East meets West: Custom Painted Wedding Cake Toppers...

Finished painting this beautiful couple just this evening. I love painting East Indian Brides and their beautiful gowns.
Find more Wedding Cake Toppers... at..
LoVE BoXes SHoP...

LoveBoxes.. goes Down Under!!!

My Wedding Cake Toppers are being featured this week on a wonderful Australian On-line Magazine... called Little Wed Hen. I love the article so you must pop over and see why I'm up so late bragging about myself.

Bride & Prejudice...

I was looking through some of the movies I've blogged about and didn't see this one, which is a travesty because it's just so much fun. If you didn't guess from the title, it's the Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice. This movie is a little silly I admit... but I LOVE it! It's the color and the clothes and the amazing dance numbers. This is a musical! And, in the end they ride away on elephants.. beat that!

Oh and P.S. this film is pretty much G rated if I recall... which is really refreshing.

Without Love: Hepburn & Tracy...

In my interest in classic films, I don't know how this one escaped me. If you've seen The Mirror Has Two Faces with Barbara Streisand, that film was a remake of Without Love. I like both films equally and I like them both quite a lot.

In this one, Tracy plays a brilliant scientist who has been burned in love. Hepburn plays a widow who has experienced love at it's best. They have different reasons for choosing to marry as only friends...

That's all I'm telling you.. It has it's Hollywood wierdnesses as far as the script goes. There are a few awkward moments and it goes a little long in spots.. but, it's a pretty fantastic little film all in all.

BTW... It's fun to see Lucy in this too. She's very pretty.

Catherine the great...

Honestly, I haven't read much of Catherine the great... so I don't know how to judge this program. The point of the program seems to be to show how she slept with the right men at the right time. .. how very enlightened of her. The program almost totally ignored the reforms she made in Russia and concentrated on her "relationships" with different men.

I just don't know how accurate the history is, but I do know that the focus was not on her accomplishments/failings as ruler of Russia, but on her affairs instead.

I didn't feel like I learned much about her or about Russia.. so.. take it or leave it... ehhh..

Can anyone recommend a better book or film?

Voyage of the Dawn Treader...

I think all of these films have been really well done. It's been a long time since I've read these stories, but they seem to me to follow the books fairly close. This one is no exception. I am just so thrilled they were made. My girls both loved it.

Owl Tutorial: These are Fun...

If you could see these in person, you wouldn't need a tutorial, they are that simple.
We found this free needlepoint pattern and took it to a copy center to enlarge it. We enlarged them in 3 sizes. I wanted to sew two layers of fabric together to make it stronger & add another layer for the tummy for visual interest. But you can make these any way you want and that's what the kids have done, which has made it fun. BTW.. we didn't want the tail or feet, whichever that is in the picture. I have a few copies left of the pattern, if you are interested.. I would be happy to mail them to you. Just leave me a message.

One you cut out your pieces, you will have two layers for the front and two for the back as you can see here. The blue here is the tummy. Then you cut out nose and eyes. We found some buttons to play with from our craft stash, but you could use felt or fabric or even paint.
Then, you sew on the tummy, the wings, and the beak. The eyes are my favorite part. I start at one end of the eye and sew straight across to the other end. Then, I use the reverse setting and go all the way back and then to the middle where I reposition the needle and repeat until I've made a pizza wheel all the way around.

Then, we hand sewed button eyes, pinned our wings and then all four layers we pinned carefully together. We made sure that the pins went through all the layers and then sewed around. For our project, we used only the machine and we found that it was easier to sew from one ear to the other leaving the top open to stuff. This way we could put the beans in the bottom and they wouldn't be falling out as we sewed up the top.

We used poly pellets in the bottom, but you could use dry beans or rice if you wanted or you could use fiber fill for the whole project. I like the heft that the pellets give to a toy, but don't recommend them for small children who chew on everything... It's probably a safety hazard.

Then, you just sew up the top. It looks VERY homemade and has a childlike charm. It's a great project if you've got a stash of random scraps you'd like to use. We had a 9 year old boy that needed a little help with the machine, but everyone older was able to make their own. I hope to have a photo of all the owls together at some point. If you make them.. Let me know. I'd love to see how your owls turn out!

If you want one and don't want to make one, the 3 I made are all for sale in my Etsy Shop..

Love Boxes SHoP..

Cafe Terigo...

While I'm talking about Park City Restaurants, I don't think I've ever mentioned this one before and it deserves a mention. This is not light fair... the food is extravagant. The photo above is their famous dessert... bread pudding with homemade cinnamon ice cream. Why isn't cinnamon ice cream a flavor available at the store? I don't know because it's so yummy. Their risotto is perfect, their fish is amazing. I've been there at least 10 times and never been disappointed. It's also nice and quiet and has a beautiful atmosphere with quotes from Victor Hugo and the like on the walls. It's a pretty place. Give it a try and tell me what you think.


424 Main Street
Park City, Utah 84060
(435) 645-9555Open Mon 11:30am-2:30pm; Tue-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-9pm

Hapa Grill...

I have no experience with sushi, but after eating here, I want to eat more soon. It was melt in your mouth delicious. My salad was also really different and yummy. This is already new favorite place in Park City. And, I was there with such fantastic company :)

Owl Pillow... Was fun to make..

This owl pillow/bean bag was very fun to make. "How to" post coming first of next week. :)

Afghan from Afghanistan...

This is my cozy chair. This top white blanket is an Afghan that my cousin Jonna made for me while she was serving our country in Afghanistan. You wouldn't think something so comforting could be made in a war zone.. but there it is. I already felt like Jonna and all our servicemen and women had done something truly wonderful for me.. so I didn't need this blanket, but I sure LOVE IT. And, I will treasure it. Thank you Jonna. Thank you for the blanket and thank you for your service. I'm very touched and grateful for both gifts.

The Answer to all my troubles...

No. But, what a fantastic idea! From ICouldMakeThat.org.

Wearing grief... a few thoughts...

I have been noticing these vinyl signs on vehicles everywhere lately. In loving memory of... somebody that someone loves. I found this decal HERE...

It's an interesting phenomenon and I wonder about it because I think about death a lot. I don't think it's morbid. I just think of it as an experience we all face. I'm afraid of it a little bit. I don't want to die before I've done what I need to for my kids. And, I don't want to be left behind by those I deeply love. I don't want it to hurt, but I know that it probably will.

My husband's grandmother was a good friend to me. I went to visit her on her birthday once when she'd been a widow for about six years. She said, "Why am I still here?" I didn't know the answer to that, but I was grateful for her faith and for her courage. I knew she was ready when the time came and I was grateful for her help and wisdom while she was still living.

Some people have a very private grief and some people are more open. Once walking in the cemetery I saw a young woman weeping over the grave of a lost child. My initial reaction was to run over and hug her and have a good cry with her. Would that have been right? You don't know. I felt that I had invaded her private space... I found the depth of her love for a child she had known for such a short time to be sacred and exquisitely beautiful. But, I didn't want to walk there anymore and chance disturbing her again.

When people have these markers on their cars.. to me it says, "my heart is broken and I hurt." As humans the best we can do for each other is to "do unto others as we would have done to us." But, there is a greater comfort. Our Father in Heaven knows how to comfort each of us according to our need. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. He knows the intricacies of our hearts and he knows how they break and he knows how to mend them. The more we seek to become like Him, the greater ability we will have to do unto others as THEY would have done unto them. I know that our Savior has paid the price to heal every mind and body and heart and make it whole.

Relative Values...

Not a very good title, BUT lots of fun. Appropriate for everyone and brilliantly acted by an incredible cast. Those of you who appreciated Cold Comfort Farm need to put this on your list immediately if you haven't seen it. Sophie Thompson playing the intoxicated maid is ... well, I just don't know how she did it. It's a perfect performance and made me smile for nearly two hours. I don't know how I missed this when it came out in 2000, but it's a new favorite.

Rescue Dawn...

I wanted to spend part of Independence Day remembering the sacrifices of our military. C and I watched this gripping film which bears a striking resemblance to the real story and is brilliantly acted by all involved. (I would highly recommend this film to anyone over the age of 14. The worst of the violence has been suggested at rather than shown.)

When I was younger and fascinated by war, especially WW2... history and man's inhumanity to man was a bit removed as I studied and read. Now I have cousins and friends flying these planes and helicopters and so I pray for our military members every night. And, whenever I see the flag, or hear patriotic songs... these men and women are in my thoughts and prayers and heart.
I hope you had a beautiful Independence Day.

Marta Gomez: Cielito Lindo

Tonight I was visiting with my brother who was trying to calm his sweet baby girl. He played her Cielito Lindo, a very old Spanish song often performed by Mexican Mariachi bands, but never sung more beautifully than by Marta Gomez HERE.. Her entire cd is lovely. This song will be part of the music and other fun ideas posted on Where Lilacs Bloom later this week for our Sweet Senorita Party... I can't wait, but had to give my good friends a preview since you need to rock your babies to sleep to this tonight.

Jennie D. can you teach me how to make a video.. I finally found a song. :)

Be-spangling the house...

We had fun spangling yesterday. I had a small helper and so it took most of the day. It took awhile for me to remember where the red, white and blue things were all located. We made paper flowers and a few little treat sacks for neighbors and vets. I also stumbled upon the Taste and Tell blog, which had some fun ideas for 4th of July treats. Check her side bar for more ideas.

Climb of My Life...

When I went to university, I had the fortunate experience of rooming with someone I came to very much admire for just a semester. She is an accomplished poet among many other talents and has started a blog of her own, A Poet In Zion, which I think you'll really enjoy. She posts her thoughts and poems on Fridays. Stop by and visit her blog or at least read this post about FAITH which I love.

Princess Hanna Peg Dolls 0-4...

A favorite dress for every year. Custom Peg Dolls, Wedding Cake Toppers.. birthdays etc... are available at

LoVE BOxes SHOP...

Where Lilacs Bloom...

It has been quite a week. Last week I decided to start a new design blog in the middle of a few other projects and it has been a lot of work to get it up and running... so please stop over and look at all the party planning ideas.. one of my favorites of the posts today: How to make your own silent movie for either your FLapper Themed Wedding OR your Dinner and a Murder Party :)

There will also be two real weddings featured with inspiration boards to create the same feel with handmade and vintage items. Stay tuned :)
Where Lilacs Bloom...