"New" Lamp

We have one corner of our living room that can be dark--especially at night.  It is in the corner by two windows which during the day is wonderful.  However, at night it just needed more light...especially since I have decided to do some stitching there in the evenings.  Because of where it was, it needed to be somewhat small and discrete yet give off good light.  The *perfect* lamp was spotted at the local antique mall, but I just couldn't summon the courage (nor the money!) to spend $149 for it.  So, thankfully the thrift store came through with a $5 baby.  The lampshade was wonky and stunk.  What to do about a lampshade?  Well, this lampshade that I beaded years ago and never sold, has now been put into use!  True, the beads, though beautiful, are not the right colors for my living room. I had taken a plain lampshade and stitched pretty glass beads randomly all over it.  I love how glass beads look with light coming through--so vibrant and colorful.  I'll change the beads eventually.  However, I was quite pleased with the result, and now I can stitch away in the evenings and actually see what I'm doing. 

Etsy Shop Sale Today Only

I'm having a sale today.  Type in the code GLASS10 at checkout and receive a 10% discount on anything in my shop.  I've added some new things, so be sure to check them out. 

Thrift Shop Finds

Today was a discount day at the thrift shop in town.  I just love discount days...but I so rarely actually make it to them...busy with school and such, you know.  However, I was able to go today and snagged some pretty and useful things for a song.

This is a wreath with beautiful plastic leaves on it.  I'm sure I'll have a purpose for this come fall.  It could use a good cleaning, but each of these leaves are on wire and will be very useful in the future, I'm sure.

Then there are these pretty, old spoons.  I have been looking for more to make some ornaments with, and these have a nice pattern on the ends and a pretty worn patina.

This is two strips of gold trim--one thinner and decorative and one with tassels.  Trim is expensive to buy outright, and I will certainly find uses for these pieces.  I may have enough to do a chair that desperately needs to be recovered and re-trimmed (yes, the chair I am sitting on!). 

This last thing is a dish that I do not need...but I love it.  It is perfect for pickles or sugar cubes or some other little bits. 

The cobalt and roses are so pretty together as well as the gold accents and scalloped shape of the dish.

Valentine Swap--To Sandy from Me

For Sandy's Valentine swap, I read over her blog and business to try to figure what she likes and what colors she may like.  She was into needlework things....her site has the colors of pink and brown...and she likes cats...so, I made her this needlebook.  Oh, and it has the required "heart on it" that the swap rules stipulated. 

Yes, other than tracing a cat head from someone, this is my own design and idea (I'm working on another one to sell in my Etsy shop). 

She sounded like she liked it...hope you do too. 

Valentine Swap--To Me from Sandy

Well, today is February 14th, and I could open my swap item.  It came all the way from Sandy in Australia.  She was also the hostess of the swap.  We were to make something; it had to have a heart on it; and we could open the item from our partner on February 14th. 

Sandy made me this beautiful heart ornament.  It has variegated thread stitching on the front and pretty pink toile on the back. 

I like how she put the bird on the front, then the toile on the back has birds and birdcages.  Just lovely!  Thank you so much, Sandy, for hostessing this and for my pretty, pretty ornament.

Ready for Flowers

Added a few things to my shop today--a vintage jewelry embellished ornament and a perfume bottle.  They both are full of flowers and birds.  Enjoy!

Color in the Winter

I just love that my two cactus plants bloom in mid-January when winter has come to stay and the colors are at their bleakest.  The pops of color from these two plants are beautiful and refreshing especially when I look at them with a window just beyond revealing the white, wintry landscape.  One cactus has salmon colored blooms and the other one (below) bright, fuchsia ones. 

While doing the dishes the other day, the wide-open blooms on this reminded me of birds in flight, and I had to click a picture.  I'm so thankful for these bright spots of color during the winter months.