Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Many parts of the U.S. -- including Michigan -- 

continue to experience extremely cold temperatures

so I though this was a good time to share a small wall hanging

that I made to bring a bit of cold weather whimsy into my home.

Here is a closeup of the hand embroidery that was used

to give this snowman personality.

His hands may be cold, but he delivers

a heartfelt "Winter Blessings" greeting.

A chain stitch was used on his hat and gloves to mimic

 the cable stitch in knit garments.

Pearls and bugle beads embellish the body of the snowman.

And his heart is stitched with closely spaced french knots.

Crab-apple Hill created the pattern for this project, 

#410 Crazy Quilt Snowman.  

It was intended to be a pillow top

but by adding a few borders

it is just the right size to display in my foyer. 

Until next time, live and love well.

This week you will find me at these gatherings:

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants
Share Your Cup at Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.  We would love to create a special doll for you!

January Sparkle

After the Christmas decorations are packed away for another year,

the house always seems more spacious.

Although, I always miss the glow of the Christmas tree lights

and the festive stairway and mantle garlands.

January decorating needs to be simpler -- but 

a celebration of the beauty of the winter season. 

This January vignette in my dining room was inspired by 

these pastel, egg-shaped ornaments. 

A chubby snowman wearing a black top hat

 is a beloved winter image.

His scarf of glitter repeats the shimmer

of the egg-shaped ornaments.

A candle encrusted with seed pearls and bugle beads

adds another layer of sparkle to the vignette.

Not to be outdone by the ornaments,

the ribbon glimmers with a profusion of dots.

Let's walk into the kitchen where we will find 
a wine bottle filled with twinkling white lights
to brighten the early arriving darkness of the evening.

One of our Michigan wineries creates this special blend
of wine to celebrate the winter season.

The blue bottle and charming label artwork

make it worthy of a featured spot on my winter counter. 

A wine bottle carrier adorned with a winter scene and a cottage-shaped votive candle holder finish the kitchen vignette.

  As we snuggle indoors on a cold January night,

this scene is a  small reminder that 

There's No Place Like Home. 

Until next time, live and love well.

This week you'll find me joining: 

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Share Your Cup at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Cottage Style Party at Lavender Garden Cottage
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.  We would love to create a special doll for you!

Snow Crystals

We all have heard that no two snowflakes are alike. But did you ever stop to think about how this discovery was made? I never gave this much thought until a visit to Vermont a few years ago. A tour guide recommended a visit to the snowflake museum. A snowflake museum?! How intriguing!

William A. Bentley (1865-1931) was born in Jericho, Vermont. He dedicated his life to the study of snow, frost and rain.

During his lifetime, he took over 5,000 images of snowflakes. Because of this dedication, William Bentley soon became known as "Snowflake Bentley".

To do his work, a camera was attached to a microscope and the resulting image is called a photomicrograph. Due to the fragile nature of a snowflake, this work was done in an environment that equaled the temperature where the snowflake was recovered.

As a memento of the visit to the museum, I purchased a book that contains almost half of the images captured by Mr. Bentley. You might enjoy viewing a few pages.

Mr. Bentley used the name SNOW CRYSTALS

in his work rather than snowflakes,

thus the name of the book. 

All snowflakes are six-sided hexagons.
We don't typically see smooth hexagons

and think of snowflakes

but these are common snow crystal shapes.

Images on these pages almost look like triangles.

 But closer inspection shows

the corners are flat rather than pointed

so these meet the six-sided requirement of a hexagon.  

With six rounded petals,

these images could be called ice flowers!

The final photo shows the variations

of the pointed-star shape

traditionally associated with the image of a snowflake.

Snowflakes by Linda A. Copp

Snowflakes spill from heaven's hand

Lovely and chaste like smooth white sand.

A veil of wonder laced in light 

Falling Gently on a winters night. 

Graceful beauty raining down

Giving magic to the lifeless ground.

Each snowflake like a falling star

Smiling beauty that's spun afar. 

Till earth is dressed in a robe of white

Unspoken poem the hush of night.

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Until next time, live and love well.

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Midland's Snowy Blanket

No snow for Christmas...

No snow the entire month of December...

But, last night the snow finally arrived in Midland,
in Michigan, and in many other states.

Not the destructive volumes of snow that buried cities in Alaska.

Not enough snow to close local schools.

But enough to cover the brown winter landscape.

Just a pretty, fluffy white blanket of snow.

Winter wonderland view outside my bedroom window. 

Pine tree tip bends from the weight of the snow.

A better view of the yard from another second story window.  

The bird feeder looks so tiny next to the mature trees.

I'll get my coat and head outside so I can get some close-up shots.

The snowmen placed on the decorative fence in December

 finally look at home.

Rhododendrons are buried from the snowfall.

Snow-covered branches of Japanese maple

frame the front entryway.

A picture perfect evergreen!

And the snowman puffs his rosy cheeks

and smiles at the beauty that surrounds him.

Until next time -- live and love well,

                                      Debra

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.