Girlfriends.....

Need I say more.... I just love this image of my niece & all her girlfriends. Arm locked...in their PJ's...not a care in the world. That is how I feel when I am with my girlfriends...regardless of the outfit I am wearing. Comfy & not a care in the world. I am so blessed to have new & old girlfriends. It seems like with the things I like to do....craft....flea market shop....antique shop...bible studies...I am around so many wonderful girlfriends. Is your life surrounded by the beauty of friendship...if not...I hope you feel that you have found it here with me today? I hope you have the kind of weekend that surrounds you with beauty...peace...creativity & a love affair with friendship. Blessings to all my dear girlfriends.

I Am a Hockey Mom!

Okay...I know it sounds like I just did the first step of a twelve step program...but cut me some slack. Most of you know me as a creator of whimsy...or maybe even a collector...but in my off time 'I am a hockey mom'. We travel most weekends and it starts tomorrow! Most people don't understand my love of hockey....but these moms & sisters sure get it. Tomorrow my son Lincoln starts his hockey season. He will play 4 games to seat us for the season. This year...he is a first year Bantam & we are really excited. That's me in the upper left corner holding the plaid blanket...it's hockey...it is cold. My daughter Lindsey is in front & center in the plaid coat...you could call us the plaid sisters because we love PLAID! Is there a secret love affair that you have...that we don't know about?

'Vintage' Wine Boxes

Look at the neat thing I did with these wine boxes...you know yucky old pine boxes you get at the liquour store. Unstained....ugly....blah....but really utilitarian. Most of you know that I live in a restored 1850's farm house. Storage & closets are at a premium....so I have to really be creative with places that I can store things. Here's what I did....I got a can a Briwax...the natural wax that cleans, stains & polishes. I love this stuff & the great thing about it...it comes in your very favorite colors. For these boxes I used Antique Mahogany for its rich dark color. With a little elbow grease I transformed these boxes to be, in my opinion, really beautiful. Nice enough to even use as a decorative piece. I keep these boxes stacked and ready to go with all my display pieces that I use at craft fairs or where ever my creations take me. What have you transformed with a little elbow grease lately?

License Plate Fun

The other day I had the opportunity to spend some time with Lincoln....just the 2 of us. We set our sights on an estate auction for a fun day of bidding on our hearts desire. The cute little auction house is so quaint and he has loved going there since he was a baby. They have all these cool boy things...old tools...old stuffed animals like deer heads, raccoons, birds & coyotes....and vintage license plates. He really liked those and wanted to have some to put in his fort. I had told him that I knew where there were many & quite possibly we might purchase them for 50% off if they were still at this garage sale. Well we high tailed it out of the auction house and drove like crazy to see if they were still there. They were...we were thrilled. We got them for 50% off and decided to embark on a bedroom make over for him. We are going to put them in as a border or something fun like that...we will show the after pictures when we are finished. Most of the license plates are pre 1950's....some as early as 1912 & we think they are just totally neat. What fun & creative adventures have you taken with your child lately?

Matthew 5:13

Says that "You are the salt of the earth;but if the salt looses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out & trampled underfoot by men." I have been so caught up in scripture lately and am just on fire creating pieces influenced by 'faith'. Of late I have been purchasing every salt shaker that I could find so I could create something faithful. I have had them sitting in my view for months. They have been speaking to me. I have crystal ones & sterling ones. I have big ones & small ones. I have useful ones & just darn right pretty ones. Here is what I did.

I soldered the scripture Matthew 5:13 in really pretty beveled glass. Then I soldered some other pretty little do dadds. I soldered some vintage mirror. I soldered some pieces of vintage sewing tape...you know the measuring kind that is all brown & pretty with age. I also soldered some vintage book paper with a few stamps of random things. I added pearls to the crystal shaker and bells to the sterling shaker...then I strung them up with pearls & the soldered pieces. It is yummy & just scrumptuous. It is such a neat reminder that the Bible is the living...breathing word of our Lord & Savior... Christ Jesus. The salt shaker is a simple reminder that we are the salt of the earth. I don't want to loose my flavor & be good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot. Are there creative ways that you like to share your faith? I hope this post leaves you inspired to share your faith with others through your creative ways. May your weekend be blessed with happiness & creative flair.

Funny Boy

Sometimes it amazes me what my kids do for fun. I really love it though when I get a photo sent to me of them being silly. We went for sushi the other night and while we were waiting Lindsey could not resist making Lincoln pose for some pictures. Soon.....they turned into these hilarious kinds of pictures & the whole restaurant was in stitches. I wanted to share this with all my blog sisters. I hope this finds you well & brings a smile to your face.

Country Living Fair 2009

I can't believe it. Spontaneity working with four busy people. Getting pets & children taken care of...and being able to leave & have some fun junking. We are going to the Country Living Fair in Columbus OH & I have wanted to go for years. This year it is happening and I can't wait. Junking along the way & then viewing some of the best antiques in the mid-west. What fun fall excursions are you taking?