Monday, December 31, 2007

Thoughts at Midnight...


It's New Year's Eve and I had been out on the back porch, looking at the sparkling stars before they are hidden behind wintry clouds, listening to the wind blowing through the trees, feeling the cold on my face, waiting for the dusting of snow that is on its way tomorrow, or so they say. I came back in to the warmth of my home, to drink a cup of hot tea, and to look through some of the old 1800s books that I have in my collection ~ just enjoying the night ~ waiting for the New Year. While sitting here, I happened upon this poem in a book from 1853.


Thoughts at Midnight
The midnight winds are breathing now
A soft and gentle pray’r,
That floats like angel whisperings
Upon the silent air;
And flow’rs are weeping dewy tears,
And stars smile down in glee;
And now my thoughts will fondly turn
To thee, dear one --- to thee!

Earth’s weary ones now rest in peace,
And calmly, sweetly sleep;
While o’er the orphan angels bend,
And holy vigils keep:
The world is purer, better now,
And oh! I feel its pow’r
Steal o’er my heart in the deep hush
Of this calm, gentle hour.

Ah! wither do thy thoughts now roam?
Doest gaze on that fair star,
That twinkles in its azure home,
And think of one afar
Do straying zephyrs waft to thee
A whisper’d word or tone,
That thrills thy heart with gentle dreams,
And music, all its own?

But midnight o’er the sleeping world,
Hath toll’d its iron bell,
And thou, perchance, art resting too,
Beneath its holy spell:
Oh! may thy dreams be pure and sweet,
With innocence and glee;
While I bow down beneath the stars,
And breathe a pray’r for thee.


by Clarence May ca.1853


While the entire poem is beautiful, the last 2 lines stayed in my thoughts:

"While I bow down beneath the stars,

And breathe a pray’r for thee."


Tonight, while out on the back porch, in the night air, before I came in the house and read this poem, I was thinking of all the wonderful, kind, thoughtful, gracious, caring, selfless, inspiring, loving souls that I have met over the past year. And while I stood out there alone, I thanked God for all of you. I thanked Him for sending someone to touch my life and my heart, especially during this past year. You may have become a dear, sweet friend, or you may have only passed by once and left a kind comment on my blog or by email. Whether I met you in person or online, I am so thankful for your friendship, your kind comments, your words of encouragement.


God Bless

&

Happy New Year!

Lana

of

Honeysuckle Lane

~*~

Friday, December 14, 2007

Christmas Sale!


As Christmas fast approaches, many people are frantically trying to buy last minute gifts.
I am discounting several handmade items by 20%. To help you with your shopping, I will also gift wrap items and mail them directly to the recipient if you wish.



I have early style make-do pincushions and a lovely hand tied French Toile Be'be' Quilt on the SALE page. You may visit the sale HERE.

You may see soldered glass charms HERE and Christmas Whimsies HERE.

You may also see more of my handmade items at these online markets. They will update late tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Visit TDIPT Mercantile for Ribbon Roses


Visit Simply Primitives for a Silk Gore Pincushion, Antique Engraving Cards, and a soldered charm necklace for the PRIMITIVE lover. (Look for Honeysuckle Lane in the 15th of the Month Release column).



Thanks for stopping by... and for your patience. I will try to share more non-business things with you now that I am through working for the rest of the year.

~*~




Monday, December 10, 2007

Vintage Adornments & A Birthday Remembered




I have loved things of bygone days as long as I can remember. I'm sure my Mama had something to do with it. Daddy had an interest in old things, he even bought and sold junk and scrap metal the last few years of his life, but Mama was fascinated with every little piece of history she came across. She loved imagining who owned the pincushion she found at the junk store and what sort of clothes they were making or mending when they stuck pins in it. She wondered about the little pressed flower tucked between the pages of a book ~ did a child pick it for its Mother or was it a token of love from a beau? Today would have been Mama's 80th birthday. Sometimes on her birthday I'd call her and ask if she wanted to go to a junk store ~ yep, that was part of her birthday present! She LOVED to go prowling around at junk stores and was always ready and willing when I asked if she wanted to go with me. So, today I went to our favorite junk store. I couldn't help but think of her the entire time I was there. So many things I would have shown her and she would have loved to have seen.

My love of all things old is why I enjoy making these Vintage Adornments: Ribbon Rose Corsages. A few materials and a little time and you have a beautiful rose to pin on your jacket, a decorative pillow, or on your drapery tieback.... wherever you'd like a bit of vintage beauty.

This Ribbon Rose is made from 1 1/2" wide wired ribbon, velvet millinery leaves, and vintage stamens. The colors are perfect for winter... a deep iridescent reddish burgundy with a hint of black on the ribbon and matching burgundy velvet leaves. The vintage stamens are wired and are white dipped in red. The back of the pin is finished with a backing fabric and a silver pin back is firmly attached. The entire piece is approximately 5" - 6" in diameter including the leaves. Please note: it isn't quite as black as it looks in the photo.

I have 3 available of this color. Please email me (honeysucklelane@hotmail.com) if you'd like to purchase one or more of these Vintage Adornments.

They are $12 each plus shipping.

~*~

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Snowman Confection


Finally ~ I didn't think I'd ever finish! I worked all morning on this last piece so I could take some good photos before the light faded this evening. Snowman Confection, the name I gave it, is a favorite of mine. I LOVE the milk chocolate & French vanilla colors! German glass glitter, crepe paper rosettes, antique mother of pearl buttons, ribbons, and velvet millinery leaves.... all are things that I love. It will be hard to part with, but I will have it listed on eBay Sunday night at 9pm central. Sign up on my mailing list to be notified when it begins, or just keep watching my auction page and you'll eventually see him in all his finery.


Thanks for stopping by!

~*~

Friday, December 7, 2007

Last Dolls of the Season...

Update: The Cottage Santa pictured above will be going up for auction on eBay tonight at 8pm central. This will be a short 3 day auction. You may see more photos and read the description on my eBay page when it is time.
~*~



I am finishing up another Cottage Santa & a Vintage Holidays Snowman today and will have them ready to show tonight or tomorrow morning. These will be my last dolls this year. I would have stopped before now, but I had started them some time ago and needed to finish them and find each one a new home. The one pictured in all white and holding a mother of pearl wreath is a special order and is already on his way to a new home this week. I know he will be sooooo happy with his new friend ~ she is such a sweet lady.

I usually send out an email when I have a few new items for sale. If you'd like to be one of the first to see them, be sure to sign up on my mailing list by emailing me. My address is in my profile and on my website.

Thanks for checking in!

~*~

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Remembrance Charms


Hi everyone! I've just added a few 2007 Remembrance Charms to my Simple Joys Soldered Charms collection. The Remembrance charms have reprints of my antique children photographs. The back of each charm commemorates the current year of 2007 and are made from textured paper and old school number cards. These would be thoughtful gifts for children or parents of children born this year, or for those who collect a charm or ornament for each year.


I have also added a Vintage charm to the collection ~ "simply charming". Visit here to see more photos, descriptions, and prices.

Thank you for visiting!

~*~