Inside is a chubby, glittered Santa...thank you Denise!Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Happy Birthday to me!
We're starting the B-day off w/ bloody marys out @ the cattle barns flea & we'll follow it up w/ a trip to the craft store & then dinner @ my favorite place, Lucille's Bistro in Ft Worth. It's in a historic building from the late 1800's ( think it was a hardware store) w/ wonderful crown mouldings & w/ tin ceiling tiles....charming! After dinner, we'll cruise around looking @ Christmas lights. I just love birthdays....especially my own! LOL
Today I wanted to share a couple of tags I made. A couple are loosely based on tags made by the 2 gypsy girls @ One Lucky Day, for their advent calendar (I missed out on their kits) & a couple are almost out-right copies. They're providing free tuts for some tags so head on over & check them out!
Love the lace wrapped, & bead adorned stick in this next one...love it!

I used another resin bobble for this tag. I'll share more bobbles (I had so much fun making them!) & provide a link to Lisa's tut for them sometime soon, I promise.
Today's Day 19 matchbox was crafted by Angela @ Down to the Darling Details. Love it's cheerful snowman!Saturday, December 18, 2010
My stocking to Steph & Day 18 boxes...
And inside I filled it up w/ a vintage brush & mirror set that I altered, millinery blooms, plastic rose shoe clips ( too cool...they feel like wax!), vintage seam bindings & assorted goodies.
I have collected vintage hats for years...I decorate my downstairs guest bath with them. Ever since I discovered Karla's blog (AKA the Hat Whisperer), I've been buying them w/ plans for deflowering them but never could bring myself to do it. But Stephanie has a thing for millinery blooms so it was time I bit the bullet. I'm afraid that no hat will be safe around me now. LOL Here's the little pile of blossoms I sent her; along w/ a rhinestone S.
I included a trio of bottle brush trees I bleached, painted & then dipped in mica flakes (Steph decorates in pastels for Christmas)....as well as a vintage pomander, appropriately adorned for the season.
But the pièce de résistance for this swap was the vintage, eyeglass holder bejeweled w/ rhinestones that I sent. I've told y'all before that I always include a "heart item" in my swaps. A "heart item" is a gift that makes your heart scream " NOOOOOOO...you wanna keep me!" It's good therapy for my hoarding nature plus, it ensures that every swapper gets a little piece of my heart. ;)
Today's Day 18's adorable box was crafted by Bonnie @ Bonnie Lass' Art Cafe.
Inside is a tiny felt ornament...thank you Bonnie!
Inside my Day 18 box is another vintage earring turned into a magnet.
I am done, done, done, done, done with my shopping! WooHoo!!!! Maybe now I can get some crafting in. I'm not one of those crafters who craft ahead of the season, I like to do it in the throes of the festivities. Which means that I never have as much time but always realllly enjoy it when I do. ;)
Friday, December 17, 2010
Day 17 boxes...
Inside was a beautiful pearl bar pin. Thank you Genie...I love it!
Inside my Day 17 box was another crepe paper rosette ornament.Thursday, December 16, 2010
A special necklace & Day 16 matchbox...
I used a vintage rhinestone button as the centerpiece & hung a chandlier prism from it. For the chain, I used vintage rosary beads & a pearl & aurora borealis strand from an old bracelet. The diamond-shaped accent pieces came off a huge, gaudy earring from the 80's!I loved creating this necklace & had it together in less than 45 minutes (and that's counting the time it took to gather all the materials). I didn't like stringing beads in my first foray into jewelry making but this was just attaching jump rings...even I can do that! LOVE it!
And I LOVE Day 16's box! It's shaped like a house...how creative, huh? It was crafted by the talented Marcia @ Vintage French Hen. Too, too cute!Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A dance recital & boxes 13, 14 & 15...
Here she is in her dance outfit & holding her bouquet. They tap-danced to Frosty the Snowman...wish I could share the video but it's too long for blogger. But she did just great...I was soo proud of her! I look forward to watching her dance & dance & dance over the years! All grandkids are great but there's just something special about a girl, you know? ;)
Now on to the boxes...Day 13's box was crafted by Kim @ Blackberry Crows Prims.
And inside is a tiny gold bell. Thank you Kim!
My Day 13 gift was another bottle cap charm.
Day 14's box was crafted by Sherry @ If I Could Set My Soul Free.
With a beautiful beaded felt poinsettia inside...thank you Sherry!
My Day 14 gift was a crepe paper rosette ornament.
And today's Day 15 box was crafted by Michelle @ Faerie Dust Dreams.
Inisde is an adorable bottle cap magnet. Thank you Michelle!
My Day 15 gift was a another one of the chandlier prisms/tag danglies.
I know I've been sporadic in my matchbox postings but hubby made it in early from his business trip & we've been enjoying one another. I was able to really get a lot done while he was gone (he's been gone since Thanksgiving weekend) but it wasn't much fun doing it by myself. He should be home through the first of the year though so we should have plenty of time to annoy one another. LOL Hope everyone is having a joyful, relaxed Christmas!Sunday, December 12, 2010
My ticky-tacky vintage wreath & Day 12 box...
Which explains how I wound up w/ tons & tons of vintage, tacky, UGLY Christmas "doodads". Last year, I decided to take all that
The "centerpiece" of the wreath is a beaded, felt Santa in a hot air balloon that I bought at an estate sale a couple of years back. And look! There's still room to add more tacky, ugly, vintage stuff that needs a home!
The wreath w/ our life-size caroling Santa. Until I saw this photo, I didn't think the door needed garland over & around it but now I'm not so sure. What do y'all think?
Now on to the matchboxes...Day 12's box was created by Pam @ Faster Kitty Blog Blog .
Inside are 2 tiny little ornaments...a Santa & a Christmas tree. Thank you Pam!Saturday, December 11, 2010
My Vintage Stocking has arrived!
She adorned the stocking w/a red doily that she wove lace through & then added a tulle ruffle. Very clever!
The turquoise piece on teh stocking is a brooch. And just look at all these goodies!!!!
The glittered shoes are adorable & I just love the buttons & stamped tag & pin in the background.
A pink chiffon handkerchief, a bunch of felt butterflies, (2 are beaded!), vintage earrings (as y'all know...I use a whole lot of those!) & a stamped Peace on a ribbon. The stocking I made Steph needed sumpthin' sumpthin' & this little snippet of ribbon was just what it needed!
Love this little blossom & the Laura Ashley post-its are almost too pretty to use. I do think I'll use them in tags & stuff instead of post-its though.
And I love this hair clip from her esty shop! It's made from a vintage millinery flower. I wear hair clips almost everyday....love it!
Some sweet flocked chicks, bears & bunnies...will be great in an Easter diorama.
And she included a fabulous beaded egg. My grandmother used to make beaded ornaments. Maybe I should take up the craft?
And that ain't all...just look at this pile of crafting goodies! Laces, papers, stickles, stickers & paper flowers...thank you so much Steph! What a fun swap this one was!
And I haven't forgotten about today's matchboxes ...today's Day 11 box was crafted by Sophia @ Blue Chair Diary.
Inside was a wonderfully adorned paper clip. Thank you Sophia!
My Day 11 box gift was another domino/charm. I reallly wish I had spaced the double gifts out a little better. You just saw this one in the last post. Geeeze!




















