All Things Pretty...

Fun with pink...

I picked some beautiful blooms from my garden this week...

(my garden is exploding with color right now!)

 

 

The hydrangeas are in full swing.... some lilies (love the fragrance!) ... wild geraniums, even some oregano blooms! I planted one of these a few years back and they're trying to take over my garden! I keep yanking them out and giving them to my neighbors (with a warning)... the leaves are so fragrant and the blooms are so pretty that I can't get myself to totally get rid of them.

 

...can't get over how pretty these look together... the elegant with the wild (or "beauty and the beast")

 

I have so many hydrangeas that you can see them in every room of my house...

(p.s. see my 5-cents-for-3 jelly jars? keep an eye on them, they are featured later in this post)

 

...one of the armfuls I cut this week... sitting outside for a bit to make sure all the bugs are off...

It's been a productive week... hours and hours of weeding and many trips to Home Depot for bags of mulch... we usually use about 50 bags each summer, so I'm a bit behind this year - and it shows; the weeds are thriving.

I've been redecorating my screened-in porch (or as they are called here in Minnesota, our "one season" porch). I've been painting furniture, scrubbing floors and screens, and lots of other "fun" chores. My new color scheme will be black, red, and cream with touches of gingham. Very reminiscent of the Mary Englebreit style (I might even incorporate a few cherries, just for fun). Hopefully, I can finish this weekend and share photos next week.

In between the weeding and the painting, I did manage to finish a couple of small refurbishing projects that I've been meaning to get to.

This candelabra was purchased a few months ago at one of my neighbor's garage sales. I paid $4 for it - couldn't resist those pink dangling grapes! Plus, it had good "bones" and I knew I could have some fun with it.

... so I did (have fun, that is).

Several coats of creamy white spray paint later... my candelabra was transformed! But something was missing... I grabbed my 5-cents-for-3 jelly jars (remember those?) and tested to see if they fit into the votive grooves... yes!

But the jars looked a bit plain... so I dressed them up a bit with some vintage lace.

 

Now it's perfect.

... don't you think?...

 

 

 

 

... told you she had good "bones" ...

 

(Special thanks to my ever-patient husband, Steven, who ran to the store at 10pm tonight to buy white tealights for me! Of course, I HAD TO take these pics tonite! The paint is barely dry on the darn thing and here I go photographing... do you do that?)

 

Wishing you all a very happy, summery weekend!

I'm linking to :

Show and Tell Friday @ Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

 

"Crazy Days" in Excelsior...

Our little neighboring town celebrated its annual "crazy days" event this past weekend... three whole days of sidewalk sales, wonderful deals, street vendors selling brats, hot dogs, burgers, rootbeer floats... music... and a flea market on Saturday with outside vendors coming into town to sell their wares.

It was very hot the first two days and many of us were walking around in somewhat of a daze... although my heart wanted to shop, my brain/body just wanted an ice cold bottle of water and the shade of a maple tree (of which there are many in Excelsior!).

 

In spite of the heat, I did manage to make some wonderful purchases...

1. this fabulous vintage suitcase in a lovely faded peachy color

....the inside is in fabulous condition; no tears, no stains, no odors...

2. the dress inside the suitcase was my 2nd purchase... I fell in love with the hem and edging... it's almost a shame to cut it up!

 

3. a few antique photos

...aren't they lovely? especially the smiling gal above; it's difficult to actually find someone who looks happy in old pics due to the fact that they had to sit still for so long...

 

4. some faux pearls and bling

5. vintage sewing notions

 

 

6. a grab bag full of lace (I love these; you never know what you're getting and you are rarely disappointed, as there are usually a few gems in there!)

 

7. vintage postcards... jackpot! All dated/stamped from 1902-1911.... not in perfect condition (who cares?!?) and ranging in price from 5 cents to 50 cents.... I ended up with 40 in total for under $8...

 

 

A productive weekend... don't you think? Well worth suffering the heat!

I'm linking up to the White Wednesday party at Faded Charm Cottage.

Happy Wednesday!

Paper roses...

I've been seeing paper roses everywhere these days...  made out of tissue, crepe paper, coffee filters... it's amazing to see all the variations once each artist  adds their unique touch to it.  

So I decided to give it a go, using coffee filters, a bit of tea staining (followed by some time in the dryer, then ironed), bits of lace, flecks of glitter...  Instead of large, multi-petal roses, I wanted shabby, crinkled, roses that looked like they wre barely opening.

 

... I experimented a bit with both coffee and tea for staining... nothing new (except for me, who had never wored with coffee filters before!)

 

 

... I'm really liking the "scrunched" imperfect look of these!

 

Can't wait to incorporate them into some projects!  

I also want to try staining them in different hues...

 

The other project I worked on this weekend was making lavender sachets to use as "thank you" gifts for my Etsy customers.

 

 (I always like including a little surprise with their purchase.  I know I'm always delighted to receive a little "extra" whenever I open one of my packages. Don't you?)

 

The graphics used are from Graphique (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Graphique)

If you are always seeking fun and interesting graphics, you'll need to check them out.

And last, but not least, I also made some lavender sachets to sell in my Etsy shoppe.  I used to make tons of these a few years back and then got a bit tired of them; but I guess I'm back in the "mood" again!  

Happy Monday!

Have a fabulous, crafty week!

 

I'm Linking up to:

Made It Myself Mondays 

Making the World Cuter Monday

 

 

Time for a change... (?)

I've been taking a closer look at my home decor these days... while I still love the colors and accessories, I'm a little bit "tired" of the shabby/pinky/flowery theme. It's no longer sufficient to just throw different pillows on the coach, move artwork around, rotate accessories.... I'm just not feeling it anymore.

My current style for decorating my home has evolved gradually... but I can trace it back to the days when I started collecting Limoges china. The dainty pink flowers were my inspiration... I started displaying a few plates here and there. Then I started collected paintings of pink roses... vintage hats... and pretty soon, virtually every room in my home had a floral theme.

 

 

Even my kitchen "makeover" included a floral theme!

 

 

My family not only tolerates my flower craze, they encourage it!

(Or am I just imagining it?)

So now, after more than 12 years of loving this look, why do I feel the need for change?

I wonder....

Did turning "50" this week have anything to do with it? Or is it all those fabulous home decor books and magazines I've been perusing lately?

Maybe it's the beautiful rooms and homes I've been seeing throughout Blogland.

So what am I attracted to now?

The seashore colors.... white, cream, ecru, sand, washed out gray, with hints of the palest hues of blues and greens. Down would come all the florals... to be replaced with nautical, beachy, oceania, nature, sisal area rugs...

..nary a pink in sight...

My daugther very gently reminded me that we live in Minnesota, where the winters can be 7 months long.

Was that supposed to dissaude me?

Talk is cheap. We'll see if I can really go through with this.

I do so love my pink flowers.

 

Linking to:

Show and Tell Friday

Pink Saturday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

 

Made with love...

I had a wonderful "50th" birthday yesterday!

My family all added their little touches to make it special for me.

 

My husband celebrated his birthday on July 14th and we decided not to exchange gifts this year in lieu of a trip out to wine country later this summer. Yet, he still managed to put his special touch throughout the day... like when I awakened to find a bowl of fresh strawberries and cream on my nightstand (waiting for me!)... yum!  I also found the latest "Artful Blogging" edition on my kitchen counter, with a bow tied around it...  those are the little things that make me smile.

 

Our daughter, Bianca, loves to cook and bake.  She is a health nut, so she is always looking for ways to take a recipe and make it healthier (lower fat, lower sugar, higher protein, etc.).  For my birthday, I had requested my favorite:  coconut cake.  Not exactly your average low calorie, low fat cake!  But she went to work on creating a most delicious, yet healthier version of it..

 

 ... one of her main substitutions was using brown, raw sugar instead of the processed (white) version.  The frosting was lo-fat sourcream....  it was amazing!

 

Our middle son, Jordan, takes gift-giving very seriously.  He is a seasoned shopper who likes to find "just the right gift" for someone.    His gifts are never extravagant, as he is always on a tight budget, but they are always thoughtful.

 

Here's my birthday gift...

 

... his words were " she's kind of plain right now, but I know you'll work on her and make her look the way you want."  Does he "get" his mother, or what?!?

I named her Dottie and she is staying "as is" for now and joining her new friends on my porch.

I'm still smiling.

Happy Wednesday, dear friends!

I'm sharing my birthday whites with the folks partying over at Faded Charm Cottage's White Wednesday and Good Life Wednesday at A Beach Cottage .  

A birthday tea party...

"It's my birthday.... it's my birthday.... yep!

I'm turning the big " 50" today!

Age is just a number, right? Isn't that what they say?

I remember thinking my mom was "old" when she turned the same age; it's amazing how your perspective changes.

I'm okay with this number. I may not have accomplished all the things I thought I would have under my belt by now, but that's why they are called "goals." I will keep adding to my list and working on my "to do's."

So on this special day, I am sharing the wonderful swap gift I recently received from my new blog friend, Gretchen. We both participated in Amy's Birthday Treasury Swap and had to create a birthday-themed shadowbox for each other.

This is my lovely box...

It's a birthday tea party!

Gretchen even made a special invitation...

 

isn't it sweet?

I also have presents!

 

 

The box is packed with tiny details... flowers, butterflies... and this delightful little tea set! These are some of the teeniest tea cups I have ever seen!

Thank you, dear Gretchen! I'm delighted to have my very own birthday treasury shadowbox just in time to celebrate my July 19th b-day!

 

I will treasure it always.

(I'm joining the Teacup Tuesday party over at Artful Affirmations and sharing my teeny tea cups.)

 

 

Inspired...

I've been visiting creative studios.... oh, about 30 or 35 of them so far... I have seen a fair share of romantic, cute, bohemian, chic... I have been awed and inspired.

Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage is hosting her 3rd annual Where Bloggers Create party. And what a party! Hundreds of creative bloggers have opened their "studios" to the world... they have shared their most personal of spaces: the place where they create magic. Their studios are as big as 1000+ sq. ft.... or as tiny as a repurposed closet. One thing I've learned from my "tour" thus far - space does not matter where art and creativity are concerned.

After looking at all the loveliness, I went to my "studio" aka as "the sunshine room" and stood in the doorway. What would I have photographed and shared? (I found out about the party a bit late and was unable to join). What does my creating space say about me?

As I gazed upon the shelves of books, ribbon, ephemera, millinery... a strange thing happened. I started "seeing" things that I had never really noticed before!

 

... I always have fresh potpourri in the room... helps camoflauge the "old paper" smell of the 100-year-old books and sheet music I like so much! Also helps with the smell of hot glue, Modge Podge, and other mediums...

What I never paid much attention to was the lovely lavender Wedgewood bowl it sits in! Or the vintage German alarm clock that sits prettily next it.

 

 

..didn't notice the pale green hand-painted tin wall container I purchased ages ago for a quarter and which is stuffed with vintage wire trim (see the fading?); somewhere along the way I tucked in a pink rose and a butterfly.

 

...the top of a bookcase is used as a temporary landing area for new acquisitions (vintage little bird cage), handmade goodies, and other pretties that strike my fancy at that moment... it changes frequently, until the next project or purchase comes along!

 

 

One of my very favorite things in the room - my chandelier! I don't have a "before" picture - but believe me when I say it was "Plain Jane black iron." Purchased on clearance at HomeDepot several years ago ... I fell in love with its "bones" and knew I could make it look a bit more glamorous.

 

... its new looks includes tons of lace, tulle, decoupaging, pink roses and prisms... there are 6 arms for candles, but I usually use battery-operated ones (I have a history with candles and small accidents).

Another inspiration stemming from the tour was the need to create! I spent a few hours in there, just having fun... sorting, reorganizing (I need to get a jump-start on next year's tour!), making little things for me "just because." No swaps, no gifts, no Etsy, no timeline Just playing with 'stuff.'

These tags and cards were created using materials from my "recycle" box... this is where I throw bits and scraps not used in a project... a piece of lace left over, a spare button, 3 inches on ribbon... you know what I mean... the kind of stuff you just hate to toss when a project is done.

 

 

 

(this little gal is not finished... needs a few more touches!)

I urge you to get inspired!

Stop by this amazing blog party and visit some inspiring spaces..

Have a lovely weekend!

I'm linking up to

Show and Tell Friday

Pink Saturday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

 

Birthday treasury swap

Amy from Inspire Co. recently hosted a delightful swap entitled Birthday Treasury Swap. We were to use one of Tim Holtz' (or other) shadowboxes and embellish to our heart's content using a birthday theme... sounds easy, right?

This was my very first shadowbox (ever) and being my usual optimistic self, I purchased one of the larger boxes, with 14 compartments. ((what was I thinking?!?))

What I soon learned was that it is very difficult to work within such tiny spaces... and even more difficult to find teensy birthday items that fit inside! But I took it on as an opportunity to be creative and spontaneous!

My partner, Gretchen, is a writer and a musician, and her favorite colors are fall colors (i.e. orange, browns).

Here's what I ended up with...

 

...I wanted a vintage, aged feel to the whole thing... used old sheet music in each of the compartments (honoring Gretchen's musical talents)...

 

... Gretchen also loves birds, so I included a few (and a nest)...

 

 

... I enjoyed digging through my stashes of "stuff" that I have saved for just the right project! Like this birthday candle from the 40's ... had to trim it just a tad to get it to fit...

 

 

...every birthday girl needs a little bling, so I added a few charms and vintage brooches...

 

 

 

We were both late finishing and shipping, mine is enroute to Gretchen as we speak... hers arrived at my doorstep yesterday (I'm saving the photos of MY shadowbox for Pink Saturday's blog party).

 

(p.s. I also found out that Gretchen has a birthday in August... and mine is July 19th! Perfect timing!)

Petite whites...

I've noticed that (recently) I'm feeling an attraction to small containers...  small boxes, small bags, small pitchers, small cups....  why, I wonder?  

It scares me a bit that if I were to be struck by lightning* tomorrow and die on the spot, my flabbergasted family would be looking at all these things and wonder if my brain had already burnt to a crisp prior to the lighning bolt striking it! "What was she thinking?"  "Why did she need 35 small white creamers?"

Well, for starters, they don't occupy much room!  They are (usually) very inexpensive and easy to find... and they are versatile!  I have found many uses for these small vessels throughout my home and in Blogland (swaps, packaging, gifts).

...for example, this wee pitcher is all of 4.5 inches tall... was made in Germany and cost me a whopping 49 cents!

Look how lovely it looks with a sprig of my fresh cut hydrangeas.

... here's my newest acquisition; I'm thinking maybe it was part of a child's tea set because it's less than 3 inches tall!  It has a stamp on the bottom that reads "Meiko China", hand painted, Japan."  This one set me back 39 cents.

And here they are, with their big sister, the "platter" also a recent acquisition.  Stamped "Kaiser, made in West Germany" and the pattern is called "Romantica."

I spent a bit more on her - she was $2.99 and well worth breaking the bank for!

 

 I'm sharing my affection for petite whites with all the wonderful lovers-of-all-things-white over at the  Faded Charm Cottage.

HAPPY WHITE WEDNESDAY!

 *... this is sort of a family inside joke.  On my Mom's side of the family (the Alvarado's), she had 4 paternal uncles; 3 were killed by lightning (separate occasions). 

Mellow yellow Monday...

I'm joining a new party this week (new to me, that is!) over at Mellow Yellow...  I love the idea!  Cheery, bright, happy yellow; a color often overlooked and under-rated...  

After all, how can yo ube  sad around yellow?  Isn't it the color of sunshine?

Although, I have to admit that it's probably a "hate it" or "love it" kind of color.

It will be a challenge for me to post about yellow ... other than food or flowers.

 I don't usually incorporate yellow into any of my creative endeavors; but this might be a good opportunity to start!

So, on this very first Mellow Yellow post, I'm sharing a lite, summery lunch I recently had.  It's very easy to put together and you can subsitute pretty much anything for the tuna (the original recipe called for salmon).

 ...here's how you make it....

cut a large tomatoe in half, drizzle olive oil, add sea salt and fresh black pepper.  set aside.

cut 1 small avocado in chunks, drizzle with lime juice, a dash of salt.  set aside.

prepare tuna, salmon or other to your liking (I used white albacore tuna from the can, nothing added to keep calorie down).  set aside.

Okay... now the fun part: the assembly.  

Place the bottom half of tomato on plate, add avocado chunk, add tuna, add romaine (or other lettuce) and red onion slices (optional, of course).  Drizzle a bit more olive oil (to taste).  Add tomato "top."

Mine was garnished with red onion and zuchinni noodles  (my daughter's touch).

 Zuchinni noodles are simple and tasty:  take a fresh zuchini and using a vegetable peeler, "slice" thin, long pieces off.  Put the noodles in a bowl and microwave on "high" for 10 seconds. That's it!  

The 10 seconds makes them soft enough to eat, brings out the flavor, but does not make them mushy (a variation on this would be to rub seasalt on the noodles and drizzle some balsamic vinegar before microwaving...)

Enjoy!

 

OH WAIT... this was supposed to be a YELLOW post...  so where's the yellow?

In the Mangotinis, of course!

...one way to eat your fruits...

I'm usually not a big "martini" fan (not much of a drinker, other than a glass of red wine) - but these were, as they say, "the bomb!"

Cheers!  Happy sunny,  Mellow Yellow Monday!

Silver Pennies...

... the fairies visited my garden recently...

 

 

 

 

... may the fairies watch over you...

 

Lavender gifts... and a hint of pink

A while back, I participated in Miss Rhea's Spring Basket Swap.... (I posted about it here and here)... Miss Rhea herself was one of my partners and she's been dealing with some health issues and was a bit late finishing her baskets. I received a wonderful surprise upon my return from Florida; Rhea's package had arrived! It felt like Christmas... and I was not disappointed!

Lucky me! Look at what I got...

...if you remember, this was a yogurt container challenge... converted into a Spring "basket" plus five other small gifts for our partners.

Miss Rhea went all out. I have admired her work through her blog, but was not really prepared for the details, special touches, and overall beauty of everything she touches!

...this is the basket front... sweet little girl with pink roses on her bonnet... one of my favorite colors is lavender, so you see a theme here. Rhea incorporated touches of pink here-and-there and it really works!

 

...my gorgeous basket! And sitting proudly on top.... this pink birdie wearing a jeweled crown...

... isn't she darling?!?

 

My eyes just about popped out when I discovered yet another fabulous gift inside my package...

((sigh))

 

You see what I mean about making everything she touches beautiful?

 

 

... an embroidered hankie with my initial...

 

... lovely pink and lavender earrings (just for me!) and vintage brooch...

 

((another sigh))

 

..plus a cute bunny with a ruffled collar... and a violets mini creamer and saucer...

Happy, happy day!

Thank you, Miss Rhea, for all my beautiful gifts!

One last image of my Birdie Queen as I link up to some favorite parties: Pink Saturday at Beverly's How Sweet the Sound and Show and Tell Friday at Romantic Home.

 

She sells sea shells...

I'm back home in Minnesota (haven't even unpacked yet).  It was wonderful seeing my family and spending time with my mother; but it sure is nice to be home!

Today I'm sharing some photos of seashells decor, taken at my brother's home....  after all, how can you live in Florida and not go with a nautical or beach theme in your decorating?  My sister-in-law is a bit "tired" of it, but my brother is a big fishing fanatic and loves anything nautical.  I think they've come up with a wonderful compromise, by incorporating a few pieces here and there.

...this seashell mirror inspires me to make one of my own!....

... they've recently visited Mexico and brought back some beautiful pieces collected by the sea...

... I fell in love with their clever idea of using seashells as "mulch" outside...

 

 Happy White Wednesday!

I'm linking up to the party over at Faded Charm Cottage.

(Off I go to do some creating...  I have several swaps I need to complete/mail...

 stay tuned for many lovely pics this week!)