Giveaway! Vintage Buttons & Linen...

It's hip to be square!

(Square meaning honest, traditional... loyal)

A spring giveaway!

(Just leave a little comment on this post for your chance to win!)

I found this beautiful linen in a bag of treasures I purchased...

It was bunched up, stained, knotted with string~

When I gently opened it up, thinking it was a bunch of lace,

Wow! A perfect treasure of love!

Hand stitched details are breathtakingly beautiful!

I sketched five acorns in random squares...

Ten beautiful vintage "square" buttons are included but not stitched on~

You can decide!

I think it is perfect to share this "found" treasure...

The artist that spent hours and hours stitching was sharing her heart!

The time she must have spent!

We have always encouraged our children to~

Take time to look for the good...

Take time to get to know...

Take time to decide...

Take time to grow...

In a fast paced world... it's always good to take some time~

Itching to Play...

I whistle while I work!

(Much more pleasant than my singing...)

Our kitty cats come to the studio and meow...

When the windows are open~ I'm convinced the birds sing back...

My pup brings a favorite toy~ expecting my joy to bring her a treat!

The song means my art job is complete and it's time to tidy up~

When I finish up large design programs, my heart dances!

I'm in hopes it brings smiles to others~

I hope it adds to someones day~

Oh the places my art gets to travel... the people it meets!

With a clean studio and a song in my heart I've been catching up

on long-promised special orders... and playing with vintage linens!

So much to share!

I will start with a giveaway tomorrow!

To celebrate the little bits of spring beginning to peek out~

Our thoughts and prayers are with so many of you...

Your lives changed by violent storms.

~Praying~

Favorite Antique Jar...

Great things are stored in little packages...

Little packages are great things...

This wee little white glass jar has the same diameter as a quarter~

It sits on a shelf with my other favorite jars...

Absolute sweetness~ especially filled petite buttons!

Wishing you a weekend filled with tiny treasures!

Artist Studio...

I began collecting my bird books 25 years ago~

 They range in date from mid 1800's to 2012.

Rows and rows of books that teach, identify and inform.

The more I know my little friends~

The better their portraits!

All of my studio shelves have "stuff" in front...

Frustrating to most~ I see it as reference material!

Martha Stewart has a new office collection at Staples.

Chalkboard labels... they come in two or three sizes...

They can be removed, leaving no sticky residue...

Doesn't damage surfaces~ from what I have experienced.

I love Martha's color palette and style~

Simple and classy!

I try to keep my mounds of sketchbooks in order...

(giggle, laugh... chuckle... sigh.......)

These might help, a tad.

These tags are very cool!

Rubber band at one end~

Every little bit helps, Martha!

Thankfully~ our home is more simply decorated...

My studio is a journey.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Wrist Support...

I searched a few stores for the perfect wrist support

to use with my computer/mouse etc.

I found one!

It was a thin nylon... filled with plastic beads... $26.99

I carried it around the store, gathered all that was on my list.

Thought twice because of the price.

I keep a jar of poly-pellets for craft projects...

I purchased this bag for $3.99

Ooodles of projects~

Found a lonely trouser sock in my drawer...

Waiting for the mate to return from the business trip I lost it on~

I figured the height and length I was looking for...

Tied off the end~

A sweet friend of mine sews these adorable empty pillows for me.

I make all types of treasures with them!

Found the perfect size~

Stuffed my trouser sock, filled with pellets, inside~

Stitched it up with my award winning sewing talents!

Added a beautiful vintage lace to cover (hide) those

fantastically exact stitches (giggle) 

Hope your day is wonderful~

Fairy Hopscotch...

The green was gently covered last night...

A perfect patch for fairy hopscotch~

Everything with a pure white blanket~

My gardens look like blank canvases!

Chickadees and Phoebes are singing songs at the feeders~

The air is crisp~

Each new day begins different... wonder what today will share~

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

February Greens...

You can say it...

"But don't you live in a snow belt?"

"Lake effect storms"

Yes!

Well... not this year~

Yesterday, a rain-soaked day...

Today we are enjoying bright blue, gorgeous sunny skies!

Whatever the weather~ we happily welcome each day!

I bent down to pick up a branch and

looked across this mound of moss thriving on the driveway...

Looks like a gorgeous landscape!

I decided that if I examined the blanket close enough I would see

wee little fairies walking barefoot~ soaking up the sunshine!

My studio is filled with natural light and exciting deadlines!

Back to work...

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Kind Friends~

Wool Needle Felting...

Special orders are a joy!

These little needle felted friends and their homes

arrived in the hands of a sweet blogger friend on Monday!

I'm working my way through a fun list of requests...

Sometimes it takes me a bit to find the right vintage item

to finish a special order~

It took several stops to find little boxes to house these friends!

The wooden boxes in my previous post... another discontinued item.

Thankfully~ all of you know how quickly the market changes

and you're so flexible and understanding.

My next special order~

Pen and ink illustrations on vintage tea towels...

I finally found the most perfect linen~ to finish the collection!

While relaxing at night... I've been making a new collection of

little canvas tote bags for a sweet gal to choose from!

She wanted me to add a little color...

I hope she likes my idea!

If only the laundry and house cleaning could be more creative!

(giggle...)

I hope your cup is overflowing with joy~

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hearts give us warm fuzzy's...

Love shared...

I have several ways of storing my vintage Valentines~

These three recycled Dove chocolate tins hold one collection!

I slide these vintage love notes in the corners of mirrors...

I lean them against chalk boards...

Tuck them in frame corners...

Blue and Forget Me Nots are some of my favorites~

This art style is simple... beautiful!

Toss in some veggie messages...

For those of us who choose chocolate all day!

Handsome hearts...

Beautiful borders...

That little man is wondering where that heart boat came from!

Keeping his little arms behind his back...

"I'm not touchin' it!"

Sharing friendship and wishes for a day filled with love!

~Happy Valentine's Day~

Primary Color Valentine Wishes~

Bits and pieces of some of my original paintings...

Framed with love!

Instead of roses... I LOVE to paint wild strawberries~

What's on my desk gets tossed in... often!

Fluffy red cardinals...

Journal sketches with a touch of color...

Bright red leaves~ pressed & kept for reference material~

Yellow bumble bees that share tales of their flights~

Bunnies dressed in yellow delivering a bouquet of Forget Me Nots...

Yellow polka dots on the horse blanket~

Polka dots make everything a little sweeter!

Sunny yellow~

 Sunny seaside...

Everything sweeter with a yellow & black bee on top!

Winter Jay... puffed up and brilliant blue!

Nuthatch... the wings have a pretty blue tone in just the right light!

Not a primary color....

One of my favorite feathered friends to wish you a very

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!