I won! I won! I won! I won! I won!

I won Karen Valentine's fabulous give-away! She recently had a give-away to celebrate her 500th follower & I won...how lucky am I? Just look at all this loot!

Doilies, rub on letters, old leather gloves (wait til you see what I do w/ them!), her fabulous magnets & I neglected to get it in the picture (cause it's sitting on my nightstand) but she also sent Sandra Evertson's book, Fanciful Paper Projects. I highly recommend this book...I've seen it @ Michaels & on Amazon so pick you up one.

Look how cool her magnets are. She adds so many wonderful details...layers & layers of images, lace scraps, buttons, scrolly wire, etc.

Here's another one of teh magnets. I actually received 3 but my daughter in law was here when the box was delivered & she fell in love w/ them so I gave her one. Not sure what the wood thing is (does anybody?) but it'll be cool in a vignette.

Look at the tag Karen made. I love how she layered pattern paper over the images...LOVE it!

And I adore this box! Karen is one talented artist, isn't she?

Look at all that was inside...sepia toned rose cards, lace trims ....

and all this too! Karen, you are too generous! Love the old key & the paper roses...

and of course I love this crown barrette (who wouldn't!).

But I think my favorite treasures in teh box are the metal roses. They remind me of a funny (now!) childhood memory. I was about 9 & the apartment complex we lived in, had metal railings all around & up the stairs. On the railings, were these metal flowers (very much like these that Karen sent me) that a certain little girl decided would be really awesome, if they were painted & turned into necklaces. Never one to be satified w/ just one (I guess I've always been a packrat), I did my best to pry as many of those flowers off as I could. Some were welded on pretty good though & a couple cut me but I managed to gather quite a few. Enough for the apartment manager to notice & to track down the culprit. In my defense though, I honestly didn't know it was stealing. I was very surprised & very embarassed when I was told that it was.

The manager confiscated all my flowers & my dream of seeing them reborn as a necklace was never achieved. (I guess I've always been a procrastinator too! LOL) But I think I am going to live out that childhood dream w/ a couple of these fabulous roses...waht do ya think? Wouldn't they be awesome as a necklace?

Karen recently started an online shoppe....you can check out more of her work here @ Valentine Studio.


Hope everyone has a great week-end! Spring is in the air.....

A wonderful gift from a friend!

Hi y'all...I wanted to share another piece of art work I recently received. This wasn't part of the art exchange or a swap...it was just given to me by a generous & thoughtful artist. An artist of a different sort; for words are The Muse's medium & she uses them well. I'm a woman of many talents but writing is not one of them so I particularly admire & envy her talent w/ words & descriptive phrases.

I love teh wintry feel of this poem & included it in my winter decor. Thank you so much, Muse...I treasure it & will proudly display it each winter.

Everyone is doing these fairy paper dolls now (Dawn @ The Feathered Nest was the originator, I think) so I jumped on the bandwagon. Doesn't it go well w/ the poem?

The windowsill vignette I created.

And the Muse is a multi-talented artist (as if her prose wasn't enough!) look at the altered tag she also made! It's very well crafted...w/ layers upon layers & w/ a wonderful, waxy feel to it. Thanks again Muse...it's just darling! *grins*

Ooh La La!

Aren't these little rooster plates just darling? I won them in a give-away from Cindy @ Fairy Tale Cottage . I didn't get a picture of the package cuz my son brought the package in to me (mailman leaves them on the front porch) & he had his girlfriend w/ him ....and, well you know. I'm told that "normal people don't do that" & they are still in the stages, where he wants us to appear normal. Whatever! *grins*

Love the antique shoes!

Thank you so much Cindy...I can't wait to do a tablescape w/ these sweet rooster plates!

If y'all are wanting to learn some really frugal tips, visit Cindy's blog, Fairy Tale Cottage. She's done a couple of very helpful posts recently.

And the winner is!

The winner of my blogaversary countdown give-away is..........






drum roll please.......




Roxanne @ Beverly Sand Hills !!!!

Email me w/ your addy Roxanne & I'll get it in the mail to you. Congrats!

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On another note, I'm taking a short blogging break to get some spring-cleaning done. I've vowed that I will not put out so much as one bunny or one bird's nest until my house is spiffy clean. And there's a couple of paint projects I'd like to get done also...see you all in a couple of weeks! I'll be back.....with pictures! ;o)

My blogaversary give-away countdown is about to end!

Today is the last Friday before my blogaversary on the 25th so this is the last gift in the tin. Although, I have managed to sneak in a couple of stowaways. ;o) I've had lots of fun selecting items from my collection for this giveaway. I'm already eager to have another one! Today, I am adding some adorable PINK piggie s&p shakers. I don't know the maker but they're vintage, have a "made in japan" sticker & are numbered w/ an H259 stamp. And aren't they just as cute as they can be?

Mr & Mrs Piggy are joining the vintage hankie, cherub, vintage earrings, bird soap, Lord's Prayer plate & red tole tray in the old tin. I have filled this old tin to maximum capacity w/ treasures for you.

I'll be turning off the comments feature Monday morning so that I can enter all the names into random.org ...good luck everybody!

Come w/ me to Beverly's @ How Sweet the Sound & see who else is in the pink today.
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I've closed comments because my blogaversary countdown is officially over. I'll draw a name on Wednesday & announce the winner.

Blogaversary countdown give-away continues!

Gotta do a 2 fer 1 again this week because I skipped last week. We only have one more Friday to go before I draw a name on the 25th.

I can never resist these plates. I just think they are sooo sweet w/ their reticulated edge. This one features pretty violets, The Lord's Prayer & is in great condition. The little bird in teh "nest" is actually soap...I'm pretty sure it's vintage but can't swear to it.

They're joining the vintage hankie, cherub, vintage earrings & red tole tray in the old tin.

I've added a couple of extras too...I'm sure I'll add one or two more before the countdown is over & tehn I'll draw a name on my blogaversary on the 25th.

To get your name in the hat, just leave a comment on my blogaversary countdown on Fridays. For every Friday that you leave a comment, a slip w/ your name goes into the hat. If you want 3 more tries added to the hat, add this button, w/ a link back to my blog to your sidebar & let me know about it.

This give-away is restricted to the continental US...sorry! And you don't have to have a blog to enter but you must leave an email address so that I can contact you. Good luck!

I haven't forgotten about my giveaway again but...

it'll have to wait until later. I went to take pics of the new addition to the give-away & my camera battery went dead. Just up & quit on me. By the time, they charged enough, it was dark & I don't wanna post sucky pics so I'll have to do it this weekend. Sorry! I know, I know...I'm a flake! *insert red face*


If I weren't a procrastinator the pictures would have already been taken & uploaded on my camera . But bear w/ me please!

I would like to direct y'all to another wonderful give-away though. Carrie @ Cottage Cozy is giving away some Valentine goodies. Go leave a comment & get your name thrown into the hat.

Blogaversary countdown give-away continues!

Well shoot! I forgot alll about the countdown post last Friday. *turns red* I'm sorry! Anyway, I am adding 2 items to the tin today to make up for it. You've probably seen glimpses of my tole collection in previous posts. (I'll share pics of it soon) This is a stray that didn't make it onto the wall w/ the others. I have another red one just like it & then one in black, as well. They're small...about 4" by 6" so they make good change holders or jewelry trays on the dresser. This one is in great condition & I know y'all will enjoy it.

And to make up for the missed post last week, I am also adding a pair of vintage clip-on earrings. I have a large collection of vintage jewelry & am happy to share a bit of it. I use vintage clip-on earrings for everything but earrings. I try to wear them but they make my ears hurt! So I use them as barrettes...they hold a small strand of hair easily. I also use them to dress up bottles & apothecary jars, they look gorgeous in a crystal bowl & I have a bunch on a couple of old shutters, that are used as "photo clips".


These are lovely & I had a hard time giving them up but in the tin they go.

I've packed the earrings in a mini-"hatbox" because the hatbox symbolizes another of my collections. Here's all the treasures packed up til now....the old tin, the vintage hankie, the adorable cherub, red tole tray & vintage earrings in mini-hatbox. Remember, I will add a new treasure from one of my collections, every Friday & will draw a name on my blogaversary, on Feb 25th.

To get your name in the hat, just leave a comment on my blogaversary countdown on Fridays. For every Friday that you leave a comment, a slip w/ your name goes into the hat. If you want 3 more tries added to the hat, add this button, w/ a link back to my blog to your sidebar & let me know about it.

This give-away is restricted to the continental US...sorry! And you don't have to have a blog to enter but you must leave an email address so that I can contact you. Good luck!

Drum roll please......

ratatatatata....the winner of Nell Hills Entertaining in Style by Mary Carol Garrity, from my 100th post giveawy, is Lisa from Simply Blessed Bliss. Congratulation Lisa! I used random.org to pick the winner this time. It randomizes your list of names....the winner is in the first spot.

And I'm combining posts today because they're all related. I'll start off w/ my thrift finds recently. Can you believe I got this bounty in one trip to one GW? It's one not very near my house so I don't get to it much but it's always worth the trip. I forgot to get pics of the brown & white toile cups. They match a set I used in this tablescape tuesday post. I now have a set of 6...dinner plates, bread & butter plates & teacup & saucers. Cool! I also didn't get pics of the ivy topiary. I must have gotten distracted in the middle of taking the pics & then thought I was done.

(click on any picture to enlarge)

I got 6 boxes (12 to a box) of these feather birds for $1 a box. There's all different colors of them so they should be very versatile for projects.

Another set of votive holders that can double as mini-cloches. I see a truffle candy under these....wouldn't that be cute? I buy these wall cherubs any time I see them. They can be used as appliques on furniture too & at a couple bucks a piece, the price can't be beat.

Love this sweet robin by Lefton.

I already have 4 lidded bowls this color of blue, 5 of the salad plates & believe it or not, one lone dinner plate that matches these 3 exactly. Now I have placesetting for 4. Can't wait to use them in a tablescape! Love the lines of the silver gravy boat.

And the curves of this lampshade!

The mugs are oven proof, & microwave proof so I can bake chicken pot pies in them, serve soups, microwave "cakes in a mug" & hubby can use them for his coffee (I drink my coffee from a bone china cappuccino cup ;o) ). I forgot to take a picture of the cuckoo clock you can barely see here. It doesn't work.... the cuckoo guy still comes out & cuckooos but it doesn't keep time ...for $3 it's worth having it looked at to see if it can be fixed. I soo want a cuckoo clock & am determined to have one.

Silver candelabra. It looks like cheap silverplate so it may not polish up well. It could always be painted white & jeweled up some. And see that ugly "arrangement in a cage" behind it? Look how cute that old birdacge is now! Someone recently painted it all silver. I'm going to scrape some of the paint off & leave it outside to rust some & then put a nice vignette in it.

LOVE this old cherub!

Now onto my blogaversary countdown giveaway! I know you're wondering what in the heck that has to do w/ my thrift finds. But it does because I decided to share one of them w/ you. I love this little cherub (you'll see it in several of the photos above). It has such a sweet expression on it's face, don't you think? And the glaze & the coloring is wonderful. I couldn't leave it sitting on the shelf @ GW, homeless & forelorn, but I have so many already & while cute, it's not vintage. Then I thought that one of you could give it a proper home if I included it in on my give-away.

She's all packed up in the old tin (w/ the vintage hankie I added last week), ready to go home w/ the lucky someone who wins my blogaversary countdown giveaway. I'll be adding something every Friday & will draw a name on Feb 25th. You can see the original post here.

To get your name in the hat, just leave a comment on my blogaversary countdown on Fridays. For every Friday that you leave a comment, a slip w/ your name goes into the hat. If you want 3 more tries added to the hat, add this button, w/ a link back to my blog to your sidebar & let me know about it.

This give-away is restricted to the continental US...sorry! And you don't have to have a blog to enter but you must leave an email address so that I can contact you. Good luck!

My 100th post give-away!

Although I'm a few posts late. I actually hit 100 on my New Year's eve post but I never noticed that it was my 100th post. Pretty cool that I closed out the year w/ 100 posts but it is soo like me to overlook it. Anyway, better late than never!

I recently bought a copy of Nell Hill's Entertaining in Style by Mary Carol Garrity @ Half Price Books ( I never see her books @ half-price ...nobody ever gets rid of them!). I have several of her books & wasn't sure if I had this one so I thumbed through it. None of the photographs looked familiar so I bought it & then came home & saw that I already had it. (precisely why I save all my favorite magazines & reread them every season. ;o) )

I think it might be fortuitous though because it'll be great for a blog give-away. My 100th post give-away!

As you can see, the cover has a slit in it near the binder but other than that, it appears to be in great shape.


It's chock full of tablesettings...page after page after page. Her tablescapes are over the top, yet still very elegant & stylish....it's a dish lover's dream!

Look how she used a mirrored cake plateau here. Kathleen has used one several times & it always looks beautiful. I really, really want one.

If you'd like achance @ winning this wonderful book, just leave a comment on this post & I'll draw a name next Friday.
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And while I have your attention (do I still have your attention? *grins* ) I want to announce my upcoming blogaversary on Feb 25th. I'm having a big give-away countdown!

Starting w/ this. A beautiful, vintage hankie in a lovely shade of blue & white w/ pretty pink roses & scalloped edges. It's in perfect condition although it could use a good ironing. I'll send it in this old tin in a wonderfully faded shade of rose pink. Look at the floral medallion & lace doily detail.Then, from now until February 25th, on every Friday, I will add another little sumthin' sumthin' to the tin. To represent me & the things I love, I'm going to choose items from my beloved collections. And as most of you know, I collect a lot of neat stuff!

To get your name in the hat, just leave a comment on my blogaversary countdown on Fridays. For every Friday that you leave a comment, a slip w/ your name goes into the hat. If you want 3 more tries added to the hat, add this button, w/ a link back to my blog to your sidebar & let me know about it.

Both of these give-aways are restricted to the continental US...sorry! And you don't have to have a blog to enter but you must leave an email address so that I can contact you. Good luck!

And the winner is!

Sorry about the delay in drawing a name for my DeLurk day give-away! I really wanted one of the grands to do the drawing & with the the Thanksgiving hustle, we kept forgetting to do it. So this morning before school (my daughter drops the older boys off in the mornings & Grouchy takes them to school, on his way to work) I had them flip a coin to see who drew & Caeden won.

Sally...you are the lucky winner! (Your name about got tore in half, because I allowed both boys to hold an end for this shot & then of course, one said, "quit pulling on it!", the other one said, "I'm not...you are!" & a tug of war ensued. *grins* )

Caeden was acting silly & put the hat on his head afterwards & I quickly snuck a shot. I was going to post it but he started crying.... saying "But Honey, I don't want anybody to see me in a girl's hat!" so you'll just have to picture it in your head. ;o)

I plan on having a Christmas give-away soon so stay tuned!