Oh soooo Sweet

I found this Oh so sweet blog today called Sweet Paul.  I just had to share.  They just launched their Spring magazine --all for the kids.  Spring2011 Magazine

I can not resist these --pink, frothy, and polka dots..what not to love!  My 3yr old says 'I want one'!

Winter Sweetness

It's Sunday, a harried long one, and I'm finally relaxing (little one finally passed out from exhaustion from talking NON STOP for 10 hours!) How do 3.5yr olds do it?  I was worn out by 8:10am this morning.  She refused a nap again today--a lovely brief escape for Mom--no luck for me this weekend.  I've been really dreading the day when she would stop the nap. 

A nice little respite is coming this week in SC--weather in the 60's.  I'll just be happy with bright sun to warm my face.  I believe its time to retire my Uggs to the back of the closet (I admit this little splurge this year was well WORTH the money).  This has been the longest and coldest winter here in over 10 yrs.  I'd go home from work and slip them on--just heaven.  My office will not get over 62degrees and I can't have a heater or the dumb building blows a fuse (let's just say I found out the hard way--still not living down that one at the office when it went dark).  geez..so I justified not having frostbite at home :)

Little one has been 'helping' me in 'our' room (craft).  I had this gorgeous vintage girl image for years--not sure what to do with it; then one day a few weeks ago all the pieces fell in place.  It's actually a folder to store sweet papers in!  I absolutely LOVE the velvet hood with fur trim and the sweet face.  I utilized doilies, seam binding and vintage button as closure.  I have another sweet vintage girl image to make another folder soon.

 This collage has another vintage style image--up close you can see her freckles.  I just love that face.  It says St Valentine but I think you could use this year round.  Vintage ledger on a canvas board is the backing.   There is vintage bling from rhinestone and broken earring and then I think the bottom was an earring also but was missing it's middle so I added the vintage pearl rectangle.  This is simple and sweet. 

This 'Snowman' day hanging is made out a vintage children image that I added some sparkle and glaze to showcase the snow and accessories.  Vintage bingo board for the backing.

I tend to be drawn to the vintage images of children and women from yesteryear.  Innocence, romance, and beautiful fabrics, trims, and wonderful teas!

I really do plan to upload some items to my little bare Etsy shop soon.

Accomplished this weekend:

some spring cleaning

5 loads of laundry

all 3 meals plus snacks

lots and lots of coffee (thanks DD)

Lots of time with Little One :)

and my TAXES are DONE! 

I still hand calculate and mail them in though (I know!)

Happy Sunday night--off to warm my coffee :)

What is Romance to you?

As I spent most of the month at the doctors and sick in bed, I had plenty of time to catch up on all my magazines that were cluttering up my bedside table.  I don't remember being this sick with a very nasty sinus infection then sick from the to many very strong steriods and antibiotics to finally get rid of it.  Along came this article, what is romance to you?  I really enjoyed all the different scenarios and with it FINALLY being February makes this an excellent topic.  To me, the good old Encyclopedia Britanncia summed it up perfectly about me and reflects the differences in how each of us interprets art, the beauty that someone may overlook and we must as artists create to share:

Romanticism emphasized the individual, the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental. Among its attitudes were a deepened appreciation of the beauties of nature; a general exaltation of emotion over reason and of the senses over intellect; a turning in upon the self and a heightened examination of human personality; a preoccupation with the genius, the hero, and the exceptional figure; a new view of the artist as a supremely individual creator; an emphasis on imagination as a gateway to transcendent experience and spiritual truth

So dear friends, I appreciate everyone that spends a moment just to view my art and share a kind comment or two.  I am glad that you have stuck with me through these slow months.  I saw a promise of Spring yesterday and was glad to see the sun shining and a warm breeze blowing my hair, one step at a time and one breath to move forward.

A new set of large tags/toppers.  The lovely romantic image is from the lovely Cerri, the back has an area for you to write more sentiment and to.from.  It would look lovely hanging off a vase or pitcher or even just setting on a shelf/cabinet.  I just love these which is about 7inches tall by about 4 inches.

These are made out of a thick illustration board, both are using vintage papers, buttons, with some newer version of pearls and millinery. The taller set is 2.5in by approx 5in and these above are 2.5in by 3.5in. They also are perfect as tags, toppers, and hanging off a vase of beautiful flowers or just for show. The string can easily be removed if so desired.

The last is a small altered craft book with craft paper and watercolor to have a small journal/notebook.  It would be perfect for a small garden, notes, pictures/collage.  Then I made this sweet matchbook to go with it so tiny for just a few special items (couple of the pages shown below).

Talk soon and take care,

Evolving

Merry New Year! Okay, really first week down and 3 more to go.  January has always been a longggggggg month for me and with each passing year seems to drag out even further.   I seriously believe I have a touch of that seasonal disorder as I get in the dumps-- so this January I'm working on updating everyday items, like sheets, towels, and kitchen items.  I still need curtains for each of the rooms.  Can you believe we have lived here a year and I still can't find something I like.  I haven't shopped for these items in a long time and I get off tangent so easily especially on the internet!  Priorities were very different for the past 7 years and are now easing back to spending a tiny bit of money on myself personally and finally a big house of my own.  Those 70's hand me downs are going to be replaced eventually!

In between the nasty sinus infections (of which I'm miserable today with), I have been working on some projects.  I did spend a little time reflecting on the past year and realizing that I have been evolving, working it out to find my own in this world of creating.  I love the mix of textures and little bits of colors with vintage bits/bobs.  I recently read about doing a word for the year and maybe this will continue to be 'my' word.  I have too much I want to do artistic and family related so time will tell.  In the meantime, it's nice to just live, day by day, see the past 7 yrs were mind trapped with having a child and then a house.  Working off of a daily list be it cleaning, food, or recipes, its simple and soothing after all those years of stress.  Being Open to the next thing that comes along--isn't that what its all about?

Enjoy these new sweets:

This wall or door hanging is my most recent:

A Thank You card that was just bursting to be put together, I just love how this came out.  I don't make many cards (actually I think this is my 3rd one ever!):

This collage sentiment and my favorite elements all mixed together.  I was experimenting with some items from the scrapbook world -transfers:

A sweet bird collage box with her own vintage eggs (buttons and bling!):

Inside of the box for little trinkets and keepsake items:

If you are interested let me know! I will upload to Etsy for purchase.

I was on a roll the week and half I was off and still have more pictures to upload.

Hope your Sunday is going well.

Off to make a favorite, Apricot and Lemon Chicken with rice and carrots.  Simple and yummy.

Till next time,

Christmas Past, Joli Stocking Swap and Projects

I'm feeling the yucks and DH has just now got our computer up and running after upgrading it the past 2 weeks.  Sigh--so this won't be very long.

How was everyone's Christmas?  That month blew by like that 3inch snow we got on Christmas Day! First time in over 47 years.  My little one didn't want anything to do with it--gonna be a Southern gal with bare feet and warm weather.  She said Mommy look they are throwing snow and building a snowman across the street.  Mom- hmmm, deep in thought reminiscing about growing up in the North.  Wanna go, I said?  Little one--Nope! too cold.  At 3!  Sigh...I WANNNA GO!  Too late now--one nice thing about South Carolina it's gone the next day :)

Cindy, from Junque Art, was my partner.  What a beautiful stocking she gave me with all the trimmings.  Isn't it cool?  I LOVE it so much.  Thank you Cindy!

Just a peek at what I made for Cindy.

My sweet friend, Cerri, shared this idea for making some ornaments with my little one.  Aren't they cute? One to Grammy and one for us.  Thank you Cerri for the idea (and I still had baby jars hanging around-sad thought!)  All I was allowed to do was add the bows--quite a crafty one in the making!

I made this one for my Mom while little one was busy with all kinds of crafty projects. I love the different textures--dyed doily, simple stich of the linen picture and vintage doo-dads. 

Well, lots more projects to show but that will have to wait until next time. 

Till then,