Oh You Beautiful Doll matchbox swap

Hosted by JoAnne at Vintage Dragonfly, was this "Oh you beautiful doll matchbox swap."  Here is the altered matchbox that I did for Mercedes Scott.

 The dolls head and arms serve as a drawer pull with sweet things inside.  And pinned to her collar is a little vintage brooch. I enjoyed creating this matchbox so very much!

 The back side

 Inside the matchbox were placed these goodies, some pertaining to dolls or doll parts and other embellishments.  Antique buttons, lace, a thimble and a golden spoon.

Oh you beautiful Doll matchbox swap was so fun for me to get in on and worked my creative senses into a frenzy.  I have not recieved my matchbox yet.  I am still waiting.  I am excited to see what Sandy has created for me.  The anticipation is killing me!

Just finished this dining room beauty

Just finished this hutch yesterday.  I was so fortunate to find this at a moving sale and I offered the guy $35.00 for it and he took it. Yippee. It was quite dirty and it looked like some if the glass shelves were broken.  I cleaned it up before bringing it in to paint it. Here is the before picture  And please note that these photos are from my iphone, so they loaded a little bit blurry.  I wanted to post from my iphone to my blog.  First time!

           I decided to use chalk paint as I have come to know that when you have a piece from the 70's and there is veneer and non-wood mouldings, that the best thing you can do is to use chalk paint.  I made my own chalk paint in this case and then sanded it off for the distressed look and also added two appliqued elements.  And here are the results . . . .                  

           

 I loved loading it up with cottage whites. I am very happy with how it turned out.  Here are some more views.

           

 And so to make room for the new hutch I had to do some changes in the dining room.  First I had too move this piece by my front door and here is the new spot for it  

Next I had to move my teacup shelf to my craft studio

          And to make room for that, my old shelf for the rubber stamps had to be sold.  I am so happy with my new look in every room all because I wanted a hutch in the dining room and I did it for about $40.00 Whoo hoo.

Kitchen redo

We remodeled our kitchen in 2006 and at that time I loved red.  We put in an island and got granite countertops and then painted the walls a light walnut color.  Geraniums in the window and had black appliances put in.  The cabinets used to be dark but the wood was not pretty, so I painted them all and put on mouldings and appliques.  These photos aren't the best, because I could not find the originals

We took out a wall and put in some pillars that separated the dining room from the kitchen, and this really opened things up.

My mother passed away not even a year before this makeover, and I inherited her antique buffet that I painted black and left then stained the top.  I love the way it turned out.  I made the "Cuisine Francaise" framed collage, and framed some french works.  These were the before photos.  HERE ARE THE AFTER
Look what some paint can do and a few new craft projects.

 I took out the red and painted the island in a robin's egg blue chalk paint.  Have to keep some of the black accents because my appliances still need to work in this space.

 I might have posted some of these projects before, but all the new in the kitchen has been done this summer.

Found a new stencil at the Home Depot that was perfect for my new window treatment.

 Had lots of fun doing this transformation.  I had a one glass jar with the glass lid, and I found the other two at walmart and a local hardware store.put some tea cups in for scoopers.

 This used to be red berries.  They are actually styrofoam, but since it was painted with an enamel, then the spray paint did not dissentigrate the little balls.

 I love mercury glass so very much.

  I know I have shown the new makeover for this frame and have been having lots of fun with chalkboard art.  The other prints are the same ones that were up before, I just painted the frames, and took the red out!

Here is the buffet and I think I will keep it black too.  

 I dollarstore tin tray that got painted , decoupaged and hung up.  What a fun little magnet accent!

 the chalk paint redid my spice rack as well!

I had this spode plate for a few years

Okay I guess I kept one little red thing.  A gift from my daughter could not go anywhere else.

 My favorite spray paint is the Rustoleum, Hammered iron, and I use it on everything!  Love Love it!

I chalkpainted this wooden tray and then decoupaged the images on it.  

Again I found this drawer insert at a yard sale for 75 cents and turned it into this wonderful shabby french piece with french transfers from the Graphics fairy

I painted the walnut walls the same color as the dining room.  It opened up the room even more, and I asked myself why oh why did I not do this long ago.  I hope you have enjoyed the little tour.  I am always amazed what a new paint job will do for a room.  It is so exciting. 

I am a little bit late and somewhat overdue, but just finally had the drawing of my giveaway that was posted with the Where bloggers create party.  Here is what the prize is!!!!!

This sweet vintage dishtowel and lace pillow made by me.  Congratulations to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Donna of myshabbychateau.blogspot.com  I love her style and her wonderful studio and blog.  I am happy to call her one of my new blogging friends.  Whoo Hoo Donna!

Where Bloggers Create 2013 blog party is here

This is my 4th "Where Bloggers create party" and I really look forward to it every year. There has

not been much that has changed in here from last years photos, but some really fun things have been added to my space. This studio is my own little room, not very big, but I make use of all the space even the closet.  I wish I had wood floors in here sometimes, but when my grandchildren are here, it is nice to have carpet for them. *These are all updated pictures taken this week.  Enjoy the tour!  There are lots of photos. . . . . . . .

My antique and vintage baby shoe collection sits on this shelf that I had made about 20 years ago.  I painted it and image transferred it last year!  My studio is a great place to display things I craft with and collections and things I love as well!

 Oh, how I love my new dressform.  Well it is a vintage one that I found at an obscure moving sale.  and I decorated the black satin dress form with a antique dickie that was sent to me by Mercedes Scott of All things pretty in a hatbox swap last year, and then I added the crown on top with black rope braid and a pretty rhinestone brooch and a vintage lace collar.  It is a great place to display some of the jewelry pieces that will be for sale that I made, Oh then added some vintage lace at the bottom.  Someday I might put this on a stand, but for now I love it right where it is!

 

I had this crown tealight holder, so I took part of the bottom off and it fit perfectly on top of my dress form.  I made a padded insert with fabric and batting and added the bling brooch to it.  It is eye candy for me for sure!

 In my vintage slant top desk is most of my jewelry making stash

this box holds my sweet vintage handkerchiefs

buttons I just can't take off the cards, and old books used for crafting and decoupage are here.

A collection of shackers and old bottles, works well for glass glitter, micro beads and mica flakes.

in one of the small apothecary jars, is my glass button collection.  These are my favorites of the antique and vintage buttons I have here.

My collection of antique infant clothing and women's gloves lay in 

the sliegh shaped basket on the floor.

Some of the scrapbooks I have done.  

A new chair and french stool is another place to sit in here.  My husband will even come in a sit down with me to visit occasionally, so it is nice to have an extra chair.  

I will leave you you with this lovely photo.  Quite a few of the pretty ornaments in this room comes from blogging friends.  Thanks to all those who have sent me such wonderful things with swapping
NOTE:  I must give credit where credit is due.  All of the above photos that really look amazing are the work of my talented professional photographer daughter Tara of Pure Bliss Photography  The ones that don't look the same quality and the ones from below are the work of me with my little canon sure shot!


BUT WAIT, where does she sew?  SORRY BUT THERE IS MORE!

NOW THAT WAS WHERE I CREATE LOTS OF THINGS, BUT THAT IS NOT WHERE I SEW. SO HERE IS MY SEWING ROOM. . . . . .It is in the washroom!
When I moved into this house I knew this had to by my sewing room, because it was set up for a sewing maching and a serger.  I used to use my serger alot, but have put it away, because it wasn't getting used, just
taking up counter space.  Here is a quick look at where I sew.  It is not gorgeously decorated, and it doesn't not have many interesting things in it, but what is does have is built in storage!  Woo hoo, the people before put in lots of perfect storage for sewing, laundry and tools.  P.S.  this room is very close to my craft studio!

 I stenciled these cabinets years ago, and still like that little touch!

 some of my fabric stash.

all other sewing supplies

 I put this together quite a few years ago, maybe it needs a little bit of an update now.  It holds one of my favorite friendship quotes, that came in the form of a pillow from a very good friend who gave it to me in cross-stitch years ago. . . . . . . "CONSTANT USE HAS NOT WORN RAGGED THE FABRIC OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP"

I am lucky to have amy ironing board come out of the wall.  I love this about this house!

old thimbles shoe hook, straight pins and embroidery hoop and box full of mending floss.  This is my vintage in here!

  

Announcement:  if you weeded through all those pictures and are reading this, then you will know that there will be a giveaway in two weeks from Something Special.  (to be shown later)  if you comment here and tell me whether or not you are a follower or are just becoming one, you are entered in my drawing.  Thanks for your comments, and for being a follower here.