Gathering Roses and other Beautiful Ideas for the Home

I would like to share with you some things that encouraged my homemaking today. Blooming roses and a "just window shopping" trip take my mind off of the heat!


Spring, Picking Flowers
Art Print
Glendenning,...
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I have enjoyed filling the house with roses from my brother's rose garden. This second round of blooms have been more abundant than the first a few months ago. I have discovered that cutting them just as they come out of the bud stage (when the petals are still a bit tight) works well for me, as there are less bugs hiding inside the rose, and they bloom very nicely indoors with proper care. Though I used to prefer them for their impressive size and fragrance, I now leave the fully blown roses on the bush for the bees!


Picking Flowers for a Posy

Art Print

Haigh-Wood,...


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Sometimes I end up with roses that have too-short stems. I found my mother's glass reamer worked very well for these poor buds! And when they bloom they fill it out very charmingly.

Today was grocery shopping day. To make the trip to town a little more interesting, my Mother and I went to a "fun" store to look at pretty things for the home, a nice little break from the mega-grocery store experience.

In the Homegoods store (TJMaxx) we saw several beautiful things, and some in particular caught my eye. Various goblets from Italy with golden rims and beautiful colored glass (wouldn't it be fun to set them out at Christmas dinner?); charming lamp-shaded nightlights with fringe and a cameo in pink or very pale green; Terry towels with machine embroidered flowers on the lower edges, and of course lots of interesting boxes (such as a box of greeting cards that looked like a book) and a miniature pink toile wing chair for a little girls' room.

Roses in a Dish, 1882
Giclee Print
Fantin-Latour,...

The embroidered towels really impressed me. Years ago, women embroidered their linens for their hope chests, and for their homes, and for gifts. I am fortunate to have my grandmother's embroidered pillowcases, and her embroidered "days of the week" towels done by her sister-in-law. But just think of the luxury of decorating the bath room with lavishly embroidered towels!

We seem to be too busy to embroider our linens- let me rephrase that- we are too busy! But it is nice to know that these types of things are available, although they cannot represent the value of having family-made items.
The Guiding Hand
Art Print

I'm sure those who are fortunate enough to own an embroidery machine must enjoy the pleasure of making these items for their home more beautiful.


Arranging Daffodils
Thomsen, Carl
It was very inspiring to look and see what is out there. I do hope that there is a trend for more of these beautiful items for the home. Though the budget will not allow for any new pretties right now, I feel very rich just having access to a real rose garden to adorn the house with fresh flowers!