Spring Yellows

I've been playing around again with some of my own spring items and those things coming in for the sale.  I don't think I'veever has so much fun as I do now with arranging.  With every new item that Ibring into my home for my upcoming Open House, come more andmore opportunities for creating new vignettes. It's like havingan endless supply of toys.  My favorite time of spring is when the forsythia and the daffodils bloom 

at the same time brightening up the outside landscape with their 

brilliant yellow.  Last year I decided I wanted to bring some of thatyellow inside to brighten up the interior of my home and I made
this arrangement with faux forsythia I purchased from JoAnn's. 

I decided to use faux flowers so that I could use them year afteryear and not be continually cutting on my outside bushes.  I madeseveral arrangements and have a wreath for the front door to match.This large crock sits in my non-functioning fireplace and in the summerI switch over to sunflowers and poinsettas during Christmas.

I'm working on a group of picture frames that I want to turn intoblack boards and decided to go a little on the wild side and paintone bright yellow.  It made the perfect partner for this fireplace trio. 

If the weather stays warm, any day now the forsythia should pop outand the outside of my home will match the inside.  I can hardlywait for my favorite splash of  spring color.

Linking withDittle Dattle for Amaze Me Monday~The House in the Roses  for Show Off Your Cottage Monday~Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday~Domestically Speaking for Power of Paint Wednesday

Robin's Eggs

I found this little vintage metal frame last summer and was tryingto decide what to put in it.  Then I found this sweet little picture overat The Graphics Fairy and I thought they made a perfect pair. 

 I can't explain it or put it into words, but something about that little picturegave me such pure delight I made a copy to keep on my desk at work.It made me smile every time I looked at it.  

 I paired it with a little bird nest I made and tucked in some blueeggs, moss from my yard and nestled it all in a small blue dish. 

 Don't they make the perfect married couple? 

 Then I got another idea for using this sweet print.  I decided to makenote cards with it and here they arein several colors. 

 I used Photoshop to position the small prints to make twocards out of an 8-1/2 x 11" piece of card stock. Then I used my embossing template and embossing stylus tocreated the raised dots around the picture.  You'll need a lightbox to do the embossing or I use a piece of glass in an oldpicture frame laid on my lap, and place a lamp withoutit's shade between my legs to give it light from underneath.Just be sure not to burn your legs on the bare light bulb. 

 I picked up my template and stylus quite a few years ago when stampingwas more the rave, but they can still be found in some stores andonline.  Lasting Impressions makes a great variety of templatesand the sky is the limit as to what you can create with them.Here are the cards packaged and ready for the Open House. 

 Linking withI Love Pretty Little Things for Friday Pretties~ A Little Knick Knack for Everything but the Kitchen Sink ~ Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday~French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday ~My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday'sTreasures  

Soft Aquas

The sun is shining here today and it put me in the mood tocreate a springy vignette.  I love collecting things to sell becauseit gives me so many lovely things to play with I could nototherwise justify buying.Today I'm in a pastel aqua mood and decided to show you thelovely aqua bottles I've been collecting.This one makes a statement by itself with a lone seashell ~ makesme wish I was at the ocean.

 Here I've paired a few of them with a couple frames I painted and addedpictures of vintage wall paper from The Graphics Fairy. 

 Please keep in mind in all these pictures that I used faux flowers.Sorry about that ~  but nothing is blooming here yet. 

 I love the texture on these frames. 

 These pretty frames will be for sale at my Open House and I hopethat someone will love the use of wallpaper prints for the content and not just buy them for the frames.  The fleur de lis prints I posted about several weeks ago were bought from my Etsy shop,but were purchased simply for the frames.  I think these are really sweet and different than the average picture, but we all have our own tastes.

 The rag placemat was a thrift store purchase and I bought it to usefor display purposes.  I fell in love with its worn look and pastel colors. ~Now I need to ask you what you think of this young lady? 

I just painted her ornate metal frame black and was going to putanother picture in the frame, but ~ I'm starting to like her.I realize I'm not showing you her frame right now, but do you think Ishould repaint her frame white and keep her as the content?Also, while I'm asking for advice ~ does anyone know how to get theinside of old bottles clean when you can't get down inside to wipe them out?~Linking withA Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday~The Graphics Fairy for Brag Monday~Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

White Makeovers

I've been working hard trying to get some inside projects readyfor my Open House before the weather warms and I need beoutside working on furniture makeovers.Here is a tray I found at Goodwill some time back.  In thispicture I have already sanded the tray.

And here it is after it received a coat of dark stain, two coats of whitepaint, and heavy distressing. 

Here is a pedestal in it's before state. . .  

and the after. . .I'd love to find a cloche for this pedestal to complete the look.Everything I have is either too big or too small. 

And here they are combined to make a lovely spring green vignette.

It's nice to finally have something actually done for the show.I have so many projects in process that sometimes it feels likeI'm not getting anywhere.  I'm trying to tag everything when it's finishedso I'm not in a pricing frenzy right before the show.  I love all the textures in this vignette from the wood to the pedestal,the nest and fern, and the pretty wing design on the little bird.

Time to do some tagging and then outside on this lovely warm Sundayafternoon to sand some furniture.~Linking with

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays~Domestically Speaking for Spring Party~Dittle Dattle for Amaze Me Monday~The House in The Roses for Show Off Your Cottage Monday~Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday ~Little Red House for Mosaic Monday ~Faded Charm for White Wednesday~Domestically Speaking for The Power of Paint Party

Pink Loveliness

I've been shopping for supplies I need to make some

new items for my Open House in May ~ mostly hitting JoAnn Fabrics, 

Hobby Lobby, and Michaels.    While picking up supplies, I also found some 

sweet little things on clearance or at least half off.

I found this little pedestal candle holder on clearance at Hobby Lobby and

this lovely floral glass globe half off.

 I wasn't sure what I was going to use the pedestal stand for whenI picked it up

and it's really made to hold a tea candle.  The globe I think I got because it matches my bedroom, 

but I found when I got home that they went together perfectly.

~

This little lady bird was half off at Michael's and I picked her up to

set in a nest, but quickly found another use for her too.

 This little container I picked up at Goodwill some time ago and it is

a very soft pastel peachy pink although the picture doesn't show that

very well.  I filled it with oasis and them made a soft nest of spanish

moss and reindeer moss.  If you've every bought reindeer moss, it is just

beautiful and came in several shades of green.  But the surprise when

I opened the package is that it stinks.  It nearly made me sick working

with it, so I think I'll take it out to the garage and let it air before trying to

work with it again.

I love the crackle finish on this little bird and her sweetness.

 Linking with

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday

~

 

A Different Kind of Snow

While many parts of the country are already enjoying warm weatherand flowers, we're having our first signs of spring and each one is a thrill. I'm not sure I've ever enjoyed each and every bloom as muchas this year. 

 My first snowdrops are precious indeed ~ not just because theyare some of the first brave blooms, but because they are not snow.

Many parts of the country are still experiencing snow, so Iespecially want to share these with you to give you hope thata different kind of snow is just around the corner. 

Linking withFaded Charm for White Wednesday~A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

Busy Bees

I found this sweet little honey pot this weekend while out thrifting. 

  It is one of those unexpected treasures that brings delightthe minute you see it.  It has a sweetness about it that I find beyond description.  Maybe it is it's soft pastel green color, ormaybe it is because I used to be a beekeeper and will always have a fondness for bee items.I love it paired with this delicate linen I also found this weekend.

I set a sweet table for myself with an inexpensive basket weave plate matching in color, my mismatched vintage silverware and a lovelysingle goblet I also found this weekend.

I added this little set of vintage bee salt and pepper shakers given tome years ago by a friend.  Don't they make sweet companions?

The honey pot is missing it's lid, but also makes a delightful smallpitcher or vase.

And so I'm enjoying a meal with my pretty springtimethrifting finds.

Linking withA Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday~Coastal Charm  for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday~My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures~Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday~The Brambleberry Cottage for Time Travel Thursday~Tales From Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday ~The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home~Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday~I Love Pretty Little Things for Friday Pretties