One of my "Pay it Forwards"

I am slowly working on my Pay it forwards. I signed up to do the PIF and this is the second one I have given away. Only a few more to go. For  Suzanne Kalla at zueeuz.blogspot.com I decided to make this sweet little Journal. She can use it for recipes, a quote book, a gratitude journal, a blog swap reminder etc. I hope she likes it. I used a woooden file

I put some lines on some of the pages within. It will really just be however she wants it.

I found a couple of sweet quotes to put on the file pages.    Hope she likes it!

Spoiled more!!!!

 Another fabulous Easter swap box that completely blew me away again!  I just got so spoiled!   This one came from Valarie at Glittery Daze and Nights.  Upon opening the box, I lifted out this beautiful Easter basket that she had decorated, don't you love the tag hanging from it which says "parade"  
 In the basket were some really special things.  This lovely victorian image with easel, and this darling little chick made of batting.

 Also this beautifully decorated Hershey chocolate bar, and this adorable marshmallow sucker.  Be still my heart, literally!  The chocolate is to pretty to even unwrap!  (Okay, I did it anyway)

 Then inside another wrapped box I found this darling paper bag, and inside was this adorable little basket made from vintage goodies and put on a small jell-o mold.

 When you turn the tiny basket around you see this other image.  She put so much time and effort into this swap!

 On the other side of the box, she had put this ceramic egg in, all decorated in glitter that resembles sugar.  Inside is shredded vintage music for grass!

 Also in the large basket, there was this scented candle, and this vintage sheet of Easter decals.  I can't stand it, and then if that was not enough, she sent this vintage package of paper egg holders. (has to be from the 70's)  I loooove it all as I love the other box I recieved from Kristin.  I have been truly spoiled!   You both are amazing women!  Thank you Thankyou!

Announcing the winner of my Spring Giveaway

I have been away from my computer, so this announcement is overdue a bit.  So here it is, the winner in my Spring giveaway honoring the birth of my granddaughter is Bobby of  The Bead goes on   Congratulations to you!  

Mail has been good to me!

My first Easter swap package came, and boy did I get spoiled from Kristin at Signs and salvage.  Kristin sure knows how to make wood pieces look worn and shabby! I love this recipe box!

                   Then I unwrapped this wonderful hanging hook.

                               Don't you love the knob to hang pretty things on! So wonderfully shabby!

 I was so tickled with my box I could hardly stand it. I love love her signs. I now have two Valentine signs, a Halloween, and now these wonderful Easter signs. The Tea party sign will come in handy when I have the fun tea parties with my granddaughters. (I have 11) 

This shabby little round frame will be perfect for my Easter Centerpiece.

  She added these fun and cozy hand knit slippers. Can't wait to use them.

                   She made this wonderful little shredded book nest and filled it with malted eggs.  Everything came packed in the shredded book pages.  These eggs won't last long!

                        

 I am sorry if some of you are jealous. This was too good to be true.  And if that wasn't enough, on the same day I received this surprise package from Susanne Kalla for the "pay it forward" I was involved with.

 I must get busy and send some things out for pay it forward.  She will be one of my recipients also, as she commented on my blog and I hers.  Thank you so much Suzanne for the lovely button bouquet, and the sweet little heart pillow, and that dragonfly brooch is so so cute!

Bunnies and Eggs!

This bunny was not made by me, but I couldn't resist it's vintage feel. It looks like you could just unwrap the chocolate bunny, but it is just a decoration!

These styrofoam eggs were easily decorated with tiny sequin pins.  I love the stretchy wire trim to give it a true vintage feel!

This bunny was from a 'lot' I bought of bunny seconds. I loved fixing him up, with a sweet little tart tin, spanish moss, painted plastic eggs, and a crepe paper collar.

Lately, I have been crafting away in my craft studio. I have been getting ready for Easter swaps, that I am involved with. Some of the eggs will go to Thimbleprims Easter Egg Swap and the other eggs and bunnies will be for another swap I am doing with three wonderful blogging friends.

This is a pre-painted wooden egg that I decorated. I added big tulle bows to the bottom and a used millinary and paper flowers. Lots of pink rhinestones on this one.

I wanted a nest for the craft studio, so this is what I came up with. Spanish moss over a grapevine wreath, shredded sheet music, vintage lace, millinary flowers and styrofoam eggs. I love it!

Giveaway in honor of Kinley's Birth

Since Easter is coming, and Spring has officially arrived, and most importantly I have that new little darling grandbaby Kinley, I thought I would put together a fun spring inspired giveaway. If you are a card maker, scrapbooker, chocolate lover or fancy fabric collage pockets, then this giveaway is for you!

This giveaway will include a fabric collage pocket done with a lovely vintage Easter image. Embellished with ribbon, laces, trims, vintage buttons, flowers, and varigated thread and stitching.

These pretty spring 12x12 papers from S.E.I. and a new sticker alphabet sheet.

And in the pocket, lots of goodies, from my stash, all spring colors etc. There is rub-ons, punch-outs, paper and stickers.

More embellishments, and two brand new packages of clear stamps.

And finally, this 'peter rabbit' chocolate Easter Bunny. All you have to do is comment on this post, and make sure you are a follower, and for an extra chance, put the button up on your sidebar. (you can use the picture above) Oh and be sure to look at the darling baby girl in the previous post. She is a little doll. And I am not at all prejudice on that one! lol                I forgot to mention that this drawing will be March 31, 2011. 

My latest project

This week my newest grandchild was born, and I guess I am a proud Grammy, cause I just have to show her off! She wieghed in at 6 lbs. 6 oz. and I sure think she is "Something Special." Meet little Kinley Paige, and she is a sweetheart. I have been at my daughter's home since Tuesday. Watching her be born, and helping the wonderful little family with their new little sister.

Born on March 15 just before Midnight. Last night we did a photoshoot with little Kinley. She was only 4 days old. She is sure a sweetheart, and thank goodness I only live 1 hour away from her and her siblings, cause I miss her already. I came back home this afternoon. I miss that wonderful newborn smell and softness. I miss just being with her family. There is nothing better than this!

We aren't professional photographers like my other daughter,
and we sure wished she hadn't been so far away. She could do
so much more with these newborn pics. We had a lot of fun anyway.

More vintage Matchbox swapping

Laurie, of Indulge yourshelf sent me this cute spring vintage decorated matchbox. She was to late to get in on the "Petite matchbox swap-Flea market edition," so I asked her if she wanted to swap one with me. I received it on Friday, and again, had so much fun opening it, as I always do with any matchbox full of goodies.  There was some really fun stuff in there. I love swapping matchboxes! A very cool vintage piece of jewelry adorns the top of the box covered in music sheets.

Vintage buttons, crocheted rose, vintage ephemera and trims lace and millenery flowers etc.

Here is my Spring themed vintage box I sent to Laurie.

I found this darling little tiny procelain figurine, clothes pins, piece of vintage fabric, vintage clippie, charms etc. The items that we put in that were the same were, an old colored floral hanky, millinery flowers, stamens, vintage buttons, and foil embossed dresdens. We must think alike and that to me is part of the fun of it. It's not like we talk about what we are putting in, but when you swap with someone, who really gets it right on what kinds of things you like. I just love love love swapping.

Flea Market editions arrived!

Diane Bouchard is a mixed media artist, and very talented. She was one of my partners in the "Petite Box Swap Flea Market edition" recently, and sent me this decorated matchbox. Isn't this so clever and so vintage!! I love the way she used the typewriter keys, for my initials. And that little ribbon embellishment is wonderful!

She filled it with all sorts of vintage flea market goodness. It was so fun to open and look through each little thing. There was some old advertising ephemera from way back that was British. I just loved it all. Thankyou to Diane.        

My first to arrive was sent by Erica Hofstetter of Zunky Chic. com. Her style is so similar to mine. She says that we must have the same DNA. I agree we are Kindred Spirits. We put some of the same things in our boxes. She sent an old piece of Chenille, and I am already using that one. I love the way she decorated the box too. She used an old pattern instruction paper. I love adding more buttons to my collection, and well it was just so me. Anyone out there that doesn't think that a matchbox swap isn't fun is fooling themselves. It is amazing the amount of stuff that will fit into one of these standard size matchboxes. Thanks to Heather for hosting this swap, over at The Speckled egg.

Notice how nice and neatly everything was put together.  I am wild about the tape she used.  Would love to find some like it!  Thankyou to both my partners, I love love love it all. I liked it so much I am doing a third one with Laurie of Indulge your Shelf. She expressed a feeling of DARN as she missed Heathers swap, cause it was too full. So I will be getting a new one soon. I will post that exchange later.