Love is in the air....Happy Valentine's Day

I couldn't resist making these cute tags in the Puppy Love Swap hosted by Karla's Cottage. First off, I just adore her and watching her play with her granddaughter Sugar Wings. That little girl has got to feel the love....her grandma is the best! Secondly, how cute will a little tag book be? Karla requested for her swap to each create 6 tags, then we were to mail them to her where she would bundle them together in little books of six. She is busily bundle-ing these books as we speak and mailing them all over the country & internationally. I can't wait to receive mine, what a way to make new friends & enjoy creativity all at the same time. Here is the sample that I sent, I made mine all the same, but I have seen on other blogs where girls made each one different. I guess you could say I am a creature of habit. Several people have asked me about the tickets that I used in the tag, aren't they great. I fell in love with them and they are really prettier in real life. I got them from Kristin at Retro' Cafe . Also, the velvet rick rack that I used is awesome, so many people have just loved it. I got the velvet from Heather at Speckled Egg . If you made these tags, would you have made them all the same as I did, or would you have made each one differently?

Petite Boxes Oh My!

Never in a million years would I have ever thought that there could be so many fun ways to decorate large kitchen match boxes....but then I never ventured into the wonderful world of blogging. I joined Speckled Egg's Petite Box Swap and I received 3 swap partners. I received Jeanne's box yesterday and you have never seen packaging come off a box in such a hurry. I was like a toddler on Christmas morning. I couldn't even open the box for what seemed like an eternity because it was so creatively & lovely decorated with vintage wallpaper, doilies, vintage velvet & German glass glitter in the most beautiful shades of creams & browns. Then I slid open the 'drawer' and there, lovingly packaged beneath the most adorable dotted swiss tissue paper was oodles of vintage ephemera, old doilies, crepe paper trims, millinery & baubles to de-lite any 'Bella' near or far. I hope the next petite boxes come staggered...because that might be more than I could bare in one day!!

Theta Antiques & Decorative Arts Show

I hope that you might consider attending the Theta Antiques & Decorative Arts Show here in Bloomington. It is a wonderful antique & decorative arts show. If you would like to see more about the show check out their website at http://www.thetaantiqueshow.com/ to find vendors & artists. There is a possibility that I might be displaying my wares there as part of the decorative arts portion of the show. With this prospect, I am very excited. I would be working there with Lisa from Lola Rue & Co. Tickets are $7 & can be purchased online or at the door. For online ticket sales please visit www.tickets@thetaantiqueshow.com . The show will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2009 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m. & Sunday, February 22, 2009 11:00a.m.-4:00p.m. The location for the show is The Bloomington Convention Center, located at 302 S. College Avenue. I hope you can attend this awesome show. See you there.

My Boxes are Completed

Just in time for the special holiday, my Petite Box Swaps are finished. I hope my swap partners like them. I have made a few and given them out to some very special friends and very good critics. They have really liked them. Lisa....my very good friend & owner of Lola Rue & Co. liked them so much she is insisting that I teach it as a class. So....for any interested people near here....the class will be offered on February 11 at 6:00p.m. If you would like to sign up for the class please contact Lisa at Lola Rue & Co. at 812-323-7010 or check out her blog that is listed in my blog section. Happy Valentine's day just a little bit early.

Igloo Building

Maybe real eskimos build better igloos...but then they have to live in one too. I think this is a pretty good try...and Lincoln practically did live in it...actually for 10.5 hours during one of the best blizzards I can remember. The news said we got 12 inches, but what we measured at our home was 14 inches right on our patio...no drifting. The drifts were much deeper. The creative & interactive play that has been shared at this home over the past couple a days has been wonderful. I think every town needs a good blizzard once a year!!! Blessings for a great day....child free.

Ester....A Beth Moore Study

I recently enrolled in the Ester....Beth Moore Bible Study at my church. I am a member of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington Indiana. This is one of the most enlightening studies I have taken. Ester, I have learned is a remarkable, head strong woman, similar to a lot of women I know today. She had trials in her life that seem too great for me to bear. Raised by her cousin, I can only imagine all that she learned. As each chapter unfolds in this remarkable New Testament story, I can only know that as bold as Ester was, her story is one of great humility & discernment. She 'softly' moved about the kingdom, trusting God to accomplish His purpose in and through her, which is exactly what He did. Oh God, make me like Ester. A beautiful scripture verse that I learned this week is Colossians 2:10...You are complete in Him. I hope that this gives you a sense of fulfillment today. Nothing can make me happier knowing that I am complete in Him. Blessings for a wonderful evening.

Tiny Frozen Charlottes

I love these tiny frozen charlottes. I love the broken-ness of them, I love the dirty-ness of them. I just can't seem to get enough of them. I started collecting these dolls about 10 years ago, not really knowing anything about them. I just knew that there was something special about them. Special to me because I envisioned a little girl lovingly playing with her doll, treasuring it, and the body, badly deteriorated, possibly rotted away after a long storage period in the attic, found by another generation. Some of these doll heads probably have entered our life today this way, but more likely is that these dolls have been found, buried deep, or shallow beneath the earth and placed there before WW1. Buried long ago to preserve them from the ruins of war. Now, generations later, people are un-earthing these treasures and they are making there way into creative peoples hands, for others to love and appreciate. I hope you see the beauty in this....the way that I do. Blessings.