A pretty find, from me to you!

I've been sorting and cleaning and organizing and packing ALL DAY LONG! I got a lot done ~ that always makes me fell good. But I'm exhausted! But it's a good exhaustion ~ you know what I mean?!!

I found two of these pretty reproduction fan cards ~ the images are so pretty! Click on the picture for a closer look. There's a birthday greeting on them and they fold up and include an envelope that they fit in! Aren't they nice!

"May your birthday be as special as you are"

Folded up ~ envelope size!


As I said, I found two of these and I'd like to give them to two of you. First two comments I receive will each receive one! Please email your address to me too!

Here's a Few more Pretties for You!

The Best Kind of Shopping for Treasures!

I continued my sorting and organizing in my storage room last night. It was a bit more fun because I've weeded out all the throw aways, give aways, and pack aways and I'm left with the things that I want around me. I found some things I had totally forgotten about. It was like going shopping and finding some new goodies ~ except it was all free!

I came across a box full of old cards and postcards. I thought I would share a couple with you.

I also found this pretty paper cutting. I need to find the perfect frame for it and then it will hang in my bedroom. It's an 8x10....I think I'd like to mat it and get an 11x14 frame.




I had so much fun "shopping" & "treasure hunting" last night! I think I'll try it again today.

A (new) Family Heirloom

Bill picked up our new high chair today. We ordered it just before Christmas ~ it's made by an Amish craftsman in Lancaster, PA. It's a beautiful piece of furniture and I plan to have it in our family for a very long time.

Elijah & Charlotte will have to take turns in it ~ they'll also have to share it with Penelope before you know it!! I can just picture them sitting in it with their milk & cookies!

Kind of like this sweet little picture. I found it here.

New ACEOs

I finally had an opportunity to spend a little time in my workroom ~ doing something other than cleaning and organizing it. I made a couple ACEOs.

This one is called "She Was Ahead Of Her Time" ~ I love her leopard skin hat!

This one is called "Hidden Lunch" ~ It reminds me of the squirrels searching for their hidden acorns in my backyard.

I belong to a group on EBay called ACEO ~ Art Cards Editions and Originals. Right now the group is putting together their 2nd annual deck of playing cards. In fact, the 2009 deck of cards will actually be two decks. Here's part of a press release explaining a little about the cards.


2009 ACEO ~ Art Cards, Editions and Originals Playing Card Deck

What is an ACEO ~ Art Cards, Editions and Originals Playing Card Deck?
The ACEO ~ Art Cards, Editions and Originals Playing Card Deck is a collaboration of 110 international ACEO artists who will have their artwork appearing on 2 fully functional decks of playing cards. Each artist has been assigned a specific Number card, Face card, Ace or Joker where their artwork will appear along side their eBay user name.

Where are the artists from and how did they meet?
Artists whose work will be appearing on the 2009 ACEO Art Cards, Editions and Originals Playing Card Deck represent many countries in the world including the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Italy, Germany, the UK including England and Wales. All artists featured are members of the ACEO ~ Art Cards, Editions and Originals group on eBay.com.

Here's a peek at what the cards will look like.

eBay ID: Coloredpencilart

I was fortunate enough to be included in the 2009 decks. So I'll be choosing one of the ACEOs I made today to be included. I'm not sure which one ~ but I'm leaning toward the lady in the leopard skin hat.

It was nice to create a bit!

Gotta love them!

"A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty."

Rocks Revisited

I received some comments on my "Pet Rock" post that had me wondering about neat things to do with rocks. My blog friend Shelley mentioned scripture rocks. I'm going to make some of these for my garden and my desk at work. I have some favorite short verses that will work perfectly!

I found this little cutie when I searched for painted rocks on Etsy. I love how pretty she looks nestled in the fern. She has some cousins too! You can see them here.


Take a look at these beauties. Warm & toasty little rocks. They're also on Etsy ~ there's a lovely selection of rock photos to see. You can also see more of this artist's work on her blog. There's a lot of inspiration there!!




Off to the rock store I go! Actually, we've got a store called The Stone Store. I'll have to check it out!

Random Monday Memories

During the Christmas season of 1975, I worked at Crowley's department store in Detroit, Michigan. I worked in the stationary/gift section of the store. We sold date planners, umbrellas, key chains, books, radios, etc. We also sold "Pet Rocks". We sold a lot of them! They cost $3.95 and we could not keep them in stock!

The rocks were nestled in packing straw inside a small cardboard box, similar to a pet carrier. A "Pet Rock Training Manual", with instructions on how to properly raise and care for one's new pet was included.

Wives bought them for husbands, employees bought them for their bosses, parents bought them for their children, boys bought them for their girlfriends. It was crazy! I did not get it at all!

"Pet Rocks" originated with a man named Gary Dahl. They were a fad for about six months and they made him a millionaire.

I never owned a pet rock ~ I thought they were VERY silly! Silly or not ~ I sure wish I had thought of them first!!

Update!!

Kaaren from The Painted Quilt will be receiving the quilt patterns. If you visit her you'll see that they've found the perfect home! Hopefully she'll give us a peek at the first one she finishes!

Sharing ~ I've Got Too Much Stuff

I spent about six hours going through things in my storage room today (barely made a dent by the way). I have a pick up from Purple Heart next week, I'm having a yard sale in April and I'm hoping to open an Etsy shop someday ~ so there's been a whole lot of sorting going on! A pile here, a pile there and yet another pile over there! Then I thought of a fourth pile to make. A pile to share with my friends ~ including my blog friends.

So here's the first thing I'm offering.....just for the asking! Two sets of miniature quilt patterns by Tomorrow's Heirlooms. Each set has instructions for twelve little quilts ranging in size from 6 inches to 9 inches. Left click to get a better look.

Soooooooooo ~ if you're interested please comment here. The first comment will receive the patterns. It's fun to share things I no longer need with someone who does ~ need them, that is!

Springtime's Coming!

I received my March/April issue of Victoria magazine yesterday. It's full of Spring! I haven't had time to read through it but I did have some time to enjoy the section called Reader to Reader. Magazine readers were encouraged to share "the signs they look for that indicate springtime is finally on its way".

I loved what Ty Walker of Springfield, Missouri said.....

As the days grow longer and the darkness of winter fades a little each week, my heart begins to lift with thoughts of light and warmth. Even my bones seem to crackle and pop as I, along with the good earth, begin to thaw. And every year, upon seeing my first little robin, I joyfully whisper, "We made it!"

~~~~~~~~~

I like winter ~ but I think that this year I'm quite ready for springtime to arrive!

Thank you to The Graphic Fairy for the Robin ~ see my right sidebar for a link.

Spreading some Good News

I was reading through my blog roll today and got to Diane Knott's blog ~ I was intrigued by her post title ~ it said "Spread Some Good News On Your Blog Today".

Here's Diane's challenge to all of us.

"Pass it on today! Spread some GOOD NEWS!

The only way we will get through these bad times is to focus on the positive

and there is more positive than negative."

Here's one bit of good news that I found:

"Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly rebounded in January.....providing a glimmer of hope for the recession-hit economy.
January's increase in retail sales was the biggest since November 2007."

This is good news!

We need to keep our focus on good and positive things. Of course, we need to deal with the other stuff too. But we don't need to dwell on it.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Now speaking of good....it was another good mail day! I received a giveaway prize from Diane!! She was giving away prints of her artwork and I am the lucky recipient of one of them!! Diane also included some sheet music and two pretty tags. Lucky me!

I love all the prints in Diane's giveaway ~ but I have to admit I had a couple preferences. The strawberry print was one of them. I think I have a frame that will suit this perfectly!
Thanks so much Diane!

Lovely Mail

Over the past two weeks I've received some wonderful things in the mail. I thought I would share my goodies with you!

My blog friend Kathryn, from Australia, sent me some beautiful, shabby chic treats! There's a pretty tissue holder ~ perfect for my purse ~ and a key chain that I'll hang on my bulletin board. Left click on this photo to see a close up of the postcard she included. It features her sweet little Matryoshka dolls.

My favorite piece is this pretty wristlet bag ~ I LOVE it!

Everything came packaged in a shabby chic drawstring bag!

Kathryn even included a chenille stuffed bunny for my grandbabies! Charlotte loves the blue ribbon that Kathryn used for the bunny's bow! She also sent me a tiny koala ~ he's clipped to my refrigerator and he reminds me to pray for my new friend, her family and her country. Australia, as I'm sure you know, has had a lot going on lately and they definitely need our thoughts and prayers.

Towards the end of last week I received the goodies I ordered from "The Little Pink Studio" . Cerri has some wonderful treasures for sale. I bought some cute little girl stickers, some silk ribbon and velvet flowers and a little bundle of dotted swiss fabric.





Look at the little button and chocolate bar that she included. They say "Everybody needs a Little Pink" ~ how cute is that!





I did a swap with my blog friend Kimberly ~ she lives in Canada. She sent me bibs for my grandbabies!! I love them and I love her packaging for them! They're called Brown Bag Bibs. Kimberly decorates a bag with matching fabric and presents the bib inside of it. She sent me four ~ two girly bibs for Charlotte and Penelope, a sporty bib for Elijah and a red & white maple leaf print to remind me of my new friend to the north! Look at the little card she included ~ it's a photograph of a chair and some brown bags. I need to make some kind of personalized notes for myself!




Here's Charlotte modeling her bib ~ but it looks like she's eyeing the mermaid bib, which is the one I chose for Penelope. Maybe I'll have them share.

Finally, I received a sweet note from my dear friend Tisha. We go to the same church but have managed to miss seeing each other for a couple weeks. She sent me this just to let me know she was thinking of me. She is a watercolor artist and this little note is a painting of a butterfly bush ~ it's probably growing in her backyard! Bill bought me one of her watercolors for Christmas. It's a nest and it's beautiful. I'll have to try and photograph it so I can show it to you all.

Mail is seldom much fun around here. It's mostly junk mail and bills with a few magazines thrown in to keep it interesting. But the past two weeks have been delightful! Thanks to each of these women for sharing their talents with me! It made me smile!
Charlotte was here while I was taking pictures of all my goodies and she was smiling too!

Watch the Birdie!

I wish this little photo did justice to the original pencil drawing. I found the pencil drawing at a thrift store several years ago. It's 16x20 in size and it's beautifully drawn. I would have liked to scan it for you all ~ but my scanner isn't large enough ~ and it's framed and hanging in my bathroom!

It's the sweetest little bird ~ and did you notice the tiny ladybug sitting on the broken tree stump?

Please left click to enlarge and right click to save it for your own if you'd like.

Baby Einstein

Elijah and Charlotte love to watch baby Einstein on Gramma's laptop!

Shall we say intent ~ focused ~ hypnotized!

I Finally Did it!

Dare I say....I'm almost embarrassed to admit it....I finally took down my Christmas tree. I'm so glad it's down. I love to get the Christmas stuff put away and re-arrange the furniture a little bit. I love to put back some of my favorite things that get packed up at Christmas time.

These two little pillows are a couple of my favorites ~ I really hope I take "simplify" to heart this year.

This is one of my favorite little groupings in my living room. The little bird is my second favorite "fat bird". My first favorite is my profile picture. The little red berry tree is a candle I found at a thrift store years ago.

When I took the tree down I also took the snowman off my front door ~ this is the new door sign. I just found it at Homegoods ~ I think it looks pretty good. I think it will look even better after I paint the front door ~ I think it's going to be barn red.

I love all the great decorating ideas I find here in the land of blog. One thing I've really loved seeing is the transformation of thrift store finds using black paint. I think I'm going to try out some black paint on this little chair.......




.......and on this reproduction cranberry picker. I think I'm going to love the outcome. I'll post some pictures when I get them done.

Update: Nordstrom

See this empty bag? It's the only thing I found on Saturday that had anything to do with Nordstrom. I found it on the internet. It represents the "nothing" that I found in the store. Guess I'll have to go again. Spending this giftcard is going to be very challenging!!

Random Monday Memories

Since they were young, my children have always chosen their own dessert for their birthday celebration. The seldom (if ever) chose a cake. We've had birthday pie, birthday brownies, birthday cookies and even birthday jello. But the most popular choice by far has always been BIRTHDAY DONUTS!

HE is able

He is able more than able

To accomplish what concerns me today

He is able more than able

To handle anything that comes my way

He is able more than able

To do much more than I could ever dream

He is able more than able

To make me what He wants me to be

~~~~~~~

I was reminded of this in a powerful way today ~ the Lord wants me to be more than I am right now. He wants something better for me in a particular area of my life ~ and He is more than able to make a way for it to be accomplished.

I was reminded of this today ~ and I needed it.

I was reminded of His plans for me ~ I was reminded of hope and a future.

God is good.......