Jeweled Elegance

How An Average Girl Takes Awesome Firework Photos

2009-07-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had an awesome Fourth of July Holiday Weekend! And if you're not in America, I hope your weekend was excellent too! Our family quickly burned through our fireworks early in the evening and was fortunate enough to get to watch a neighbor's fabulous show later on. What a treat!
Did you know your digital camera might have a specialty selection for taking firework pictures? I was actually trying to set the camera in "night" mode to take a picture of the full moon, but I noticed an arrow at the bottom of the selection screen that said "more?". I pressed it and there were more options, including "behind glass" and "fireworks". Hmm.. newly discovered firework mode, fireworks show right in front of me..... had to try it! And look at the fabulous results!!!!
These fireworks in these photos might look impressive, but I assure you all fireworks used were legal in this state. Tip#1: take pics early on because once the smoke gets too thick, the quality of the photos diminishs. Tip#2: embrace chaos theory .. don't try to capture the perfect shot because everything changes so rapidly, just randomly click and be surprised by how the most oddball of shots can produce the most stunning results.
This is what my kids using sparklers look like! Who says there are no such thing as real magic wands! :)

P.S. my camera is nothing special, a four or five year old basic thing, so if my camera has this mode, chances are good yours does too somewhere!

Garden Green Freshness

2009-06-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

Our veggie garden is churning out its first goodness of the season. We planted three varieties of lettuce before it got hot, hot, hot and they have really blossomed into prolific plants. Just look at this tasty dinner salad. Everything but the tomatoes is from our garden!! How cool is that? There is something just so satisfying about making dinner out of your own backyard.

Green is obviously a color very much on my mind this week. Here's a Julie cuff I'm working on ..... in green. You can find the free pattern for it here. If you make one, I found the stitch diagram to be leagues clearer to follow than the written instructions. This is one of those pieces where blocking is a must. Blocking works straightening magic on fine crochet thread motifs like this. Here it is currently being blocked.This link is the best tutorial I have found for blocking crochet for those who would like to know. My tips? 1) A piece of thick foam core covered in paper towels works great for a low-cost blocking surface. 2) Use rust-free, rust-proof pins! Seriously, do not fudge on this or you will not be happy.

Now... if only the local bakery has green frosted doughnuts, this will be a beautiful, if very hot, week :)

Queen Anne Lace Scarves

2009-06-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

School is out for the summer! My little munchkins are happy to have their long, carefree summer vacation ahead of them, but yes .. there have been tears of sadness over saying goodbye to their teachers and friends. I don't know how teachers do it bonding with their kids all year long and then having to say goodbye to them all every year. I'd be a complete blubbery mess for sure. This year both my children were blessed with *stellar* teachers. Really exceptional professionals who taught them well, looked out for them, and really cared. For end-of-year thank you gifts, my munchkins worked hard making little bookmarks, baking cookies, and hand-writing notes to them, but I really wanted to do something extra special for them. I found this pattern for the elegant and versitile Queen Anne's Lace scarf, named after the lacy white flower, and thought. . . perfect!. I asked each boy what color clothes their teacher wore to school often, or if they had a favorite color. Answer to question #1: "maybe dark black?". Answer to question #2: "no idea". So .... new strategy. I took them to the yarn store and asked them to pick out a color their teacher would like. Success! One picked "peacock" and the other picked "plum pudding". Love that name, "plum pudding"!

They turned out even prettier than I had imagined! At one point I rolled one to put it away for the evening and thought .. "hey, that looks like a flower blossom rolled that way! How cute!" Can you see the resemblance?So, I rolled them up for packaging. Of course they didn't stay rolled up all on their own, but a little coordinating ribbon did the trick.
Even with everything else going on I managed to get these done just in the nick of time. Even one day early! Which was good timing because I wasn't sure if I would be in town the very last day of school and was able to walk my munchkins to school and drop them off a day early. Yeah!!

Free Pattern: Drop Stitch Scarf

2009-06-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Scarfs are usually thought of as a winter accessory to warm and protect against inclement weather, but scarfs can actually be worn all year long... it just depends how you make them and what you make them out of. A drop stitch scarf is not only lovely to look at, but the huge slits in it created by the dropped stitches create an airy, lightweight fabric that lets cool breezes through. Wool is not a great choice for warmer weather, so you'd want to stick with cool cotton or .... ribbon yarn! Ribbon yarn is thin and thick at the same time, comes in a dazzling array of colors, many of them multi-colored. This is one I recently made in a vibrant, shimmery ribbon yarn.Drop stitch scarfs are VERY easy to make and work up very quickly with a minimum of yarn. I've never needed more than one normal-sized skein per scarf. You can find a free pattern for this scarf here. It is suitable for beginning knitters and the results, whatever yarn used, are always very satisfying. Fringe (not pictured) is optional, but highly, highly recommended to add.

Boo Boo

2009-06-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

My littlest munchkin had a big boo boo and it's been stressful for the past few months. I don't talk about my kids online too much or allow their pictures for safety and privacy reasons, but the last phone call from the pediatrician was great news and such a relief! I wanted to say a special thank you to his pediatrician, the wonderful team at St. Vincent's Children's Hospital and his kindergarten teacher for taking such good care of him.

How to Make a Sticky Post on Blogger

2009-06-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is a useful trick to know: how to make a "sticky post" that always stays at the top of your posts in Blogger. Here's how:

1) Sign into Blogger and click the "Layout" tab at the top.

2) Select "Add a Gadget" and then choose "Text".

3) Complete the "Configure Text" window, click the "Save" button.

4) Drag the text item to the "Blog Posts" section of your layout.

5) Click "Preview" to make sure the sticky post appears at the top, then click "Save".

6) You are done!

Free Pattern: Simplicity Summer Scarf

2009-05-22T13:47:00.001-07:00

I needed a quick graduation gift and had been toying with a vine trellis / flower crochet concept for a while, and suddenly, it all just came together! Five hours later ... and this cute, lightweight summer scarf was ready to be wrapped up.

You can see a hint of my famous pumpkin wall in that last shot. And I still can't believe how well that bust made of paper mache turned out! All my jewelry busts were, alas, short and neckless, so after a couple of layers of handmade paper (the cool stuff, with flower petals and leaves pressed in it) and many, many coats of Modgepodge .. Ta Da! You many recognize it from the photos of the scarflettes, its photographic debut :) I am *so* in love with the greater versatility of having a neck!!

If you crochet and want to make a similar pattern, I'm offering it for free on this page. If you make a scarf from the pattern or find wording in the pattern that could be improved, let me know!

Gosh, it is lovely to not have that page be completely empty anymore! Lots of firsts involved .. my first digital pattern, my first PDF, my first HTML to get the PDF to download... etc., etc. Ah .. I love learning new things! :D

Can you Define Your Style in One Picture?

2009-05-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

This week I had the pleasure of having my vintage rose button beads selected as an Etsy Item of the Day! Very exciting!

And .. I was tagged by Gracie with the "Style Challenge" to pick one image that describes my style. This was really tough! Because I don't have just one style. If I had to pick though .... how about this Jules Verne type bedroom at the Atlantic Hotel in Dubai. Sleek and modern, but very biological:

Pictures from All4YourFun

The contemporary fusion design coming out of places like Morocco, Hawaii and Thailand looks like "my style" too :) This Moorish fantasy house is in Florida, but you get the idea.

Pictures from Architectural Digest

What's your style? Would you like to take the "Style Challenge"? Play along in blogland by posting a pic (or two) that defines *your* special style!

Kids Learn to Crochet

2009-05-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

"Can you teach me mommy?" This is something I've been hearing a lot lately from my eldest son :) So I was thrilled to find this book on teaching kids crochet.It is by far the best book I have found for making crochet concepts understandable to first time beginners of any age. The cheery projects and simple language are geared for kids, but it has such excellent step-by-step instructions that it will demystify crochet for anyone.

He and I have been working through the first few chapters together focusing on the basics: slip knots, chains and single crochet. His hand dexterity is not *quite* developed enough yet, but he is really trying hard because he is just dying to make his own Stripey Stu kitty project!
Speaking of kitties, my little baby kitty is home safe and sound and doing fabulously! Thank you everyone for your concern for her!!

How To: Get Marie Antionette Hair

2009-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Regular readers know I'm an addict for movie costumes, esp. historical costumes. Hair, jewelry and makeup are all part of costuming too. Since the current Marie Antoinette trend is still going full-steam ahead in the US, here's a tutorial on how to get Marie Antoinette hair. Unlike some tutorials I've seen that skip steps or gloss over the nuts and bolts, this one is very doable and easy to understand. The French background song is a fun touch too :)

A Pet's Ten Commandments

2009-05-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

My poor baby kitty has to go under anesthesia tomorrow at the veterinarian :( I am so worried about her. She's actually a grand old lady in terms of age, but she will always be my little furry baby.

The vet had this posted in the exam room and I wanted to share it. I thought it was very thoughtful and gentle and well-put.

A Pet's Ten Commandments

1) My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any seperation from you is likely to be painful.

2) Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3) Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4) Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5) Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6) Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7) Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8) Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself is something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9) Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10) On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

~~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good take of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters.

Sherwood Saturday Market Opening Day!!

2009-05-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the opening weekend of the local market I vend at. I had a fantastic time and it was so wonderful to reconnect with all my vendor friends, catch up with all my long-time customers, and meet so many lovely new people!Now, this weekend was super stormy, rainy with strong tree-whipping winds. Given the weather and the fact that the local newspaper failed to run their usual article on the market opening, we still had a fantastic turnout and everyone had a blast! As any true Northwesterners will tell you, a little rainy weather is no reason not to get out and about. Here in the Pacific Northwest, it traditionally rains 1 or 2 days out of every three, so you can see where the mentality comes from :)
I made some booth changes this year to try to make set up and take down a little easier on myself. Here's one of the decorative plates I'm trying out. This one is full of Little Tweet package toppers. Love these cuties!And here's the day's best seller. A sweet little bird necklace with blue terbium glass. I have a limited supply of this particular cut and color of glass, so I only have ONE more of these to put out for sale next week.
Ah, and here are two of my new favorites. Asymmetrical necklaces with awesome nature embellishments. The green one has large jade gemstone beads and a lovely red ladybug. And the lighter one has red mountain jade gemstone beads and a cute flower / leaf combo. All feature vintage style, but lead and nickel free, brass.

It has been an insanely busy past four weeks for me! I didn't get everything done I had planned to, but I got my website and blog freshened up, got to market with a full table of lovely wares to sell, and had a *great* visit with my mom. I wish she didn't live so very far away, but I am glad she got to spend a little quality time here with me and the kids. And she agreed to be a pattern tester for me! Whoo hoo!

Crocheted Scarflettes Arrive!

2009-04-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

The first crocheted scarflettes are finally in the shop! I've got more in the pipeline at the studio and of course, still working on the patterns. I am so excited to finally have a few of these to show you!
I love using flower brooches, so many of them will come with complementary detachable flower brooches. I've also procured some fabulous vintage jewels I'm using on a select few.
I think I'm going to meet my May 2nd deadline for everything getting done! I've been running a bit behind this week and working into the wee hours of the morning playing "catch-up". Why? Our poor car is dying a slow death from old age and heavy wear and tear, and hubby and I decided now was the time to stop repairing and start scouting for a new vehicle. Car shopping is not high on my list of things I enjoy, but a safe, reliable vehicle, esp. when you have little children, is a must! My mother also is arriving this week for a visit. She's an *awesome* crocheter and I can't wait for her to visit the studio. I'm hoping she'll volunteer to be a pattern tester for me :)

LinkWithin -- A Handy Blog Widget

2009-04-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

Vintage Cinderella & Fairy Godmother Illustration

The Jeweled Elegance Cinderella transformation continues! On this post I started listing related posts at the bottom of current posts because I felt there was so much goodness buried in my past posts. Well, that strategy worked .. but as I got more and more posts, it became more challenging to manually sort through all my posts. Luckily, I just found LinkWithin! This blog widget does all the work for you. It generates related posts with photo thumbnails for every post. I am really liking it, but some of the things it generates as "related" do seem a bit weird!

Vintage Sleeping Beauty Queen Illustration

I've been working hard like a busy bee and have *mostly* finished my website boutique overhaul. How fresh and bright it looks! The banner now complements my business cards. The blog and site match perfectly. The press page is upated. The promo pics are redone. And I redid from scratch about half the product photos. Worlds better! (The other half are things I'm taking to market in 2 weeks and since they might soon be in happy homes, I didn't want to spend the hours photographing them quite yet). I still need to get my newsletter program fixed .... and get the scarflettes and patterns up! I have 6 scarflettes almost done .... and am working on the patterns for at least 4 of them, plus the pattern for the fingerless gloves. The patterns are taking longer than I thought because I first have to write them, then test them myself by crocheting straight from the pattern to sure it flows smoothly and has no mistakes, .. and THEN have an independent crocheter test the pattern out. Soon!!

Geek Crafters Rejoice: Moonlit Flowers Tutorial

2009-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Moonlit Flower DIY Kit" from techdyi

Those of you who regularly read my blog know that it can be a bit eclectic at times. Today is one of those days. I bring you a really cool tutorial I found online that merges technology and craft: Moonlit flowers!

What's so cool about it? How can conductive thread united with LEDs and felt not be cool? Especially that conductive thread -- what a fabulous industry supply with unending possiblities! Please see the full online tutorial at TechDYI. There is even a downloadable template. It states that there are kits available at Etsy, but the shop was empty when I went to check it out. I'm hoping a local Radio Shack will have some of the materials. Don't know about that conductive thread though ... out here with the llamas it could be a challenge to rustle up.

Getting Gorgeous

2009-04-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

Hi all!! Well, you might have noticed from the changed look of my blog that big changes are afoot. Not only is my blog completely redesigned, but I am also working on completely redesigning my website boutique. It's been two years since my last major website update while I worked on getting Etsy up and running and my poor neglected website really needs some love and freshening up. So, I'm ignoring the beautiful weather outside and keeping my nose to the grindstone making new graphics, taking new pictures, creating new product, and handcoding lots of HTML and XHTML. I'd love to have a fancy, integrated cart website with all the bells and whistles, but that will have to wait until I win the lottery or something :) So, it's still the Paypal shopping cart, but it's going to be just gorgeous!!

As if that wasn't enough of a project, I am also moving ahead on launching my crochet goodies and patterns. AND starting at least one new blog project (maybe two) to create a new direction for the future of my company. So, I'm not going to spend much time in blogland for the immediate future .. because as great as that is, it can consume enormous amounts of time, and I'm a girl with a mission!

I want to have everthing up and running before the start of my Saturday Market on May 2. Oh, that's right! With all my other projects, I also need to be ready to sell at market in .. gulp .. 3 weeks!! I'm going to be one busy Bejeweled!

I've still got a few more weeks of working hard, and then I can go outside to the patio to smell the flowers and have a well deserved slice of decadent cheesecake with a pot of fancy tea!

Taking a Spring Break

2009-03-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

It's Spring Break here! The kids and I are spending the week having some fabulous adventures! We've been playing games, reading books, and hanging out here:Is this park not fabulous? Look at the tree on the right. It's one of several that has got these weird, twisty roots all above ground. The kids are loving climbing these and imagining their fantastical root structures populated by Tolkienesque goblins and faeries! :)

See you next week when school resumes!

Lost in Austen

2009-03-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

Look what's finally jumping across the Atlantic to the US ..... "Lost in Austin"! A four-part 2008 British television series produced for the ITV network. It's the tale of a modern girl transported into the 19th-century world of author Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Of course her presence disrupts the story as we all know it is supposed to go and she finds herself scrambling to put it right.

**updated: OK .. I finally had a chance to rent this. Hmmmm....it had a great premise and some really good casting, but fell really short of weaving everything together for an entrancing story. The ending especially had a huge contradiction in it. I don't think, having actually seen it now, that I would actually recommend it quite so heartily.

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Other posts you might enjoy:
Becoming Jane

Vintagey Lucite Flower Goodness

2009-03-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

I just love custom orders! One of my lovely customers brought me a vintage necklace from around the 50's or 60's and asked if I could re-make it into some long, dangley earrings featuring the gorgeous vintage flower beads in the necklace. I'm no expert on vintage jewels, but they looked like Lucite to me! Vintage Lucite Flower Beads .... Yum!!

Here's pair number one:

And pair number two:

They are both so gorgeous, I don't know how she will ever choose. I know I'd take both!!!

***Update: She picked pair #1! Pair #2 is looking gorgeous and seeking a new home. To be the proud new owner of these lovelies click here. ***

The necklace was pretty long, so I had tons of extras left over. I'm going to post pics of them here and add them to Etsy too (here and here and here), in case anyone wants to make their own pairs.
So... you may ask what happened to the great Spring cleaning I was in the midst of. Grade school is so wonderful for the sharing of germs, esp. in Spring. Let's just say this has been "The House of Flu" for the past few weeks. Me hit the hardest since I exhausted myself nursing my sick little guys and husband. Life is bouncing back around here though and with one custom order done and packaged, I think I hear that coat closet begging to be cleaned out today! :)

Oh, and if you haven't seen this very cool Flu Trend Tracker from Google you should take a look. The tech behind it is quite novel and yet, extremely commonsense too. Google found that certain search terms were indicative of flu activity. They used the Google aggregated (combined) data to estimate flu activity in a given region. Neat, huh? Currently, Oregon rates as "high" .. no surprise there :)

La volupté du goût: French Painting in the Age of Madame de Pompadour

2009-03-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

How exciting! I just found out that my local musuem, the Portland Art Museum, in conjunction with the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours is hosting an exhibition of some of the most sumptuous paintings ever created. "La Volupté du Gout" ("Voluptuous Taste") is comprised of paintings created by 24 of the era’s most important artists patronized by Madame de Pompadour. Madame de Pompdour was an intelligent, talented and beautiful woman who exerted strong cultural, intellectual and political influence at the French court, and was installed as one of the official mistresses of Louis XV from 1745 to 1750. She favored Rococo, so if that is your style, you'll be a happy camper. If you are in the neighborhood and want to go see it, the exhibit runs from Feb. 7, 2009 – May 17, 2009.

Posh Fingerless Gloves

2009-02-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

I think it's finally safe to post the pictures of the handcrafted gifts I gave to my family members this Christmas. I was super late mailing things out, but they should all have their packages by now (even going erroneously to a different continent and back). This year, it was all about the functionality. Useful, you-will-use-them gifts. Everyone got a sweet multi-colored caplet or a pair of durable, washable, crocheted fingerless gloves! For the girls, I used this oh-so-soft pink organic cotton. This stuff was so soft I kept wanting to stoke my cheek with it while working. Each glove is embellished with pearlized, washable buttons. One, because then you always know which glove is for the right hand and which is for the left. Two, because buttons are just so cool being little works of art themselves. Three, because embellishments that make clothing and accessories unwashable/uncleanable are not cool.Yes, that's me modeling a pair of pink ones :) And who is that modeling one of the guy pairs? It's my DH! Who was such a good sport about playing model for the morning.For the guys, it was a rugged grey wool blend. All the warmth of wool, but you can wash them in the machine .. no felting is going to happen to this wool! And buttons here too, but plain, black or grey masculine ones. Don't want them thinking the buttons are too girly :) I've given my family a variety of handcrafted gifts over the years because to me handcrafted gifts are true expressions of love since you customize each gift just for the recipient and then spend many hours of your life meticulously crafting them. Love is crafted into them at every step. But I know some people would rather just receive gift certificates or, and this is especially true for guys, the latest electronics. What do you think?

Also, while I was working on all these pairs of fingerless gloves, I had 6 or 7 people come up to me and ask for the pattern! I do use other people's patterns occasionally, but this was one of my own designs and I was just thrilled to get this ultimate compliment! I've been trying to think of creative ways to add a few more dollars to our income during these oh-so-fun economic times, so what do you think of me starting to sell crochet PDF patterns. Good idea? Bad idea? And then of course ... I have to figure out *how* to make a downloadable PDF pattern. If anyone wants to help me get the ball rolling on this, please contact me .. I would so appreciate it!

Also .. my next blog post won't be for two weeks. I have some custom orders to do ASAP and Quickbooks stuff for taxes (joy!). Until then, feel free to visit some of my archived posts and ....... cheers!!

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Other posts you might enjoy:
Beauty on the Blog Countdown: Day 1 of 3
Who Can Never Remember to Photograph Their Swaps? Me!
Yarn Addiction
Indie Spotlight: Mohop Shoes

Twilight Quiz: Which Twilight Female Are You?

2009-02-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

"You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and appreciate the kind way you always handle things."

Who doesn't like a bit of online fun now and then? If you take the quiz, please share who you would be!

Spring Cleaning

2009-02-17T05:49:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! We gorged on sugary baked goodies on the couch and watched the romantic fairy-tale movie "Ever After". Just love the winged, beaded crystal dress Drew Barrymore wears to the ball. Ethereal wings, beaded crystal shoes ... what's not to love?

"Ever After" ballroom dress
Image from Pretty Geeky from the "Fashion in Film: Period Costumes for the Screen" exhibit

I want to gush a bit about an exhibit I learned about while looking for this dress picture. "Fashion in Film: Period Costumes for the Screen" is a traveling exhibit features thirty-six exquisite period costumes worn by movie stars in major motion pictures, from critically acclaimed films Dangerous Liaisons and Sense and Sensibility to blockbusters Indiana Jones and Titanic. It looks like an absolutely dreamy exhibit! You can learn more about it here and here and here. Regretfully, it's not traveling anywhere near me. If anyone knows where I can get a hold of a beautifully illustrated exhibit guide with killer photos, I would be most grateful!

In other news ... this week the weather has finally warmed up and Spring is on the way! How do I know? Well, there are the tulips coming up .....But I've also been seized with the sudden urge to begin Spring cleaning. The great thing about doing a thorough deep cleaning is that you find all sorts of forgotten treasures deep in back closets. Look at this cute Japanese brush box I rediscovered! I think it makes a very nice tool caddy.And what's in that cute little drawer at the bottom?? Antique chandelier crystals!I think this repurposed box makes a gorgeous and utilitarian addition to my jewelry desk.

What treasures do you have around the house that can be repurposed and given a second life?

OWOH Winner Announced!

2009-02-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Looking into my treasure box here and pulling out a name .......the winner of my handbeaded vintage-style cross pendant is .... Valerie! Congrats!!! Valerie, I will be contacting you shortly for your mailing address so I can get your prize out to you!

Thank you everyone who visiting me during the One World One Heart 2009 blogger event! And what an event it was... over 900 participants this year...whoa!! I had such fun visiting, discovering new blogs and making new friends. I did really try to visit everyone on that mammoth list, but I'm not the dash and run comment kind of girl. I like to stay a while, look around and really enjoy the blogs I visit. Plus which .. I do have to sleep occasionally :) Until next year everyone!!

Love is in the Air

2009-02-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

"Meeting on the Turret Stairs" by Frederick William Burton

Valentine's Day: the day when people, esp. lovers, express their love by sending romantic cards, presenting flowers, engaging in intimate dining, or offering confectionery. But around here ... it's watching gooshy, romantic movies on TV while eating the aforementioned confectionary (usually something pink and frosted or dark chocolate, but cheesecake would not go unappreciated!) and smelling the lovely flowers :)

There are so many flavors of romantic movie: bittersweet ("Moulin Rouge"), classic ("Casablanca"), epic ("Titanic"), comic ("Bridget Jones’s Diary"), happily-ever-after ("While You Were Sleeping"), and so many, many more.

Our house leans heavily in the sci-fi/fantasy direction, so our current line-up for curling up on the couch with confectionery on our "date night" this week are: "Ever After" (great costumes too!), "50 First Dates"(this is sweet, cute and different), and "Groundhog Day" (classic Bill Murray).

What is **your** favorite romantic movie??