow,....
this precious pillow just exemplifies the "Loveliness that is Springtime"!

To enter the giveaway, you must be a "follower of my blog"...& just leave me a comment!
I will announce the winner on Thursday, April 21st!

Good Luck to you all!

heidi
xo

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"Life Goes On"......

It's official......
My "Large Number" pillow is NOT in the May issue of Country Living magazine...
& I am so very sad.
Let me back up a bit,...a couple months ago, I was elated when an editor from Country Living Magazine e-mailed me, informing me that they loved my pillows & asking if I would send her two of my "Large Number" pillows as soon as possible!...She was very nice & asked if I would send her a "5" & a "0", both in tan burlap.The magazine needed them quickly, because they were interested in them for the May 2011 issue!.

Of course I was thrilled!....Of all the magazines I purchase, Country Living is one of my very favorites!!...& has been since I was in my early 20's.
Now keep in mind, I was just sending the magazine my pillows,..... nothing was for sure.

A few days later, the same editor contacted me again, with forms she needed filled out as quickly as possible!...which I did, faxing them back to her. Then another e-mail making sure I had sent all the information needed.
Throughout all of this, again, no promise that my pillows would definitely be in Country Living....

Needless to say, the last few weeks have been very anticipatory!...not knowing if my "number" pillow would actually grace a page in the May issue???
And of course during the last week or so, I have been a crazy person, running down to Walmart, or Target, or Barnes & Noble, checking each day if the May issue had arrived!?....And of course Martha's Living- new, House Beautiful-new, Oprah-new, etc. etc.....but no Country Living?
So yesterday, my husband & daughter & I were stopping for yogurt, & there happened to be a bookstore right next to the yogurt shop. We went in & there it was!...the May issue!.....All wrapped in plastic, with the most darling room on the cover.
We purchased the magazine, & went out side. We sat down & started thumbing through each page, scanning each for my pillows.
Then we turned one more page,.... & we saw a section all about "50 Deals Under $50"....& on the first page there is a photo with two pillows, one with a "5" & one with a"0",..... but not my pillows!?
OMGoodness!....It hit me! Someone else's etsy shop & pillows were chosen for the shoot...not mine!......
And instead of being mature & counting all the blessings that have been given me, I sat & I cried. Oh yes!...You heard me, I sat there, with my husband & daughter trying to comfort me, & tears rolled down my cheeks....I just couldn't stop weeping!

After a while we ended up getting our frozen yogurt & going home, where I have slowly come to terms with all this. Not a big deal for some of us, but for me in that moment a huge disappointing deal.
The tears are now over, & a bit of sanity has returned.
Life goes on...

heidi
xo

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"Wonderful Evening & Great Food"!......

Last night our "Dinner Club" got together at our friend's Dave & Judy's home!
OMGoodness!....
What a lovely evening!
Judy had the house all decorated for Spring, & had set a gorgeous table....
with peony centerpieces, beautiful antique glassware & candlelight everywhere!

The dinner theme was "Mediterranean", so anything Greek or Spanish was perfect!....
Judy made a pesto baked chicken,....
Susie brought wonderful vegetable cabobs, hummus & olives,....
Lauren a wonderful artichoke appetizer....
& I brought "Panzanella"!!...

I was a but worried since I have never made panzanella in my life, but have always wanted to....so I prepared this salad never having tried it before!..So risky, but it paid off!!...So amazingly good!!!!
So good in fact, that I'm making it again tonight for our family dinner!!...

Since I am always looking for a great recipe, I thought I would share with all of you!...
Super easy!
The perfect salad for Spring & Summer!....
I hope you love it too!.....
Enjoy!.....

Your friend,
heidi
xo

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"Four Cute Tiles".....

(photo courtesy of Country Living)

I have been decorating my client's ( & friend) master bedroom today...& just got home.
With the little time I have before figuring out what dinner might be, I was looking through some design ideas I had seen in various magazines & tucked away for safe keeping!...
possibly to be applied in a future home!....& look what I found!

This absolutely, ridiculously darling use of 4 gorgeous tiles!

What a charming back-splash!!....
OMGoodness!!
This is one idea that will be stealing!.....

Dinner is calling, but all I want to do is decorate!

Enjoy your evening!

Your friend,...

heidi
xo

master bedroom today ( & friend)

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"Pillow-Slip Giveaway" over at The Shine Project!......

Good Morning!.....
You must grab your coffee right away,... & head straight over to visit the ever-so-charming Ashley,..... at her inspiring blog, "The Shine Project"!.....
Ashley is featuring my shop, Heidi Devlin Design,..... along with a fabulous giveaway!....
my "Sweetheart" pillow-slip!

While signing up for the giveaway, please take the time to read all about Ashley,....
& all she is up to!

Good Luck to you all!

Your friend,.....

heidi
xo

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"Exciting News From the Shop!"......."

"Family" pillow-slip/
This morning, I have the most exciting news from my etsy shop,....
Heidi Devlin Design!.....
My pillows have become "pillow-slips"!......
For some time now, I have simply offered my designs as actual pillows, with clients having to request the "pillow-slips", & me making them up as custom orders.
However, after much thought, I decided designing & hand-stenciling "pillow-slips" was the way to go for everyone!

Creating "pillow-slips" allows for me to offer many of my pillows at lower prices, as well as slashing the shipping costs to almost 1/2 of what they have been!
And now, with the "pillow-slips" being beautifully made with a finished "envelope closure", customers can easily remove them for laundering, making the pillow-slips ones that are very family friendly!.....
My "pillow-slips" also allow you the"seasonal switch"!!,..... using your existing pillows, but just switching out the "pillow-slip" for one a bit more appropriate for the season you are in!
With the economy the way it is, I am trying very hard to offer charming pillows, runners & accessories that are not only extremely well-made, but very well priced as well!

I encourage you to visit the shop very soon!....& do a little shopping!....
After all, "pretty pillows" at lower prices & shipping costs just doesn't happen every day!!!!!
Happy Shopping!

Your friend,....

heidi
xo

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"For the Love of Gardening".....

I have always loved having my hands in the dirt.
I love the idea of taking a seed & watching it grow. I love waking up,.... & wanting to check the garden, even before making the coffee.
I'm not sure why it is that some of us are drawn to the idea of gardening? I know for myself, that watching my mother plants "petunias & marigolds" off our brick patio, was something I took to heart.
I noticed at a very early age how a few, very ordinary annuals would transform our modest backyard into an area of beauty. And I was very proud of it. My mother worked tirelessly in our yard, ....weeding & trimming & raking....& even though at the time I didn't always want to participate in the heavy work, I do remember appreciating the compliments that came from the neighbors & friends.

Then as a young wife, both my husband & I spent hours in the yard of our first home. We removed rocks that were crowding out our shrubs, & we re-purposed them into a rock wall. I planted pots of red geraniums & trailing blue lobelia,.... & placed them all over our deck,...again lots of work, but the reward was so very satisfying.

Over the years we have lived in many homes,.... tiny suburban homes with tiny suburban yards......a large colonial with a very large yard & even a rural New York farmhouse & 31 acres, not to mention 2 huge gardens & a greenhouse!......& through it all I have happily grown flowers & vegetables & herbs.
And now in my early 50's I am more interested than ever in being a gardener, or dare I say an "urban farmer". I am interested in growing a full kitchen garden, with all the herbs I cook with.

I also want to grow not only my dear little "sun-gold & cherry" tomatoes, but a few heirloom ones as well, .....& of course a variety of lettuces, & french radishes & shallots & zucchini & pumpkins....And "flowers"!....old-fashioned hollyhocks, nasturtiums, zinnias & sunflowers!.....

I not only want to grow all these edible darlings, I also am trying my hand at composting, which I have not done in years, but do remember doing with very favorable results!

I have to say that when I imagine myself as an old woman, I picture myself dressed in faded, denim overalls ( of course with a gaudy rhinestone brooch pinned on!),... a huge straw hat & lots of grandchildren helping & having as much fun as I am in our family garden!....

I'm off to a good start since my almost 7 year old grandson Andrew, has spent many summer afternoons picking & nibbling tiny tomatoes while I weed..... He loves it like I do, like a true gardener. It is in his blood, just like it has been in mine, my mother's & her dairy farmer father before her.
I guess then, that I have answered my own question,...whether we are born with the "desire to plant" or not..it is possibly more in the "cultivation". So I will go on from here, spending as much time as I can in the dirt & hoping to instill my love of it to all my future seedlings.

Off to the garden....

heidi
xo

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"Eggs.....Glorious Eggs"!...Be inspired!

At this time of year, with Easter peeking around the corner,....
I am simply enchanted by "eggs"!....
To tuck in a basket,.... or decorate with,.... or give to a friend,... Easter eggs are ever so charming!.....
Here are a few of my favorites this year!......

Above is this darling "button egg" that I happened to see ages ago on Etsy, but now have no idea who's shop it's from?.....So please let me know if you recognize it as your own!....
All those old buttons secured with pearl-headed pins!.....So pretty!

Of course Martha Stewart's "paper-flowered eggs" are as fresh as Spring itself!.....
Pastel-dyed eggs,.... adorned with the tiniest of blooms!

And these "amazingly spectacular confections", from the blog "Everyday Beauty"!
Now "confections to the eye" I should clarify!.....not truly edible, yet so luscious to look at!...all lavishly embellished with
millinery flowers, antique buttons & velvet ribbons!....
Oh My!
Now I realize I might not be making all these myself, but I certainly am inspired!
I am off to create a few eggs of my own & you should too!
Happy Egg Decorating!

Your friend,
heidi
xo

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"Pretty Pillows for the Upcoming Weddings in Your Life"!.....

"Happily Ever After" pillow.....$56

It seems that lately "engagements & weddings", are the common theme in my shop!.....
Everyone is ordering pillows with" sweet romantic messages" to be given as shower or bridal gifts!!.... which simply couldn't make me any happier!...
Not only are my hand-stenciled pillows a very personal gift,.... but also one that is very practical!...
what would be more charming than a lovely pillow to place in your first home together!.....
Come on by Heidi Devlin Design today!

It is definitely true!...

LOVE is in the air!......

Your friend,

heidi
xo

"Sweetheart" pillow....$46

"us" pillow.....$28

"I Do" pillow....$28

"Family" pillow...$56

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