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!

Blue and White Jewelry Embellished Clock

I finished embellishing a clock with vintage jewelry bits--in white and many complimentary shades of blue.  It actually seems like it has a coastal look to it, but I'm sure it would look nice with many different decors.  I've listed it in my Etsy shop.  Hope you like it!

Glow In The Dark Thread

A friend told me about glow-in-the-dark thread, so of course I had to find some and play with it.  I found some on E-bay and had fun designing these ornaments for a nursery.

 

I have many ideas to use the thread for, of course, but I thought I'd give these a try first.  These ornaments actually took a lot of work--the little banner taking me awhile--but I was pleased with their outcome. 

When the lights go out in baby's room, the thread on these glow. 

What do you think?  I have other projects that I'm finishing up right now (posts later on on these!) but am eager to work more with this thread.  These ornaments are in my Etsy shop. 

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!

Prize Ribbon Swap

I participated in the Creative Wings Boutique prize ribbon swap.  My swap partner was Marian of Maid Marian Made.  This is the prize ribbon that I made for Marian.  I tried to give it a shabby chic/Parisian look...with plenty of sparkle, of course, in the colors of ivory, light pink, and light blue. It's hard to make anything without sparkle! 

 

I have never made a prize ribbon before, so this was a new venture for me.  I wired the pink rhinestone brooch on with a loop on the back so that Marian may hang it up if she wishes.  Hope you like it! Also, thank you to Tabitha for being the hostess for this swap.

Happy Independence Day!

Thought I'd give a picture of an Etsy Treasury I did this week to show how I hope your day is today--relaxed and laid-back...but festive too.  Enjoy your day...and let's all be thankful to God for the freedoms we have.   Happy Independence Day to you and your family!

Matchbox Swap--From my Partner

It was a delight to receive my decorated matchbox from my partner, Oliva (check out her blog), in the Vintage Dragonfly "Partner's Choice" swap on Flicker.  Talk about sugar sweetness!  What a beautiful box filled with such pretty things! 

She did a wonderful job decorating it in colors I love and filling it with beautiful creative bits including some gorgeous beads, a vintage earring, a pretty shimmery doily, and a little crystal drawer pull (I think my favorite thing!)--just to name a few. 

She also included some lovely earrings.  Every thing was wrapped so nicely. 

Don't you just like all the pink?  Thank you SO much, Oliva! 

Button Floozies Spring Needlebook Swap

Laurie at Button Floozies (one of my new favorite blogs) was the hostess of a swap--the Spring Needlebook Swap.  We were to send a partner a needlebook with a spring theme including, of course, buttons.  This again was a swap that took me out of my comfort zone since I'm not that good at sewing.  I had my idea in mind but found it hard to turn it into something tangible.  The person I was to send mine to is Laura--such a nice person!  She has received hers (she doesn't have a blog), so I'll post here what I sent her. 

It is made of felt.  I did a little bit of embroidery on it and sewed these sweet rose buttons on it. The birdhouse "opening" is a pretty vintage button.  I tried to find a bird button in my stash--a pretty duck could be found...but no springtime bird.  So...I decided to make a bird (hopefully it looks like one) out of two buttons and some embroidery.

Of course, I had to "sign" it with more embroidery and a little heart button.  Enjoy!

Felt and Bead Heart Pins

Been playing with pretty beads and felt and finished these two heart shaped pins this weekend.

Can't Resist...

...hearts and vintage bits.  So, these have been the result of my work lately.  I found these sweet brass heart lockets from a seller on Etsy as well as some of the bits and pieces I've put onto the hearts.  Especially pretty are the guilloche pieces and those chippy flowers.

They have been fun to work on.  Ironically, I found a seller on Etsy who sells the little vintage enamel flowers, requested a custom listing of them...they agreed...and despite several emails over the past several weeks haven't heard a word back.  I'm so disappointed!  I know it's a busy time of year (but it has been many weeks)...I know things come up (but I've noticed they've listed many things)...but just can't understand poor customer service--at least communicate with me please!  I'd rather have someone tell me they can't get back to me until a month has passed than just not respond.  Oh, well...a lesson learned to remind me to have good customer service when a customer writes...and I'll keep on looking for my flowers.  Anyway, hope you like these.

Blue and Purple-Pink

I have a corner sink in our kitchen.  While doing dishes yesterday afternoon I was enjoying the pretty purple-pink blooms of my cactus and the light shining through Gram's blue jar.  She loved blue glass, and I'm thankful to have this that was hers.  I thought the colors together were just grand and decided to share the scene with you.  Enjoy and happy weekend to you all!

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Ornaments

I had such a fun time making these ornaments!  I can picture them being hung in a home all year round--on a knob, a shelf peg, on the corner of a boudoir mirror, anywhere really where a spot of color and sparkle is needed.  They are mirrored ornaments covered with vintage jewelry pieces.  They have been listed in my Etsy shop.  I'm working on a pink heart-shaped one which should be done later in the week (it is becoming my favorite one so far!).  Perhaps I'll post it on here for you to see.  Hope you like them! ; ) 

Inexpensive Little Girl Room Decorating Ideas

I thought I'd share what we did in our little girl's room a while back in case you have a redecorating project in mind this winter and would like a few inexpensive ideas. I found a rug (sorry, didn't take a picture of that) at Big Lots that had olive greens, purples, pinks, ivory, and light blues in it. So, I made the theme of her room in those colors...besides she likes pink and purple. Since she also lives princesses and crowns and sparkles (mmmm...wonder where she gets that from??), I found a play crown from the toy section of Walmart for the very top of her window with pink and blue sparkles. An inexpensive (also a Big Lots find for $7) sheer scarf pulled through the crown and draped over the edges of the curtain makes a soft, feminine, finished look. I made the curtains out of material to match the purple in the rug.

I put the scarf through holders on each end. Also, I wrapped a wired garland of iridescent stars around the scarf to add more interest and color to the ivory material. The iridescent coloring picks up the purples, blues, and pinks wonderfully, and the garland also adds another element of sparkle to the window.

Then I got some flower, butterfly, and leaf stamps from the local hardware store. My mom gave me the teapot and teacup stamps, so I already had them. I matched the paints (the walls were already a warm ivory) for the stamping with the colors in the rug again--pink, light blue, dark purple, light purple, green, and off-white. I used acrylic craft paints which are pretty inexpensive. Of course, I had to add a little of my own flourish with a teapot and a teacup in the room. The stamps make a nice alternative to wallpaper and are much less costly than hiring a person to come and paint by hand. The corner of the mirror needed something, so the teapot went there. I added the "tea" coming out of the pot by hand.

I stamped everywhere but not without purpose.

I added butterfly trails and extra flourishes and some detail in the flowers, and instead of a mouse at the floor by the door, I put a steaming cup of tea with hand-painted steam coming out and dots on the teacup. Her bed is in a corner, so I put pink netting (an Ebay find) in the corner to "round it out" and soften the corner. She feels like she is sleeping in a "princess tent".

Well, I hope you like some of the ideas. I'd love to read about your project, if you used any of these ideas, and how it turned out.