Victorian Halloween Tussy Mussy's and a Sneak Peek

Bubba and I went to 2 Flea Markets this morning.  I found some little bits and bobs.  A few vintage millinery flowers, a bit of old lace, an old mirrored dresser tray and a couple of gorgeous frames for my crazy quilting.  I didn't take any photos because it isn't anything all that exciting but you'll see everything eventually as I use them.

When we got home, I packaged up 2 orders, washed some dishes and sat outside on the deck for a little bit.  It's a hot one today!!!!  Very humid again!

I just finished adding a couple more of Mom's Victorian Halloween Tussy Mussy's to the shop:

Mom is having some surgery the end of September to relieve a pinched nerve and wanted to get her Halloween things ready early.  I believe mom has some Thanksgiving Tussy Mussy's ready for the shop too.  I'll be seeing her tomorrow so I'll know for sure then.

And speaking of seeing Mom tomorrow, I'll take my laptop over and mom will write her next "Notes From Mom" post.  I can upload it when I get home tomorrow.

So let's see, what else is happening here?  Well, Bubba snapped a few photos of Nightmare sleeping in the rocking chair:

Scott and I learned a long time ago, never to wake up a sleeping Nightmare!  LOL!!! 

In other news,  I've decided to take a little Pink Saturday break for a few weeks.  I want to get back to writing my Creatively Coping articles and I have some new project ideas that I want to work on.  I have to remind myself that I'm only one person and can only do so much so I'll take a break from Pink Saturday for a few weeks to do some other things.

I'll leave you with a sneak peek of my Lady With Roses Crazy Quilt piece:

Happy Pink Saturday Everyone!

Another lovely Pink Saturday!!!  I have 2 things to share with you today.  Both of these gorgeous Victorian Tussy Mussy's were made by mom:

These were custom orders.  I love it when mom does kitties!  If anyone is interested in a custom order for Tussy Mussy's, please drop me an email.  Mom is thrilled when she's asked for something special!!!

Before I head out for today, we're really getting close to 300 followers.  That means we can have our drawing for my Sewing Art Quilt soon!! 

If you would like to enter to win this quilt, please click here for the details.

I would like to say thank you to our Pink Saturday hostess Beverly at How Sweet The Sound.  Please take a moment to visit Beverly's blog and while you're there, check out some of the other sweet Pink Bloggers!

History Of Victorian Tussy Mussy's

My mom just goes to town on these:



Tussy mussy's are so beautiful and it never ceases to amaze me how Mom makes each one is prettier than the last!  I know she has some more in the works.

Tussy mussy's have become quite popular again.  During the 1700's, pestilence was quite prevalent while indoor plumbing was not.  Ladies would carry little bouquets of herbs and flowers to avoid the unpleasant odors around them.

In the Victorian era, every flower had a meaning.  Gentlemen callers would offer a floral bouquet to their sweethearts and the girls would have to decipher the meaning of the flowers chosen for them using a book called,  Tussy Dictionary.

Today, our Tussy Mussy's are used of course for weddings but we also use them as ornaments, gift holders and home decor just because they're pretty!  Mom's of course are adornments but many paper crafter's make them as gifts and fill them with candies & cookies, laces & other sewing trinkets and all sorts of little bits &  bobs.

Don't you just love old-fashioned things?  I do!

Mom's Tussy Mussys are available for purchase in our Boutique!

I have a couple of finishes to share with you too.  I made these over the weekend for gifts:





I don't know why I suddenly have a thing for making birdbaths out of vintage glassware!  I just love making these!  I've done what, about 6 of them now?  And there will be more I'm sure!  One of these days, I'll make one for myself!

I've been a busy bee all day today.  I ran my sewing machine and sewed up a whole pile of fun new projects.
Some Crazy Quilt cat dolls, some Crazy Quilt hanging pillows, some sachets and several new art quilts.  Oh, I'm just itching to play with those!  But I must finish up the little CQ door knob hanger that I'm working on now.

Please visit our Shabby Chic Boutique!

Marie Antoinette Mixed Media Art Quilt Is Now Complete!

I've kept myself quite busy today.  First, I finished up on Marie:



And here is a closeup of the center portion:



I'm so please with this!  I must do more!  I have Mozart playing around in my head now!

When I finished that, I made some Polyclay faces.  One will be used on my next Marie Antoinette project!  Wait until you see that one.  Still thinking through the "how to's".

While doing laundry (again) I posted several new items by Mom and I. First, Mom sewed up another pretty gift bag.  I think this one is my favorite:



And I added my little Hat Ornaments:



If you would like to see larger versions of the images, just click on them to go to my Flickr site.

Well, that's the news for today everyone!  I'm off to deliver a new litter of kittens!  Crazy Quilt Cats Dolls are coming soon!

Crazy Garden Quilt Blocks And More!

Grab a cup of tea and a snack, sit back, relax and enjoy!  I have loads of things to share today with lots of eye-candy pictures!

First, I finished up the stitching on Block #9 of my Crazy Garden Quilt:

I added the second Hummingbird a vintage bee pin that I bought at a flea market awhile back.

And here are all 9 blocks together:

I just have to find some elegant pink fabric that I like and I can put it together.  I'm really looking forward to hanging this in my Living Room.  As much as I love my Lucky quilt, it's time to look at something new for awhile.

I'll let you know when I find the perfect pink fabric.  Ya'll know, the border has to be pink!  I must say, this project certainly helped me to get through the Winter months.  Now that it's Spring, I'm looking forward to making a few new purses and some other fun projects.  And since this project helped to get through this past Winter, I already have a project picked out to help me get through next Winter.  But I'll share that one when we get to October.

For now, I thought I'd share today's Flea Market treasures with you.  Scott and I picked Mom up at 8:00 am and we headed out to Grayslake for the Flea Market & Antique Show.  Dad isn't into junkin' like we are.  He's usually bored there but Mom loves it and always seems to have a good time.

Anyway, first I found this big chunky tassels:

Wait until you see what I'm going to do with these!  And yes, glitter will be involved!

Next, I found this great glittery dress piece:

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to use as is or if I'm going to take the beads and rhinestones off and just use them.  I have to think about it some more yet.  It was so sparkly I just couldn't pass it by.

I also found a doll head & hands, 2 embroidered napkins and a really pretty and unusual applique.  I'm sure you know those napkins will be cut up and used in something.  They were only $1 each and I thought they were so pretty!

Then I found 2 really pretty vintage hankies.  One has roses on it (I love pink) and the other one has flowers on it that made me think of the 4th of July:

I haven't decided on what I'll do with these yet.  Just add them to my stash for now.  I have a beautiful collection of vintage hankies but it just doesn't stop me from buying more when I see ones that I like.

I also found a beautiful vintage crocheted doily that I only paid 25 cents for but it needed a good washing so it's currently drying and needs to be pressed.  I think I'll just use that somewhere in my house.  It has those little roses crocheted on it but they're not quite pink.  More of a salmon color.  Quite antique looking and I couldn't pass that by for only 25 cents!

A now, for the latest creations from Mom and I!

These beautiful floral boxes, based on those little Victorian images of gift boxes, filled with flowers and doves sitting on top were lovingly made by Mom:

I just think these are so pretty!  And of course they have glitter on them!

Next, my Cherub Trinket Box:

I love making these!  What a lovely gift this would make along with a pretty piece of jewelry.  

I also did some gift tags yesterday at Mom's:

These are fun to make too.  The flowers came from a vintage greeting card.  The gold mesh is vintage too.  Scott's step mom found it for me at a garage sale.  She also picked up a roll of silver vintage mesh.

Last but not least, my Piece De Resistance:

A birdbath made from a vintage green glass candy dish!  It's one of a kind.  I picked up the candy dish awhile back and have been looking at it for a few weeks.  Suddenly, it looked like a birdbath to me so that's what I created with it.  

I can't tell you much fun it is to play with vintage items, thrift shop finds and yard sale do-dads.  I love to transform ordinary objects into new things and I love to re-purpose items.

For so many years, I wanted to work more with my hands.  I've always said, give me a pile of craft supplies and I will make something incredible with it.  Sitting behind the computer for so many hours a day didn't leave me with much time for doing crafts or art.  I was lucky to have time to stitch for myself.  Well, this past year has kind of taught me that you really have to do what you love and this is what I love doing.

These creations and more can be found here.

Have a great evening everyone!

Spring Projects

Well, I have loads to share here today!  I haven't felt well the past few days.  I'm suddenly starting to think that my medication dosage might be too high now.  It's just this underlying feeling that things are better but perhaps the Zoloft, being at 100 mg is too much and perpetuating the screwy way I feel.  I called my Dr. and am waiting for him to call me back.  I'm going to ask if we can drop it to 75 mg now.  I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I started stitching on the 9th and final block of my Crazy Garden Quilt:

The vine is supposed to look like Morning Glories but they didn't quite work.  We'll see what I can do with them when I add a few beads.

I also started another project.  I mentioned the other day that I was wanting to make a Marie Antoinette Art Quilt for a friend of mine.  This is what I have so far:

I'm really struggling with my perfectionism on this.  I have to keep telling myself that mixed media art quilts are not about skill or perfection.  They are purely for visual beauty, trying new techniques and new combinations  and creating something for the sake of creating.  Would have at least been nice had I gotten the foreground items on straight!  Oh well, we'll see where this goes.  BTW - it will have glitter on it!

In the last week, mom and I have finished up a bunch of Spring projects so I thought I'd share those photos with you next.  First are a couple of new Blanket Baby Bunny Ornaments by mom:

And I did some new WISH tags with Pansies:

And now for my trees.  As ya'll know, I love pink!  I had this idea for pink Easter Egg Trees made with pink pom pom's and tiny little Easter Eggs:

Each tree has 100 pom pom's on it!  They're dusted with super fine glitter.  So soft and petty!

Last but not least, is my Easter Egg Bottle Brush Tree:

I only made one of these.  I'm so pleased with how it came out!  Doesn't it just scream Spring?

And here are mom's newest Easter Tussy Mussy's:

Well, those are our newest projects.  All are available here .

I was going to go put my CQ Cherub box together but I'm kind of tired now.  I'll just bet the Zoloft is causing that.  I have a loaf of Cheese Bread on it's first rise in the Kitchenaid.  We'll be having that with Homemade Beef soup tonight.  I think I'll take it easy the rest of the day now and just stitch.

I'm still waiting to see a Robin here in McHenry, Illinois.  I know they're here because I can hear them singing outside.  I just haven't seen one yet.  I saw Red Wing Blackbirds this morning on my way back from WalMart.  That was a nice site but there's something about seeing the first Robin of Spring!

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A Trip To JoAnn Fabrics Store

We went up to JoAnn's today.  Just needed to get out a little really.  I picked up some beads, a couple of purse handles, a few spools of bead thread, some felt and some flowers that were marked down. The felt was 4 for $1.00 if anyone needs some!  Anyway, just needed some basic supplies.  There was some fabric that I was drooling all over but my husband reminded me that I have plenty of fancy fabric.  I told him that I didn't have any like that and he said it'll be there next time.  Okay, I get the hint!  Ha, ha, ha!  Actually, he couldn't care less what I buy.  He puts things in my cart that he thinks I need.  What a guy!

When we left there, we stopped at Wendy's for one of their little tiny cheeseburgers and we split a small fry and then came home where I have been doing laundry ever since.  And then my husband asked for me some bread.  He never asks for anything so I didn't want to say no.  Thank goodness for my Kitchenaid.  I made a loaf of wheat bread.  It's on the second rise now so I can bake it in about 45 minutes.  Should make the house smell really good.  We'll have it with salad later.

I have a few new things to share today.  Actually, I have loads of new things from mom and myself but I can only do so many at one time.  First are my Orchid Greeting Tags:

 

The orchids are from a vintage greeting card.  I really love making pretty tags.  These would be so pretty on Birthday gifts or Mother's Day gifts.

Next are some more of Mom's Victorian Tussy Mussy's:

 

Those fuzzy little chicks are just too cute!

I'm getting ready to start stitching on some little Angel Brooches.  First, I think I'll sit in a tub filled with bubbles and relax a bit with my magazines.  Then I'll stitch for a bit.  I'm definately feeling better.  I noticed a bit of a change on Saturday.  I feel a twinge more on the planet and not quite as "out there" as I felt.  Still, I'm out of steam by 5:00 pm every day.  So it's time to rest.

Speaking of resting, I'll leave you with a photos of my lazy little Simba:

 

He's really the sweetest little angel of a kitty.  Doesn't bother anything or anyone.  Very quiet and gentle.  And definitely lazy!   I think I want to be a cat in my next life and live with someone like me!

Spring Is In The Air!!!

It's going to be a lovely sunny day here.  I noticed that the Cardinal birds are just starting to sing their Spring song!  Oooh, there is a light at the end of Winter's tunnel!

I have loads of things to share today.  I spent yesterday afternoon photographing our newest projects.

First are my Crazy Quilt Trinket Boxes:

 

I just love pink & green together!  So soft and feminine!

Next are my little PEEP EGGS:

 

I hand-painted some paper mache eggs, added vintage lace, string pearls, some forgetmenot flowers and glitter!  They're sitting in a little nest of moss.

I also made a couple of little grapevine wreaths for Spring:

 

I used vintage greeting cards for the background scenery.  And of course, everything I make has to have glitter on it!

Mom too has been busy as a bee.  She made 3 Puffy Pincushions.  These are the combined efforts of mom & dad really.  Dad made the wood bases and then mom did the rest:

 

I don't know how mom came up with the idea for these.  I love the aqua one.  Mom asked if I could spare 3 vintage mother-of-pearl buttons for this project.  Ha, ha, ha!!!  I told mom I have enough vintage buttons to last through to my next lifetime!  Of course, it doesn't stop me from buying more.  

And here is mom's Bird On A Victorian Box:

 

Isn't that pretty?  It's purely decorative and just so sweet!  Mom got the idea from those little Victorian images of boxes filled with flowers with a bird sitting on top.

So those are our newest projects!  I have more here to photograph but I ran out of steam yesterday.  I'll share those things over the weekend.  

For today, I'm heading over to mom's to play!  I have a ton of projects there that need finishing.  Lot's of Easter and Spring things.  It really helps to get through  the Winter months by making Spring things.

And speaking of Spring, I am planning on starting Block #8 of my Garden Crazy Quilt this week.  I've really done well with my timing.  Only 2 blocks to go on my Winter project and a month left until Spring.  Well, according to my calender, Spring starts on March 1st but that's my calender!

I received a lovely package of goodies from Judy S. yesterday so I'll share photos over the weekend.  Pretty things!  And I want to leave a quick note to Froggy, please drop me an email so I have your email address.

Ok, it's time to get myself together so I can go to mom's.  She has Hazelnut Decaf Coffee.  Yum!  On my way there, I plan to keep my eyes open for Robins!

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Busy Day

I didn't intend for it to be that way.  It just sort of happened.  I woke up and decided that making cookies would be fun!  And it was!  I was only going to do Cherry Almond Shortbread with Chocolate Chips but once that was done mixing and in the oven, my Kitchenaid was still screaming at me!  So I made a batch of Coconut Shortbread.  Whoa!  These are quite yummy!  I just got back from taking some to my neighbor to thank him for shoveling my driveway for me:



My house still smells good!

I then spent some time photographing our latest creations:



I finished this up yesterday.  I am absolutely planning on making one for myself.  And I think I know what the theme will be!  HINT:  I just ordered the Marie Antoinette magazine from Somerset Studio this morning!  Oh, and the movie is so incredibly beautiful!  I'm so glad I bought that!

Anyway, another of my latest creations are these little Feather Tags:



Aren't they pretty?  I usually do paper craft things when I'm at mom's.  She has the most awesome workspace down in her basement!  I'll have to get a photo of our craft space next time I'm there.

Anyway, mom made these pretty tags:



I'm so impressed with these.  Mom recycled some package material that she received with something she ordered.  It's some really neat stuff and mom saved it for crafts.  My mother has always been into the "Green" thing.  That's where I learned it from!

Well, I'm out of steam for now.  I have a couple little packages to put together for shipping and then I'm off to stitch on this some more:



I expect to finish this up tonight or tomorrow.  I may take another little break before starting Block #7.  We'll see what I do.

Have a great evening everyone!

QUICK EDIT:   I wanted to mention Sheila's blog.  She stitched up my "January" Biscornu of the Month.  I wanted you to see the stitched piece as well as Sheila's stitching which is quite lovely!