A Really Amazing Artist

 I know it's been a R-E-A-L-L-Y long time since you have all had a post from me. This afternoon is quiet and the housework is done (is it really ever always done?) so I thought I should catch up on some of the things that I have been doing around the cottage.

The first thing I noticed is that Blogger is totally all changed! So I have to figure things out again. This may take some time, so I will keep my posts simple.

I met a fellow blogger and ARTISTE EXTRAORDINARE quite by accident one afternoon while my DH and I were taking a drive in a different township. My eagle eyes spotted a "Craft Sale" sign and I shouted - follow that sign! We did, and we eventually came to a home where several crafts people had set up a small sale. Of course I had to see what they had. I saw a few of Kristy's goodies, notably the signs that she makes. I fell in love. I took her business card and sent her an email asking if she would consider making a custom one for me.  She agreed and here is the resulting treasure.

Kristy has an amazing talent and the wood seems to inspire her. She loves a good challenge, too.

To read her post about how she came about this design, you can visit her blog here. 

Please tell her Lady Pamela sent you.

Waiting for Spring

See this pretty hand crocheted bag? Well I wanted to be able to enjoy it more so I put some tulips in a mason jar and set the mason jar inside the bag. It is sitting in the kitchen (the last room to be renovated - can you tell?) So you can use your pretty things for more than they were intended for.

My bag was handcrafted by Creative Carmelina, she has an Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/creativecarmelina

and a blog, of course

http://creativecarmelina.blogspot.com/

AND, she is a fellow Canadian.

Thank you, Carmelina.

Lady Pamela

My New Desk

There 'she' is in all her glory. My first big project of 2012. Isn't she lovely?

Colleen found her, My Dad sanded and painted her.

The applique came from http://www.doityourselfchic.com/

The little stool my DH gave me a few Christmases ago from the Little White House. I really liked it there because it doesn't hide the applique.

This is the paper floral picture that is on the wall next to my desk. I put it together but my friend put all the kits together for a whole group of us girlfriends. It is stunning.

And this is the little picture frame I chose for a photo of my sweetheart to sit on my desk. I love how the sunshine comes in the window through the blinds. I don't think I will need a lamp because I do my Bible study in the morning.

Make sure you go to Colleen's blog http://vintagehomecolleen.blogspot.com/ and let her know what a great eye she has for vintage finds. Thanks Colleen and Dad.

My Incredibly Talented Sister

Well, both of my sisters are talented. We learned most of our crafts from our Mom. This is a beautiful white, felt pillow from 'The Princess' made from a pattern right out of her head.

It is stunning!
I don't know how long it took her to cut out all those circles.

I think she meant it for my sofa, but I didn't want the pets on it, so I put it in my bedroom. It looks equally nice on my bed or on my chair.

Thanks Sis!

I am linking up to White Wednesday. The button is on my sidebar.

Merry Christmas

These beautiful tiny bottle brush trees I purchased from my friend, Tracey at the Fieldstone Vintage Market. You can access her blog and her Etsy at http://raggygirlvintage.blogspot.com/

The only thing I added was the tiny cloche. What do you think, Tracey?

This photo shows how tiny they are. They are the cutest!

My china cabinet is sooooo different this year after my Dad painted it white this summer.

It was fun decorating it for the holidays.

See the lovely centre piece from Sandi. I am sure she would love a visit, too.

http://acottagemuse.blogspot.com/

Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas and hugs for the New Year.

Two Talented Friends

My friend Ana from http://apetitecottage.blogspot.com/A Petite Cottage made a special white Lady Pamela pumpkin just for me. She has an Etsy shop you might like to visit. Please tell her Lady Pamela sent you.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/APetiteCottage.com

I also have two talented sisters who like to make me things. This was a great thrift store find foot stool, my Dad painted the legs white and my younger sister made a slipcover for it that looks much nicer in my cottage. I positively squeeled when I saw it!

Unfortunately, she doesn't have a blog or an Etsy shop, but she is t-h-i-n-k-i-n-g about signing up for Etsy in the new year.

I absolutely love it! and her, too of course.

The free graphic was from the Graphics Fairy.

http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

White Fall Decor 2011

A lovely teacup caddy gifted me by my friend BHS holds a collection of white teacups.

The tag and lavendar sachet was a gift from Tracey at

http://raggygirlvintage.blogspot.com

Mini white pumpkins fill my current favorite item from Sandi at http://acottagemuse.blogspot.com

I may have 'nagged' her a little about it, seeing it in some of her posts until she finally found one she could part with. I know it wasn't the polite thing to do, but part of me is really glad I did. Thank you Sandi.

My personal attempt at a 'Mum'-kin. That is where you take a fake Dollar store pumpkin and some fabric mums and jab them all over the pumpkin until they look like the old fashioned swimming caps back in the day. Know what I mean? These ones I coffee stained first.

This is the 35 year old maple finished china cabinet that Mom and Dad gave us for our wedding gift. DH was going to paint it white for me for my birthday in June, but Dad was bored after building the deck, so he volunteered. It gave DH more time to enjoy the summer on the deck instead of doing all the "Honey-Do" list things I usually have for him. We did alot of daytrips this past summer instead.

One poor wee pumpkin in the kitchen, that is all it got.

*Smiles*

Advent Tags - Almost Done

Tag #18

This post is especially for Dona and Colleen who have been waiting patiently for the last few tags. Well, here they are at last!

Tag #21

Tag#22

Tag#23

Tag#24

I have only 2 tags left. One I couldn't make because it requires a miniature Christmas tree and I refuse to dig out the decoration boxes this early. The very last one is, of course Christmas Day. I think I will wait with that one for a surprize.

I have all the quilting pins made, the frame painted white and looking for a piece of ceiling tile to pin the tags on come December. I will post the finished project then.

Thank you all for your encouragement while making this rather big project. I really did enjoy it.

My New Deck

This spring my Dad built my dream deck. I have always wanted a deck where I could sit outside, maybe entertain sometimes, and enjoy my wee little garden space. He did a fabulous job, bigger and better than I imagined. Thank you, Daddy.

Now for the table in the front - it is a gift from my lady friends. It goes with the new wicker chairs that I got for my birthday last month. Well, if you are going to have a deck, you have to have somewhere to sit - right?
The beautiful white banner on the fence is from an Etsy vendor, Catcarousel, all the way from Spain. She sews them from beautiful white crisp cotton fabric, each flag is different. I wish I had a camera that would take close-ups so you could see how pretty it is.

There is my garden shed in the background. The photos are a bit darker because of the cloud cover, but the forcast was for rain tomorrow.

I have a lavender plant in the ice bucket that I bought at the Passionate Home's Canadian Farm Chick Tag and Garden sale. If you can't read it, it says 'Fleurs' on it. I love it!

Thank you for joining me on my deck, I hope you had a good time.

Please visit some of the other's from White Wednesday, just click on the photo on my sidebar.

My Incredibly Talented Friend

My girlfriends gave me a lovely early birthday luncheon and this was one of the gifts that I received. It is entirely handmade from paper and a paper mache book box.
Each delicate flower is made by hand by the artiste, and the box itself is painted white. You would not believe how lovely this is in person.

See the beautiful crystal bead closure.

The inside is lined with criss-crossed ribbon and pearls. Thank you, Betty.

I am linking to White Wednesday - Just click on the photo on the sidebar.

Advent Tags # 16,17,19 & 20

#16

The last two posts have given you a break from tags for awhile, but I am still trying to get them finished before the end of summer. If you have been counting - I have 5 left to go. I also have a HUGE frame to spray paint white and a ceiling tile to cover and quilting pins to make to hang the tags, so this project is NOT over yet. But I am please with how far I have come. I think all the positive comments I have gotten is the real reason I keep going. I thank you all for them.
#17

#19

#20

I have everything I need for the missing #18, so that should show up soon.

Happy White Wednesday.