Gatherings Magazine- Summer 2011

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Gatherings Magazine

Volume 1 , Issue 1

Table of Contents: • Heart to Heart from Heather • Contributors • Favorite Things • Color Story: Blue and Yellow • Crafty Corner: Doily Delights • The Decorologist is In! • Delicious Dish: Summer’s Sweet Endings • Musings from a Vintage Maven Cover image: Jennie Prince, Insert Image: Ginny Donovan

• Midsummer’s Romance: Picnic on the Lawn • Creative Connections: Visions of Grace – The Photography of Monica Charbeneau • Corners of Home: A Mini Makeover • Shop Around the Corner: Love Daniella

Heart to Heart‌ From Heather

Welcome Friends!

It is with great enthusiasm I present to you the premiere issue of Gatherings Magazine! As a blogger and designer passionate for all things Lovely, Romantic and Vintage, this project is a fulfillment of many a bygone daydream. Many of you have followed my work first as Gathering Spriggs and now at Heather Spriggs (http://heatherspriggs.com)and are here to celebrate a new direction. Whether you are friend, follower, or first timer, I hope you find Gatherings Magazine as an inspiration for your creative musings.

This debut issue is your guidebook to Summertime Romantic living.

Scroll these pages for dreamy picnic ideas sure to make Manet swoon, recipes for your sweet tooth, delightfully repurposed doilies, vintage decorating tips and much more!!

It is my hope that these pages will truly Inspire Creative Living in your Life!

Stay connected and spread the word on Face book http://www.facebook.com/pages/GatheringsMagazine/109264629163539 and Twitter! http://twitter.com/ - !/gatheringsmag

Lovely Contributors

Monica Charbeneau http://monicacharbeneau.com a photographer based out of Phoenix Arizona, creating beauty behind the lens for the past 6 years. Monica writes about her process on her blog When Life Gives you Lemons.

Ginny Donovan http://cookingwithchopin.blogspot.com A stay-at-home-mom, self-taught cook and photographer, and lover of words and life, has found much joy in the blogging world since creating Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo in August of 2010. She can often be found in the kitchen with small children hanging from her waistband.

Rachel Follett http://lovelyclusters.com Creative director of Ironwood Design Studios. Rachel is a graphic and web designer with a passion for finding pretty lovely items, for her online marketplace, Lovely Clusters and Blog.

Jennie Prince http://odessamay.blogspot.com/

Blogger | Crafter A photo and craft enthusiast living in upstate New York. Blogging about art, handmade and DIY. On a mission to find the beautiful and simple details around us.

Favorite f Things

http://www.puglypixel.com/2010/09/03/free-clip-art-vintage-fabric-deco-tapes/ http://www.cathkidstonusa.com/t-wallpaper.aspx

Color Story

Summertime Hues

by Rachel Follet

The Inspiration: When I think of Summer colors I immediately think of fresh blues and pretty yellows.

These classic colors together will give any outfit or room that summertime feeling.

Image credits: a place for twiggs http://etsy.com.shop.aplacefortwiggs

corrie bond,, the lennox

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Lovely Clusters Gallery ‌.

of Yellow and Blue

Crafty corner

Doily Delights A New Twist on an Old Favorite text and photos by jennie prince

A fresh take on crocheted doilies turns into a variety of lovely opportunities. In just a few simple steps, you can create crocheted doily

cones to use in your home, at your next party or as wedding favors. The possibilities are endless. Create a garland, use them as a centerpiece or place on top of a sweet package. Whatever your desire, these little cones bring beauty in the details.

Doily Cones

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Simple, do it yourself !

SUPPLIES: • Round crocheted doilies of various shapes and sizes

• Roll of wax paper • Fabric stiffener (can be

purchased at your local craft store)

• Craft brush • Cardstock • Stapler • Ruler • Pencil

1. After measuring the diameter of your doily, apply the measurement to create a cardstock square and wax paper square. For example, if your doily is 6 inches, make one 6 inch cardstock square and one 6 inch wax paper square. These squares will be used as your form to shape your doily cones.

Make one form for each doily.

2. With the wax paper on the outside of the cardstock, create a cone shape and secure by stapling in place. The wax paper must be on the outside to allow easy removal from the doily once it has dried.

3. Place a piece of wax paper on your work surface. Lay your doily on the wax paper and apply fabric stiffener using a craft brush. Be sure to cover the doily in its entirety.

4. Using the cardstock/wax paper cone form, lay on top of the doily and wrap it around the cone.

Transfer to a new piece of clean wax paper to dry. Drying time takes about 24 hours. Rotate the doily cone half way through the drying process.

5. Once the fabric stiffener has completely dried, peel the cone out from inside the doily. The doily will maintain its shape and you are left with a cone shape.

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http://beevintageredux.etsy.com

http://stores.lulu.com/storybookwoods

http://cookingwithchopin.blogspot.com

The

Decorologist‌ is in!

Styling by Kristie Barnett Words and Photography

by Heather Spriggs

F

rom an early age, Kristie Barnett, aka the Decorologist,

has been rescuing treasure. Her Nashville, Tennessee home reflects her passion towards objects of her affections.

Walking into her home not only tells tales of yesterday, but whispers the joys of today. For Kristie, arranging treasures is just another day at the office.

As a former psychologist turned home stager and interior decorator giving advice to her many followers via her blog, The Decorologist, http://thedecorologist.com is second nature.

“ As a child I always collected things around me. They called me ‘little hoarder’.”- Kristie Barnett Kristie remembers her first auction at 6 years old at an old farmhouse where she bought a set of antique dishes which traveled with her through the years and now have a place of honor amidst her other gathered wares. Kristie’s strong eye for editing, passion for design and a nudge from her husband led her into home-staging, which naturally blossomed into design consulting and now daily design advice columns on her blog..

The Barnett’s moved into their 1939 stone cottage ten years ago with a vision, determination and a creative eye for their ever growing collections from yesteryear. Not only is it a delightful vintage showcase but with two young daughters it is a magical play land perfect for hosting Kristie’s beautifully staged parties and events. --j

"Live with what you love so that you'll love where

you live." - the decorologist

‌finishing touches

Delicious Dish

Summer’s Sweet Endings words and photography by ginny donovan styling by beth spriggs stanion

Heather Spriggs Thompson and I have a long and beautiful history. Our friendship began in 1988 when I confidently rode my pink banana-seat bicycle down the road and around the corner to the little 1920s bungalow where she lived with her mom and sister. For 23 years, Heather has remained a source of constant grace and beauty in my life.

One of the places Heather and I frequented in our hometown of Fredericksburg, Texas was The Peach Tree Tea Room. The list of yummy things to indulge was long and enticing, but our favorite thing to share was this ice cream pie. The only tricky part was trying to gracefully cut into the hard chocolate-coated crust with one's spoon without having the pie catapult across the room.

Ice Cream Pie 6-8 Servings 7 tablespoons melted butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 cups corn flakes 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) 1 1/2 quart ice cream (vanilla, coffee, or chocolate flavors) In medium saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, unsweetened chocolate, and chocolate chips over low heat. Stir constantly until thoroughly mixed and sugar is dissolved.

In large bowl, place cornflakes and nuts. Pour warm chocolate mixture over the corn flakes, gently stirring until flakes are THOROUGHLY coated.

Spray 9" pie plate with vegetable coating. Gently press coated flakes into pie plate.

Place in freezer until firm.

Fill frozen chocolate shell with slightly softened ice cream. Freeze until firm. Top with fudge sauce, praline sauce, berries, or sliced fruit.

Recipe from: The Peach Tree Tea Room Cookbook

Tres Leches Cake: Pastel De Tres Leche translates to "Three-Milk Cake" in Spanish. It's difficult to describe how incredibly moist and delicious it is until the first bite melts on your tongue.

After emerging from the oven, the top "skin" of the cake is gently removed with a serrated knife.

Then the fun begins. Three cups of a mixture containing heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk is poured over the cake. Three cups! It's quite an impressive amount for an unassuming single layer of cake to absorb.

Sometimes, while applying my night cream in the bathroom mirror, I pretend that I'm in a commercial. Turning my face to the side, I attempt to mimic the model's graceful application of the product. Only I usually end up finding something to pluck or pick at, and the daydream breaks into shards and swirls down the sink drain.

A similar commercial connection forged between my mind's Rolodex of television advertisements and my initial preparation of this cake. You know the baby diaper commercials where the infamous "blue liquid" is poured (and poured and poured) into the diaper, illustrating it's mind-blowing absorbent potential? That is exactly what this cake is like. You will look at the full measuring cup of milk and adopt a stance of combined disbelief ("There's no way this cake will hold all of that!") and irritation ("This silly recipe must be wrong.") But just believe. And, as long as your feet are firmly planted in dairy-loving land, prepare to have tingles run up and down your spine at the dessert's unadulterated sumptuousness.

Pastel De Tres Leche s Serves 6-8 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 6 eggs 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 3 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 13-ounce can evaporated milk 3 cups heavy cream, divided Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-by-3-inch springform pan with vegetable cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Combine eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add the water and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Mix well. On very low speed or by hand using a long spatula, gently fold dry ingredients into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan* and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is firm on top and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and place pan on a rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the cake out on a serving platter, place a cake plate over the cake, and turn it right side up. Set aside to continue cooling.

While the cake is cooling, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, the evaporated milk, the remaining two teaspoons of vanilla, and 1 cup of the heavy cream; set aside. Using a serrated knife, gently slice off the top skin of the cake and discard. Prick the cake all over with a long toothpick. (This will allow the cake to soak up the milk mixture.) Pour milk mixture over the cake in several batches, allowing it to soak in as much as possible each time. Refrigerate.** When ready to serve, pour the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream into a chilled bowl and beat with chilled beaters until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread the whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake and garnish with fresh fruit slices, if desired. *Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, minimizing clean-up in case cake spills over while baking. **Store cake in refrigerator.

Peach-Blueberry Cobbler Serves 6-8 1 stick butter 1-Âź cup sugar, divided 1 cup self-rising flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup milk 3 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced 1 cup fresh blueberries To honor the beauty and sweetness of summer produce, I like to showcase them in a cobbler.

This recipe is easy. In fact, I'll even go so far as to say it's fail-proof.

The secret is in the self-rising flour.

It's a must.

Interchange the fruit; the cobbler is happily adaptable.

Melt butter in a microwavable bowl. Pour 1 cup of the sugar, the self-rising flour, and the cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Whisk well to mix dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the milk. Stir until just combined. Then, add the melted butter and stir it all together well.

Butter a baking dish. (I suggest using an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish for a thicker cobbler.)

Mix the peaches and blueberries in a bowl.

Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Arrange the fruit on top of the batter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake at 350 for one hour or until golden and bubbly. If desired, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s do

As you hang up the phone, your heart begins to pound. On this hot summer's day, you've just learned that four friends will be popping by for a visit in the late afternoon.

You tie your apron strings and pat back your hair, wondering aloud, "What in Heaven's name will I serve to these genteel ladies?" The cupboard is mostly bare and the children are napping.

Translated: you're going to have to wing it.

Enter a fancy-sounding dessert with a pleasingly simple preparation:

Lemon Curd Roulade with Berry Coulis.

If you have a store-bought jar of lemon curd on hand, give thanks. If not, inhale deeply.

You can make it quickly...from scratch.

Do you have a box of frozen puff pastry sheets? (This is a wonderful thing to keep in the freezer. It's uses range from sweet to savory and it will keep for a long time.)

How about some fresh or frozen berries?

Yes? Now, dearest, you may as well smile, turn on your favorite music, and pour a cup of tea.

Enjoy this creative moment in your kitchen!

Lemon Curd About 1 cup 3 large eggs 1/3 cup sugar Grated zest of 1 lemon 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1/2 teaspoon vanilla To prepare, vigorously whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Then, add the lemon juice and the butter. Cook, over medium heat, and continuously whisk until the mixture is thickened. Then, gently simmer for a few seconds. Using a spatula, scrape the filling into a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl and strain the filling into the bowl (this will remove the zest). Stir in the vanilla.

Let cool, cover, and refrigerate to thicken the curd. It will keep, refrigerated, for about a week.

Recipe from The New All purpose Joy of Cooking (Rombauer, 1997) To Pre pare Roula de: To hasten the thawing of the puff pastry, remove it from the box and set it on the counter as you prepare the curd. In about 30 minutes it should be ready to work with.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a work surface (counter top, cutting board, etc.). Unfold the puff pastry, dust with a bit more flour, and then roll with a rolling pin, just to enlarge the dough a bit and to smooth out the creases.

Spoon 4 to 5 tablespoons of lemon curd over the pastry dough.

Spread with a spatula or the back of the spoon.

Beginning at the end furthest from yourself, roll the dough.

When you get to the end, a bit of curd may be oozing out. Remove it with a spoon, if desired.

Pinch the free edge to "attach" it to the dough nearby. This will create a seam.

Place the roulade, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Summer Berry Coulis* About 1 cup 1 cup fresh strawberries** (if using frozen berries, thaw under running cold water) 1 cup fresh raspberries**(thaw if frozen) 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Puree the berries in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or in a blender. Add sugar and lemon juice.

Taste. Stir in more lemon juice or sugar if needed.

Serve at once, either at room temperature or chilled, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Recipe from The New All purpose Joy of Cooking (Rombauer, 1997)

*Coulis is just a fancy French word for sauce. Pronounced "coo-lee". **Set a few berries aside for garnish, if desired.

To assemble th e dessert: Place the roulade, seam side down, on an oblong serving dish. Place the coulis in a Ziplock bag. Seal the bag and then snip off a tiny corner of the bag with scissors. Squeeze the coulis out of the bag to drizzle over the roulade. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and fresh berries, if desired. Cut roulade in diagonal slices to serve. Place a pool of coulis on each plate alongside the slice of roulade.

Now give yourself a giant pat on the back, you little dessert diva, you.

Cherry Mascarpone Crostini For a delectably simple sweet treat, generously spread mascarpone cheese, an Italian cream cheese found in the specialty section of some grocery stores, over slices of toasted baguette, and top with cherry preserves and lemon zest.

I would like to thank Beth Spriggs Stanion and Devan Dellenbach for their endless support, dish washing, styling, and child care to help produce this article.

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Musings from a Words by Mary Ann Sanders Photography by Heather Spriggs

Vintage Maven

Styling by Heather Spriggs and Mary Ann Sanders

So Tell us a little abou t yourself‌ My name is Mary Ann Murphree Sanders, Who am I ?? Goodness, aren 't we all t rying to figure that one out every single day?!

I grew up in F ranklin, child of t wo creat ive people , and younger sibl ing to an e ven more creative sister. I have been ma rried t o St eve Sanders since Oct obe r of 2000. Steve and I have two wonderful dog s, Lucy & Scout.

My Monday-Friday is spent in the purchasing depa rtment at American Pa per & Twine Co, a locally owned family business. I have worked at APT since 2000, spending most of that time in cust omer serv ice/ inside sales before moving int o purchasing late in 2010. I am slowly adapt ing t o my ne w roll in purcha sing.

The re st of my t ime is so cra m pa cked that I often find myself wishing for more h ours in

the day. I love my home. I l ove to cook, feed my friends and to sew when I can sit still long enough t o do so . I love to simply MAKE thing s. Most of all I l ove t o hunt treasure! The home I have created for my husband and I and our two dogs, mean s everything t o me. I en joy being at home SO much that I wouldn’t ca re if I went a nywhere else ever again.

When did you start coll ectin g? an d why?

My passion for collecting started at an early age. So many influences fueled my passion for collecting beginning with my family. My mother began a Madam Alexander doll coll ection for me when I was very young. One year in particular I received a Ms. Beasley Doll, which I still have to this day . My father, in ad dition

to many other thin gs was a Auctioneer. Many Saturday nights were spen t in an auction tent. In fact, the Hoosier cabi net in my kitchen came from one of my father's au ctions back in the 1980's. I think Mom paid $15.00 for it.

Early on I knew what I liked. I liked things my Granny had. I knew that if she had it, it was something good. Other coll ecting began out of necessity. My first husband and I started out with nothing. His lovely mother , Bren da introduced me to Garage Sales. Almost every weeken d I would plan my route and head out. I furnished my first kitchen an d home almost totally through yard sales and hand-me-downs from the family. The wedding gifts were very nice, but not the stuff that we n eed ed daily. Second hand items became gol d to me.

My first collection as an adult; Pyrex . All of the colors, shapes and sizes I could get my hands on. In the early 1990's no one wan ted the stuff, so it was easy to grow my collection. The l argest part of my collection is kitchen stuff, utensils, things that I do indeed use. It evolved into a few pots and pans and gr ew from ther e. Over the years I have had man y of my own garage sal es. I’ve let go of things I should no t have, as well as things that it was time to rotate out. I tr y very

hard to let go of at least one thing fo r every item that I bring in. This is somethin g I really have to work on.

My booth at the Bellevue Antique Mall (BAM) has really helped me to do this over the last 2 year s. Jeanie Fal kie, the owner of BAM, "found" me by coming to one of my yard sales. She commented that I had “r eally good stuff" for a yard sale and asked if she could come in the house. Of course I obliged, an d by the end of the day several of her friends wer e sent to my house. She said "you have an eye, an d know how to put things together�. I thought to myself, hu m, I thought everyone did this? My mother and sister both have good eyes for color, which I believe is something some people are just born with. When I see something, I can see more than just the item itself. I picture what one could do with it, wher e could it go, how it could be useful and what it would look good with.

With each project, I am inspired to do more. Quite frankly, sometimes I do not know where it comes from. It is like each piece is a seed and my inspiration grows from there.

What dr aws you in your search for vintage wares?

In the beginning it was based on my needs. The thin gs I needed, wanted, and liked were easy to find at gar age sal es. As the years have gone by, I learned that older was better, stronger and in the end... far gr eater than something n ew. I love the 1930's , 1940's & 1950's. In my opinion, these ar e the true years of ingenuity in American History.

Things wer e really just made better then. I love surrounding myself with pretty and interestin g things that make me happy. I know what I like, I love color, and mak e my home one of a kind. Of late, I have b een lucky in that purchasing items that I like, respecting it, others do too . This is one of the thin gs that has allowed me to do so well with my booth at the Bellevue Antique Mall .

4. when styling your booth or decorating your home, where do you gain inspiration?

I love my mother , but I grew up in a house with white walls and pine paneli ng. Un til later in life, ther e weren’ t any pictures or things on the wall s. When I was a child, I used to tell her I was going to paint every wall a different color and han g all kinds of stuff on the wall s of my own house. I have not p ainted every wall a different color, so far. When we purchased our home in 2001, buying new stuff, for me, was not the focus.

I used what we had, and added to it.

I used what I loved and created focal points.

In the l ate 1990's I began collecting floral serving trays but not the fancy English hand p ainted numbers. These ar e the kind your Granny served meat loaf and fried chicken on in front of the TV. She picked them up at Woolworth's, the Green Stamp store, or as a give-away . I had sever al of them. I had been looking for a piece of art to hang over the couch in the living room and could not find anything that I liked, or was large enough and affordable. One day it occurr ed to me, I have a bunch of these lovely, funky trays just stuck in a drawer, if I put them to gether, they make quite an impact, so on the wall they wen t. Now when I find one, I try to only purchase ones that I do not already have. As far as the booth goes, one piece usually inspires an idea for a window or vinyet, the rest is color. And moving stuff around ... a lot. I t also helps to have others around you that know what they are doing. Jeanie has been a huge influence and has tau ght me a lot. I love going in to re-arran ge or set up when other deal ers are there, because they ar e all so helpful.

We all want each other to do well. D enise , Judy, Carol and Betty have all been wonderful in helping me arran ge thin gs. I love bein g around all of the other deal ers, an d drawing from their experience and knowledge.

5. what ar e some of your favorite pieces of your collection.

My Grandmother's iron skillet. My mo ther & Grandmother's aprons. My grandmother's dining room table, lovingly restored thanks to my mother an d husband. My alu minum tumbl er collection. And I have a few linens that si mply mak e me happy just to hold them. So pretty, so much history.

6. what tips would you offer to someone who is just beginning their collections or those who ar e wantin g to turn their hobby into a business?

My first booth was small, and I used a lot of my personal collection to get started.

Things star ted selling al most instantly . I had been sellin g on e-bay for several years, but never knew how much mor e potential was out ther e. My best advise; hunt, dig, and do not be afraid to get dirty or ask questions. Trust your gut instinct when purchasin g, buy things that you like because someon e else will too. I have been lucky. Jeanie coming to my yard sale, my husband b eing the one to say, "do it, we will figure it out". I never knew what was involved. I never asked any one. I did not know any deal ers, so I thought it was ultra expensive and a big gamble. It turn ed out to be the best thing I ever did.

I have b een so happy sharing my love for vintage thin gs. Knowing the pieces I find will go into homes of people that love and appreciate them like I do makes it worth it. I have had loads of support from my husband, Steve hauling and lo ading for me, My friend Sara Sylvis who hunts with me and helps me set up, arr ange and find, and knows the fine art of cal ming me down when I get fired up, and my friend Dean a Ellis, also another person in my life with a good eye, even though she is partial to new thin gs, gets it. All of my friends have been great. This has definitely taken more time than I ever dreamed, but I am lovin g every minute of it and am thankful that I have peo ple in my life that understand how happy this mak es me, and support me.

--You can find Mary Ann and her war es at the Bellevue Antique Mall in Nas hville,TN. –f

Quotables

"Here is my secret. It is very simple.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye". ♥Antoine de Saint Exupéry, The Little Prince ♥ --submitted by Citrus and Orange

I dream, therefore I exist

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A UGUST STRINDBERG, A Madman's Defense -submitted by Eve Peach

"A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes."

- Gandhi submitted by Love Daniella

m

"I believe in pink.

I believe laughing is the best calorie burner.

I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I believe tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

-Audrey Hepburn -submitted by Iris of Irideeen

Life may not be the party we hoped for...

But while we're here, we should dance!!!! - Unknown -submitted by Clarice Fox-Hughes

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Words., Photography and Styling Heather Spriggs

a midsummer eve’s picnic on the lawn

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Gather together your favorite vintage chairs, a yard of burlap, and a stash of flea market dishware and head down to a local park for the makings of an impromptu romantic reception.

The cowslips tall her pensioners be: In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies, fairy favours, In those freckles live their savours: I must go seek some dewdrops here And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.

S

A Midsummer Night’s Dream -Shakespeare

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... sources: cerise hatley fabric yardage: cabbages & roses, vintage linens: mary ann sanders via bellevue antique mall, burlap: hobby lobby, all other props stylists own.

Elizabeth Wren The Da ncing Wren All Things White http:/ /eliz abeth wren.etsy. com http:/ /thed an cin gwren.etsy. co m htt p:/ / allt hin gs white.etsy.com

3 Wren Street - A Vintage Collective

http://pinkpigwestport.com All ads this page designed by Gatherings Magazine

Visions of Grace The dreamy photography of Monica Charbeneau

d words and photos by MonicaCharbeneau http://monicacharbeneau.com

My process is simple. Envision the outcome and capture the romantic and beautiful aspects to fit that. For me inspiration could be a walk in the park or a teacup with a beautiful flower in it. My eye naturally gravitates towards the beauty and romance of anyone or anything. I feel that photography is the perfect way to share that vision and create lasting memories.

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“For me inspiration could be a walk in the park or a teacup with a beautiful flower in it.”- Monica Charbeneau

Quotables... “You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it.

That is why you must read, !that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life.�

J.Krishnamurti -submitted by The Celebration Girl

G "There's nothing like staying at home for real comfort"!

Jane Austen -submitted by Machteld Moonen

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bellevue-Antique-Mall/133933603299242

Corners of Home Words, photograpy and styling by Heather Spriggs

Time for a mini makeover?

Looking for a fresh start on one of your favorite spaces? This guest room/ office space has been a work in progress for some time. The wall colors were right but the furniture placement and accessories just weren’t meeting my needs. So I started by stripping it down to the bones then carefully adding items back in with a fresh set of eyes. It only needed a few flea market finds, some spray paint, my coral and aqua themed accessories and a better arrangement of existing furniture.....voila! What once was stifling and lack luster is now a refreshing, colorful working studio/guest room.

4 easy steps to a mini makeover 1. remove all furniture, rugs, accessories 2. patch holes, paint, clean carpets, 3. bring back only necessary items starting with largest scale 4. carefully add accesories, draperies, lighting in a favorite color palette. same corner before

Total cost for this project $0 ! (ps. The white rug was taken from my bathroom) wall colors: Behr: Snowy Pine & Frosted Jade

Quotables

“what is the feeling when you’re driving away from people, and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing?

-it’s the too huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. but we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”

- jack kerouac -submitted by laura jansen

woman

"A who is convinced that she deserves to accept only the best challenges herself to give the best. Then she is living phenomenally" — Maya Angelou -submitted by jennie prince

gggg

when despair for the world grows in me.. and i wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be i go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. i come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. i come into the presence of still water. and i feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. for a time i rest in the grace of the world, and am free. "the peace of wild things" -wendell berry -

submitted by kate steele

Use what talent you possess - the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best. -Henry Van Dyke – submitted by Janelle Gonyea

" By the grace of God I am who I am" -1Corinthians 15:10 - submitted by Fenny Setiawan

Shop Around the Corner

Love, Daniella

“White was no longer the brightest color you could see.

In fact, it looked quite dark next to gold.�

-daniella

daniella

is a recent transplant to Jersey City, NJ–and she loves it!

Her unique handmade creations of ceramics and hand dyed linen evoke a gentle understanding not only of materials but of her environment. Love,Daniella professes a belief in holistic creation: production doesn’t start with an idea and end when it is ready for sale. Instead she considers the life cycle of the product.

Daniella was one of those brave souls who took the plunge from corporate work to entrepreneur and used her Art and Design background to fuel her craft.

“While I am absolutely obsessed with nearly all things design, I continually found myself enjoying those projects that allowed me to be away from the computer and get my hands dirty. I realized that being a maker of things is what I truly love–so I decided to jump head first into the world of becoming a full-time crafter.”

To learn more visit website/shop. Love, Daniella http://lovedaniella.com or follow the blog. http://blog.lovedaniella.com k

"Never fear being vulgar, only Boring" Diana Vreeland

http://etsy.com/shop/nikid

"I do not understand how any one can live with out some small place of enchantment to turn to." - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings -submitted by Mary Ann Sanders

Interested in Contributing to upcoming issues of

Gatherings

Magazine?

Email your ideas for stories to gatheringsmag@yahoo.com Subject: “Contributing�

Now accepting ad space for the Fall Issue (Oct.1) o email gatheringsmag@yahoo.com o Subject: Advertising

See you again next Issue October 1

- Orchard Harvest Feast - A Relaxed Cottage - Creative Costumes - Holiday Table Dressing - … and much more!

Stay Connected, Spread the Word……. http://HeatherSpriggs.com