Mes Illusions Baroque

I met Esther from Mes Illusions Baroque through an exchange I participated in earlier this year and have been following her blog ever since, she is a very talented artist and always so supportive and generous in the comments she leaves behind when visiting my blog.  We bloggers really appreciate encouragement.... Otherwise, it's like a lyric snipped from Pink Floyd..."Is there anybody out there?"

While visiting Esther's Etsy shop - Illusions Barock I found these lovely earrings made with French coins and pearls that I fell in love with - it was amor at first sight!  I love the French coins.  I have used Mercury dimes in earrings before, so when I saw the vintage coins from France - I was smitten.  I have also been drawn to the exact shades of blue Esther selected for her earrings and that cinched the deal.  I placed my order right away.

When I purchased the earrings from Esther's shop, she sent me the sweetest thank you note and asked if I would like her to send me anything from France with the earrings.  I couldn't think of a thing, although butter came to mind.... the best butter I have had in my lifetime was from France - it was a glorious thing and I couldn't get enough of it on crusty bread.  I'm not sure what Esther would have thought about a request for butter.....  So, I told her that I couldn't think of anything, but whatever she might send would be considered very special.  I was thinking of a page from a book, a card, something simple.

 

I received my little box from France and excitedly tore it open to see my lovely earrings.   I was speechless....Look at the lovely things Esther sent to me with my earrings - an amazingly generous  bundle of goodies including vintage match boxes, French lace, a skeleton key, porcelain cross,  a chandelier crystal, a tiny pillow charm, more coins and Catholic charms...all the things Esther knew I would love as we follow one another's blogs and have participated in exchanges together.

Esther has such an open heart and I wish we could spend time together sharing lunch, or our favorite haunts with one another.  But, she lives in France and I live here and we make do with our blogs and emails.  If you haven't left comments on blogs that you like to visit, I would encourage you to do so, you'll meet the most wonderful people that way.

So, what will I do with these treasures?  For the time being, I will keep these gifts together in a special container and take them out now and again to hold in my hands and think about the generosity of sweet Esther until I find just the right project to incorporate them into.

It reminds me of when I was a little girl and I kept my special treasures in a small jewelry box that I would open now and again to lovingly caress all of its contents...like a tiny tube of lipstick, a mustard seed pendant, a tiny bottle of perfume, a tooth from my dog when she was a tiny puppy, an arrowhead, my rings from family vacations, a plastic swizzle stick from Sonic, a handblown glass elephant from Silver Dollar City, tiny seashells..... I loved that jewelry box and all the treasures it contained. 

A closer view of the vintage match box, French coin and pillow charm that sweet Esther sent to me.

Catholic charms from France to add to my personal collection - I love the architecture of the buildings on the back of the smaller one....so beautiful and fascinating...  it intrigues me to think about the artist of long ago that carved this coin for production.  It's beautiful work.  I like to think that someday, someone will be holding one of my creations and wonder about the artist who made it... It's all so romantic and mysterious, no?

What friendships have you made via your blogs?  I'd love to hear about them.

Stay warm, my friends and enjoy this calm time of the year that Winter brings...it forces me to go inside and take a break from the hustle and bustle of warmer weather.  I don't know about you, but I need this time of year to regroup, get a handle on house cleaning and other things that get neglected during the warm weather when all I want to do is be outside.  I can't imagine what my house would look like if I lived in a warmer climate...  blessings - Julie