Easter Tags are Ready and a Vintage Easter Card Image!

Hi! I hope you're having a wonderful day! I've been silent the last couple of days because of some problems on blogger that were preventing many of us from posting. I was thrilled today when they finally got it fixed!

It's been a fairly uneventful week here. Over the weekend we re-visited a college with our son as he makes his final decision about where he'll go in the fall. He's our youngest and our final child to go off to college. It's such an exciting time in his life and I'm incredibly proud of his accomplishments.

At the same time my heart is breaking. I get a lump in my throat when I think of shopping for his college supplies. Gathering the items he'll need as he makes his first steps out of the nest. I'm already dreading the day we move him onto campus and drive off towards home....alone...without him...to our silent, empty house. No more will he rush through the door after school each day, asking for a snack (how I love that time of the day!) No more will I feel the peace of his presence each night as I drift off to sleep, knowing he's safe in his bed. I'll miss everything about having my child near me, but it's the everyday, simple moments families share I will miss the most. Dinnertime conversations, watching a favorite t.v. show together in the evenings, the random silly jokes that come up throughout the day because of something we've read or seen together. Just seeing him on a daily basis. Wow, it's so painful just to think of it, I have no idea how I'm going to get through that day. 

Of course, I want him to go to college. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's just that the time went by so quickly. I wish I could rewind it and have my sweet little boy back. Keep him close to me for a little while longer. I've enjoyed every stage and moment of his childhood, and now that I must let go I feel completely unprepared. Now I need to give him the gift of my support and joy as he spreads his wings and moves into young adulthood. I'm not ready!! I'm not ready!! It hurts too much! I will do this because I love him more than anything, but it's so, so difficult...

I'm going to dry my eyes and move on to cheerful events! I have springtime on the brain these days and have been busy crafting Easter gift cards for my Ebay auctions. They're available now, so your welcome to take a peek if you'd like to. I have also have a vintage Easter image to share with you, courtesy of my Pinterest addicition.

 I adore the soft, gentle colors of this card. The yellowing and signs of wear around the edges make it that much sweeter! Wouldn't this be perfect for a handmade card or tag? There are so many beautiful things on Pinterest that I find it hard to stay away. It's as fun as shopping, only you don't spend a dime. Can it get any better than that?

And now I'm off to do a bit of straightening up. My son feels that putting his laundered and folded clothing on the floor in front of his dresser is an appropriate storage method. I don't mind doing these little things for him. I love everything about being his mom, even the messy parts. I'm going to cry for hours when we move him onto his college campus next fall and that pile of clothing is no longer there for me to pick up. I'm a sad case, I know. Hugs,  

 

Vintage Queen Anne Bone China Teacup and Saucer Giveaway!

Hi! Happy Monday to everyone! I have exciting news to share with you. A couple of weeks ago I announced I was planning a giveaway to celebrate reaching 100 subscribers, then just a day later someone dropped off and I went down to 99. I don't care:-)) I'm going ahead with the giveaway as planned. 

The prize is this vintage Queen Anne bone china teacup and saucer. It was made in England, and from the mark it dates from between 1959 to 1966. It is in wonderful condition! I came across this set at an estate sale and was taken by the yellow rose, a traditional symbol of friendship. I knew it would be perfect for my giveaway!

 It will be a two week event and everyone is welcome to participate. To enter the drawing you need only sign up as  a follower of my blog and leave a message under this post. The drawing for the winner will take place on Monday, March 5th at 10 am. I'll announce the winner by video here on my blog, so give me a bit of time to get the video completed and uploaded then check back to find out if this vintage beauty will be arriving on your doorstep!  

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a bit of time here. I hope your day is filled with joy, love, and laughter! Hugs,

A new way to seal your plastic bags!

Hi! I hope you're having a great weekend! I wanted to share this nifty idea for sealing plastic bags!

photo courtesy of Pinterest

This is another idea I ran across on Pinterest. Just take the cap and top of any plastic bottle and use it to seal your plastic bags as shown in the photos. I was so impressed when I saw this that I had to try it out right away. It works perfectly!  

I send my very best wishes for a lovely Sunday. I hope your day is filled with sunshine and that you're surrounded by the people you love! Hugs, Nancy       

Happy Valentine's Day !

Hi and Happy Valentine's Day! So, what are you up to today? Do you have any special plans with your favorite person? We have a Valentine birthday in our family, so we usually brave the crowds and enjoy dinner at a favorite restaurant. This year our birthday person has requested PF Changs and my homemade chocolate cake for dessert. After that we're planning a cozy evening in front of the television (with a bowl of that pink popcorn I posted a few days back!) Yes, we'll be on sugar overload. Yes, I'm going to have to walk 4 miles again tomorrow, maybe 5, and it still won't make up for it. But we will have the most wonderful time!   

I'm busy storing away the Valentine craft supplies today and breaking out my Easter things. I'm excited to move on to sweet little chicks and bunnies. Pretty pastels are my favorite colors, and I'm happy to be returning to them. I've missed them so! I'm ready to leave red behind for a while, but I know that by the time Christmas rolls around again I'll barely be able to wait to pull it back out. That's always the way, isn't it?    

What I would really like to do today is chat together over a cup of tea and offer you some Valentine goodies fresh out of my oven. Since technology hasn't advanced to that point, I'm celebrating with another of my very favorite treats; a sweet vintage image! I adore the graphics and colors of this trade card. It's cozy and heartwarming, and just makes me smile. I share this with the hope you'll enjoy using it in your projects or find a bit of crafty inspiration.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Your visit has been a ray of sunshine in my day and I hope it's made yours a little brighter too! I send my best wishes for a day filled with happiness, smiles, and laughter! So, in the famous words of the Beverly Hillbillies 'Y'all come back now, ya hear?'  Hugs,

Vintage Valentine Cards to Make in Minutes!

Hi and happy day! I have another Valentine project to share on this sunny Saturday. With just a few days left before Valentine's Day you may be feeling the crunch for time, like I am. My grandaughter asked me a couple of days ago if I would make 25 Valentine cards for her classroom party. Oh, how honored I felt to be asked! I would do anything for my sweet little angel. I started brainstorming for something I could put together quickly and in bulk.
I came up with these simple layered hearts that hold a sweet little surprise for each recipient.
I used the most adorable digital heart images from Beatriz, one of my favorite Etsy artists (I'll post her link under the supply list at the bottom of this post,) and was able to craft all 25 cards in about an hour. 
I put them in a vintage hobnail candy dish for my photos and was struck by how charming they looked. I can even see a bowl of these being used as table decor for a Valentine luncheon or tea. Each guest would be able take home a little handcrafted favor at the end of the event. And what fun they would be to make with the kids! If you'd like to give these cards a try I'll post the supplies and instructions after the last photo. 

Supplies

1. vintage heart collage images from iralamijashop   
2. Spellbinders classic heart dies (or you can use a scizzors to cut images by hand)
3. Spellbinders scallop heart dies (you can also use heart doilies or hand cut hearts)
4. pink, red, blue, and cream colored cardstock
5. adhesive of your choice
6. hole punch
7. heart shape lollipops  

Directions

1. Print vintage heart images on to plain heavy cardstock
2. Cut images out with scizzors or Spellbinders heart die
3. Cut scallop hearts from colored cardstock with Spellbinders die (or use heart shape doilies or cut paper hearts)
4. Adhere vintage heart images to the scalloped hearts
5. Use hole punch to create two holes on each side of the hearts
6. Insert a heart shape lollipop into each card

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I wish you a wonderful weekend and happy crafting! Hugs,

Valentine's 'Be Mine' Tags Tutorial and Cake Batter Blondies!

Hi and happy Friday!! My favorite day of the week has arrived again! I have a few Valentine's Day projects to share over the next few days. I'll kick off the weekend with my sweet  little 'Be Mine' tags.

These will be embellishing my gift boxes of homemade goodies that I'm baking for some of my family and friends.

They're so fun to make! If you need some last minute pretties for your packages you can whip these up in no time at all. Just follow the super easy directions below, and feel free to ask questions if I've left anything out. After the directions you'll find photos of the supplies I used along with links to where they can be found. If you don't have these products, don't worry about it ~ just substitute with whatever you have at home, and have fun!  

Directions

1. Use 'Love Me' patterned paper from MME (or any favorite pattern in your stash.)
2. Cut the tag using the Tag Sale # 5 die from Papertrey Ink. Cut one tag from the patterned paper and an additional one from plain heavy card stock. 
3. Die cut the circles and hearts using the Spellbinder's dies listed below, cutting each shape twice (one in patterned paper and another  plain heavy cardstock.) 
4. Ink the edges of all the die cut  pieces with Tim Holtz distress ink in vintage photo
5. Adhere plain cardstock die cuts to the back of the patterned paper die cuts using Glossy Accents. This will make your die cuts more durable. 
6. Stamp the sentiment using  Basic Grey's Two Scoops-Sweet Sentiments and Staz On ink in Timber Brown.
7. Stamp the little cherub using Inkadinkado's All About Love stamp set and Jenni Bowlin Ink in Cough Syrup. 
8. Adhere glitter to the circle die cuts with Essential Glue Pad (lends a bit of sparkle to the project.)
9. Punch a hole in the side of each heart. 
10. Use pop-up foam adhesive circles to attach the scallop circle and cherub to the heart.
11.  Layer your pieces and tie everything together with a bow made from seam binding (or ribbon of your choice.) 
12. Attach a paper rose to finish it all off.    

  

Supplies

My Minds Eye 6x6 Paper Pad

Papertrey Ink Tag Sale # 5 

Spellbinders Scallop Circles-Large and Small 

Spellbinders Standard Circles-Large

Spellbinders Classic Hearts

'be mine' sentiment from Basic Grey Two Scoops-Sweet Sentiments (even the name sounds yummy!)    

Inkadinkado Mini All About Love stamp set 

Martha Stewart Glitter

Jenni Bowlin Ink in Cough Syrup

Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo 

Staz On ink in Timber Brown

Ranger Glossy Accents

Adhesive Foam Circles

Essential Glue Pad

Pink Cardstock, Seam Binding (hand dyed and scrunched), and Paper Flower from craft supply   

And now for the really sweet stuff! I'm talking moist, chewy, luscious perfection....

photo courtesy of sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com

I happened upon this recipe for Cake Batter Blondies on six sister's stuff blog last week, and my grandaughter's visit today presented the perfect opportunity to try them out. My little angel helped me with the baking. We had so much fun, and oh my gosh, these are amazing! They're rich and moist and wonderful in every way. If you're one who loves to lick the cake batter out of the bowl, then these will be your new favorite. It's another quick and easy recipe using a cake mix as a base. Some people frown on using a mix, and there are times when  I'm one of those people, but there are times (like this!) when I throw caution to the wind and simply enjoy.The white chocolate chips are optional but I highly recommend them. My only suggestion would be to leave off the frosting. It's pretty, but they don't need it. We ended up scraping the frosting off because they're even better without it. I've attached the link to the recipe so you can try them out if you're in the mood for a little Valentine's goodness.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Your visit has added sunshine to my day! I wish you happy baking and crafting! Hugs,

times, they are a-changin'

Hi! I hope your having a lovely day! I have a couple of photos to share that I think you'll enjoy. A

 while back my mom and I were looking through the cabinet of my grandma's old sewing machine. Within were little treasures of the past, untouched for years, waiting patiently to be discovered by an inquisitive soul. Tucked way back in one of the bottom drawers was this little book, What Every Girl Should Know. The cover is missing, it's pages are yellowed and a bit tattered, but it  contains all the wisdom that the modern mother of 1925 passed on to her daughter regarding the facts of life.

1925 seems like so very long ago. It was the roaring 20's and people across America were dancing the Charleston. It was the year that Mt. Rushmore was first proposed, and the year President Coolidge's inauguration was broadcast live on 21 radio stations. The very first motel opened it's doors for business, Walter Percy Chrysler founded Chrysler Corp, and legislation was passed in Tennessee making it illegal to teach the theory of evolution. In 1925 Mussolini became dictator of Italy, and Adolph Hitler published Mein Kampf. An eventful year!   

Click on the photos to enlarge them and take a peek at this most modern resource for teaching about the birds and the bees 'back in the day.' I couldn't help but smile as I skimmed through the book, imagining my grandma teaching these very same things to my aunt!

And now back to 2012, an eventful year in it's on right. I hope that your day is filled with happiness and sunshine! If the sun isn't actually shining in your neck of the woods, then I hope you find a way to make your own. 

As for me, I'm having lunch with my dear friend, her daughter, and my daughter at Olive Garden. We can't get enough of the soup and salad special! Hugs,

Keeping it organized and give-away news!

Hi! I hope you're having a wonderful Monday! Today I'm on a mission to control clutter, and I've been hard at work organizing a few things that have been driving me nuts around my house. Specifically, my gift wrap supplies. I was storing them in a large plastic tub in the guest room closet. It was unattractive and cumbersome. The tape and scizzors always seemed to disappear into the bottom never to be found again. I dreaded having to wrap a gift because it was so difficult to access my supplies.  

I was searcing the web for a better solution when I came across this clever idea for converting a wicker hamper into an and eye catching wrap station! 

I made a quick trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to pick up one of these hampers, and in moments had my rolls of paper in the basket, with my small supplies and ribbons tucked into handy pockets attached to the side. It's inexpensive and easy, but my favorite thing about this project is that it's lovely enough to leave on display in my craft room. No more pulling that heavy tub from the bottom of the closet! The instructions can be found at the homemadesimple website. There are even step-by-step instructions for creating the cute no-sew pocket to attach to the side.

I also have some exciting blog news to share (you can't see this, but I'm jumping up and down with happiness!) I've reached 100 subscribers!! To thank all of you and to celebrate this event I'll be hosting another give-away! I'll have specifics posted in a few short days, once I get some photos of the grand-prize ready to post on my blog.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope your day is filled with friendship and laughter! Hugs,       

Valentine 'Conversation' Clothespin Tutorial and Strawberry Valentine Oreo Cookies!

                   

Valentine 'Conversation' Clothespins

photo courtesy of Etsy 

Hi! I'm so happy Friday has finally arrived (it's my favorite day of the week!) Weekends are like Chrismas gift waiting to be unwrapped, and Friday has all the exciting anticipation of Christmas Eve. Two fun filled days lay ahead when the family can be together without the demands of work or school. There's less homework, routines can slide a little, it's okay to stay up up a little later or sleep in a bit in the morning. This is our time to enjoy a picnic in the park, a visit to the museum, a night at the movies, dinner out, or an evening of browsing at Barnes and Noble (yes, in our famiy that's considered an excellent weekend activity!) 

In celebration of this lovely day I'd like to share another fun and easy Valentine project. I came across this idea on Pinterest, but unfortunately the link didn't provide the shop or name of the seller who originally made these. Not to worry. I've crafted many of these for different occasions, and in few simple steps you'll have as many of these little cuties as you like. This is a wonderful activity to do with children! You need only three inexpensive items to get started:

Clothespins. These can be found anywhere. I purchased mine at Walmart.  

This cute little alphabet stamp set. I love the vintage type style of this alpahbet. It includes the heart stamp AND a little star (think Fourth of July!) This is available through Hobby Lobby, but I purchased mine at AC Moore using the weekly coupon. I picked it up for practically nothing!    

An ink pad. I used 'Cough Syrup' from Jenni Bowlin, but any color you prefer will work perfectly.

Now that you've assembled your supplies you're ready to begin.

1. If you want your clothespins to have an aged look, follow the instructions from Tuesday's post for tea/coffee staining them, then allow them to dry before you proceed. 
2. It's time to break out your stamps. Stamping is fun! If you're working with a new set of stamps you'll need to gently separate them before using them. Ink up your stamp by gently pressing it onto the inkpad a couple of times. Don't press too hard. You don't want excess ink to run over on the surrounding rubber (you won't get a clean stamped image if this happens.) If you're new to stamping you can practice a couple of times on scrap paper to get the feel of it.   
3. Hold your clothespin steady and stamp your sentiment onto the handle one letter at a time. Press gently but firmly each time you stamp a letter. You don't have to perfectly align your letters. The imperfections lend charm to this project. Use any sentiment you like. I made all of mine different (like the conversation heart candies.) There are no limitations aside from the size of the clothespin.       
4. Once you complete the sentiment follow the same procedure to stamp the heart onto the tip of the clothespin.  

You now have a batch of 'conversation clothespins' to attach to anything and everything your heart desires. It doesn't get any easier than that!

I found the most adorable recipe while blog surfing on Thursday...  

 

Strawberry Valentine Oreo Cookies

I'm so happy I stumbled across these! As it turns out, my son needed treats to take to the chess club meeting today, and I had all the ingredients for these cookies in my pantry. They start with a cake mix, so that alone tells you they're going to be easy. They come out soft and sweet and chewy, really everything you could ask for in  a cookie. What fun it would be to bake these with children!   

I have another addiction to confess to today... I'm completely hooked on reading:-)) I consider it a decadent a treat to curl up with a book and a cup of tea. Even more than that, I love just being around books. I love the way they smell. I love the way the paper feels. Whenever I visit someone's home I always feel more comfortable when I see books lying around. You can learn quite a bit about people by the books they read. At my house there are stacks of books to be found everywhere (one of the rare instances I do not consider a random stack of stuff clutter.)  

When I was little I stored my most loved books on the shelf of my headboard. When I was newly married I was able have an entire shelf unit in our living room just for my books. When we bought our first home I knew I wanted a space designated solely for the purpose of reading, so I created this little library in one of our spare bedrooms. The shelves are filled with books for all ages, so that a magical journey awaits anyone who walks through the door. I truly believe that the love of reading is one of the best gifts a parent can give their children.     

The ceramic jar sitting on the shelf was made by my oldest daughter in art class many years ago. I so love looking at it.

More than anything I wanted our library to be comfortable. I went with big, overstuffed leather recliners, and placed them in front of a sunny window. The floor is covered by a plush area rug. I keep plenty of throw blankets and pillows around so we can really get cozy.     

You don't need a special room to create your own library. A comfy chair and good lighting are the only requirements. You don't even need to buy books. A weekly trip to the public library is an exciting adventure and competely free of charge!     

This is the book I'm reading right now... 

Catching Fire is the second novel in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. I'm about 3/4 of the way into it right now, and I can barely put it down. I'd love to hear what you've been reading if you have a moment to share!

 Thank you for visiting and sharing a bit of your day with me!! I hope you have a wonderful day filled with friendship, laughter, and the very happiest of surprises! Hugs,