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While Charlie was asleep this morning I went downstairs to grab a cup of coffee because I was out of the Coffee Pods I usually use when I noticed a package waiting for me on David’s desk. I opened it expecting to find storybooks. Instead, I opened the first book and discovered stickers.

And suddenly I was transported right back to Charlie and Suzanne’s childhood because these were sticker books. But, oh my goodness, these are not children’s sticker books. I found myself curling up in David’s chair, in the man cave turning page after page, discovering flowers, butterflies, vintage garden scenes, seed packets, old-fashioned gardening tools, beautiful dresses, hearts, birds, and so many other little treasures.

And the more I looked, the more I realized that Cynthia Hart’s Victoriana Garden Delights: The Sticker Book: With More Than 825 Stickers isn’t really a book you simply flip through. It is a book you explore. A book that invites you to slow down. A book that lets you pamper yourself for a little while. And apparently, a book that can make me completely forget that I have work to do. 😂

Right inside the book is a little place where you can write who the book belongs to. Well, Santa, I’m sorry. This one is mine. So, as you’re loading up that sleigh, if you have people on your Christmas list who would love Victoriana Garden Delights, you’re going to have to order more than one copy and when your placing the order I’m going to need a second book for myself.

Because I’m keeping this one. And I mean it when I say I may need another copy just so I can actually use the stickers without feeling like I’m destroying something beautiful. Inside the book is 825 Stickers to Discover and share with my friends and family. They just need to remember I may not share my #stickers.

Cynthia Hart’s Victoriana Garden Delights contains more than 825 stickers inspired by Victorian gardens and vintage paper. You’ll find butterflies and blossoms, seed packets, vintage garden scenes, flower fairies, vegetable people, old-fashioned gardening tools, flowers, birds, hearts, wreaths, tags, packages, and so many little details that I kept finding something new every time I turned a page.

Some stickers are tiny—almost postage-stamp size. Others fill an entire page.

There are beautiful full-page floral stickers that make you stop and admire them before you even think about peeling them off. And honestly, sometimes I wasn’t sure what was actually a sticker and what was simply part of the printed artwork. I had to look closely.

But that’s part of the fun. It almost feels like an I Spy book for grown-ups. You see the big picture, and then you notice the little butterfly hiding in the corner. Or a tiny flower. Or a little tag. Or something tucked into another design. You just keep looking and looking and yes, looking some more.

One of the first things that caught my attention was the phrase “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” That immediately took me back to Tiny Tim and his unforgettable version of the song. But what made that discovery especially meaningful to me was the tulips. Tulips were special to Suzzane and Dorie..

So there I was, sitting with a sticker book about Victorian gardens, seeing tulips, butterflies, and flowers everywhere—and thinking about my grandmother and Suzzane and that made the book even more special to me. Then I kept turning pages. And there were more butterflies. And more tulips. And more flowers.

At one point, I found a beautiful girl with curly brown hair and a butterfly theme that immediately reminded me of Suzanne. I can’t really explain it. I just looked at her and thought of Suzanne. Later I found a beautiful pink butterfly, and by then I was convinced Suzanne was sitting right there beside me, looking through the book with me.

That is one of the things I love about books. Sometimes you don’t just read them. Sometimes they open a door to a memory. The flowers weren’t the only things bringing back memories. I saw old-fashioned gardening tools that made me want to go to an antique store and see if I could find some.

I saw an old watering pail filled with beautiful flowers that reminded me of my mother-in-law’s garden. The old-fashioned dresses reminded me of Gone with the Wind. And then I came across the old garden tools and immediately thought of Hee Haw. I know that probably isn’t where everyone would go with those images—but that’s what they brought to mind for me.

That’s the magic of a book like this. The pictures don’t tell you what you’re supposed to remember. They give you room to remember. As I was looking through the book, I kept thinking about how much fun this could be in a #homeschool setting. This could easily become an art and history #teachingmoment.

Imagine putting some of these images in front of students and talking about Victorian-era gardens, flowers and gardening, vintage advertising, seed packets, collage, scrapbooking, historical paper art, and how families preserved memories. You could even let students create their own Victorian-inspired collage.

And you don’t necessarily have to use the stickers for the lesson. The pages themselves provide plenty to look at and discuss. This is where I have a confession to make. I keep finding stickers that I think would be beautiful in a scrapbook. Then I remember that I don’t want to cut up the artwork. So I’m not. I’m keeping it.

There are seed-packet designs, little stamp-like images, beautiful floral arrangements, vintage tags, Valentine’s Day imagery, and full-page designs that I could stare at for quite a while. One page looks almost like beautiful floral wallpaper with butterflies. Another has tulips against a blue background with a yellow rose.

There is a tea pitcher filled with tulips. A beautiful heart covered with flowers has a tiny blue butterfly hiding among the design. And that is when I realized this book isn’t just about stickers. It’s about discovering something beautiful. I can imagine sitting down with one of my girlfriends and spending hours looking through this book.

Not necessarily even using the stickers. Just looking. Talking. Making up stories about the people and gardens. Talking about the old-fashioned objects. Remembering our grandparents. Discussing which flowers we recognize. Picking out our favorite pages. It would be so much fun to sit around a table with coffee and this book and see what catches everyone’s attention. And I have a feeling every person would find something different.

I’m putting Victoriana Garden Delights in our Christmas Gift Guide/Wish List because I can see so many people enjoying it.

It would make a lovely gift for:

• Gardeners
• Flower lovers
• Sticker collectors
• Scrapbookers
• Artists
• Homeschool families
• History lovers
• People who enjoy vintage and Victorian imagery
• Adults who enjoy creative hobbies
• Anyone who loves butterflies and flowers

And I especially like it as a gift for someone who needs a little permission to slow down and pamper themselves. Because sometimes we need something that doesn’t have to accomplish anything. Sometimes we can simply sit in a chair, turn the pages, and enjoy beautiful things.

I started looking at Cynthia Hart’s Victoriana Garden Delights because a package arrived on David’s desk and I thought I was opening a few storybooks. Instead, I found myself sitting in his chair, remembering Charlie and Suzanne as children, thinking about my mother-in-law’s garden, remembering my grandmother, laughing about Hee Haw, thinking about Gone with the Wind, discovering Victorian history, imagining a homeschool art lesson, and finding butterflies and tulips that made me think of Suzanne.

And I’m still not finished. Not even close. That’s probably the best thing I can tell you about this book. I don’t want to put it down. I want to show it to David. I want to show it to Charlie. I want to show it to Debbie. I want to show it to my sister. And yes, I think I’m going to have to buy another copy or two.

Because this one? This one is mine. Santa, remember: Sharing is caring—but I’m not sharing my sticker book.

About the book:

From bestselling author and designer Cynthia Hart, a gorgeous sticker book featuring the treasures of a Victorian garden, with 825+ stickers.

The experience of nurturing and watching things grow fosters a special kind of happiness, one cherished by the Victorians with their love of all things beautiful. A fascinating collection of more than 825 stickers, Cynthia Hart’sVictoriana Garden Delights features butterflies and blossoms, seed catalog covers and vintage garden views, vegetable people and flower fairies―a whimsical marriage of realistic and fanciful images that evoke the splendor, elegance, and joy of Victorian-era gardening.

About: Cynthia Hart: is a designer and artist known for creating collages using antique Victorian ephemera, textiles, and flowers. Her work has been licensed for fragrance, gift, stationery, and home-furnishing products, and she has authored and co-authored several books related to Victorian imagery, scrapbooking, and creative arts.

Greatful Moments

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates