Bring it On!!!!

I love this vintage halloween
postcard. I guess I am rushing
halloween, as my daughter should
be over her really bad pregnancy
sickness by then. Poor thing, I just
can't wait for her to feel better.
Halloween is what we are all 
shooting for!






I made this mouse from a pattern 
I designed in the 80's for my craft 
business. She was sent to Kerry 
for our Year of Enchantment swap 
with a mouse theme. My mind went 
to Christmas automatically when I 
thought of cute little mice.


I must be rushing Christmas too. 
I will have a Askeroth Grandson 
just after Christmas, so I am
anxious for that to come too.












Here is more of my fall decor at my fire
place. I am hurrying that along too, may-
be because it really is fall and it is still HOT
in the day time here. Come on Fall weather!

Year of Enchantment Sept. box came

The mail has been good to me this week, and
I don't even have my fall Intrigues package yet.
The theme for this month's Year of Enchantment
swap was mice. I think they are really cute when they
are not the live kind. And my partner, Kerry, at
talesofaneedleandthread.blogspot.com (who is
also a participant in our fall basket swap) made up the
cutest little non-live mice ever! I am feeling very spoiled
and loved. Not only did she make up these adorable spool
mice, (with wonderful trims wrapped around, but also a
pincushion, and two mice ornaments, she also sent
me two, yes I said two of these wonderful fall scarecrow
tassels handmade by herself. I love them all and was so
thrilled to get the package. Thankyou Kerry!

REMINDER for fall basket swap!

Hi there Fall Intrigues Basket Swap PARTICIPANTS.  Just a reminder, to get your baskets sent by October 7th.  This gives you a couple of weeks.  It is coming up quickly.  I just returned from up north, where there was a definite nip in the air.  Here, we are excited because the high is only suppose to be 90 today.  Whoo hoo!  I can't wait for the cooler weather!!!!!!!!! Oh, and check out the wonderful eye-candy from my last two posts.

I am so lucky!

I just returned from a
wonderful 4 day retreat
to one of my favorite
places. Fairview, Utah
where I get to meet together
with some great friends.  We
craft, scrapbook, quilt, sew,
or whatever we wish to do,
all the while sampling wonder-
ful food, and watching great movies
and just being in the company of
great women.  This lovely eye candy
pin cushion was made especially for me
by my good friend Jill Iroz. It was
a pay-it-forward from her blog. But
we have been friends for about 13 years
now. She surprized me with this
little gem. I had taken a pay-it-forward
to her also, because of something I did
on facebook, and made her a quilted
vintage pillow.  I scrapbooked the whole
time I was there, but I just put it in my
workspace and admired it, and got so
giddy everytime I looked at
it. She definitely made a 'Michele' thing.
It is quite heavy, and the pincushion part is
filled with ground walnut shells, something
she says you get at a pet supply., and she said
she got the bottom stand and a thrift shop. I
think it must have been a candy dish. Isn't it
cool, when you see something that is one thing,
and are able to visualize something else useful
and beautiful. Thankyou so much Jill, I could
not love it more.

My Dorothy Tags Ready to send!

Well here they are. I will be sending Karla of
http://www.karlascottage.typepad.com/  six tags today,all the same.

I got this idea in my head and I love the look of how it turned out,
however it is quite 3-D. I made sure I made one for myself,
so that when I get my tag book, I will add this one to it.
When I was making these, I just had to get out the movie
to get a quote from the movie to match the picture.
The tag says, "Keep tight inside of them. . . .
Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't
want them so badly."

I cut out Vellum for Glenda's crown, then added glass glitter, then irredescent glitter. The little baskets, representing the basket that Dorothy always carried, are German Store stock. I sure had fun coming up with this tag. Hope it works Okay with the other tags.
Also on the tag is paper lace from Holland, and German foil diecut trim.

The sewing of two special baby dresses

This summer I had the privilege
of making the blessing dresses
for my two new granddaughters.
one was blessed on Sun. Sept. 5th
and the other one was blessed
on Sunday June 21st. I enjoyed
so much sewing these very special
baby dresses for my two sweet
grand baby girls. This one had 15 yds
of ribbon, and the other one had yards
of lace inset and ruffles.

Coming soon!

Coming soon. . . . For the participants in the Fall swap.  Your names will all be put in the pot for the first door prize for the Fall Intrigues Basket Swap.    I won't show a picture, because I want it to be a surprise!    But it will be something having to do with Fall!   Love ya all   Michele

Crepe' paper roses

These beauties are made from streamer type crepe' paper. I recently made about 100 of these little paper roses. I made them for a friend's daughter's wedding. They took them and glued them to large styrofoam balls and then hung them from painted twig branches.

Three items of business!

To all of you out there, who might have tried to comment here and could not, I have fixed the problem.  And to all of you who have decided to participate in my Fall Intrigues Basket Swap, the deadline for notifying me will be SEPT. 8th and the shipping date to your partner will be Oct. 7th.  This should give us all plenty of time to think about and collect items for our baskets.  Little bit of a tip:  Keep in light weight! 

Some ideas for your baskets:

1.  candy corn or chocolate is always good!
2.  scrapbook embellishments (this could cover a lot)
3.  halloween paper or
4.  Salt and pepper shakers
5.  Recipes
6.  potpouri or scentsy wax
7.  small scented candles
8.  doilies or other small vintage pieces.
9.  buttons
10. patterns or iron ons
Just some ideas for you.

Did it just for me!

      I wanted to figure out a way I could not only have all the
vintage trimmings and doily's I have found at thrift stores,
antique malls, shops and yard sales this summer,
but display them as well so I can enjoy looking at them.  
I thought I would go and get some of the drawers 
to a antique sewing machine I have in my garage.  
My wonderful sister brought it to me this summer from Arizona.
But I am just not sure what I will do with it yet.  In the mean time
I will use the drawers in my creative space.  I am just so tickled with
the look of all this vintage!

This little heart ceramic pendant  with my name on it, 
was made and given to me 
by my Aunt when I turned seven years old.  It is so dear to me. 
I can't believe I still have it.  It is one of the few things I have
from my childhood.  

                                 Most all of the trims are vintage. I made chipboard cards covered
                               with scrapbook paper, then distressed them, and wrapped them
                                    with the trims and used some of the vintage or vintage look pins
                                   I have found or been given to inhance the look. To me it is worth
                                           the work, to have the eye-candy to look at everyday!

These are all vintage pieces, accept one, which is stamped
cotton and bought on Etsy. The large pin is from Karla
at karlascottage.typepad.com

Announcement! Fall Intrigues Basket Swap!

 

Hi there to all my blog friends. I know it is just the middle of August, and I know you are all busy with other swaps, giveaways and just keeping up with your blog, but I would love to host another little swap for the fall. Why am I doing it? Well, it is just that I am tired of the heat, and yes, I am rushing the fall season, because it is truly my favorite of all the seasons. I live where it is very hot hot, and by golly I am already dreaming of Halloween and Thanksgiving cause I know it is wonderful cool weather then.

Therefore, I am introducing a brand new swap. We will call it the Fall Intrigues Basket Swap. And the only rules are that it needs to be sent in a basket. Let's keep it simple and just put anything into the basket that you wish that has to do with fall. And let's put it all into the basket! So be creative. This is not a vintage persay swap, but you could certainly put in vintage any thing, scrapbook supplies, trinkets, treasures, candy, recipes, or whatever you wish, as long as it has to do with Fall.

When I think of Autumn, I think of bushel baskets of peaches or apples. I think of the changes in the leaves, my granchildren treak-or-treating and I will get plenty of photos of that to scrapbook,gathering of family and being thankful for all of that, and certainly new recipes to try and looking forward to Christmas time. So be creative! Just comment on this post, Email me at this address: ask@comnett.net and put the words fall basket swap in the subject line, and include your NAME MAILING ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS BLOG LINK (most important) If you don't have a blog that is Okay, but it is always helpful getting to know your partner through their blog. Make sure you let me know first through this post. Then I will be checking my emial for you. You will have until September 8th to let me know. I will give the ship date to you all later.

One more thing, could I ask a small favor?  Could you save as. . the collage picture above and post it on your blog somewhere, to advertise this swap.   Thanks a bunch!!!!!

Alice Stuff for a Friend!

I was asked by a blogging friend, Susan from Art of Mine to send her some Alice Ephemera, a couple of months ago. I have been so busy with babies and grandkids, that I kept promising and never got to it. I finally got it done, and this is what I came up with to send to this special friend. I added some fun little embellishments for Alice tags of her own.  And might I add, that Susan is one of those very special sweet sweet people that I am having the priveledge to get to know.  And she is also having a wonderful giveaway over at her blog, and I would encourage all you blogging friends to check it out. Her blog is sjmcdowell.blogspot.com  (Art of Mine) Below is the tag I decided to include which I made for her. I am not even tired of Alice Yet! And I love these pictures from a very old "Alice in Wonderland" book that belonged to my mother when she was little.  It is a very unique Alice book!

.

Blackberry Vines pretty packages party

Here is my creatively wrapped gift for the blog party going on from blackberryvine.blogspot.com
I wanted a very 18th century look, sort of like Marie Antuionette fair. I used a glittered decorated paper
medallion from my Etsy shop for this and added some chrystal chandelier drops and doilies underneath.
I first wrapped it in some flocked paper and used big satin sashes for the bow.

It's a Wrap. . . Christmas in July Swap is done!

I patchworked Moda/basic grey squares onto a

purchased kitchen towel from India, and used some

vintage trim before adding the felt applique work and

beads.  Then made a cute vintage tag for this.

 

I just wrapped up the Christmas in july Holiday magic swap that was hosted by Something Special.  I had an amazing partner.  And this is what I  sent to her:  I made a couple of ornaments. For this one I used a foil blue leaf, a glass glittered snowflake, cut from my cricut machine, some silver pipe cleaner, and a medallion from K & Company.  Then glittered up a mini tart mold.  

I made another ornament from a vintage snowman ornament and used vintage silver and gold glass glitter. I made a vintage tag and attached 3 glass santa buttons, made another tag and put some vintage and non-vintage trims on it with old buttons, found a plastic bell ornament from the 40's-50's and then found a blown glass indented ornament.

Then I found a couple of silver frame ornaments. Not vintage, but very cute.

This was the breakable item I was so worried about and I guess it made it okay. This is a teapot from Avon about 10 years old.  Scroll down to see what she sent to me.  I had so much fun with this one.  

My first giveaway win!

I was the winner of the giveaway that Kimberly Laws at artjoystuff.blogspot.com was having when she reached 50 followers.  I never win, but got lucky this time and this is what I received. . . . . This wonderful
little book, that Kimberly is one of the featured artists.  This is her page and design.  Little does she know that this is just the kind of book I would purchase if I found it to inspire my creativity. Thanks so much to Kimberly!

My Christmas in July package came!

   I am absolutely in love with all the wonderful goodies sent me to me by. . . . . . .  

Kimberly Laws of artjoystuff.blogspot.com who made me this beautiful handmade ornament, and put in this lovely blown glass classic Christmas mushroom ornament then also. . . .

Crafted this creative decoration made from wood, trim,
old drawer handle, and Chandelier chrystals.

Then she added in a little kit for making vintage tags,
and this box of vintage pieces and ornaments.

She also added in another vintage ornament, some adorable
vintage package ties and then some "Harry and David"
Dark chocolate.  I love love love dark chocolate. 
And it was all packaged up so wonderfully.
She used old patterns and pattern instructions as wrapping
paper & tied everything with the lace and package ties.
It was an amazing Christmas in July experience.  Thanks so much to
talented Kimberly Laws, one of my best blogging buddies.

Making it a Vintage Trip

While at my daughters for the birth of her baby, I was able to steel away a bit, and visit some antique shops and malls. My daughter lives in a really great location for these types of shops. Here is some of the stuff I found at these malls and shops, while there. I was especially excited about all the vintage trims and laces I was able to find.

I will probably paint the frame, and I collect small white pitchers and mercury glass. The sugar bowl was aquired very cheaply as the lid was not there.