Marshmallows, Goldfish, and Tissue Paper...OH MY!

Jessica (who is in 4th grade) is currently studying the Medieval Era in school.  She had an assignment this past week to create a castle which was due today.  When I first heard of this project, naturally, my delusions of grandeur brought me to thoughts of an intricately built edifice strewn with "realistic" embellishments and detail.  My competitive nature started to kick in as thoughts of "Jessica's castle has to be the BEST" started to flow through my mind.

Fortunately, my wonderful husband, Jamie saved me from myself.  A few nights ago, he said he would take the lead on the castle project (something that was hard for me to let go of) since I was so swamped preparing for the upcoming boutique next week.  So he went to the store to get the supplies.  Well, instead of coming home with shopping bags from Michael's or JoAnn's or maybe even the Home Depot...he came home with grocery bags filled with....

Marshmallows and Toothpicks

Hmmm...not quite what I had in mind but hey...I was letting go of creative control this time so he and Jessica and Brandon (who had to help!) ran with it.

Now these were the big marshmallows (not the little ones) and after an hour or two of Jamie and the two kids piercing marshmallows with toothpicks (while trying to prevent Melissa from eating them) and arranging them in a castle-like shape, the project was finally done.  Well sort of.  As Jamie left for work the next morning, he said, "Do you think you can do something with that??" as he glanced over the undistinguishable mass of bulging sugar.  I just kind of mumbled, "I'll try."

For the next couple of days, I pleaded with Jessica to at least paint it but she refused...she was just fine with the way it was.  Was this *my* daughter???

To my relief, she came home yesterday saying that she had to put a moat around her castle...yes...finally, we could add a bit of color to it!  So we took some blue tissue paper and glued it around the castle for a moat.  

Brandon had the brilliant idea of adding Goldfish crackers in the moat for a bit of "realism". They finished it off by using one of Brandon's castle flags taken from one of his knight playsets and sticking it in the center.

She was so pleased at the outcome last night that she HAD to have her neighbor friend over just to see it. 

Jessica proudly entered her school this morning beaming at all of the "that's so cool!" comments she received from her friends.

I guess she really *is* my daughter. 

Modesty never looked so Fashionable

Vintage Fashion Print
Originally uploaded by Karmel Design

This vintage image of very fashionable "madames" caught my eye as it reminded me of one of my favorite treasures - a vintage Parisian newspaper I bought in a Paris flea market. The newspaper is filled with similar images of fashionable ladies in Europe and while I will never part with my original newspaper, I created this piece to express my love of that era and their timeless elegance.

Star Cross'd Lovers

Romeo and Juliet Decorative Tile1
Originally uploaded by Karmel Design

With Valentine's Day coming up, my thoughts of love and romance are still bringing me back to Shakespeare.

When Jamie and I were dating, I wrote a personal essay that compared us to Romeo and Juliet as we too were "star-cross'd" at the time due to our religious differences.

Although, fortunately, our religious differences were resolved and Jamie and I didn't commit suicide, the romantic tale of the Montagues and Capulets will still remain in my heart.

This tile features words from the couple:

ROMEO: With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out.

JULIET: My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (during a Wintry Day)

Midsummer Night's Dream - Travertine Tile3
Originally uploaded by Karmel Design

I found this vintage photo of Bottom (donkey) and Titania from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and I was feeling very reminiscent of my favorite class at UCLA which was Shakespeare.

It was such a beautiful picture that I had to do *something* with it so the result is this 6" X 6" travertine tile with the quote: "The course of true love never did run smooth" (words from the Great Bard himself).

Even though I took that class over (gasp!) 18 years ago, my gi-nor-mous (but beautiful) Riverside Shakespeare textbook is still one of my favorite treasures (even with all the highlights and margin notes!).

Tell Me Again...why did we leave Southern Calif?

Why did we move to Utah?
Originally uploaded by kaydles

Once again, we woke up to heavy snowfall. Jamie left the house at 4:30 am to get to work and it's a good thing he did too! While he didn't have to struggle with much traffic at that early hour, the roads were not plowed but fortunately he made it there safely in his little California convertible (top up, of course!) by driving behind a big rig.

He did pass a few accidents though and he's glad he got to work so early - several of his colleagues took 2+ hours to get to work during rush hour!

Da Vinci in My Heart

Oh...how I long for the serenity she seems to enjoy...

Ever since I saw "Ever After" with Drew Barrymore a few years ago, I've always loved Da Vinci's portrait "Head of a Young Woman".   Of course the movie version made her look more like Drew...but the image shown here is of the actual masterpiece.

I've taken this image and digitally embellished it for an elegant fine print. Isn't she lovely?

This print is available in my Etsy boutique:

http://www.karmeldesign.etsy.com

Love in the Home - Free Postcards to Share

I've treasured the message that this verse conveys for years now and in the past I've sent it to friends and family prior to Valentine's Day. It's a message that I have to read to myself often.

It is entitled "Love in the Home"

The verse:
"Love in the Home"

"If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love, I am a housekeeper - not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love, my children learn cleanliness - not godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the fingerprints on the newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.
Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the
Greatest of all is Love. (Author unknown)"

I am now offering a set of 6 complimentary postcards (they're double-sided 4" X 6") for you to share with YOUR friends and family. Just e-mail me at karmel@karmeldesign.com with your shipping information and I will send them out to you free of charge.

I'll even package it all pretty for you (because I just can't help myself!)




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You can also view this message on an 8 X 8 Travertine Tile available in my Etsy shop. http://www.karmeldesign.etsy.com