Decking the Halls

So how about a spin around the living room?



The tree. I love love love ornaments so it's full, I know. But like I said, I love it.

A few ornaments . . .



A vintage inspired beauty I made this year at the craft party. These are my favorite kinds to make. I have a whole box of dresdens, foil leaves, pretty tinsel and rhinestones in anticipation of making more.



Another handmade ornament from the party this year. I bleached the bottle brush tree, hot glued it into a small glass ball and made a hanger around the top with wire. It is decorated with beads cut from plastic bead garland and Martha Stewart mica flake glitter. Oh and more tinsel trim, of course.



My favorite recent vintage ornament find, a very intricate felt donkey. Isn't he the best? I just adore him.



And a sweet little girl made by Shara last year. This is the first year she's been on my tree since I was at my Mom's over the holiday last year.



And my house is never complete without a festive bar. I love vintage Culver glass wear and mix it with more modern red Lenox glasses. I wish I could have cocktail parties a la the 1950s. :)



And a rather sad display of the glittered churches (there is a silver one off to the left) I found for a song at Target after Christmas last year. They are lovely all lit up but need a better display place next year, I think. More bleached bottle brush trees glued into glittered wooden spools, too.

We are off to Baltimore tomorrow. Have a safe and VERY MERRY Christmas! I'm looking forward to some major Goodness over here in 2011. :)

xoxoxo ~ Rebecca

More Goodness

The rest of the ornaments arrived from the Goodness Girls just proving again why our annual ornament swap is my favorite!



First up from Jodi is this adorable plaque with vintage postcard image. Red? Glittery? Vintage? Perfect!

Then this package from Leigh Ann came the next day:



Her love of Texas shows!



A cute vintage cowgirl blue bell! I tried to photograph this one on the tree but this picture looked a lot better.

And then yesterday Heidi's ornament arrived:



Don't you just love it?



Clever and adorable!

Thank you girls, yet again your ornaments are some of my favorites and will have places of honor on my tree.

And remember when I posted the dresses that I made for this year's ornament and said I got the idea from The Felt Mouse? Here is the link to her original creations. Thanks, Jen!

I hope to be back to post before the holiday!

ho ho ho
Rebecca

Magic Holiday Mushrooms & New Party Dresses

My favorite swap of the year, the one I never miss even if I'm in a cast or so busy that I can't see straight is the annual Goodness Girls Christmas Ornament Swap. It's a small swap with only 5 members, myself, Jodi, Shara, Heidi and Leigh Ann. Basically the girls who come together to organize and execute the swaps at Sweet Goodness Swaps. While this year our swaps over there have been limited I was happy that were still able to do our swap of ornaments with each other.

The first ornament arrived yesterday:



From Shara, the queen of the cutest packaging! So what's inside? I was hoping that tiny mushroom was an indicator and I was right!



Toadstools! I collect ornaments, I guess, and I love unusual ones and toadstools are high on my list. Though it seems they are not so unusual in Germany where they are considered good luck and there is one of every tree.



The felt one is hand made by Shara and is already one of my favorites.



The tiny glass one is just adorable! The gum drop toadstools have mysteriously disappeared. Hmm . . .

Thank you, Shara, I love them!

So what did I make? Since they should have arrived to everyone by now, I'll share. I decided to step out of my normal realm of crafting (read: PAPER) and made each of the girls a new party dress:



Each one is slightly different and were so fun to make!



I can't take total credit for the idea. Many years ago my friend Jennifer at The Felt Mouse made similar dress forms for a bachlorette party. She shared her source and I ordered the forms and they've been sitting gathering dust for more than 3 years! I looked on Jennifer's blog but cannot locate the original post. I'll keep looking!

More to come on the other fabulous Goodness Girl Ornaments!

The January List & Holiday Fun

I'm so behind on everything this year including making my January list. Every year at the holidays I make a list of all of those things I really want to do but won't have time to get into until January. Some things on the list this year so far:

1 - Sew new curtains for the kitchen
2 - paint the porch
3 - work on my doll house
4 - organize the pantry

Anyone out there have a January list? This is short for me. lol

We headed into Manhattan on Saturday to take in some holiday goodness.



Ice skating in Bryant Park . . .



We just watched from the side lines. :)

We also saw this:



Charmin put potties in Times Square! You should have seen the line! There was a man outside dressed like a toilet. It was hilarious and honestly, a fabulous idea! Finding a bathroom in the city can be challenging. My husband says he's going to write a book of all the best places to pee in Manhattan. I'm sure we'll be rich. Hmm.

I'm trying to get everything done and not lose the fun of Christmas. I hate when it gets too overwhelming that it's more annoying than jolly. I have some hand made ornaments to share but want to make sure they arrive at their new homes before spoiling the surprise. :) I'm also knitting which is just amazing since I just haven't been inspired lately. Now hopefully I can finish up a few things before the holiday. Wish me luck!

~RR

The weather outside is . . . COLD.

I know it's December and it's supposed to be cold but for some reason it's really getting to me this year. It must be my new metal ankle which is crazy achy in the morning. How does the Terminator do it, I wonder?

Anyway, enough of that. I got my cast off last Thursday just in time to accompany my friend Catherine to our annual rummage sale day outing. I missed it last year because I was out of town so it was nice to get to go again this year. My finds weren't spectacular but it was a fun day with good company. So what did I find?



I love this sweet deer planter. It had some ugly plaid ribbon around the neck and was stuffed with red and green shreds. She'll be getting a make over soon. I'm thinking pale blue and pink with something sparkly. (of course)



An old book of road maps. These are practically obsolete these days and I've been looking for one to use in various projects like scrapbooking. Won't it make for great backgrounds in a mini travel book?



Usually I find vintage ornaments at this sale but the only thing I scored this year were these two made in Japan dresdens. They are in pretty bad shape but I bought them to take apart for other projects anyway. I scored some other things to use in crafts like some acorns someone painted gold plus a few household items like a new thermal mug and some tins. After the sale we headed to the thrift store.



I love finding bags of old crafty stuff. Can you guess what really drew me to toss this bag of goodies in my cart?



Those are old glass Alka Seltzer bottles full of sequins. I couldn't resist.



I also picked up this pretty old pink jewelry box. I've been collecting pieces of old jewelry to make my own charm bracelets for awhile now and thought this would be a great place to store my supplies:



Good fit, no?



This is 7 yards of a fun old Waverly ship print. I already have an idea for this which I'll share later as it's a gift. And last but not least . . .



A red flocked apron. I just love this and it is definitely going on my apron hook in the kitchen. It's one of my favorite finds of the day.

I'm so glad Catherine invited me, it was nice to get out, find some fun things and catch up with a good friend. I'm chopping away at my HUGE holiday list. I made a few ornaments this year and will share them soon. In the mean time please stop by my latest article at The Examiner about some fun handmade ornament ideas HERE. I'm so behind in my writing and was hoping to share more holiday crafts. Oh and it doesn't hurt that they are running a contest for some cool prizes and the more you write the better your chance to win. :)

Wow, I'm full of the babble today, aren't I? Until the next time . . .

~RR

Hanging in . . .

Hello strangers! I'm off to the doctor to hopefully get this wretched cast off my foot. I'm so raring to go I can't sleep! So I'll be back next week with some cute ornaments we made at the annual craft party and to pick your brains about handmade holiday gift ideas.

missing you all . . . Rebecca

The Worst Luck

Sigh . . . I'm back on crutches. AGAIN. I was hit by a car in the parking lot of the grocery store last week. I was in a cross walk with a stop sign and the driver did not stop. He claimed not to see me but it turns out he didn't have a license and most likely no insurance. So needless to say I'll be going on hiatus. I hope to be back to blogging and crafting after Thanksgiving. I have a broken foot and feel, well, like I got hit by a car. it's really not too bad and I'm trying to stay positive. Hopefully I'll be able to do some knitting while healing.

Hope you are all safe and well!

hugs ~ Rebecca

Pick Up Sticks

As you know, I've been lacking in the crafty department lately. For some reason I just can't seem to focus. I spend more time staring off into space (or at the TV) instead of creating and it's driving me crazy! My new job takes up a lot of time and I know that is factor but come on! I need to get in gear, right?

While at the retreat in Los Angeles I had some time to myself one morning while Luis was attending the business meeting portion. It was a little over cast so I parked myself on the terrace with my Nook and figured to fill a few hours reading. I'd only been sitting there a few moments when someone asked me if I liked my Nook. Enter Heli, my new BFF.


Heli on the left, me on the right, heading to a nice dinner the night we met.

Heli's husband also won the trip and was in the business meeting as well. She and her family live in Nashville and we get along like a house on fire. She reads, she knits, she crochets . . . oh yes, she is like me but Southeast! :)

We spent the rest of the week together enjoying the dinners, spa and pool with the husbands in tow (who bonded over a water slide adventure) and were sad to say goodbye at the end of the weekend. Fortunately we have email, texting and Facebook and all that good social networking to keep in touch. We hope to visit each other as well. I can't wait!

I helped Heli learn to knit cables in about 2 minutes by the pool fire pit one night. She picked it up so quickly and has already made an adorable cabled Nook cover. Inspired by my new BFF I pulled out some knitting books and got to work:



I've been wanting to make this giraffe forever and the first thing that caught my eye in the yarn bin was some lovely orange cotton. So I drug out the DPNs and got to work. I hope to share my finished toy soon. I also hope that my inspiration lingers and I finish the oh two or FIVE half done knitting projects laying around here as well.

So thank you BFF for getting me back in crafty form. I miss you!

cheers ~ rr

California . . . knows how to party . . .

Hello all! I think my jet lag is gone but I'm still missing my luxurious vacation at Terranea in Los Angeles. Luis was one of the top salesmen at his company last year and was rewarded this with fabulous trip. We had a great time! They had a lot of fun events plus a spa day. Oh yes, a SPA DAY. Mmm hmmm. As I still haven't jumped back on the craft wagon I thought I'd share some photos from our trip.



This was Luis' first trip to the west coast and he couldn't wait to put his feet in the Pacific Ocean.



The resort was built into the cliffs and every where you looked was beautiful.



The view from our balcony. Luis spent most of his trip in the pool and hot tubs. :)



Luis was recognized at a big banquet and I got to buy a new dress! It was a very fancy affair.



I could have sat in the beach cove all day. We have very fond memories of our vacation and I'm crossing my fingers that Luis will win the trip again! I made a fantastic new friend while I was there but that is a story for another post. :)

Check out my article at the Examiner on last minute Halloween party ideas from One Charming Party HERE.

ciao!
~RR

Back to Reality

Sigh . .  we're back from sunny(ish) California and I'm still dreaming of turn down service and cocktails by the pool. But alas, it's time to get back to reality and head back to work. This weekend starts my drive to the holidays and I plan to be go, go, go through the end of the year. I am way behind my regular schedule of holiday shopping and gift making. I like to start early so once the holidays arrive I have time to actually enjoy them. So I'm on a mission to get things organized and rolling. I also hope to finally visit the Connecticut flea market on Halloween morning. I haven't been at all this year and there are only a few weekends left!

I'll be back tomorrow with more photos to share and to pick your brains about some holiday ideas like gifts to make, ornaments for the craft party and more.

Love to knit or crochet? Lion Brand has their premier yarns on sale for 20% off. Check out my article HERE.

Hugs!

Get crafty with Fabric Remix

Visit my review and mini-interview with Sandy Stone, author of Fabirc Remix, Repurpose & Redecorate with Simple Sewing and Easy Upholstery HERE. Thank you for your support!

I'm off to Los Angeles for a few days then it's down to business! I really need to get in gear for the holidays. :)

fondly ~ Rebecca

Book Reviews - Get your craft on!

Hello all,

I'm still waiting for my crafty mojo to come back from vacation so to stoke the fires I ordered some new books from Amazon.

Fabric Remix - Sandy Stone

Fabric Remix has loads of projects using repurposed fabrics. Sandy Stone is a woman after my own heart. She loves to shop estate sales ad flea markets and make the old new again. My favorite project is a dog bed made from a rug. It's really cute and would probably last longer than the beds I buy which seem to end up super flat in no time. :) I've been emailing with Sandy about an interview at the Examiner so I'll be able to share more about her inspirations and future projects soon!

The photos are nice and the instructions are pretty good, too, though I haven't tried anything yet. I do think you have to have "an eye" for old fabrics to get the same sort of results. I do love that pom-pom fringe covered ottoman on the cover though Sandy states that it does take some time to attach all that trim but worth the effort. :)

Tilda's Christmas Ideas - Tone Finnanger

I know you're probably tired of hearing me babble about my love of Tilda books but the latest edition is just as sweet as the others. It's a short one, with a few new Christmas projects, and is priced around $6.00. If you haven't tried any Tilda projects yet, this is a good place to start due to the price and the few projects to choose from.

As always, the pictures are gorgeous and it's printed on large lovely matte paper which appeals to the fiber lover in me. There are the cute santas on the cover plus pixies in a similar fashion, sweet little stuffed snowmen (which are shown under shabby dessert cloches!) and the cutest vintage ice skate/boot stocking which will be my first holiday project this year. Tilda books always make me want to drag out the sewing machine! Check out my article on the book HERE at the Examiner.

Fa La La La Felt - Amanda Carestio

If you love crafting with felt, this book is for you! It's a collection of fun projects that range from easy to slightly difficult though I don't think there is anything too intense in here. I think this would be good for some projects with kids as felt is easy to deal with and they can decorate with all sorts of fun embellishments.

I love the stuffed trees on the cover but I think my favorite project are the cute little Christmas pudding ornaments made from soda bottle caps! Cute AND clever. They are definitely on my list for crafting this year. Depending on the ease of the project I may include them in my upcoming annual Christmas Crafting Tea that I hostess with my Mom. I also love the peppermint candy garland and the felt doves perched on hinge clothes pins to clip on your tree. There are a lot of other projects in the book and you can read more in the review I posted HERE on the Examiner.

So this is where I'm going to get some of my holiday inspiration. I also got out my collection of knitting and crochet magazines hoping to get the spark to start a new gift. Lately I've just been tired and blah and honestly, I'm sick of it! Time to get holly jolly, don't you think? Do you have any tips for getting in the crafty mood?

Fondly ~ Rebecca

4th Annual Mochimochi Photo Contest

 

Any knitters out there? Check out the contest at Mochimochi Land! More details here!

New Thrift Store!

How excited am I that the new thrift store I visited this weekend is actually a GOOD one? Oh . . . very excited. I'd been hearing radio spots for Unique Thrift Store for a few weeks. It wasn't too far away and they were having 50% off of everything at their grand opening sale. Of course I was skeptical of any thrift store that advertises. Plus it's attached to one of those dealer type flea markets that just isn't my thing. But since I was headed out anyway and it wasn't too far our of the way I decided to check it out. I'm so glad I did! It's huge and priced like a regular thrift store and not an antique store. It's well organized and has dressing rooms which is very helpful when purchasing clothes. My total bill was $22. What did I find?



While there wasn't too much vintage I was very happy to find these sweet cake toppers. Most likely these will end up on Etsy but I'll keep a few for myself.



This is a nice linen table cloth that has both cross stitch and a crocheted border.



I also found the nice apron in the back, two little black bags and a handful of DMC Perle Cotton.



These are just some of the misc. things I picked up. Not shown are two puzzles, another vintage corsk screw and some spools of ribbon.



Two of my favorite finds were found last minute in a basket of jewelry right at the register. Regularly priced at 69 cents each, I was happy to snag this vintage Monet tassle necklace and a ridiculously cute pink tug boat barrette.

Will I be going back? Oh you betcha. This store is much closer than the one I usually go to and the prices, even without the 50% off, are better.

Please take moment to check out my latest article HERE. Rebecca Henry at Pink Pearl Studio shares  instructions on making an adorable vintage style Halloween Banner. If you have Halloween crafts to share, please drop me a line! I'd love to feature them.

cheers ~ RR

Halloween Crown Swap Part 2

I was so excited to come home to a box waiting for me yesterday. My crown from Samantha had arrived!



Isn't it gorgeous? Made from chicken wire, ribbon, vintage images and flowers. I've always wanted to make a wire crown but haven't tried it yet. Now I have my very own! I love how it looks on the pumpkin. I will get a shot of me wearing it as soon as I get rid of the cold I'm nursing, I'm looking rather wretched lately, lol.



I love the little party girl there on the top.



The vintage pumpkin and October 31st are adorable, too. I requested a "sweet" crown and she got it perfect!



Samantha also included a cute glittery BOO banner. There was a glittery owl, too, but some how he didn't make it into the photo! I think he's off there to the left. lol

Thank you so much, Samanatha! I love it. My craft room is filled with creations from all the talented ladies I've met over the years and the crown will have a place of honor. :)

I loved this swap so much I'm considering hosting my own crown swap. Maybe fall themed? Or holiday? For some reason Ice Princess is screaming my name. :) Anyone interested?

xoxoxo ~ Rebecca

We have a winner . . .

Hello all! Thank you for entering my Halloween give away. The winner is . . .  comment #2! Rebecca at Pink Pearl Studio! Check out her Halloween banner! It's sure to get you in the creating mood. :)

Rebecca - send me an email with your address so I can get your package in the mail right away!

I wish I had a project to share but I must admit that I've been very lazy lately! Isn't that awful? You sit around wishing you had more time and then you just sit around. Oy. So how about some projects I would LIKE to make?

From the last issue of Somerset Home:







I love all three of these projects! Especially that Shabby Union Jack pillow. Love the vintage measuring tape looking trim. The little bird in the wreath on the cover is cute, too, and wouldn't they be cute Christmas ornaments? And the tassel is just shear whimsy. Love it. Now if only my crafty mojo would return. If you find it hiding under your sofa, please tell it to come home immediately.

cheers ~ RR