About Me

Hi, I'm Laura!

I love to make things. I love to garden. I love my cats. I love to read. I love to laugh. I love to write. And I love my husband.

I also love comfy clothes and comfy shoes, good champagne, hair products, Irish Breakfast tea, Victorian images and ephemera, really old books, and handmade items – especially earrings and art dolls.

I love sea-faring tales of pirates, whaling ships, and early explorers looking for the Northwest Passage in the Arctic, and racing to find the South Pole.

I love storms as they're approaching, and as they're happening: a good rain never gets me down and I find I'm more creative and inspired on a rainy day. I love the wind, whether it is a gentle breeze in the Spring, a hot wind in the Summer, or a brisk cold wind in November. My favorite season is Autumn.

My favorite craft tool is my bone folder. I like to touch and feel handmade and decorative papers like others will touch and feel fine fabrics. I love to make things look time-worn with distressing and aging. And I love to make things sparkle with glitter. To me, chips and tears are beautiful and only enhance the story behind a vintage find.

I think life is definitely too short to hold off pursuing your dreams until “someday” happens. Someday is now. And living your life in the moment should be what everyone strives for. That being said, sometimes I craft and blog in my pajamas. Sometimes my “bed head” hairstyle is literally natural.

I am a work in progress. And I like it that way. Otherwise I would stop being curious and stop wanting to learn.

In my past life, I was a trained classical flautist, cancer survivor, lover of big 80s hair, city dweller in Boston then Philly, and had a great career at a music college in Boston for 16 years. Through all of that, I loved making things, especially cards. My first card of note was one I made for my mother (when I was a wee one) for Mother's Day. She saved it. The back says "Whole Made Cards" written in crayon. I obviously knew the importance of handmade way back then...just got the words wrong!

After enjoying city life for many years – first in Boston, Massachusetts, then in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – my husband and I recently settled down in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Many of the projects I write about on this blog are centered around our home and gardens.

Lulu, the CFO

Aliza-Loo "Doolittle"

We are currently "owned by" two cats: a 12-year old Ragdoll girl named Lulu, and an 18-ish years young formerly feral kitty named Aliza-Loo Doolittle. Aliza enjoys a fulfilling retirement doing very little work (aka Doolittle).

Matisse, aka Mr. Boober... Rest In Peace
November 19, 2009

Matisse, aka Mr. Boober, our gentle giant

~Laura

We had the heartbreak of saying goodbye to our special boy, who bravely battled his feline lymphoma for a lot longer than any doctors could predict. Mr. Boober never complained, and never asked for anything. He loved unconditionally and will always be our special boy, our gentle giant, our buddy, our speed bump. 

You can read two loving tributes I wrote about him here.