Pink Roses

gathering...

Once a year I gather all of my favorite vintage supplies... ribbons, buttons, paper, millinery...all the things I collect all year but don't always use because they're "too good"...I gather them and take them to Omaha, Nebraska for the magical event called Silver Bella.  I have been gathering and packing this past week, and am almost done.  So hard to cram an entire studio in one suitcase!  I spend more time packing craft supplies than clothes...some jeans and sweaters will do, but you gotta have the right ribbon!! 

With all the shopping and food and classes and projects, I have to tell you, that the best part of Silver Bella is the people...awesome, amazing, talented, creative, NICE women who make this one of the highlights of my whole year!  The whole event is just like a big, giant HUG!  I come home so inspired and just full of love :) I can't wait to see all of you Bella's in a few days!! xo

stuck in my head...

I've had this dress stuck in my head for a year now.  You know...the dress I didn't buy when I was in Texas at the Antique show last year?  Yeah, that one.  Anyway...I haven't been able to get rhinestone buckles out of my head, so I started collecting them, all shapes and sizes...

I'm going to use them with this vintage pink silk ribbon as napkin rings on my dining room table this Christmas.  Funny how something inspires you and just gets stuck in your head, and then reappears later.  Do things get stuck in your head?  Silly question, of course they do...that's why we're friends!

what really matters...

Had a great visit with Christopher on Thursday, the weather was perfect, but most importantly, he is healthy and HAPPY.  The little boy that spent half of his childhood slung up on my hip because he like to be carried, now towers over me.  Now I carry him in my heart and my prayers.  I am filled with love.  Note to myself:  never forget what really matters...

yikes!

My internet has been down since Saturday and all I can say is HELP!!!  I am posting from Elizabeths laptop, so no pictures, because frankly, I'm not that smart.  My parents are here for a visit, and I think we are going to take a field trip tomorrow, and go visit the boy at college.  They haven't seen him in 6 months, and have never been to his school, and I'm overdue for a boy hug myself!  It was actually his idea that we come, so how could I say no?  Guess I'll go bake some muffins and put together a care package.  I have a million things I need to be doing, but all else can wait.  Hope to be back up and running with my computer soon....

taking bets...

If I buy the Halloween candy today...how long will it be before I open a bag and start eating it?

Hmmm...I'm thinking a matter of minutes...

I'd better wait another week to buy it!

I ran away...

 

Well, I didn't actually run away...I flew away for a little vacation at my parent's.  I've been walking the beach...

discovering treasures...

lounging by the pool...

eating crabcake BLT's for lunch...

enjoying the beautiful days...

and gorgeous nights...

It was hard to get on a plane last night and leave paradise, but, as always, it's good to be home...

let them eat cake...

I played dress up with some birthday cupcakes this past weekend, and this was my favorite.  Just a plain white cupcake from the bakery, and I added the big fat pink sprinkles and a double layer of ruffled crepe trim from my friend Heidi {I used 2 sizes: regular and petite}.  The final touch was adding a vintage rhinestone pin...I just stuck it right into the side of the cupcake!

Almost too pretty to eat! Hope you have a yummy day!

swarm of bees...

I'm just going to come right out and say it : swaps stress me out.  I over think every detail, and worry that they won't be good enough.  This is for a Silver Bella swap I signed up for: an A-Z Artist Trading Card swap.  I had the letter "B" and made 26 cards using a playing card as the base, and when we swap, we will all have a complete alphabet A-Z.  It had to be black and white and one other color...I wanted to use pink, but I got this "bee" in my bonnet, that I wanted a bee on the card, and all I could think of was yellow/gold/sepia.  I couldn't decide which "B"...

or which bee...

which design...

which ink...

which paper, which shape, which ribbon...

this is what I ended up with...

I glued a page from a book as the base, and whitewashed it with paint.  I used a torn piece of a dress pattern to cover the top half.  I stamped on an upper and lower case {B}. I stamped a {B}ee onto vintage ledger paper and cut it out and glued it on.  I added a {B}ow out of cream seam binding and B&W checked ribbon.  I added a piece of   {B}urlap, and a {B}utton.  Hope it's not too {B}oring!

I mailed these out to the swap hostess and she is putting the whole alphabet together for each of us.  I'll show you the complete A-Z after the swap next month! 

doll shoes...

A teacup filled with vintage pearls from broken necklaces, that I keep meaning to restring or reuse someday...

and a tiny pair of pink satin doll slippers...

An old McCoy planter filled with cream buttons...

and a tiny perfume bottle, and one black patent leather doll shoe...glimpses at my everyday life...

sweaters and children...

Good morning friends...I hope you all had a great weekend!  Ours was quiet...kids were home from college...life is good.  I woke up early yesterday morning, and the sun was shining (no rain!)...I opened the back door to the deck and felt the cool morning air.  The first hint of Fall, and sweater weather...my favorite!  I made a cup of coffee, pulled on a sweater, and sat there with my sandwich-stealing cat and smiled knowing that there were 3 precious children upstairs sleeping.  It is moments like that when all seems right with the world.  I made them french toast for breakfast when they woke up.  Funny how something that used to be a chore is now a pleasure.  I am grateful that simple things bring me such joy.          Sweaters and children...two of my favorite things!!