Announcing my "William & Kate Royal Wedding" Swap!......

The other day, it occurred to me that I have not hosted a swap in quite some time!...& to be very honest I miss it!!.....So I have decided to combine my "love of swapping", with my
"over-the-moon excitement" for the upcoming
wedding of
Prince William & his lovely bride-to-be Kate Middleton!...into the
"William & Kate Royal Wedding" Swap!!
Now if you know me or have ever been involved in any of my swaps, I am very strict about signing up only if you have every intention of following through!!...I am not kind to "flakers" of any kind!....no patience for it at all!
With that said here are my guidelines for this swap!!
In this swap, I will be pairing you up with a partner. You will be responsible for making up the loveliest of swap boxes for her! ( $20-25 limit)....which should include items that are "British-inspired" &/or "wedding/romantic-inspired" as well!...This could be teacups, crowns, British flags, etc.
The point is to use your imagination & make not only the contents of the box wonderful & creative, but the wrapping of it all as well!
You can sign up for this enchanting little swap from now till Tuesday, April 12th.
I will assign & e-mail you your partner on Wednesday, April 13th....
And I am asking you to please send your swap box out no later than April 29th,.... the wedding date of this charming pair!
I so hope you will sign up & join me in a bit of "royal fun"!.....
We are in for a "Jolly Good Time"!
Your friend,....
heidi
xo

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"A Royal Swap"......

A swap of "Royal" proportions!....
To be announced tomorrow!........

See you then!

heidi
xo

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"Mixing Oranges".......

I love flowers! And I love creating interesting combinations with flowers. For me, combining two or three different varieties of flowers, but staying in the same "color-story" gives you the most charming results!.....
While grocery shopping a couple weeks ago at Trader Joes, I happened to eye these amazing "melon-y orange roses",.... & then at closer inspection glanced over to see tulips in a very similar shade. I snatched then up, brought them home & WOW!
Look at the result!.....
Just the bouquet I needed that cold rainy afternoon!..
It inspired me to light a fire & lots of candles & make big pot of soup!

Nothing like "Orange Blooms",....
a bit of bright green....
& a backdrop of brown transfer-ware to inspire an entire evening!

Have a cozy little weekend!

Your friend,...

heidi
xo

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"I Have a Question for You"?

Hello Friends......I am spending the afternoon today working on laundry, changing beds & stenciling pillow fronts for the shop. However, what has been swirling about in my head has nothing to do with laundry, making beds or stenciling pillows.....
It has to do instead , with these ever-so-charming "sequined fruit"!?...
(No telling what you think about while doing household chores is there!)
O.K....I found this photo a while back,..... I think in Country Living magazine when they were doing an article on flea markets & thrifting.......& I fell in love!...I so want to make some of these bejeweled fruits!!! The question is where do I get the fruit?..Silly question, but the hard fake fruit at the craft stores is a bit too thick, & of course I'm not aware of any styrofoam in these glorious fruit shapes? Is there a softer faux fruit that would work?....
I would love any suggestions you may have!....My hands are itching to get into tiny pins & all those gorgeous colors of sequins, so I welcome any input you can offer!
Thanks so much!......Now back to the laundry, beds & stencils!
Enjoy your afternoon!........
Your friend,
heidi
xo

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"A Must Try" !!!!

Good Morning Friends,
If you are under the impression "Mac & Cheese" is not appropriate for company than think again!.......
A week or so ago I was hosting a big family dinner,.... & decided another side dish was needed. Since Ina Garten is usually my "go-to-girl" recipe-wise, I went to the bookcase & pulled out one of her cookbooks. I was flipping through, & somehow landed on the page with her
"Mac & Cheese" recipe......
Now it seems I had made it years ago, since I had made a little star & written delicious?.....but somehow my memory of how good it was had faded?
O.K....so I decided I would add this to my buffet dinner for my husband's extended family.
I made it that afternoon & baked it right before serving!.....& OMGoodness!......So incredibly fabulous!!!!!!!.....The children loved it ( what child doesn't adore m&c!), the men loved it & so did the women!!!!!!!!
So the message here is most definitely plan a night to make Ina's "Mac & Cheese"!
You will simply love it!.....It's a keeper for sure!!!!

Happy Cooking!

heidi
xo

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Just in time for Easter...my "Glittered Ragball Eggs"

With Springtime just peeking around the corner,.... & Easter just weeks away, I decided to add these enchanting "Glittered Ragball Eggs" to my
Etsy shop, Heidi Devlin Design!
When designing these eggs, I wanted to give them that "vintage feel"!....So I actually made "ragball eggs",... & then encrusted them in mica flakes, which adds that antique-y look we all love!
I am selling them for $18/set of 4.....each egg measuring 3+ inches. The set comes wrapped in a crisp cellophane bag & tied with satin ribbon!...so very pretty!
Personally I am planning on displaying my "Glittered Ragball Eggs" in a few old florist baskets that I have been collecting for years,.... but they would also be lovely to give as a "favor" at your Easter celebration or even as a sweet gift for a friend!
Hope to see you over at my shop!......
Your friend,
heidi
xo

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"Living Little" has Gone Seasonal!....

Happy Monday to you all!...I hope you are all doing well!
For those of you wondering where your on-line issues of "Living Little with Heidi" are, I am so tickled to announce that my Spring issue is being put together as we speak,..... & will be arriving to each you in about three weeks!

Like many of us,.... life & work here at our house has gotten busier & busier, & very often it seems that there truly are not enough hours in a day to accomplish everything I want to do. So as much as I loved putting out a "monthly" newsletter, I have decided a "seasonal" one might be just as lovely!.....

Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter editions are being planned!...

with a few fabulous short special editions added along the way!

For those of you who are not familiar with "Living Little with Heidi", let me take this opportunity to tell you all about it!
"Living Little" is my lovely free,...on-line newsletter!
It is filled with seasonal ideas of decorating, cooking, crafts & gardening! Ideas that have worked for me & that I am sharing with you now in "Living Little"!.....And the ideas are based on my personal philosophy, creating a beautiful life with little time, little money & little space"!!..which I feel is quite relevant in today's world!

And lots of beautiful pictures & inspiring quotes too!

To receive "Living Little" please e-mail me at heididevlin@gmail.com!!

And a sincere thank you & hug to all of those of you who indeed are my readers & who have sent such sweet e-mails to me about "Living Little"! I love hearing from you!

Wishing you all a day of discovery!

Your friend,

heidi
xo

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"the whole world is a garden"......

"If you look the right way,....
you can see that the whole world is a garden."

Frances Hodgson Burnett, "The Secret Garden" ( 1911)

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"Not Sure Which Way to Turn?"......

I am not quite sure which way to turn?.....Spring is in the air around here, & I am in the mood to spruce up everything!.....The house, the patio, the garden,...... all are calling out for attention!....
In the garden, I am working on adding more raised beds, so all the seeds I am dying to plant will have a place to grow & thrive!.....I am eying tall "tuteurs" at the local nursery, to add height & structure to the garden,.... & am even hinting to everyone that a "rose arbor" would be a lovely Mother's day gift!

I've even moved our wicker patio table to the far end of the garden, where I romantically see us dining throughout the summer months!

And then there is the inside of our home. Where do I start?.....
Making curtains for the kitchen window, would be good.....or maybe those large floral/burlap pillows for the sofas?
Or possibly rearranging the furniture is where I should begin?....but then again the coffee table is desperate for paint?.....

Decisions, decisions....

Then there is the patio.....I have already given it a good cleaning, but new cushions on the chairs would be lovely!....but nothing too tailored. I am far more in the mood for a large geranium print, something "splashy & not too serious"!
And then I am even toying with the idea of hanging drapes on all four corners of the patio? Wouldn't that be charming!
So need I say more. I'm sure you can imagine the list of "to-do's" I have in front of me.
Somehow though it doesn't seems like work. These are the tasks I find so inspiring!....
Creating beauty in & around the spaces where we live!

Now off to get a start on that list!

Here's to all our homes, our gardens & our dreams!

Your friend,....

heidi

xo

(photos courtesy of... Martha Stewart & Country Living)

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"Each Morning".....

Each morning I wake up between 6:00-6:30 am. No alarm,.....just my internal clock reminding me another day is about to take shape......Invariably I pull the covers a bit higher,.... slowly turn over,.... & decide that it is to far too early to begin the day.

The odd thing is I really never return to sleep, ...instead my mind is thinking about the day ahead. My eyes might be closed, but thoughts about the new day are "opening" one after the other.....

It is such a lovely,.... but somewhat odd beginning to the day...... How in such a lazy state, I can somehow put together the most marvelous of days.....

but I do.....

each morning somewhere between six & half past.

heidi
xo

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"So Ready!"......

I am so ready for Spring!

Ready to throw open the front door.....

Ready to decorate in neutrals, & lots of white!.....

Ready to surround myself with just the "necessities"..........
& of course bouquets of fresh flowers!

Ready to de-clutter, organize & arrange.

And ready to make up a bed as fresh & inviting as that first breath of Spring air!

I bet you might be feeling the same....

heidi
xo

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"The Charm of Painted Cabinets"......

Since a very young age, I have been attracted to "antique cabinets". They could be large impressive pieces of furniture,.... or small wall cabinets tucked in a corner of the room.
They could be dark polished wood, or primitive time worn pieces, but the cabinets I adore most are the "painted" ones!......

Of course my own taste sends me in the direction of "colonial blues & gray-greens", ...but lately I am considering some slightly unusual combinations as well!....."Leaf green with a raspberry interior", so perfect filled with a collection of pure white ironstone pitchers!....
Or possibly a cabinet painted "pussy-willow gray with a French vanilla interior"!....can you imagine how beautiful anything "silver" would be placed in such a piece!

The possibilities are simply endless!.....Choosing classic shades of whites, blacks or browns lend a clean, classic feel...always appropriate, always beautiful.

But throwing caution to the wind & making a painted cupboard "pop to attention" with a fabulous color is something we all should consider!,... especially at this time of year when we might need a little color inspiration!

So with this all in mind, I am wandering the house,.... looking at each piece I own, trying to imagine it dressed in a pretty new color!....

I invite you to do the same!.....

Would love to hear what you come up with for your "painted cupboard"!.....

Happy Decorating!

heidi
xo

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"Good Morning.....A Busy Day"

Good Morning Friends,
This so far has been one busy week!....And today is no different!.....The coffee is made, a quick chat with my girls, with my husband occasionally joining our "coffee clatch"!......Then bed making,..... a shower/make-up/hair.....& then off to a dear friend's house for a decorating appointment. Back home to work on lots of Etsy pillow orders this afternoon & then preparing meatloaf & Paula potatoes! ( simply divine!) A dinner I will serve buffet-style, from the stove top, everything piping hot, with a large stack of white plates & napkins placed close by.
Tonight we have different schedules,.... boyfriends joining us, &....my "open door" policy is in full swing!
*definintion of "open door policy": new idea I am trying to put into action here at the house; delicious food prepared, house fairly picked up, & ready for whoever & whenever friends & family happen to join us each evening.
***********************************

I will bet your day is fairly similar!.....

heidi
xo

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"New Designs" at Heidi Devlin Design!

I have been so busy designing & creating lots of new designs for my etsy shop,
"Heidi Devlin Design"!!....

Among them is my sweet "cozy winter" pillow......

my typographic "at" pillow,..... clean & classic!

& the perfect pillow for Valentines Day,...my "us" pillow!

All are available now!.....

& each would just love a "new home" at your house!
Enjoy your day!.......

heidi
XO

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"Inspired Aspirations"......

O.K. I'll admit it. I just finished taking down my Christmas tree.
Now most of my other decorations are put away....
let me clarify....
All my holiday things have been taken down & are now sitting on my big dining kitchen table....to be packed away sometime in the near future?
Can't say for sure it will be today.

So even though I still have "Christmas baubles & bobs" to attend to....my mind is thinking about new projects!... ideas for the garden & for a quilt!

Over the the last couple of weeks I have been thumbing through some of my beautiful books & have become so inspired!.....Inspired over quilt designs...& inspired to plant a winter garden!.....
I have purchased sweet pea seeds, 2 raspberry plants, winter lettuce, spinach & onions & shallots, & even a new pair of gardening gloves!....
I am ready!
On the quilting front, the same kind of enthusiasm is being put into color, pattern & fabric choices!

I believe it is good for the soul, for us each to take on a new project or two at the beginning of a new year.
It allows you to learn, to be challenged, to be frightened.....

It takes you out of your comfort zone & in turn allows growth.

So I am off now to finish putting away my holiday decorations of 2010,..... maybe.
And then it's all about a new quilt,.... a new garden.....& lots of of possibilities for 2011.

heidi
xo

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The Last Twelve Days.....

The last 12 days have been filled with very "thankful highs",... along with some very, very "worried-out-of-your-mind lows".

All is looking up this afternoon.....prayers are being answered.

It's interesting how "child-like" you become,... yet how very "grown-up" you need to be when your mother is sick, hurt or compromised in any way.

Our mother, tonight,.... is thankfully "on the mend",... & will be for some time....

however this evening a "calm" has come over my sister & I.

We can relax tonight.

God is taking care of us all.....

your friend,.....

heidi

xo

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"Truly Christmastime".......

Work is finished, I am completely caught up!.....I just sent out my last pillow order this afternoon. I love that it coincided with the busiest mailing day of the year?.....I was assured each package would arrive before Christmas....so both myself & my clients are happy.

With work behind me,.....it is now truly "Christmastime"!.....

The house is decorated, just like a cozy English cottage...very busy, with aqua mixed in with all the raspberry & soft green. Every surface boosts the most charming still-life arrangements & candy canes are within easy reach no matter what room you happen to be in.

Tomorrow cranberry breads will be competing with spritz for oven time,.... & wrapping paper & ribbon will be adorning all our presents.

It is the week before Christmas & happiness is all around us.
It is time to breathe in the moments that make these days so enchanting.... appreciate each & every one.

heidi
xo

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"Christmas in Old Poway".....

Just now my husband Ter & I returned from "Christmas in the Park".....which is a lovely celebration in Old Poway,... where we live in Southern California. Knowing that the tree lighting was scheduled for 5:20pm, we decided to walk over, just the two of us....to see what all the excitement was about?....
Well, we were incredibly impressed!!! Old Poway was utterly charming!...You would have thought we were on the set of the "Gilmore Girls"! Who knew!? All the turn-of-the-century buildings were dressed in little white lights,...with Mr. & Mrs. Claus arriving in the steam locomotive, which encircles the park!...
In the beautifully decorated gazebo, choirs of children sang carols, while people of all ages strolled around listening & sipping hot coffee!....
I am, so proud to be part of a community that takes such pride in it's history & the celebrations it hosts!
What a treat for us all!.....
Enjoy your weekend!
heidi
xo

* entry way- courtesy of Martha Stewart, "Turkey Hill".......I will always love that house! :)

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"In Search of Our Christmas Tree & Memories".....

So sorry to have been away from blogging for far too long! I have so missed chatting & sharing thoughts with all of you!....Here it is the most exciting time of year & I haven't been blogging at all?....Well, I am happy to say that I am back & so very ready to visit!
I am sure many of you have your "trees up & your cards sent", however here at our house that is not the case!....In fact, tonight we are going Christmas tree shopping!.....This year, we have had quite the debate....fresh tree or fake??....Growing up it was always a real tree. Going to tree lots & choosing a tree was one was one of the highlights of the holiday season!...
After marrying & moving to Southern California though, it seemed a fake tree was a smarter choice, so for years that's what we've done!....and happily!....there is something very nice about a pre-lit, tree with adjustable branches!
This year though, and maybe it has something to do with having a 6 year old grandson....Returning to the local tree lot to choose a Christmas tree, just seems to be the right thing to do!....I find myself wanting Andrew to experience how fun it is to wander a tree lot at night, with strings of tiny white lights & lots of stars guiding you. Row after row we would walk, pulling out one tree after another... deciding which was straight enough, full enough, tall enough.

And then after the chill of the air was beginning to help make our decision for us, we would choose our beautiful tree & take it home.
In the days that followed, our tree would be dressed with "glittery balls & thin strands of tinsel"...... I would sit & admire that tree night after night, curled up in a big wing-back after my evening bath...the enchantment of it all almost to overwhelming for one little girl.
Those are my memories.
So with these thoughts in mind, I am hoping that my grandson will grow up with similar remembrances.....& his grandson after that...& so on.
Happy tree hunting......

heidi
xo

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