Ice cream!

It is the dog days of summer------head to the freezer section and grab some pints of dairy delights! {a current fave, pistachio ice cream at meijer}
Grab some vintage music sheets and wrap around containers.....tie with pink ribbon.......
Signage, bowls and wooden spoons to serve.........
Garnish with mint and this is sure to hit the spot, spot today...........

{no baby yet! I'm due August 30th..... I will just have to sit tight & eat some ice cream!}

k & d too

Meanwhile.....

{Country Living}

 Last week entailed buying a claw foot tub for $99 bucks. Brand.Spanking.New.
The shipping was more than double, but a steal compared to the regular price. My husband Matt came home and made some sort of statement how did you find this tub again? I was looking at an old Domino magazine and they had featured some brackets available through Van Dyke's Restorers. I checked it out and came across their 90% off section and lo and behold-- a claw foot tub. {cast iron} We need to re- glaze our current claw foot hippo-of-a-tub & after finding out what that cost, this deal couldn't be beat! Plus, I was able to get a cool faucet for $19.99 regular $214.00. They had other $649.00 faucets for a tub, shower combo marked down to $64.00 and it was cute. I didn't need that so I passed on it.

Well, the contractor shows up this week to go over our storage dilemmas and I have a list. My list doesn't match Matt's list so this shall be interesting. {should we have a marriage counselor come too?}

I have been weeding through 10 years of magazines that I have saved. I have ripped out pages and have neat little stacks to put in binders. I'm so happy to have this almost accomplished. Wow, talk about freeing some room up in the attic. I saved all the Domino magazines since they are no longer, I just didn't have the heart to throw them out!

I haven't been posting as we have been busy with web store and getting ready for this house project. I will show before and after pics when it's all done. 

k

Pure Inspiration

This magazine, Uppercase Journal or should we call it a "magazine book", is the inspiration of Janine Vangool. This magazine is on our radar and we need to subscribe today. More in detail here about the magazine and what it entails. It is based out of Canada and Janice of Papier Valise writes more about it here. {she shows you what treats are inside, we love the shears card} Papier Valise is another one of our daily reads, amazing talent, unusual projects, one of the best blogs out there.

We spy shears suspended in anthropologie's catalog. We love the fabric bolts and the visual goodies in this photo. Of course the dress forms are just smashing. Does anyone out there collect these catalogs? We do! They are like magazines to us, we can't bear to part with them.

What magazine or catalogs inspire you?

Swan & Shears

For quite a while we have been wanting to change our blog name. We still need to do more work on the blog, but baby steps! Swan & Shears is a name that sums us up, we like a little fuss plus in our lives there is a lot of flurry behind the scenes.

Kara headed into K mart to get a medley of baby supplies and trucked it while cuz Sara was in the car watching her kidlets. Kara can fly around stores -must be from all the gift show experience, keep moving and you'll find it! Kara checked online for those "tacky garden swans" and lo and behold 50 years later they are still manufactured in US of A--. Kara flew to the garden area and there they were perched on the top shelf {good thing she's 5'10"} grabbed the two left! {highly doubt they were top sellers} No, she didn't get plastic flowers to tuck in them!

Actually we wouldn't put these in our garden, but for display purposes "Amen"! Oh, the possibilities running around in our little heads. More on projects for those at a later date we want you to digest the thought that we just purchased these plastic swans!

Kara didn't have a cart and when the checkout girl saw her coming with those swans perched in her arms, she blinked a couple of times and we knew the thought running through her head, "you've got to be kidding me"!

Actually, you never know Anthropologie wouldn't bat an eye at using these for a visual display in their stores. You also know our affection for flamingos and a year or so ago Ralph Lauren did a flamingo display in one of their NYC stores. See we are not that wierd!

Have a little fuss and a lot of flurry this week.........

Kara + Darcy

Outside a Farmhouse Window

View from upstairs......reflecting on the past weeks......

it has been lovely taking a break. We are waiting on the "changes" to happen and is not happening as fast as we would like it to. Everything takes time and we need just to sit tight...............

Here's what has been happening from the inside view & the outside view of our life........

Carriage rides at the park...........

Our inspiration for these flower baskets.....these petite c. 1930's crepe paper flowers.......

Darcy made larger crepe paper flowers using inspiration from the petite 1930's bouquet & mixed crepe flowers from Martha Stewart's kit.............

Sweet "prize" brooches........

Packing lots of orders this past week...........

Oh, this fabric! Can 7.5 yards really make a dress for Darcy & Kara? We'll need to phone before we go on an outing together, as wearing the same fabric would be un-cool!

Spending time with children..........

Not a care in the world...........

Outside the office window.....

What is your view today?......................

Good Morning Sunshine!

Buy "punch" balloons today and punch away

it's a blast! {for the mom too!}

Good Morning Sunshine!

Amazing "frother" available here......

Cute to boot!

flamingo garland

available soon!

Happy Mother's Day!

k + d

The Good News!

This weekend is pivotal for Christians in centuries past & present & future.............

We heard a beautiful message last evening and one of the main things that spoke volumes was our minister stated the world wants a Christ, but does not want a cross.

May you have a blessed weekend,
K&D

Today the Sun is Shining!

{Picture Kate Spade}

Oh, we needed this after our crazy April snow! We were checking out what Kate Spade was up to. We love her style.........although Liz Claiborne bought her company she's always done her own thing!

Luke broke our basic point & shoot camera! We have photos saved of Darcy's house so we'll get those on then it's time to buy a new one......we're branching out into a better camera! We think we want a Canon Rebel.
Any ideas? Do you have a favorite brand of camera???

Loving this song today!

k&d

Oh so Random Today.....

Here is a medley of pictures, random just some inspiration and some of these are gifts to us.

{Thanks Debby for morning chat the other week and spring treats + baby gift for zach}

Picking Christmas Wrapping Colors from an Outfit?

We were smitten by the combo of the colors of J.Crew's outfit-
the deep royal blue, melon and contrast of a greenish yellow. We dove into ordering a collection of velvet ribbons and paper ribbon for packaging, inspired by these colors. As for gift wrap none other than our favorite foil paper. Here we'll show you some packaging supplies inspired by j.crew's picture.
{by the way did any of you see the J.Crew's creative director's home in the latest domino? very fun I tell you!}

The display Darcy did of the bracelets is delightful. Love the texture of the wood in contrast to the jewelry.

Have a lovely day!

k&d

Guess Who Came in our Shop?

Amy Butler,
{designer extraordinaire}

Amy and her Mother stopped in the shop on Saturday.
Was very nice of them to come and see us in the
"middle of nowhere"!
She has a line of solids out that are beautiful,
a brilliant idea so that these coordinate with
her patterned fabrics. Her new line of fabrics is out as well.
She is debuting a bedding line
shortly in NYC. Also, has a line of gift wrap that is eco-friendly.

She will be signing her new children's book of sewing projects
at the Country Living Fair.

Best of all, Amy is so humble about her
talent. Her story of how she started out
is amazing.
She is willing to answer our silly questions
and is so nice. She is very busy and we're in awe of all
that she accomplishes.

Enjoy your week! May it be filled with inspiration and blessings!
K&D

Inspiration

{cute, cute begging for us to take it home to McMaster & Storm}

Darcy & I are off this weekend to pick up a vintage-y china cabinet. I spotted this awhile back took a photo and it's still at the shop. Good for us, as we have ideas for it. We are not painting it nor changing the knobs, but we're going to show you what we do with it when "our inspiration" finished. Check back often!

A customer asked Darcy yesterday, "where do you get your inspiration for the store?" Well, it's everywhere, in nature, fabrics, textures, colors, flea marketing & in our creative fabrications. (sometimes even in the wee hours of the morning) Our homes also play a role; testing ideas and just rearranging furniture in our homes gets us going! We are blessed to have the gifts that God has given us, and need to use them to glorify him. Sometimes we forget how awesome our Creator is.

Fall is coming out in the store, Darcy finished details on our wheat sheaves and our new deeper hued rugs are in as well. We should see delivery trucks a lot this next week or so. Also, sending out greetings to our "retailer friends" may you have a wonderful fall season at your shops, we are so blessed to know everyone of you!

Warm Regards,
Kara & Darcy

California buying Trip

The Bistro in Turlock, CA



Window display Nest, San Francisco

Cute shop

The Greenery Nursery Turlock, CA

Kristy working at I Love Paris, Oakdale CA