The Fantastic Day - Part Two

Yeah!  We are on our way to Janet's house.  Matilda gets us there (once I type in the address correctly!).  As we drive up both BFF and I say we would like to live in a house like this.  It is charming and that's just the outside.  Janet greets us at the sunroom door.  I give her the cherry strudel from Heidelberg Cafe - hoping I picked up the right bag and it's not the pecan roll with the bite out of it.   It's still raining but we don't even notice.  It is wonderful to meet Janet.  She is friendly and gracious.  She says we can take all the pictures we want.  There are lots of interesting things everywhere.  Each thing has a story.  My things don't have interesting stories but Janet's things do.

This is me and Janet in her sunroom.  See all those things on the wall behind us?  Each one is a special treasure.  You could spend hours looking at each one.  The circle on the far left is a rubbing of a manhole cover in London.  Next to it is a beautifully woven basket that is so delicate it looks like lace.

On another wall of the sunroom is a collection of blue plates.  Oh, how I love blue plates.

Janet says she collects lots of things.

This is Janet's kitchen.  Up high all around the kitchen are little houses that she has collected on her travels.  Each one has a story.

Janet is especially fond of dolls, handmade dolls.  She makes exquisite dolls.

I love this.  It is a rubbing from England back when they still let you do that to old stones.

What a cute little rabbit.  It is one of a couple of Christmas ornaments that are on display in her living room.  Here is another one:

The living room has the most remarkable creation of Janet's on display.  It is an embroidery that hangs above her fireplace.  

Each of Janet's embroideries tells a story.  She must know thousands of old fairy tales.

This the beautiful display by her front door.  Everything with a story.

Now we are going upstairs.  Oh my.  These are quilts that Janet made and appeared on the front of various magazines:

Oh to be so creative!

We get to see her workroom. Wow.

 Everywhere you look creative skill and imagination are on display.  Janet has created all of this.  I think I've died and gone to heaven.  I so want to see Grandmother's Bed.  It is a creation in the corner of the workroom.  This is Janet's photo from her blog janetbrandt.com.

 Janet takes our picture in Grandmother's Bed.  It is just the coolest place on earth.

 Here is a photo of inside Grandmother's Bed.

 Of course every good workroom has tools.  A vise?  Wow, I wonder what kinds of things require that.

Everywhere are fascinating creations:

Has Janet lived more than one lifetime to have created all these things?

I am overwhelmed at everything.  And there is more.

We get to see her happy chair.  Her collection of books.  Her threads.  Her little area for sewing.  She is such an inspiration.  Words just can not convey what a wonderful place this is.  She lets us look through a pile of her little quilts. Each one is a story.

 It is truly amazing.  

Janet has authored books.  She signs two of her books for BFF.  I happen to have won her books in a drawing on The Embroiderer's Story.

I have many more photos of her work.  She is one of most creative people ever.  I would love to spend the afternoon with her sometime and just soak up inspiration.  

Thank you Janet for the most fabulous visit.  

A