Monday, January 28, 2008

Snow Day!!!!

Yea!!! We love the snow!!!
What a fabulous treat to wake up to this morning. I was still in bed when the girls got up, and I could hear Sydney tell Daphne to "come quick and look... it's snowing everywhere!" They were so excited to get outside and play. I didn't have to tell them twice to finish their breakfast - and that's a first.
We set out to make Frosty but ended up with a Ms. Frosty due to the fact that I only have pink hats. :o)


Sunday, January 27, 2008

Tussie Mussie & Coffee Filter Roses

I really am having fun creating roses out of coffee filters.... I wanted to make a gift for someone, so yesterday I spent some time creating this tussie mussie filled with roses. For materials, I used a cardboard cone, wallpaper, vintage crocheted lace, old trim, vintage rayon seam binding, an old rhinestone earring, old rhinestone trim, and some coffee filter roses. I love digging through my stash of vintage lace and rhinestone jewelry, it's so exciting to find treasures I've forgotten about and have saved for a special project. I always spend way to much time digging and dreaming when I should be doing if you know what I mean. :o) The recipient of this tussie mussie loves all things old, so I hope it is well received!


Thursday, January 24, 2008

Coffee Filter Roses

Thanks so much to Cindy from My Romantic Home for her wonderful post about coffee filter roses. She inspired me to create my own bouquet, and here it is. I had so much fun making my first five roses, that I'm busy making even more.

If you want to create your own, the complete instructions are here . You'll be so impressed with their realistic appearance. I know I was! I was also pleasantly surprised how "not hard" they were to make. Really, you should make a bouquet, you'll be glad you did! Oh... and I'd love to see the ones you make too!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Fun Read - Sew Adorable!

I've had this little pink toy sewing machine for as long as I can remember. I believe it was given to me by my favorite babysitter Sharon aka Shay Shay. I never have sewn a thing with it....
I remember many times as a kid while I'd play outside in our backyard, it was a staple in my pretend home. As a grew up and didn't "play house" anymore, this little toy took up residence on a shelf in my parents garage. A few months ago, it caught my eye as I was walking through their garage and now it is proudly displayed in my real home!

I picked up the most recent issue of Home Campanion recently, and came upon this article about vintage toy sewing machines. I hadn't given much thought to how cute and collectible vintage toy sewing machines really are.

Imagine my delight when I saw this picture in the article! The KAYanEE shown is very similar to mine except it's battery powered - fancy!

I'm glad I picked up the magazine. It was a fun read!


Thursday, January 17, 2008

I'm It! I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Lisa! First off, I have to say that I love reading all the weird lists I've come across out here in blogland. Oh how "normal" they make me feel. lol I'm always thinking gosh... I'm not weird so what would I ever list???? Actually ya know, I'm probably so weird and I don't even know it, and that's what's really weird!

So here it goes.....

  1. I absolutely always have to walk and hold hands with my hubby on his left side. If for some reason when we're walking together and I'm on his right side, I have to immediately switch to his left otherwise it just doesn't feel right.


  2. For 15 of our 17 years of marriage we have gone on the same trip. We've stayed at the same hotel, ate at the same restaurants, done the same things each day, and always at the same time every summer.


  3. I never really thought this was that weird, but all my friends have always told me it is... I make my hubby's lunch everyday! For work, on the weekends, etc... etc... well except when we're on our "trip". I get that week off. :o)


  4. I have seen a UFO in the middle of the day! Yes, really it's true, so I guess I believe in them (that's weird isn't it?). Oh, and hey, my mom witnessed it too, so she can back me up.


  5. I love everything and anything in pink and I guess any color for that matter, but I pretty much always wear only black and white.


  6. If you really know me, you know how much I love everything domestic, I always have. I love being a mom, love to entertain, love to cook and bake, love to sew, love to craft, so on and so on. First quarter of my freshman year in High School I was given a D (gasp!) in Home Ec by the student teacher, because she didn't think I did "home economics" so well. After that ordeal, it's kind of odd that I took an even greater liking to all things domestic. By the way, I did bring my grade up to and A for 2nd quarter and ended up with a B for semester. Today, I would probably get a below average grade for cleaning. I need to work on that. :o)


  7. OK, so this is probably the weirdest thing any of you have ever heard. I have had my bed pillow since I was 2. I will never part with it! I think the pillow is made out of some type of rubber material. I remember my mom warning me when I was little, that if my pillow caught on fire I needed to get my head off it fast or it could melt and stick to my face. Needless to say, I am always very cautious if I'm sleeping by an open fire. :o) I have even saved my beloved pillow from the trash can. When I was in Jr. High, I came home from school one day to find a replacement on my bed. My mom thought it was time for a change and had thrown it out. Well, I did not think it was time so I rescued it from going to the landfill. My hubby knows how important my pillow is to me too. On a road trip down to California one year, I had taken my pillow (as I always do, I never leave home without it) into our hotel room that we stayed in for the night. Next morning we got up early to head out on the road. My parents were also traveling with us in our Suburban. It was a lovely June morning in central California and we all were enjoying the beautiful scenery as we headed South down I-5. About 10-15 minutes into the drive, I freak out because I've just realized my pillow isn't with me! Without hesitation hubby begins looking for the nearest exit because he knows there is no way we can carry on to L. A. without that pillow. My daddy on the other hand says, "lets just pick it up on the way home next week" huh? I couldn't believe my daddy would even suggest that! My hubby ended up having to drive WAY out of the way to get us back on I-5 North. I did get my pillow back though. Oh yeah, one other thing about my pillow... I have never lost a pillow fight! My hubby won't play with me especially if I use my pillow, I've made him see stars before. :o)


Wednesday, January 16, 2008

My 1st eBay Listing for '08

Here is a picture of the first item I have listed this year. I know I'm behind....
I've been playing too much lately! And I really need to get back to work! I've been loving blogland, shopping, re-decorating, crafting etc... etc... and my sewing has been suffering. Let me tell ya, I'm very ready to get back into it. Although, I'm not giving up on everything else I have going on, I guess I just have to improve on my multi-tasking. :o)
I joined my first swap a week or so ago, and it has been consuming my mind! It is kind of freaking me out! There are so many extremely talented artists in blogland, and I just hope to fit in okay.... Well, since the swap and Valentine's Day is pretty much all I can think about, I decided to create something fun. I purchased fabric blocks with the cutest vintage postcard image from here . I was thinking about making a few pillows, but then I thought that a hanging sachet would be sweet. Check it out here and let me know what you think. Hopefully I can get a few more things listed today.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Vintage Wedding Cake Topper

One of my "favorite things" are vintage wedding cake toppers.

A couple years ago a dear friend of our family gave me the cake top from her wedding in 1950. I was so taken with it, I thought is was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. I felt so honored that she would just give it to me!

Around the same time, my mom found my grandparents cake top and that was given to me also. So began a new collection!


Here is a picture of one of my vintage wedding cake topper vignettes in our living room.

Today my mom, the girls, and I went thrifting at a newly opened Goodwill. Lots of treasures were found, which hasn't been the case in awhile, so it was a delight! While I was treasure hunting and trying to manage my 3 year old who was in the midst of a melt down, my mom and Sydney were off searching in another part of the store. Suddenly I see Sydney and my mom looking for me. At this point, I wasn't to hard to find. I think everyone in the store could HEAR where Daphne and I were. I notice my mom holding a vintage cake topper. She asks me what I thought of it. I immediately know I want it, and when I see the price, I especially want it more! My mom precedes to tell me that Sydney spotted the cake top on a crowded self and said to her, "Grandma, this sure would be pretty in my mommy's collection!" How sweet is that? What a terrific scout I have!

Here is a picture of the cake top... it's marked Coast Novelty 1959. Not bad for $1.49!





Friday, January 11, 2008

The Debut

Its only been a couple weeks since I started this project.... and it's finally done!
The hall tree is a nice change for our entry. If you remember from a few posts back - I've had the door since last summer, and the vanity bench from year ago February.
I was really excited to make something with the old door, but couldn't figure out what. First I thought a headboard, then a table (no room for that though), next I thought I could just lean it up against the wall somewhere (but I don't have any extra wall space either), finally a light bulb went off in my head and I thought it would be cool to somehow put the bench and door together and make a hall tree.
I cut legs off a little old side table which I used to construct part of the arm rests. Hubby then cut the scrap wood we had just laying around for the top part of the arms. I painted it all white, added hooks, covered the bench with a cute pink rosebud quilt remnant, added a pink tulle skirt, and hung a fabulous vintage scallop edged mirror. I love it!
Hubby is happy too since these two things really did become something, and they're not in the garage anymore!



Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Collection Obsession....

Well, let me tell you, I absolutely love collecting! I'll be the first to admit I'm addicted to it. Once I get an idea and I really love something, I go crazy for it, thus my recent obsession with vintage Valentines.
I remembered that my Mom had a few Valentines that were given to my Grandma when she was a teacher in the 20's - 30's. I asked my Mom if she knew where they were, and if I could have them. She looked and looked with no luck - she didn't know where they were. I was really hoping they hadn't been sold.
Well.... it's a good thing my Daddy is retired now and sometimes needs something to do, cuz he found the Valentines! I'm so happy and so excited that Mom gave them to me!
I especially love the large honeycomb one. I think it's so sweet that the cards are address to my Grandma using her maiden name. I'll cherish these always. Thanks so much Mommy for sharing Grandma's Valentines with me!

Yummy Chocolate Raspberry Crumb Bars

Thought I'd share the recipe for one of my families all-time favorite cookies. If you're in need of a chocolate fix, you will love every bite of this buttery, gooey chocolate sensation!


Here it goes... Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat 2 sticks butter until creamy.


Add 1/2 C brown sugar, and 2 C flour

Beat well until it forms a crumb mixture. Press 1 3/4 C crumb mixture (reserve remaining crumbs for the topping) onto the bottom of a buttered 9x13 pan. Bake for 10-12 mintues.

Combine 1 C chocolate chips and 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk in small heavy-duty saucepan.

Melt over low heat, stirring until smooth, keep warm until the crust is done baking.

You'll need 1/3 C raspberry jam.

Once the bottom crust is done baking, spread the chocolate mixture over the hot crust.


Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over chocolate filling. Drop teaspoons of raspberry jam over crumb mixture, and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Return the pan to oven and continue baking for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set.

Cool completely on wire rack.


Enjoy!




Monday, January 7, 2008

January 7, 1961

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Today is my parents 47th wedding anniversary. I found this picture of them not long ago in a stack of pictures from my Grandma. On the back of the picture my Grandma wrote "just before engagement". Grandma got mixed up with dates sometimes... My Daddy actually has his wedding ring on in the picture, so I'm sure it was taken soon after their wedding.
I just had a conversation with my Mom about their wedding day. The wedding was at 8:30 in the evening. She spent some of the day finishing up sewing the white fur headbands and muffs that her attendants wore. (When I was little I wanted so badly to have fur headbands and muffs at my wedding too. They didn't work for my Sept. wedding, but I still love the look!) She told me that a woman in the church hosted a luncheon that afternoon in her home for the wedding party. After the luncheon my Mom was dropped off at the church to get ready for pictures but all her undergarments were MIA! Apparently her undergarments were left in Grandpas car. Luckily my Grandma was at at home to receive the phone call, so when my Grandpa arrived home he had to turn around and head right back to the church. (Cell phones sure would have been handy.) One thing she said, which seems so strange to me, is that the reception ladies opened all their wedding gifts and displayed them on a table at the reception so all the guest could see what they received. I guess that was common back then. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have liked that. I would have wanted to see the wrapping!
Congratulations Mommy and Daddy! I'm so thankful for your wonderful example of marriage!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Valentine Snowman


So.... I had a new seasonal decorating idea come to me a few days ago. Even though most of us are pining for Spring, ( my hubby was ready Jan. 1st) I am still not quite ready to put away my snow related decorations. I love my pastel sparkly bottle brush trees, and thought that Valentine snowmen would make a perfect compliment. After all, Valentines Day falls mid-Winter, so I thought it's somewhat fitting..... I've been having so much fun creating these sweet guys that I haven't been sewing (which is so unlike me). I'll post a picture of my mantel scene once it's completed. I also have to finish putting away Christmas decorations, rearrange some furniture etc... etc... I'm procrastinating big time!


Wednesday, January 2, 2008

New Year - New Projects

Happy New Year!
So, I'm wondering..... does anyone have a craft table as messy as mine? I'm always happening upon blogs of crafters who have such fabulous and beautiful crafting/work areas. I really enjoy gazing at these beautiful work spaces and I'm in ah of how organized some of you are. Maybe one of my problems is that I have too many ideas, and I just want to do all of them at once! Ya know... I also have that "I can make that too" disease, which adds to the chaos. Don't know how I got it, but boy, I have it bad! lol

I bought this old (really heavy) wood door this past summer on Whidbey Island. With lots of ideas running through my head, I think I've finally decided what it'll become.
Last February, I found a charming old vanity. I refurbished it, and added it to our bedroom almost immediately after bringing it home. I can't say that about vanity's bench. Its been kicking around in the garage for almost a year now.... Well, I think I've found its new purpose. Stay tuned for the unveiling. Hopefully sometime this week!!!