I Was Just Looking for a New Day Runner, Honest!
… but when Barnes and Noble and Hobby Lobby gang up on a girl, extra purchasing is *bound* to happen:
The new Artful Blogging:
Boxed cards with vintage ephemera illustrations:
Large ephemera cards:
The sale at Hobby Lobby is awesome! Little birdies, six yards of upholstery fabric (you know, on the HUGE rolls!) for $2 a yard, and a metal coffee sign for the kitchen:
The day runner? Yep, found that at Target. It’s not nearly as pretty as my goodies from B & N and Hobby Lobby, but it’ll do…
Patriotic for the Remainder of Our Stay
The bunnies, eggs, and butterflies are put away, not to be seen again until next spring, back in Kansas. I get a bit of a break now, April, May, and June, as I won’t switch the decor again- in fact, the movers will pack it up at the end of June, leaving me a few weeks in July to explore our new home, new floorplan, and new decor ideas. “Patriotic” is the theme for the next few months, and will probably be the theme once we unpack before school starts, unless I’m ready for autumn, at which point the fall leaves and pumpkins will appear long before October!
Being a military family, red, white and blue, stars and stripes work for us no matter what:
I love this garland!
***********************************************************
My husband and I have been watching John Adams on HBO. The mini-series is wonderful (though not appropriate for young children), as is its broadcast timing while our country’s politics continue to make history in front of our eyes:
Serene Saturday, Creative Space
Here was my morning view from the couch, coffee in hand:
Sunlight pouring in, temperature not-too-hot, quiet in the neighborhood. After finishing off my first mug of liquid morning energy, I poured another and moved to the computer to check email and read blogs. Pearl, at A Storybook Life, posted “Creative Spaces- Nurturing Our Need to Create” (part one) and I was instantly rescued from the other blog entries regarding dilemmas in public education and teaching that had scrolled ahead before hers. After expressing her belief that we are each born with an innate sense of creativity, Pearl went on to share photos and descriptions of some of her friends’ creative nooks and crannies, encouraging readers to “finally give yourself a little place to nurture the creativity inside of you!” Go, look, and be inspired!
Unlike her friends, I don’t have a work/craft room or full-fledged work shop, rather, I truly have a “nook.” One small area between the kitchen and laundry room, large enough for a desk and medium size bookcase. To sew, scrap, or make one of my wreaths, I have to spread my materials out along our large kitchen island countertop or across our dining room table. But for my reading, email communication, blogging, researching, photo printing, and organizing of craft materials and inspiration, my nook is just the right size. The only thing I’m missing are inspiration pinboards, something I hope to make for my own “creative space” in our next home (we relocate this summer). Until then, my Inspiration Binders will have to do, one for home decor, holidays and craft inspirations, and the other for kindergarten and teaching materials.
Here is the nook- I’ve taken several photos because it’s such a tight space and difficult to see in one shot:
My desk, chair, and bookcase are tucked in, out of traffic’s way (the door you see is the one to the laundry room), with enough wall space for my favorite artwork, photos, etc.
My killer whale art above my computer was made for me by my friend Karen (her family also introduced me to Bunnies by the Bay) while my Russian lacquer platter was purchased off of QVC years ago. Yes, yes, that is an “old” eMac, but guess what? It has everything I need at this point in time, except the ability to save space!
Anyone know how to get my webcam to work on Yahoo Messenger for Mac? Nothing, nothing, and more of nothing, despite my best efforts (and questions to Yahoo Groups), though the webcam will work on MacCam or something like that. I do cross stitch every now and again, so two of my samplers are framed and hanging on the right of the wall. And see those plastic drawer cubbies under the desk? They’re full of glue sticks/adhesives, ribbons, paper cutters, hot glue guns, etc.
This is the bookcase next to my desk, full of books, construction/craft/printing papers, my binders-in-progress, and drawers of correspondence note cards. The red bag? It’s an accordion file case, full of stickers, special papers, and other crafting embellishments, a Christmas gift from my grandmother.
On top of the bookcase are some of my favorite photos…wedding, me and my husband on our Harley, and our friends, Bill, Polly, and Shannon:
Nope, no piles of fabric in this house, darn it! Just a little to-do pile, stacked on top of storage drawers.
Finally, a plain white door just wouldn’t do for my space:
There’s the valentine wreath I made, the pretty pinkness of it seemed perfect for spring, along with block prints made from wood block carvings by my friend Sue. Yep, she did them all, the perfect Alaska images for this Alaskan girl!
I have no idea where we’ll be living when we return to Oz this summer… on post? Off? Three bedrooms or four? How many family rooms, and what’s the size of them? Will I have a creative corner, a creative nook, a study, or a closet?
I’m dreamin’ BIG!
Show and Share Thursday: Sarcasm, Sparkle, and Desserts
I’ve been more of a blog reader than a blog writer this week, content to read the posts from all 168 blogs to which I subscribe daily, “flagging” ones that I’d like to go back to, re-read, ponder over, and possibly share, and then getting on about my day. There’s been a lot of sweetness and light out here in Blogland (at least in the neck of the woods I frequent), and I’ve even contributed to the online sugar, caught up in the springiness of the season, but let me share this with you: I’m no Pollyanna. No sir-ee Bob (or Jane, Fred, or Betty).
And here’s the proof: my refrigerator magnets.
Most of the magnets are from Ephemera, Inc., and I’ll be buying MORE, thanks to a peek at this at Barnes and Noble:
A wonderful flip-book with a built-in stand full of the sarcastic humor that brings wicked laughter into my life- naturally I’ll be buying these as magnets:
and of course…
Nope, no “Chicken Soup” for ANYONE’S soul here- just sassiness, which works for me!
What’s on your fridge?
**********************************************************************
Oh, but glamour and sparkle do catch my attention…
Morning Glory Antiques and Jewelry is a site I just found online, and I’ve only drooled over the photos- I have no idea if this place is up and running! Seeing as they are located in New Mexico, I might just have to schedule a road trip before we move back to Oz this summer… If you’re a Miriam Haskell fan, take a look!
As do hunger-inducing desserty recipes:
Rice Pudding with Dulce de Leche, from Cream Puffs in Venice
Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit shares a recipe for Sweet and Salty Honey Peanut Cupcakes
Smitten Kitchen’s “Hamantaschen” are three cornered cookies that I’d never heard of before…probably because I’m not Jewish.
**********************************************************************
Happy Thursday, and thanks for reading!
Buttons Bunnies and Carrots…
… on a wreath! Apparently the sugar rush experienced after my earlier Rocky Road indulgence provoked a crafting urge. Should I list it on Ebay?
It’s those felt bunnies and carrots I made a while back, along with some fabric left over from my heart wreath. Wreath form, tulle cut into strips…
But who wants to see a plain ol’ brown wreath form? I wrapped it with muslin…
…and *then* added the tulle and fabric strips!
Bunny, bunny, where to put the bunny…
Hey, buttons!
Add a strip of fabric for hanging, and…
Ta Da!
Plain. Simple. Cute.
Spring has Sprung!
All over the kitchen, apparently!
The epergne:
And above the sink:
Whoops, don’t forget the front door! The wreath I made last year survived the move from Kansas to Texas so it’s ready to greet visitors yet once again:
Do you decorate for spring?
Show and Share Thursday: Bunny Love
With spring just around the corner, our dark winter decor has been taken down, laundered, and packed away, and the “spring stuff” has been put up in its place. But there are a few characters, fluffy spirits, that stay up year ’round in our house, albeit in one little corner of my bedroom:
My bunnies. “Bunnies by the Bay Bunnies” to be exact. These aren’t the ones you might find in Hallmark stores around the country, these are PRE-Hallmark. I place the blame for my love of them squarely on three peoples’ shoulders: Karen, her mother Ginny, and brother David. There’s only one bunny that’s not in this photo, and it’s the one that started it all: my angel Christmas tree topper bunny that Ginny made for me when I visited Oak Harbor, WA, too many years ago. Ginny helped me choose the fabric and details for bunny’s dress, and David graciously donated his kitchen table to serve as Ginny’s workspace one afternoon. Several hours later, I had a beautiful tree topper. She’s carefully packed away with our Christmas decor, but is never far from my thoughts thanks to her relatives:
These two are dressed warmly with knit caps and long bloomers…
This one *had* to be mine after we were stationed in Kansas for two years…
These twins sit on top of my dresser, watching over my perfume bottles, crystal dish, and silver-tone dresser set…
…and this patriotic beach-goer sits in my magazine basket, next to my bed.
Yes, this thirty-eight year old woman has bunnies in her bedroom, but somehow, my collection doesn’t inspire that awful “Ewww, stuffed animals…” comment when friends see them.
And my husband hasn’t pitched them out the door. Good thing, because I know how to track them down on eBay. And will continue to do so. So there. Nyeah.
***********************************************************
More bunny love:
Check out “Fun with Max and Ruby” on Rosemary Wells’ homepage (it’s a link to the left on her page) for coloring pages and games with some of my favorite (bunny) characters created by the author of:
Here’s a very cute crochet bunny pattern at Lion Brand Yarn:
And finally, despite the cuteness factor, toy or chocolate bunnies are the best choices when it comes to deciding how to fill up your child’s Easter basket. The House Rabbit Society provides lots of helpful information that will explain the reasons why live rabbits are NOT good Easter gifts.
Simple Spring Centerpiece
This is probably the simplest dining room table centerpiece yet (at least for me!), and all it took was:
1 basket
1 pip berry wreath (light lavender, purple, and white berries)
1 length of recycled lace (this came off of the skirt of a well-loved dress)
1 bunny figurine
Could it get any cuter?
By the way, I’d love some ideas for the lace… it’s not sewn, glued, or tacked in any way (I have about three yards of it), and I’d love to be able to use it, see it, daily. Suggestions and inspiration are most appreciated- thanks!
Left You Hanging
Apologies! I showed you all of those bunnies, eggs and other spring decorations piled on top of my kitchen counter, wondered where I’d end up putting them, and then… left you hanging! A little bit today, a little bit tomorrow, how about that?
You know I enjoy vignettes:
Some of you have wondered about my blog’s new banner (those of you reading me in an RSS feed might want to take a peek just once to see the pretty photo I put up at the blog site itself), so here’s where the photographs were taken:
I hope you enjoyed the peek at my spring decor- I’ll have the simplest table centerpiece for you tomorrow, but I’ll give you one element of it now- lace salvaged from one of my “fairy tale dress up day” outfits- no longer worn…but still put to good use:
Oh yes, I’m happy that at least here at home (indoors), SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
Still Stitchin’, Soon Scrappin’
Saturday’s Stitchin’:
…and today I’ll be “scrappin’.” Possibly. While making baked egg casserole and a coffee cake this morning, I made a mess of some of my recipes. Sigh, yes, they ended up being victims of my put-them-in-page-protectors-procrastination. I figure the binder is looking a bit tired too, so maybe I’ll dig out my pretty papers, stickers, etc. and gussy it all up again, fresh for spring. Fresh for new recipes.
New recipes I’ll put in page protectors….pronto!
Apparently, prettying up recipe books and home decor is what a kindergarten teacher home-for-the-year does when she can’t put up bulletin boards, heh heh heh!
Blogged
