A Hint of Spring

First of all, I have to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my big sister... Happy Birthday Lisa! Sorry I didn't get to actually talk to you today. Hope you had a fun birthday.

Spring is finally here, the backyard is almost dry so the dogs can run free without getting absolutely covered in mud...yippee! We're getting ready to leave for 8 days for spring break but instead of getting ready for the trip all I seem to want to do is create. Here are some of the things I've been working on...

A little inspiration...

This heart was inspired by Julie Collings...I got the little velvety flowers from her esty shop.

I found some great vintage candles in an antique shop and a few more boxes were purchased from a shop on Etsy (http://www.gatinhasp.etsy.com/). I'm working on making some birthday cards to put in my Etsy shop.

I love to sew on little projects while watching a little TV in the evenings but I have to drag all my sewing stuff from my "studio" to the living room...back and forth...back and forth...so I purchased this adorable vintage sewing basket from VintageGoodness (http://www.vintagegoodness.etsy.com/). It smells very badly of cigarette smoke so I'm trying to air it out before stocking it full of my favorite sewing items. I decorated it with some of my wool strawberries from my shop.
I've been thinking about dragging all the Easter decorations out of storage but haven't taken the plunge. This little primitive bunny is the closest thing to decorating...he's holding one of my favorite vintage millinery flowers. I made him last year but can't bear to put him away with the rest of the decorations so he has a permanent spot on one of my lamp tables.
I almost didn't buy this little metal box when I spotted it at Goodwill a few weeks back. After I did buy it I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. I embellished it very simply because I just love the patina and the antique look of the metal so wanted to leave it as bear as possible but still make it pretty. I put a bunch of my vintage birthday candles and vintage millinery in it for safe keeping.

I hope everyone has a terrific week. My step-father is coming in from Texas on Thursday to stay with Bantha and Trixie and we're heading to Orlando on Friday...can't wait! I think the dogs know we're leaving them though because they're following us around and constantly under foot, I'm a little worried about them and a little sad to leave them. I wonder if rescue dogs are more fearful of being left because they were previously abandoned?

18 Birthdays

I can't believe it's been a whole month since I last posted. I've been busy doing some crafty things that I'm going to try to get published. Emphasis on try.
I've also been busy finishing up Shelby's 18 Birthdays book before she graduates and leaves me. It was so fun and I absolutely love working with paper bags and fabric...I love the feel of fabric sewn to paper and I love the sound it makes when the pages are flipped, especially when they're loaded with all sort of vintage goodies. I know, a little strange huh?

Anyway, I was planning on sending this in to one of the crafty publishers but decided against it because it's so chunky and big and I didn't want to risk something happening to it so it'll just stay put. Here's the result...

The insert for birthday number three has only writing...I copied what I had written in her baby book all those years ago because nobody...and I mean nobody...seems to have any pictures of her third birthday. I wonder what we were all doing???

This is a big tag decorated on both sides that's been tucked in the opening of the paper bag.

Here is another

big tag decorated on both sides that's been tucked in the opening of the paper bag.

No tag yet for her 18th birthday since she her birthday isn't until July. It's made and ready to decorate though so I won't have to do much work to finish it up.

Here's a little peek at some other things I've been creating to send in to be (hopefully) published. If not I guess they'll end up in my Etsy store.

Ok...I'm off to work on some goodies for my store.