Finishing Some Projects

I have finally finished these...just today.  They can be ornaments or even look nice just sitting there.

They are such fun to make...especially getting all of that glitter everywhere....and believe me...it is everywhere.

I found the little deer and bunny at an antique mall and knew they just needed to be in a little wintry scene of some sort.  These aren't just for Christmas, of course, and can be placed on a door knob or on the corner of a cabinet all winter long.

These have been listed in my Etsy shop.  I have some other dioramas in the works, but they are not very close to being done yet.

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Button Card Ornaments

I really love vintage button cards and enjoy looking at them on Pinterest.  Some are just exquisite.  I remember an estate sale that I went to that had many...wish I had purchased more of them.  Anyway, while these button cards aren't over the top exquisite, they ARE pretty.  Of course, you know I like to embellish things with vintage jewelry...so these were a natural combination. 

I bought some pretty paper and worked these up.  I tried to make them look pretty on the front and back. 

They are in my Etsy shop and can be hung around the home as home décor all year round. 

Hope you like them too. 

Time to Blog

To be honest with you...I'm finding it difficult to find time to blog!  I'm sure many others are having the same problem.  There is my Etsy shop to constantly work on including networking there, Pinterest to peek at, emails to catch up with...then of course, housework, kids, homeschooling, and creating for my shop.  Ugh!  It seems like I set there at the end of a day all the time and wonder just where exactly time went. 

I have been putting on the screws as far as creating goes.  I have been working on some new ideas...some things are done and others are still in the works.  Mom and I had a "craft day" last Saturday while Hubby worked.  It was fun, and we got a lot done.  We are actually going to be in a craft show this year.  She has been in them for years...and years.  This will be my first, so I'm glad we will be in this one together.  I'm going to put some of my bigger and hard to ship things to see if they go.  It is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so at least I have a little bit of time to work some more things up. 

One thing I've started doing is embellishing beautiful keys.  The key first of all has to have design and be pretty.  They have been fun to do.  Of course, you know me and embellishing--can't help myself.  A few have sold (the one above is one of my favorites but hasn't sold yet). 

Also, Mom found at a thrift shop out West a box full of these tiny pink plastic figures--figures from cereal promos in the 1950's.  There are some that I won't use, but the pretty ladies/dancers inspired me to make little shadowbox ornaments.  I tried to make little embellished--true to size, the hard part--scenes.  I made them in colors of ornaments that can be used year round as home décor.  Of course they have lots of glitter.  They are pretty small since they are made out of small cardboard jewelry boxes. 

I had some other little vintage bits that I made into shadowboxes/dioramas...this little winter scene dog is probably my favorite. 
I'll blog about the other "new things" I'm working on, but those probably won't be done until the end of the week or so. 

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. 

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.

Musical Themed Things

Guess I've had a song on my mind lately!  Finished these finally and have posted them to my shop. 

This one is a jewelry embellished ornament...complete with a shrink paper music score. 

Then, I just finished this music stand today.  It is made of felt and embroidered to look ornate.  This also has a shrink paper music score of "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" on it.  I made the paper into a bead for stitching onto the music stand.  Hope you like these!

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Spoons (and a Fork!)

I admit to being inspired by a pin on Pinterest...and have gone with the idea.  I've embellished some very pretty spoons (both demitasse and regular) and even a fork with vintage jewelry bits.  They really look pretty just sitting there, but I've included thin satin ribbon on each so that they may be used as an ornament of some kind to hang somewhere in your house.  The ribbons aren't on these yet in this picture, but when I listed them in my Etsy shop I showed what they would look like with the ribbon on.  What do you think?  I really like them and have listed them all in my SHOP (including a pink one that isn't shown here).  I call them spoonfuls of sparkle!

Stitching

I've been having a grand time stitching lately.  Unfortunately I can't stitch fast enough to keep up with the ideas that keep coming. 

Most of my stitching time is when we are driving somewhere.  Well, we've been driving around a lot less, and it is getting darker earlier now.  Anyway, I've been able to complete a few things.  They are made of felt, and I've embellished them with embroidery stitches, felt pieces, and beads.  I like how the beads add extra sparkle.  Here is an example of something recently finished and is listed in my Etsy shop. 

Spring Giveaway Jubilee Giveaway

I'm connecting with Sarah at Hope in Every Season, for her Spring Giveaway Jubilee.  She and others are offering giveaways during the month of March.  How can I resist joining in on the fun?  I'm offering a vintage rose perfume label image ornament, a wee sparkly ice cream cone trinket box (the ice cream part lifts up off the cone!), and a sparkling vintage rhinestone "leaf" pin.  I'll choose a winner March 31.

Here are my rules....

1.  Open to all--even internationally.
2.  One entry...leave a comment below.
3.  One entry....follow me on Facebook...leave comment below telling me you are.
4.  One entry....follow me on Twitter...leave comment below telling me you are.
5.  One entry...blog about my giveaway....leave comment below telling me you did.

Easy peasy.  Just make sure I can get a hold of you via email if you are the winner.  Please go to Sarah's blog to check out the other giveaways and enter them as well.  The more the merrier!

Hearts and Roses

You know I can't resist hearts and roses--especially guilloche pieces and pink!  I added these to my shop recently....one is a rather large guilloche piece.  It was designed as a pendant and could certainly be used as one, but I put it on some ribbon so that it may be seen to be used as an ornament as well.

Then I played some with my new rose beads and made this pretty pin last weekend. I really do like these beads and thought they worked well into this setting.  I love the detail and the rich pink coloring.

Hope you like them too.  Enjoy!

I had these gorgeous rich, deep pink pieces that I knew belonged on a romantic, heart-shaped ornament.  Actually, I think this would be nice hung on a corner of one of the mirrors in our bedroom , but it has been listed in my Etsy shop instead.  

Craft Show Hopping

Mom and I were out craft show hopping last Saturday. There was one we really wanted to go to.  It was good although all I bought were some jars of honey.  After that we looked around town to see what else was going on. There were bazaars and shows and sales going on all over, so we did our rounds. One place had an inside garage sale. We were there around 12:00--way past the time when most of the "good things" would be gone (or so we thought). Well, on the toy table was a basket full of these sugared goodies nestled among plastic action figures, stuffed animals, and broken games.

I was delighted!  From research they are from around the 1930's. I think they would make sweet baby shower favors or decorations, but I believe they are ornaments. They all have a sugary coating of tiny, round, clear glitter beads--to make them look even more sweet if it were possible! I've listed them in my Etsy shop, and hopefully someone will be able to use them.

Heart Shaped Vintage Jewelry Ornament

Here is a picture of the pink mirrored heart ornament embellished with vintage and antique jewelry pieces.  I finally finished it, added it to my Etsy shop, and just love the mother-of-pearl and light pink pieces (not to mention all of those rhinestones).  Hope you like it too!

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! ; ) 

Another Ornament and a Teeny Tiny Fall Box

I finally finished two more vintage jewelry pieces. The first is this teeny tiny raw brass box with an autumn-inspired decoration on the top full of the pretty colors of the season. I was especially pleased to find the little brushed brass and rhinestone acorn to put on the top. It is very tiny and complete with a bit of red velvet in the inside bottom.

I've been working on the pink ornament for quite awhile gathering and placing just the right pieces to complete a sparkling piece full of rhinestones and glittery pieces. Hopefully it will add a pretty touch to someone's "shabby chic" and/or cottage home that is full of pinks.