Rose Mille

March Cachette du Mois

March is an exciting month, especially where it is cold and snowy in the winter. However this year not so cold and not so much snow. Since living in the upper Midwest, I have learned that March is when we dare to start thinking about Spring, my favorite season. It may sometimes be the "snowiest" month but hey, Spring is just around the corner!

The birthstone for March is Aquamarine, so we chose this gorgeous silk taffeta ribbon, that was found in France, for the box ties. Some of the earliest flowers coming up are Violets, which are featured on this month's post-card.

Violet and aqua, with lots of green are this month's colors. Still cold outside we have velvet Violets, and antique crystals for what's left of the sparkly snow.

Yards and yards of ribbons, trims, a generous piece of my coveted favorite linen fabric, a fat quarter of Aquamarine silk tissue, Lilac glass glitter and vintage chandelier crystals.

Spun cotton plums, velvet leaves, vintage millinery netting and braid, a poesy of velvet violets and sparkly rock candy stamens in aqua.

Assorted "Dresden" embossed paper embellishments, including a pair of "in like a Lion", Lions and four "Good Luck" vintage appliques.

Tucked inside this month's Cachette du Mois are:

A quarter yard of grey roses on aqua, linen fabric

A quarter yard of aquamarine silk tissue fabric

A bunch of velvet Violets

18 Moss green leaves on wire

An aqua Dresden assortment

Three Large double sided horse shoes for luck

A dozen four leaf clovers in gold

A pair of Golden Lions

Four "Good Luck" vintage appliques

One yard of fancy flower trim with pearl centers

2 yards of aquamarine vintage rayon ribbon

3 yards of vintage green Soutache cord

A one ounce jar of Lilac German glass glitter

One yard of tubular aqua and violet millinery braid

3/4 yard of vintage French silk netting in violet

Ten vintage chandelier crystals

A bunch of rock candy stamens in aqua

A bunch of spun cotton plums on wire

A dozen gorgeous March post-cards

A hand made Tarragon band box with;

One yard of French silk taffeta ribbon ties

 

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, to ensure that you will be first on the list to receive a cachette, to be automatically sent a new "Cachette du mois" every month, with a surprise gift, until you request to opt out in writing (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

 

 

 

 

CHA and "Art of Craft" Events Review

The weather was amazing, the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) trade show was super and French General's "Art-of-Craft" was inspiring. Even the side stops, and impromptu hat workshop proved to be just what we needed, in the middle of a whirlwind 10 days in LA.

{But it is soooo nice to be back home!}

Truffle Box (with a view) Workshop at "Art of Craft"

{Hi Jackie!}

A view in our pared down booth at CHA.

My view while lounging at Laguna Beach.

Love this floor lamp viewed in the window at "Gilding the Lily" in Fullerton.

{Heart}

Antiques shopping in Orange, one of my favorite shops, "Down Home Antiques".

{couldn't work in the word "view"}

 

Blocked hats drying in the sun at French General.

{Someone please take the chair!}

 

So now what?

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

 

Junk Bonanza

This was to be the year I finally got to go shopping at the famous Junk Bonanza event in  Shakopee MN. I must say, the market's sixth year was fantastic! The vendors were all so creative with their displays, and the prices were very good. It seemed that the entire US participated as well. There were booths from across the country and shoppers as well.

Take for instance the group I was fortunate to take with me.... representing both coasts.... meeting here.... in my home state.... in the middle. Who would have thought that I would have had the privilege to escort the amazing Kaari Meng of French General in Los Angeles, the talented Wendy Addison, and her daughter Monica of Theatre of Dreams in Port Costa CA, AND savvy Marcia Ceppos of Tinsel Trading in New York, to the quintessential Midwest shopping mecca of Junk Bonanza!

{I just wish I would have taken better and more pictures!}

Hey Kaari .... Click

{Love her new doo!}

 

{"Dang,.... Marcia got to it first."}

(photo courtesy of Kaari Meng)

Hi Pat Murphy of Murphy Bears! Your booth was a group favorite, all the way from Michigan.

{Hi Jennifer Murphy - her daughter}

(photo courtesy of Kaari Meng)

Good eye Kaari, who found this hand woven rug in Pat's booth. I believe it now lays under her dining table.

(photo courtesy of Kaari Meng)

Monica found some little baby pictures.

{what cuteness will you do with these?}

{I really liked this display.}

(photo courtesy of Kaari Meng)

All this shopping wore poor Wendy out.

{It's a good thing she found that beautiful antique quit.}

(photo courtesy of Kaari Meng)

We had such a great day, and we are already looking forward to next year! Did someone say Whole Foods?

{Looks like Marcia won!}

Don't worry, I bought too, and I will share my finds later. Maybe in a hat or pillow or a necklace.... ya never know.

xo

mi

Finding Yarna

Was I 5 or 6 when I made Yarna? I cannot remember. But I do remember seeing other little girls with dolls made out of yarn, and I do remember thinking "I could make that". Even at a very early age, I had the idea that I could make it, instead of bugging my parents for the money to buy it.

Apparently my color options were limited, obviously that was not my concern here. I was more interested in the technique, which, as you can see, I improved upon as I went.

From what I remember, Yarna even had furniture made from cut up shoe boxes and scotch tape, which did not hold up as well as she did over the years. Hmmm....evident in how well we survive natural disasters better that houses and furniture sometimes, because we are more flexible? But of course under normal circumstances, usually houses and furniture out-last us.

Last year, when my sister's visited me they wanted to know if I still had Yarna, which began a year long search. But alas....she is found and captured in film no less.

{okay electrons}

 

xo

 

mi

 

Lauren Laliberte - Artist

Lauren Laliberte has been frequenting Rose Mille for some years now and every time she comes in she brings her gracious spirit and generosity. She usually finds something that inspires her to create. On one such trip she found feathers and flowers, and created this adorable fasinator headband.

She also replaced the fabric of a tattered Victorian purse with some vintage and new upholstery fabrics she found in our stashes. I have personally used both of these fabrics in projects, and it is really fun to see them in a new way.

 It's amazing what can be done with pieces of this and that.

{My dining room chairs are covered with the green fabric.}

 

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

 

 

A Re-Styled Vintage Hat

This is the after shot of a vintage hat that has been re-sized to fit today's larger heads, and freshened up with a cleaner look.

My latest project (or one of them) is to do something with all the vintage hats that I have accumulated over the years.  Time for some Spring cleaning!

Wish I would have taken a picture of it before.......

xo

mi

 

Shasta Feltman - Artist

It has come to my attention that there are artists making amazing things with materials they purchased from Rose Mille. Yes, I suspected that this was going on many times as I measured out yards and yards of silk ribbons and vintage trims, I might even ask;"So what are you making?". With oooh's and aaaah's and a promise to share pictures, it is rare that I actually get to see these works of art.

{Until now}

One such conversation was with an adorable artist; Shasta Feltman, who has a wonderful blog called the Traveling Cabinet. You see she often goes to amazing places, that I haven't even dreamed of going to and she writes about it. Some are near and some are far.

{One thing I noticed about Minnesotans is that they travel.}

And while she is at home, she makes things.

{Of course}

She makes simple yet elegant vintage inspired clutch bags with a light modern touch.

Shasta often uses materials and trims she gets from my shop Rose Mille, such as a vintage hankie, a length of grosgrain ribbon, millinery flower or button.

{LOVE it}

To read more about Shasta visit her blog; The Traveling Cabinet, and purchase a clutch or two at her Etsy shop.

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