Sooo....what's new?

Well, it had to be done--we had to move the computer this week! Yuck. Here's my poor baby all piled up on the table, ready to be moved. Made me nervous to say the least, plus it was just inconvenient! But that pretty little piano window that you see here above the table had to be stripped, that shelf had to be taken down so we could spackle that wall, and the carpetting had to be torn out.
The window is stripped and the cartpet is GONE!! We were happily surprised with the beautiful shape the wood flooring is under the carpet--being the front entryway to our home, we were a little afraid that the wood would be damaged, but happily not! Yeah! The walls are spackled and drying, and tomorrow morning we can start priming the wall. We are so happy that the stripping is done--it's taken us 15 years, but all the stripping on the main floor is finished! YEAH! The end results are fantastic and it probably upped the value of our house immensely, but that stripping is the most tedious and yucky job ever! I'd rather change diapers! lol

OK--on to more crafty topics! Check out this beautiful tea towel I scored last week! The embroidery on this one is absolutely gorgeous, intricate and so expertly done--and it even has a pretty scalloped and crocheted edging. I decided to make it into a bagkeeper (you know, for those plastic bags from the grocery store) and I was able to use the towel without cutting it up in any way--which makes me happy! This one is a real beauty--perfect for adding a cute cottage style to the kitchen. It's listed in my Etsy shop.
I also decided to do up a little inspiration kit--I haven't made one in a while and this pretty lace was staring me in the face, lol, so here it is! Don't you just love those little vintage buttons on the bottom--they are delicate flower shaped with a rhinestone center--so precious, I am having a hard time not convincing myself to keep them! LOL

Finally, a sneak peek at my latest project, just finished yesterday--I was able to sneak down to my studio for a little craft time! Beautiful vintage satin brocade in the loveliest shade of pink you ever saw, and lined with a pretty pink satin. I've made it into a pretty pocket--perfect for holding your love letters and other keepsakes!

The little rose applique was a cutey that I recently purchased from TwigandBerries on Etsy --it's the perfect touch to this pocket, don't you think? There is also a cute little rosebud applique applied to the inside that you can see when you open it up. Of course, I had to stitch on some pretty crocheted lace and add a vintage glass button that has a little gold gilding.


I will be listing this in my Etsy shop a little later on today.

Well, I better go jump in the shower and get ready for church. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

Isn't it funny.....

I was just over at Diana's blog (which is a great read--do yourself a favor and head over!) and she did a post about exposing her children to art at a young age. It really got me thinking. I think it's great to expose them to being creative when they are young. Let them see how art enriches your life. Let them see how good if feels to create something. Let them get their hands dirty--make a little mess and have some fun! Learn a skill. See something they like and see if they can make it themselves instead of buying one already made.

They don't really get it in school . They don't even get it in play anymore--when they are sitting in a chair pushing buttons and staring at someone else's idea of art displayed on the screen while trying to outwit the bad guy (or good guy depending on the game). It's sad really.
My two kids are only 18 months apart--one boy and one girl. I've always let them be a part of my crafting life--letting them get their hands into whatever happened to pique their curiosity. I always secretly hoped my daughter would enjoy sewing and embroidery like I do, and envisioned many happy hours spent crafting together and sharing secrets and laughs. Guess what?? Not her bag. She doesn't like it. She likes to sing and dance!!

But Joe, he is a natural sewer. He sat down next to me one day, when he was about 6 years old, and watched me as I was stitching blanket stitches around the outer edges of some Christmas ornaments. He asked if he could make something--so I got him a couple pieces of felt, scissors, needle and floss--gave him a couple pointers and just let him go to it. About an hour later he said "Look Mama, I made Purdy (our cat) a Christmas present" and held up a little blanket he had made by putting the 2 felt rectangles together and blanket stitching around the edges. His stitches were so good, I could hardly believe it! LOL Even now, being a macho 16 year old young man, he will sew on a button or mend a hole in a shirt when the need arises.

He has been taught to run a sewing machine--as has his sister--but he prefers the hand sewing. Lindsey prefers the sewing machine, and only if she has to! lol I am a little disappointed--but only a LITTLE. Isn't it funny how things turn out their own way.

...And the winner is.......

Sorry this got so late! We went to an award's banquet this evening for Linds' dance team--which was really nice and fun--then got home just in time to watch LOST. Then I loaded up the hat with all the names for the drawing and had Linds and Miss Rosie draw a name........

TIED UP MEMORIES

Yeah!! one of my CSST friends. The funny thing too is that I recently bought a necklace from Tiedupmemories (see the post right below this one)--and wore it for the first time tonight! I received several compliments on my pretty necklace tonight, and even my hub noticed it (which is a small miracle really!).

Oh, one more thing, Linds got her first letter today--we are so proud of her for maintaining such good grades and working so hard at her dance team too. Way to go Linds, yeah!!

I am pooped and heading to bed---so this is gonna be a short posting. Thanks so much to all of you who entered my drawing--your support and your kindness is so appreciated!!! Big hugs to you all!! :o)

Dang I'm getting OLD!

Today is my baby girl's birthday--15th! It's so hard to believe that a 29 year old woman such as myself has a daughter who is 15 already! LOL-- Happy Birthday sweety--we are very blessed to have you as our daughter and are Soooo very proud of what a great person you are turning out to be! I don't remember if I showed you all the staircase since we finished it....isn't it purdy?!! Thought I'd share a few goodies I've gotten in the mail lately---This gorgeous necklace was purchased from tiedupmemories I just LOVE it!! I will finally get a chance to wear it tonight when we go to the end-of-year banquet for Lind's dance team. Should be a fun time--pot luck dinner and then all the girl's will be doing skits and entertainment for us!

And THIS is the gorgeous packaging it came in! Isn't that a treat? Thanks so much tiedupmemories for a wonderful transaction!

AND look at this handsome fella! I ordered this from Treasurefield --one of my favorite artists and a super nice gal too! I wanted something to snazz up my boring brown tote bag--and this is perfect! He is even more handsome in person--I really love it!

Well, I have a cake to bake and some lettuce and stuff to clean and chop for my babies birthday dinner tacos! I'll be back tomorrow to do the drawing for the bag (2 posts down, if you didn't sign up yet!) Have a great day :o)

Tulip Mania!

Who likes tulips?? Have we got a treat for you today! The Cottage Style Street Team on Etsy, of which I happen to be a proud member, decided to do a promotion, and TULIPS is the theme. Each person was to make a tulip theme project in the medium of their choice and we were unveil them all today. Such lovely things in many different materials and colors and interpretations, what a bunch of fun! Any day--just go type CSST into the search at Etsy and see what kinds of cottagey goodness the talented artisans in the group have listed in their shops. TODAY especially you will find the tulip items--have fun and get some tulippy springtime goodies to have for your very own!! Here is the TULIP LIST so far.

This is one of the items I whipped up for the promotion--I am going to have a hard time parting with this one!! The background is original vintage sheet music from 1896--the song is (translated to english) Dancing on the Green--which I thought was perfect because tulips, in the natural, seem to be dancing on the green grass!! I've added a print of one of my favorite poems by Mary McNeil Fenollaso:

God Spoke!
and from the arid scene
Sprang rich and verdant bowers
'til all the earth was
soft with green-
He Smiled!
and there were flowers.

I fussy cut some pretty tulips and a big purple bow from a vintage greeting card and added them to the poem and added them to the collage-- set above the sheet music so it all has a 3-d effect. Add in a little bit of unused vintage wedding trim (I got the trim from a gal who was selling off her Grandma's sewing stuff and Grandma used to sew for other's , including wedding attire.) It's framed in a cute little shadowbox framed that I distressed to give it that nice old-timey feel. It's available HERE.

Here's another project I did for the promotion--come on--you know I had to do something embroidered! lol This pretty tulip is from a vintage Vogart pattern--stitched up in blue onto natural onasburg linen and bordered with a pretty tulips feedsack print. It is a padded pouch so it'd be a great camera or other gadget pouch. It's available HERE.

Don't forget to sign up for the GIVEAWAY drawing (one post down)--just leave a comment in THAT THREAD to be entered--and tell me your favorite color combo (just doing a little un-scientific market research!) lol

Drawing Time!

I've been wanting to do a drawing for a while now--I've recently passed a few milestones and want to celebrate!! Sooo--how about if I do a drawing for this pretty drawstring bag?? It's easy to enter--just leave me a COMMENT here in this post AND tell me what is YOUR FAVORITE COLOR COMBO (just for fun!)--that's it!! I'll stick all your names in a hat next Thursday (March 20th) and let one of my goofy kids draw a name. Be sure to leave me some way to get ahold of you--so if you win I can let you know!

Here is one of my newest creations. I scored a few vintage magazines recently--and one, from 1952, has a big 3 page spread of sewing patterns with these adorable illustrations! I love them! It was hard to take that first cut into the magazine (even though it is in far from collectible shape)--but I had to do it. Listed in my Etsy shop--Mrs. Kwitty's Cottage.

I actually made 2 collages, but one is on it's way to the lovely GeorgiaPeachez (who happens to have several of my collages already)--Thanks Suzy! Go check out her etsy shop--GEORGIAPEACHEZ--she makes the most beautiful bags, many with vintage fabrics--just scrumptious

I also made a new bookcover--just because I felt like it! LOL That floral fabric ended up on the top of one of my teetering stack of fabric--and was calling my name! It just goes so nicely with the gray swirl--I may have to make one of these for myself. Perfect for carrying your paperback books--with handy pockets all around. Available in my SHOP.

The remodelling is coming a long quite nicely--see the freshly stripped woodwork! We have 3 of the 4 walls almost done--it's down to the trim and door painting now. Here's my sweety, paintbrush in hand (see, he's got his paintin' pants on! ) Isn't that a pretty color? Next up *cue scary music * dah dah DUM! the computer wall!! EEEEEK! OMGosh--we have to tear down the computer and reassemble it in the other room so we can strip the piano window and paint the wall --and then tear up the carpetting. Ugh. * It will be so nice when it's done, it will be so nice when it's done, it will be so nice............*


OK--so remember to sign up for the drawing, spread the word, have a fun day--and I expect you all to show up here on Monday to help me move all my computer and other junk over to the other room--'ok?

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED FOR ENTRIES AND A WINNER HAS BEEN DRAWN!! SEE THE MARCH 20TH POST FOR WINNER!!

Thanks so much for all of you who entered and for all the kind words--I appreciate each and every one of you!! God Bless!

Play it again Sam

Thinking Pink in Mrs. Kwitty's Cottage

Fun and easy to do too--stop by and make one for your blog--
Well, I managed to goof it up somehow--see that post above! LOL

Shadow-boxing

A cold, clear, crisp Saturday morning here in MN. I guess we should feel lucky--everyone else is getting the snow and terrible weather this spring and, besides the cold temps, we have had a really mild one. Hope my friends out there in Blogland have fared well through some of the terrible storms last night. I was happy to find a new batch of shadowbox frames, and a couple new old magazines--so I've been having little collage fun in between sewing bags! Here's my newest--just listed in my ETSY shop . I had a little fun with this one and the colors of the 30's! Ginny--of iSew--sent along some cute feedsack quilt squares with the last monkey I ordered from her (yes, she DOES spoil me so!) and I used some of them for the background of this fun little collage. Add in some cute images from a 1952 pattern for doll clothes , a fun vintage button, trims, and other doodads--and frame it all up in pink polka dots! yeah! Click the pic and it will take you to the listing :o)

Speaking of Ginny--she has her shop iSew, where she sells many wonderful things that she sews (see how cleverly she ties that name in there LOL!) and recently opened up the MonkeyTravelClub --where she sells all her fantastic little monkeys! Oh, I love them all. Purses, gadget holders, cup huggies, keychains, and other cute-as-heck monkey things! You know what else is fun? She has a Flickr site where people who buy a monkey from her can take a pic and post it there to show where the monkey has travelled (see--another clever tie in! lol--bow to the queen!). What fun! I had to submit this pic--it's my poor Hannah--she is a cup huggy and I use her to protect my fingers from getting hot when drinking my favorite cappuchinos. I am fasting cappuchinos for Lent this year, so she has been just sitting on the shelf above my computer--happily biding her time until Easter! lol She is in good company though, with the pretty little decoupage ornament I got from the lovely Aggie of Pareo on Etsy.

I recently passed a bunch of new milestones--blog visitors, hearts on Etsy, and sales on Etsy--and am going to do a prize drawing!! Yes! Tune in tomorrow--I should have the details figured out by then. Have yourselves a great weekend and take good care! Blessings!

Here Comes the Bride

Hello friends! Not too much to report today--been working on the Loopy order (yes, still!) I tried so hard to find a particular fabric for them--but I'm now convinced that there is no more of it left on this planet! lol So I had to go and find another fabric that goes with the one I did manage to find, yada yada yada--finally found something! This is my newest little creation--isn't it cute?!! I was lucky enough to find an old Good Housekeeping from 1952--and ran across this darling bride doll and just HAD to do something with it! Total girly pink rosy glittery vintagey goodness. I was thinking that this would make a really cool wedding shower gift for the shabby chic type gal! Or a doll collector! or......(stop me, I could go on all day! lol)

The remodelling is coming along well. We've got the big doorway done, two of the regular ones done, and the other regular one has been heat gunned and had one coating of zip strip--I think one more will do it. That will only leave the piano window and the stripping will be done. Do you see now why we left this room for last? All those doorways and a window in one teeny tiny little room! lol

I was just looking around on Etsy and found JennMaruska's new project bags--they are so cute (and made to perfection in true JM style!) You have to check them out!

Well, I have to get to bed--I'm a bit wiped tonight. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you soon!
Smiles, Karen

Fluff and Stuff

Here's a bit of fluff and sweetness! Just listed, Miss Bertie--a pretty little springtime bird sits on top of her little fluff and jonquil nest on the top of a little satin covered box--just right for holding some of your favorite trinkets! Or fill it up with goodies for someone special at Easter this year!

So, Linds and I are just hanging out on a Saturday night. We just got done baking up a big batch of Toll House Cookies, with double walnuts of course! Mmmmm. I'm gonna finish up my computering and we're gonna watch "Sydney White"--looks like a fun little movie--good for a "girl's night in".

Lindsey just wrapped up her first season in the Dance Line at school. It was a lot of fun and hard work--she really enjoyed it. They had a Parent's Night on Wednesday--so at the basketball game half-time we (Mark and I) got to escort Linds out onto the court and take a bow! lol I feel like such a star Mom! It was very nice, and they had a little reception afterwards and an opportunity to get some good pics. I like this one--such nice smiles! (Linds is the one in the middle.)

Oh, one more thing--I have bought a lot of vintage buttons over the last couple months (to use one the embroidered hearts ) and ended up with a lot of really grubby buttons that were unusable until they got cleaned. The other day I had a brainstorm! (yippee, yes, it does happen every leap year!) I had just filled up the washing machine with hot soapy bleach water to soak the whites and it hit me---it would be nice if I could wash my buttons in the washing machine so I don't have to wash a bajillion buttons by hand....hmmmm...... So I quickly sewed up some little fabric bags and popped a bunch of buttons in each bag, stitched up the top and went around and double stitched over each seam (I didn't want the bags to rip open in the wash!) and just popped them in the washing machine with the clothes. They came out beautifully! Tah Dah!!!

Well, time to go watch that movie!! Have a blessed Sunday everyone!

XOXO Karen