Mother's Day Jewelry

Now that we're done with Easter, we have to get ready for Mother's Day. We're also getting busy with birthdays.

For my mom, I made a sterling bird's nest necklace that has each of our birthstones as the "eggs" in the nest. I added a little pearl to the top for my niece's birthstone (the only grandchild).

I wrapped the nest in an old book page and tucked it inside a glassine bag that I decorated with a tag. The background is a leftover piece of a watercolor painting I did. I added scraps of paper and ribbon and a Crafty Secrets image.

I also made a pair of earrings using some of my Vintaj stash. If you'd like to purchase these, send me an email. I like them too much to list them on etsy, but you might be able to convince me to let them go :)

I used Vintaj solid brass findings and filigree piece, then added vintage pearl beads, flower cabochons, and czech glass beads.

Happy Easter

Wishing you a blessed Easter filled with love, piety, and remembrance. And of course, jelly beans!

One More for the Road

I made one more Easter card before we pack up to visit our family for a long weekend.

I used a Webster's Pages scrap, vintage postcard image, and crinkled seam binding.

I'm hoping to finish a few small projects this week, plus share pics of what I found this weekend at Antique Alley.

Fun with New Supplies

I bought some new paper from Echo Park and Crate Paper along with plain kraft paper. I had fun making a few cards and tags. Here are some of them.

This one uses kraft paper, an old Hambly transparency from my stash, and a couple of scallop edged punches.

I received my first kit from Little Black Dress and there were a few products from Glitz Designs, which is where I got the chipboard bird. It was the perfect accent for my Tim Holtz Alterations bird cage. I used the Echo Park paper for the background.

This last tag is my favorite. I used the same Echo Park paper, then layered on a Crafty Secrets image, Jenni Bowlin butterfly, Maya Road canvas banner, Webster's Pages cameo, and a few vintage findings. I tied on some crinkled seam binding to top it off.



Azalea Trail

We drove out to Tyler, TX this past weekend to catch the tail end of the Azalea Trail. The town is full of old, beautiful homes with even more beautiful gardens. We plan to go earlier in the season next year and catch the dogwoods blooming, too. Many of the azaleas were already done blooming, but I managed to get a few pics of some lovely gardens.

This is a newer house, but it has that plantation style that I love. The perfectly manicured gardens were so elegant.

One of my favorite views. We stopped to take a photo of the cottage next door, and I looked up the hill and saw all these lovely azaleas.

During the weeks of the Azalea Trail, dozens of "Azalea Belles" adorn the gardens and lawns of participating homes.

The next photos are from the house that won "Best Landscaping." This house would have the best landscaping ANYWHERE. Beautiful alcoves, gardens, statuary, lawns, and a greenhouse. The surprise in the very back arbor was a violinist playing to enliven all our senses!

We will definitely be back for more!

Always Kiss Me Goodnight

Another challenge I entered at Bella Creations was to use the provided image on any project. Since the image was relatively small, I made an ATC.

I started with a white cardstock base and inked the edges to match the yellow moon. Then I layered on purple paper to match the flowers and patterened paper for interest.

I added some Stickles to the lady's flowers and made the title on my old typewriter. A little lace and yellow flower finish her off.

I've had fun crafting with the Bella's and I hope to complete a few more challenges this month. There is still plenty of time to join in!

Easter Bonnet

I joined the ladies over at Bella Creations for a few challenges this month. The tag challenge was to use the provided image and make a tag. Here is the tag I made:

I used a couple of scraps of patterned paper with a spring style as the background. I matted the image on a scrap of vintage sheet music and embellised her hat with a couple of flowers. The rabbit is from an old Prima package - I saved him for just the right project. I made the title on my typewriter and added some pastel flowers.

There is still plenty of time to join in! Stop by and see what the Bellas are up to.

Antique Images

Here are more images I scanned from the antique German book. Feel free to use these in your projects, but don't sell them; they're free for everyone.

This last one with the sheep is my favorite! I have more that I'll post another day. Enjoy!

Bits and Bobs

Yes, I just had a garage sale to clean out all the stuff that had accumulated in the shed. No, I don't need to continue stopping at thrift stores and antique sales. But I can't help myself. Here are a few recent finds. They are all quite small, so they don't take up much space. They just fill in a little crevice of my craft room.

The little parasols are party toothpicks. I have a little bag full of different colors. I think they'll make great fairy umbrellas. The vintage baby safety pins and box full of gray straight pins were 25 cents. How could I pass them up?

This couple came in matching frames. Someone's long-lost relatives that no one remembers anymore.

This was a great find. A framed collection of dried flowers for 50 cents. The frame was hideous, so that's probably why less-imaginative people left them sitting there.

Someday I'll used these treasures. For now, they are collecting dust awaiting their new home - as soon as I find a place for them.