What treasures do you suppose we will find in 2010?

Do you wonder, like I do, what treasures await us this upcoming year? Little treasures at yard sales, thrift stores, antique shops....Can't wait! My hubby says the first sign of spring is the Daytona 500, but to me - it's the first outdoor yard sale. I think I'll just keep busy working on a few creations until then. I have been making few new tags and such, and I've got some ideas churning for using coffee filters....did you know that Somerset Life has an upcoming challenge for creations using coffee filters? Cannot wait for that issue to see what everyone comes up with.

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas to all!
Here are a few wonderful giveaways:

A wonderful blog I have found, Heather at Shabby Vintage Bliss has this gorgeous stuff -

Rebecca for Vintage Living has a drawing on Christmas day for 7 lucky winners, one of whom will win this gorgeous star -

.. and a Crystal Winter giveaway to be drawn on Saturday at Robin's Egg Blues - love these colors!

Joyeux Noel Garland....from coffee filters!

Have you heard about the garlands made from coffee filters? Well, Pamela Garrison posted a pic of one she made and apparently it started a craze - I love it, so I tried a small Christmas one with a French theme. The coffee filters are dyed, scrunched up (as they start to dry, or after), and strung in bunches on ribbon. You can add circles of sheet music in with the bunches if you like. You tie knots in the ribbon before and after the bunches to keep them in place. I dyed my coffee filters with food coloring, but as they dried they took on a tie-dye look (if I mixed colors) which I didn't like. I picked out the best of the mauve ones to make the garland. You can also tea-stain them, and I did read a post about some people dyeing them with watered-down acrylic paint. I'm going to try that next. I cut mine into circles and fringed the edge with scissors. One poster had a pic of lovely pom-poms hung from ribbon. Lots of possibilities with this little idea. I used a French sheet music graphic from The Graphics Fairy, and a French postcard image from Shabby Chic Papirskatter.

A Blanket of Snow!

The weatherman was right this time. He told us it was coming. And come it did. It started snowing last evening and the power was out for awhile last night. This morning I snapped some pics of our valley here in East Tennessee.

Christmas is almost here!

A heartfelt thank you to all of you who left sweet messages of encouragement yesterday.....you are simply lovely friends.

Today I'll be busy filling orders from my webstore..........Here are some pics of my mantel decor for Christmas - I'm still adding to it, for it seems to need some more "stuff." Hope to get some painting done sometime this coming year, a neutral shade as a good backdrop for my whites. The wall color looks okay in the pics, but it is more yellow than shown - I'd like a faint taupe color, or varied shade of white.

Have a blessed day, all of you....

I miss you, Momma.......

DANA RUTH BOWEN

4/24/1937 - 12/15/2008

Do you remember these storage jars?

I bought them in the summer at a tag sale -

Do you like this better? I painted the wood cream color, added pretty paper with vintage script, and then gavethe wood a bit of an aged look with antique stain. I added a vintage gold button on the front.

AND, I'd like to announce a great giveaway at French Charming - Pearls! Check it out!!!! And another giveaway at A Charming Home - vintage pink ornaments! Hurry over!

It's not Christmasy, but......

Hello all, I know it's not Christmasy, but I had to show you some new things I've made. Remember the bottles a friend gave me? Here's the first. I plan to do a series of 4 ocean-themed bottles over time. This one is in aqua - it has a vintage seashell charm with rhinestones as the stopper. I used a sheet music image, By the Crystal Sea, from The Graphics Fairy.

And some Contemplation Spools I have made. I decorated them with pretty paper, vintage button, and text from vintage books (that were too far gone to salvage); text such as:

-the girl who can dance like a dream

-Strong and content, I travel the open road

-just stand and watch yourself go by

They were so much fun to make.

Blogger's Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me
why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been blogging,
and I had to answer yes.

He told me to get off my fanny
and tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
the smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my good work
I didn't mean to "click."

But click, I did, and oops - I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into it -
I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse.
It is very , very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.

Do you get a sick feeling when you do something stupid, like....

.....mess up your website template? I was wondering why my Google Analytics wasn't working, so I went into the template on my website to make sure the code was there (just as instructions said). It was there, so I just clicked update, and my whole site reverted back to the prior template!!! I've sent out an urgent SOS to my website designer, and I do hope she can fix it - without costing me... Drat! I'm wondering if technically challenged people like me should even attempt a website. (Sigh). Oh well, while I'm waiting for her to answer my e-mail, I'm gonna post some pictures of me and my family that were just done. Hope all of you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Winter time, sachets, and apothecary jars

After a short trip to Alabama to my visit my sister and her family for Thanksgiving, I am back home feeling just a teeny bit guilty about all that I ate.....and I'm getting back into a creative mood. Here is a Christmasy bottle embellished with sheet music entitled "Winter Time", green moire ribbon, red beads, white millinery flower, red velvet ribbon and green mini rickrac around the neck of the bottle, a vintage snowflake brooch, with millinery berries and a sparkly white millinery leaf tucked inside.


I also wanted to show you some lovely sachets I got from Sandi's etsy shop. They are filled with lavender buds and they smell wonderful. Sandi is so talented!

While in Tuscaloosa, I visited the American Thrift Store - what fun! When I am "thrifting", I am always on the look for apothecary jars. I just love this one - it is etched with a star design.

I failed to mention the winner of my recent giveaway - June of Laughing with Angels was the winner. I also have a giveaway periodically (every couple of months or so) on my webstore - anyone who signs up for my newsletter is eligible. I will be sending out a newsletter soon - these have been on hold until my new website template was designed. The winner of my December giveaway is Holly of Girls at Heart. I have contacted her and will be posting a picture of her prize on my website tomorrow, Dec. 1st.

Giveaway Announcements

Well, it finally happened...I won my first giveaway and I am so excited! I won a beautiful rose pin from Sandi's giveaway at Wayside Treasures. The pin was made by Erica at Meadow Street - you must hurry on over and look at the gorgeous roses she makes from french ribbon!!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway mentioned in my previous post - I'll be choosing a winner tomorrow evening!

Here's another giveaway I just had to announce - Robin's Egg Blues - I love inspiration kits! Linda has 3 items to giveaway, and each is fabulous and includes an inspiration kit which she has assembled. So click on the pic - we only have until Friday 11/20 to enter. Drawing is on Saturday.

Life's little blessings....

Good morning all! Unexpected blessings are one of life's sweet joys. I ran into a friend in a thrift shop this week who had visited my website recently and knows what I love. She had a gift just outside in her car for whenever she saw me - these wonderful jars to embellish and some baubles and bits of jewelry, etc. Can't wait to do something wonderful with these.


Also, I am in the market for vintage "blossom" prints, like this old one I found recently. I saw a perfect one at The Pink Rose Cottage and should have snatched it up right then, but I waited too long as Holly said it sold quickly. If you see any, I'd appreciate a heads-up! I'm going to do a grouping of these in my bedroom.

Still making and listing some holiday items...can you believe Christmas is right upon us? Here's a set of hang tags I've listed. Have a blessed day friends!

A New Look - Template Redesign, and a Giveaway to Celebrate

Thanks to Catherine of Avalon Rose, I now have a new blog template and webstore design to match! I wanted to jazz things up a bit and start afresh. I'm having a giveaway to celebrate (see below). I'm now ready to get some new items listed in time for the holidays.

First I want to share with you a great thrift store find - these lovely creamy white lined drapes - 2 pair - 4 floor-length panels complete with tiebacks - brand new! These are perfect for my bedroom.

And now for the celebratory giveaway - a vintage crochet doily, sweet silver Christmas cardinal, Christmas hang tag, handmade by me, and a pewter snowman spreader for those holiday cheeseballs you'll be making! Just comment on this, or any post until one week from today, Wednesday, 11/18. At 6:00 p.m. on that date, a name will be randomly selected. I'll get these mailed out so that the winner will receive them by Thanksgiving.

Happy Halloween

A little Halloween decor for you - I got some wonderful items from my partner (Missy-Fairy Child Heirlooms) in Heidi's Homemade Halloween swap. I added these to this halloween display.

I have not been able to post recently as I am working on revamping my webstore (check it out) and just I love it! Working on matching blog, banner, etc. and getting some items added. I'll be rejoining The French Cupboard once this is all done. I'll be back soon! Have a spooktacular evening!!

Displaying sparkling jewels

After spending a nice family weekend in Gatlinburg, TN, it is raining today - one of those hot potato soup and cornbread days. Since there is no sunshine today, to add a little sparkle, here is a pic of some shiney jewels and rhinestone buttons displayed in a silverplate relish dish.

Coral roses and green grass....

Why do sometimes we think the grass is greener on the other side? Here's a funny pic of one of our goats who feels the same way.

Also wanted to show you this footed bowl that I transformed this weekend.

Submission for Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge

Inspiration Avenue's word for inspiration this week is "Vintage." My piece is called Sweet Innocence and is available in my etsy shop.

More Vintage Wonderfulness!

A few things I'm going to be listing I thought I'd share.....(the blue/pink floral bowl and trays are not vintage but I love them anyway).