March Homemaker Tag Along

Is it already time for the Happy Homemaker Tag Along?  I am running behind schedule not my usual punctual self.  Keeping with the theme of Nursery Rhymes I chose the three little pigs.  

Three jovial plump piggies playing in the sun.  Accented by vintage seam binding and button from my stash.

These images are off of an old greeting card that featured the treasured story.  The house is from an old card as well.  I borrowed this trick from Elizabeth.  It adds depth and layers.  Thank you E.

 Sweet little ducks peek from bottom...While the pigs dance at a raised distance with pop dots.

Just when you think its all fun and games, the big bad wolf comes from the back to huff and puff and blow the house down.

This 3rd month was the first time that I had to get tricky with my cuts to start saving on my paper. Probably should have done that earlier.   I am going to have to be even craftier next month and make sure I have enough for the two tags.  

On another note.  I have not been assigned a partner for this swap.  Miss E if you have someone you would like to send me the lucky recipient I would love to know who I am going to be sending these to.  

Linking this up to the other talented participants...take a peek to see the other creations!

All in a day!

Maybe if I post enough pictures that look like Spring the weather will take the hint.  I am wrapping up a very busy short week here as my kiddos are starting "Spring Break" on Thursday.  Taxes are completed, lake house is ready for fishing, cars are set for travel, pet sitters contacted, etc.  I had two hours on Monday to sneak into a favorite flea market stop and grab some goodies.  

A bouncing baby buggy for the perfect potted plant.

These Shawnee nursery planters were marked down.  I see pincushions in my future.

A McCoy string holder and a glitter paper mache bird.  Love the colors.

Box full of vintage sewing notions and paper graphics.

The cutest set of gingham apron in Easter egg colors.  The stitching is divine.  How they sandwiched the

rick rack between the stitches.  I truly use these as specimens to study and learn from.  Using the gingham blocks as the pattern...so easy I would have never thought of it.

A wonderful heartfelt thank you to the blogging community who has linked to me or posted about me.  You all have been so kind.  This is such a great place to share and learn.  I appreciate all of the comments and good wishes.  I am thrilled to be a part of such a talented community.

Easter Paper Crafting

Sweet  images and pastel colors.  Warmer days and pretty flowers.  All the things that make Spring a favorite season.  I've had so much fun gathering my paper crafting supplies for this tag swap.  Making a bigger tag than my usual, this one is 4x6.5 inches and is full of new techniques.  At least for me.

October Afternoon is my favorite paper vendor.  They always seem to grasp that vintage flavor.  These beautiful bunnies came from Diane of Saturday Finds.  They are from a vintage Easter card and I am so impressed at how crisp her images are...they won't be my last.  

From the first pieces to the finished product.  

The bunnies unfold to show off sentiments, the date and a few Easter clippings from a vintage child's workbook.  Through trial and error I figured out how to hinge the bunnies, overlap them, and hide the content...yep...it took me all day!  

Trimmings....I formed this bunny silhouette out of an old pipe cleaner.  The blue plastic flower is a recent find.  Leaves off of discarded millinery, blue bird ornament and ribbons galore.

A quick labeled back and a stamp for good measure wrap up this fun tag.   I am adding in some chocolate and a nut cup basket.

This is my first attempt at a nut cup.  There were many redo's and I can't say that my final is perfect but it is my favorite of the ones that I made.  Shipping this sweet package out this week to a hand picked partner by Miss Sandy of 521 Lake Street.

Happy Easter Terry!

These bunnies are heading your way...

Written in the pages...

A collection that never seems to end.  I am drawn to the memories of reading them.  The graphics on the covers and inside the pages call for me to take them home.  Bookplates inside with the beautifully handwritten names say they are in need of a special space.  I could go on and on and on.  Suffice it to say I love to get lost in the pages.

No amount of reconfiguring can help me find more space in this cabinet.  Believe me I have tried.  I love each and every one of these books that I have hand picked out of boxes, poured over at the thrift store, or waited patiently to peruse at an estate sale.  

Sweet inscriptions from one to another gently grace the first  few pages of many of these.

Engraved illustrations and parchment paper pictures greet you as leaf your way through them.

Just for good measure...a collection of wire frogs against the smooth and glossy mirror.

Along with books I paired these old poem plaques that have sweet illustrations themselves.  Lovely couplings and sweet nursery rhyme Leftons.

I have had to whittle these down from time to time and yes, it is hard to do.  If I want to continue to collect these wonderful and seemingly disappearing pieces, I have to have some control.

Technology is great, I love my laptop, smart phone, GPS etc, but I cannot seem to find the value of books on a computer.  It seems cold and unfriendly.  

Nothing takes away from the feel of the pages in my hands.  I guess that makes me old and sentimental and I am okay with that.

Charming the house.

We have lived in this house for many years and it still drips with suburban newness.  I can't seem to paint it away or cover it up.  Lately, I've stopped trying to hide it and instead add my vintage charms.  Just like you would add a charm to a bracelet.  There are so many hurdles to jump with newer construction when you want to decorate in the cottage/flea market style. For instance:

Our double faced fireplace that is the center of our home.  One side is in the living room and the other is in the kitchen. Glossy and white, heavily laden in wood and trim, I have added these charms to "color it up".  The living room side houses all my favorite game pieces and small metal objects. It is fun to add to  and watch the kids go through them.  The larger jar holds our rock collection from Lake Superior vacations.    

What else can bring height to a boring architectural structure than the beautiful matte finish of an aqua milk can.  Found at the local salvation army for less than $10.

  You see my OCD took over here.  The secret...this picture is my all time favorite find at a thrift store for $3.00 yes!  $3.00!  It is stunning in all it's muted colors.  If I could have a house full of Roseville I would...but who can afford it?  These two pieces were scored off of eBay for a nominal fee...because they have cracks...on the back.  Who's going to see it!  Candle sconces look old but are really from Nell Hill's.  This is as sophisticated as I get. 

My idea of a great table.  Stacks of picnic baskets found throughout the years.  They hold all kinds of things.  Love them.  Gorgeous art pieces.  In my sophisticated opinion.  

Estate sale piece that I couldn't live without.  Why?...because I have this wall that is 14 inches wide and nothing fit on it and looked naked.  You cannot replicate this patina.  The crust on the frame is worth a thousand words.  I love it for the spots in the mirror layers.  How many faces has it seen?

We had the ugliest counters when we moved in.  I wanted marble counter tops and my husband wanted the too trendy granite.  He won and I got to decorate.   White ironstone pitchers from the sales, sterling silverware mixed pieces as I find them, and silver trays for clutter control from the local thrift store.

Along with decorating I won removal of the giant clutter catcher island.  Monstrous beast took all the floor space up.  This wonderful vintage kitchen table along with its butterfly joints and porcelain wheels swiftly made the kitchen charming.  I grabbed that stool from a sale out of the garage.  It is one of the first places I stop at an estate sale.  Some of the best stuff is covered in rust.

 I try to think of the ordinary becoming something extraordinary.  For instance, my flea market cart holds quilts in the kitchen corner so that we can use them. (and mom can put them away)

These little touches make it easy to switch things in and out as I find them.  They add color and charm to an otherwise cookie cutter home. 

Loads of fun?

When we first got married my husband and I lived in this darling little cape cod.  Our laundry room was in the basement.  It was unfinished with loads of space...ha!  Then the kids came along and we decided it would be a good idea to move to the suburbs along with the rest of the young socialites (insert me among the non-trendy mom without the blinged out jeans and high heels).  Anyway, my husband fell in love with this house we live in now on the corner in a culdesac.  What we didn't know was...the laundry room was the size of a mole hole.  The sellers keenly kept the door closed with their elderly Dalmatian tucked behind the door.  Hmm...must have been a sign...we should have heeded...but we didn't.

Years later and multiple washes this room sees more time than almost any other room in the house.  I have attempted to decorate it and manipulate it in order to make it more work, friendly.  This is my vintage take.  An old cross stitch Home Sweet Home from etsy.  Embroidered weekly tea towels hung from old laundry pins.  Stain glass window strung from chain.  New repro towel rods only because the old ones were so expensive.  

Clutter control central.  One day my husband came home to this reworked wall.  Bead board bottom, a garage wall hook hanger system for giant backpacks and winter gear, chalk board paint for the game schedules of summer and more hooks because there are never enough!  Vinyl stickers off etsy decorate the wall without closing in the space, everyone knows laundry is loads of fun...not!

A mere 3 feet from that wall you can barely turn to find the stacked washer and dryer.  This is my attempt at genius.  I would have loved to move it closer to the window but the builder put the water receiver right here and the vent next to the window.  He obviously does the laundry in his house...never.  I had this Vinyl ruler made online (it escapes me at the moment, sorry) for my kiddos height.  They love to mark their height on their birthdays.  

For full disclosure the floor is occupied by our family bulldogs, Lincoln and Murphy.  They snore so loud at night that we had to move their bed in here.  And if it wasn't small enough the water and food bowl are in their too.

A view from this side of the stained glass helps me forget how small this space is.  

Spring Hankie Love

Last week I received a flier in the mail for one of those charities that come by and pick up gently used clothing  from your house.  They provide a bag in their pamphlet.  Sounds like a good enough reason to clean some closets out to me.  Amongst the drab and dreary winter wardrobe I came across these Spring hankie favorites I sewed last summer.

Excitement is a must when I find a scalloped hankie.  This trio came from one hankie.  It was a perfect match for the ballet pink that was so popular last summer.  

A favorite...the center is a small white embroidered hankie surrounded by  a vibrant rose colored scalloped hankie and a finished with a feed sack leaf.

This is a children's hankie that was beyond repair but it had some life left in the print.  Simple stitches and a cherry red vintage button bring it right back to life.

Peter pan collars...say no more.  This is a cute cutter hankie that added just the right amount to a white tank.

My daughter is never left out.  A shamrock...and an old coat button.  All from a boring vintage hankie.

All of these have pin backings.  It makes washing much simpler.  It also adds to the outfits.  I am not one to wear tanks alone.  Most of the time I pair these with a cardigan and add the pin to the sweater.  I can get a hankie for 50 cents to a dollar and add them to a simple shirt for just a little more.  

Some of these ideas came out of the fantastic Indygo Junction book  Hankie Style.  I highly recommend it if you are pattern stumped or in need some inspiration.

Although I did fill a bag for charity...none of these made it into the bag this year.  I think I will hang on to them for a season or two longer.