Amor Milagre Journal, Our Summer family gifts from The Bees Knees British Imports, Paddington, Peter Rabbit, Pretty Mugs, Sewing Thread Tin
I love gift shops so much that it was my dream to have my own, but full of my original art, books, stationery, and home goods. While we do use and decorate our home with my lovely seasonal gifts for special occasions, we also like to shop once a year at The Bees Knees British Imports shop. These women exude happiness. It’s so fun to visit their online shop, and we hope to one day visit their MA store.
The British Store, Bridgham & Cook shop in Freeport Maine, is a local (to us) place to choose our annual themed ornament. I used to love exploring every UK-sourced shop in whichever city I was living. I’m a collector of newsboy hats, tartan scarves, and cable knit jumpers, but only the rare organic cotton ones. (As always, not a sponsored post, just like this co.)
Then for some extra flavour, we bake and snuggle up with our favourite BBC programs like Gardener’s World and Agatha Raisin, Miss Scarlet, Jane Austen movies, old stop-motion Paddington episodes, Beatrix Potter’s friends, Mr. Bean (not while eating), and our silly old Pooh Bear movies. Recently, we found an odd but funny little show called, Five Children and It. Very odd, but fun to see what the kids wish for. Many of our books are by British authors, so it’s a cosy day of tea and reading in the sitting room nook, curled up in bed, or in the sun of the library. We hope the Brambly Hedge fine china designs come back! We love the puzzles.
This week, we’re organising our sewing supplies. This little thread tin will help to keep our current threads in one place…and not rolling off the table. The prettily threaded tote bags will hop along with us on outtings in town. We’re very much a family of library owls. And, the mugs…we just use daily so it’s fun to catch up on certain ones. Love the flora-fauna one. It has a good feel, and when we find some each year, it builds up a nice collection in our custom-made tea drawer. Ours is a home of artists and writers, so having these classic illustrations about is another fun way to celebrate the imagination. I’ve been waiting years to see these lovelies in shops again, and done very well. Quality matters a lot to me. We only buy special things that will last lifetimes. We only make special things that will last for ages. It’s fun to take care of your treasures.
When I was a teen, there was a beautiful online French gift shop where I got some lovely tablecloths and some amazing rainbow striped high-top espadrilles. There is just something about wanting to find a gift for yourself, or a Dear One, and being surrounded with a curated array of gorgeous options to wander and choose as you like. As a child, there was a local gift shop that was absolutely bewitching to explore. I recall a very elegant (expertly handmade) winged frog fae on a shelf that really sparked a new kind of magic in me. I have many plans to add to A Gentle Life Collection…coming up, my Darlings.
Well, we’re away laughing on a fast camel…bringing strawberry vegan icecream cones down to the beach. Happy summer birthdays! Love, ~Amor Milagre
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
I’m sipping a festive mug of spiced cocoa and ready to regale our recent trip.
To reward ourselves for finishing our home renovations, we explored some shops in New Hampshire in the hopes of bringing back a few sweet holiday treasures. The amazing, themed rooms in The Christmas Loft shop held our attention all morning. The center of the store was especially captivating as it showcased a full-scale village. We’ll have to dress in tails and top hats upon our next visit when it begins to snow so we fit in with the toymakers and carol singers. It’s the first time our family got to wander through a themed shop like this. All eyes were aglow with the magic within. And outside, the natural view is a refreshing mix of earthy jungles, smooth mountains, and fluffy air that bent down to us. We’re enjoying this town more and more, despite the heat and crowds. We had a car-picnic on the way home as every shop had lines out the door. I think it will be very cosy to revisit in autumn and winter. Look out, below, well really above…for the flying reindeer! This place had so many specific styles and items that it’d be super fun to buy gifts for Dear Ones, too.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
This night scene was wonderful…
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
Look up!
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
So much to see in every window.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
Next door, as a part of this co., there was a little toy-Halloween shop. It was a little too spooky for me, not shown. I like sweeter pumpkins and ghosts. My new Halloween cards will reflect this trick-or-treat spirit. We also sculpted and painted some pumpkin decor this week to display on our mantle. Our crafts are a part of our homeschool art class.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
Love this hutch though…so many drawers.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
When you’re a little elf, it’s so magical to be able to choose your own precious things. The train moves around the track with the music, even around the back. We’ll try the real train ride in this town sometime, maybe even dressing up for our first day of witching school. North Pole elves would love to try returning back home the mortal way.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor MilagreChristmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
When you’re older, it’s possibly even more fun…? This piece will probably stay out all year as we have many cardinals in our garden, and this sitting room nook likes this glow.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
We were a bit overwhelmed in there, but we managed to hold on to our favourites today. I like to note the date and location on the tags, if the ornaments have them. It helps us to remember what age the little elves were and where we found these gifts. We recently got into ornament felting, so we’ll be having fun with this new form of expression.
Christmas in July, Holiday Decor Shopping in North Conway NH Mountains, Interiors by Amor Milagre
I still have a list of certain kinds of very special holiday decor pieces that I have yet to find anywhere. I remember seeing them when young. We make as much as we can, but there are dreams of snow-encrusted snowglobes and elegantly hand-crafted pieces of art that I cannot find anymore. I do think that everything used to be made with more care, detail, quality, and dreaminess long ago. As we have more time, we can make more of these. It’s a bit ironic with all the modern technology that so much is only mass-produced, but still I’ll keep a look out. This shop did have some lovely painted advent house-shaped boxes and German candle-powered carousels, as well as some laser cut wooden items. Little ceramic village cottages are on my list. Of these, they had many but they weren’t the old-style I’m looking for. They did look glowy and pretty with the lights out, see first photo above. We may just make some with clay and paint them up very prettily to match our rooms. Making things together builds the best childhood memories, but this was a very fun experience! It really did give the feeling of entering Santa’s work shop, and also a Dickens’ novel… We just forgot our bonnets today!
This shop was near the Storyland park we visited recently. We’ll have to try out Santa’s Village, too.
Now, we’re off to install our handmade pantry counters. Our custom woodworking post will release soon. Stay cool… Love, ~Amor Milagre
Amor Milagre Nursery Bathroom Renovation & Decor, Blues and Creams, Interior Design
The snow princess now resides over the icy blue-cream nursery bathroom.
Amor Milagre Nature Waterscape Photography Lake Maine New England Painting Spot
Our mer-family is on a quest to find an unpolluted swimming spot for the spring through autumn time. Water is a healing way to connect with the soul. In our last town, we enjoyed two private, yet open to the public, waterscapes. It is still an unsavoury thought that where there is pollution in one place that it flows into everything else, including us. We urge everyone to end this pollutive madness and begin to repair our planet. Here, there are many small areas with too many people and boats. At first, this spot seemed alright for painting on cool days when no one else comes, but the boat fuel pollution renders it unsafe for a swim. I also wouldn’t be able to go now due to the road traffic and town renovation sound/vibration pollution. We, of course, will not reveal our findings…but you may still wish us luck! We’ll need it.
In the meantime, care about your footsteps…leave only love behind. Nature is worth preserving. We are a small part of her, and we depend on her. Love Nature, for she loves us.
After finishing a book series, several years in the making, I celebrate this thrilling liberation with some cosy bakes and cooks: a weekly vegetable soup, some demi biscuits, baby tarts, and spiced apples.
Amor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process
July has arrived, whether we like it or not, complete with sky-waking fire hazards, biters, and boiling suns. We happily chill and work through the heated months in our newly renovated Rose Cottage. I have much to list! My shop will soon refill with new photography, stationery, artwork, and darling books. In the coolest hours, the last bit of exterior boards swiftly change from dirty old blue to cosy fresh heavy cream. Cabinets assemble in the evenings. Sweet tiny bird families build thyme refuges in the shade. We redo old gardens, spreading anise hyssop seeds all along the pathways. My imagination scribbles away all day, all night. It is such a relief to have a new writing tool, see below, to translate my loving stories into printed books with less strife and pain. There are worlds in the hearth of every soul. Express love and peace. There and then, roses bloom ever so sweetly.
Amor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process, daisiesAmor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process, lavenderAmor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process, lavenderAmor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author processAmor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process, Queen Anne’s LaceAmor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, reMarkable author process tool.
I am so happy to finally have a piece of technology that serves me, at least in the recording stage of my stories. Aptly named, reMarkable reduces my arthritis pain and migraine aura, and it quickens my writing process. I write nearly 24/7 so this little lovely, unlighted, non-screen screen helps me out. (Unsponsored review, as always.)
It’s not yet ideal because I still have to transfer this wonky text and edit it fully on a computer in two separate programs to make the lines into books. This step does help more than the inept vocal recording systems out there or just plain notebook copy-typing myself into a blind state of exhaustion. It is pretty good at getting most of my handwriting into text. I do have a lot of spaces to erase and quotes to redirect, a bug for them to work out for the next version. We do love the note pages and being able to practice our calligraphy without having to borrow back our blotting paper from our Borrowers.
After a week of use, I’m grateful for how it allows me to work more naturally and in my own handwriting. Not having to look back and forth whilst typing makes me less dizzy. I write more neatly again because there is no ink and less pressure on the hand to push onto the page. Also, one really does want to get it right the first time so there is less to decipher/edit. I never had to charge my pen or notebook, but I can buy way less ink refills and bulk sets of notebooks, which are two of my biggest expenses. This item wasn’t inexpensive either, so I hope it will last a very long time. It feels good to be once again in the proofreading stages. I predict that I will be able to publish more books in the next year. Too bad the cost of printing hasn’t gone down, though. In the meantime, I’m thinking about self-printing again to solve this issue. We’ll see. Printers are highly irritating creatures. Please fix those bugs soon, Techies.
This new process gives me less mass to physically store, which is good in a way, but I’m not sure if I like not having the first books. I will still keep printed copies of both the originals and the last proofread drafts to look back on as the archival rough drafts for each story. I feel like I can’t truly count on paper or digital files. They’re too fragile. If only I could store my words and pictures under the bark of a tree. Never in some organized, no-so-private, faux cloud. Even my own mind’s translation is muffled from its original spark. And, with so many new stories coming in, my best bet is to hurry up and get all of the books made. Translating ideas is an odd one. Illustration is even trickier for me. At least with writing, I just record the lines in my head. It’s hard to keep up. Painting depends more on my physical arm, back, tailbone… and how long they will be in the right frame of mind to try. The image is more specific, elusive, and more difficult to capture. It’s fleeting. So are the words, though. A steady home set up with a dependable timed-out routine helps allow both aspects of my storytelling to be themselves. I can listen well in the silence. This isn’t easy to balance with a family, homeschool, or exterior pollution, but I’ve just now been able to set a pretty good schedule. Stories ramble out. They speak to me just as people can stroll down many routes. Images are more strict on me. I let them be free to emerge and show themselves. I don’t feel that being a human makes sense for translating the senses. It’s difficult to find that one moment of alignment where things hurt less and you can breathe it out. Any tool, or made-up process, that I find to help me is a gift to the creative process. I like to keep things going…because ideas never stop…
Author Process Note: All illustrations will still be done by hand. Also, the next ~400 books to release were all hand-written. I’ve written about 4 this week on this tablet. It’s not as organic or free, but the editing stage is less consuming. It feels ever so good to move on and to add more Amor Milagre tales to my bookshop! Revisit my shop soon for all kinds of love stories.
*Update about ReMarkable 9-7-25. I’ve experienced a lot of restarting and dysfunctional non-operating moments with this device. It doesn’t send emails as it says, it doesn’t convert text consistently, it needs too many factory resets to even function or turn on as it stops working and goes to sleep often now. The company is not helpful. They have many bugs to sort out, and after system updates more issues occur. It’s frustrating because this would be helpful to my process if it worked well. Ugh…
Amor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process
Like a writing or painting process, our new rose-clematis trellis is a good structure to hold strong, allowing beauty to sprawl about as naturally as it buds and blooms up to be adored.
Amor Milagre July Garden, English Roses, & Summer Novel Writing, author process
New nature photography, books, oil paintings, notecard-wax seal sticker sets,
and artwork will release this season.
A happy, safe summer to you and your Dear Ones! Love, ~Amor Milagre
On this cosy rainy Saturday, we: praise the clouds, stir up our weekly cooks and bakes, organize a new homeschool bookcase-locker tree, work on installing our handmade custom-designed kitchen pantry cabinets and mutter puzzle-figures for three other woodworking projects, and try to unglue our exhausted senses from the various terrible news sites. While we all protest the injustices attacking our world, we also need to nourish and appreciate all the goodness that is in our control. A weekly soup to sustain our immune systems, an effortless annual routine in the way of a handy rotating locker to easily find weekly lesson resources, a fresh uncluttered storage space to walk in, and a cosy preciousness of our own making are all easy ways that we take care of ourselves. Pineapples for luck, Love~ Amor Milagre
Amor Milagre, Handmade Organic Vegan Flour TortillaAmor Milagre, Handmade Organic Vegan Flour Tortilla- Family TeatimeAmor Milagre, Fresh Organic Vegan Bread, Cosy Weekend Baking at Rose Cottage
Airy soft dough relaxes me…
Amor Milagre, Fresh Organic Vegan Bread, Cosy Weekend Baking at Rose CottageAmor Milagre, Fresh Organic Vegan Bread, Cosy Weekend Baking at Rose CottageAmor Milagre, Fresh Organic Vegan Bread, Cosy Weekend Baking at Rose CottageAmor Milagre Couture, Custom A-Line Black Floral Skirt
I’ve been sewing up some pretty, breezy clothes that can also be layered up on snowy days. Here is a recent women’s design in a French black floral. I prefer high-waisted A-line vintage silhouettes as they are the most flattering, comfortable, and easy to wear with a variety of top styles.
Amor Milagre, Handmade Organic Italian Pasta
My early comfort food is homemade pasta. I rolled these delicious little squiggles up for lunch a few days ago. Chef’s kiss…mmmm.
I designed three new pieces for the kitchen and bathroom, and my talented husband is already counting up boards. I like to keep things off of the floor for easy cleaning, and in the case of our endlessly dividing houseplants, they will be closer to the sun this way, too. A little narrow kitchen linen sideboard will go sleekly by the door to house aprons, napkins, and tablecloths. We can place a sweet selection of seasonal decor on top! In our art class, we are making some autumnal pieces now with clay and fabric.
By separating the fridge from the main kitchen area with a glass door, we have extended the kitchen into the back mudroom and this keeps that certain wearing buzz away from us as we enjoy our cooks. All of my designs are for sensitive people. Soon, there will be a counter and upper cabinets for dried foods in here. The base stores bigger pans, pots, pie plates, and glass storage containers. The counter will be where the blender and toaster live, freeing up our main counters in the kitchen for rolling out dough and just a general uncluttered clarity. The fruit bowls will lounge on a bistro table in here as well. We changed this design a bit back here to finish these spaces sooner and to allow for other types of storage to live here, too. It will be so lovely to be finished with our complete kitchen renovation, and I will post the before and after’s soon.
It’s hard to believe that ten years ago we only had a few shelves-worth of books, some of which had to be discarded after a leak. Now, we have so many school books that we chose this carousel case to organize our weekly lesson books. Each area is designated for a specific class. They are in order of the days of the week, from top to bottom, with extras to pull from when one is finished. Our lessons cover everything, so it’s fun and easier to set out a small collection to take over to the library each day, no harmful back packs needed. Later on, we will place this piece in the library and spiral our most beautiful smaller novels all around. It is a bit tricky to get the taller school books to fit, but they can be tipped sideways. Less visual clutter eases the senses, so this will stay in the back room for now. We designed and made beautiful ceiling height bookcases for the library which are now full and need reorganizing. Moving the current school books over frees up a few shelves. We’ll put on an audiobook and shift things around. We love to be surrounded by loving stories. It feels like we have a bookshop in our home. I’m excited to share that my Amor Milagre bookshop will greet a few new novels this year! I’ll be working on the treasuries over the winter, all cosy with my paints and cup of tea. Note to self- Don’t dip your brush in the teacup!
Wishing all the love to those who need it most.
Music of the Moment: The Very Thought of You, Ray Noble, Al Bowlly
