Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Little Ned is in trouble,

(yes, he's done it again)

he is stuck on a tree

and it's beginning to rain

He climbed up the tree,

going really quite high,

because he had this idea

of touching the sky.

He's still hanging there,

wearing shorts and a frown -

could someone please come

and help Ned get down?

♡

Featuring: Poor Ned
and his castle.

Tomorrow is Another Day!

 We misbehaved today,

naughtier than we should,

so we are off to bed

and tomorrow we'll be good!

♡

Featured: Two new friends

all ready for a good

night's sleep.

Morning Has Broken

The sun first appears

so distant and shy

before feeling bolder

and lighting the sky.

A pink flower raises

its face to the sun,

the dew lingers yet

and then it is gone.

The bird having slept

all the night long,

clears its throat twice

and bursts into song.

 A butterfly dances

without any warning -

oh, how nice it is

to welcome the morning!

♡

Featured: A wall hanging to 

welcome spring.

A Five Star Review

 Five reasons I'm giving Five Stars to:

An Extravagant Death by Charles Finch.

1. The Series: This is the 11th book in the 

Charles Lenox Mysteries series

unfolding in Victorian England.

The book can be read as a stand-alone

but the whole series is excellent.

2. The Detective: Charles Lenox is the

second son of an honorable family and

his choice of career has raised quite

a few eyebrows. He is the most 

thoughtful, courteous and civilized

man and a wonderful character.

3. The Members of the Band: Lenox is

surrounded by a colorful group of recurring

characters - his wife, his daughter, his

brother, his ex-valet, his physician friend, the 

partners in his detective agency.

4. The Plot: While most books in this series

take place in London, this time we 

travel to gilded-age Newport, RI. It is

fascinating to see this new shrine to

American wealth through Lenox's

English eyes.

5. The Best Part: Is the quality of the writing.

Charles Finch crafts an intricate mystery

plot with a memorable setting, wrapped in 

beautiful writing, tenderness and wit.

♡

Featured: a pile or crochet baby blankets.

Art with Heart!

In the middle of our street

on the square, facing west,

someone's built a house

that is not like the rest.

The houses on our street

are all cozy, full of heart,

and this house is more

like a fine work of art.

A house so unusual

it looks as if someone

has built a house and garden

wrapped up all in one!

The neighbors are puzzled,

they gossip and stare -

they all want to know

about the people who live there.

I was the first

to meet her by chance -

an elegant woman with

a gallery in France.

The house and her life

are devoted to art,

but she will fit right in -

she's a neighbor with a heart!

♡

Featured: my new doll-house is covered by 

wallpaper from Photowall. I was blown away 

by the selection. If you fancy a 25% discount, 

you can use the code handmadebyamalia25

until March 20th, 2021.

Here is the link: Photowall

The Musings of a Wicked Step-Mother

Such awful bad luck!

Disaster has struck

and ruined my plan.

I could hit someone.

I'd walked by the chapel

and picked a red apple,

the poison I made

without any aid.

I left it on the table

until I was able

to give it to that bitty

who thinks she's so pretty.

Being busy with my plot

I may have forgot

that now is prime

apple-picking time.

Bench, basket or chair,

there are apples everywhere. 

On the table there are nine -

but which one is mine?

♡

Featured: An embroidered

castle where everything is possible.

A Five Star Review

 Five reasons I'm giving five stars to:

The Amory Ames mysteries by Ashley Weaver.

1. The Plot: These light-hearted mysteries unfold

in England in the 1930s. Amory Ames is a young

society lady, who naturally finds herself embroiled

in one murder mystery after another.

2. The Setting: There is a nice feel for the escapist

period of the early 1930s, before the winds of war

are destined to appear. The books do a fine job of

conveying the glitz and glamor of high society.

3. The Protagonist: Amory Ames has been married 

for five years to a charming playboy and the marriage

is not going well. This provides both a little depth

to the series and a reason for her to immerse herself

in any murder that happens along.

4. The Writing: The books are well written and the

mysteries are well plotted. Each book offers some

repeat characters and some new, plenty of plot twists,

a different location, fun dialogs and a little humor.

5. In short: If you are in the market for a traditional,

murder mystery with a relatable heroine and a 

bit of  elegance, this could be the series for you.

♡

Featured: Crochet coasters. My father made the 

wooden stand for me.