And the winner is....

Mary of the Gingham Girl! Congratulations Mary! Please email me your address so I can send Ms. Batty to you! And thank you all for participating! I'll be having more giveaways in the future, so stay tuned! :)

Make a Wish!

I wanted to show off my this spunky, brightly colored Queen Fairy. She was custom made for a lovely gal in Georgia.

I don't usually work with such bold colors all at once - they often remind me of the brightly colored plastic playground sets and 1980's Barbie dolls. Great for kids, but too much for me. However, a request is a request and this queenie had to be bold! Turns out that bright is working for her! I had a lot of fun making this one too. I've collected boldly colored materials over the past few years, but really wasn't sure that I'd ever use them...maybe just to add a hint of color here and there. I'm glad I did because when this order came in I had plenty to work with! :)

Well...looking at her smile, I'd say Ms. Queen is also pretty happy that I was able to break out of my anti-bright colors mode!

I think I'm a closet "bright is best" kind of gal. I love that rich pink. I use it generously on my website and branding materials, but hardly ever in large quantities in my work. Perhaps I'm turning a new leaf? Maybe you'll see the bolder side of me in the near future?

I didn't want to give this girlie up...but she enjoys the warmer weather any way.

Oh yeah! Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Just leave a comment on the post below this one. I'll be picking a comment at random late tonight and the lucky winner will be revealed tomorrow. Good luck and thanks for stopping by! :)

Giveaway!!!

You heard right! For no reason at all I'm having a whimsical giveaway! Up for grabs is the infamous white bat girl. She is one of my most beloved characters and she'll be going to one lucky winner.

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment! Don't forget to leave your email address or some way I can contact you. If you win I'll need to get your mailing address so Ms. Batty can get on a US Postal Service plane and be one her way to you.

You'll have until next Wednesday to enter your name (only once!). I'll announce a winner on Thursday. Good luck! :)

Post Easter Bliss....

The Easter Bunny has come and gone... but the fun isn't over! Right after Easter is the best time to buy fun Easter goodies for next year! I rarely find myself at chain retail stores due to their lack of originality and made in China-ness....however, after any given holiday I pop into stores like Target, Pier1, TJmaxx and Marshalls. They seem to have some cute vintagey decor for a little bit of money post holiday. I scored a whole bunch of carboard houses, including a barn, gazebo, sweet shop, flower shop and church. They are super cute...but made VERY poorly. It's a little hard to tell from the photos (the photo below is the most revealing), but the trim is falling off, the trees are terribly bent and the houses themselves are coming off their bases. I definately bought a town of fixer-uppers. No matter, I plan to redo them anyway. Cover over the plastic mica with real mica and replace the plastic flowers with vintage millinery ones. This will be a fun side project for next year...can't wait!

That poor house on the left is in real shambles. A little glue and glitter and it will be move-in ready in no time! :)

My mom and I went shopping together and we found two sets of three trees and split them. These trees are actually really nice and well made...perfect colors too. That cast iron basket with glass egg is probably my favorite find. It came from a beautiful store near my parent's house in Saratoga, "Schuyler Pond". The owner is a real sweetie and when we came in the day before Easter she gave us everything for half off! Yay!

Hmmm....yummy. Like candy but better.

This wooden tree is from a vintage shop. It's not old, but it sure is cool!

And look at what I found! These hungry babes were in my Easter basket! My mom sculpted them just for me. They now perch in the branches of my geranium.

I love Easter and also love the fact that Easter fun can extend at least a good week beyond the actual holiday itself with all of the treasures still to be found. Like Easter egg hunting but better! :)

My room as a teenager...

It wasn't too terribly long ago that I was a teenager...but it seems like it was in another life time. I remember crafting at a tiny desk in the main area of the basement talking to my dad about how I was going to move to Boston and one day be a crafter, or maybe an interior designer. I remember what I was making at the time too. They were mixed media collages of women from the 40's and 50's and I was using vintage magazine clippings, my dad's old rusty nails, forgotten picture frames and anything I found laying around. Those collages hung in my little sister's room for quite a while but I'm not sure if they are still there. They were clever little collages and each had a household chore theme (laundry is the only one I remember). I'll see if I can't find them the next time I'm visiting and snaps some photos to show you.

ANYWAY...this is the space in my parent's basement where I did all of my daydreaming...and also stashed all of my garage sale finds. The photos are awful...but they are the only ones I have.
This was actually my bedroom too. When I went away to college my parent's gave my upstairs room to my little sister, so when I was home I had no space of my own. I then claimed the "library room" in the basement as my own. My dad had built shelves there years before after my mom bought a hundred boxes of antique books at an auction. She's since realized that she could never read so many outdated books and has gotten rid of most of them. But the shelves proved useful for my collections.

That TV cabinet was the first piece of furniture I ever made. I found old cabinet doors in the loft of the barn and found scraps of pine to make the rest. The construction of it is so unbelievably poor...but I got some good use out of it. I also had my easel set up. That little painting was a gift for Ben. I tried so hard to paint in the style Chagall, one of his favorite artists...but I have to say that he was unimpressed...lol. I'll stick with what I know I suppose!

My love of milk glass started early. Especially because I found them at yard sales for 5 and 10 cents a piece! I also started my mix and match vintage dishware collection in anticipation of getting my own place (I always think ahead). I am still using and loving them!
And those National Geographic magazines have been plaguing me for years. They are currently being stored in the loft of the barn and when I get around to clearing that out...they'll be the first to go! (Anyone interested in hundreds of past issues of Nat Geo?)

I painted the drywall green and displayed my collections everywhere. I found old windows that were original to the house (built in the 1700's) and hung them from the ceiling and painted sky behind them. I even had a two way double fish tank stand filled with my finned goldfish friends...but I somehow don't have a picture of it. This space only has one small window, but it had a door and stairs with access to the outside! Yippie! No tiptoeing through the house when I got home in the later hours of the night.

And there's Magic on my bed! That shoe box next to her is filled with stickers I had been collecting since I was a real little kid. I never stuck them to anything for fear of regret...they weren't exacting movable...lol. I think I brought that box with me to Boston...for some strange reason.

These photos evoke great memories and really is where my current life and lifestyle really started to take shape. This is the time period where I started to go garage saling every weekend with or without a shopping companion and where I started to imagine how my future life was going to shape up. I am so grateful that many of my dreams have and are coming true and I look forward to many creative adventures in the future! :)

Easter Decor Galore!

This is a sampling of my Easter decor this year. So far it has been different every year and every year I add more goodies to my Easter collection. You'll notice that none of my own creations are included...they unfortunately were still packed up from the last show I did. :(

I love little chenille and cotton chicks! Some of these I got when I was in Germany...like the little chick in a half shell on a velvety leaf.

My mom made the large needle felted chick for me last Easter (or was it the Easter before?). I love it! You can't see it in the photo, but his back is hollowed so he can carry an egg! She put him in my Easter basket. Yes...she still gives us all Easter baskets!! Yay! But last we started giving one to my parent's as well! (I'll show you what's in this year's Easter basket after they get it.)




I also have a collection of ceramic bunnies and poultry as a centerpieces on my dining room table. This large lamb planter was the first in my collection and the bunny next to her was in my Easter basket last year!

I got this pink bunny planter when I was in college. I remember that it was $5 and I was hemming and hawing for a long time because I thought it was expensive! lol Oh...to be a poor college student again. I remember one year I had only $18 at the end of the fall semester and with that I had to get home for the holidays AND get everyone presents. lol It paid to be creative.

Anyway...Happy and Hoppy Easter everyone! :)

Another kind of cotton...

Isn't this bunny just precious?! She sports a glittery umbrella and a cupcake wrapper skirt while leaning against an old metal fence with chenille stem vines growing up it! She was made by my wonderfully talented blog friend Laurie of Magpie Ethel. We did a little swap for Easter and I am thrilled by what she sent me. So thrilled in fact that I couldn't help but buy two more fabulous pieces from her Etsy shop!!

I had been eyeballing this sweet gal for some time now and was surprised to see that she was still available. I decided that it was finally time and nabbed her along with...

Mr. Fabulous Chef!! This guy is so cheery and jolly...he reminds me of John Candy. I of course put him in the kitchen on the tiny shelf above the peninsula. He ironically sports a meatballs and gravy recipe on his base. Being a vegetarian I'll pretend that they are veggie meatballs and gravy...yum!! :)

Lauries makes her figures using almost all if not completely all vintage materials (which I LOVE) and she always uses these fabulous spun cotton heads which I never never seem to find when I'm out treasure hunting at the flea markets. She sometimes makes the bodies using beads, but my favorites are the ones with the thread ball bodies...it always makes them so cute and jolly.

Thank you Laurie for swapping!!! :)

Invasion of the sparkly nests!

This is pretty much what I've been doing all weekend long. And this is only part of the second batch!! Thank you everyone for your orders!! I couldn't have asked for a better "invasion" than eggs, tinsel and cotton....I just hope they make it to everyone in time for Easter! Although they are perfect for year round display. :) Thank you! Thank you!

Please Join Us for the Inspired Nest!

It's getting closer and I can't wait!!! The Inspired Nest art and treasure hunting retreat still has spots available. Sign up here to join Heather of Speckled Egg, Heidi of Birds of a Feather and me of right here for two days of crafting, treasure hunting and fun!!

It's in May (May 15th and 16th to be exact!) and is only about a month away! Will be each be teaching a workshop on nest inspired crafts. The nest I'm making is actually very similar to the one I made with Martha Stewart. We'll have pretty much all of the material all ready for you. The best part? I get to take Heidi and Heather's classes too!! Believe it or not, it will be my first time taking another artist's workshop. I'm so excited and my wrist is already tingling with thoughts of adorning it with one of Heidi's bracelets! Here's more info:

Join us for one OR both days!

May 15 & 16 in Brimfield, Massachusetts

May 15th ~
Sourcing at the famed Brimfield Flea Market
Have you ever felt a bit overwhelmed by the grandness of Brimfield, or any flea market? Not sure where to begin? Heidi has been traveling to buy at Brimfield for years and will guide you through the many fields and share her favorite sources for finding all the vintage elements you could dream of to add to your creations. There will be time to spy other treasures along the way too!

Welcome Dinner at the Publick House Inn
and Charming Swap

May 16th ~
A day of creativity with three amazing classes, luncheon, & Vendor Faire!

Heather Rowley ~ Mother Bird's Nest
In this class, we will create a fabulous wreath to add to your Spring décor. We will mix natural elements, vintage finds, and other lovely trims to create a one-of-a-kind piece of wall art to “feather your nest”!

Heidi Wallingford ~ Sparrows Dream Cuff
We will create lovely fabric cuffs using simple hand stitching techniques and adding various vintage trims, buttons, lace, charms, and a secret inspirational message lines the backing. In the end, you will have created a beautiful piece that will tell the story of your amazing time in Brimfield!

Crystal Hanehan ~ Needle Felted Wool Nest Box
In this workshop we’ll be making soft and warm nests out of sheep’s wool perched on a fabulously decorated box! A lesson on needle felting will be followed by the fun of adding bits of vintage paper, ribbon, eggs and more to your box and nest!

You’ll leave with three beautiful and useful pieces of art that you can gift to someone special or treasure yourself!

Registration is still going on!
To register, please click HERE.