Rose Meadow Cottage Designs

Webster Groves, Missouri

 

 

 

 

Hi ~ my name is Nancy.  Here I am at one of my favorite antique and garden shows, the Fruehlingsfest, held every May in Maeystown, Illinois ~ where the entire village, founded in 1852, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

 

 

My mom loved to cross stitch.  There was this box filled with threads that were every color of the rainbow!  I remember her carefully choosing just the right shade and making those tiny stitches, frequently turning her work over to make sure that the back was just as neat as the front and that the knots were securely tied.  Sometimes, with a brief sigh, stitches were ripped back out, as they did not meet her exacting standards. But mostly I recall a slight smile as she viewed her finished work with the satisfaction that comes from doing something you love and the quiet pride you feel from having created something beautiful.  Those lovely pillowcases, tablecloths, and hand towels are among my treasured family heirlooms now.  I use them in my home with joy, and cherish the memory of time spent with my mom.

 

And so began my love for vintage linens, and all that they represented.  All of those fabulously printed tablecloths, elegant barkcloth curtains, daintily stitched dresser scarves, and beautifully stitched quilts were once part of someone's home, where families and friends gathered in a time gone by.   It's not hard to take delight in the colors and textures of these vintage linens or marvel at the lovely workmanship involved, but too often these types of things end up in drawers and armoires.  I began creating pillows several years ago to showcase these charming vintage linens and to bring them out into the light of day to be enjoyed and admired.  And this endeavor has now blossomed into Rose Meadow Cottage Designs, which perfectly suits not only my love of vintage linens, sewing, quilting, and my passion for beautiful fabrics, but also the fun of finding those perfect little treasures that complement a shabby chic, cottage decor.

 

I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful and accomplished daughters.  Our daughters are in graduate schools now and we don't get to see them nearly as much as we would like.  We enjoy their visits home and going to see them whenever everyone's schedules align.  My husband and I love to travel, anywhere from Paris to the backroads across America and everywhere in between.  We both enjoy antiquing and rummaging through flea markets; my husband is particularly interested in ephemera, Civil War artifacts, and early American property indentures ~ but he can spot a 'cutter' quilt or chenille bedspread with the best of them!  As we reached empty nest-hood, we took up ballroom dancing - we're hardly ready for Dancing with the Stars, but we have lots of fun.  I also enjoy gardening and reading.  Our neighborhood book club is almost three years old; I love discussing books and exchanging reading lists.  I am a docent at the Christopher Hawken House, built in 1857 by the son of Jacob Hawken, maker of the historic hawken rifle.

 

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me!  I hope that you enjoy browsing through Rose Meadow Cottage Designs.

 

And this page wouldn't be complete without introducing you to Muffin: