Light and Fire Retreat in Italy this Fall!

I am so excited to announce I will be joining Terri Brush and Shana Kai as the guest teacher in Italy at the Light and Fire Retreat in October! Come join us for an amazing creative adventure in Florence this fall. Special guests Jo Packham and Celeste Shaw. Registration opens February 20th, I'll keep you posted with all the details. Light and Fire Retreat

 

Doesn't this description just sound incredible!  

Our Light and Fire retreat is designed to create a space where you can recharge your soul with the beauty that will surround you in Tuscany. Imagine waking up each morning with the smell of crisp clean air blowing through the windows of a magnificent Villa dating back to the XVII century. Throughout your retreat you will experience true Italian hospitality with daily room service, a rich continental breakfast each morning, and an on site concierge.  The luxurious villa is surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards and has a private tasting room on the estate. As attendees of the Light and Fire retreat you will have the opportunity to visit and learn about the history of one of Tuscany’s most respected and successful wine making families. A complimentary wine tasting will be yours to experience with the option of having some delivered back to you at the villa for later enjoyment or make arrangements to have some shipped back home. The choice is yours!

Each day will be woven together with rich Italian culture through exploring new places, culinary and creative workshops, including a class with one of Florence’s top jewelry designers! The Villa is centrally located , Florence airport is  just 12 miles away ! 

We are still buttoning up several details and surprises that will be waiting for you upon your arrival that are sure to delight your very soul! We’re so excited we can hardly stand it ! We know first hand the life changing moments that can take place at these retreats. Each and every woman who attends will no doubt leave with a renewed sense of how incredibly unique and beautiful she really is. We not only want our attendees to fall in love with the beauty of Italy but to fall back in love with the woman they see in the mirror each day. 
She is full of light, yes bright light! Even when the loud noises of life try to drown out her beauty she is still full of a beautiful bright light. We will encourage you throughout your week with inspirational moments to let your light shine!  She is also full of a bright Flame. One that burns within her to become everything she was always destined to be. She is an artist, a creator of all things beautiful. We will inspire you through our one of a kind workshops to nurture your Fire of creativity within. 

Come along with us to recharge, reflect and create in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Discover more of your hidden talents. Be inspired everyday to live your best life now. The friendships you will make during your stay will forever be one of your greatest gifts received. You will leave with a beautiful bouquet of friendships to hold dear to your heart and memories that last a lifetime!

All this and more is waiting just for YOU! We look forward to treating you to the kind of moments that turn dreams into a reality! 

We look so forward to seeing you under the Tuscan sun!

Kindest regards,
Terri and Shana

Oh and here is the amazing villa where we will be staying~ 

I will keep you posted with all the wonderful details.  

 

Vintage flocked floral fabric bundles in the shop~

 I have been collecting vintage flocked fabrics for over 30 years, I adore the Swiss dot fabrics and the sweet tiny florals.  I am downsizing my collections and have decided to sell these fabrics.  I spent a lovely afternoon trimming, ironing, and fluffing while I listened to Pandora and the fabric bundles are all ready and in the shop tonight. 

 This aqua and pink collection is the sweetest, these lovely flocked sheer fabrics are amazing! From the 1950s these fabrics were used for ladies aprons, little girl Sunday dresses, one even had the original tag pinned on still that said F.W. Woolworth Co. $1.98 Washable Needs No Ironing. thank goodness!

This collection has the most beautiful flocked florals and the yellow fabric with the sweet bows is just charming!  My mother made me and my 4 sisters Sunday dresses and clothes for our dolls with these treasures...  how I love those memories~  petticoats, white lace tights and patent leather shoes...

Lavender is still one of my favorite colors for little girls, add a bit of mint green and pale yellow and you have the perfect summer collection.  These prints are perfect for little dolly dresses.  One of my customers in Spain made a little quilt with some of my vintage fabrics. Oh and those vintage gold stork scissors are a bit worn but the new favorite on my desk.  Who knew they would be so very sharp and cut so nicely through silk ribbons.

Then there is the yellow and aqua collection, these soft sheer fabrics have gorgeous flocking and the most subtle patterns.  Bundles include 8 fabrics measuring approx 11 X 8 inches.  I do have a couple double bundles available that measure 22 X 8 inches if you are needing a bit more fabric for ruffles...

Spring Mushrooms have arrived in the shop~

Spring Mushrooms have arrived in the shop~    I haven't posted any new mushrooms in months and oh my...  I went a little crazy and made so many!  You can find these collections now in my Etsy shop Vintage Handmade . 

Love the aqua and green collection so much.

the Purple  collection is a celebration of Pantone's 2018 color of the year Ultra Violet.  I call that soft hued gradient lavender and mauve color  Unicorn Velvet. 

I dyed a new batch of pink silk velvet for this collection and couldn't stop mixing colors.  Love how these mushrooms turned out. The colors range from mauve pink to a coral pink.  Let me know if you have a special request, always happy to dye some new colors of velvet.  Happy Spring! Julie

Silk Velvet Heart Collection...

my velvet obsession continues...  all the velvet hearts are ready for the shop update tomorrow.

I have been sewing silk velvet hearts for days now, I love how they feel in my hands.  I love the subtle way the light plays on the velvet and how the vintage millinery flowers look so delicate against he soft colors.

This colors of the pink and taupe collection are so romantic, the perfect love token.  Made with dyed silk velvet, vintage millinery flowers and ribbons.  Each one sewn by hand and filled with a bit of Valentine magic.

The cream and pink needle felted wool hearts collection.  Subtle and sweet, my favorite colors for Valentines day.

This one...  someone really has my number.  vintage rosebud and tiny pearl.  xo  Julie

Fall Flames and Plum Pudding....the fall mushroom collections

All the mushrooms are in my Etsy Shop this morning. My favorite collections~ Ghost, Earth, Acid Green and Plum Pudding. Might just take myself out to lunch to celebrate!

I have been working on several fall color collections and custom orders.  So happy with how they have all turned out!
Here are a few~

These are the fall flames.   And this collection of earth mushrooms, love the deep bronze.  The tallest mushroom has such cool variations in the velvet colors.

I call this collection Plum Pudding.  Those two mushrooms on the right look downright tasty...no?

This group is the blushing neutrals with a little bit of rose gold, shitake mushroom and nude blush.

Love these aqua and red silk velvet mushrooms.  That light aqua one in the middle is huge!  love the wonderful bell shaped cap.  Until next time, enjoy these woodland beauties, Julie

mushroom land....

hello from mushroom land...
all these lovelies along with a fairy ring of pink mushrooms will be in the shop Monday.

 I have had so many custom orders for pink mushrooms that I ended up taking a break from mushroom making just to dye a new batch of pink silk velvet. 
somehow I got a hole in my glove and my hand turned PINK!  luckily it was mostly my pinky,
but what a pink pinky it was!
small price to pay as the velvets turned out gorgeous and now I have a great collection of gorgeous pinks to choose from although already I am feeling drawn to the colors of an autumn woodland~
copper, moss, saffron, grey, and teal.  can't wait to make some more darkest black ones again...
they are positively spooky!
here is some of the pink velvet I dyed~
see you in the shop on Monday,
Julie

silk velvet mushrooms in the shop~

in my fairy garden, the velvety mushrooms and the furry leaves of the violets, my favorite.
Just listed this whole group of silk velvet mushrooms in the shop today.

all lined up waiting for photographs...

This set of blue, silver and aqua is so lovely together.

 needle felted stems and mossy tips.