Rose Mille

Where Women Create; Book of Organization

Coming in May, a new book by Jo Packham.

See it in Action by clicking on the book: (but come back and buy it from us!)

We have it on pre-order!!

xo

mi

 

From My Camera

Dare I share?

I did not do anything very interesting this weekend so I thought I would put up some pictures of what my studio can look like, when I'm not in it. :-)

See the current Spring issue of Where Women Create for much better photos by Martha Schuster and Aimee Christensen.

xo

mi

Oh and if you want to see my studio being built, here is a link to the archives. 

February 2012 Cachette du Mois

Love is in the air!

{cold cold air}

And here is something to warm your heart. The February Cachette du mois is overflowing with lots of Valentine inspirations. In fact it is taking lots of skill just to be able to close the lid!

Tucked inside a red ribbon tied, 10” keepsake band box you will find;
5 silk single stemmed Carnations
6 pink and red crepe paper party cups
6 pairs of vintage appliques
6 large vintage paper heart scraps
6 vintage paper rose scraps
5 white scalloped paper Dresden borders
6 large manilla tags with glassine bags
6 small manilla tags with glassine bags
12 strands of red & white bakers string
 6 ivory blank cards with envelopes
6 signature lace post-cards
 a 20 x 20 piece of heavy red linen
a hank of white DMC cotton
a red and white cupid cameo cabochon
a one ounce jar of Red fine glass glitter
2 yards of white millinery braid from the South of France
2 yards of red silk ribbon
2 yards of pink galloon trim
2 yards of pale pink satin ribbon “l’amour toujours”
2 yards brown cotton lace ribbon
4 rhinestone pins
6 white lacy heart cabochons
a large red Dresden Cupid
12 Golden Dresden arrows
20 Golden Dresden hearts
A dozen gorgeous "February" post-cards

You can order it right here or go to our Web-Shop where you will find more information.

Offered at $100

If you would like to order a  subscription, you will be first on the list, and we will automatically send you a new "Cachette du mois" every month, and a surprise gift, until you request to opt out (Minimum of 5 months commitment). Please include your phone number in the notes box on as you check out, so that we can call you to set up the automatic subscription.

xo

mi

Introducing "Cachette du Mois"

After years of research and collecting, designing and planning, we are so so excited to finally launch our first ever inspired collection of the month. We are calling this precious assemblage of treasures "Cachette du mois".

Inspired by the seasons, flowers and folklore, every month we will offer a different color box filled with vintage and new, sentimental bits of ephemera, to save or use in the most special of your creations. Every detail has been carefully considered, from the custom "made for us", band boxes, to our own labels and packaging. We have even designed a beautiful post-card to go along with each month's collection.

Lets start with January, 2012......

January is a time for calm, for reflection. It's quiet and cozy with cool muted colors and warm fires. The beginning of a new year full of promise and hope. Long shadowed snowy trees, and icicles hanging from the eaves.

These are the inspirations for this months Cachette du Mois.

A charming 10" band box with taupe silk ribbon filled with.........

Vintage German silk Rose spray

A bouquet of velvet and silk Narcissus

Pale blue vintage satin leaves

Winter white velvet berry wreath

One ounce jar of chunky glass glitter in Snow

2 yards of taupe silk ribbon

2 yards of blue taffeta ribbon from the South of France

2 Rhinestone pins

25 - 10mm glass pearls

A strand of matt blue 3mm glass pearls

6 - 10mm spun cotton cream mushrooms

6 - 18mm spun cotton cream mushrooms

4 Bronze Dresden paper wings

2 sets of silver Dresden numbers

6 white glass shank buttons

A bundle of sparkly flower stamens

A dozen gorgeous "January" post-cards to send

All tucked inside a keepsake band box tied with silk ribbon

The January Cachette is available to ship now, just in time for the holidays. What a perfect gift, as well as a perfect way to have a little Rose Mille delivered to your door every month. This collection is a limited edition of 30 each month, valued at $150. We anticipate selling out each month and advise ordering early.

~

Offered at $100 (plus $10 shipping each month, MN residents add 7.125% sales tax.)

If you would like to order a  subscription, we will include with your order a "2012" glitter garland as a gift to you (limited to the first 50). We will automatically send you a new "Cachette du mois" every month, until you request to opt out (Minimum of 5 months commitment). Please include your phone number in the notes box on as you check out, so that we can call you to set up the automatic subscription.

xo

mi

 

Magnet Boards

  

My handy husband Bob and I have been making these vintage frame magnet boards for years and selling them in Rose Mille.

{Okay mostly Bob}

Every one  of them is unique, and made one at a time from start to finish. We often make custom ones for clients.

We start with a crusty old frame. Clean it up if it is dirty, then true the back getting it ready for the board.

{The crustier the better}

Next Bob precisely measures and cuts a piece of plywood and a piece of sheet metal, to fit each selected frame. The two pieces are then laminated together to bond permanently.

In the meantime I am choosing the covering for the surface that best enhances the particular frame. Sometimes it's vintage wallpaper,  an ancient piece of brocade or even some silk taffeta left over from a drapery project.

The material has to be thin enough to allow a magnet to be attracted to the metal through it. Once the fabric or paper has been choosen, I cut it slightly larger than the surface and using spray adhesive, apply it directly to the sheet metal covered board.

Bob then fits the assembly into the frame using framing tools.

{I have no idea what the technical terms are}

The back is then covered with random paper, sometimes old wallpaper, sometimes new brown paper. A couple of saw tooth hangers and felt pads complete the back.

 

Then I get to apply the finishing touches, an inner frame of embossed paper "Dresden" border, 3 vintage earring magnets and a few vintage postcards.

Now if only I could keep this little desk corner looking this way.

{hey...that magnet board should help!}

 

xo

mi

 

 

Wallpaper Quilt Wall

Today I am going to finish up wallpapering my studio wall. For months and months I have been trying to decide which wallpaper I should use for the window wall. I had gone through my extensive vintage stash, but there just was not enough of one pattern to cover the entire wall. I ordered samples from "Farrow and Ball" {wow $329 per roll!}, and even ordered a couple more rolls of vintage paper. But I just couldn't decide!

Then it hit me while reading some of the quilting books we carry in the shop. Why not make a patchwork wallpaper quilt with all of my favorites? 

I had to decide the shape and size of each piece, and if I wanted a pattern of some kind. The interaction between light and dark patterns etc. Gosh what you quilters go through, I have a renewed appreciation for even the simplest of quilts.  {Someday I will make a real one.}

To finish it off I glued shell buttons at the intersections.

A different wall, just to share.

The wallpapering is not done yet, but I wanted to share what I have started. The pictures are only showing one area, and today, yes today, I will finish the wall!  {I also made a couple of straw lamp shades chandeliers to hang over the sewing machine and drawer cabinet, you will see in the finished pics.}

xo

mi

 

A Studio of My Own - Floor

We went with an "Engineered 5" Oak Plank floating floor. First a plastic barrier goes down on top of the cement (radiant heat) sub-floor.

Then its plank by plank knocking in each strip, being careful around the edges to cut where needed. Okay so I am not to technical here, Bob did the hard part with help from my dad Charlie and me later.  We are very happy with the results.

A Studio of My Own - Molding & Shelving

The walls have been primed, and the shelving, and moldings are being installed!  Woo Hoo!  There is the super cool door with the very old painted canvass glued to it.  I am thinking a grayish bluish color for the trim and Chalky grey/white on the walls.  Should I paint the shelving the trim color??? We shall see.

More:

Looking good!!

A Studio of My Own - More Progress

Isn't it amazing what a little sheet-rock can do?  This is the view where a set of vintage French doors will go, pretty soon.  We decided to strip the 4 or 5 layers of paint on them before installing them. So we must be patient. 

Since this room is going to be my own space set aside from the rest of the home, I want to do something I have been wanting to try, but have not had the guts. And that's to paint the trim a color. I have purchased 9 or so different tones of the color I want for the trim but I have not decided as yet, but the walls are going to be an off-white. Since the walls will be covered with various storage elements, what will be seen are all my supplies and materials. So the walls  will want to be neutral, in a creative-kind-of-way of course. 

Here are some shots of the rest of the room moving to the right:

Peace.

A Studio of My Own - Begin

My studio at home is full of light, warmth, (the floors are radiant heat) and ample space, but I've simply had enough of the plastic and insulation walls. After almost eight years this way it is finally getting finished!!! 

Follow along with me and hopefully we shall see some magic.

The wall of narrow shelves has been removed, (it's coming back) the framing finished and the electrical in progress. Wouldn't it have been nice if I got some pictures even before this?

Facing the soon to be French doors, and the rest of the "basement". 

This is slightly to the right of the previous picture, and is the doorway into my storage closet that is home to my vast collection of millinery blocks, random chandeliers in progress, bins of fabrics, and holiday storage.  The door that is going here will surprise and delight you, and me too!  Hey, isn't that large bag from Moda fabrics' French General collection?

Shift again to the right and you will see the famous 56 drawer cabinet. Purchased from an antiques shop in San Jose, built in Nottingham England for men's dress shirts.  Now holds millinery flowers by color, ribbons by type, antique lace trims, cords and millinery braid.