life in my studio

Creative Chaos

2012-02-09T21:33:00.004-07:00

For the last few weeks, my studio has been filled with creative chaos.

That seems to be how I work best.

I've been busy with several swap projects for the Marie Antoinette group.

Using lots of new and vintage laces, appliques, and ribbon,
I created this Secret Valentine Heart for my partner Robin.

It is completely hand stitched, which was so much fun to do.

I love hand stitching because it's very relaxing.

And of course, it needed a lacy little tag.

In another swap, I learned how to create a button brooch.

I disassembled a vintage pin and used the back piece as my base.

Then I added vintage buttons, lace, and other jewelry pieces.

I just love trying new things!

Right now, I'm hosting an Altered Book swap in the Marie group,
so I created this book. I removed the cover, and created my own using fabric and lace.

I glued the pages of the book together, and cut a recessed area in the right side
to create a little 'scene' with lace, flowers, and a sweet little window.

When I was a girl, I made a book like this to hide things.

I pulled an all-nighter last night, getting my room cleaned and organized,
so today, I've been a little brain dead.

I needed something easy to do, so I've just been making flowers today.

Hope you've been doing something fun this week!

Dress Form Escapades

2012-02-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

The big day is finally here!

It's time for Carol's Dress Form Party over at The Polka Dot Closet.

When I reminded Violet Ann that it was time to get ready,

she ran to my tea cabinet, and started pulling out tea cups.

'We'll have a sweet tea party for our guests', she said.

She was disappointed when I told her that we are not having a party,

we're going to a party.

After trying on several different outfits, she settled

on the new lace dress I made for her.

(you know things have gotten out of hand when you realize

that your dress form has more clothes than you do)

She was finally dressed and ready to go......

when she suddenly decided that since it was a party, she should wear a hat.

Oh......

I was trying, very gently, to explain to her that she doesn't have a head......

when from behind me, I heard, 'Excuse me, I have a head'.

'I look perfectly fabulous in a hat', said the Queen.

And before I knew it, hats were flying!

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse......

the little dress form girls decided they wanted to go to the party too!

I'm going to have to go now, and try to regain control over the situation here.

Oh......

Visit Carol's blog to see more beautiful (and hopefully well-behaved) dress forms.

Have fun at the party everyone!

Valentine Postcards & Avocados

2012-02-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

I've been creating fabric Valentine postcards for a Marie Antoinette swap.

These were really fun to create. I love playing with pretty laces and appliques.

back side of postcards

I found the beautiful Marie image, and the postcard image here.

I've also been playing with avocados. In our house, we eat alot of them.
We love them in our salads, with a dish of cottage cheese, or all by themselves.

But, I recently made a discovery thanks to other bloggers.

Did you know they make a wonderful dye?

We've been saving our avocado peels. I just put them in a ziploc baggie
in the freezer until I had enough. In a pot, I added the peels from 5 avocados
and approximately 6 cups of water. I boiled them for several minutes, removed
them from the heat, and let them stand overnight.

The next day, I removed the peels, and poured the dye through
a piece of fabric to removed any bits of avocado.

And then, I started gathering pieces of lace, seam binding, and scraps of muslin.
And into the pot they went.

I got different shades of vintage pink, and cream, depending on
the type of lace/ribbon, and the original color. It's amazing!!

You should give it a try!

I can't wait to show you the other fun projects that I'm working on right now.

Hope you are having a beautifully creative week!

Tea Cup Swap with Kris

2012-01-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

I am so behind, it's scary. I discovered this post that I still haven't shared.

I was partnered with Kris for a Tea Cup swap in December.

This is the tea cup I chose for her.

We were to also include our favorite cookie recipe, tea, and an ornament.

This is what I created for her.

I was having so much fun, I got a little carried away with the ornaments.

My goodies from Kris arrived in this beautiful snowflake box.

I love pretty boxes.

This beautiful tea cup she sent me is a Limoges, from France. ooh la la!

I absolutely love it! The colors are so pretty, and the pattern is perfect.

Look how the handle is painted to look like a banner.

This is the gorgeous ornament she created for me.

I'm just so thrilled with all of these beautiful goodies.

Thank you so much Kris!

Valentine Marie

2012-01-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

I've been creating Valentine Marie ATC's for a swap

in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group.

I was definitely in the mood for some pink on this project.

This is one of my favorite Marie images from Cassandra.

It's snowing here today, so I'm staying in, and having a crafty day.

♥ Are you doing something fun and crafty too? ♥

Sweet & Shabby Hearts

2012-01-14T01:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was in the mood to make a heart. ♥

So I started pulling out fabric, lace, beads, buttons, and whatever

else I could find, until my table was its usual chaotic mess.

I don't know why I need so much mess just to create a little heart.....

but I do.

I cut out a sweet little heart, then using my pinking sheers,

cut out a slightly larger heart, using a cream fleece.

I added another fabric heart behind the fleece, and hand stitched them together,

adding some pretty shabby vintage laces.

I finished it off with buttons, beads, flowers, etc.

Then, I made another one.....

And I just kept making hearts. ♥♥

So, I decided to make a little banner.

And since I haven't been able to stop yet,

I thought I'd sit a few around the house.

♥ ♥ ♥

Be careful what you set your heart on,

for it will surely be yours.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Marie Doll

2012-01-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last month, I shared the beautiful pouch and goodies I received
from my swap partner Terri to create a Marie half doll.

I was so excited to finally get started on her this week.

This was a project that was outside my comfort zone,
so it was a real challenge......but so much fun.

I loved working with the beautiful fabrics and trims that Terri sent me.

I've already started looking for another half doll for my next creation.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Still Playing

2012-01-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't been feeling well since Christmas, so I'm not getting much done.....

except playing in my dollhouse.

I've been painting furniture and working on floors.

I love the way the wood floors turned out.

The livingroom got a cream carpet.

I still have lots of furniture to paint, and trims to add. Lots to keep me busy.

Wishing you all the best in this New Year!

My Dollhouse

2011-12-26T00:28:00.001-07:00

About twenty years ago, hubby gave me a dollhouse kit for Christmas.

We put it together, almost all the way, and being the impatient

sort that I am, I painted it. And then it sat.....for years.

Several years ago, I decided to finish it. So, I repainted it.

And then it sat......for years.

Watching Claudia work on her beautiful dollhouse,
I was inspired to dig mine out, and finally finish it.

I've been making repairs, finishing things that were never finished,
and of course, repainting it!

Puppy is happy to finally have the porch put back together.

Lots of trimming and painting yet to do.

And I absolutely had to try Claudia's amazing idea for wood floors.

I've been cutting LOTS of popsicle sticks.

And I'm so excited that my kitchen will have a beautiful wood floor.

I love blogland!

There is no better place to find creative ideas and inspiration.

Thanks Claudia!

He Is The Reason....

2011-12-24T00:01:00.001-07:00

As we surrender to the hustle and bustle of Christmas,

may we always remember the Reason for the Season.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

A Visit From My Secret Santa

2011-12-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

I joined in on the Secret Santa Soiree
hosted by the lovely Suzanne from The Coloradolady.

And this week, my package arrived from my Secret Santa.

She treated me to some of my favorite scents,
and a sweet little sewing kit for my purse.

She also fed my obsession for fun socks.....

as well as my addiction to chocolate!

During the winter months, one of my favorite sweet treats
is a big cup of hot chocolate with a candy cane.

And I love, love this beautiful Eiffel Tower ornament!!!

This was a really fun swap!

Suzanne, thanks for hosting, and giving us a chance to meet new friends.

And to my Secret Santa, whoever you are, thank you
for bringing a smile to my face with these sweet treats!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!

May Your Days Be Merry & Bright

2011-12-21T00:38:00.001-07:00

The house is decorated, and the gifts are wrapped.

Saturday was spent at our annual family Christmas party,

eating delicious food, playing games, singing carols,

and doing lots and lots of hugging and chatting.

This week will be spent baking yummy goodies and cooking the turkey....

listening to Christmas music and maybe a movie or two....

and remembering why we're celebrating.

On Christmas Eve, we'll gather at my daughter and son in law's home

for a delicious dinner. And on Christmas Day, the kids will all

be home for hubby's special Christmas breakfast, and gifts.

My favorite Christmas gift is the time spent with my family.

From my home to yours,

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Marie Half Doll Supply Swap

2011-12-19T02:45:00.001-07:00

In the Marie Antoinette group, we're doing a fun swap

where we're swapping beautiful supplies to create a half doll.

We were to create a beautiful pouch or bag to hold the supplies for our partner.

This is the bag I created for my partner Melanie.

I had so much fun sewing this. I am not a seamstress,
but I've really become very interested in sewing lately.

Melanie chose a cream color palette which I had alot of fun putting together.

I also chose a cream color palette for the goodies I received from Terri.

She took this gorgeous vintage lingerie pouch, and added a beautiful
pleated ribbon across the front. She also added two vintage flowers,
and a gorgeous ribbon rose that she made.

Terri does the most amazing things with ribbon!

(it's been gloomy here lately, so I'm having trouble taking pics. the pouch is actually cream)

Here are the beautiful goodies Terri sent me.

Thank you Terri for these wonderful, beautiful goodies.

I. can't. wait! to start working on my doll!

Our beautiful supplies came from our partners, but we were to supply
our own half doll. I couldn't find a vintage doll that I really liked. So
I was excited when I found this beautiful unpainted bisque Marie doll.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to paint her, or leave her as is.

What do you think?

Either way, she is going to be my first project after Christmas!

Tea Cup Swap with Terri

2011-12-16T16:00:00.001-07:00

My sweet friend Terri and I just did a tea cup swap together.

These are the gifts I sent her.

I had so much fun creating ornaments for her.

These are the beautiful gifts Terri sent me.

This gorgeous tea cup has me seriously swooning.

She made beautiful lace pouches that hold an assortment of teas....

and there's a sweet little bird for my tree.

There's a recipe for yummy cookies....

a beautiful stitched tag.....

and the most gorgeous frozen Charlotte angel.

And look at this sweet PINK sugar.

I love everything Terri!

Thank you so much sweet friend.

I'm Dreaming of a Pinterest Christmas

2011-12-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

♪ ♫ O Pinterest, O Pinterest, how lovely are your pinnings...... ♫ ♪

(source)

I resisted for a long time, but it finally got me. I have become a Pinterest addict.

(source)

The beautiful photos and wonderful inspiration make for hours of fun.

(source)

And there are more ideas for beautiful Christmas decorating

and crafting than I could accomplish in a lifetime.

(source)

It never ceases to amaze and delight me, how much

beauty and creativity there is out there.

Hope you're all enjoying the holiday season.

Christmas Shadowboxes & More Ornaments

2011-12-12T17:52:00.000-07:00

I hosted a 'Christmas in Paris' Shadow box swap

in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group.

This is the shadow box I created for my partner Terri.

And this is the beautiful shadow box Terri created for me.

I just love all of the beautiful vintages touches.

I purchased this beauty from Terri. I love everything about it.

I participated in an ornament swap that Terri hosted
in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group.

Terri and I were also partnered in this swap, and these
are the ornaments I made for her.

These are the ornaments she created for me.

I just love all the sweet pink birds, and they look so pretty on my tree.

Thank you so much Terri for all of these beautiful creations!

Oodles of Ornaments

2011-12-05T00:53:00.001-07:00

For the last few weeks, I've been making oodles of ornaments.

I participated in Cassandra's Handmade Ornament Swap.

We were divided into groups of four, and created three ornaments

for each of our three partners. Here is what I made.

For Cassandra

For Sarah

For Lisa

My tree has never looked more beautiful than it does

this year with all the beautiful ornaments I've received.

From Cassandra

From Lisa

From Sarah

Thank you Cassandra for hosting this fun, beautiful swap.

And thank you Cassandra, Lisa, and Sarah for

all of the wonderful ornaments!

Christmas in the Man Cave

2011-11-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

Our home is divided into two parts.....the part that is decorated to my taste,

and the part that is decorated to his. This room is his. The man cave.

But, it is also known as the family room.

I've been decorating this room for the last two days.....my decorating is finished.

Cute and creepy, all at once. Hubby loves him!

Now I can spend the next few weeks baking, and crafting.........

Hope you're enjoying some holiday fun!

Christmas is Coming!

2011-11-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

This is my most favorite time of the year!

Totes come up from the basement, and the decorating begins.

The first week of decorating, I do the big push, to get alot
done as quickly as possible. Then, I slowly putter along
for the next week, or two adding extra little touches here and there.

I'm off to put up another little tree!

Hope you're having fun with holiday decorating too!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Sending blessings and wishes for a beautiful Thanksgiving Day.

Ooooooh! Look What I Got!

2011-11-15T18:56:00.001-07:00

I love these little beauties!

I'm participating in a Secret Santa Christmas Advent Swap

hosted by JoAnne at Vintage Dragonfly.

We were to fill our altered boxes with 25 little individually wrapped

and numbered gifts. Then starting December 1, we open one each day.

How fun is that?

Now I need to get my Christmas tree put up so I can put them under the tree.

Baking and Creating

2011-11-09T22:30:00.001-07:00

This wonderfully chilly weather has me baking again.

This time, I've baked some yummy breads....zucchini and banana.

And while the bread was in the oven, I played in my studio.

Chilly weather + baking + creating = a fun day!

Hope you're doing something fun!

Christmas & Pumpkins?

2011-11-01T18:49:00.000-06:00

Hubby, Molly, and I had a wonderful Halloween sitting on the front porch,

handing out candy to all the cute little trick or treaters.

But, when the candy was gone, and the porch light went off,

it was time to get down to some serious business.

Oh yeah, I'm talking about making Christmas ornaments!

I've been pulling out pretties, and the glitter has started to fly!

BUT, before I get too lost in Christmas goodness........

I want to thank everyone who visited my Witches Tea Party,

and let you know that the winner

of the three little 'witches' is......

Rinni of Rinni's Playground.

Congratulations Rinni!!

The Witches' Tea Party

2011-10-28T19:56:00.002-06:00

Hello my pretties, come inside and I shall tell a tale,
of three old, ugly witches named Hilda, Gertrude and Gayle.

Each year the witches gathered to celebrate with tea,
and reminisced of younger days and how it used to be.

But this year, it was different, for they were sad, you see
time had left them longing for the way life used to be.

They sipped upon their cups of tea and tears welled in their eyes,
as they spoke of all the hopes and dreams they would never realize.

Then slowly, their excitement grew as they tossed about a plan,
they would cast a spell upon themselves and then life would be grand.

Dreaming of a youthful life, the witches gathered round,
The Book of Spells was opened and laid upon the ground.

The pages were all faded now, and difficult to read,
but their time was passing quickly, for it was Hallows' Eve.

They chanted and they danced about, their words hung in the air,
the candle flame burned brighter, and the smoke swirled through their hair.

The wind began to blow and howl, and leaves were swirling 'bout,
the witches chanted louder, and POOF! the flame went out.

And there upon the ground they sat, humming a soft, sweet tune....
three youthful, little witches.......under a Halloween moon.

The moral of this story be,

when trying a new spell,

Be careful what you wish for......

and read all instructions well.

Thanks for visiting my tea party.......

If you would like to give these little 'witches' a home,
leave a comment below.

I'll be drawing a name out of my hat on November 1.

Edited: This drawing is now Closed.

(The inspiration and tutorial for these sweet little pumpkins was found HERE)

This party is being hosted by Anna from Frosted Petunias.

More Halloween Fun

2011-10-26T01:08:00.000-06:00

I just can't believe the fun I've had with Halloween swaps.

I made this Halloween Cone for Holly.

The cones we used in this swap are 10 1/2 inches long

and 4 inches across. I had never worked with a cone

this big before, and it was so much fun.

Here are the goodies I filled her cone with,

and I made this Halloween ornament for her.

This is the cone I received from Rhonda.

I am so crazy in love with the striped paper she used,

and I love the vintage look the cone has.

And look at all the yumminess she packed inside!

Thank you Rhonda!

I wanted to show you the fun

Halloween Gothic Arch book we (MAMA)

made in another swap.

I've already shown you my cover and my page,

here are the others.

This one was made by Terri,

Laura,

Dawn,

And Bobbi Ann.

It is such a fun book!

I have it displayed in my living room

with my Halloween decorations.

Thank you ladies!

Halloween is almost here and I want to invite you to join me for

A Witches' Tea Party Under A Halloween Moon

all Halloween weekend.

It is being hosted by the awesome

Anna from Frosted Petunias.

I also wanted to share with you the

Secret Santa Soiree

being hosted by Suzanne from Coloradolady.

Signups will end October 30.

Lots of fun happening in blogland!

Baking up a Smile

2011-10-24T18:01:00.001-06:00

Today, the smell of pumpkin and chocolate

is making me smile.

And soon, my family will be smiling too.

What's making you smile today?

So Much To Share

2011-10-22T03:30:00.000-06:00

I have so much to share with you!

I received three beautiful Halloween ATC's
from a Marie Antoinette Mail Art group swap.

This lovely card came from Wendy Robinson.

Terri Gordon created this beauty.

And Kris Dickinson worked her magic on this card.

Thank you Wendy, Terri and Kris!

I won this beautiful necklace and wrist cuff
in a fun Word Game hosted by the lovely Melanie.

Melanie is so talented and creates the most beautiful things.

Also in the prize package was a bag of yummy goodies,
a big black spider, and this adorable little art girl pin.

Isn't she just the sweetest thing?

Thank you so much Melanie!

And this little cutie was a BIG surprise!

My sweet friend Terri sent me this adorable
little pumpkin girl for my birthday.

In addition to many other wonderful creations,
Terri creates the most beautiful dolls.

And I'm so excited to have one of her sweet pumpkin girls.

Thank you so much Terri!

Handmade Christmas Ornament Swap

2011-10-18T01:39:00.000-06:00

Cassandra from An Artful Adventure is hosting

a beautiful Handmade Christmas Ornament Swap.

I couldn't pass this one up! Visit her blog

to get all the yummy details.

Reality Shot: Island Disaster

2011-10-13T03:46:00.001-06:00

My favorite thing about my little, tiny kitchen
is my BIG island.

At 4' x 7', it is perfect for everything from baking
to cutting fabric.

It is also perfect for collecting CLUTTER.

Mail coming in, mail going out, phones getting charged,
and groceries STILL waiting, for days, to be put away.

The worst part? It's actually pretty tame right now.

I'm joining Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.

Welcome to my Fall Home

2011-10-12T00:56:00.001-06:00

For me, FALL conjures up childhood memories
of trick or treating with friends and siblings,
costume parties,
pine nuts roasting in the oven, and
Thanksgiving dinner at grandma's house.

More than any other time of year,
FALL brings out
the nesting instinct in me.

Some people do spring cleaning,
I do FALL cleaning.

I want to get everything fluffed and clean
for the holidays ahead.

Candles are placed throughout the house
creating a warm glow as the scent
of pumpkin pie, cinnamon, and fresh baked cookies
fills the air.

Quilts and throws are washed and put out,
creating cozy spots for snuggling on chilly FALL evenings.

When the house feels all warm and cozy,
being in the kitchen suddenly feels
like a pleasure instead of a chore.

I love stirring a big pot of soup on the stove,
or pulling something hot and yummy from the oven.

And just for fun, here's a little silly Halloween in the kitchen window.

I'm joining my Bloggerette Sorority sisters
as we share our FALL HOMES.

Reality Shot

2011-10-05T23:16:00.000-06:00

Okay, here it is.....

the truth and nothing but the truth.

I was so excited when I moved my studio into a bigger room

because it meant I would have a little more space.

But seriously, more space for what? Bigger messes?

I'm joining Claudia from Mockingbird Hill Cottage

as we share what life looks like

before we make it all pretty for the camera.

Halloween Fun

2011-10-05T01:17:00.000-06:00

Until several years ago, I was a lover of all things Halloween.

Maybe my loss of interest happened because I no longer
have children who want to dress up and trick or treat.

-or-

Maybe I'm just getting old and dull.

Whatever it is, this year has been a different story.

I'm loving the Halloween swaps I'm participating in,
and I have actually put out a few Halloween decorations.

I created these Halloween Gothic Arch pages
for a Marie Antoinette swap.

And this is the cover that will go on my book.

This Marie inspired Witch Hat was created
for a Halloween contest in the MA group.

I'm kind of proud of this one because I have
never made a hat before, and my sewing machine
was on the blink, so it is all hand stitched.

Who knows.....maybe I'll show up at the door
wearing my Witch hat on Halloween night!

he he he!

Happy October!

French Ephemera Journals

2011-09-30T19:53:00.001-06:00

I'm so far behind on showing you
all the fun things I've been doing.

I participated in a French Ephemera Journal
swap in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group.

We created these fun journals for our partners
and filled them with vintage French ephemera.

This is the journal I created for my partner Kris.

And this is the journal Kris created for me.

I am in total awe of this journal, there are
so many beautiful layers.

Thank you Kris!

My Studio

2011-09-18T04:06:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is.....my 'new' studio.

I still have some organizing left to do,

but I've been creating away this last week

and loving it.

My room is on the front of the house now,
and I have two windows which lets in more light.

I love these windows because they're low
enough that I can see out of them while I'm playing.

My walls are painted Heirloom Lace, the
furniture is white and the carpet is soft beige.

I love how much lighter and brighter the room is.

I swiped my corner cabinet from the livingroom
so I would have more space to hold my pretties.

I also booted out my little computer desk
and traded it for a 6 foot table because
I make just as much clutter at my computer
as I do on my work table.

I placed a vintage door between my computer table
and my cabinets which is really fun
because it makes it feel like two separate spaces.

I didn't have enough room for my ironing board,
so I created my own on top of my fabric dresser,
and it's working out great.

I took a piece of wood the size of the dresser top,
covered it with a thick terry cloth
and a piece of muslin to match my room.

Back to playing!

Have a beautifully creative day!

We Remember

2011-09-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

. . . .the flag still stands for freedom,

and they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American,

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men (and women) who died,

who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,

next to you and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.

In The Studio....Finally!

2011-09-09T23:54:00.000-06:00

I made this Marie Halloween ATC today,

and it felt so good to finally be creating again!

I found these fun chipboard window frames here.

I put a coat of grey acrylic paint on, added

a coat of crackle medium, and then black acrylic paint.

I just love watching that stuff work!

After popping out the centers,

I glued the frame onto my picture that

was already attached to a piece of matte board.

I finished it off with some stickles and a feather on her mask,

and some flowers and a bead.

Wishing you a wonderfully creative weekend!

It's Been So Long

2011-08-30T20:24:00.000-06:00

Haven't posted for so long,
I thought I'd share a little something.

I'm participating in the

Marie Crown Page Book Swap

in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group,

and this is the page I made.

(back side)

We make four pages and receive four different pages in return.

We also create a page for ourselves and the covers.

I really love making these pages!

It's been three weeks

since I started the bedroom/studio swap.

I have pain in places I didn't know I had,

and I would like to sleep for a month.

I've never had my butt kicked so bad!

But, I love it!

I have a little bit of fine tuning to do and then I'll take pics.

Beautiful Cuff Swap

2011-08-17T12:45:00.002-06:00

I recently participated in a

Cuff Swap.

This is the cuff I created for my partner Stephanie.

The fabrics and laces are stitched

over a metal cuff. Fun project!

This is the beautiful cuff I received from Stephanie.

I love the soft blue and all that bling!

She even spoiled me with some beautiful lace,
flowers, and a sweet hummingbird pin.

Thank you Stephanie!

Apple-Walnut Chicken Salad

2011-08-15T18:30:00.000-06:00

I'm partying with my Bloggerette Sisters,

and today we're talkin' food.

I'm going to share one of my all-time favorite recipes.

And while I love to eat, the cooking part

is a 'not-so-much'.

So, I just kind of dump it together and call it dinner.

I pretty much guess on my amounts. So,

I cut up my apples to bite-sized pieces,

and I use whatever kind I happen to have.

Then, I chop ~~some~~ lots of celery because

I love celery.

Add a handful of chopped walnuts, raisins/cranberries.

I love these too, so I tend to use a big handful.

The recipe calls for chicken breast, but

I use tenders. They're easier for me to cut.

Place them all in a large bowl.

Stir in some Italian dressing, and

I also add a dollop of mayo.

I just serve it from the bowl, but,

it looks pretty going to the table,

served on a bed of lettuce.

This is a wonderful, cool recipe for summer.

Here is the actual recipe for those

of you who don't like to guess.

Apple-Walnut Chicken Salad

5 ounces cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped apple

2 ounces chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon raisins

1/3 cup low-sugar Italian dressing

Bibb lettuce

In a medium bowl, gently stir together the chicken,

celery, apple, walnuts, and raisins. Pour the dressing

over the mixture and toss gently to coat.

Serve on a bed of Bibb lettuce.

Serves 2

This is a South Beach Diet recipe, so here are the facts:

Per serving: 444 calories, 27 g protein,

33 g carbohydrates, 25 g fat,

3 g saturated fat,

391 mg sodium, 63 mg cholesterol,

8 g fiber

This is a favorite in my house.

I hope you like it too!

Am I Crazy??

2011-08-12T21:31:00.001-06:00

'Cuz I sure feel crazy!

I started a ~~little~~, ~~big~~, HUGE project

earlier this week.

At this posting, my studio stands almost

empty.

Hubby and I are trading spaces

with my studio.

Our bedroom is slightly larger

than the room I'm in now.

But, even more exciting

is the natural lighting that is

so much better in our bedroom.

I've been piling all of my stuff

in the family room.

My physical ability for doing this

kind of thing

is pretty much spent.

And I still need to paint two rooms

and move everything into the new room!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Creating Marie Style

2011-08-09T01:13:00.039-06:00

I wanted to share this beautiful magazine
with you.

This is a special issue created by the talented Sonia,
who publishes Creating Vintage Charm.

You can get your very own copy here.

Every page is filled with beautiful art that is sheer delight for the eyes.

And some of the most talented and creative artists.

I am so honored to have my Marie-inspired lamp among
the pages of this deliciously beautiful magazine.

Each time I pass it, I am reminded of the joy
that creating brings to my life,

the thrill of stepping outside of the box
and trying new things,

and the blessings of being taught and inspired
by so many talented artists.

I can honestly not imagine a day without creating,
anymore than I can imagine a day without breathing.

Here's some exciting news!

The latest issue of Creating Vintage Charm
is now available.....

and to celebrate,
Sonia is giving away a copy
of Fifi O'Neill's beautiful book
Romantic Prairie Style.

Visit her blog today, and enter to win.

I have been busily finishing up swaps in preparation
of a BIG project that I'm about to start.

These charms were created for a swap
in the Marie Antoinette mail art group.

I hope that you are giving yourself
the gift of time to create.

Footstool Flowers

2011-08-04T01:43:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was one of those days

when I just felt like hanging out in front of the TV.

So, I gathered supplies to create flowers

and parked myself there for the day.

My workspace for the day?.....my favorite puffy pink footstool.

I cut fabric squares in varying sizes. The largest

depends on how big you want your flower.

You want to use a synthetic fabric
that will curl, not something like cotton
that will burn.

I folded my square in half, then half again,

and half one more time.....

until it looked like this.

Then I rounded the corners with my scissors.

Then I patiently held each piece
above the flame of a candle,

until the edges start to curl. Be careful
that your petals don't touch the flame.

I inked around the edges of some
of my petals using my stamping inks.

Using six petal pieces for each flower,
I stacked and stitched them together.

If you pull your stitches taut,
the pieces curl together very pretty.

You will probably want to wear
a latex glove while using your inks
so you don't have bright pink fingers, like me.

I stitched a few of my flowers more loosely
to allow space for some pretty rhinestone centers.

This was a great project for a day
when I really needed some down time.

I love things I can do in front of the TV.

That way, I can be lazy and productive at the same time.

Inspired

2011-08-02T16:32:00.000-06:00

I've been inspired.....

by this!

It's the latest issue of Amy Power's

inspired ideas.

I couldn't wait to get started on this cute project!

Little beaded chandies for my kitchen window.

I just love it when I come across a sweet project

that I already have everything for!

I've already started on another project from the book.

So fun!

Can't wait to show you.

Pretty Marie

2011-07-30T03:24:00.002-06:00

A beautiful

Marie doll

created for me by the sweet and talented

Miss Rhea.

She's so beautiful Rhea.....thank you!

So Much To Share!

2011-07-26T01:43:00.021-06:00

I feel like I've been away forever! I've been busy the last
couple of weeks, cleaning my poor house, and getting
ready for a party I hosted for my nephew and his fiancee.

They're getting married next month, in Canada,
so we had a party here for his family.

While making a cake for them, I tried my hand at gumpaste
flowers, and let's just say, I'm totally hooked. So fun!

I have so many things I want to share with you.

I made these ATC's for a Marie Antoinette swap.
The theme was Red, White and Blue, which
is one of my most favorite color combinations.

These are the beauties I received.

I'm crazy about the cute hat on this Marie

created by the very talented Kris.

The very adorable Holly created this beauty

on the prettiest embossed white background.

And this beautiful card with its fabric stripes

was created by the talented Frieda.

Thank you Kris, Holly and Frieda!

Awhile back, I shared this beautiful tin

full of goodies that I received from Robin.

This was for the Elegant Pouch swap. We sent

our partners goodies to create an elegant pouch.

This is the pouch I created. It's a different color

palette for me and I had so much fun with it.

There were so many beautiful things in the kit

Robin sent me, I wanted to use everything!

But, I still have a lot of goodies left over for another project.

Thank you Robin for all these beautiful goodies!

I still have lots to share, so I'll be back soon!

Welcome To My Sewing Room

2011-07-14T20:18:00.004-06:00

I'm excited to be participating for the third year,

in Where Bloggers Create hosted by Karen Valentine.

I've shared my crafting studio for the last two years,
so this year I thought I would show my sewing room.

I got this room when one of my sons moved
out last year, and I've had a hard time accepting
it as mine, so it is still a work in progress.

My dad built this desk for me forty five years ago,
and today, I use it as a place to create jewelry.

I got the idea for my sweet banner from this cute blog.

Unlike my studio, which I've had for years,
the walls in this room are still very clean and uncluttered.

Thanks for visiting!
Be sure to visit the other creative spaces.....
there is a lot of wonderful inspiration out there!

Happy creating!

Birthday Treasury Swap

2011-07-11T17:48:00.000-06:00

I recently participated in a really fun swap
hosted by Amy from Inspire Co.

The theme was Birthday Treasury.

We were to choose one of the Tim Holtz
Configurations sets and create a birthday
themed shadowbox for our partner.

The set is made from a heavy chipboard and
you can move the little boxes inside to
create different configurations. They're really fun!

My partner was Cassandra from An Artful Adventure,
and this is the shadowbox I created for her.

I painted the whole set in a soft white, added
a cute plaid paper around the outside and a
few sweet patterns in the backs of the little sections.

Finding and creating the little treasures was so much fun!

This is the beautiful shadowbox Cassandra created for me.

She painted it the most beautiful soft blue, and
painted the little sections in blue, white, and pink.
Then she sparkled everything so pretty.

And she added the sweetest little treasures!

I love the little cake and stand that she created with buttons!

And check out the feet she added, using
vintage spools of thread. I love it!

Thank you Cassandra for swapping with me,
and for creating the sugary-sweetest shadowbox!

Bloggerette Matchbox Swap

2011-07-08T21:16:00.000-06:00

We had a fun Summertime Matchbox Swap
in the Bloggerette Sorority.

My partner was Wanda, and this is the box I created for her.

I wrapped it with a piece of soft pink vintage wallpaper,
then added a piece of stamped fabric,
some beautiful laces, French charms and a handmade flower.

These are the goodies I included.

The package I received from Wanda was filled
with sweetly wrapped packages in fun summer colors.

And, she created not one, but two beautiful matchboxes for me!

I don't know what she used on the mini matchbox,
but, it is thick and hard, almost pottery-like. The colors
are amazing! And look at the sweet beaded dragonfly
she made, and the beautiful beads. Can't wait to use those!

I love the bright mix of summer colors she used
on the larger matchbox and the beautiful handmade flowers.

And did she ever spoil me! There were so many fun
things in that matchbox, I can't wait to create with them!

She also made the sweetest little journal book.
It even has a little map piece of Salt Lake City. *squeal*

Wanda, I'm happy to have had the chance to swap with you.
Thank you for all the beautiful goodies....I LOVE them!

Beautiful Marie Swaps

2011-06-21T12:33:00.000-06:00

I love participating in the beautiful swaps

in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group.

The women are all so talented, and it

is such an honor to be part of the group.

Cream Marie ATC Swap

Kris Dickinson

Terri Gordon

Frieda Oxenham

Marie Teacup Book Swap

My page

Terri Heinz

Terri Gordon

Dawn Shotten

Lisa Hessabi

Thank you ladies, I love the ATC's and Teacup pages!

I'm taking a little bloggy break for the next week.
Three of my sisters, and I, are taking a
little trip to our cabin to relax and play.

Happy 1st week of Summer!

Bead Swap

2011-06-15T08:04:00.000-06:00

I participated in a Bead Swap hosted by
Sarah from My So Called Junky Life.

My partner was Jenny from Faith and Pearl.

She made this beautiful box for me....

and inside were these beautiful beads,
buttons and vintage jewelry pieces.

And this is what I created with them.

I had so much fun playing with these beautiful pieces.

Thank you Jenny! I love everything!

And thank you Sarah for hosting this wonderful swap.
Visit Sarah's blog to see more beautiful beads.

A Garden Party

2011-06-14T00:01:00.001-06:00

Welcome to my little backyard

Today I'm joining my Sorority Sisters for a garden party.

I love Spring! Every year, I look forward to spending
time in the yard, and vow to have beautiful gardens.

I buy a few plants, get them in the ground, and
before I get back to the nursery, the temperature
goes up, and I hide in the house. The few plants
I have wilt in the sun, and most die.

Every year, I start the process over. So, most
of my gardens look like they were just created.

And some, are still waiting to be planted.

I love our backyard.

Hubby has created some wonderful spaces
in our little corner of the world, and
I love spending time out there.

Though very small, our yard has different
levels and a variety of little spaces.

And our decorating style is very eclectic.

I'm still in the process of planting and adding
fun things to the yard, and once again,
I have vowed to have beautiful gardens.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this year,
when the temperature starts to climb,
I won't go hide in the house!

Visit my Sorority Sisters for more garden fun.

Creating Marie Style

2011-06-03T07:18:00.001-06:00

I'm so excited for my sweet friend Sonia,

publisher of Creating Vintage Charm.

She has just released a special issue

called Creating Marie Style,

and it. is. decadent.

I'm especially excited, and honored, to have a tutorial

included in this special issue.

This beautiful magazine is now available to purchase.

If you love all things Marie, you won't want to miss this one.

Visit Cassandra's blog here.

Spring Basket Swap

2011-05-29T21:08:00.000-06:00

I participated in Rhea's Spring Basket swap.
The baskets were to be created using a small yogurt cup,
and be accompanied by 5 small gifts.

Here are the baskets I created for my partners.

My basket for Rhea

My basket for Mercedes

This is the basket Mercedes created for me.

She used the sweetest soft blue fabric, and added a beautiful
vintage ribbon and jewelry piece to the front.

Lots of lace around the basket, and the most
beautiful vintage flowers and butterfly on
the handle. She also added soft, whispy feathers.

It's just dreamy!

She included sweet little birds, beautiful vintage laces,
vintage sheet music, a vintage tea napkin,
and the sweetest little tea cup canvas.

Thank you Mercedes, I love everything!

Poor Rhea has been having medical problems
and has not been well. I will show her
basket when she is up to finishing.

Boîte D' Allumettes Swap

2011-05-24T17:21:00.000-06:00

We had a beautiful matchbox swap
in the Marie Antoinette mail art group.

My partner was the talented Terri Heinz.

It took me awhile to open, and wander through
the beauties she sent me. Everything was
wrapped and presented so beautifully.

I love this little jointed Marie paper doll. The
colors and details are so dainty and pretty.

The matchbox is a true treat for the eyes!
The colors are perfect and I love the papers
and lovely embellishments she used.

There was even a mini matchbox inside.

And all the sweet goodies....oh my!

Terri, I am thrilled beyond words to have
this beautiful creation from you.

Thank you, thank you!

This is the matchbox I created for Terri.

I used vintage papers, laces and flowers.

Then added some bling!

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful (dry) spring week!

Sorority Rush

2011-05-18T00:01:00.001-06:00

Today, we are having a

Bloggerette Sorority Rush.

Our Rush project is to create something

using the beautiful image above, and

to share a little something about ourselves.

I love decorating matchboxes so that's what I chose to create.

I'm afraid of heights,

claustrophobic,

and scared to drive in the snow.

I love peanut M & M's,

diet coke,

and the color PINK!

My favorite TV shows are

Law & Order (all of them),

and Criminal Minds.

I love creating,

spending time with my family,

Christmas morning,

the middle of the night,

and meeting new blogging friends.

(wow! does this sound like an ad for a dating site?)

Thanks for visiting me today.

Have a creatively sweet week!

You can see other fun sorority projects here.

Beautiful Charms

2011-05-16T00:53:00.000-06:00

We had a beautiful charm swap in the Marie Antoinette group.

Everyone was to create 25 charms, and would receive 25 charms in return.

Long story short, I never received my charms.

According to the postal service, they were delivered.

But, they were never received.

How very nice, and very much appreciated it was,

when my sweet friend Terri sent me

25 beautiful charms that she had created.

Here are the bracelet and necklace I created with those charms.

Thank you Terri. What a blessing it is to know you.

I also appreciate the sweet offers I received

from other MAMA friends to send me charms.

I love my blogging friends! And appreciate all of you

who take the time to visit my blog

and leave your sweet and encouraging words.

Domino Mini Book

2011-05-11T21:28:00.001-06:00

In the Marie Antoinette group we swapped
mini books made using dominoes for the covers.

I had never made these before and
they are so fun, and addicting!

My partner was the wonderfully talented Terri.

Terri's book for Me

Terri also sent me this beautiful
little china pendant. I love it!

Thank you Terri for the beautiful
domino book and pendant.
I will treasure them!

My book for Terri

Then, our sweet hostess Holly, surprised

each of us with the sweetest tiny domino book.

Thank you Holly for this beautiful, tiny treasure.

Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap

2011-05-07T18:27:00.000-06:00

Linda at A Swap for All Seasons hosted

a Mother's Day Brooch swap.

We were to get our partner a special brooch

and present it in a fun way.

I was so excited to be partnered with Kathy

from Kat Collects. I've swapped with her

before, and she's a fun partner!

I was thrilled when my beautiful brooch arrived!

It is a Crown Staffordshire flower brooch
and I am in love, LOVE!

I actually have a small collection of these brooches.

The brooch was attached to a sweet fabric ribbon
tied around a bundle of beautiful ephemera.

Look at that sweet little baby! eeek!

Kathy, I am so happy to have had the chance
to once again swap with you!

Thank you so much for my beautiful gifts!

I wanted to do something really special for Kathy

because I think she is such an amazing lady.

I created this fabric heart that ties together

and opens up to a full heart.

I chose this sweet image for the center
because Kathy has two children,
a son and a daughter.

The flag brooch was an extra, because
she is the mother of a U.S. soldier
currently stationed in Iraq.

The brooch in the center is the one
I chose as her gift brooch.

Thank you Linda for hosting another beautiful swap!

You can visit Linda's blog to see more beautiful brooches.

Wishing all of you a wonderful and happy

Mother's Day

surrounded by those you love!

In My Studio

2011-05-04T19:25:00.004-06:00

Marie Antoinette Cream Marie ATC Swap

The theme for our ATC swap.....
at least 85% of the card must be cream.

I loved working with the cream!

A couple of years ago, I found this old frame
at a yard sale. I don't like the dried flowers, but
could not pass up this beautiful frame. You can't
see it in the photo, but the glass is curved.

Last night, I finally dug it out, painted it white,
and added a little bit of soft color.

Then I added two of these cute fairies
I got from Paper Whimsy. They have
so many fun things, I think I'm hooked!

The weather here is still cold and windy, so
I'm just going to keep on creating!

Tea Cup Swap

2011-04-30T23:38:00.000-06:00

I've been spoiled again!

My sweet, and uber-talented friend Terri
and I decided to do a Tea Cup swap together.

I always love receiving gifts from her because
she always knows just what I will love.
It's like she can read my mind.
We have commented that we must be sisters
because we share so much in common, and
always seem to know what the other will like.

As you can see above, she sent me two beautiful tea cups.
And some of the yummiest tea ever!

I love this first cup she sent. It's called Grotto Rose
and it's made by Aynsley in England. I love the
sweet pink roses, and it has the prettiest shape.

This second cup is very special to me. It's
made by Royal Albert and it's called Tranquility.

I recently sent one just like it to Terri because
it made me think of her. So she sent one to me
so now we have 'sister' cups. *sweet*

And look at this beautiful Charlotte angel she made for me.
I love her so much, I just about cried!
And Terri didn't know that I collect angels...see what I mean?

Isn't she just the sweetest thing?

She's even beautiful from the back. I love the wings!

She also made this beautiful tea cup wall hanging.

I love the little 'joy' tea bag, and the sweet little poem.

Even the gift tag she made is perfect and beautiful.

Terri, you are such a special friend. I am so blessed
to have met you, and to be able to call you my friend.

Thank you for the beautiful gifts. I will treasure them.

Tea Cup Tuesday

2011-04-26T02:36:00.000-06:00

Easter Tea Cup Swap

I had a great time participating in the

Easter Tea Cup Swap hosted by

Terri and Martha.

My partner was Trisha, and this was her first swap.

This is the beautiful tea cup she sent me.

I love the perfectly pink roses on it

and the pretty shape of the handle.

It even has a sweet rose bud on the back of the cup.

Trisha also embellished the sweetest little white basket

with lace, ribbon and flowers and filled it vintage

hankies, a sweet little spoon, a pretty brooch,

and my favorite.....candy!

Thank you Trisha for my sweet goodies!

I'm so happy to have met you

and for having the chance to swap with you!

For more tea cup goodies,

visit Terri and Martha.

I'm Feeling Spoiled

2011-04-22T15:54:00.000-06:00

The lovely Melanie held a fun Easter drawing
on the Marie Antoinette site. She is always
doing sweet and fun things like that.

And I was a winner!! She gave away three of these beautiful
Easter eggs that she made. This is mine.

I just love all of the beautiful details.

And, if that wasn't enough, this gorgeous
bracelet was inside. Melanie creates the
most beautiful charms and jewelry.

I can't wait to wear it!

And then......

She held a beautiful giveaway on her blog.

And I won!!

This beautiful tea cup and spoon just tickles me pink!

And then.....

Melanie was my partner in a Tea Cup Swap in the
Marie Antoinette group! And she spoiled me again!

I love, love this beautiful Royal Garden tea cup!
The colors are so wonderful and vivid.

Love the sweet spoon, vintage doilies and candle....

and this oh-so-pretty cross stitch she made for me.

She also made this pretty cupcake. And
I just love the beautiful rosey notecards.

And I couldn't wait to try a cup of the
holiday spiced tea she included. YUM!

Melanie, you have really spoiled me
with all of these beautiful gifts.

I love everything!
Thank you, thank you sweet friend!

From The Ladies of MAMA

2011-04-21T00:44:00.000-06:00

My poor blog has been neglected. I've signed up
to participate in so many swaps, I've been too
busy to do anything else.

The benefit of that however, is that I'm doing

lots of fun creating and receiving lots of pretties!

Here are some of the beauties I've received recently.

They were all created by the lovely ladies from

the Marie Antoinette Mail Art group.

Paper Postcard Swap

Terri G.

Laura

Tabitha

Cloth Postcard Swap

Rella

Terri G.

Terry F.

Think Spring Marie ATC Swap

Laura

Terri G.

Wendy

The detail work in these pieces is just amazing,
and they are all so beautiful.

Thank you ladies, I love them all!!

Tea Cup Tuesday

2011-04-05T02:17:00.000-06:00

Today, I'm sharing two tea cups with you.

This one has the prettiest pink roses and

sweet little lavender flowers.

I love the color combination.

It is a Queen Anne, made in England.

It's much smaller than most

of my tea cups, but so sweet.

The dreamy dark and light pink roses

on this cup make it one of my favorites.

I also love the shape of the handle.

This is also a Queen Anne, made in England.

Visit Terri and Martha for more beautiful tea cups.

Postcards & ATC's

2011-03-30T23:53:00.000-06:00

More fun swapping gifts. I made these fabric

postcards for a swap in the Marie Antoinette group.

What a fun project this was!

And, ATC's with a sweet SPRING theme.

I'm staying positive and hoping

that it's SPRING somewhere!

Tea Cup Tuesday

2011-03-29T14:29:00.002-06:00

Today, I'm sharing a new tea cup

I bought a few years ago.

I love the shape of the cup. It has

such a pretty handle and sweet little feet.

And the roses are so beautiful.

I love the shape of this little tea pot.

I don't know how old it is, or

who made it, I just love it.

It has a pretty handle and spout,

and just a little sprinkling of gold

on the lid and pot.

Visit Terri and Martha for more beautiful tea cups.

The Queen's Hand Mirror

2011-03-27T04:01:00.001-06:00

I'm hosting a Queen's Hand Mirror swap

in the Marie Antoinette group.

This is the mirror I made for my partner Terri.

This is the beautiful mirror she made for me.

I love the beautiful trims and flowers.

And look at that gorgeous rhinestone

necklace she used to frame the mirror!

I love my beautiful mirror Terri,

thank you so very much!