This Week’s Finds

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For This Week’s Finds, I’m sharing with you my lifeline for the past  few months: an entertaining mix of Create Academy classes – one on making bespoke hand-sewn lampshades, the other on flower pressing as a way of preserving your favorite wildflowers and plants. There’s something so touching and nostalgic about pressing flowers. The process is meticulous, almost meditative, and it forces you to slow down and be present. Most importantly, both courses allow you to be creative and playful (not to mention frugal), while making something beautiful and one-of-a-kind for your home.

Scouring Facebook Marketplace is another way to unwind after a busy day at work and I’ve been lucky enough to find a pair of andirons for our living room fireplace and a comfortable antique chair that needs some love (and new upholstery). I can’t think of a place for the chair right now, but at ten dollars, I could not pass it up. I’ve also discovered new (to me) authors such as Richard Osman with The Man Who Died Twice – a beautiful book, equal parts humor and heart, Mary Roach and Lilian Jackson Braun. 

Old favorites, such as Dame Agatha Christie and Patricia Highsmith have provided much needed escape and enjoyment also. I’ve recently read Death Comes as the End, Agatha Christie’s only historical novel, and loved it. A Golden Age murder mystery set in ancient Egypt during the time of the pharaohs, the book was thoroughly researched and took longer to complete than any of her other books. There’s also an intriguing story about its ending – Christie changed it at the suggestion of a friend but later regretted not sticking with her original idea. Though we don’t know what that original idea was, it is a thrilling read – perfect for a rainy spring afternoon. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of escapist fiction, is there? Especially if it makes you laugh out loud.

I’ve also included a link to a stunning home tour of a Berkshires farmhouse designed by McGrath II, some pretty things for your bedroom and… the tastiest thing I’ve cooked in ages – cheesy eggplant pecorino – a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. I hope you see something you like! 

Crispy Cheesy Eggplant Pecorino – Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Handsewn Lampshades Masterclass with Create Academy

Master the art of handsewn lampshade making in Chloe Jonason’s online masterclass. In this comprehensive course, you’ll learn how to create two exquisite styles of sewn lampshades. Through detailed step-by-step demonstrations, discover the essential sewing techniques needed to achieve a professional finish. Learn how to elevate your designs with embellishments and finishing touches, such as trims and fringing, that will add a touch of luxury to your creations. Chloe will also share her trusted sources for essential tools and materials, teaching you how to choose the perfect fabric for your project, as well as her expert tips for pairing the right size and style of shade with the right base. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sewer, this course will provide you with all the skills and knowledge you need to create stunning, personalised lampshades of your own.

The Man Who Died Twice, by Richard Osman

Tears of the Giraffe, by Alexander McCall Smith

Scalloped Pillow Covers – Set of 2

Scalloped Bed Skirt

Carolina Irving Fabric – Andaluz 2.25 Yards

Learn the Art of Flower Pressing with Create Academy

Discover the lost art of flower pressing with Melissa Richardson and Amy Fielding, founders of flower pressing studio, JamJar Edit. Experts when it comes to preserving the beauty of nature, Melissa and Amy share how they have reinvented the traditional art of flower pressing into a very modern craft form. Packed with inspiring projects and step-by-step tutorials, you’ll learn the key pressing, composition and mounting techniques, as well as exploring how best to select flowers, and the history behind flower pressing. Discover not only how to create your own stunning works of art, but a wonderful way of preserving your favorite wildflowers, wedding bouquet or even an entire garden through flower pressing. A celebration of the botanical world, this course is ideal for gardeners, artists, crafters, and anyone who has a love of flowers.