Marie's Tissu Che'rit Le Journal

Lately, I find myself drawn to fabric :) It's soft and forgiving and I just cannot get enough! That's why I just couldn't resist a swap of items to make a beautiful fabric journal with my Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group...

My partner, Lisa, sent me this lovely kit to work with. I absolutely LOVE the aqua tone of the kit! When I see this color I dream of the ocean and shells and all things "Florida" and growing up there. Of moss hanging from trees. Of grass and blue skies.



Here's my finished journal...



I decided to use the same image of Marie throughout the journal, just cropped in various ways. I believe the same photo can mean so many different things. A close crop gives focus to the face and a small peak into a person's thoughts. A wide crop gives detail of surroundings and a completely different view of a person's life in that moment. I thought it would be fun to play and see if I could evoke a differnt side of Marie using just one photo.

Marie will forever be associated with France. I knew I wanted to include a page that would showcase this.



I think this is my favorite page :) I got an AMAZING tip from my friend, Holly. If you turn a fabric with a strong pattern over, you get a soft one instead. You can see the faint, fleur de lis pattern on the fabric just peeking through. And this vintage hankie! So pretty :)



Marie was a girl in a gilded cage. Lots of pretty things to play with but still a slave to her station in life. How does one keep from being bored while living in a gilded cage???



For my final page, I've created a small stuffed pillow. I needed a place to showcase this lovely vintage glove :) It calls to my mind images of carriages and crowns and all things Queen Marie.



Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you've enjoyed seeing my journal---I have enjoyed every minute of creating it!

To The Gala And Home Again...

Hello, All!

I want to share with you a soldered piece I created to gift a fellow MAMA artisan with.

This is one of the perks of being a Valentine Gala Attendee...getting to know amazing people, LITERALLY laughing until you cry, and FABULOUS gifts!

This chain is another of my beloved rosary-style chains...Yes, I'm terribly addicted!!! You will most likely see more in the near future :)

This charm spins on the end of the chain so that you can equally admire both sides as you wear it.



The back is a base of vintage French book pages covered in a creamy lace. The rhinestones are from a broken vintage necklace I rescued and gave new life.



I just love this necklace and I hope Martica does, as well. Drop by her blog and check out some of her lovely projects!!! Amazing work!

Thanks so much for dropping by.

xoxo,

Valentine Heart

Hello!!! Can you believe it's February??? Oh, my!!!

In honor of a wonderful *Gala* I'll be attending in a few, short days, I have a project to share with you :)

I recently joined a little contest, hostessed by fellow MAMA artisan-extraordinaire Terri. She provided us with a pattern and no short amount of inspiration, and then set us on our way!

When I found this beautiful fabric, I knew I had to have it!!! It was a bit bright, so I threw it in a tea bath - which gave it just the right vintage tone :)



My heart is held closed by wrapping some crinkly (tea-dyed, as well!), seam binding around several times and securing with a bow. It reminds me of a delicate slipper.

I kept the heart's outside very simple and only added a few fabric flowers with vintage rhinestone centers.



It hangs from a pearl, pink and silver rosary chain.



For the inside, I knew I wanted to incorporate ruffles. I've left the edges of the ruffles raw to add softness and a rustic feel.



Vintage rhinestones and some hand beading add some sparkle. And, of course, it wouldn't be Marie without a crown!!!



Thanks so much for stopping by today!

xoxo,

It's A Banner Day At My House Today!

A banner day indeed!!!

As I pack up my Christmas decorations, I thought I'd take a break and share this banner I've created :)



I was inspired to create this pretty banner by Terri from joyfulcompass on Youtube. She has an AMAZING video on a banner she created! You can check it out HERE...



I used vintage music sheets to form the rosettes and also added some torn pieces to the banner as well.



I just LOVE the beautiful detail on this IOD paper, Night Divine!!!




Nothing says Christmas more than the beautiful carol, O Holy Night. This paper was the perfect choice for my first holiday banner :)



I've used some Lindy's Stamp Gang products to color my white seam binding and add TONS of shimmer to this project. I've colored my scalloped circles and even my spools with their sprays!!!



To see this project in "live action", check out my Youtube video HERE...

Thanks so much for stopping by today :) Stay safe and I'll see ya next year!!!

The Case Of The Great Cover-Up...

...or was it "A Great Cover-Up For My Case"?!?!

Let me start at the beginning :) I've been LoViN' my sewing machine lately---I mean, LUH-VIN!!! I think I've stitched every single project I've done for months now. So, I thought I'd share a few of my fave's.

Here's a little peek into the disorganization of my beautiful, "new-to-me" cabinet that my mom refinished for me...



...I promise, there is a point to this little segue :)

It has beaufiful, dark wood but not too much coverage for my mess. I still haven't decided what kind of doors I plan to add, if any. So, in the meantime, I decided it needed a pretty little slipcover...with RuFFleS!!!



I can't get enough of this unbleached, cotton fabric! And this was my first cutom sewing project. I'm so proud!!! ***Please excuse the wrinkles-they're much less noticable in person, lol!***

And here's a cutie I stitched up for my little princess. This plush little friend is actually a back-pack purse :)



What's better than a fluffy friend???



One that holds all your treasures for you!!!



The pattern for this "Buddy Pack" can be found at "Winterpeach" on Etsy.

Thanks so much for droppin' by!!!

xoxo

Christmas Wreath

Hi, Everyone! I've been creating my fingers to the bone the last couple weeks...

Even though I'm tired (late night and last minute crafty-ness) and my fingers are sore (hot glue gun...ouch!), I have to say that I feel very productive and am now surrounded by such pretty decorations :)

I have many more projects I'd love to finish, but what good is creating all this pretty-ness, without documenting it (am I the only one who likes to look back at my projects from days gone by?) and sharing with my CraFtY FriEnDs???

So, a quick break to share what's been goin' on in my studio...and my kitchen...and my living room...it kinda migrated, lol!

My "Baby" girl and I worked together to create this BEAUTIFUL Christmas Wreath. The base is a couple wreath's I picked up from my local dollar store. I've cut strips of white burlap, unbleached cotton (stamped with music), some netting (tea dyed) and a bit of torn, light blue tulle...



A massive bow...Although I think it could've been even BIGGER ;) ...



And vintage rhinestones to add some **sparkle**.



Thanks so much for dropping by. I've got several more projects I want to share, so see ya soon!!!

xoxo

**SwEEt!**

Hello, hello!!! Are y'all ready for some yummy goodness??? This recipe is perfect for a cozy breakfast on a cold morning :)

Blueberry Scones With Lemon Glaze

Blueberry Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 lemon zest, finely grated
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks,
cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should
look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy
cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the
dough. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash the
blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.
Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about
12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in
1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a
Diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an
ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool
a bit before you apply the glaze.
Mix the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar together in a microwave
safe bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon zest and butter.
Microwave it for 30 seconds on high. Whisk the glaze to smooth out any
lumps, then drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute
before serving.

My Hubby just LOVES blueberry!!! Pancakes, muffins, pie, waffles...I mean EVERYTHING blueberry!

I LOVE lemon!!! I think this is a great compromise :) I just don't tell him there's lemon in it, lol...

Now onto the project.

This page was created for swap with my Marie Antoinette Mail Art group. When I saw this swap, I just couldn't let it pass me by! What could be better -- a beautiful book AND food, lol!

Seriously, though. I can't wait to get bakin' with my babies :)




Here's a close-up of the page. SpArKLeS!!! The first photos didn't pick up the lovely shimmer I've added to this "SwEEt-ly PiNK" page!


That's it for today...Now, go bake some scones, people!!!

Until next time...