Peppermint Pom Pom

I can't help but smile at this little Peppermint Pom Pom inspired by the most beautiful colors of Cosmo Crickets new paper line, Mitten Weather.

I am not a purple kind of girl, but combined with these unexpected shades, well...... they are just beautiful!

I do believe this is the first girl craft I have made. She is causing quite the stir in my craft room. The "boys" aren't too sure about sharing their domain!

Right click on image, View Image, File, Print Preview, choose percentage that is right for you!

A banner made another pom pom created.

How cute is this little fella bundled in his warm scarf against the cold.

Well I guess you would be cold if you were standing atop a snowball! TOO CUTE!

Readying to Deck the Halls

Santa has got his eye on my craft room! He expects to see the shelves slowly fill with all things that bring a sparkle to his eye.

This year I have decided to use my Hallmark Christmas kitchen wares collection as the basis to add crafts as they are made. They are just so wonderful with my kitchen Hoosier. Vivian, Viv out on a Whim, asked if I lived in my craft room as she does. "Yes Vivian, there is a Santa Clause" !

A new cookie jar for me this year, Peppermint Perfect with it's cute blue cookie! The wonderful Christmas book was published by Old Navy and contains page after page of vintage Christmas goodness.

I absolutely love seeing again the ornaments I have collected over the years. New for this year is Diane's, Saturday Finds, Dixie Cup Christmas seen in the lower left. Be sure and catch her tutorial on turning bottle brush trees from green to pink.

My silverware drawer now holds greeting card inspiration.

My craft desk the place to find me!

I am so looking forward to the wonderful Christmas crafts that will soon be appearing in every craft room in this adored community. I will be waiting happily by to see every good thing!

Ode to ME Lamp

I do love lamps, and I do love salt and pepper shakers from Florida.

My own Ode to ME lamp made cute as can be.

Vintage shakers from a friend who knows how much I dream of warmer weather and azure blue waters and how much I love Florida!

Mr. Burba

Mr. Burba was the cool seventh grade science teacher of Lord Baltimore Jr. High. Long hair and sideburns, corduroy bell bottoms and leather vests. Girl students would sigh upon entering his classroom. Teacher by day, he was my ice skating instructor on Saturdays.

Flesh colored tights and baby blue skating costume, white mittens and rented skates. I couldn't believe I had the handsome Mr. Burba to myself for an hour. Step in close, arm about my waist, left hand held across his chest. White breath escaping in the chilly morning air, heart beat soaring with the happiness of movement.

This was the very moment I fell in love with ice skating, this was the very moment Mr. Burba said I was ready to move on.  My heart nearly broke at the thought of Saturday's without Mr. Burba. "You are a very special girl, and one day someone special will find you."

Saturdays became everyday, and everyday became more than once a day. I couldn't wait to feel the exhilaration of gliding across glass like frozen water. A place to be graceful and beautiful and everything thing I wished to be.

My second year of ice skating now with skates that were my own and costumes of every color, someone special found me. Step in close, arm about my waist, left hand held over his heart. In that very moment I fell in love. In that very moment I was so glad to have known a science teacher in seventh grade who skated on Saturdays.

Halloween Shakers

A last Halloween craft made for the party in my craft room, I am giggling about having used every last crafting supply I own!

These Halloween Shakers are inspired by ones made by Bucks County Folk Art.

Round paper shapes can be found at Michaels. This is a great project for acrylic paints which blend easily as you paint. I have drawn faces with pencil.

I have used a simple technique of painting a solid base color,

Painting in small areas, apply a dark shade close to your drawn features, your base shade with with a little white added towards the edges of your shape. Blend from your dark to light until you like the desired effect. (note completed section top left).

Paint your white areas next, then your black. I added a little of my green color to the teeth and eyes and blended it in lightly. A liner brush is used to outline features. A craft stick also purchased at Michaels is inserted in the opening where I pulled out the hanging cord made slightly larger with the tips of my pointed scissors.

What fun it was to make these holiday revelers!

Let the party begin!

Caught In The Act!

In the future when I think back on the Days With the White Puppy, it will be to recall how it is possible to fall in love when you were certain you had protected your heart against such a thing.

The daily routine of guarding that which belongs to me will be a thing of the past.

A beloved craft room will hopefully become a place to visit it's owner and not a place for reconstructive craft surgery.

Little bluebirds will again be happy to perch their days away on the edge of shelves. One day!

ME Star Garland

I just know cute minds think alike. You do pull out your monthly corresponding ME magazines, don't you? It's always my favorite day of the month. A chance to recall and be delighted yet again by the pages of my most favorite publication ever.

 

I like to think love for our blogging community is an extension of our affection for turning pages knowing something wonderful will be revealed; and because of our community, we now know how to get the "look" for ourselves!

 

 Simply sweet paper stars, vintage as can be. I always hoped I would have some of these one day!

Empty cereal boxes, what would we do without them! Position your image over your cardboard shaped star.

Turn over and trace. Cut out printed paper as well. I adore the writing on vintage cards. Perfectly perfect for the back of the star.

Glue stick in place, nearly there.

Hot glue two pipe cleaner stems around the edges or glitter as in the magazine example.

Hanging from the tree or strung on a garland. the magic of these nostalgic images is all that is needed to create holiday cheer.

Another project admired so many times were the various wooden containers in cherry red and white.

A .50 cent thrift store find, a knowing smile. Magazine Christmas on a Red Wednesday!