Author Archives: barbara

About barbara

I'm sure you are wondering how the blog was named, "The Enchanted Manor". Well, this blog will be like home to me and I wanted a name that reflected my different interests. During a normal day you can find me in several rooms of the house. Maybe I'll be in the living room decorating, or in my craft room working on a project, or in the dining room planning a great dinner party or at the computer in my office planning a great vacation. When you come to visit my blog you might find me in any room! Please return often for ideas and inspiration because this blog will be about decor, craft, celebration and travel. So, welcome to the "Enchanted Manor". Come in, sit down and let's talk!

Craft – Embellished Photo Frames

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Shopping in the local retail stores I always admire the fancy embellished frames but the prices are usually a little expensive.  In this craft post, I will show you how to take a simple and inexpensive plain frame and with a few simple steps you can have great looking embellished frame at very little cost.  Here is a list of some items that are needed:

Embellished Photo Frame – supplies

  • An inexpensive plain frame
  • 1 or 2 simple small items (these are determined by the subject of the photos)
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • Paint or stain (optional)

Embellished Photo Frame – insturctions

  1. Select a simple plain frame, size is determined by the photo you will be using.
  2. Remove the backing and glass from the frame.
  3. (Optional) If you are using an unfinished wood frame, now is the time to paint or stain the frame.
  4. Determine placement of the embellishment items on the front of the frame.
  5. Once you have decided on the position of the item, attach it with hot glue.
  6. Add glass, photo and backing to frame.

Here are some examples of frames that I have done for our home:

This first embellished frame is one of my favorites.  The silver painted frame with bronze trim has a picture of my mother-in-law holding a picture of my husband when he was a baby.  In the small bronze oval frame attached is the baby photo of my husband.  This is a fun way to highlight the photo she is holding.

Embellished photo 1

The next embellished frame started out as a plain white frame.  Using painter’s tape, I taped off sections and painted three colors, blue, green and purple on the frame edge. Then I added a wooden prepainted “friends” to a photo taken at our daughter’s recent backlight party.  The colors go great in her colorful bedroom and sits on her desk.

Embellished photo 2

In another embellished frame, I added a silver metal crown to the top of a silver frame.  The photo I used was our daughter wearing her princess costume from Halloween a couple of years ago.  I thought it was a cute way to match the photo with the embellishment.

Embellished photo 3

The next embellishment is a simple wooden frame with a palm tree embellishment, the photo of our daughter was taken in Hawaii and I thought the palm tree was a good idea.

Embellished photo 4

The next two embellished photos hang in our upstairs hallway.  The first is a large frame with a photo of our daughter and in the corner is attached cut-out hand print that she did in kindergarten.  The second is another large frame with her First Communion photo and in the corner I attached the silver cross that my mother had bought for her when she was born.

Embellished photo 5    Embellished photo 6

The final two embellished photos are a little more complicated.  The first one is a wooden photo frame that resembles driftwood and I glued several seashells that we collected on the beach in North Carolina.  Inside the frame is a photo of our daughter at the lifeguard station at the same beach.  The second one is another wooden frame and at the four corners of the frame I glue more of the seashells.  Inside the frame I created a heart shape with several fragments of seashells collected from the same trip.

Embellished photo 7     Embellished photo 8

I hope this gives you some ideas for creating some of your own embellished photo frames!

Decor – Displaying Travel Souvenirs

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Library bookshelf left   Library bookshelf middle   Library bookshelf right

As I have mentioned before, when decorating our home, my design plan is to surround our family with things that have special meaning to us.  Traveling across the country on road trips and visiting distant places in Europe and Asia is one of our family’s favorite ways of spending time together.  During our trips we have collected a large number of special travel souvenirs and most of these items are displayed in the bookshelves in the library while other travel items are framed and hanging on the walls in the various rooms of our home.  We enjoy looking at these travel souvenirs and remembering the wonderful places we have visited.

One of the keys to displaying travel souvenirs is thinking about how the items will be framed.  For items that have some depth, I have found that shadowboxes are an excellent way to display those souvenirs.  As an example is the shark tooth weapon that we got at the Polynesian Culture Center in Hawaii.  This wonderful piece of craftsmanship is beautifully displayed in a shadowbox but the real purpose of the frame is to that the sharp edges of the shark teeth are enclosed to prevent anyone from handling this dangerous weapon.  In front of the shadowbox is a piece of driftwood draped with a Hawaiian shell and nut lei.  On the same shelf is a photo of our daughter dressed in her Hawaiian outfit that was taken at the Polynesian Culture Center display in a frame embellished with bamboo and palm trees, also displayed on the shelf is the artificial Hawaiian floral that she is wearing in the photo.  On the other side of the photo is a small glass jar filled with black sand from Hawaii and shells we had gathered from the beach during our trip.  Also displayed nearby is a small frame with a small trinket of seashells and straw that I bought in Honolulu.  All these items are a wonderful way to remember our fantastic trip to Hawaii and are an example of grouping travel souvenirs that tell the story of a vacation trip.  (For some travel suggestions on what to see and do in Hawaii, please click on the link)

Hawaiian travel souvenirs

Several years ago on our trips to Europe and Asia, we brought back some really interesting souvenirs.  We visited Berlin for my husband’s high school reunion and on a shelf we have displayed a piece of the Berlin Wall and a photo of us in front of the Brandenburg Gate.  When my husband lived in Berlin back in the 1970s, the Berlin Wall stood behind the Brandenburg Gate dividing East and West Berlin.  So, when we visited in 1998 the wall had been taken down and the one of the first things after getting off the plane was that my husband wanted to walk through the Gate, something he couldn’t do all those years ago.  Also, displayed on the shelf is a photo of my son standing at the train station in Eichstatt Stadt in southern Germany, an area where his father’s ancestors immigrated from a century ago.  On another nearby library shelf, is a shadowbox framed piece of Edelweiss that I bought at a small little shop near Neuschwanstein Castle, for more information about the fairytale castle of Ludwig II of Bavaria please click on the link.  Edelweiss is known as the flower of love in this alpine region of Europe and was made famous from the song in the “Sound of Music” movie.

Berlin travel souvenirs    Germany travel souvenir

Other European souvenirs are also displayed in the library; the first one is from a trip to Poland that we took in 1998.  In a small shop located in the town square, we bought a certificate printed on parchment paper that commemorates our visit to Krakow.  The other travel souvenir sitting in front of the framed certificate are Polish dolls dressed in traditional folk costumes of Krakow, my mother gave me these dolls a few years ago.  (For more interesting information about Krakow, please click on the link)

Poland travel souvenirs     China travel souvenirs

Nearby, on another shelf in the library are travel souvenirs that my husband brought back from a trip he took to Asia in 1999.  Displayed is a framed photo of my husband with the college master’s program group he went with to China and Japan, they are in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.  Sitting in the front of the photo is a set of jade door lions that my husband bought in China.

Over the years our family has been very fortunate to have travel to various states across the country.  We have scrapbook albums filled with photos.  Displayed on our library shelf is a framed photo of our family when we went to the Kennedy Space Center in 2010.  To make a fun display, I added a book on earth and space and a small plastic space shuttle that my daughter got in the souvenir store.  (For more information about the Kennedy Space Center, please click on the link)

Kenedy Space Center travel souvenirsLibrary bookshelf 4

Sometimes, we like to select unusual items on our road trips.  When we went to Springfield, IL a couple of years ago and visited the home of Abraham Lincoln, in the bookstore at NPS Visitor Center we purchased a souvenir piece of the Lincoln’s home and I framed this little piece of history in a shadow box.  Another unusual item we purchased was when we were living in California, we had taken a great trip to San Francisco and had arranged a special trip on an antique fire truck that takes visitors through the city of San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge; we also rode the famous cable cars.  Displayed on the shelf downstairs in our “California Room” basement, I framed a small water coloring of the Golden Gate Bridge in a shadowbox and I added a souvenir piece of the cable from the San Francisco cable car line.

Springfield travel souvenir     San Fransico travel souvenir

Décor Note:  Please check out some of our other travel souvenirs that have been highlighted in two previous Décor posts, “Decorating with Plates” and “Not Your Normal Wall Art!”  Also check out the April Décor post, “Disney Memorabilia Collection” for ideas on decorating with Disney souvenirs.

I hope this post will inspire some ideas for displaying your travel souvenirs!

Travel – Packing for a Trip

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When I look back on my childhood years, I remember the great times we had traveling as a family.   Now with my own family, I wanted to create those kinds of memories for my children.  We love getting in the car for day or weekend trips to local places or even longer road trips to other states.  We visit museums and zoos or stop at National Parks and historic sites.  Seeing other areas of the country can be a great experience and we have created such wonderful memories to look back on!

Throughout the years we have learned the importance of packing for a trip.  Weeks before we leave, I start pulling clothes from the closet that are needed for the trip.  The key is to bring just the right amount of clothing to last the duration of the trip.  We have learned over the years that less is usually better since sometimes we buy souvenir t-shirts and these can be worn during the vacation so that can eliminate one or two pieces of clothing.  We do wear our jeans or shorts at least twice during a trip, so that keeps the amount of bulky items down to a minimum.  The most important thing to remember is that you will be carrying those heavy suitcases!  Also, before a trip, I will start a couple of lists of things we need to bring, one is a list of things to remember that we already own (camera, binoculars, etc.) and the other list is things to buy for the trip (suntan lotion, sunglasses, etc.).

Organization is very important when planning and packing for a trip.  To start the packing process, ask yourself these important questions:

  1. Who is going on the trip?
  2. What is your destination?
  3. How will you be traveling to your destination?
  4. What time of year will you be traveling?
  5. What is the weather forecast?

All these answers will determine the items that you need to pack or purchase.

Travel basics:

  • Gather the travel documents – airline tickets, passport, maps, tour books, etc.
  • Clothing – have at least one outfit for each day, including underwear.  Make sure to pack comfortable shoes.  Depending on the weather conditions of the travel destination, don’t forget to pack an appropriate jacket, sweater or coat.
  • Put aside a set of “travel” clothes – be sure to select items that are comfortable and slip on shoes are easier for airport security or to take off/put on during long car trips.
  • Sometimes it is a good idea to pack a dressy outfit for any unexpected occasion and don’t forget to pack the appropriate shoes and a simple clutch bag.
  • Toiletries – use small leak-proof bottles for shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, body lotion.  Don’t forget toothpaste and a toothbrush for each person, nail clippers, etc.   Keep a small pouch for personal items such as: makeup or feminine products.
  • A mesh laundry bag – this will help keep clean clothes separate from the dirty ones!  Toss in some small plastic shopping bags for muddy clothes or shoes.
  • Small first aid kit – include bandages, aspirin, thermometer, tweezers, etc.
  • Emergency kit – include a small sewing kit with scissors,, pocket knife  (Be sure to store any sharp instruments in check luggage or they will be confiscated by airport security)
  • Small hair dryer or travel iron (check ahead because most hotels will have them in the room and these items will not be necessary to bring)
  • Small backpack or travel bag for daily use.
  • Don’t forget a phone, digital camera, etc.

Travel Tips and Suggestions

Keep important items in a carry-on bag and avoid bringing valuable jewelry.  Never pack travel documents, money or credit cards in checked baggage.

  • Before leaving home, remove unnecessary items from your wallet, such as a library card, department store credit cards, etc.  If you don’t already, keep an emergency contact card in your wallet.  Be sure to include the following information – name and phone number of emergency contact, medical and auto insurance information,  phone number of your doctor and dentist, etc.
  • When traveling internationally, don’t forget to bring conversion / adaptor plugs.  The voltage in other countries can vary as well as socket sizes and shapes, so any small appliances you have pack might not work.
  • When traveling keep all the prescription medications in the original containers and if possible bring the doctor’s prescription as well.  This is a good idea for two reasons, it proves the medication is legitimate and the prescription can be refilled if required.
  • If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to pack an extra set.  I haven’t had to use them, but I am glad that they are there if I lose the ones I am wearing.  Also be sure to bring a small screwdriver kit to repair any loose screws, this I have used to prevent the lenses from falling out of my eyeglass frames.
  • Pack a supply of various sizes of Ziploc Freezer Bags.  They are a little heavier than regular or generic plastic bags.  These bags can be used to store items that can potentially leak, such as shampoo, lotions, etc.  The bags are also an excellent way to store wet bathing suits.  Another use for the bags can be a place to keep souvenirs such as ticket stubs, travel brochures, etc.
  • Be sure to toss in a small packable duffle bag – this will come in handy for souvenirs or other travel purchases.  This is a great idea especially if you have any fragile items to bring back home, the bag can easily become a carry-on bag for the airplane.
  •  Even if you are traveling to a warm and sunny place, it is always a good idea to pack a small travel umbrella or packable rain jackets with hoods for each person.  Be sure to toss these items into the day pack or travel bag and you will be prepared for any unexpected rain shower.
  • When awaken in the middle of the night in a dark hotel room can be unfamiliar and very disorientating, so it is  a good idea to pack a small flashlight or nightlight.

 

Celebration – Independence Day

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july-4th-american-flag

Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is a federal holiday which celebrates the United States declaring their independence from England.  This summer day is usually means fireworks and barbecues or a day for family picnics and a trip to see a baseball game.

Representatives from the thirteen colonies meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the American Revolution.  In June of 1776, the representative from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, proposed that the Unites States declare their independence from Great Britain.  The Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution on July 2, 1776.  The representatives formed a committee of five members to prepare a Declaration of Independence.  The chief author of the document was Thomas Jefferson and over the next couple of days the Congress debated and revised the wording until finally approving it on July 4, 1776.  This is the day that Americans have come to celebrate.

Independence Day Trivia

  • As the Liberty Bell rang from Independence Hall, crowds gathered in Philadelphia as the Declaration Independence was read in public for the first time on July 8, 1776.
  • Only two men signed the original Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, they were John Hancock and Charles Thomson who was the Secretary of the Second Continental Congress.   A larger copy was made and this is the one that most of the delegates signed on August 2, 1776.  This second document is the one that is on display in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
  • The first signer of the Declaration of Independence was John Hancock; he said he wrote his signature so large because he wanted the King of England to see it without his glasses.   The last signer was Thomas McKean who finally signed the document in January 1977; he later became governor of Pennsylvania.
  • The oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence was Benjamin Franklin who was 70 years old.  The youngest was Edward Rutledge who was 26 years old; he later became the governor of South Carolina.
  • In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day just five hours apart.  Jefferson died first, he was 82 years old and Adams was 90 years old.  The date was July 4, 1826 and it was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
  • Red, white and blue, the colors of the flag of the United States of American, have always been considered patriotic colors but originally the Fourth of July was celebrated with greenery for decorations.
  • The first years of our Nation’s Independence Day were celebrates with artillery canons from the American Revolution battles that were fired on the Fourth of July but eventually this practice was discontinued and slowly replaced by fireworks.

Travel – Philadelphia, PA (Part One)

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Second Continental Congress voting for independence    Betsy Ross the Birth of Old Glory

For the month of July and during the week preceding our Nation’s Independence Day celebration, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share the trip we made to Philadelphia back in 2009.  During our visit we stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott across the street from City Hall and it proved to be a great choice because the historic and visitor sites were all located within an easy walking distance from the hotel.  We would suggest starting a visit to the city by stopping at the Independence National Historic Park Visitor Center.  This is the best place to get information such as location, hours and fees for all of the Philadelphia historic sites but most importantly it is the place to pick up timed tickets for a tour of Independence Hall.

Independence Hall

Independence Hall was originally known as the Pennsylvania State House which was used by their colonial government, later the building was loaned as a meeting place for the Second Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War.  It was here that the Congress appointed George Washington as the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in 1775.  Independence Hall is known as the birthplace of the United States and in the Assembly Room is where the Continental Congress debated and signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution in 1787.  Later, the room was used to display the Liberty Bell and original paintings of the Founding Fathers.

Independence Hall 10     Independence Hall - George Washington StatueAssembly Room 2a

TRAVEL NOTE:  Tickets are required to tour Independence Hall; the timed tickets are available for free on the day of a visit at the Independence Visitor Center starting at 8:30 a.m.  Visitors can request a specific time and are limited to ten tickets, everyone needs a ticket even small children and infants.  We advise visitors to arrive early for tickets because during the busy summer season tickets are often gone by 1 p.m.

Advanced Ticket Reservations are recommended if you required a specific date and time.  Visitors can reserve tickets up to one year in advance through the National Park Reservation system.  The tickets are free but there is a reservation fee of $1.50 per ticket, call 877-444-6777 or see the NPS website at www.recreation.gov for more information.

The Liberty Bell Center

The Liberty Bell Center was completed in 2003 during an extensive recent renovation of the Independence National Historic Park Mall.  When visitors enter the building they will see several exhibits that tell the story of the Liberty Bell through displays and video presentations before finally reaching the glass enclosed area where the historic Liberty Bell hangs from what is believed to be the original yoke made of American elm.  Visible across the street is Independence Hall where the Liberty Bell was displayed for a very long time before it was moved into a glass pavilion located a short distance away on the Independence Mall during United States Bicentennial celebration in 1976 until it moved to the permanent location in the Liberty Bell Center.

Liberty Bell and Independence Hall 3     Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell, a symbol of America and freedom, was ironically cast in London, England and arrived in Philadelphia in 1753 where it hung in the Pennsylvania State House bell tower.  The Liberty Bell has a circumference is 14 feet and weighs 2,080 pounds and the yoke from where it hangs weighs about 100 pounds.  It is made of 70% copper and 25% tin with traces of other metals.   The inscription at the top of the bell reads, “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants therof”.  Unfortunately, the first time the bell was rung, the 44 pound clapper cracked the bell.  The bell was recast twice by local Pennsylvania craftsmen John Pass and John Stow, their names along with the city and the date appear on the front of the bell.

TRAVEL NOTE:  Tickets are NOT required to visit the Liberty Bell Center, but the security lines can be very long during the busy summer months.  Along with National security concerns after 9/11, a visitor tried to damage the Liberty Bell with a hammer in 2001.  Since the incident visitors are no longer allow to touch the bell and it hangs out of reach guarded constantly by NPS security.

Franklin Court

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most fascinating people of early American history who lived in colonial and revolutionary Philadelphia.  At a young age of 17 he moved there from Boston.  He was a printer, author and publisher, as well as a scientist, inventor, postmaster, statesman and diplomat.

Located a short distance from Independence Hall is Franklin Court which is currently undergoing an $18 million renovation.  Located on the site of Benjamin Franklin’s home, which was destroyed in 1812, is a 54 foot high steel “Ghost Structure” which was designed by Robert Venturi to represent the former residence.

Also located in the area of Franklin Court is an underground museum with displays of portraits, inventions and other items associated with Benjamin Franklin.  One of the featured inventions is a reproduction of an instrument known as an Armonica, when consists of a set of glass bowls which rotate on a shaft and musical tones are produced when a finger is pressed onto the moistened edges of the bowls.

Located on Market Street in the Franklin Court area is the only active U.S. Postal Office that is not required to fly the American flag since at the time that Franklin was the Postmaster in 1775 Pennsylvania was still an English colony.  Upstairs in the same building is a small U.S. Postal Museum which displays a selection of Franklin memorabilia including several original Pennsylvania Gazettes and historically important U.S. stamps.

Franklin Court - Post Office

TRAVEL TIP:  This U.S. Post Office in Philadelphia is the only place that uses the historic postmark of “B. Free Franklin” to cancel stamps when mailing letters and packages.  Come prepared with your own pre-written postcard to mail and it will make a unique and inexpensive souvenir!)

B. Free Franklin postmark

Betsy Ross Home

Located several blocks from Independence Hall and it is one of the most visited historic sites in Philadelphia.  Betsy Ross is supposed to have rented this home that was originally built in 1740 and she lived there between 1776 and 1779 after the death of her first husband.  Betsy Ross was a local seamstress who has been credited as the person who created the first American Flag.

Betsy Ross House

According to the story told by Betsy Ross’s grandson, William Canby, who told the Pennsylvania Historical Society at the time of the 1876 Independence Day centennial celebrations, that George Washington was a customer of Mrs. Ross while he was the General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.  Washington frequently visited Philadelphia to report to the Second Continental Congress and in June of 1776, he requested that Mrs. Ross create a flag according to his rough pencil drawing.  She reviewed the design and made one suggestion, that the six point stars be changed to five point stars instead.   As the years have passed, historians have found no documented proof to substantiate the claim but the legend still continues.

Christ Church and Burial Grounds

Christ Church is a privately managed historic site, part of the Independence National Historical Park, and located within walking distance from Independence Hall.  Christ Church was originally founded in 1695 and the current building dates back to 1744.  During and after the Revolutionary War many members of the Continental Congress, such as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams and other prominent Philadelphia parishioners like Betsy Ross have attended services and for this reason Christ Church has been given a very significant role in the birth of the nation.

Considered one of the finest examples of an Early American church; the exterior of Christ Church has an impressive steeple which was added in 1754 making it the tallest structure within the British colonies for 56 years.  Later, the interior was redesigned by Thomas Walter, the same architect who designed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.  Displayed with Christ Church is the baptismal font from the 1300s donated by All Hallows Church in London, England that was used when William Penn was baptized.  The pulpit that was built in 1769 and the chandelier which was originally installed in 1740 is still in use today.

Christ Church

TRAVEL NOTE:  Christ Church is currently an active Episcopal parish but visitors can enter the Church for free, but it is suggested that a minimal donation be given to help maintain the Church and the nearby Burial Grounds.  Docent talks about the Church’s history, the famous parishioners and the historic artifacts are given on a regular schedule throughout the day.

In 1719, Christ Church purchased two acres of land at the corner of 5th and Arch Streets.  The Christ Church Burial Grounds became the final resting place for over 4,000 of the parishioners including five signers of the Declaration of Independence.  Today, over 1,300 of the historical markers still remain and in 2003 plaques were placed in front of some of the deteriorating gravestones with the words that once appeared and have faded away.

When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, he was buried in his family plot in the northwest corner of the burial grounds.  In 1858, the descendants of Franklin requested that an opening be made in the brick wall and a metal fence was placed so the public could easily see Franklin’s grave site.  Today, visitors show their respect for Franklin by leaving pennies on his grave as a remembrance of his words once written so long ago, “a penny saved is a penny earned.

Christ Church - Franklin plaque    Christ Church - Franklin's grave
TRAVEL NOTE:  The Christ Church Burial Ground is open every day except during the months of January, February and December.  There is a small admission price, maps and guided tours are available for an additional charge.

These are just some of the historic sites to see when visiting Philadelphia.  Other places to visit within the Independence National Historic Park include:  Declaration House, Elfreth’s Alley, Philosopher’s Hall and Carpenter Hall.    In Philadelphia, PA – Part Two there are several more sites to see, such as the National Constitution Center, the U.S. Mint and the Franklin Institute and Science Museum.  Another place of historic significance, which is located within an easy drive from Philadelphia, is Valley Forge National Historic Park.