A house to make a home ...

Hello everyone!  First let me thank you for all the fabulous comments on my previous post.  You are really too kind and I appreciate each and every one of my crafty friends ... you are like sisters to me.

I'm writing tonight with some exciting news.  I was very nervous to "take the plunge" so to speak ... but I decided to give it a try - I opened an ETSY shop.  And by popular demand ... I have listed sets of 3 miniature wooden houses!  You can find me HERE.
 
I hope you get the opportunity to "decorate your house" like I have mine.  They are so sweet when completed - you'll love them ... I'm sure of it!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed Easter with your family and friends!

A home to share ....

Hello again friends.  I have a short story to share, I hope you have a moment to stay a while.  Have you seen the sweet little houses on the blogs lately?  Perhaps they have been there forever and I am just now discovering these delicious miniatures.  I adore them!  Earlier this week, I thought I'd send a photo of one such collection to my husband at work.  It went something like, "Aren't these cute?  (Which I'm sure he agreed but would never utter the word.)  Can you cut some wood to make something like this for me?"  Later that same day (arriving home from work myself) I walk into my craft room and what do you think is on my work table?  Three adorable little houses!  I was thrilled ... he is sooo wonderful!  I wonder what he'll say when I ask for a whole town?!

So my quest to turn these simple wood houses into homes began.  My first step was to choose the colors.  I can always depend on Mona and her Design Team to solve that question each and every week with their incredible inspiration over at CR84FN.  Look at the beautiful imagery they have posted now ....

Digging thru my scrap drawers, I pulled out bits and pieces of soft blues, subtle greens, and shades of vanilla.  A coat of acrylic paint gave the wood blocks a finished surface.  With a bit of tracing, cutting, and a slathering of Mod Podge ... my houses were covered in color.  Embellishments were next  - the "trim" on my "painted ladies".  Some lace and linen thread, a couple buttons, a shabby blue ribbon and a sweet little flower were added.  My sentiment "Follow your heart, it knows the way" was stamped on top of the lighter pattern.  Of course every home needs a touch of bling ... provided here with chunky glitter on each and every roof.

I just love my little houses (I hope you do too) ... thanks for stopping by and sharing your time with me!

Home again ....

Time has never been slower than this past week.  With my daughter in Paris, I was counting the minutes until she came home.  We would talk every night ... her telling me about her day and the adventures she went on ... me missing her all the more.  With no initiative to do much of anything, my craft room lay empty.  Now she's home and all is right with the world once again.  My prayers will be plentiful when she leaves the nest someday, thank goodness that's years away ... perhaps I'll grow up by then.

Cath at Moxie Fab World has inspired us with a wonderful color combination as our Tuesday Trigger this week.  It's appropriately named "Porch Play".  Although there's a lot going on in this picture - it represents a simple, relaxed life ... I want to climb into this photo and live there .... it's fabulous!

With Very Vanilla cardstock and some patterned papers from my scraps, my thoughts began to take shape.  A bit of lace and a vellum die cut doily adds texture.  Some stitching and distressing make it shabby.  The "Four Frames" stamp set (part of the Spring is Blossoming promotion) and the Decorative Label Punch create the perfect centerpiece for my sentiment.  A few pearls are scattered about for good measure.  As a final touch, a fun teal polka-dot ribbon is tied on with a layered white/yellow flower and velvety leaves added.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I hope to see you here again soon!

Bonjour!

  

Hello everyone!  It's been a very busy week and I apologize for being away so long.  I've been shopping to get some last minute items for our daughter ... a raincoat, adapter/converter, snacks, a new over-the-shoulder bag ... big enough to carry all she needs for day trips around town and for souvenirs.  My best girlfriend in all the world is in Paris right now.  I am so excited for her - and I admit a little worried too ... but what mother wouldn't be?  She called to tell me they spent the afternoon at Notre Dame and that she already bought something for her little brother - "it's perfect" she says and I'm sure it is.  She is always thinking of others - my girl has a big heart and I miss her so.

Did you see the beauty at the CR84FN Color Challenge this week?  I'm quite late getting in on this challenge and have been dreaming of it all week.  The colors are just gorgeous and I love how they work together.  A new stamp set came this week and I have been so anxious to share it with you.  Here's the inspirational image from Mona ... once again - the quote speaks to me ...

My card is Crumb Cake brushed lightly with a vanilla paint as is my cardboard focal point.  Layered scraps of designer paper such as Elegant Soiree and Greenhouse Gala.add color and pattern.  When I saw the row of green flower lace at the local craft store ... oh my, I was in love ... I should have bought more spools.  The new stamp set is called Four Frames and is included in the "Spring is Blossoming" promotion - a sneak peek into the next catalog release from Stampin' UP!  This set coordinates with the Decorative Label Punch and I couldn't be more thrilled!  The polka-dot frame (stamped in Old Olive Classic Ink) is my favorite ... until I ink up the next one.  You can see more of this set over at Ginny's Place.  The sentiment comes from Happy Together stamped with Chocolate Chip Classic Ink (although I didn't use them here, the little quails in this set are so cute).  The bow is dyed seam binding with a brown button and a sweet little flower added for good measure...you'll see I repeated the same combination.

Time to go bake some muffins for a girlfriend get-together tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by ... I hope you enjoyed your visit.  Au revoir!


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Farm Fresh ....

   

Happy Saturday evening everyone!  We're having a "sleep-over" at our house tonight.  The boys are engrossed in a video game...their hands leaving the controls only long enough to grab some popcorn.  Can you hear the hootin' and hollerin'?  My sweet girl has her nose in a book ... reminds me of myself when I was her age - reading morning, noon, and night. 

It's been a long time since I've joined in on a Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World.  I still visit the blog daily ... Cath always keeps us up to date with the newest products.  And the featured artists are sooo talented - I make a point to stop in to see the wonderful works on their blogs.  The inspirational photos that Cath posts are beyond words ... she never fails to get our attention with fabulous colors, textures, and dimension.  This image is no exception.  Titled "Farm Fresh" ... a sheet of pure white with a splash of turquoise and a row of bright tangerine lined up like links of a chain.  It's fabulous, isn't it?!  Moxie Fab, actually!

Beginning with Very Vanilla cardstock, I layered an old world map print from the Newsprint collection with turquoise patterns from the scrap drawer.  The lace is held in place with a row of fun shades of orange taken from the Brights and Sweet Stitches button collections.  Some Natural Hemp Twine ties them together.  A fabulous rub-on is used for the sentiment....I couldn't say it better myself.

I dyed seam binding with  Tempting Turquoise ink for the bow.  Layered turquoise, white felt, and tangerine flowers help to embellish a crystal topped stick pin.  I added a little pearl too - can you see it peaking out from beneath the petals?

I enjoyed creating this for you today ... thank you Cath for the inspiration ... and thank you, my friends, for stopping by!

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Vintage vision ...

  

Hello again friends.  It has been a busy week, hasn't it?  I have only had a few moments at a time to steal away to my crafty little haven.  When I saw the color challenge and wonderful inspiration from Mona and her design team (and let me also mention the fabulous entries so far) ... I just had to play along.  Be sure to gaze on all the beauty over at the CR84FN Color Challenge.  And don't you just love that quote?!

I have had this image for months - straight from the pages of Somerset Life (I believe).  Lovely, isn't she? 

My card is Very Vanilla layered with First Edition Designer Series Paper (.. love this newsprint) and a fun polka-dot scrap along the bottom from Jolly Holiday.  The lace is from my supplies as is the rub-on in the corner.  I painted, distressed, and "glitterfied" the chipboard from the Mix & Match collection and the little white buttons.  A simple white seam binding bow with a few burgundy posies ... and my project is complete.

Again, my thanks to Mona and her team for pushing me "out of the box" and to you ... just for stopping by.  Good night ...

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A wren ...

    

Hello again friends.  The sun is shining here and the icicles are dripping into the garden.  The scene gives me hope that spring is near.  I know my tulips (those that the deer and squirrels haven't carried away - sigh) are hiding beneath the ice and snow.  They are one of my favorite flowers ... beautifully welcoming the new season ... I'll post photo's when they arrive.  The inspiration from The Play Date Cafe has me wishing ... for sunshine, warm breezes, flowers and butterflies.  Our little wren paid us a visit yesterday ... my son and I stood silently at the window watching and listening to his (or her) sweet song ...cherishing the moment.

Have you noticed the fabulous new flowers dotting the shabbiest of cards lately?  I have and I am head over heels in love with them.  So today I found an old cardboard box (plenty of those around here) and had fun making this for you ...

I used a flower die to cut my shapes.  They were painted a soft creme and the edges brushed with a light brown (I'll do better at that next time ... promise).  Some holes made with this Paper-Piercing Tool gave added interest.  The buttons are from the Subtles Collection.  The vintage music sheet and fabulous lavender lace are both from my SIL Shirley ... yep, she's fabulous too.  The blue print can be found in a package of Blueberry Crisp Designer Series Paper - I added a single word rub-on.  Seam binding dyed with Perfect Plum and Elegant Eggplant Classic Inks makes for a wonderful bow.  The little tag was created with an old set I've held on to and the Jewelry Tag Punch ... so cute peeking out from under the button.  Here's another photo ... kind-of a "close up".

Thanks so much for stopping by ...enjoy your day!

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