Quill Cottage Challenge!

Sandy at Quill Cottage challenged her readers to make a project with some images she posted.  I haven't done anything like this before and since she allowed me plenty of time, I thought...why not??  I chose a little girl with roses, since I love roses.  We were also instructed to add "Dream" somewhere on the creation, one of my favorite words!  So I got busy, made a fun mess pulling out lots of goodies to create with and ended up with this collage.  I added some chalk to the picture to accent the roses, leaves, and her dress & scarf.  I chalked around the picture in light blue, as well as the pink mat.  I inked around each element also in black after using victorian scissors.  I stamped on aqua binding the word "Dream", one letter at a time, since I don't have that small of stamp with the complete word.  I used some vintage lace, crushed velvet ribbon, buttons, crochet tiny pink doily, paper flowers, silk roses, tiny blue accent flowers, and porcelain daisies.  I also added some bling from a rhinestone bracelet and a star with pearls.  The final touch was writing "Dream" all over the printed background in a glitter pen that only shows the glitter, no color. 

I had so much fun doing this and I know that many talented ladies are about to show off their creations too.  I can't wait to see what everyone came up with.  Be sure and visit Sandy at Quill Cottage, if you don't already know her.  She is so talented and you couldn't meet anyone sweeter.  I'm happy to have met her in blogland!

Blessings,
Cindy

I'm linking to:
Quill Cottage~ Barefoot Dreams Art Challenge Link Party
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia~ Tuesday's Treasures
A Diamond in the Stuff~ Time to Shine #54
Show Me What Ya Got #59 @ Not Just a Housewife 
White Wednesday#137 @ Faded Charm 
Wow Us Wednesdays #51 @ Savvy Southern Style
Show & Share #25 @ Vintage Gwen
Whatever Goes Wednesday #102 @ Someday Crafts 

Gift From A Friend

Today I want to share a gift I received from Sonya at Counting My Blessings.  She made this lovely magnet board with lots of pretty magnets.   I didn't have one for my studio & I absolutely LOVE it!!  The board is all detailed with flowers & rhinestones; who wouldn't love the bling!  Then Sonya made some sweet scrabble magnets with flowers and a domino one with pink glitter, roses, & a bird!!!  It makes me smile every time I look at it!  Thanks so much to my dear friend, Sonya.  I am so blessed that we have met!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!  The sun made an appearance today & it is lovely!!

Blessings,
Cindy

I'm linking to:
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound
My Romantic Home~ Show & Tell Friday

White & Black "Dream" Collage

Here is a 5 x 7 framed piece I made awhile ago.  It is in a vintage metal frame that has some nice detail.  The angel/fairy is from Graphic's Fairy from a long time ago and I added some glitter to her wings & black glitter to frame the print, with scissored edges that I inked.  The background paper is flocked.  

How is everyone's week going?  It has been raining tons & tons here.  Lots of flooding in some areas & even our little park looks like an island in the center of the river!  Pretty startling when I saw it.  The waters have receded, but the rain is coming in sheets today so not a good sign.  Can you see in the pic below, the smaller green tree in the center & the piece of wood sticking up?  I have stood on that bank taking pictures.  The water on this side of it is the swollen river...

It has been pretty dreary here in the last couple of weeks.  We need a little sunshine!  But of course, that is probably true of many of you too!  How's the weather in your neck of the woods??

Blessings,
Cindy

I'm linking with:
White Wednesday
Common Ground~Vintage Inspiration Friday #74
2805~Potpourri Friday #21
At the Picket Fence~ Welcome to Inspiration Friday #49
From My Front Porch~ Treasure Hunt Thursday #41
French Country Cottage~Feathered Nest Friday

More Gifts from Pink Present Giveaway...

I've been sharing posts about winning the Pink Present Giveaway from Shabby Cottage Shops.  If you haven't been keeping up or are new to my blog, the giveaway consisted of 30 gifts, all to one winner.  I won in December and starting January 3rd, I started receiving packages.  There are still more to come.  Today I will share three more gifts.  I will add a link to each one so you can visit their shops. 

First is this lovely white linen hand towel from Blue Creek Home on Etsy.  It is so delicate and pretty that it won't be used as a towel, but I plan to make it into a pillow.  Rhonda has lots of vintage treasures, including sparkly tiaras, and handmade items like pillows and decorated cones.

Next are three bejeweled star fish ornaments from Bella Lucille.  These real star fish are pretty, pink, & sparkly; what a great combo!  Bella Lucille has a huge selection of all kinds of home decor & gift ideas, specializing in cottage, shabby, romantic,& Paris chic styles.

Last for today is this glittered pink present ornament, perfect for a Pink Present Giveaway, don't you think?!!  It is 5 1/2 inches tall and it comes from Teacups & Twigs.  Teacups & Twigs sell a lot of different items from handmade china jewelry, shabby chic furniture, to vintage items and craft supplies. 

Thanks again to each shop for your lovely gifts!


Blessings,
Cindy

Office Organizing Ideas

Organizing my office space has always been an ongoing battle.  I move things, purge things, containerize things, and ultimately don't keep up on putting things away.  If I was to help someone else, I would do great!  I could get their space looking lovely & functional.  Why can't I do that in MY office?  Probably because I spend too much time on the computer & crafting!  Anyway, I looked up some inspiration online and here are a few that looked nice, neat, & tidy.

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So I am armed with ideas...now what??  I know, I know...first purge, then organize in categories, decide what is needed to store items, use what I have, then put it all away!!  Sounds so simple, doesn't it?  Yep, Yep!


Blessings,
Cindy

Dainty Dishes

I am always looking for tiny teacups and pitchers, etc for my bottle brush trees.  I will also find some bowls and plates that have just the right design for me.  Anything with little roses will catch my eye, especially pink ones!  I got a tiny plate at Treasures from the Heart just before Christmas.  It is only 4" and so lovely.  The bowl and little pitcher are Goodwill finds from yesterday.  The pitcher is about 2 1/2 inches tall!  

 It is always a fun day when I can find a treasure or two.  I'm a little under the weather today, so I'm going to rest.  Have a great week!

Blessings,
Cindy
I'm linking to these parties:
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet The Sound
Coastal Charm~Nifty Thrifty Tuesday #97
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia~ Tuesday's Treasures
White Wednesday #135
Not Just a Housewife~ Show Me What Ya Got #57

Pretty Pink Presents Continued...

I have shared two previous posts about winning the Pink Present Giveaway from the Shabby Cottage Shops.  {Their blog is HERE}  Here are those posts #1 and #2.  Click on the store names of each to visit their online shops.  As I said in the previous posts, I am receiving 30 gifts from the Shabby Cottage Shops due to winning their huge giveaway.  Today I will be sharing six more gifts I have received.  

First is a gorgeous handmade fabric ornament from Dusty Oak Ornaments.  Sandy makes these little beauties and this one is named Vintage Rose.  It came with the sweetest smelling bar of soap.  She has a beautiful shop which is filled with all kinds of different fabrics on the ornaments and custom orders are welcome.

Next is a magnet for your dishwasher from Tequila Bay Boutique.  I don't know if you have seen these before or not, but they are so handy to have.  Just place them on your dishwasher & turn to whatever the dishes are...clean or dirty!  Tequila Bay Boutique has a huge selection of items ranging from tote bags, lotions, cupcake liners, on & on...all kinds of gift & home items.

This sparkly piece from Julie at Creations With Heart is a stunning pink shimmer glass beaded bracelet.  Julie handcrafts each piece of jewelry and has a special passion for paw~print, military, inspirational, and gemstone designs.  Again, I will say that I really enjoy a variety of bracelets and this one is beautiful & fits perfectly.  Julie also has a blog HERE.

Next is a pretty pink cherry blossom mouse pad from Mrs. Sterling's Boutique, which offers a wide variety of gift items for all occasions, including wedding accessories and home fragrance.  This mouse pad fits perfectly with my studio theme, which is going more pink.

These Rose Bouquet note~cards by Debi Coules are so pretty with her hand~painted design.  Debi paints all kinds of items from furniture to canvas, jewelry, and more. I would love to own one of her canvas paintings.  She is very talented and I will enjoy sending out these note~cards, shy of one that I will frame!

Last for today is this lovely vintage red~work linen capelet, with hand embroidery from Sweet Repeat Vintage.  It has delicate lace and embroidery perfect for an altered piece.  This Etsy shop has one of a kind items made with vintage items, such as wearable art and home decor. 

A big thank you to each of these shops for their lovely gifts. This has been a blessing beyond measure.  I wish everyone could experience this.  I continue to enjoy the trip to the mailbox or a knock at the door from the mailman with yet another package.  More to come...


Blessings,
Cindy

Pinkilicious Hearts!

Just a quick post showing you my hearts.  Each heart is different and I have 4 sets of three.  This is just a sneak peek!  I will be bagging them with some potpourri I put together.  Just in time for Valentine's Day!

I will be sharing more of the goodies I won from the Pink Present Giveaway soon. Enjoy all the pinks!

Blessings,
Cindy

I'm linking to: 
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet The Sound 
Between Naps on the Porch~Metamorphosis Monday #156
The House in the Roses~Show Off Your Cottage Monday 
Homemaker on a Dime~ Creative Bloggers Party & Hop 1.15.12 
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop #19 @ Katherine's Corner
Inspiration Friday#48 @ At the Picket Fence 
Potpourri Friday #20 @ 2805  
Feathered Nest Friday #@French Country Cottage
Show & Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

More Pretty Pink Presents...

This is the 2nd in my series of Pink Present Giveaway gifts I have received.  Here is the link to my 1st post HERE.  I cannot express how much this experience has affected me.  It is such a joy to receive gifts and having so many has been a true blessing, even overwhelming!  I always am happy to show my appreciation for my giveaway wins by posting about it on my blog.  It is a very small thing I can do since the giver took the time & expense to send me such wonderful things.  So on with the next batch of goodies from Shabby Cottage Shops...

I have received two lovely bracelets, the first being from Mary's Cottage Treasures. It is a beautiful, sparkly {you know how I love sparkly} bracelet with silver components, Austrian crystals in red, green, & clear, plus a silver angel charm.  I am a bracelet connoisseur, so this is one I will definitely enjoy wearing for many years to come!  I'm not into wine, but I am into bracelets! Mary also added a little notepad; sweet! Go check out Mary's online shop HERE and her Etsy store HERE.  Mary offers a wide range of items for home decor, jewelry, gifts, etc. and her Etsy store is full of trims, jewelry, & more.

The next bracelet is from Sassy Beach Jewelry Designs.  It is definitely sassy and is also chunky & fun.  It is called Fall Funky Bracelet, but I think it would be great for anytime of year.  I can see it with turquoise outfit in spring or summer!  My daughter will want to "borrow" it, I'm sure!  It is elastic with turquoise, coral, and golden resin with Tibetan silver beads.  Gail has three left if you are interested on sale.  Check out all of her creations at her online store HERE.

Last but not least, for today, is a frilly, pretty door charmer and hand~painted spoon.  They are from The Ruffled Rose, which is Jil & Marian's shop.  They offer lovely handmade original pillows, bags & totes, faux desserts, and so much more, including vintage items.  They have an Etsy shop HERE, Jil's blog HERE, and their online shop HERE.  Their stores are full of beautiful things, as is apparent by the lovely door charmer and dainty hand~painted spoon; I couldn't resist showing you the back of the spoon!

There is more for another day.  I am being showered with blessings!  Have a wonderful day!

Blessings to you & yours,
Cindy

 

White Wednesday Chalkboards

I have some chalkboards I painted on tin trays about a year ago and since I didn't do a spring show, they got packed away.  Well, they are seeing the light of day now.  These photos are my first taken outside in the sunshine {yep, there was sunshine today!} as an experiment.  I keep trying new settings on my 'ol Canon camera.  Let me know what you think!  I am also using Picasa 3 to edit them, which is new to me also.  I practiced a teensy weensy on my roses before doing the chalkboards, but just went for it with the birds nest.

A little too much sun in this one!

This is a little one!

All of these were made on tin trays and painted with chalkboard paint.   I will be adding these to my Etsy store soon.  I would love to get some time to paint again soon.  I'm trying to finish editing my sister's book and re~organize my studio.  It has become a little...shall we say...cluttered!!  Too many projects going on at once!  That never happens to you, does it??  My packing boxes are now neatly stacked on a shelf in the garage, along with the tissue paper & bubble wrap.  I helped my dear hubby get the garage all neat & tidy, now I gotta get busy on my room!!

Blessings,
Cindy


I will be linking to these parties:
White Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesdays #48  
Home Decor & Organizing Link Party #34
Show & Share #22  @ Lil Pink Pocket
Show & Share #22 @ Vintage Gwen
Treasure Hunt Thursday #39 @ From My Front Porch to Yours
Thrifty Thursday #42 @ Thrifty Decorating
It's a Party #37 @ A Creative Princess
Share Your Creations Party #20 @ Kristen's Creations
Thursday Favorite Things #18 @ Katherine's Corner 
French Country Cottage~Feathered Nest Friday
At the Picket Fence~Inspiration Friday #47
The Charm of Home~Home Sweet Home #49
2805~Potpourri Friday #19
Stuff and Nonsense~Fridays Unfolded #49
Common Ground~Vintage Inspiration Friday #72 
My Romantic Home~ Show and Tell Friday
Cherished Treasures~Sunday Blog Love  

Giveaway Win from Vicki at This Art That Makes Me Happy!

In December, I won a Crafty Secrets CD, Creating with Vintage Illustrations, and Adaptive Planner which I can decorate with images from the CD.  It is really cool!  I played with it the other day for awhile and came up with a cover I liked.  It was so much fun and there are endless possibilities.  I need to work on my Photoshop skills but I got it figured out enough to create the cover.  I want to thank Vicki from This Art That Makes Me Happy for hosting such a fun giveaway and to Lisa at Per Annum and Sandy at Crafty Secrets {don't' have links}.  I know I will enjoy creating with the CD and use the planner to it's fullest potential!  Lisa shared on her blog about designing her own planner with the Creating With Vintage Illustrations CD.  Go check it out HERE!  Here is my cover I created, with the CD I received.  Lisa included a tag she made with a perfect saying for crafters/artists.

I would like to thank Lisa again for having a giveaway and choosing me.  It really brightens my day to receive a gift & I was thrilled to win.  This tag says it all.  I will be creating with my CD and making art!!  Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!  

Blessings,
Cindy

Can You Guess What the Twins Are???

Happy New Year again to everyone!!  I have a lot to be thankful for and many exciting things happening in my life this year.  Two of them are the little twins that are due in May!  Our first grandchildren & the excitement grows with each passing week!  I thought I would give you some pictures in a certain color hue to let you know what kind of little twins we are expecting...

My attempt at roses...

Fun Collage I put together.

Love hearts, hate the sewing!!

I made that too easy didn't I??!!  Our little identical twin grand~daughters are gonna be welcomed into a family full of love for them.  I will be doing all the decorations for the shower/party the end of March, with a polka dot theme.  It will be a little unconventional since men are invited!!  My son will fit right in with everything, because I almost think he is enjoying buying little girl things as much as his wife!!  He is already a very proud Daddy!  My daughter ~in~love said that there are already two little fingers wrapped around Daddy's pinky!  Isn't that a cute mental picture?  {I wanted to put tons of pictures on this post, but blogger is being stubborn!}  Note the pink polka dots on my background in honor of the sweet little darlin's!   

Blessings,
Cindy 
I'm linking to these parties:

Eye Heart~ Anything Goes At Eye Heart #7
Homemaker on a Dime~Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia~ Tuesday's Treasures
Coastal Charm~Nifty Thrifty Tuesday #95
Northern Cottage~Northern Cottage Party Time Tuesday 
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet The Sound 
Kids e-Connection~Color Connection
Cherished Treasures~Sunday Blog Love