HANDMADE BY ... SMILE MERCANTILE

Oh, I love this shop!  Smile Mercantile is such a sweet place to visit with so many charming handmade items to add personality to your (my) home.  Besides handmade Christmas ornaments, bridal bouquets, petite pincushions, and carnival bean bags, there are lovely vintage pieces, too.  Take a look at these rustic red and white enamel bowls and these cool rubber stamps ... just a couple of the unique vintage pieces they offer.  :)

For more vintage goodness, take a look at their website!

COLORFUL WORLD ... WINTER IN THE WOODS

You could plop me down in this photo right now and I'd be very happy.  Well, maybe add a roaring fire, some good friends, and marsh mellows on a stick and that it would be the perfect setting!

I love how the warm, neutral, and cool tones all play a part in the natural world.  And photographer, *krissi*, did a beautiful job at capturing the chill and beauty of an icy Winter day.

BEAUTIFUL DISTRACTIONS DURING DIFFICULT TIMES

Well, hi there.  How are you doing on this fine Tuesday morning?  To be honest, it was really a challenge for me to blog yesterday with the very sad news about the shootings in Connecticut a few days ago.  It's been so difficult to process that such a horrific event took place ... an event that involved small innocent children.  I think that, not only are we grieving in the U.S., but so many of our friends around the world are grieving along with us.  Heartwrenching news like this has a way of bringing us all together, doesn't it?

When my heart feels heavy I have several ways of coping.  I cry, I vent my feelings out loud, I pray, and I look for beauty in the world.  One avenue of beauty and a great distraction when thoughts and emotions are overwhelming is to get on Pinterest.  From beautifully photographed nature photos, to luscious recipes, beautiful holiday images, and gorgeous fashion photos, it's a haven for me and reminds me of all the beauty still left in our world.

QUESTION:  How do you cope when something painful happens in your life?

This morning I spent about a half hour pinning new fashion images to my "Fun with Fashion" board.  I hope you can find a little comfort and peace by browsing through my Pinterest boards and maybe even create an account for yourself ... if you don't already have one.   ;)

Thanks for taking the time in your busy day to stop by, sweet friends.  xo

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Photo found HERE.  Image credits anyone?  Update:  Image by Kate Spade and is entitled "Any Tree will Fit".  It's also available as a Christmas card with Avanti Press.  Thanks, Pauline and Sue.  xo

I adore this photo and thought it would be a cheerful way to end the week.  :)  Any fun plans for your weekend?  I'm hoping that tonight my husband and I will be going to see the holiday lights at Candy Cane Lane in Seattle.  Last year I was really sick and felt like I pretty much missed the holiday season.  This year's been different and I vowed to myself that I would take part in as many events as possible.  On Sunday my sweet daughters and a special friend from high school along with her daughters, will be coming to our place for a small Christmas party (the main focus will be on food, of course).  I'm really looking forward to that!

Whatever you do, I hope your weekend is filled with the people and things you love.  XO

OH- -SO-BEAUTIFUL WINTER FASHIONS

Sigh .... I'm in a dreamy state just looking at these beautiful romantic images by photographers Sanchez and Mongiello taken for The New York Times Style Magazine in 2010.  Even though these aren't things I'd normally wear, wouldn't it be fun to dress up for a day in one of these and even be transported into one of these gorgeous snow scenes?

INTRODUCING TWO NEW SPONSORS ON SIMPLY HUE

Good morning .... it can't be Thursday already.  What have I accomplished?  What have I done??  lol.  Ok, calm down, Vicki.  There's still 2 weeks until Christmas and that's not what it's all about anyways, right?  Thanks for letting me vent.  It felt kinda nice, actually.  :)

Anyways, I just wanted to introduce you to two new sponsors on Simply Hue!  The first one is wonderful vintage shop called Olly Olly Oxen Free.  I think they have a special purpose for their shop that I haven't seen too much on Etsy.  They cater to brides and grooms for their wedding, supplying vintage glassware and goods for table settings and centerpieces.  They also carry some of the most lovely book sets organized in color groups.  Great idea!

The next shop is called Marza and their shop is filled with creative and colorful handmade wooden/driftwood pieces such as Christmas trees adorned with colorful buttons, handmade driftwood and glass lamps, Boho style garlands and chandeliers, drift wood mirrors and shelves and much, much more!  The creativity of women around the world just amazes me.  :)

Have a great Thursday, sweet friends.  xoxo

A PEACEFUL WINTER LANDSCAPE VIDEO BY JOY ST. CLAIRE

One of my special online friends and favorite photographers, Joy St. Claire, has created the most calming winter landscape video! I hope it brings peace and comfort to you like it did me. To enjoy all this beauty in full-screen, view it on You Tube. xo

Joy's Fine Art Prints can be found on Etsy and Society 6.  :)

HANDMADE BY ... PAPILLION DREAMS

I'm so excited about a new sponsor here on Simply Hue!  Suzanne, an artist and fashion designer, is the owner of Papillion Dreams.  She creates these exquisite crochet ornaments, decorative pillows, and one-of-a-kind handbags created from her original collages.

Here's what Suzanne says about her process (so nice of her to share it with the world!):

"The process is pretty simple – lots of magazine clippings, glue, and time to bring them together. After the glue has dried, I scan the collage into the handy-dandy computer where I tweak it and get rid of the bits that I don’t want. Then voila it is ready to print for the project of the moment. The prints for the bag are inkjet printed on special cotton and heat set to avoid future bleeding. While the prints are reproduced in a number of items – each individual item is unique and not created in multiples."

Oh, and by the way, I happen to be the proud new owner of 12 of her beautiful crochet ornaments.  :)

I COULD LIVE HERE ... PERSONAL TOUCHES EVERYWHERE

You can find more photos RIGHT HERE!

Hi everyone.  :)  While browsing the web I found the coolest home with personal touches in every corner, on every shelf and wall, and on nearly every piece of furniture.  From handmade crochet throws to children's masterpieces and sentimental vintage objects, this home inspires me to add more meaningful objects to our decor.  Although I prefer a slightly more modern home, I could definitely spend time here appreciating every meaningful object and personalized nook.

Our new place (a small 1,000 square foot condo) has been a bit of a challenge for me to decorate.  First of all, when we moved here from our large 2700 square foot 1918 Craftsman Bungalow, we got rid of years and years of accumulation!  We had three garage sales and sold almost all of our furniture and decorations.  We knew we would have to really cut back in order to squeeze into this little place.

It was heart-breaking at times to go through our sentimental things and know that I couldn't hold onto everything, but it was really freeing at the same time.  I decided when we moved here that I'd keep our decorating simple, clean, and uncluttered.  I wanted a relaxed modern rustic feel and I think we're finally getting there!  It's been a little challenging to incorporate some of the special things we saved and brought with us ... I think after we've lived here for a while our personalities and the things that mean the most to us will be more evident in the appearance of our home and these images definitely inspire me to relax and personalize our tiny space.

How have you personalized your home to make it feel more like YOU?

COLORFUL WORLD ... COZY WINTER

Hello, how's your Monday going?  Hope this image and it's colors brings a little bit of holiday cheer to your day.  I adore the images of Loreta from Fotopastele.  She captures so much beauty and makes the tiniest objects appear magical.  :)

I'm going to keep this post short today because I'm having some problems with Blogger.  See you tomorrow, sweet friends!

GIVE THE GIFT OF CREATIVITY FOR 2013!

Good morning!  Hope you've had a good week.  I imagine you're looking forward to the weekend?  I haven't been feeling well the last couple of weeks but am feeling a little better today and am looking forward to doing some holiday shopping tomorrow and going out for pizza with family on Sunday.  :)

Sooooo .... I'm really excited to announce that I'm offering RAINING UMBRELLAS GIFT CERTIFICATES this holiday season!!  If you have a creative person in your life and you want to encourage and motivate them on their creative journey, this is the perfect gift.  I'm so proud and honored to be able to teach this inspiring e-course and would love to have you (yes, you can purchase a certificate for yourself or have someone purchase one for YOU) or your friend join me for the next session of Raining Umbrellas on January 14th!

PRE-REGISTRATION is also open so if you'd like to sign up early or purchase a gift certificate (just $59 for now...the price goes up to $79 in January), please visit my E-COURSE PAGE.  Simply choose a registration option, "Gift Certificate" or "Pre-registration", and Pay Pal will lead you through the very easy payment steps.  After I receive your payment I'll send you a confirmation e-mail, the course Syllabus, and (if you purchased the gift certificate) an attached certificate for you to fill out and gift wrap for your recipient.  Hope to see you in January!!

HANDCRAFTED FELT BEAUTIES BY THE SCARLET CORD

Well, hi!  Just thought I'd pop in to introduce you to the lovely creations of Kris Keese from The Scarlet Cord on Etsy.  I'm in such awe of her talent! Kris uses needles and felt to sculpture birds and various kinds of wildlife and adds a bit of whimsy to her creations with various mixed media objects such as beads, crystals, recycled wool fabric, and lace.  I love how delicate her work is!  And each piece is truly timeless.

Love your work, Kris, and I'm so honored to feature you on my blog.   :)

BEAUTIFUL PASTEL IMAGES FROM LULA MAGAZINE

Oh wow, I couldn't resist posting this soft pastel retro images from Lula Magazine. Model, Monika Sawicka, looks great in any style or clothing era and photographer, Sophia Sanchez, creates the perfect muted tones and retro styling for these photos.

Beautiful images have a way of brightening my day.  Hope these do that for you, too!  xx

I COULD LIVE HERE ... A BRIGHT MODERN HOME

Images found HERE

Good morning!  How's your day going so far?  I'm hoping that my Tuesday is much better than my Monday. It was one of those Murphy's Law days "whatever can go wrong will go wrong".  One thing I'm already loving about today, though, is the strong wind that's blowing and the sudden downpours that stop as quickly as they started.  I love extreme weather .... it's the constant Seattle drizzle that I'm not too fond of.

Hope these photos will give fuel some decorating ideas for you!  There's so much I love about these rooms!!  In the first two photos I'm in awe of the gorgeous detail work on the fireplace, the shiny wood floors, the white walls and furniture with the bright splashes of color in the textiles.

The olive floral wallpaper along with the modern white chair and bedding really catch my eye in the bedroom and the rustic red brick wall and the crisp mood of the kitchen are perfect.  And, don't you think the view from the balcony is amazing?  I just imagine sitting there with a hot cup of coffee watching the traffic and the people pass by.  Love it!

How about YOU?  Could you live here?  What do you like or dislike about this home?