Slowly but Surely.......

 ........getting craft-y!  {you can click to enlarge any of the pictures}

H* O *M* E* M* A* D *E 

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT

ASSEMBLAGE ART

{made with things-on-hand by McMaster & Storm}

I'm in charge of the kindergarten class craft for the Christmas party and worked on idea number one. I suppose this is quite intricate, but it suits me and now I want to make 15 or so of them. Using  a medley of vintage animal graphics of course. It was crafted entirely of things I had on hand.  If I use this idea for Luke's class will keep it more simple, with 28 kids can't get to detailed :)

 

*quick overview not necessary in order just to give you an idea{s}*

{can be adjusted to whatever you have on hand}

1. Ruffled, natural coffee filters, cut into points with pinking scissors. I folded the coffee filter in half first, then cut the points. Another filter was cut into a smaller circle & layered behind music paper circle.
2. Velvet ribbon cut into a banner and glued at bottom of music paper.
3. Deer picture copied onto cardstock then cut into a circle
4. Brass bell sew onto the velvet ribbon.
5. Gold dresden "V" for Vivian. Now on a mission to find a lion for Luke & a zebra for Zach!
6. Silver glass glitter
7. Torn & crumpled Bible verse. {I tore it on a aluminum foil box's cutter to give a vintage look}
8. Deep pink ribbon and thin gold mettalic ribbon on the hook
9. Brown covered florist wire {love this, comes in green too} for the hook or loop. I shaped the wire hook to look pretty as you can see it. I found this at Joannes a while back {floral section} and glad I had it on hand. The texture is more fun than just a plain wire.
10. Vintage music paper
{On the back I just layered a circle of card stock {ends of wire hook staple to the front of back circle card stock} for more stability and finished it with a circle of music paper.
11. Japanese making tape in gold/white stripes, I couldn't resist adhering a piece to the deer picture.
12. Of course I used this must have tool to attach the wire loop.

Now, I do think I found the perfect tree.....if it's still there!!

 

 

While at my favorite digging place I found a song book and on the cover was this......swoon. I made copies and now need to get it on Etsy.

xo

Coming Home Collection....

by Jeanne Oliver Designs take a peek.........blog + look book.  Pretty things! She is also having a very
generous giveaway of $500 to use in her shop.

I posted pics on our blog of "home-y" things. Makes me smile.

 

{6!}

Happy Birthday Luke.......

xo

Warmth + Love {& attics}

Out of this world Apricot Rosemary Jam with Double Cream Brie.

{Compliments to my mother for the 5 lbs I gained this past week}

I can't believe we don't have a Trader Joe's or a Target in Englewood. We instead have a Murray's Cheese , in the middle of the Deli Department in Kroger. Seriously, cannot believe this famous NYC place decided to permanently camp out in the Kroger I shop at. I shall never complain that we don't have a TJ's closer. Amen. 

I dislike coming up with blog post titles, anyone else? I always think that will be so easy, and well it's not. 

We had two Thanksgiving's in one week. Last Sunday, my brother's girlfriend came out {or is it "up"?} from Virginia and my mom had a scrumptious spread. I was more than excited that we had peanut butter pie instead of pumpkin. Pumpkin pie does not have me jumping up & down. I'm a cobbler & icing- on- the- cake kind of gal. The only 2 pies on this earth that I get excited about are peanut butter pie & black raspberry cream pie and well, my mother's white Christmas pie. So, that makes 3, hmmm, there are others that are surfacing right at the moment---maybe I like cream-y pies?!

The second Thanksgiving involved ham and a creative spin on the Thanksgiving meal. {Just thought you wanted to know that.} We had a pumpkin/praline cheesecake and that my dear friends is a very good spin on the typical-I-don't-care-for pumpkin pie.

 My 2 turkeys figured out they could fit in the play oven. Luke kept tumbling out and exclaiming, "the turkey isn't done yet"! I love watching children playing using their imaginations. {it's also free entertainment}

 "Look, the turkey has ginger hair!"

 PROJECT! {cackle, cackle laughter} Attic room it is time to tackle you. You have great potential nice big room, 2 windows and a place to build built ins for tubs, out-of-season clothing & games. Nice big area to spread out legos, train tracks and a place for the kids to play while it's a blowing snow outside.

I only gave one view the area where it's cleaned out! You really didn't think I would show

you plastic tubs stacked up?? :)

Pros: 

We can close the door on the mess while it's getting worked on. 

It has the original wood floor, minus some missing pieces when the previous owners installed can lights in the kitchen. 

Main pipe already installed for a bathroom. We did that when we put water lines in the new laundry room, so it made sense to run one up to the attic. 

Electric was installed by the previous owners.

Pinterest! Love that I have been able to "pin" ideas for the attic! 

Cons: 

What were we thinking--why did we not at least refinish the floors and put spray foam insulation when we moved in 7 years ago? We had no kids and the attic was pretty empty. 

The biggest annoyance is finding a place for all our stuff we have stored up there. My husband started working on that and it's moving slow. Don't want to make the rest of our upstairs a huge mess with tubs, etc. It will be easier having everything moved out so we are not moving things to & fro in that room while construction dust is flying.

Have a lovely weekend.........

xo

New Things......

Italian glasses  SOLD OUT for milk or beverage of choice. {written in 6 languages around the glass} I decided something pink-ish red would look fun in the glass. Festive, festive. I'm loving the simple greenish-blue tinged glass and anything Italian right now. Timeless.

 For homemade vanilla & vinegars......Italian hermetic flasks.......

 Petite Italian serving pitcher....... love the 0,5 l written on the top front.

 

Italian measure pitcher......for dry & wet ingredients.......{perfect for fresh cut flowers, no?}

 Our wrapping project for Heather Bullard's Winter Souvenir........

Tiny Boxwood starts wrapped in burlap.........
We planted boxwood's {again} ;) This time we purchased starts and so easy to plant, especially when you plant lots.  Yes, I have a weakness for these!  I saved some that were left to wrap up and tie metallic gold string around. Christmas decorating is right around the bend for me.

My husband is off this week and I'm trying to get things uploaded. I worked on it today and it always takes longer than I think it will. I really miss having a store to merchandise. Uploading things online is a boring task {yawn}. I love taking the pics & styling, although I'm an amateur at it. 

I'm loving homemade croutons--simply the best & easy. {so yummy in soups} I just made some using focaccia bread and delish they were.
It's cloudy & rainy here and I love it. I really think I could live in the Northwest.

Have a wonderful day!
xo

Miles I've Covered.......

 I helped behind the scenes for a shower-- a teensy peek: wooden forks & kraft trays for the apple cake with rum sauce.  Bamboo picks for the cheese & dried fruit.

 DIY garland and maps "stating" where the bride & groom are from.

 My grandmother, Irene passed away last week {91 years}. We drove 16 hours to a teensy town in Kansas. Kansas will never be the same again without her.  I will miss her cheery, always wanting to sit-a-spell & chat- with- me grandma. I loved her letters she wrote me, when she ran out of space she would just write all around the card then finish on the very back! :) I'm thankful I saved a very important letter from her when I moved from Ohio to California in 1994. Happy to tell you she knew Jesus Christ as her Savior.

 I spotted this old service station in one of those wee towns and wanted to packed it up and bring it back with me. I think it would be cute for a store in my yard. It even had built in cupboards. I wonder if I should've just taken those doors home?

 Metallic golds & silvers are beckoning me these days........

1. I found the very cool vintage coin purse at Sylvia's for a mere 50 cents. It's in great condition and I love the zipper opening on the bottom, an all-in-one coin purse! 2. Letterpress card in golds & blacks. 3. A delicious caramel with sea salt, a brand new company debuting soon! The proprietress is one of my customers and has very good taste. Literally.
3. Vintage pharmacy measure jars, because vintage glass is always "in"! Found at one of my favorite places to dig. 4. Paper tape from Martha Stewart.

 1. Gold $1 coin  2. My favorite pencils, Verithin in metallic gold.

 What to get the guys this year? I found these via Garret Wade and they were a steal on sale at $14.95, regular $29.95. Perfect to tuck in with this at RH. These screwdrivers are the berries. Read some fun reviews by Garret Wade customers......{Oh, I think they are pretty too!}

Real Tools for Real People
Reviewed By:	David A. (San Francisco , Ca.)
Shaped like a zeppelin , tough as a tank and worthy of building or maintaining both . One solid piece of cold hard steel runs form the tip, all the way up the shaft where it slips into your palm as though it's hardwood handle were created for your firm grip . Old school and mean looking . So tough the first time I went to use it the screw got scared and twisted itself in . Set of four , one each of six , eight , ten , and twelve inches ... depending on preference or who's measuring . History Reviewed By:  Jeff F (Clarksville, OH)  I believe these were originally made by the Irwin Tool Co., in Wilmington, OH. (Home of the infamous Irwin Auger Bit.) Subsequently sold to American Tool, then to Rubbermaid. No longer located in Wilmington, OH (near Martinsville where it all began.) These screwdrivers are real brutes. The kind of tool you want in your truck toolbox if you're stranded somewhere.

See those tiny vintage hardware parts? I'm thinking of selling them. Well, about selling things I need to take photos today as once again I'm behind even more so.

{when I get all caught up ;) this looks like an interesting book about Catherine the Great.}
xo

Oopsie

A tad bit behind....guess that is normal for me. {a.k.a. mom to 3 kidlets} Shooting for the 7th of November.
Keep me in your prayers!

Here, There & Everywhere......

Ginger hair and a mouthful of Smarties. Smarty pants.
Zach Ellington, at the tail end of age 2.

 it seems!

musings of the last few weeks. ...

*Dum Dum lollies & Smarties are a must on photo shoots that involve kids.

{I kid you not, as soon as we plunked them down on their stools, they started crying.all.of.them.

including the mom so that made 4 of us.} Out of the 400 I think there are 3 good ones?

*I have been bitten by a major procrastination bug as I have a zillion photos to upload of new product. They must be up by Nov. 1st. We all know I have a deadline as there is a twelve pack in the pantry so I can get this project done. I mean a 12 pack of coke. classic coke, not diet either-- that's cheating. Onward, ho!

*Don't get me wrong there's been a cheery note here & there, I had coffee with Darcy one evening by ourselves, that's monumental.  Matt & I had an evening out with our oldest & then we toted all 3 kidlets this past Saturday on a fall drive. {think driving on Ohio's back roads, kettle corn, outlet mall without a stroller, & Chick-fil-A-----fun times for the kiddos} Plus, Jill of sew a fine seam popped over on a rainy, cold day.

*Helping my mom plan a shower,  behind the scenes stuff. I want to take a few pics of some of the things we are doing for that.

*& go here for the most inspiring photos; walnut groves in France-----I love her blog, Stephmodo.

Have a good & blessed week and I'll try to pop in again........soon! {famous last words}

xo

This is fun.....

I discovered this seller on Etsy, Seelamade and she is not far from me.
She re-purposes vintage tins, pie plates etc and creates tiered stands. Her style is so fresh and fun......
Take a visit Seelamade.

Christmas Open House 2011

at our Etsy shop

November 1st 2011

{Scenes from our very last Christmas 2008 in our brick & mortar}

So you know where I'll be the next few weeks: photographing, editing and uploading a lot of products!

I whittled away at it today as my wee ones went to Grandma's house. Well, I'm off to get some coffee downstairs, so have a lovely evening dear ones.

xo

Miss Viv & Shoes

Vivian figuring out what shoes are all about--goodness she hasn't worn them much. All summer long, barefoot it was. {who can resist wee feet?} She cried the first time I put her shoes on. Miss Viv now thinks they are ok. Speaking of shoes, I have a story and it tops all shoe stories {I think}. True story and I should tell it to you.....sometime.

xo

Na Da Farm Barn Sale

Looking for something to do? This is just right around the corner! The host Anne-Marie is nice as pie and I do believe along with fun vintage & handmade items she'll be selling pies too! Go here for more info and mark it on your calenders. A variety of vendors will be selling there as well. Rain or shine. Need a cute shopping bag go here & pick one up from Jeanne Oliver.

Now, if you had something going on that weekend mark it out and write NA. DA. BARN SALE in a colored pen. Now go set your GPS and start rounding up your girlfriends to go with you.
{There are also art classes at the farm with some fun & funny gals who'll be teaching, HI Jeanne!!!}

xo

Plan A, B or C?

All I know is we did it!! Athena of Latina's Mexican Cuisine said she filled 4 receipts books & started a 5th one---so that means in just counting the 4 books that is 400 people.  Only 2 months of planning & voila we had the largest party we've ever had in our.front.yard.

We are able through HIM..........

Blessings to everyone who added their creativity to those 2 days. It was a social event too--chatting with dear people.

Now--the famous questions "Are you going to do it again"? Well, I wasn't planning on having a yearly event, but we'll pray about this!  Let me get through the Christmas season, as that begins Nov. 1st on our Etsy shop......then we'll go over plan A, B or C!

xo

Brick Farmhouse Event Pics.......

 I still have 2 booths to put up on here--so here are some more pics.........
 A beautiful write up here & more pics through a different lens and someone with a wee bit more time than me!!! {I was running around trot, trot!}

 McMaster & Storm tent

 Athena & Barb--getting set up--the taco stand was a hit & then some!

 Free kittens are always fun!

 McMaster & Storm

 Yum!

 Market snacks by Gina & Julie

 Luke had to have his own name tag! Sunny Friday afternoon!

 Vintage camper

 A taste of Mexico in Darke Country Ohio!

 Homemade salsa at the taco stand

 Cute menu

Jack the beekeeper-------