A Winter Kitchen and Bling Swap

Heidi of Foxgloves, Fabric and Folly is hosting another swap. In this one a person must send their swap partner some kitchen linens and a gadget or two AND a little bling item. Leave it to Heidi to come up with something fun (even practical) during these winter hum-drum months. Check out her website for all the details at http://foxglovesfabricandfolly.blogspot.com. You must hurry though, for sign up must be complete by February 1!

Beehive Brooch--New!

It took some trial and error and an extra run to the bead shop (oh, what a shame! *wink*), but my beehive brooch is finally done. I was inspired by looking at some folk art sites awhile back and all the honey I've been putting in my red rooibos green tea lately. This brooch makes me think of spring and summer which I hope is really just around the corner. I will be putting the brooch on my Lollishop today (www.lollishops.com/glassbeadtreasures).

Vintage Snaps and Scraps...a Blessing After an Under-the-weather Weekend

There have definitely been better weekends for me! I've felt poorly the past several days--very poorly. I guess that's how it goes when a person has little children...and they get sick. We parents eventually get what they get, and it was my time. **sigh** Being ill reminds me of two things--1) to be MORE thankful when I AM well and 2) there are many people out there who are chronically sick and to be more in prayer for them. My heart goes out to those who are indeed very ill. I think the Lord allows sickness so that we pause to praise Him for health and to remember in prayer and words of encouragement those who are truly ill.
That being said, on Monday I received Kathy's package after winning her giveaway (see blog post about it below). What a blessing and encouragement! It was more beautiful than the pictures depicted. Kathy not only wrapped it beautifully (you know how I feel about prettily-wrapped items), but included a pen and a kind note. The whole thing was very professional, yet had a clear personal touch. If you have not ordered from her, I encourage you do to so. You won't be disappointed. Please check out her blog at http://vintagesnapsandscraps.blogspot.com to see where she sells her pretties. Thanks again, Kathy!

Springtime Beads

I was at a bead shop yesterday. I needed some more beading thread and a few colors for a fun new brooch I'm working on. On this large wall covered in little tubes of beads, THESE spoke to me. My eye caught them, and I had to get them. Perhaps their minty, spring-green color reminded me that, yes, this winter WILL actually end one of these days. Whatever the case, I have them and can't wait to use them. (Psssst! Shhhhh...I also thought of a brooch with a cupcake with mint green cupcake frosting, so stay tuned!)

Very Vintage Swap Gifts

My new dear friend, Alaura at http://cottagerose50.blogspot.com, was my swap partner for Heidi's (http://foxglovesfabricandfolly.blogspot.com) Very Vintage Swap. I received her box yesterday. Each thing was wrapped and tied with pretty ribbons and nestled in colorful shred. Here is a picture. Alaura stitched the pretty framed heart. Of course, I can't have enough pretty teacups. There were many lovelies including a hankey, dishes, a yummy soap--well, see them all in the picture above. In keeping with the theme of the swap, Alaura even included an antique Valentine. Thank you, Alaura, for all the pretties!

Lollishop Blog Giveaways!

The Lollishop Giveaway blog is hosting a LARGE Valentine giveaway featuring lovely gifts contributed by several Lollishop vendors (one of whom is me!)>>>> Lollishop Blog Giveaways is the place and you may enter today through February 6. Here is a picture of the small pendant I am giving away. It has light pink (think pink milk glass) flowers and a dark pink Swarovski crystal butterfly. If you like giveaways, please go on over to the blog and enter!

Have you heard of Luella?

Well, if you make handmade things and haven't you should...and I will happily tell you about Luella! The new site is run by a husband/wife team (I LOVE husband wife teams...but unfortunately I just can't imagine my dear husband stitching tiny beads onto things) whose aim is to promote independent artists, crafters, and sellers who sell vintage, handmade, or one-of-a-kind items. I KNOW that includes many of my kind followers here. I wrote and told them about Lollishops, which they said they'll check into. Even if you don't create, please check out their site and daily blog-type entries about interesting indie sites here>>>>>http://www.luellaluella.com.

Latest Projects

Well, I've finished some projects--mostly swaps and a giveaway that had decided to enter. Creating these things has been such fun. I didn't want to post these pictures before now. I didn't want to steal Tammy's thunder at Milk and Cookeez nor did I want the recipients of the other things to know what they were getting before they got them! The charm with the sparkling clear flowers and pink Swarovski crystal butterfly was part of the Milk and Cookeez "9 days of 2009" giveaway. A lovely lady named Cindi won that, and I will hopefully get it out to her today if I can get to the post office before it closes. The brooch I made for a very nice lady named Alaura (check out her beautiful blog called Cottage Rose--LOVE the name!) as part of Heidi's Very Vintage Swap. I had a lot of fun designing her brooch (the picture here was taken rather quickly, so it's not the best quality) and putting her box of Valentine lovelies together. The box also included a Valentine box I decorated, tea mug, hankey, tea, and other bits. I just love putting boxes together with lots of little things in them. Guess I get it from my old gift basket days. And, finally the box of charms went to Trish for the "Romancing the Charm" swap on The Tattered Rose. Each participant was to make a charm that somehow represents Valentine's Day. I chose to use pink, red, and white flower beads--the colors of Valentine's Day. It has all been much fun. There are other projects in the works. Please check on the column to the right for buttons pointing to those.

Help Kathy with a Research Giveaway!

I appreciate someone who wants to try to learn from others how to improve their shop or the things they are selling. It's not always easy to open yourself up for others to give constructive comments or even *gulp* criticism. Some people can be just way too frank--which is not necessarily needed. Anyway, for my first giveaway (that was awhile ago!), people had to participate in a poll. I learned a lot from it...was even surprised on some things. Soooo, why not take just a few minutes for a fellow Lollishop vendor and visit her blog to help her in her research AND enter her giveaway for a sweet lovely. Her pretty blog is at http://vintagesnapsandscraps.blogspot.com.

Pretty Seed Pictures in Romantic Country Magazine

The most recent issue of Romantic Country magazine (which was again a pure visual delight in it's entirety) had a "Special Section" featuring pictures from old seed catalogs. The pictures are just lovely! For one thing, I have great respect for anyone who can draw or paint in exquisite detail. Secondly, I just love flowers. So, this section was a delight. I have representations of seed catalogs/packets around my home including a set of four small plates on one wall--two of which are seen here. The plate rack is in our hallway and hard to take a picture of, so I couldn't get a good picture of all the plates. I also have the Scott's Roses poster in my laundry room. You've seen it before in another post, but I thought I'd include it again since we were on the subject and since I like the poster so much. Also...another thing....I am very BIG on how things look...the packaging of a product is of utmost importance to me especially if it is a gift. If something doesn't look good, I don't buy it. Unless it is for my immediate family's utilitarian needs, I will always buy something if offered the choice, thought it may be a little more expensive, with the pretty packaging. With this in mind, I used to own a gift basket business (maybe more on that another day) and used Renee's Garden seed packets exclusively because they were so beautiful. The artwork whether for veggies, fruit, herbs, or flowers is gorgeous. The packets were slightly more costly than other seeds, but were much more presentable as a gift than any other seeds I could find (not to mention quality seeds). So, if you were to give someone some seeds for a gift, I would highly recommend Renee's Seeds (sold either on her site or at finer green houses), a few packets of which are also pictured here. Think spring!

National Hot Tea Month

January is "National Hot Tea Month". It is snowing and blowing and cold outside here today, so I thought it would be a perfect day in a perfect month to encourage all who read this to grab a steaming cuppa in a lovely teacup and sip to your warmth and health. AND, if you'd like to do some pleasant, tea-related browsing on the web while sipping that hot cup of tea, check out Time Was Antiques for a feast of wares for the tea lover. Their inventory of tea items--all kinds of different tea items, old and new--is very extensive. Enjoy your day!

Another Swap for the Romantic

Watched "Pride and Prejudice" again last night with my hubby (a good watch on one's wedding anniversary). He gave it to me as part of my anniversary present (along with a fluffy light pink bathrobe and perfume), and I'm a pathetic, total, and incurable romantic...just can't help it! Love the warm, fuzzy feeling of a good love story (perfect with feeling warm and fuzzy on the outside in that new bathrobe). So, while romance is on my mind, here is yet another swap I'm recommending. This swap is simple and sweet. What could be better than making a little hear-shaped, handcrafted, Valentine item? Visit Prim and Whimsy for all the details. You have until January 15 to enter!

Check out Kathryn's Blogaversary Giveaway!

Check out this fun..."Blogaversary"! Kathryn of KV Creative Designs is having a delightful giveaway celebrating her one year anniversary of blogging. The yummy goodies in her giveaway include a yet-undisclosed lovely created by Kathry, gift cards, beautiful bits to get the recipient's creative juices flowing, and more. Check out her beautiful blog and all the details at http://kvcreativedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/01/blogiversary.html.

19 Years of Bliss!

Nineteen years ago today--yes, on a clear, cold January day in Maine--my best friend and I became husband and wife. We were only 20 years old that day in 1990 and had to secure permission from my father in order to stay at the quaint inn we had chosen for our wedding night because we weren't old enough to check in there! I am so blessed with the kindest, most thoughtful, encouraging (in all of my crazy endeavors), and helpful husband. I wouldn't trade him for the world! We have been through and seen a great deal (some good, some bad)--and the main thing is that we have been together (and most importantly with the Lord) through it all and remain not only husband and wife but also the best of friends.
P.S. He brought me these roses this past weekend--a bright, cheery, and lovely change to the white January landscape outside.