My Desert Cottage

Having problems with your comments????

2012-01-22T14:45:00.001-07:00

Happy Sunday my friends!! I have received a lot of emails from clients with the same issue on their blogs so I thought I would do a quick post to share some info with everyone. Are you having problems with your posts jumping straight to the comments instead of allowing readers to read the post first?? This is because Blogger has recently added a new feature for our comments on our blogs. Unfortunately they didn't get all the bugs worked out first!! If you are using the Pop-Up box or the Full Page for comments this is not an issue for you, but if you are using the comments embedded below the post, then you may be having this issue. Currently, if you leave your settings the way they are, there is no fix for this, but I'm sure the folks at Blogger are working on it. In the mean time.... if you go to Settings > Comments and then choose the Pop-Up Box option instead of Embed below posts, it will fix the problem until Blogger fixes it permanently. Once they fix it, you can switch back to embed below posts if you want to. The new feature allows people (and yourself) to respond directly to a specific comment left on your post. I hope that helps any one who is having this problem!!!

Christie Repasy at Sweet Salvage

2012-01-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Cindy, Christie, and Me

I know you all must be thinking... does she ever post about anything other than Sweet Salvage?? Well, yes, I do... but I suppose my posts have been a little lacking this month! That being said, I think I am one of Sweet Salvage's biggest fans. Every month is treat for the eyes and this month was no exception. I was so happy to bring my friend Cindy from Lillys Lace with me this month. Cindy came over from Texas to visit me and I promised I would take her to this months sale. Their very special guest was the extremely talented Christie Repasy. She was very sweet and her beautiful artwork was every where.

Aren't these just lovely???

Here in Az. we are having Spring like weather and it is reflected in all lovely Spring vignettes.

This wire cloche came home with me!! WooHoo!! I have been looking for one that I could afford forever and this one was perfect!

I love all the silver platters and trays.

Cindy was drooling over this lace panel window frame and if she could have fit it in her suitcase it would have gone home with her!!

I have some of this Burlap ribbon and I love it!

Silver and roses... can you say romantic???

Cindy ~~stole~~ got to this cute card before I could. :)

I'm never dissapointed when I go there!! I'll show you the goodies I brought home on the next post. Have a wonderful day my friends!! I'm going to go enjoy the rest of it with my gal pal Cindy!!!!

My First Ad

2012-01-07T16:21:00.001-07:00

Can someone please tell me how almost 3 weeks have gone by since my last post???

I swear they speed up the clocks after 40!!! The holidays were so full of things to do and people to see I don't know how we get it all done! But now, thankfully most of the Christmas is packed away and it's time for a fresh start to what I believe is going to be a wonderful year!

I'm starting off this new year doing something I never thought I would be doing... placing an add in a National magazine!!! But, I took the plunge and the first of two hit the newsstands at the beginning of the month!!

It's not a big ad, but it is nevertheless really fun to see in print, and in one of my favorite magazines to boot! I'm hoping it will bring some new clients that may have not found me other wise. We have to experiment and try new things in life right? You won't know if something works until you try it!!!

I was also so surprised when I opened up the first few pages of the magazine and saw my girls Kim and Katie from Sweet Salvage! They are both so sweet and really deserve the exposure! WooHoo! I love it when good things happen to good people!!

I hope you all had a wonderful start to the new year! I just know it's going to be great!!

Sweet Salvage...Yummy

2011-12-15T15:27:00.001-07:00

Has a month really gone by since the last Sweet Salvage sale?? I can't believe it. One of the things that I find such a bummer is how quickly the Christmas season seems to just fly by!!!

Oh well, the good thing is the time between the sales of great Sweet Salvage merchandise flies by too!

I am so thankful to be able to go and take photos early every month and enjoy the lovely vignettes (and of course the shopping!)

They have lots more of the these great rustic Christmas signs. You can see the one I got last month here.

They have tons of lovely old frames this month...

and some of the coolest industrial pieces I have seen.

I want!!!!

Love this clock!!!

There is such a nice combination of rustic and girly every where in the store.

Word art is everywhere this month and so very cool. I think if I had the room, this piece would have found it's way into my car.

Are you a suitcase lover?? There were lot's to choose from and the prices on everything are just wonderful!

This vignette was so pretty.

Can you tell I'm a fan?? Well yes, I am. I have wanted a shop like this here in the valley for so long, and now here it is in it's 5th month. (Lucky us.) The shop will be open for the next 3 days so be sure to run over there and see what treasures you can find for yourself. (After all, I can't be greedy.) (wink)

Next month, artist Christie Repasy is going to be the special guest there. The theme will be Romancing the Home and I'm sure if there was too much industrial for you this month, next month will be filled with gorgeous girly goodness!!!

Visit the Sweet Salvage blog for all the details!!

See you there next month!!

Tour of my Christmas Home

2011-12-11T22:39:00.008-07:00

Today I am joining The Inspired Room and Jennifer Rizzo for their 2011 Virtual Holiday House parties! Welcome everyone to my holiday home! This is the family room. It is the room we spend most of our time in.

Here in Arizona, fresh greens dry out much to quickly so I settle for artificial ones. I like to mix different kinds of greens to help make the arrangement look more real. I love to collect vintage scales and this one was a recent garage sale find for $6.00!!

The mantle holds my growing collection of bottle brush trees....

and the tree is filled with many handmade ornaments. I love the light flocking on this one. This year it is my favorite tree. (The other one is in the living room) For more details on the trees and ornaments you can go here, or here for an ornament tutorial.

These stocking are a new addition this weekend. I have been inspired by some really neat ones on Pinterest and wanted to create my own. I bought some burlap at Hobby Lobby and I intended to use it, but even after airing it outside for a week it still stunk so badly I settled for a natural cotton duck.

I made tags for myself and my hubby and added a little embellishment to each one. I think I may add a few buttons too, but I'm letting them be for now.

Some of my vintage style snowmen.

The sign and the pillow are new additions this year. I absolutely love the new wall art with all the great words on them. I have always had a thing for the written word so these were right up my alley. The sign was a recent purchase from my November visit to Sweet Salvage. The pillow I bought on Etsy. I painted the words white and added the trim.

This is the view from the fireplace. I have a collection of brown transferware plates that is spread all over the house.

My garland is filled with more handmade ornaments, crystal drops and mercury glass garland.

This is the dining room with a view into the living room.

The chandelier gets dressed with it's own wreath of greens with silver and glass balls and glittery statice and glass ornaments replace the brown transferware creamers that usually hang there.

The centerpiece overflows with vintage silver ornaments,

and a little greenery dresses up the buffet where I showcase my collection of green and white transferware.

The living room through an old window.

The tree has a bird and icicle theme.

I like to do something a little different for the tree topper so I hung several handmade paper snowflakes that were covered in glitter from the ceiling. This is the only plus to having an old popcorn ceiling... no holes later!

I love my snowflake garland.

I've been collecting them for many years.

At night the light in the garland sparkle and shine...

and during the day, the light from outside shines through all the crystal and glass and is so pretty.

The altered bottle angels I made sit here on the table,

and the coffee table gets a little snowy greenery.

Well that's the tour of my home this year. Sometimes I do the bedroom too, but I just didn't have it in me this year! I hope you enjoyed it. Now I'm off to go check out all the other homes tours over at Jennifer Rizzo's! Merry Christmas to all!!!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree....

2011-12-08T19:10:00.003-07:00

Today I am joining Honey at 2805 for a Christmas tree blog party and Debra's Common Ground for a Vintage Christmas Inspiration blog party. I have two trees to share with you today and a few tips on how to make your Christmas trees even more fabulous than they already are.

This is the tree in my Family Room. I have an old wooden trunk I use to put it in. This year I wrapped it in a big burlap ribbon with a bow. Sometimes I have a hard time photographing the tree so you can really see the ornaments with the lights on so here is a pic with the lights off...

A large percentage of the ornaments are handmade.

I like it to have a warm fuzzy feeling ...

So I use ornaments that have that "days gone by" feel. I also have small frames that I use to put pics of all the dogs we've had (and have) on the tree. They are not "ornaments" per say, but just small frames with an easel back that I stick on the branches. (Having an artificial tree really is a plus in this case.)

I like to make sure there are plenty of lights deep inside the tree as well as on the outside.

It really makes the tree glow nicely.

I made these two ornaments with mine and my hubby's initials...

Another handmade ornament. If you missed the pics of the other ornaments you can find that post here . And if you missed the post where I did my pipe cleaner ornament tutorial you can find that post here.

In addition to handmade ornaments I also use alot of the glass balls that you can get at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. They are inexpensive, and really help to fill in the tree. Rather than hanging them one by one from ornament hooks, I group 3 of them on a pipe cleaner and wire them to the top of the branches.

I love drippy things. (You will see a lot of this on this tour.) Nothing sparkles as much as crystals and glass on a tree. These are hanging down from almost every branch.

I also like to hang unusual items in the tree. It makes it much more interesting and love hearing visitors say things like.. "Hey! There are dishes in your tree!!"

This is the tree in the Living room. I try every year to get away with only doing one tree now, but my hubby is spoiled! He loves the decorations so much he's not happy if both trees aren't up!!

To create the "snow" I took quilt batting and rolled the edges under. Then I sprayed it with spray glue and sprinkled diamond dust all over it. Then I just laid the pieces on the branches.

This tree has a bird theme. It is covered with as many glass icicles as I can put on it. They really sparkle at night.

This tree also has handmade ornaments on it, although I still need to make a lot more. I just add to it every year, because eventually I run out of steam!

I found some wonderful twinkle light at Ace Hardware a couple of years ago, so this tree just shimmers!!!

Again, I put things in the tree that are not necessarily "ornaments" In this case there several birdhouses wired into the tree.

I made a nest out of grapevine, shredded music sheets, cheesecloth, and tinsel. Then I painted and speckled some cardboard eggs.

I hope you enjoyed a peak at my trees. Here are the tips I learned from a great teacher while working at his design studio/store during the holidays.

1. Make sure there are plenty of lights inside the tree as well as outside. It will really make a difference to the finished look.

2. Place ornaments deep inside the tree too. Most trees have open space where you can see inside. By placing ornaments within the center of the tree you will give it a lot more depth.

3. Vary the size of your ornaments. Don't be afraid to put big things in there, especially if you use an artificial tree. If your tree is real, just secure them well and place them closer to the center for more support. Trees can look kind of one dimensional if all the ornaments are close to the same size.

4. Use "unusual" ornaments in your tree. Books, picture frames, watering cans.. anything that goes with the theme or look you are trying to create.

Don't use the string that comes attached to most ornaments. Instead snip it off and use wire or a pipe cleaner to attach the ornament as close to the branch as possible. If you can't see the hanger it looks so much nicer.

5. If you have a pre-lit tree and one or more of the strands goes out, it's not a lost cause. More often than not, this can be fixed. Ace Hardware and Lowe's (and maybe even Home Depot) has a tool just for that. It look like a ray gun, and the ones I've always seen are red. You simply take out one of the bulbs on the bad string of lights and place the zapper into the socket. Click it a couple of times and PRESTO the lights will work again. It has saved me from pulling my hair out more than a few times!!

Well that's it! That's all I've got. I hope you enjoyed the tour and took away something useful to you. Be sure to hop over to 2805 and Debra's Common Ground to see the rest of the beautiful Christmas Trees and Vintage Christmas Inspiration!!

My Christmas Mantle

2011-12-05T22:16:00.005-07:00

Today I am linking up to My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Southern Hospitality and From my Front Porch to Yours for some Christmas Mantle blog parties.

I'm sure there will be some amazing displays to enjoy and I hope you will enjoy mine as well!

(click on photo to enlarge)

I did my mantle a little simpler than in years past. I wanted to show off my collection of bottle brush trees, and really let the garland shine this year.

I used silver tea pots and sugar bowls to hold several of the trees...

...and had to keep the old books there. I just love the way they look.

The garland has handmade ornaments, paper stars, glass garlands and lots of sparkle and hanging baubles.

That's my mantle!! Join me on Friday when I share my two Christmas trees and my top tips for making those trees show stoppers and if you missed my Christmas ornament tutorial click here!

An ornament tutorial for you!

2011-12-03T09:43:00.004-07:00

I love making ornaments!!! It's the one time of year when I can really play with glitter and tinsel and not worry about what I'm going to do with the darn thing after I finish making it!! LOL!

I went to visit my friend Sandy's blog Quill Cottage, after she told me she was going to be doing a new ornament tutorial. Well I ran right over because she has been the biggest inspiration for me when it comes to ornament ideas.

After looking through it, I sat down in the studio and starting playing around with what I learned. At that point my creative muse bumped me on the shoulder and took me in a whole new direction!!

This is the first one I made as I was experimenting. As you can see from later versions, I keep refining the design with each one I make.

This is the second one I made and the one I will be showcasing as I create it in a tutorial for you!!!

Are you ready??

Here is what you will need:

14 silver pipe cleaners

1-2 pieces of scrapbook paper (either thin one-sided or thick double sided) or vintage music sheets,

old book pages, etc...

Silver tinsel

distressing ink pads in brown or black

glue sticks

glue gun

glitter (optional)

stickles glitter glue

crystal or small ornament to hang from the botton

wire cutters

scissors

sewing machine (if you have one)

Start by cutting out 14 four inch squares from scrapbook paper, music sheets or book pages

(If you are using the thicker double-sided scrapbook paper you will only need 7 four inch squares.)

Glue the papers wrong sides together (unless you are using thick double sided paper)

You should now have 7 double sided squares.

Sew a straight line down all the squares diagonally using the largest size stitch on your machine.

If you don't have a machine you can run a thin bead of hot glue diagonally down the center of each square until all 7 layers are fused together in the middle.

Cut the shape of a heart on one side of the diamond...

then fold the top layer over and use it as a template to make the other side match perfectly.

Use your ink pad to "tarnish" the silver pipe cleaners if you want to dull down the finish just a bit and give it a more vintage feel.

Trust me, they still stay pretty sparkly and look beautiful on the tree.

You can also ink the edges of each heart section now if you would like to.

Now run a bead of hot glue down the crease of your heart and place the first pipe cleaner as close to the center as you can.

Continue doing this all around the entire heart shape. As you get nearer to the end getting the pipe cleaners as close to center as possible gets a little harder, so use a popsicle stick to help push the pipe cleaner further into the center.

Now you have a nice handle to hold while

you finish the edges and give it a little more sparkle with glitter glue on the very edge of each section.

(I love Stickles silver and platinum)

Stick the pipe cleaners in a glass or something while the glitter glue dries. (It only takes about a half or or so)

At this point you are probably going to want to cut about 2 " off the top of each pipe cleaner. You'll be able to change the look you get by adjusting this number but for your first one, lets go with 2 inches.

Gently fold the pipe cleaners around the heart and secure at the bottom with a drop of glue from the hot glue gun. Try to keep the pipe cleaners in order as you go around. It's not mandatory but it's nice.

This is what it will look like when they are all attached at the bottom.

Cut a piece of pipe cleaner about 5 inches long for the handle and apply to the center of the ornament.

(On the 3rd one I made, I added a very small Christmas ball to the top before I glued in the handle.

Now thread your bauble through a very short piece of pipe cleaner and using hot glue, secure it to the bottom of the ornament.

These are the icicles I use, but when they come out of the package they are very straight and new looking.

Pull some out of the package and scrunch and roll it around between your palms until it's all scrunched and messy.

Now pull it all apart and see how much better it looks!

Add some to the top and bottom and you are done!!!

This was the third one I did. For this one I cut out hearts of sheet music and glued them front and back to each of the seven squares before I sewed them together. Then, after the heart shape was all cut out I very lightly painted Modge Podge to the blue cardstock and gave it a nice coating of Martha Stewart's fine crystal glitter.

I hope you enjoyed my little tutorial! I know I'm a day late but I'm linking up with Debra at Common Ground for her Vintage Inspiration Friday and also Deck The Halls Sunday at Artful Affirmations. I hope you will all go and visit them and all the other great inspiring links!

A glitter bomb went off in my studio!!!

2011-11-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

I've been working like a crazy person trying to juggle work, husband, housework, garden maintenance and studio time. As a result... the typical cleaning that happens between projects is NOT happening. It looks like a tinsel and glitter bomb went off in there!!!!

Here are just a few of the ornaments I've been making for my tree....

Its finally getting to the place were I want it to be. Every year I seem to run out of steam and never seem to make all the things I want to. Now of course I've discovered Pinterest and the overwhelming amount of ideas is just adding more pressure!!! LOL!!!

I hope you are all having fun creating for your holiday!!!

Sweet Salvage for me!!!!!

2011-11-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling when you walk into a new shop and your heart starts pounding with excitement because you know you are going to find wonderful goodies??

Today was the day for Sweet Salvage's monthly occasional sale here in Phoenix. This has become a day I look forward to every month because the displays are always so inspiring and the merchandise is always fabulous. It's different every time I go! This time Christmas was definitely in the air!!!

I don't know why, but I adore silver balls all gathered together in cool containers!

Magnolia Pearl for the bohemian in all of us!

I think a tree would be fabulous in the baby buggy!

I wanted everything in this suitcase.

Wouldn't that be nice????

I loved the silver bells under this reindeer.

That suitcase almost went home with me.

Spools of yarn and string are functional and beautiful!

We should all do this a lot more.

Fun little goodies were tucked away every where.

I loved these shoes hanging in front of the mirror. Makes me wish I had been a ballerina when I was a child.

That chair was fabulous in person!

Wonderful ribbon that I can't believe I failed to take home with me!!! (and the box is really cool too.)

There's that buggy again!!!

Another great idea for a small tree holder.

Love this...

The skates where awesome and almost came home with me, when one of the girls showed me a child's size pair... those DID come home with me!!!

If you live in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and you love this kind of stuff, RUN to Sweet Salvage on 7th today, tomorrow or Saturday. It is sooo worth it!

Give me a day or two to play with my new goodies, and I'll show you what I bought!

Angels and Snowmen

2011-11-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when I really enjoy being in the studio. I get to make things that I normally wouldn't make the rest of the year. After making the last bottle angel I had so much fun, I had to make her a friend. She got a rusty star ornament for her halo and wooden scrolly wings.

Now I just have to find a place to put them!! (They may wind up staying with me in my studio since I don't really have any Christmas decor in here) Once again she was made from covering an old bottle with old bits of lace and encaustic wax.

I've also been having fun embellishing a "vintage" snowman I got at TJMaxx last week. He was cute, but not exactly what I wanted. His aqua colors just didn't go with the decor of my house and he was... well... just to simple for my taste! So here he is "before"....

And here he is "after." I love the way he turn out! He will be getting a prime position on my mantle this year along with a few other snowmen I have collected.

******************************

On another note.... I have finally jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon!!! I heard about Pinterest a year and a half ago while attending the first Creative Connection Event. I got home and sent them an email requesting an invitiation. I got.... nothing. So I tried again and got .... nothing. So I gave up and forgot about it. Then over the past few months I kept hearing from everyone how awesome it was! So I tried again and got... NOTHING!!! Finally after lamenting to my friend Charlene from My Hearts Ease about how Pinterest didn't want me, she sent me an invitation and presto!!! I am now officially addicted!!!! (thanks Charlene)

I have been having so much fun! The photos that are out there are amazing and can put all my favorites in one place to look at whenever I want to! It's also wonderful for saving tutorials and projects that inspire you so you will be able to find them again later. If anyone is interested in seeing the boards I have created you can click here or on my new Pinterest link on the left sidebar.

Have a wonderful week my friends!!!

Christmas Bottle Angel and a new look for me!

2011-11-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

The inspiration for Christmas in Blogland is abundant and I have been very excited about getting back in the studio and creating for the season. I love Christmas time and decorating for the holiday is one of my favorite things to! Because I have been having fun altering bottles recently I decided to make an altered bottle angel. The bottle is covered with lace and encaustic wax. The wings were made from an old cork coaster that I cut in half and then scalloped the edges. Then I covered it with glue and mica flakes and finally added the pearl embellishments. The head is an old round drawer pull with 2 glittered snowflake ornaments attached to back. A little "vintage" tinsel, some buttons and an old ornament and preso! bottle angel!! I think she needs a few friends now.

On another note... After much consideration, I finally decided to give my blog the makeover I have been wanting to do for a long time. I had my old header for several years now and although I liked it, it did not represent who I have become. I needed a lighter fresher look so that's the direction I went. I hope you like it!!

WWC launch Party

2011-11-08T11:05:00.001-07:00

Last Friday I was thrilled to be invited to a launch party for the current issue of Where Women Create.

The event took place at a wonderful building in Mesa where all the women in the building were featured in the issue!

This wonderful store is called "Found" and it features the most delicious items from all over Europe and the States. Kristen Alber is the genius behind this awesome shop. (She made the cover of the magazine)

It was wonderful to see Jo Packham there. The last few times we were at an event together I never really got a chance to speak with her, so this was a rare treat.

Kristen's shop is absolutely stunning. There is something wonderful in every corner.

The really cool "word" art that hangs all over the shop is created by Rebecca Puig of Sugarboo, who is also featured in the issue.

This was taken in Found's "sister" store, Domestic Bliss. It is also located in the same building and is filled with more of Rebecca's Word Art.

You probably can't tell from this pic, but there is a lot more color in "Domestic Bliss" than in "Found"

Back in "Found"... I loved these place mats. They are made of paper, disposable, and oh so cute!!And... you guessed it... Angie Cook of "Cake" is also featured in the magazine

What a fabulous idea!!!! Makes me want to start looking for vintage silver spoons!

It really was a very nice event and I am very thankful to have been invited. Several more talented women from the building are also in the magazine. It was fun to see some local gals in there!

And speaking of wonderful gals in the magazine.... Our dear friend Suzan from Old Grey Mare is in this issue too!!!! Suzanne was one of the gals who won a spread in WWC during the Where Bloggers Create party. I know several others will be joining her soon!

The Absolute BEST shop for Christmas!

2011-11-01T15:44:00.001-07:00

I know it feels early... after all, we just finished with Halloween! But as we all know, in retail Christmas really starts in November. Today I would like to share with you the most wonderful, magical store for Christmas that you will find here in Phoenix.

The shop is called Rustic Stuff. For most of the year Rustic Stuff houses beautiful furniture and accessories, with design services to boot. Sometime around October 1st Paul and his elves transform the shop into an absolute feast of eye candy for Christmas.

I had the pleasure of working for Paul for almost 6 years. Everything I learned about decorating a tree I learned from him.

I've never had more fun working so hard in my life!

Paul divides the rooms into themes, so there is something for everyone. (This one is Chocolate Mint... or is it Mint Chocolate???)

Treats and goodies without all those pesky calories!!!

This one reminds me of Babes in Toyland...

There are the sweetest bears that look like they are very old indeed, but without that authentic antique price tag!

Doesn't it make you wish Christmas was all year???

I love this tree!!! The ornaments are made with doll heads and all kinds of kitchen utensils!

There are of course lovely angels...

delightful cherubs...

And some awesome artisan angels by Nicole Sayer. (They are REALLY reasonably priced too! )

I really want to go back and bring her home with me.

I wish the photos could show you just how spectacular it truly is. If you feel like getting a little inspiration for Christmas, a drive to see Paul at Rustic Stuff is well worth it. The ornaments and fully decorated trees start selling from the time the decorations hit the floor. Don't wait for December... it will all be gone!!!

Road Trip: Back in Az.

2011-10-29T11:13:00.002-07:00

We made it home from our trip last weekend. I have been trying to get back in the swing of things, catching up on work, emails, bills etc...
I wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who left a comment while we were on our trip. It was so nice to keep you all close while I was away from home. I won't be responding to those comments personally this time. I just didn't have the time then (or now) but I do want you to know how wonderful it was to receive them all.

Frank Sinatra sings a song where the lyrics go something like..."It's so nice to go traveling, but it's oh so much nicer to go home" I feel exactly the same. The trip was wonderful and I am so grateful we were able to do it. But, coming home to my house was a wonderful thing!!!

The car problems we had a long the way (God watched out for us and made sure we were always close to a repair shop) took us a little off schedule, so we didn't have a lot of time for sight seeing once we left Tennessee. I already showed you picks from Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, but I thought I would end the "trip" with a few picks of Arizona coming across toward Flagstaff.

I try to see the beauty in my state, but having grown up here I'm sure I don't appreciate as much as I should. I find it hard to marvel at the scenery when I compare it to the gorgeous places I've been. (I'm just partial to lots of green. Trees and water make my heart swell.) Don't get me wrong...There are some wonderful and unique places here in Az. On a clear day you can see forever. (Unfortunately this day was not as clear as I would have liked.) :)

I was so happy to get this shot!! It's the perfect representation of the West!

And this is perfect representation of how we were all feeling by the end of the trip!

It's so wonderful to be home!

I'll have a fabulous store to share with you next time!

Have a wonderful weekend my friends

Road Trip...Smokey Mountain Nation Park

2011-10-20T10:51:00.004-07:00

This was our second trip to Smokey Mountain Mountain National Park and it continues to be one of my favorite places to visit.

The Little Pigeon River runs through the park and is a big part of what makes this area so beautiful.

Of course the trees aren't so bad either. :)

Here is a little video to help you get a feel for the serenity of the river.

The woods here are so beautiful and full of the sounds of birds and squirrels.

Rocky was especially interested in the squirrels! :)

Unfortunately, this was the only trail dogs were are allowed on, so Rocky and Jasmine had to stay in the car when we went for walks in the woods.

The Smokies did not disappoint when it came to gorgeous Fall color either. In fact, one of the things I noticed was the addition of a lot more reds once we entered Tennessee.

I must have looked like a kid a Christmastime as as I soaked it all in!!

I'll leave you with a little sample of what the drive through the park was like...

Road Trip...Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

2011-10-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

After an unexpected extra few days at our in-laws due to car issues (everything's all fixed now)

we finally made it to Virginia and Skyline Drive. First let me say, Virginia was beautiful. Not just on the scenic drive but everywhere else too! I wish the photos could properly convey how awesome the views were. There was a lot of moisture in the air so the vistas were a little hazy.

The colors here range from brilliant yellow...

to warm russet...

and occasionally a brilliant red.

It was one of the loveliest scenic drives I have ever been on. The weather was a wonderful 70 degrees or so on the mountain and I was a happy happy girl!!!

Road Trip...West Virginia

2011-10-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

Our road trip continues through West Virginia where we visited Blackwater Falls State Park.

The scenery was absolutely beautiful but the falls took my breath away! The photos I took did not do it justice at all...

I have a thing for waterfalls. Maybe it's because of growing up in the desert, or maybe it's just a primeval attraction to the sound of water. These falls made quite a loud sound as you can tell from the video, but I still found it to be most peaceful.

I shot lots of photos of the Fall color from the van. West Virginia was by far the prettiest so far. Each area hits it's peak at different times, and I think we caught WV just right!!

It doesn't show up as well in this photo, but the country side looked like it was covered in multi-colored pompoms.

We are currently staying with hubbies parents and will head out for Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee over the weekend. I suspect the scenery down Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge parkway will be breathtaking!

Pumpkin Tutorial

2011-10-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a short break from vacation posts to share with you a link to my pumpkin tutorial again this year. I've definitely been put put in a Fall mood with all the beautiful color I've been seeing on my trip. I can't wait to get home and decorate!!! If you would like to make some easy fabric pumpkins for your home (they make great gifts too) check out my Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial from 2009.

Enjoy!!!

Road Trip...Arkansas, Illinois and Kentucky

2011-10-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in a cavern underground? I have been through several and they always amaze and fascinate me! The mineral deposits form such beautiful sculptures underground.

These are shots from Mystic Caverns in Western Arkansas.

We learned that during prohibition days there was a still that operated from within the cave and there used to be giant drunken parties down there!! Wow, the things they did for fun!!!

Our road trip continued on to Illinois where we visited Garden of the Gods.

It's located in the Shawnee National Forest, and has some of the best rock formations I've ever seen!!

There are paths to walk all around the park. The area that is open to the public isn't very large and only takes about 30 minutes or so to explore, but it is very cool!

(My cute hubby)

The leaves in this part of the country were just beginning to change.

I took a moment and posed for a portrait with my babies.

As we drove through the small towns in Kentucky, we saw several roadside stands with mums and pumpkins. I was blown away by the size of the mums and the price was CRAZY!!! (Well, for what I'm used to anyway.) The mums were HUGE and only $6.00 each. They would be $25.00 where I live in Phoenix.

The pumpkins were fabulous. I saw several varieties that I have always loved and wished we could get locally. I love the grey/green ones, the super pale peach colored ones and of course... white!!!

On our way to Cumberland Falls Kentucky, located in the Danial Boone Nation Forest we saw a turn off for Natural Arch Recreation Area. We decided to visit it and it turned out to be one of the prettiest places yet.

We made the hike down to see the arch close up.

The arch was amazing to see from this angle.

But my favorite part was enjoying the forest on our way there.

Growing up in a hot and dry climate has caused me to develop a love for all things green and mossy.

I just can't keep my hands off of it!!!

The Fall leaves here in Kentucky are coming along nicely!

Cumberland Falls was just a short car ride away. This was taken at the top of the falls.

There was a beautiful path that took us around to several lookout points.

This was taken at the bottom the falls.

Look at the size of that rock!!! So far on this trip, Kentucky had been my favorite State to visit. The greener a state is the more I like it!!! Tomorrow we head through West Virginia will continue on to Pennsylvania. I'm not sure when I will have internet connection again as hubby's parents don't have one so have a wonderful weekend and I hope to be back soon!

Road trip...Oklahoma

2011-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

The first real leg of our vacation started at Tenkiller Lake in Oklahoma. I had no idea how green parts of Oklahoma were! The lake was beautiful.

Our campsite could not have been more perfect. Because we were there in the middle of the week, there were no other campers in site.

The tranquility was wonderful and all the sounds of the forest were amplified.

Squirrels were chasing each other in the trees... (No, you are not blind. The squirrels jumped out of the shot before I could get it!)

Those squirrels definitely had Rocky's attention!!!

As the sun went down the temperatures hovered at a wonderful 70 degrees or so.

Dinner was my favorite camping dish. I've been eating or making this since I was a little girl on every camping trip. I call it Girl Scout Stew. My mom learned the recipe many years ago during summer camp. The ingredients sound weird, but trust me... It is DELICIOUS!

You will need:

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. of onion soup mix

2 cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes

1 can of corn

shredded cheddar cheese (the more the better, I say)

Fritos corn chips

Brown the ground beef and the onion soup mix. Add the stewed tomatoes (with juice) and the corn(without juice). Cook for 15 minutes or so and then add the cheese. Serve over Fritos.

Road Trip...Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

2011-10-03T06:40:00.001-07:00

Greetings from Oklahoma!!! The road trip is off to a great start, so I thought I would share just a few of the pics so far! The photo above is right around Payson, Arizona. We are heading up toward the Mogollon Rim.

Northern Arizona has lots of Pine trees and you can smell them in the air.

There are also some great rock formations here in the Southwest.

Just across the New Mexico border there in a very long mountain range the parallels the highway. This photo doesn't do the colors justice at all. They are really a lovely red like the red rocks of Sedona.

There were also some very cool rock formations here. Isn't it it cool how this one is so smooth?

The rest of New Mexico along I40 was pretty barren. (Lack of water will do that to a landscape!!)

When we entered Texas I gave a big ol' mental shout out to all my Texas girls!!

This is what most of the panhandle of Texas looked like. (Plus a few cows)

Have you guys ever heard of Cadillac Ranch?? Back in the 60's the owner of this land buried several Cadillacs nose first in the ground. There are just off the highway and have become a huge tourist attraction. Visitors are encouraged to channel there inner graffiti artist and leave their mark on the "sculptures"

Here I am after leaving my mark! Can you tell what I did? :)

Once we got into Oklahoma the scenery really changed. Everything got much greener!!!

We are on our way now to explore Oklahoma and some beautiful lakes!!!!

America here we come!!!

2011-09-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

It's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but it's been my hubby's and my dream for quite a few years now.... We've always wanted an RV that we could pack up the dogs in and hit the open road! There are so many many beautiful things to see here in this country and time was a wastin'!!!

So this summer we found this 83' van RV conversion. Even though it was old, it was in great shape and the price was right.

I made new curtains for it and found some quilts on sale at Cole's for 80% off! They were perfect. Not to girly but pretty and in my favorite colors at the same time. I bought a king size to cut up and make slip covers for the cushions in the back, (I haven't done that yet. )

and I bought 2 twin size to cover the captains chairs up front.

(They will get slipcovers made for them eventually too.)

Tomorrow we embark on a 3 week week long adventure!!! We are driving from Phoenix to Philadelphia and back. (My in-laws live there) Along the way we will be stopping and beautiful national parks, amazing caves, and pretty much anything that catches our fancy!!! My hubby and I like watching Diners's Drive In's and Dives on the Food Network and you can bet he has been taking notes and making plans for hitting up some of the one's that have been features along the way!

I am so excited to get out of this heat and experience fall in all it's splendor from the beautiful temps. to the gorgeous color!! We don't get to see much of the change of seasons here in Phoenix, so this will be a wonderful treat! I plan to post all the beautiful things we see along the way. (Wi-Fi permitting of course.) We'll be camping about 2/3 of the and staying in hotels about 1/3 of the time. (A girls gotta have a shower and a real bed at least every couple of days!! LOL!!)

********************

On another note... Tomorrow is Oct.1 and the kick off to Breast Cancer awareness month. Just like last year I have a button on my sidebar that you are welcome to take and place on your sidebar if you wish.

Let's all remember to go get checked!!!!

Back from TCC

2011-09-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Well I think I've finally recovered from my long weekend in Minnesota at The Creative Connection Event and Junk Bonanza. It was exhausting but wonderful! I am just not used to be "on" for so many hours a day!!!! The thing that was infectious was the wonderful positive energy that was being generated everywhere I went!! What I love about TCC is that it has a very heavy focus on helping women who are already in a creative business or those who want to start one. There were so many successful women that were there to offer advise and ideas to help all of us.

One of the coolest things was that I was given the opportunity to have a booth for Where Bloggers Create right there in the Marketplace. The very talented Christine Hoffman (who did all the beautiful table settings for all the event meals) and the lovely Holly Bohn from See Jane Work, did an amazing job decorating my booth and making it cute as could be! In fact all the booths there in the Marketplace where really great and there was a wonderful diversity of styles. Unfortunately, I was too busy in my own booth to remember to take any pictures for you of the rest of the market!

I showed a movie slideshow of some of my favorite studios from this years Where Bloggers Create event, and was also able to chat with women about starting a new blog, Valentine Design, and my e-book, Building Beautiful Blogs. I sold many books on cd and it was just a great opportunity to meet so many creative women, but I was really surprised at how many did not have a blog yet!!! I mean... doesn't EVERYONE have a blog?? LOL!!!

On Friday morning I was able to run out to the Junk Bonaza for a morning of shopping with my gal pals Cindy from Lilly's Lace and Jan from Lucy's Baby. I had not met Jan in person until this weekend and she was just as warm and wonderful as I knew she would be!!!

The creativity from the vendors was amazing as always.

I can't help but be attracted to those green hydrangeas. They are my absolute favorite!! Someday I'll find a resource on line where I can buy them preserved and ship them home to me!!

Is this not an awesome light fixture????

I loved this framed paper flower! The cool ideas are just overflowing now!!!

mmmmmm.......

Super cute crown!!

This is Ann's booth from A Vintage Mood. She makes the coolest hat bands and tiaras ever!!

This booth was just dripping with feminine vintage goodness!

Be still my heart!

It was sooo hard knowing that none of this great old "junk" would fit in my suitcase!!!

It's okay though. I found some wonderful little treasures that fit nicely in my suitcase. Baby shoes for altering, doodads for making jewelry and altered bottles. I also found a great pair of victorian shoes that I forgot to include in the photograph, so you'll just have to wait until I do something with them to see them. (sorry)

I had a fabulous time, but I am so happy to be home and back to my old routine once again.

Making these bottles is too much fun!!!

2011-09-12T10:12:00.001-07:00

I think I mentioned in my last post that I have been making more time to spend in the studio lately.

One of my latest obsessions have been bottles. Now I know that they have been out there for quite a while, and I fell in love with them from the first time I saw them. I knew that someday I would make some but until my trip to Round Top last Spring, I just didn't have the supplies I needed to make them they way I wanted to.

Well, I finally got around to making them and have been going crazy!!! I'm using lace and music sheets and old books, wax and wire and solder, old jewelry and doorknobs....

a frozen charlotte I got from my buddy Charlene, and even a piece of coral I got when I was a kid. It's been fun playing around with each bottle and letting the shape of the bottle dictate the style and materials I used.

Some I like better than others, but all of them have taught me what I like and don't like and what techniques work the best. I do have a tendency to go whole hog with a project or technique and then get that "been there, done that" attitude. I hope I don't do that with my bottles. I have so much fun making them and think a whole collection would be fabulous!

**********************************

Wednesday I am getting a break from our heat and headed to St. Paul Minnesota where the temps will be in the high 60's!! (Heaven)

I am going to be participating in The Creative Connection Event for the second year and I can't wait!! Last year was so much fun and this year I will be speaking on a panel all about Creating an Event.

I'm excited and nervous because I haven't spoken in front of a large group of people since my days of public speaking and Theater in High School! (many, many years ago.) I will also have a booth in the Marketplace for the Where Bloggers Create party and will be showing a video of some of my favorite studios from this years party.

If you are in the Twin Cities area (or even if you're not) I hope you will come and check it out. Even if you aren't attending the event, the Marketplace will be open on Friday and Saturday and will be filled with wonderful vendors to shop from. The Junk Bonanza is also that weekend so you could get two great shopping experiences in one weekend!!

New Studio Stuff

2011-09-06T11:11:00.001-07:00

My time spent perusing all the wonderful blogs for the Where Bloggers Create party this year caused me to really think about my studio and whether or not I was really happy with it. Actually I knew the answer already but the thought of all the work that was going to be needed to get it the way I truly wanted it was both exciting and daunting at the same time. I will show you what I have done in the next few posts. First I thought I would share with you a hanging organizer I made.

I used the top of a burlap curtain panel I had once made but you could just use cut of burlap or any fabric for that matter. I layered it with a backing fabric and bound it all around with a wide piece of lace that I folded over to both sides. I used ribbon and lace sewn into the top for tying it to the door hooks. (I didn't have any so I went to target and bought a $7.99 plastic door hanger and used the hooks that came with that.)

Then I cut out the pockets. Make sure you shape them something like this so there is room for you to put things in them once they are sewn down.

I added more lace trim to the tops of the pockets before I sewed the to the panel. Just line the edges of each pocket straight up and down to make the gap in the pocket. When your finished you can fill it with your favorite goodies!!

************************************

On a completely different subject...

Perhaps many of you have tried the new Blogger Interface. If you haven't you should try it out. Not because I think it's wonderful, because frankly I really don't like it. I think you should try it out because once you do and you will have the option to return to the old interface (the one many of us are still using.) Blogger is going to ask you to leave feedback for them. This is very important. If you don't try it out and leave feedback, Blogger will never know how you feel about it and may decide to change things over permanently. We have been given a rare opportunity to tell Blogger what like and don't like about a change before it is made permanent.

So let your voice be heard!!! :)

( I put a poll on my top right sidebar if you would like to share your opinion with me. :)

Sweet Salvage Goodies

2011-08-27T15:11:00.001-07:00

Last week I told you about the amazing new shop on 7th Ave called Sweet Salvage. Today I thought I would share with you a few of the things I bought. The biggest and best find was this awesome birdcage! I have been looking for one for quite some time but they have always been out of my price range. When I saw this HUGE iron cage I was immediately attracted to it, but when I saw the price tag I knew I had to have it! $99.00??? Really? I've seen them half the size and twice the price! I want to put a shelf in it and turn it into a display cabinet. What do you think???

I also found this pretty wooden shoe form for a woman's high heel shoe. I'm not sure if I'm going to alter it or leave it exactly as it is. The door knob is to add to my stash of bottle making making goodies. I've been making them like crazy!! (But that's a whole other post)

My last favorite find was this lovely old type drawer. I really liked it for a couple of reasons. The size was perfect and smaller than most I have seen. It fits perfectly on my desk and holds the doo dads and what nots that I am currently using. I also really liked the drawer pull. It's just a really nice little detail.

I bought a few other odds and ends but these were my favorite pieces.

I hope you have (had) a wonderful weekend!

Opening Day at Sweet Salvage on 7th

2011-08-18T16:33:00.002-07:00

Have you heard about Sweet Salvage??? Well... you are about too! For the longest time I have been so envious of all you girls who have fabulous occasional sales near you. Well Phoenix girls...Now we have one too!! Sweet Salvage on 7th ave. just opened her doors today for the very first time (They will be open tomorrow and all weekend) and I was giddy the moment I walked in the door. The girls allowed me and my camera in a half hour early so I could show you all the amazing vignettes and wonderful items they have for sale this weekend. And let me tell you it was a good thing I was there early because the place was packed from the moment the doors opened!! I didn't get to do any pre-shopping but I did capture some great shots before the crowd came in, so sit back and enjoy the beauty of Sweet Salvage.

This vignette was gorgeous in person. The wall behind the bed was covered with a curtain of lace table cloths.

The coolest part was how they made them... They are two attached together by cutting into the tablecloth and tying the two cloths together. Fabulous!!

This is the bathroom. Don't you just love that skirt made from burlap??

This is the front desk were you check out. Cool huh?

I found some wonderful goodies and was very impressed with the prices. I will share what I bought with you in another post.

However I will give you a little hint... One of the things I purchased is in this photo. :)

If you live in the Phoenix area, I urge you to go check it out. The skills that these girls have are amazing and I will be visiting every month to see what new treasures they have for us!

Hello Studio... I've missed you!

2011-08-11T07:40:00.001-07:00

I've managed to find some time to get back in the studio recently. Gosh it feels good to get my hands dirty again!! LOL!!! I made of couple of journal type books.

This one was made from an unfinished wooden scrapbook that I picked up at a Garage Sale a couple of years ago. I painted the whole thing with some of the Caromal Colors paint I had left over from my table project, because I love the texture that I got from the paint. Then I covered it with a rectangular shaped doily. I really wanted to use millinery flowers but I just don't have any so I use some white Prima paper flowers and crinkled and smooshed so they looked really beat up! I added a drop of Latte alcohol ink into the center to give them some depth. I used an old cabinet card for the image, more lace, buttons and trim. I am using it to hold all the beautiful images that inspire me from the the pages of my favorite magazines.

I enjoyed making the first one so much, I made this one too! It's made from one of the composition books you can get all over the place for back to school. I covered Both front and back, inside and out with off white cardstock. The image was printed from my computer. Then I layered all different pieces of lace that I have in my lace stash until I got a layout that I liked. Again, more crumpled flowers only this time I used coffee to stain the centers. I added seam binding and lace to the front and back of the covers to be used to tie it closed and of course, more buttons. This one is my favorite. I made it to take with me next month to keep notes in when I go to The Creative Connection. I'm starting to get excited!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed looking at my latest creations. If you haven't grabbed up some composition books at the store yet, what are you waiting for???

Have an awesome day my friends! It's going to be beautiful!!!!!!

Who likes prizes??????

2011-08-02T16:32:00.002-07:00

Well I've been a busy busy bee these past few weeks going through each and every party post and linking up all the participants to their permanent home for the year. If you are still not finished enjoying the party you can head over to the Where Bloggers Create blog where you will find the entire list. I cannot thank you all enough for playing along this year. Whether you joined in with a post or just went around and visited, this party is a success because of all of you!! You are ALL winners in my book! Unfortunately, I can not give away 300 prizes, so we'll just have to settle for 6!!

This year I asked Jo if she would allow the winners to choose which gift they would like and she said... absolutely!!!

Yea!!!! So the following six gals will get to choose from the following great prizes.

1. A year subscription to "Where Women Create"

2. A year subscription to "Where Women Cook"

3. A set of Jo Packham's hard cover series "Where Women Create" and "The Book of Inspiration"

4. A Wear Women Create Charm Bracelet

And the lucky random winners are.... (drumroll please)

Terry Frias from Artistic Ramblings

Cindy from Stitches-N-Stuff

Shirley from Hudson's Holidays

Sandie from Sandra Kaye Designs

Miss Shawna from Petticoats and Patina

and

Claudia from Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Congratulations to all the winners!!! Drop me an email with your address and let me know which prize you would like!!

***********************

Don't forget about the great giveaway going on over at TCCblog!!

2011-07-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I will be speaking at The Creative Connection Event this September in Minnesota. I'm very excited to a part of the event this year and I am really looking forward to Thursday's opening day because that is the day for BlogHer seminars. I will be learning all kinds of great things about Blogging and Search Engine Optimization, Community Building etc....

I was also very excited to learn that The Creative Connection Event is having a fabulous Giveaway going on right now!! Two free passes to the event plus Hotel!!! That is over $1000.00 worth of TCC goodness!!! Last year was such a fabulous experience for me and I know many of you would love to go, so here is your chance!! Hop on over there and check it out!!!!

It's somebody's birthday around here and we're celebrating by giving away 2 passes for you and a girlfriend. We'll even pick up the hotel. Imagine getting away for The CREATIVE CONNECTION with just you and your best friend! This is big!

The Nitty Gritty
RULES OF ENTRY:
To enter you must do the following:

Leave a comment on THE CREATIVE CONNECTION BLOG that includes the following information: Why you want to attend BlogHer Handmade and The Creative Connection Event and who you would pick to take with you and why.

Additional entries:

Tweet the following "Win a full pass and hotel for you and a friend to BlogHer Handmade and The Creative Connection Event!" http://ht.ly/5Ped4 #tccevent11.
*Blog about this giveaway and tell your readers why you would love to attend BlogHer Handmade and The Creative Connection Event- 5 additional entries-leave the link on each comment
Have THE CREATIVE CONNECTION EVENT button or link on the sidebar of your blog (2 Entries–leave a link to your page on each comment)
"Like" us on Facebook-1 Entry (if you previously shared a post on FB, this is your entry. We must follow their rules of promotion-Thank you)
*Remember, you may have up to 10 entries, but you MUST POST SEPARATELY for each additional entry. This contest ends at 11:59 on Thursday, August 4th! Winner announced Friday, August 5th! Good luck~

Let's try this again!!! ...Why I love Craig's List.

2011-07-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Ever since I entered Blogland, I have (like so many of you) wanted a vintage dress form. I searched and searched until I realized I would never own one of the truly beautiful vintage forms because, well... they were just too expensive. I had no luck finding one that even came close to something I could afford. As I hopped down the list of beautiful studios for the Where Bloggers Create party, I saw many lovely mannequins and once again my desire to find (or make) one was renewed. I've been searching Craig's List for the past week hoping that I would find something that I could modify with decoupage etc. When I saw the listing for this one last night... I immediately sent an email crossing my fingers that I was the first. I heard from the owner this morning and drove an hour out to Litchfield Park where my girl was waiting for me! No, she isn't very old, but she has a fabric cover and a nice base and she was only $50.00! I am a happy camper!!! I'm already running ideas over in my head for what I want to do to her. I think the neck needs a finial, and nice coat of white paint as well as the base. Now, do I try to make a wire skirt or do I look for a fluffy vintage petticoat to cover her naked lower half?? Maybe I just leave her as-is!! All I know is... I love Craig's List!!

BTW... In case any of you were wondering... I had some technical issues yesterday. My blog wouldn't load properly. It took FOREVER to finally load! I didn't notice it until after I did the post, so I tried removing the post to see if it was the culprit. It was not. :( I then tried removing some of the lists of party attendees. (They can all be found on the Where Bloggers Create blog)

Finally I dumped my whole template and started all over. That helped me discover the problem.

There was something that had corrupted my Feedjit and on-line user counter. So, if any of you are experiencing the same problems... remove those first and see what happens. :)

WBC Party Day for 2011!!!

2011-07-14T18:02:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Where Bloggers Create party for 2011!! Thank you all so much for coming. To all the participants... You rock! You made it so much easier for me to link everyone up this year. Thank you, Thank you!! Thank you! Your kind words of thanks for hosting the event are making all the work SOOO worth it! I can’t wait to come and visit you all. Every single one of you inspire me in one way or another! It may take me 6 weeks or so to visit you all, but I’ll get there eventually!! LOL!!

Well, let’s start the tour shall we?? Only a few things have changed since last year, but many of you are new to the event so what the heck... we’ll just show it all again!

This is the view when you first walk into the room. It is also where you will see the first change from last year. When I first set up the room, I really designed it for one. Then as more and more friends came over to play I realized there really wasn’t enough space. But for now, this is what I have so I rearranged some things and made some more room.

There used to be just purely decorative items on this dresser, and well... that just didn’t work anymore. So now it holds all my little rhinestone treasures. I like having them out to see. I have kind of an out of site out of mind mentality when it comes to my stuff, so seeing what I have keeps me inspired. Besides, I still think it's pretty decorative don't you??

Much of the jewelry pieces that I have came from last Spring’s trip to Round Top. Then, when I got home my mom said “Hey, do you think you might want this old jewelry I have??” “What??” I said “Of course I do!!!!!” (Thanks Mom)

The apothecary jars that held all my ribbon and trim were overflowing and looked messy all the time.

I put hooks on the wall and hung the prettiest ribbons from them. These are the blacks and whites...

and these are the creams and browns.

I used to have a fun sculpture of empty picture frames here. It took up to much valuable space. It was a perfect place to hang the lace and ribbons. Of course I just couldn’t help myself. I had to add some frames back into the space!

I was inspired by an awesome piece of framed art I saw when I went to Round Top. I used 3 different frames. The largest one has burlap in it. I used the words “Follow Your Bliss" (a section of one of my favorite quotes of all time.) I went through my scrabble letters and found I had everything I needed except the Y!! So I found a blank tile and wrote the letter on there myself!

(A heart for “Valentine”)

My friend Charlene from My Heart’s Ease started collecting vintage cut glass for her German glass glitter. I loved the idea!! But with no great cut glass pieces to be found, I settled for glass jars with stoppers from Hobby Lobby. (Thanks Charlene!)

The bookcase was just one of those old laminate bookcases. I painted it white and added a lace edge to the shelves. It holds my growing collection of bottles destined to be covered in lace, burlap and wax!

Mmmm.... Buttons.....

I can’t be without my TV while in the studio. I love to watch TNT and USA, with healthy doses of Discovery Channel and the occasional chick flick thrown in!! If I’m not watching TV, I’m listening to my ipod. Some of the artists you’ll hear on it...Toby Lightman, Colbie Cailat, KT Tunstall, Sara Bareilles, Adele, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Rob Thomas and Maroon 5 (Just to name a few) :)

I liked the "snowflakes" I made for Christmas last year so much, I decided to call them "stars" and put them in my studio!! LOL!!

The last change I made was to remove the dog bed from under the window, (sorry puppies) and replace it with 2 cubes that are designed to hold scrapbook paper. I used to have an addiction to paper. Now my addiction has moved on to digital paper, but I still love my real papers and I needed a place to store them. The cubes from JoAnne and Michaels are plain white, and while that was fine for a while, I wanted a little more detail. I decoupaged the pair with old book pages. Sometimes Decoupage is soo much easier than paint!!!

Well, that’s the tour of my little studio! I hope you enjoyed it.

Just as last year, Jo Packham and Where Women Create are going to be offering some wonderful prizes. (Aren't they just the best???)This year I think I'm going to let the winners pick which prizes they would like. There are magazine subscriptions, and books or a bracelet... All really terrific!! I'll choose 3 lucky winners (totally randomly) and you can let me know what prizes you would like to receive.

I will also be putting together a slide show of some of my favorite studio's to show at The Creative Connection Event in September!

Thank you again everyone! It's all of you who make this such a fun and inspiring event!! See you soon!

A fancy new laptop cover for my spiffy new laptop!

2011-07-11T14:20:00.002-07:00

I had such a great weekend! My friend Sandie (she has a brand new blog by the way...) and I hung out at her house while her husband and daughter were out of town! It was a wonderful retreat with crafting, chick flicks and pizza for 24 hours!!

I had really wanted to make a carrying case for my new laptop, so I gathered all my goodies and away I went.

The bottom half was a piece of matlesse' that I had in my stash. I quilted the top half and the flap using a diamond pattern. I also quilted the strap by layering it with quilt batting and sewing channels down the strap. I added D rings on the sides of the cover to attach the handle when I need to.

The inside, has Velco to secure the flap. I love how the cover has little bits of purple in the flowers to compliment the laptop color.

I made a little pouch to tie on to one of the D-rings. It holds my ear plugs for when I need them.

But my favorite part, was making the embellishment. I made it so it Velro's on and can removed when the cover needs to be washed. (It is mostly white after all.) I used Tim Holts grungeboard for the wings, the tag and the back of the piece. The wings are covered with Tim Holtz's crackle paint in white and then antiqued. The crown has gold and silver glitter mixed together. For my name tag I printed my name on some fabric paper and died the edges with coffee. Then I covered the grungboard tag with a scrap of fabric and used rhinestone brad fasteners to attach the wings.

I'm really happy with the the way it came out. I can't wait to travel with it to Minnesota for The Creative Connection Event in September!!

See you all on Friday for the Where Bloggers Create party!!!

2011-07-06T09:32:00.002-07:00

Click here to visit my Party Post!!!

I can't believe the Where Bloggers Create party for 2011 is less than two weeks away!!!

Are you ready????

As I have been linking up all the wonderful blogs participating in this years party I've been noticing a few little details that I think I might be able to help with, to make your blogs even more fabulous than they are. After all, we want to put on our very best party dress right??

So here are a few tips for you to play around with if you want to....

If the blue navigation bar at the top of your blog doesn't match your "decor" you can change it by going up to DESIGN. At the very top of your layout right above HEADER you will see the box for the NAVBAR. Click on edit and change the color to Transparent light (for a light colored blog) or Transparent Dark (for a dark colored blog). Click save and presto! No more blue Navbar.

The other thing I saw a lot of was the double lines around some of the headers. If the header doesn't fit exactly within the lines it distract from the fabulousness of your blog! You can remove these very easily. Just go up to DESIGN and then click on edit HTML. Find the code that looks like this...

#header-wrapper {
width:880px;
margin:0 auto 10px;
border:0px solid $bordercolor;
}
#header-inner {
background-position: center;
margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;
}

#header {
margin: 5px;
border: 0px solid $bordercolor;
text-align: center;
color:$pagetitlecolor;
}

Then just change the 1 that you see, to a 0 instead. Click preview and if it looks good, hit save!

I also saw a lot of headers that weren't centered. If your header seems to big, upload it again but make sure you have the "Shrink to fit" box checked. That can make a BIG difference. If you are using the "Simple" Template you can center your header by going up to DESIGN and then click on TEMPLATE DESIGNER. Click on ADVANCED in the right hand column. (This is also where you will find the ability to change font style, size and color) Scroll all the way down until you find Add CSS and paste the following code in the box...

.header-outer {
margin-left:20px;
}

Adjust the number as needed to center your header. This code might also work in some of the other templates so give it a try!!

I hope these little tips will help any one who needs them. For TONS more info on Blogger and how to make a good blog look even better, visit BuildingBeautifulBlogs.com to find a book filled with all kinds of great blogging info!!!

I'm July's porch of the month at Gypsy Brocante!

2011-06-30T17:49:00.009-07:00

I'm so happy to announce that Jill from Gypsy Brocante has chosen my outdoor space for her July porch of the month feature! Jill is an amazing entrepreneur and sells the most lovely things on-line

and her blog is always chock full of eye candy!! Here are just a few pictures.....

(click on any photo to make it larger)

So if you haven't already been to Jill's lovely blog, hop on over, say hi, and see what the rest of my garden looks like these days!

My Sunday...

2011-06-26T17:18:00.005-07:00

Recently, we had some new friends over to the house. As they were looking around the living room, one of them noticed the big metal letters hanging on the wall. "Oh, those are old signage letters my husband got off of a job site. I said. "They are his initials." Then my friend asked where my initial was. Well... I didn't have an answer because I didn't have one. There weren't any K's or V's at the job site. So, long story short... today I decided to remedy that.

It was a lovely Sunday spent in my pajamas, playing in the studio. FUN!!! FUN!!! FUN!!!!

So this is what I came up with....

I had one of those cardboard K's laying around in my stash of stuff and I covered it with lace bits that I got on my recent trip to Round Top as well as wedding gown scrap that my mom gave me from her time working in a bridal shop. I have been playing with encaustic wax and making altered bottles lately, so I used some of that wax to apply the lace. Then I printed out an old photo of me as a kid (I don't know why, but in this photo it makes me look like a little elf!! LOL!!) I added a metal rose I had and cut up an old necklace that had leaves dangling from a chain to add to it as well. The last step was a little sprinkle of gold German glass glitter. I really love working with the wax because there ism no glue involved. If you place something and you don't like it, you can just heat the wax to melt it, and reposition whatever you want to!!

I found a place for it on the shelf. I think it's so appropriate that my husbands initials are made of rusty metal and mine is made from lace. Well, there are still a few more hours of daylight... I'm gonna go play some more! Hope your Sunday has been as fun and relaxing as mine!!

Belle Inspiration

2011-06-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

Have you guys ever heard of Belle Inspiration???? That's probably because it's fairly new. It is an online magazine with everything from design to food and fashion, all in a lovely french style.

The creator of the magazine is the lovely Mimi Bleu who has the blog Bonjour Romance.

I first "met" Mimi over a year ago when she was first starting the magazine. I helped her with a few basic layouts and she has completely outgrown what I did for her and turned her vision into this lovely magazine.

A couple of months ago, Mimi asked if I would like to have an article in the magazine and I of course said, I would love too!! The magazine has thousands of paid subscribers already, but I asked Mimi if she would share the May/June issue with all of you, and she said yes!! Click here to go read the magazine for yourself to see how fabulous it is!!!

Enjoy!

Fun with Caromal Colours

2011-06-13T17:07:00.004-07:00

Last weekend I was finally able to get around to a project I have been wanting to do for a long time.

I had a table on my back porch that was very plain. The lines were great but it was a plain light wood table that had been varnished. I really wanted to paint it, but I was not looking forward to all the prep work. You know, sanding the whole thing to make the paint stick and then cleaning off all the dust (again, so the paint will stick) My friend Jan, from Lucy's Baby told me about a great line of paints that she had recently become a rep for. They are made by Country Living and are called Caromal Colors. So Jan told me all about them and I was definitely intrigued so I asked her to send me some. I am sooo happy she did!! I loved them. There are several things about this paint I really liked.

First... No prep work!!! Yes, you heard me. I did not sand a single thing first. These paints are designed to stick to anything, porous or not!!! The second thing I loved was how easy it was to get the finish I wanted. I don't know if you've ever tried to get that multiple layers of paint look, but for me it's always been really hard. I rarely get the look I am going after because latex paint is so rubbery and it's hard to get that "chipped away" look. So, because I was so impressed with this paint, I thought I would share the process with you all so you can go get some for yourself!!! First I just smooshed the first layer of Bayberry paint on. And yes, smooshing is an actual term they use to describe how to apply the paint!!!

It's really thick. Thicker than any paint you've tried before. As you smoosh you will be creating texture. That's a good thing. I didn't worry about complete coverage with the first coat as I was just going to cover it up.

After the first coat was completely dry (a couple of hours) I applied the Chipping Cream. It's a clear paste that you put on between the coats of paint. It allows the second coat of paint to come through easier.

After the chipping cream was completely dry I smooshed on the second paint color (Parchment). See all the texture?? It really goes against all the painting techniques I've ever learned but the results were fabulous. I went over it twice to be sure to cover all the green.

Next, I broke out my Sander and went at at!! Sand as much or as little as you want.

The sanding smoothes out the finish, but there will be still be small lumpies and bumbies.

Now came the glaze. It filled in all the details on the table and added a wonderful aged look.

And here it is all done! I added a coat of finished wax to protect it, and love the buffed finish it gave the piece. Their paints are durable enough to be outside! (I would probably keep it in a covered area though.) I wish the photo could do it justice, because it came out fabulous. It was exactly what I wanted. If you want to try Caromal Colors paint for yourself go visit Jan.

I think she even has a coupon code on her site, and I'm sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have. I will warn you... it's not the cheapest paint out there. But the time I saved doing prep work and the finished results I got made it definitely worth the cost. I have a chair in my living room that I'm going to use their blue as the basecoat. I can't wait to use it again!!!

Where Bloggers Create 2011

2011-06-01T15:58:00.003-07:00

Click here to visit the permanent links to all the participants for the 2011 Party!!!

Yes, my friends... It's party time !!! Another year has come and gone and once again it is time to get those creative spaces ready for guests!! Last year over 300 crazy talented women (thats crazy talented, NOT crazy and talented... I'm the only crazy one around here! LOL!! ) signed up to participate. So be assured that the inspiration will be bountiful!!

As previously, the gals over at Where Women Create will be looking for future magazine stars, and all the rest of us will be satisfying our voyeuristic tendencies.

So, once again this is how it will work. If you want to participate leave me a comment on this post. If you have more than one blog, please specify which one you want me to link to. I will add your name to the list of participants on my sidebar. On the night before the party(July 14th), post your photos and stories about yourselves and your art. (This assures that the early risers or those bloggers in other parts of the world can see your post on time.) We all love lots of pictures so don’t be shy!!!! On the day of the party we will all meet here and you can spend the next few weeks blog hopping to visit everyone’s blogs and get a peak inside all the very wonderful and creative studios!!
Don't forget, it doesn’t matter if your space is big or small, it’s yours and that makes it special!!!

If you want to visit last years attendees, click here for the entire list. It will be available until this years party starts, and I begin linking the new posts.

I have quite a lot on my plate this year, so I will not be sending out confirmation emails. Please give me a few days to get your link placed on my blog. Then check back and make sure it's there. If it's missing please send me an email to let me know. Last year I had several folks who didn't leave me a way to get a hold of them, so please make sure your contact info is available.

Oh! And please take the party invitation located on the right sidebar and place it on your blog to help spread the word. If you want to do a post about it... that's wonderful!!!

WooHoo!!! Party on!!

I'm very happy to announce...

2011-05-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

Isn't it exciting??? Well, it's exciting to me!! Last year I was able to attend the first ever Creative Connection Event and it was such a wonderful experience. This year, I will be there speaking, as one of the panelists.

I haven't done public speaking since High School so this should be really ~~scarey~~ fun!!!!

The icing on the cake is the special event that will be happening in the Marketplace. We will be doing a slideshow of many of the fabulous studios that will be showcased in this years Where Blogger's Create event, and I think they have a few other surprises up their sleeves!

And speaking of this years party..... ssshhhhh. I'll be making the announcement VERY SOON!

Sirens and Saints

2011-05-25T08:22:00.002-07:00

Right next door to Rust and Roses is her sister store, Sirens and Saints. If you are a fan of cute vintage inspired clothing and accessories this shop will make you giddy!!

It's full of wonderful layering pieces, cute cowgirl hats, boots, adorable tops and...

accessories!!

Cute cuffs, great belts and lots of bling!

That's my friend Sandy up there in the corner. Isn't she pretty???

I loved this outfit. Unfortunately the top didn't fit me the way I would have liked, but the scarf came home with me anyway along with a couple of other super cute things!

I think a monthly visit to this store is definitely on my agenda. After all a girl can never have enough cute clothes right???

Rust and Roses in the Melrose District

2011-05-17T11:07:00.001-07:00

One of the best areas of Phoenix to find great shabby, vintage and retro decor is the Melrose district on 7th ave. It runs between Indian School and Camelback and had many wonderful shops.

One of my favorites is Rust and Roses. Shelly definitely has the eye to find fabulous things that I can't help but drool over.

Everything in there invites you in and makes you want to empty your wallet!!

Creamy and dreamy....

Architectural yummieness.... (okay I know that's not a word, but it describes it perfectly)

One of my favorite things!!! Who can resist tin ceiling tiles???

How fun are these?????

Shelly even has an outdoor garden area filled with tons of wrought iron goodies.

They say that one ~~man's~~ woman's junk is another's treasure...

Well I think Rust and Roses is definitely a Treasure Trove!!!!

I hope all you local girls will drive out there for a visit. The entire Melrose area is fabulous and definitely worth taking the day to go exploring. Remember, these days we have to visit out local shops or they will be gone!!!

Next time I'll do a feature on Sirens and Saints, The sister store next door!!!

(If you are a fan of vintage inspired clothing you want to miss it!)

Rag Bag Tutorial

2011-04-28T15:02:00.002-07:00

I worked on making my second purse last weekend so I could share with you all how to make one. As I said before, I was at a quilt show earlier in the year and met a great gal named Bobbie. Her business is A Vision to Remember. I bought her pattern and decided to make some changes to it to suit my needs. If you want to buy Bobbi's pattern go visit her at her etsy shop.

I chose darker fabrics for this one and I really like the way it turned out. Are you ready for a tutorial??? Here we go!

Gather together your fabric and trim. Scraps are great for this project because no piece is larger than 9 X 9. You may want to buy a yard of the same fabric to use for the inside if you want the lining to all look the same.

Here is what you will need:

Sewing machine
Assorted scraps of fabrics that coordinate the way you like.
1 yard of flannel lining fabric
1 yard of fabric for the inside of the bag
Thread to match your fabrics
Various ribbons and trims
Buttons (if desired)
Sharp scissors

Each section of fabric is made up of 3 layers. (1) The outside of the bag, (2) the inner lining and (3) the inside of the bag.

You will need to cut out:
4 sets of 3 layers for the fronts of the bag (I called both these sections the front of the bag because there really is no back side. Both sides are going to be pretty )
16 sets of 3 layers for the sides, the bottom and the top part of the front of the bag on both sides.
4 sets of 3 layers for the top portion of the sides

Now comes the fun part. Lay out your lace, buttons and trims and decide where you want each piece to go. Remember that after you sew everything together, each section will be an inch smaller because of the seam allowance.

If you want to add pockets to the inside, do it now. Finish off the edges nicely and sew the pocket to the inside layer and the flannel inner lining. Do not sew it to the outside layer or you will see the stitches. ( I forget to sew the pockets in when I made the bag for the tutorial, but here is an example from the first bag I made. I used the scalloped edge of the coverlet that I made the bag with.)

Sew your trims to outside layer only using at least a 1/2” seam allowance. If you don’t allow at least a half inch, some of your trim will get sewn into the seam rather than all of it showing.

This is what both the front sections of my bag look like.

This bag gets put together a little differently than what most of you are used to. Everything is sewed wrong sides together. In other words, You should always be looking at the outside of the bag as you are sewing. You want the raw edges to show.

Using a 1/2” seam allowance and a small stitch, sew the two 2.5 X 9” side pieces togethes well as the two 2.5 X 5” pieces together. Do this to both the sides of the bag.

Cut a slit in the seam 1/2” in on both the long side piece and the short side piece. Be careful not to clip the thread.

Sew both sections of the side piece together. Separate the slit so that the seam can travel between the fabric groove.

Add your trim to the side panel now by sewing as close to the stitched seam as possible. (I did this now, instead of earlier because I wanted the trim to go all the way across, and not get sewn into the seam dividing the piece.)

Sew all your sections together the same way, wrong sides together. When you are finished you should have 7 sewn sections. (2 sides, the bottom, and 4 front sections for the main body of the bag.

Now join the rest of your sections. I like to use safety pins to hold the layers of fabric in each section together while sewing. Always clip the fabric if your stitching is going to be running over the seam. You want the raw seam to always be able to stand up, rather than getting sewed down into a section. Sew all 4 sides together.

Lay your bag flat and trim off any bits of the layers that are sticking out, so you get a nice clean edge on the bottom.

Pin the bottom onto the bag, and sew together. This is the most difficult part of the project, but if you take your time, you should be fine.

Now cut 4- 2.5 X 28” pieces of fabric for the handles, (I used the same fabric as the main body of my bag) and 2 - 2.5 X 28” pieces of flannel inner lining.

Sew the 3 layers together on the long sides using the same 1/2” seam allowance. Do this for both handles.

Insert your handles into the top of the bag between the lining and the flannel inner lining. Pin everything together and check the handle length. If you need to shorten them, do it now. Sew a 1/2” seam all around the top of your bag, securing the handles with and extra layer of stitching. (The circles are magnets I added to the bag for a closer. You can get them at most fabric/craft shops)

This next step is why you need a good pair of sharp scissors. About every 1/2” or so clip into the seams all over your bag. Be very careful not to clip the threads. It is a bit of a hand workout after a while, but the results will be worth it!

Now, take one of those nice big emery boards or nail files, and use it to rough up the seam edge. This part is messy because fabric threads will be going everywhere. This is where you really get to see how cool the bag will look. You can also throw it into the washing machine if you wish. If you don't get the look you want, just go over it with the emery board again.

This is a shot of the inside of the bag, with the hankies I used as pockets. Because I forgot to sew them in in the beginning of the process, I had to hand stitch them in when I was finished.

Pin on a fabric rosette if you wish and you are finished!!

This is the other side.

And this is the white one again. I hope I made the tutorial easy to understand. It's really not a complicated bag to make, there are just a lot of steps!! I hope you have fun. I would love to know if you make one and see what you have created!!

The beauty of scraps

2011-04-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

I've been managing to find a little more time to play in the studio lately. One of the things I really wanted to get done was a cute purse to take with me to Round Top, as I knew that every where I looked all you creative gals would be running around with fabulous handmade things. While at a quilt show earlier in the year, I saw several adorable rag quilts and purses and I knew I had to make one. Instead of using the quilting fabric that is usually used, I used scraps of fabrics I had around the house. The main part of it used to be a bed coverlet. I also used linen, burlap, cotton duck and white denim. I'm working on a tutorial, so I will share that with you soon.

One of the sweetest gals I met at Round Top is Riki Schumaker. She is terrific jewelry artist. She saw my bag and asked if I was interested in doing a trade. She wanted a little change apron for when she does her jewelry shows, and I wanted a piece of her jewelry. I came home with a necklace, and made her this apron. I am really happy with the came out, and I'm thinking I need another purse in some slightly darker colors!!!

Goodies in my suitcase

2011-04-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

It was very hard for me to limit my purchases from Round Top to what I could bring home in a suitcase. Somehow I managed though, and these are just a few of the things that filled my very full suitcase for it's trip back home. This sweet doll was my very first purchase. She did not however come from RT, but rather an awesome shop we visited on the way there called Bloom and Bee Swanky. It is by far, one of the coolest shops I have ever been in. I saw this sweet girl across the room and snatched her up when I saw the price tag. I thought $25.00 was very reasonable.

One of the things that was on my list to stock up on was lace and doilies. I'd say I did a pretty good job on that. They were all over the place, but one booth had 2 huge boxes of them and 4 girls in our group (including myself) were rummaging through them like they were made of gold!! LOL!! We all got some pretty great pieces to use for all kinds of things!!!

I also got several old bottles to embellish, a cool key hole plate (no, I don't know what I will do with it yet, but I liked it, ) and this great porcelain doll hand that I will use as a bottle topper.

I was also on the hunt for old doorknobs to use for bottle toppers. Out here they can run 25.00 each.

I got these for about $7.00 each. :)

I was so happy to find several movie reels. I had one already and wanted to add several more to the collection. I got them in all sizes and colors. My friend Cindy even found a couple while she was shopping and surprised me with them. I love the way they look!!

But, the main thing I was looking for was jewelry pieces. I must have bought every piece of rhinestone jewelry under $10.00 that I could find. I had so much fun setting it all out on my work table, just waiting to be made into some fabulous piece of jewelry.

It was really hard to get good shot. They really do sparkle in person. This is just a small sampling of everything I brought home. I've been wanting to make some jewelry for quite some time but I never had the stuff I needed (wanted) to make it. After Charlene and I got back to her place, she spent some time showing me some wiring techniques, and we took a trip to Hobby Lobby, where she showed me the stuff I could get from there.

As soon as I got back to Az, I sat down in my studio and I created this set. The key, rhinestone pin, the brass piece and the rhinestone initial all were bought in Round Top. The wire, glass beads and pearls all came from Hobby Lobby. Charlene was a great teacher and I was very pleased with the finished piece. It was so much fun to make and I'm sure there will be a lot more jewelry to come, now that I've gotten my feet wet!

One of the coolest things I got, was this Magnolia Pearl jacket. Yes, I got caught up in the whole thing too!! And while I did make a few clothing purchases in other booths that I regretted, this is not one of them. It has the coolest shape and can easily fit into my current wardrobe.

Well that's the jist of it. There were other random purchases but these were my favorite things.

Now I know what to expect for next time!!!!

Gorgeous Displays from RT/Marburger

2011-04-10T09:43:00.002-07:00

One of the really great things about the Round Top/Marburger flea market and show was the beautiful displays and vignettes. These first 2 were taken out on the fields. If I had driven and could have taken a trailer back home, it would have no doubt been filled to it's limit and I would have been in BIG trouble when I got home!!! LOL!!

I will admit, I am a sucker for garden furniture and decor. It just looks so peaceful and cool.

Inside the tents at Marburger were treats for the eyes everywhere. This one got me because I have a thing for both green and brown transferware.

Yes, I know... more garden stuff, but isn't it just divine???

This display was so spectacular in person. The photo just doesn't do it justice. And I love those chairs!

Love, love, love that ladder. Wouldn't you just love to have a loft office space with that ladder in it???

This display had a very contemporary edge to it, but still had a vintage flair. The flowers in the vase and on the napkin rings are all made out of paper.

I finally met Shelley of Sweet Pea Home while I was there. Her interiors are just lovely and I have followed her blog for a while now. I love this door with the chalkboard paint in it. One of these days, I will find just the right door to do that to.

Okay, okay... I know. More garden decor. What can I say????

Can you say... delicious???

I'm a sucker for empty frames hanging on the wall!!!!

I wanted everything in the room. Too bad it wouldn't fit in my suitcase. :(

God Blessed Texas

2011-04-05T09:57:00.001-07:00

I'm back from the beautiful state of Texas!!! With it's miles of fences...

and fields of the most amazing wildflowers ever!!! I lived in Texas for 3 years when I was a child and my most vivid memory was all the Bluebonnets!!!

I was so happy to discover they were all in full bloom when I arrived!

Other highlights were the Indian paintbrush...

and of course, the Longhorns!!!!

then of course... THE SHOPPING!!!!!

These jewelry pieces were done by Paris Montana. I had no idea she was a local girl. I'm pretty excited to discover she is opening a shop right here in old town Scottsdale!!

There were cool things to look at everywhere! From beautiful handmade items....

to great additions for the home...

To tables full of yummy rhinestones and vintage jewelry.

I was on a mission to bring home as much rhinestone ans vintage jewelry findings as I could afford.

(I think I accomplished my goal), but you'll have to wait for another post to see my goodies. :)

All that shopping was really hard work!!! (Don't you feel sorry for me.) So I took a load off on the coolest vintage bath tub lounge chair!! To bad the beer was only a prop!!! LOL!

But my absolutely favorite thing, was meeting and hanging out with some of the sweetest gals I've ever met. What a joy they were to hang out with! This is all of us at the Blog Party, minus dear Karen from Some Days are Diamonds, who was feeling under the weather. :(

We have miss Sandy Navarro of SMN Designs, Charlene of My Hearts Ease, Susie Hibdon of Vintage Susie and Wings, (Me), Joy Campell from The Joys of Life

Rita (no blog yet), Cindy Craine from Lillys Lace, Riki Schumacher of Riki Jewelry and Diane Cook of Rosa and Josie's.

Next time, I'll show you some of my favorite idea's and inspirations!!

Round Top, here I come!

2011-03-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving, on a jet plane... I don't know when I'll be back again....

(Come on, you know the song) Actually, I do know when I'll be back, but I'm not thinking about that right now. All I'm thinking about is Round Top!!!! Woo Hoo! (or should I say "Yee Haw!")

I am going to stay with Charlene of My Hearts Ease and will be meeting so many of my favorite bloggers I can't stand it!! I would name them all, but there are too many to count!!

My Christmas present last year was this trip, and I have been anxiously awaiting to hop on that plane!

I am going to shop til I drop, but the thing I am really most looking forward to, is giving my blog friends a big ol' hug, and just hanging out! (Don't get me wrong... the shopping is REALLY important too!) I'm bringing an empty suitcase, and I hope to bring it back full of goodies!!!!

I will of course have lots of pics to share with you when I get back, and hopefully if all goes well, a little video too. Have a wonderful week my friends! See you all when I get back!

YEE HAW!!!!!!

Building Beautiful Blogs... A Beginners Guide to Blogger

2011-03-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, the day has finally come for me to pull the trigger and make my announcement!

I am so excited to announce the release of my new e-book, Building Beautiful Blogs... A Beginnners Guide to Blogger!

I've put all the information I can think of to help new bloggers (and even those who have been blogging for a while) navigate through Blogger with as little stress and frustration as possible!

I get so much pleasure out of helping you all with your blogs, that I decided it might beneficial to put everything I've learned over the past couple of years in one place, so it's easy to read and follow.

I remember being a new blogger and I would have loved to have had a resource like this when I started. I hope you will all go over to the new site and check it out. I am very proud of the finished product and feel very confident you will find lot's of great information to make your lives in Blogland less stressful, more creative and more fun!!!

**My Desert Cottage**