September 24, 2009

Five for Friday {September 25, 2009}


...The nights begin to stretch on longer, the days beckon you to slip a cardigan over your shoulder. After the week in which the seasons change hands from summer to autumn, it’s time put away the beach towels and dig out the extra blankets. Moments of simple comforts and cozy happinesses are just begging to be enjoyed, and after months of trying to escape the heat we suddenly find ourselves turning to those familiar things which warm our soul once more...


♥ ♥ ♥


{To wash away every last trace of summer’s sweltering heat}


{The packaging on this Italian bar of all natural, almond and olive oil based pumpkin soap is a work of art in and of itself. I don’t know if I could bring myself to tear into its antique inspired wrapping, and would no doubt, need to purchase at least two bars - one to use and another to keep on display in my powder room all autumn long. 250g bar of Horto Botanico pumpkin soap, $9.00 (US) from Emporio Italiano.}


{To usher in autumn (beautifully dressed) head on}



{Equal parts classic style and whimsy collide in this charming acorn bedecked vintage hat from the 1950s. $15.99 (US) from etsy seller Art Deco Dame.}


{To adorn all manner of festive gifts this season}



{Simple paper cutting skills are all that’s really needed to transform cardstock into elegantly serene gift tag featuring the familiar bare branched trees of fall. To learn how to create these tags – which seem to channel an art deco vibe, to me – click here for a handy video tutorial from (crafting blog) A Little Hut.}


{Would it be too obvious to say...“To ensure you keep calm and sew stuff”?}



{Inspired by a commonplace British WW2 poster that instructed civilians to “Keep calm and carry on” in the face of the brutal war that was taking place all around them, modern iterations of the “Keep calm” message have sprung up on a multitude of items over the past couple of years. This particular version, which I’m sure will appeal to sewing and crafting fans everywhere, comes in the form of an embroidered patch that could easily be added to anything you fancy, from a tote bag to a throw pillows. 3.26"w x 6.48"h embroidered patch, $5.00 (US) from Urban Threads.}


{To help you "practise" for all the Halloween candy you’ll "need" to consume in a few weeks ;D}



{Darling little squares of wonderfully autumnal hued cheesecake, laced with dulce de leche (a South American type of caramel), beg to be popped in the mouth and savoured with a huge smile on your lips. Image from, and recipe on, Annie’s Eats.}


Wishing you each a gloriously beautiful, perfectly relaxing first weekend of fall!

19 comments:

  1. aaah let's put on our acorn hats, have a nice cup of tea, and a bit of cheesecake!

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  2. I really love that pumpkin soap! I agree, buy 2, 1 to use and 1 to display :-)

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  3. I love anything pumpkin! And that hat...so tempting...much not buy hat...

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  4. I'm ready for some pumpkins. Great post. I hope you have a fantastic weekend. Cheers!

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  5. have a nice weekend, my lovely jessica!

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  6. i love the cheese cakes!! and this line: 'To help you "practise" for all the Halloween candy you’ll "need" to consume in a few weeks ;D'

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  7. Jessica
    I love your posts!! The hat, hmm, not so much :)
    Thanks you for your kind comments on my newest post. You absolutely made my day!! Have a wonderful weekend.

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  8. Oh gosh...this reminds me...almost time for pumpkin flavored coffee creamer and pumpkin coffee at BAM..love pumpkin! I'm not sure but I think I gained weight just visiting your blog today -smile-.
    The "sew" poster is fabulous!

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  9. oh thank you for including my hat!
    & to "love the decor" remember if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all =)

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  10. Super sweet hat!

    And of course I love that take on the WW2 Poster. I see it replicated everywhere - love it when it says something whimsically different :-)

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  11. I am SO buying that soap!! Adorable hat and witch cards, HA! How funny.

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  12. Keep Calm and Sew Stuff? Sewing is when I loose my zen LOL! Where is my seam ripper? Have a lovely Weekend Jessica!

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  13. I love the gypsy cards that are in the hat picture! I would love those, along with the dulce de leche treats and some tea - and I'll read your fortune too, though I won't really know what I'm doing :)

    Have a wonderful weekend, Jessica and thanks for the delicious links :)

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  14. I'm equally obsessed with fall and dulce de leche! Happy fall!

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  15. I am obsessed with that line of soaps by Nesti Dante. It smells gorgeous and the packaging is irresistible. My fave is the Il Frutteto range. Unfortunately they're so big and I can't get a good grip and it slips everywhere.

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  16. So glad autumn has finally arrived :) Gotta find some of that pumpkin soap!

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  17. Love the hat! And Gipsy Witch cards! I've always wanted them!!

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  18. Oh my goodness, cheesecake is my favorite, and those just look divine.

    Hope your having a wonderful weekend darling,
    xoxo

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  19. @ Chrisy, that sounds like a thoroughly delightful way to spend a day! Just let me know when and where and I'll be there :)

    @ Kathie, I think we better make it three, you know, just in case one gets lost/mauled by the cat/swiped by an admiring house guest/etc ;D

    @ Maggi & Keith & Thistle Cove Farm, I love all things pumpkin, too! It's such a visually beautiful vegetable and also one of the tastiest autumn foods ever! Thank you for your pumpkin comments, dears!

    @ Greetz from Tiz, thank you very much, sweetie pie!

    @ Wana, thank you, my dear. I couldn't help but smile, too, over that line as I typed it :)

    @ Love the Decor, you're very welcome for the comment, I'm touched that it meant so much to you.

    @ art deco dame, you're very welcome! I know "Love the Decor" through her site, she's a very sweet person and am sure she didn't mean anything negative against you personally, honey, regarding her comment about that delightful vintage hat.

    @ Gabriel, I adore that hat, too, I wish they still made them like that these days!

    @ A Vintage Revival, I would love to know what you think of that soap if you buy it. I haven't tried it myself yet, but hope to one day. Italian soaps are often really lovely (in my experience).

    @ Sher, you're comment made me smile, sweetie. Sewing can definitely veer on both ends of the stress/zen spectrum :)

    @ Lidian, thank you very much for your lovely comment, dear! I think a day of tea leaf reading and cheesecake bites sounds like oodles of fun! :)

    @ Kim, happy fall to you, too, my fellow fan of fall and sweet treats!

    @ Ana b., ooohhh, how lovely that you've had a chance to try these soaps. I just discovered Nesti Dante's line last week online and instantly fell head-over-heels for their gorgeous, antique inspired packaging. Big bars of soap can be tricky to grip though, I agree. Sometimes if they're on the firm side, you can slice larger bars in half (or even thirds) before you start using it with a slightly warmed knife (just run it under hot water for a few seconds, it makes cutting through the soap a little easier, I find).

    @ Halloween spirit, I'm super thrilled that autumn has finally arrived, too! Last night was the first day that actually felt like "true fall" to me - and I couldn't be happier.

    @ AlicePleasance, I adore that hat, too. I could imagine some deeply stylish woman in the 50s wearing it with a brown, fitted two piece skirt suit all autumn long.

    @ Dustjacket Attic, cheesecake is amazing, I agree! Thank you very much for your weekend wishes, it turned out to be a fantastic one! I hope the same was true for you too, my sweet friend!

    Huge thanks to each of your for your comments, I always love reading your thoughts and sharing in our love of all things vintage together!


    Big hugs,
    ♥ Jessica

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