Cherry-O, Happy Shoes & Cat Headstands

It's been so cold here in Northern California that

1. It's hard to get motivated to go outside & crack open a can of paint
2. It takes FOREVER for paint to dry
3. I whine a lot about it

But with a vision in mind, a cold but sunny day, long underwear, and a mug of hot chocolate, things get done. A plain little set of kid's furniture was squealing for a make-over, starting with a robin's egg blue base. After applying the big-enough-to-pluck-'em cherry fabric, I went over it with two coats of polyurethane to make it more durable, and somewhat washable. Then I added the jumbo rick-rack around the table top edge and the chair slats. It's for sale in the shop right now, since this is our open weekend, just waiting for two little buns to warm it up. I don't know what it is about small furniture that makes me so happy.


But I do know what it is about these new clogs I just got on Ebay that makes me so happy! They're so bright and cheerful and paisley and PINK! They make me want to march right up to Spring, kick it in the shins and say "Hey! Hurry up, already!"

Here's how my Russ Russ spent his happy morning in the sun...

A lot of things in my house are imperfect. Loved, but imperfect. A chip here, a dent there, maybe even a little stain turned to the back where you'll never see it. Such is the case with my bunny teapot. He used to be perfectly serviceable until he was knocked over by a Nerf Ball a few years ago and received a crack down the center. So even though he's no longer able to preside over a tea party, he is still of some use...today he will help pick the winner of the flower lapel pin! Now he is standing guard over the names of the five contestants, and then he watches as I fold each up slip and place them inside his cracked tummy.

Then he carefully leans over and pours ever so slowly until one folded up piece falls into the heart-shaped teacup my mom got me for Christmas.......

And then as I open it up, I see the name is.............................do you concur Mr. Bunny?

ELIZABETH!

Congratulations! Thanks to all of you that played, and thanks to you, Mr. Bunny.

Flower Power

I forgot to give credit where credit is due--Blair at Wise Craft has posted a tutorial on making these fun floral flouncies that I am featuring in my GIVE-AWAY! (See previous post) Here are some more lapel pins that I finished today using scraps and buttons that after years in my sewing box, were happy to be finally formally introduced.
I can't decide whether or not to add the leaves and rick-rack to these, because they just look so darned cute on their own! Any opinions? Maybe a break from the fumes of the glue gun will help me decide!

Happy New Year!

Look what’s going to be great about ’08! It’s Sex and The City—The Movie!!! www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774 I so miss that show! Remember the shoes, the clothes, and the ladies who lunch? Did you ever take the quiz to find out what character you are most like? (Hmmm…is there a character that is middle age, menopausal, soon to be empty-nester with poor hearing and failing eyesight? THAT’s the one to which I’d be most able to relate! Oh, sorry, I’m thinking of a totally different show staring myself called Sweat and the Pity! ) .

Well, if you don’t remember, here’s a little something I’m giving away that might help you. In honor of SJP and her flouncing lapel flowers! Maybe they’ll come back in vogue when the movie hits the big screen? Well, if not, it’s still cute! And just in time for the most romantic month on the calendar. I’m planning on making a bunch of these lapel pins to sell at the shop (http://www.roomwithapast.com/) for the January sale! Don't ask me what kind of fabric it is--I only know it's flouncy! It's about 3" across with a vintage button & leaf, and a little bit of rick-rack. Just leave me a comment with an email link. I will draw a name and announce a winner on Wednesday, January 9th. Good luck!

A River To Skate Away On

Well, it's a puddle really, but once I put on my red dress & tights, and step outside my little front door, any frozen water will do, despite my lead feet! The snow catches the light and glows just enough at night for me and my beau to skate. And there's Audrey over by the church, gracefully doing figure 8's, while her beau pulls the kids on the sled.

Above us, the icicles hang in the pine, and birds watch from their roost in the bare branches.

Inside, the tree is decorated and awaits us for our gathering underneath it on Christmas morning.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. See you in the New Year!

Lucky Little Me!

Look at this darling "Little Purse" designed by Pam at http://pamkittymorning.blogspot.com/ and made & sent to me by Elizabeth over at http://the-latebloomer.blogspot.com/! I love, love, love it!

Her kind-hearted idea for this give-away was to help the winner cross a name off their holiday shopping list, but look at it...how am I supposed to give it away? I mean, don't I deserve a little something? Doesn't everyone? Don't YOU?

Well, you can have one too, if you feel deserving of all this cuteness, because she sells them here: http://www.latebloomerquilts.com/store/product.php?prod_id=48&cat_id=1. I'll be pulling out my wallet quite a bit in the next two weeks. And now, I'll be pulling it out of something that makes me smile!

Calendar Girlies

Just for fun (and it really was), today I started making greeting cards using illustrations from old children’s books. The colors came out beautiful when I copied them! I’ve had the books for about a year now, and decided (in the midst of creating for Christmas, too) that it was time to get them done! After trying to embellish them with rickrack, (they looked sooo cute…) I opted for red polka dot and checked paper, as it’s less bulky for slipping into the envelope, and doesn’t drive up the cost of postage for mailing them. Ok, I know they are a bit sexist by today’s standards, but you can’t deny they’re sweet, right? I remember when I was about 8 years old, my cousin Nancy, would come over to my Grandma’s house to visit and we would actually draw daily chore pictures. We thought they were cute and old fashioned back then! Fat chance we would actually DO those chores. Even though Grandma had a clothes ringer she still used out in the garage. (That thing was painful on the pinkies!) And if we did, I know we wouldn’t have looked as wistfully thoughtful as the pink-cheeked little cuties on these cards!

They’ll be ready for the next sale at the shop (http://www.roomwithapast.com/) which starts on December 13th.