My Victorian Heart - A Heartfelt Personal Intro and What Inspires Me

 

 

Love and Heaven's Blessings Angel Heart inspired by the Victorian Angel Postcards I love so much.

Hello there! I'm Kimberly. I'm so glad you're here! Grab your tea or coffee and I'll introduce myself and tell you how My Victorian Heart came about and how a personal experience influenced my creative work. Creating saved me when two of my children were ill and I had two rare cancers, which were misdiagnosed for 5 years. I am a living miracle. God had plans for me. So, through all of that, back in late 2011, I opened my Etsy shop. I thought my antique postcards were beautiful and they would make sweet gifts so I printed some to fabric and sewed up lavender sachets with thoughtful sentiments on the backs, gussied them up and opened an Etsy shop. It evolved into my making thousands of custom sachets as wedding favors and for other events.

A peek at some of the lavender gift sachets I sewed. I still enjoy making a few of these and keep a few in the shop. My favorite is the last one below. The French Bonne Annee Girls Christmas Gift Sachet. All of these are made from antique postcards graphics, book pages, old ephemera, etc...

Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Lavender Sachet Gift Bundle

My work helped me do something positive and I wanted to make things that were heartfelt to give others joy. How I kept going in those days is beyond me but I did it. I knew there were people out there who probably needed it more than I did. Whatever I was going through made me want to share the faith and grace that kept me going. 

Most importantly, I want you to remember to do what you love, what gives you joy and peace in your soul. Keep giving and creating. Don't let anyone make you feel foolish or make you feel you're not good enough. 

I truly believe this is how God works through us and saves us in our hard times. I try to always remember that everything will be okay. I think this is important for people in these times we find ourselves in. Have faith. Everything will be ok.

So that's how the business began. 

As proprietor of My Victorian Heart. I create, design and curate here. My love of the Victorian era and vintage-inspired living began when I was very little. I loved my Grandma Lillie's china dolls, her China cabinet, antique furniture, her washstand with the beautiful bowl and pitcher, everything... My love for antiques and the Victorian era led to my collecting postcards 20+ years ago. I fell in love with Victorian postcards-specifically Catherine Klein roses postcards- in the beginning of my collecting years. My postcard collecting evolved from there. I adore antique French and German postcards with the hand-tinted, shabby pastel coloring. If you are a collector or love the old postcards, then you get it about the hand tinted postcards. I was later influenced by Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic. I adore her and I love shabby, romantic home and cottage style. That is how I fell in love with painted furniture and my vintage DIY shenanigans began.

Grandma Lillie

Grandma Lillie's Bowl & Pitcher 

I found this 100+ year old fireplace mantel in a Norfolk, VA antique shop. It was my first antique find. My best friend and I refinished it and turned it into a headboard back in 2001. I think we shipped it all the way to someone in the New England area. I remember it well. We upholstered the mantel in Laura Ashley Lavender Toile and added the furniture appliques on the upper part if I recall correctly. We had all these great appliques and we thought they were everything. We were so proud of our project--and the button tufting... ;-) 

My kindred spirit. Friend of my heart. My partner in shabby vintage DIY shenanigans. I'm sure we drove our husband's nuts back in those days. :-) 

I love vintage markets and have been a part of many a show. Here's a peek at some of the shows My Victorian Heart has been a part of.

 

Rustapalooza Vintage Market, St. Mary's, GA - An antique armoire I bought at an auction in Richmond, VA years ago for my daughter's rental room when she was in college in Charleston. The Victorian era house she rented a room in had no closet so we fixed up this armoire for her. It found a new home on this day at Rustapalooza in St. Mary's, GA with a girl who just fell in love with it. 

Our family. How to get two dogs and two babies to look at the camera...More grandbabies have been born since this photo was taken. 

I am a mama to 4 beautiful, grown children from 20 year old twins to my two oldest who are in their 30's. I am also a grandmother! So surreal! I'm a dog Mom to Stella and Maybelle. I am married to the love of my life. I am proud to say I am Haim's wife who I met on a blind date at a New Year's Eve Ball 30 years ago.  See my Instagram post here for the short how-we-met story. He is the enabler of all my crafty shenanigans and he helps me with so much. He has been loyally and lovingly by my side through thick and thin. Ladies, if you find a man who will schlep your junk for you to vintage markets and takes you shopping in Hobby Lobby, JoAnn Fabrics or any craft store, you have hit the jackpot. 

My dear, sweet, beautiful husband. My heart. 

Christmastime at the Olde Savannah Inn.

I previously worked in the legal field. I did real estate property searches for attorneys as I was a real estate title examiner and also worked in the circuit courts. My husband is a CPA. He worked in hotel development and management for almost 30 years. Our combined work experience in the financial, legal and hospitality fields has engrained in us a sincere customer service ethic. 

Vintage market outing with my sweet daughter. I found the perfect vintage Santa that day! 

Kimberly's Booth at Rusted Vintage Market, Jacksonville, FL

Keep Going - Do What Gives You Joy and Peace - Don't Let Darkness and Negativity Destroy What You Love 

 

 Heartfelt thanks for stopping by. I hope you find something here that inspires you. I am truly grateful for your support. Always remember--have faith. Everything will be okay.

Now take these stars and shine your light... 😇

My heart's best, 

Kimberly