Brrr...I think I need a blanket

Baseball season is now back in swing. I have spent the last two weekends at the fields - freezing my tail off! Boy don't you wish that were literally true. I would have some kinda smoking hot body!!! LOL!

Anyway, here are the supplies I started with - they were all stuff that I had on hand. If you saw my post from a couple of days ago - you would know that I have A LOT of stuff on hand!

I feel certain that I bought all of the fabric pieces at Joann's - the fleece I got at Hancock Fabrics - and the jeans were a "gift" from my dad. I cut out 12 1/2" squares of all the fabric pieces and used the fleece to line the blanket/quilt. Here is the finished product:

My Mom Cave - be careful, if you fall in...

My creativity hit a wall...I couldn't figure out why? That is until I looked around my craft room and then, it all became abundantly clear.

No one is capable of being creative in this mess...The pictures that follow may scare you - they sure did me. I was overwhelmed for so long. But, one box at a time, I finally have a clear space to work! Here are the scary "Before" shots:





As I got going - things got a lot worse...











Do you have chills running up and down your spine yet? I seriously felt like they could come and film an episode of Hoarders right here in my craft room. My husband made the mistake of stopping by to see my progress. He ran, screaming from the room. My 13 yr old just said "oh, wow." Have you seen most 13 yr old boy's bedrooms? He could still find the nerve to say that about my room. Ugh.

To save some dignity - here are just a few quick shots of the new and improved closet space. The rest of the room is pretty clean too - but the creative juices caught up with me and I started a new project before I could take pictures.







So, for now - my closet is uber organized - every sort of craft in a corner of its own. We will see how long it will last!

A birthday gift

I recently made a birthday present for on one my besties, inspired by her desire to remake her living room into a "coastal / cottage" vibe room and completely inspired by this candle holder from LL Bean. So, off I went to try my hand at recreating something in this proximity.

I got a vase from the local dollar tree...
and I picked up these beauties from Michaels...


Now that I had my supplies - I just started gluing, and gluing and gluing...I used some pretty powerful glue to keep that glass on the vase - should probably do it in a well ventilated room. Yikes.
I just realized as I am almost through writing this post - I never took a picture of the final product! WHAT!?!?! Good think Miss Anne lives close. I will have to pop in for a visit.

Goodwill Treasures - February 2011 - part 2

Some snaps of more of my latest finds - I decided to try and dig though the silverware bins - each of these pieces was only 25 cents!






I also picked up a little glassware...I didn't pay more than $3 for either of these!

Blue & White Beauties

Some thrift store treasures in my china cabinet:

Goodwill Treasures - February 2011 - part 1

This lovely serving fork came with the silver tray down below.


I love the fact that it is monogrammed! Not my monogram - but that is cool!


Here is the tray that came with the serving fork.


This plastic, fake wood planter (?) needs some painting - but it should turn out very nice...I will post more when it is done.


This is a Rogers & Co. silverplate tray - picked up for a whopping $1.59!!!

Myott Finlandia

In my post about the Miss Mustard Seed "Copy Me Challenge" I mentioned that I was scouring the thrift stores for plates like hers. I had found onesies and twosies around and I would pick them up.

Last week, while taking a day off - I ventured into my favorite thrift store. I call it my honey hole! Anyway, I came across a stack of these lovelies. Seriously - there were 9 dinner plates, 16 small dessert plates and 11 bowls...for, get this, $15!!! I could seriously feel my throat closing, my palms were sweating and I didn't think I would make it up to the counter with the dishes. I was certain the second I stepped away from the shelf, someone else would swoop in and take them. It didn't really matter that there was only one other person in the shop and we were definitely NOT looking at the same things!

I finally got them home, cleaned them and they are now as deliriously happy as I am...I think dishes can be that happy, right?? My collection of these style dishes has now grown! They are all a little different but I love that all the same. I thought I would add some of the china markings from the bottom of the dishes that I have. The group that I picked up at the thrift store are Myott Finlandia.

This is from a bowl in the same design that I bought over 10 years ago.


A sweet little cup I picked up at Goodwill.


This marking is on a set of 3 plates that I got from Goodwill as well. Furnivals Limited!

More Family Heirlooms

My oldest son was given this beer stein by his grandfather last weekend. It originally belonged to his great-great-grandfather! I am dying to know what it says - google translate didn't make any sense!

Gift from Grandma

See my little 2 or 3 year old self. I have no idea when this picture was taken or what me and my older brother were doing - but it was definitely at Grandma's house. I know that because I was clutching her porcelain doll. I had always loved that doll. I wanted to hold her and carry her around wherever I went and my grandmother let me...I only hope that I can do the same when I have grandkids!

I don't ever remember if my cousin and I fought over her - we were only 3 months apart (she being the older of the two of us) - and the only girls in a sea of boys! I don't recall her holding the same fascination - maybe she did?? But as we got older and my grandmother began parsing out family heirlooms, Lisa (being the older and therefore first granddaughter) got the doll. I can tell you that I was green GREEN green with envy.

Many years have passed since that all took place and my cousin agreed that she never held the same fascination that I did - and agreed that this doll needed to come and live with me! Isn't she beautiful.

The Cheese Plate

I made this plate for a friend - a Green Bay Packer Cheesehead!! I was supposed to bring it over for the Superbowl - but in my haste to finish the macaroni & cheese (cheeseheads, remember) I left the plate at home.

I used vintage cheese labels that I got from Cathe Holden at Just Something I made. I plan on giving it to her soon! I just cut out the individual labels and decopauged them onto a plate I picked up Goodwill for 79 cents.

Trying my hand at Jewelry

It is amazing what a little Glossy Accents, some paper scraps, buttons and some bezels (which I picked up from Hobby Lobby - on sale 40% off!) can do! Here are few more -

Boxes, boxes, boxes

At least a year ago, I bought a bunch of paper boxes - with the idea that I would decorate them...I have finally gotten around to it! This one is my favorite so far. I used an old pattern that I picked up at goodwill for 57 cents. The rest of the stuff I had laying around the craft room. Time to start using supplies - not admiring the accumulation of them!

For this box, I used some Lilly Pulitzer wrapping paper and topped the box with a ribbon rose.

All the papers and "buttons" used on this box are from Heather Bailey. I love the bright fun colors she uses in her fabrics and was so excited that she came out with papers to match! Click here to visit her blog and here to visit her online store. (No, I wasn' t paid to endorse - just love!!!)

The final box is definitely Miss Mustard Seed inspired. I used some vintage sheet music I got from a co-worker (thank you, Alex) and I painted the top with some silver paint. For a little rustic touch - I painted the pine cone with the same silver paint and glued it to the top to use as a handle.