Library Night Delayed

As promised, here’s my new stack of library books for this week…

The very top book is Vintage Style by Cath Kidston, which is a repeat book for me, along with Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle. Wait, count those…there is only 7 books. The eighth book is already on my nightstand, let me get it for you…

Aw, better, number 8. And I always end my library night with a trip to my favorite junk store…They were having a HUGE sale with Ladies day, green tag and red stickers all 50% off. Of course when they’re having a sale like that I can never find anything…

I lucked out finding a bunch of german scrap or dresden (paper foil) inside a bag with star garland for 49 cents.

A vintage christening gown. A close up of the lovely neckline and pleats.

A few paint roller refills (can always use those) and a children’s clock puzzle.

Hope your Wednesday was superb!

Library Night

It’s Tuesday and I have to apologize. I stopped at the library to clear my shelf as 8 books were waiting for me. And I’ve got some GREAT titles to show you BUT  I have no camera !! Tonight is the Senior Prom (yes, on a Tuesday) and my youngest has my camera! So I’ll have to share these wonderful titles tomorrow!

Tonight I’ll share a sneak peak into a really inspiring compilation of artwork.

Is this owl not the cutest?!?! As the entire book is greeting cards and such, I would assume the owl shape is cut from pretty paper and then stitched on the sewing machine. Tiffany has a wonderful way to fake stitches if you're not a sewer.

 

I liked this fresh approach to decoupage and watercolors by Jenn Mason.

Most of the book has 6 to 9 images of various artwork and their artists.

So as you can imagine, the book is quite large, but if you enjoy this type of papercrafts, this book is jam packed with inspiration and creativity.

Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! It was no fun going back to work today…

Creative Every Day

This month’s creative every day theme is nature. Leah wants us to go outside and get inspired by nature to create art. She suggested we go outside for  a walk and take pictures. I enjoyed it so much I thought I’d share my photos with you…

I think the little bee at the top of this photo was enjoying the flowers as much as I was! Mother Nature can’t get more inspiring than spring in full bloom, don’t you agree!?

Have a Happy Friday!

Library Night

I’m going through withdrawal here!! Can you believe there wasn’t ONE book waiting at the library for me!! 14 on hold and they’ll all show up at the same time, guaranteed!
And no trip to the library means I didn’t stop at my favorite thrift store either.

Well how about we take a look at last week’s favorite or two... Making Memory Boxes by Anna Corba.

She will be teaching at Silver Bella this year and I am definitely signed up for her class! I have just been loving her projects and use of vintage ephemera. This was my all time favorite project from the book…

She didn’t use the inside of the box, but the outside. Her fresh approach to collage is what I like the best in her books. If your an Anna Corba fan, I highly recommend all her books!

Creative Collage by Marie Browning. (sorry for the post-it note) She has some really interesting pieces of artwork in her book.

A take on the vintage bottles, which I thought was a little more creative…

How about decorating peat pots from the garden department? This idea I thought was really original and different. 

And an artist’s palette, complete with a vintage cartoon depicting an artist with his easel? Too cute!

Creative Collage is a great book. The author provided instructions for all her projects, they are easy to follow and short. Most projects are only a two page layout including the picture. Makes it really easy when you’re short on crafting time but need a handmade gift or favor.

Well, hopefully we’ll have new books next Tuesday to preview!

Hope you had a good day! 

And the Winner is…

Thanks to all for leaving a sweet comment on my blog. So I wrote out every name on a slip of paper and into the hat box they went.

Of course this was a BIG job, there were 20 slips of paper! I had to go next door and enlist the help of my neighbor. She’s too sweet! (Not a teenager yet…) On went the lid for a little shake…

Pop the lid off and reach inside…

And the winner is…

JENNIFER . And to my little neighbor girl, thank you for helping! Don’t you just love the close up of chippy nail polish!? 

Congratulations Jennifer!  Please send me an email with your mailing address so I can pack up your goodies and get them on their way.

Seaside Swap 2009

Rachel at Contented is organizing her first swap! No one has made her a button (I ’m a newbie – way over my head) 

but I knew Karen would have the perfect vintage seaside picture! Deadline for signups is May 22nd, so hurry on over there to join!

Even if you are not joining this particular swap, she posted a little “Swap Etiquette” yesterday that is worth reading if you participate in swaps. I wouldn’t dream of not putting my best foot forward in a swap, but I know if you log in to swap-bot or any of the other swap based sites, you’ll see hostesses posting they will or will not “angel” their swap. So I guess the articles on swap etiquette are obviously written for a reason.

I can’t believe I’m out of weekend already! Have a happy Monday!

Remember to check back tomorrow for the 50th post winner!!

Junk Shopping

Set out this morning to the local church rummage sales! Found the first one…didn’t buy a thing. Spent an hour driving around and couldn’t find church number 2. Finally I just gave up. Headed back to town for church number 3 (I knew where it was). Stopped for a yard sale…

 

Scored the black and white enamel bracelet. Thought it was cool! Did all my shopping today at church number 3. The hand crocheted bag above…

 

An added bonus – the hankies were inside! A set of embroidered napkins…

A shopping bag full of books and a fruit basket.

And my absolute favorite…LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this coat…

A vintage coat from a store that closed its doors at least 40 years ago and IT FITS!!!

A happy, happy rummaging day!

Hope you had a happy, happy day too!

Big 50 Giveaway!

NOT ME, MY BLOG!!
I’m really excited that I’m actually going to have 50 posts logged this Sunday! So I thought I’d say thank you for all your encouragement with a giveaway!

So…on a vintage platter you’ll receive all these 50 goodies!! Yes, there is actually a platter under all that goodness!

Please leave me a comment on this post and I’ll randomly pick a winner on Monday evening!

Good luck and thanks to all of you for your kind words and support!

PS. A special thanks to Jodie for helping with a list of 50 things. She’s too sweet!  

Library Night

It’s Tuesday already! My latest acquisitions, on loan of course…

Mary Engelbreit has a new book out called Sew, So Cute! for those of you who miss her magazine. Sewing projects for baby, home and gifts in her signature style of blooms, polka dots and witty sayings.

BH&G Gifts To Make is an older book and I am specifically after a few of the project ideas listed in there. I check that one out at least twice a year. Great gift giving ideas!

The other two books I am looking forward to delving into. Haven’t seen either of these before and nothing like a hot cup of tea and a new book, or in my case, books!

I just finished reading Made From Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich. An excellent read! Her tales of being young and single with a desk job and a city apartment, she sets out to establish a more self sustaining way of life by learning homesteading skills. If you’ve ever dreamed about being a farmer, this is a MUST read. From raising chickens to bee keeping to gardening to teaching herself fiddle playing, she writes about her journey towards self-reliance.

Sorry, no pictures from my favorite thrift store this evening. I did score a set of Tarot Cards that I’ve been looking for, to collage with!  Yeah!

Hope you had a happy Tuesday!

Junk Shopping

Hope you don’t mind, I’m sharing a few photos of junk from this past week while I practice my attempts at photography.

What can I tell you? I’m hopeless at picture taking…

Hope everyone had a blessed Mother’s Day!

The Coat

The reason I had to ship stuff home from Louisiana…

This coat took up half my suitcase and weighed a ton!! See that shimmering satin lining, and after washing & drying it, it is soooo soft. But the labels say it ALL…

A Lilli Ann gem!! In the fashion industry, a “fabulous french woolen”. And I’m sure I just gave someone heartburn when I said I washed and dried it (yes, in the dryer). It doesn’t fit me (way too big) so I had nothing to lose. All I wanted really, was the labels. Yep, the labels. I dragged this coat almost 1000 miles JUST for the labels. Now that it’s nice and clean and still too big, I will recycle the material. Some french woolen teddy bears…

I’m not a fashion buff, but vintage clothing scores like this one make my heart go pitter-patter. Actually I think it was the $1 that made my heart pitter-patter. hahaha  

Cemetery Art

While visiting Louisiana, I had to see the beautiful cemetery Jodie had blogged about. It was all she said it was, and more. I even got a few photo lessons while we strolled through the grounds, on a lookout for angels.

 

I do not even come close to having the photographic talent Miss Jodie has, but I was trying…

You know I LOVE any type of ironwork. Lots of iron crosses and I saw Julie’s cross under that mammoth oak tree.

Seem to be in the right place to find angels.

Yep…they’re definitely welcome here. Ever wonder what your guardian angel looks like??

I suspect mine looks like this at the end of EVERY day!

Never run faster than your guardian angel can fly!

Library Night

Tuesday already?!? Lost a few books last week since I was off playing with Jodie. You only have a few days to pick up your books or they go back into circulation. So I’ll have to reorder and wait till it’s my turn again. This week’s reading list…

I’ve been waiting for Collage for the Soul, sounds positively inspiring, don’t you think?? Can’t wait to dig in!

And you KNOW where I went after that…my favorite junk store.

 

A metal case, baby ric rac, shelf paper and buttons. The metal case is not a compact. It has a hinged arm inside…

 

and in perfect condition. Can anyone tell me what this is?? I don’t believe it’s a cigarette case, the hinged arm would smash their smokes. It came in a fabric (suede) pouch. It’s really pretty.

Hope your Tuesday was pretty, too.