Where has time gone?

Has it been three years since I've posted?? Talk about MIA! One reason why I haven't posted is the difficulty I had posting via our old computer. We just got a new one in the past few weeks, and it's easier to post now. I've been doing a great deal during these past years. Yes, I still work on things for my Etsy shop. I wrote and published a book and am working on others. I have a separate blog just for my writings. Here is the book I've written...

It's a Christian novel set on the coast of Maine. It has a bit of suspense, mystery, and, yes, romance and is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

Finished Brooches

I finally finished these brooches.  I had wanted to play with transfer paper and have been very pleased with the results.

The images are from vintage cards and things that I own that were edited some via Picmonkey, printed off on transfer paper, ironed onto felt pieces, then stitched onto other felt pieces.  The embellishing is the fun part to me.

 The images turned out crisp and full of color.  Hopefully I'll be able to work on some ornaments soon...but you know how time gets away sometimes.  Hope you like these.

Romantic Homes Advertisement with Shabby Cottage Shops

The December 2015 issue of Romantic Homes magazine is out, and the Shabby Cottage Shops ad looks great!

There is my little diorama ornament at the center bottom of the ad.  Hope everyone does well with their ad.  Love the teacup by the way!

Tea Tastes Better...

...in a pretty teacup, of course!  I have SO admired the pretty patterns of Cath Kidston products on Pinterest (Greengate is another line I adore!).  I've gone all over the official website wishing the company and items would come to America.  Oh, I know we can order the items...but for a a price.  Besides, there is nothing quite like actually going to a brick-and-mortar and looking at things.  We visited Victoria, British Colombia this past summer, and while no official store was anywhere close, a tea shop we went into was carrying this beautiful tea mug.  How could I resist?  I'm convinced my tea tastes better in it!

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day everyone!  Though we have lost many already, we still have liberties and freedoms worthy of celebration--paid for by so many lives in the past.  I'm grateful for those who have sacrificed and for our flag and what it represents.

Getting a Second Chance

I had found this teapot on Etsy a number of years ago and fell in love with it...but not with the price.  I just couldn't justify getting it.  You know the whole story...can't justify getting it, too expensive, don't really need it, etc.  I pinned it on Pinterest.  I kept watching it.  Finally it sold, and I regretted not getting it despite all of the excuses.  I looked for it all over forever after that--at thrift shops, at antique malls and stores, on Ebay, on Etsy.  I saw others similar...but they weren't THIS one and weren't as pretty to me.  Then...I walked into the thrift shop a little while back, and there it was sitting there waiting for me.  The price was great.  It is in perfect shape.  I'm so glad for second chances.  As silly a thing as it is, it was such a blessing to find.  I'm thrilled!  It is a such luxury not to mention something that I've wanted and looked for for quite some time.  I'm thankful that God is good...giving us second chances on things even in very little and, in the scheme of life, insignificant ways.

Playing with Decoupage

I have wanted to decoupage some things for awhile now.  The idea of it is interesting, and there are so many items out there that are just beautifully done.  I put some things on the counter--two keys and a perfume bottle--to decoupage "when I got around to it".  Well, needless to say, they sat there for quite awhile (there is always something else to do, right?).  Finally, there was a bit of free time, and, seriously?...there were only three things to experiment with!  Seems like the hardest thing for me to do is to just sit and DO it...whatever "it" might be.  It ended up not taking that terribly long to do after all, and it was such fun.

I have some napkins that are just beautiful and decided to place pieces on a blank perfume bottle.  I ripped them up and with Mod Podge placed the pieces on.  How one side is all one color and the other all another is just how it turned out.

I sealed the bottle with a different decoupage sealer and added some wire and complimentary beads. They almost look like two separate bottles--but that just adds to the interest.
Next, I did the keys.

The paper on these is still from the same napkin used on the perfume bottle.  It's amazing the color differences and looks to all three pieces.  I added some wire and beads to these too.

I really wanted to try some vintage jewelry bits on these, but the bling took away from the beauty of the patterns in the napkin.  These are in my Etsy shop and haven't sold yet, but it was great fun to try something different.  If you're interested in playing with decoupage, I'd highly recommend giving it a try.  No doubt you will enjoy doing it as much as I did.

Morning Sunrise

What a beautiful sunrise this morning!  As the sun rose, the clouds were turned a luscious shade of golden pink.  I can't help but write Psalm 19:1...."The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."  Praise the Lord...the Creator...for His awesome work!

Something Purple...

...for the Embracing Cottage Style Vintage Purple Party.

Here is a pendant collage of lavender/purple vintage jewelry pieces that have been glued onto a setting and put on a chain made of vintage elements.  I thought this would be a pretty, light color for spring. It is in my Etsy shop.  Check out the blog party at Embracing Cottage Style for other pretty vintage purple items.

Playing with Buttons

I've decided to share some of my button stash...literally share it...but making up some pretties for my Etsy shop.  Why hoard all of these gorgeous buttons when they can be made up into something pretty for others to use and enjoy?  I think buttons like these are like little jewels...and what do we do with little jewels?  Make jewelry, of course!

I hand-tied these onto metal filigree components.  Each little glass button is different and beautiful, and I think they made an exquisite bracelet.  There will be more to come in time.  Hope you like these.

Some New Directions

Sometimes I feel like my Etsy shop is getting "stale", so I've been thinking of doing some new things.  I just just love vintage jewelry--and probably always will--and looking for it is such a pleasant quest.  My shop has some really pretty pieces in it, but since many have not "moved", I'm going through it....taking pieces out...and repurposing them more.  Here are some examples of what I've come up with lately:
A brooch made of vintage bits:

A sunny yellow bracelet:

You'll see jewelry disappear from my shop and see them again repurposed into other pretties as I go along.
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I tried my hand at some paper work and have enjoyed doing that.  I made these little Valentine boxes out of match boxes with mini Valentines in them.

They were great fun to make--though time consuming, I'll confess--and I would love to have received one of them myself.  I plan on making other things, though making more of these Valentine's Day ones will have to wait until next year.  I'll try to remember to start making them earlier.
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I'll still be doing felt things simply because my bag of felt and thread and needles can go with me to so many different places--to town, to violin lessons, to piano lessons, to home school group mornings, etc., etc.  I can't stand just sitting around doing nothing, so felt projects keep my hands busy and my sanity intact.  There are so many people out there who are much more talented than I when it comes to designing and making felt things, and it's easy to get discouraged.  However, I really enjoy stitching and will keep on making things.  I'm trying my hand at some magnets lately.

So, that is what I've been up to lately.  There is never a dull moment.  I have other ideas I'd like to try too...just finding the time to do them is always a challenge.

Celebrations

First, I'm so thankful that hubby and I could celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this past Monday.  No, we didn't do anything extravagant as much as we would have liked to.  It was just a fun, relaxed, and a quiet sort of day...a day we could simply enjoy just spending together.  We had a relaxing breakfast.  We sipped coffee.  We looked at pictures of our wedding...we were SO young.  We laughed and commented on our day and the people who were there.  We looked at memories out my exquisite blue box of our trip to Paris for our 10th anniversary (that was during more carefree days...before kids and a mortgage).  We watched Casablanca.  It was a good day, and I'm so thankful for my husband and our life together.  I am truly blessed to have him...the Lord is so good, and I know that it is because of the Lord that we have such a sweet and happy marriage.

My parents celebrate their 50th anniversary this year...as do my husband's parents...and did I tell you it will be my husband's sister's 25th wedding anniversary this year as well.  Oh, and there are several milestone birthdays this year for our fathers and others in our family.  Whew!  It's a big year for so many people in our family...a year of celebrations.