Kinley's sweet blessing dress

The past few days, I have been working on two particular projects. This little baby blessing dress is for my newest grandbaby girl for her blessing tomorrow. In our church, little babies receive a special blessing in one of the Sunday meetings. It is my tradition that when one of my daughters has a daughter, then I make the blessing dress. I have made 6 now, and they have all been different. Little Kinley will look sweet in this vintage look dress as the pattern came from 1970. I just finished it this morning.

I love the sweet little yoke on this one.

The past weeks project for a swap!

The other project I needed to complete this week is for the Vintage Brooch Mother's day swap hosted by Linda Smith at a Swap for all Seasons. We were supposed to send a vintage brooch, or it could by made from something vintage, and package it up in a lovely way or present it in a beautiful manner. I had this vintage brooch frame so I took a piece of vintage hanky and placed it in the middle. Then I found this wire basket recently at a thrift store, and thought I would make a pin cushion for it to place the brooch on. I have put it all in the mail to my partner in Pittsburg, PA I love the way it turned out, and I am getting crazy about pin cushions, and vintage brooches.

Hope my partner will like her Mother's day brooch!

It's all about the Hats this Friday!

Sometimes I wish that hats never went out of fashion.  I guess they really haven't, but we just seem to have lost that graciousness in women who are wearing beautiful hats and the desire to wear them.  I know that whenever I have worn one, I felt a little bit out of place.  I don't think I even have one in the house.  The picture below is of my Mother wearing the most beautiful hat I have ever seen in real life, as I remember getting down the hat box off the closet shelf that had this hat in it, when I was a very little girl.  I think it was around until I was about 11, then sadly got lost with a move across the country.  The roses were the most beautiful shades of pink organdy.  I use to envision myself all grown up and wearing it.  I think my mother looked smashing in it, and in honor all the hats that people will be wearing come this Friday for the ROYAL WEDDING, I thought I would post these pictures.

 And I hope all of you will delight in the watching of the' Royal Wedding' as I will.  It isn't something that comes around all that often.  And maybe I will even wear a hat while I am watching! lol

Easter Centerpiece

 With all the wonderful swapping I have done this past month, I have really acquired so many wonderful and charming easter decorations to add to my other pieces.  I have put some of my favorites here in this post.  Enjoy and Happy Eastertide!

I found this darling large napkin at a thrift shop a while back.  Isn't it sweet

Yesterday's thrift shop finds

Had an opportunity to hit the DI yesterday.  The Deseret Industries is like big Goodwill Industries store.  I always head for the housewares, trinkets, baskets, frames etc. area.  Yesterday I took a detour to the book isles, something I usually don't do.  If I do get an older book, its pages is what I am after.  After spending considerable time on the one particular isle, down at the bottom of the shelves I spotted this lovely old book.

 I was certainly intrigued by the cover, and then upon opening it I found many interesting illustrations such as.

. . . . and also this one. . . .

And then in the back I thought it was interesting that there were several pages that looked like this, listing other famous books and their authors in the above picture.

 Then I spotted this little gem,which I already have a special use for.  This little wire basket, has a very special use to be revealed later.

 I found this load of fabric which I was really excited about.

 and then this bag full of doll ornaments, all of which I will take apart and use later on.  I love the doll heads!
 And just in time for Easter this sweet porcelain bunny, holding flowers.

I think it is adorable.

I can't get enough!

I think I am addicted to matchbox swapping.  I have received four of them now and am surely thinking how can I do more of them and with whom.  It is so fun to see the tiny vintage items one can stuff into a standard size matchbox.  Here is the latest spring vintage swap I did with Marsha at Sassy mini dolls.  She is seriously talented in the art of dollmaking. I think getting to know the person you are swapping with is most of the fun!  .

This is the one I sent out to her, along with the following 3 photos below.

 The inside upon opening!

 Okay and here is what Marsha sent to me.  I was spoiled good.  Thanks so much to that mini doll wizard.  You have to seriously check out her Sassy mini dolls and miniatures!

 Look at all this wonderful vintage goodness.  I love the antique clothespins and trims!

 This is a beautiful hanky!

 The crochet basket below is so sweet.  It was not in the box but tucked into the package.  It has a darling egg nested right inside.

More amazing Easter swapping!

I received a box this week from another Easter swap friend.  Jen Astengo of Bluebird Lane exclusive gift shop and supply and Jnichelle designs which you simply must check out! Jen sent me the most wonderful box of goodies.  Warning, this was again the most fun and amazing swap that I have been involved with. There are lots of pictures.  I just have to show off all of it.  There were actually 3 of us that were planning on swapping.  The fourth person, well the other three of us were just planning on surprising her and paying her back for the most excellent swaps we have all been involved with her.  Well, she went and sent us all a box too.   Each box has been so much fun receiving and carefully opening.  You have seen what the other two have sent to me, now for the third one. . . . . . . . . . .

 Isn't this apron adorable.  I am keeping it in my craft studio, because it just goes in there and will be perfect for all the glittering, gluing etc. that is done in here.

 This darling little 'chicks in a sailboat' for easter figurine is just so beautiful.  I love it!

She added in the box, a jar of Mica flakes, some glass glitter and microbeads for embellishing.  The bottles are so cute that she puts that kind of stuff in.  She doesn't know how much glitter, beads and mica excite me!

 Here is an adorable ornament from Ragon house collection that I am sure she must sell in her shop.

 Then in a wonderful paper sack, there was all of this stuff.  German Dresden foils, and German scrap, some Easter, and some spring.  I swoon over this stuff everyday!  These cute vintage notecards below with the chickens on them.  My guess is they are from the 60's. . . . . . . . .

 

 . . . .and then there were these vintage Easter postcards, so I just have to show them off one by one.

 I love when there is a postcard that still has the stamp, and postmark on them, so I can see when they were mailed.  This one had a postmarked date of April 15, 1911

 This one has a postmark of April 10, 1914 and says "Lots of love and a peaceful Easter"  I am going to remember that remark!

 This lovely Easter Postcard has a postmark date of March 28, 1910 and the postage stamps are all one cent stamps.  Those were the days, right?

 There wasn't a postmark on this one, but someone had written on it, "Warning, don't eat to many Easter Eggs."  Love Hazel

 This postcard had a postmark date of 1911 also, but was actually mailed on Feb. 14. It said hello Hazel. . . .Roy.  I think Roy might have been just a little mixed up! lol.

And lastly, this new card from Jen was laying on top of all the most delicately and perfectly packaged box.  I will cherish all these items from all my wonderful blogging friends.  The blogging world has just been so much fun, as I know anyone who has been involved with swapping and making new friends from blogging will agree.  Thankyou so much Jen, Valarie, and Kristin!  You are all amazing!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't the inside of this vintage look card just so darn sweet!  She also sent some wonderful chocolate and candy coated sunflower seeds that are way yummy.  I m still swooooning!