Giveaway at No Minimalist Here!

Check out the great giveaway going on here!

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If pretty tags, mercury glass and birds are your thing you will want to take a look.

Artwork with my favorite subjects - my girls!

I got a Cricut for Christmas and have not played with it very much. I was at Michael's the other day and they had artists canvases on sale so a grabbed a variety of sizes along with some wood plaques. This is what I came up with!  Sorry once again for the crappy photography.  Those golden yellow walls drive my camera crazy!

I have been seeing all of the faux mercury glass all over and finally got around to giving that a try too.  It was very easy, but tool several coats to get this look.

Here it is all together,  I still need to put something in the little vases for some height I think.

I'm linking up to:

Spring!!

Spring is just around the corner! I decided to put winter away and start decorating with spring in mind. I have seen these cute little birds on other blogs so of course I had to go to the Dollar Tree and get some for myself. My original plan was to attempt a faux mercury glass treatment, but I didn't like it. I ended up painting them ivory and using a black antiquing glaze over that. I love the result - they resemble concrete.




I dug out the candle stick I used for my fall table and topped it with a small grapevine wreath and some spanish moss to make a comfy little nest for one of the birds. The largest bird is sitting on a little flower pot I turned upside-down. The flowers are in a glass vase I picked up a while back at a great little shop here where I live. (Olde Homer House for any locals!)

I think it turned out very cute!

I'm linking up to these parties:

Super month long giveaway at It's So Very Cheri!!

Cheri over at "It's So Very Cheri" is having a fantastic month long Share the Love giveaway. Hop on over and check out her blog - you won't be disappointed!

Baby Shower Gifts

I attended a shower for a friend having her first baby yesterday. They decided not to find out if they are having a boy or a girl, so rather than go with the usual green and yellow, I asked to mommy-to-be what her favorite color is. She said RED! I was so excited to find this great red, yellow and blue fabric at JoAnn's that has little birds on it. I think these little bibs and burp cloths will be perfect whether they have a boy or a girl.

I used this pattern from home Made by Jill for the burp cloths and this pattern from ChickPea Sewing Studio for the bibs. The front side is quilting cotton and the back is chenille. In this photo the bibs don't have snaps yet. I couldn't find my snap setting tool so I had to make a pit-stop at JoAnns on my way to the shower to buy one! Luckily, I work there part-time so I was able to go in the back room and find a hammer and get the snaps applied. :)

I used the little birds in the fabric to make up an applique pattern for the bibs. This was my first time doing applique and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out.

The funniest part was when she opened the gift - she pulled out the burp cloths and the expression on her face was priceless - she had no idea what they were! I could tell she was thinking that they were kind of little for blankets. LOL! Once we all explained what they were she loved them. Oh, does she have a lot to learn, but she is so excited and will be a wonderful mommy.

Sunday Visit

The blog I'm going to visit today does not offer crafting ideas, or decorating projects, or even recipes.  There are no photos to admire, or free tutorials to be found.  What is does offer is a great laugh.  If you can visit this Blog and not laugh out loud at least one time then you ought to check your pulse.  I'm serious.

www.sleeptalkinman.blogspot.com is the creation of an American woman who is married to a British man.  Not just ANY British man, mind you. This man has the habit of talking in his sleep.  Unlike most people who mumble unrecognizable babble in their sleep, he blurts out hilariousness.  One night she decided to use a voice activated recorder to document some of the random thoughts that he comes up with in his sleep and it has turned into a  world-wide phenomenon. They even sell t-shirts with some of his sleeping thoughts. 

Go visit Sleep Talking Man - you won't regret it. I should warn you that some of the language he uses is a little harsh, something his wife claims is not at all his usual character. I leave you with one of his more,ummm...."philosophical" mutterings.

"I haven't put on weight. Your eyes are fat."

 

Sunday Visit

I am going to try to start a new tradition and pick a new blog to visit every Sunday.  I spend way too much not nearly enough time jumping around blogland and I have discovered some fantastic blogs written by some amazingly creative people. 

It's only appropriate that my maiden voyage be to the blog of one of my oldest and dearest friends.  She is a stay at home mom to 3 rambunctious boys.  Lets take a trip to the the land of Amy Short Art....

Amy is a sculptor, painter, photographer and illustrator.  Her drawings of children are simply beautiful.  She does commission work as well.  Here are a few examples of her work (all available for purchase in her Etsy shop)

 

 

 

I suggest you take the time to go over and visit her!