July 2019

Squeezing in a bit more Christmas in July

bird song art event, vintage paper/collage art

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My dear Peep, Tamil, often hosts a girlfriends' craft day, and provides an interesting project for us all to do.  I recently attended one of her fun days, but didn't have a chance to make the theme for the day, a Mermaid Bottle.

Which was pretty cool.  All of her ideas are.

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Instead, I needed to concentrate on A Snowbird's Song, and I finished the cards for the swap I joined.

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These ladies are all a part of the collage sheet I will be giving to the ladies as one of my kits.  They will only need one photo for the project, but will have a pageful to use as they wish on other pieces.

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And this one is made from trees cut from old gift wrap and layered over snowy hills of vintage paper on top of glittered card stock.

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This girl (also on the collage sheet) was the last one I made.  I didn't pack well for the craft day at Tami's house, and ran out of lace and dyed coffee filters, so had to chop up and fit bits and pieces together to make her skirt.

Which I think was a happy thing, this is my favorite one! Sometimes, making do, means being extra creative, huh?

Thanks for the (as always) GREAT day, Tami!

Christmas in July?

bird song art event, vintage paper/collage art, wallpaper

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Things are moving along with preparations for A Snowbird’s Song in November.  I am working on kits (two are complete!), swap hostesses have come up with delectable ideas for exchanging lovelies, and menus are swirling about in my head.

Mostly of cookies and treats.

Probably because my head is often filled up with daydreams about cookies and treats.

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I am so pumped for the party that I just had to get in on a swap.  Terry, my dear sis, is hosting a card one, and I was happy to hear it because that is right up my alley.  I propped myself down at my work table and whipped up a few while I was feeling the Christmas spirit.

(in this pic, one of the stars had slipped off because the glue was still wet, it has since been returned to her waist band)

This one featured the front of a vintage card with a circle opening, so I glued it to another card and cut a coordinating circle from that.

I lined that with printed vellum and put a colorful bird image behind the transparent vellum.  

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Backing the vellum, is a Christmas card envelope from the 50’s that I glued to the inside of the card.  I saved the stamp from it and added that, along with a little girl, velvet ribbon, and a flower to the front.

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Another sparkly, gold card was used for this as a backdrop, then was layered with neutral wallpaper (old), and a Victorian post card.  I trimmed the postcard around the roses and glued it down to form a pocket.  

The girl was glued down behind the roses with her arm outside the roses and she is holding a bouquet.

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A note from a vintage card was cut out and slipped into the pocket.

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Often I work with whatever was last left on my desk.  All of the stars and sequins on some of these cards were from kit building.  So are the pink ruffles on the first card, making the sugarplum fairy’s skirt, and on the edges of this vintage wallpaper.

The girl’s Santa hat is the same (it might need more fluff), all are trimmings from the hand dyed coffee filters I was using for some other kits.

We don’t have the number of cards needed until the swap is full, but I wanted to get a head start  and figured that if I made too many, they wouldn’t go to waste.  

 

 

 

Sugarbabies

dogs

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The vet has confirmed it!

In less than 2 weeks, we will hear the pitter, pitter, patter of tiny paws.  

I have started a new blog to host info about pups (but of course I will be bombarding you with puppy pics here too).

Check it out and please pass it on to anyone who wants a sweet lil, Sugarbaby!

Cottage Doodles

Farmhouse style inspired fresh paint- but with glitter!

cottage, redos

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On my drive to Indiana to see my family, then on to get Dewdrop with a visit at Lori's on the way, I did a little antiquing.  It felt good to break up the trip with some stops along the way.  

In the middle of Missouri, I saw these curtains but didn't buy them. 

On the rest of the trek, they  lingered in my mind. I have a thing for barkcloth with roses!

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At my pal, Lori's house, I fell in love with her vintage, farmhouse-ish color palette.  And I wanted some gray in my home after admiring her use of the color.

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So, fingers were crossed that the curtains would still be waiting for me in Missouri, and yep, there they were.

When I got home, I slapped up some of the coveted gray paint (with glitter added), spread some fresh white paint on the ceiling to brighten up the room, and hung the curtains.  I thought I would do a major rearranging of the things on the wall, but except for changing out a couple of paintings for some that had roses to match the curtains, I left the configuration of mirrors on the wall as is. They are too handy and useful the way they are. I could have changed it for the sake of changing, but then, the grand fairies wouldn't have mirrors just their heights and I wouldn't be able to tilt the mirrors to see the back of my head.

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So, even though these had been hung like this for years, I left them where they were.  Why move them if I was enjoying them there?

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The glitter is much more prominent in person.  I wish it showed up more in the photos.  I am loving the soft, subtle shade of gray and its flash of sparkle.

I had never been to a dog park

dogs

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Typically in the summer, we spend a lot of time hiking around the trails at Lake Clinton with a few dogs along.  Or we are out on the lake floating around in the pontoon.

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With the huge rains we had early summer and late spring, the lake is closed.  

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So, we checked out the dog park instead.  It is at the same state park as the lake, but on higher ground.  And it was quite different than I expected. There were big, wide trails through the woods and lots of places for pups to play. Including a creek to swim in.

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And an obstacle course!  Sugar learned every trick right away, with her half poodle gene pool.

Her golden retriever mama, didn't care to even give any of it a try,

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We have also set up an axe throwing target in our yard, since we are not boating and need something to do.  Well, not so much me, but the guys. 

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And Twinkle has found a replacement for the lake, she sits in her water bowl quite a bit.  For someone as little as she is, that is probably a nice swimming hole.

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While flooding is not a good thing, all of our earlier rain has made my flowers lush.  Lake Clinton has suffered, but my yard is happy. This Purple Cone Flower is about as tall as I am.

 

 

More sewing?? Yep, another shirt!

Books, friends, sewing?

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Some long time friends, and Birdsong Peeps, suggested that we do a "boho" clothing workshop.

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I am NOT a sewer, but was ready to tackle the shirt project that Lorrie Scott had featured in the Gilded Journey

But, it turns out, I didn't have to. Sweet Nora loves to sew, and happily did about 90% of the job for me.  What a nice surprise!!

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I had cut up two of my husband's old shirts and was going to sew them together as the directions layed out, but Nora went a step further and custom fitted the pieces to me so that the duster was exactly my size.

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I made some pockets and had vintage lace ready to add.

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But she did all of the hard parts.

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Tami had brought some sewing to do too, she was adding doilies to a runner.

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A lot of the day was spent in me looking for the pile of mother of pearl buttons that I had set aside to add to the shirt. I swear, sometimes my studio is a black hole. I set something down and -poof!- gone.

Finally, I gave up and dug out more buttons to use instead.  I added them to the duster and felt like I had made a major accomplishment, since I am not a thread and needle person. Thanks to Nora, I only did the minor jobs on the piece, she whipped it up and made it wonderful!

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What a nice day.

If you'd like to turn two, old shirts into one amazing duster, you can find the instructions in this beautiful book. Oh, and by the way? I have a chapter in the book too.  My story is about crafting a travel journal. The book is just lovely, and I hope to make many more of the projects inside.

Park City Glam

family, Food and Drink, Travel

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Park City is a beautiful place to visit any time at all, but we were lucky to be there for Savor the Summit, a dining event that took over the streets.

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Restaurants showed off their finest dining displays all up and down the street (and I do mean, up and down, it is on a hill).

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I didn't have my camera with me, (what was I thinking??) but I borrowed Guncle Kev's to get a few shots of the pretty tables.

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We had some time to walk around and appropriate appreciate the dining designs that lined the slope (making plans for future tablescapes for our own homes) before joining the rest of the fam for a fancy dinner.

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As pretty as the outdoor tables were, we were glad to be eating indoors, the air was nippy.  

Actually, downright cold. I was happy that I had bought this new coat at the Sundance outlet store earlier that day, because we did not pack for temps in the 40s.

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And the girls were loving a chance to wear the new shawls that Aunt Terry wove for them on her loom.

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They loved them so much, they insisted on sleeping with them too.

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Luckily, it was warmer the next day, for Silly Sundays. 

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Yep, the fun never ends in Park City! We spent Sunday morning at the outdoor market, and made the most of the kids' activities offered.  It was practically a pet parade/fashion show downtown, everyone was dressed in their resort wear and walking their dogs. We saw a lot of doodles and yorkies, it made me feel like a trendy dog owner myself.

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These cousins all picked out a special bloom at a flower cart to give to Aunt Terry as a thank you for the special weekend she treated us to.  I think that they made some remarkable memories, and I am thankful to my sis for making all of this possible. What a trip!

 

Magical Mermaids

celebrations, family, guncles, Travel

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While absolutely EVERYTHING about our trip to Utah was wonderfully fun, there were some extra special moments.  

Like when cousins and cousins of cousins got to know each other and spend a whole day together as magical creatures.

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The Park City Marriott had an atrium and pool that was  inviting, spacious, just made for gathering a flock (or pod?) of merfolk together.

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It was ideal for gathering family members too.  We had our luncheons there, our gossip sessions, and our wine sipping by the pool when we weren’t out exploring the city.

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Terry and Guncle Kevin even threw a poolside birthday party for Guncle Randy in the space.   And what kind of cake do you get for a Pet Butler?

A pupcake!

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We even used the area for our prepping spot to get ready for the costume ball, with the girls doing each other’s makeup.

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Me too, I was going for raven eyes.

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The hotel itself was just what we needed for a family reunion.  There were tables to play cards, lounging areas, a bonfire pit with s’mores, and an ATM that the grand fairies decided to use to play banker.  I think I saw some playing cards inserted into it at one point.

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ps- while the kiddos had a blast with these $39 Amazon tails, this is what Sugarwings’ looked like after one hour.  They are hard to put on, hard to keep on, and easy to rip.  Too bad, because they were  beautiful and fun!

So nice, I Went there Twice- The Sundance Outlet Store

show and tell, Travel

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After getting in to the Salt Lake airport, after a flight delay that left us sitting on a runway in KC for a while, then RUNNING at top speed through the Denver airport to make our connection, we were ready for something fun.

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Honestly, though, traveling with these two is always a pleasure.  And Sugarwings was so grown up, she seems to know more about getting around airports than I do.  I don’t think I could’ve made it without her.

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(Doesn’t this guy look like a bluebird of happiness, or is that just our point of view?)

While waiting on the plane, not knowing how long it would be, I was told that I should go speak to the agents at the desk.

While leaving the two girls alone on the plane?

At first, I was totally against it, and wondered how I could load both girls and all of our stuff off the plane then reload, but the stewardess looked at the kiddos and said they seemed like they would be fine.  I viewed them through her eyes and realized that they weren’t so little after all, and that she was right.  I left the plane with confidence in them, and even took time to stop at Starbucks to buy the ingredients for a cocoa party.

We had such a good time, the college girls seated around us chimed in on a chorus of “Shake it Off”

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Still, after the flight was over, I was ready to leave it behind.

I have been wanting to go to the Sundance store’s outlet, and the girls were kind enough to indulge me.   I figured that the festive weekend would be so kid centric, that I could indulge myself for a quick visit and they would still have plenty of fun.

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And yes, they did.  There was so much fun to be had, I don’t know how it was all squeezed into one weekend!

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Our stop wasn’t a long one, barely enough to whet my appetite, but about as much as the little sprites could handle, so I scooped up my beautiful deals ($10 lace top, $69 velvet jacket originally $200, a lace skirt, still high for me, but worth it, and a $19 Johnny Was tee)

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Plus a $39 silver and moonstone ring.  

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I was very satisfied with my binge bargains, and told the Guncles about them.  And mentioned that all men’s wear was 30% off the sale price.  So, the three of us left the grand fairies with cousins at the pool and made another quick trip over.  Kevin found $10 wool slippers and Randy got this great, casual jacket for $70 (originally $198).

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And yes, I over indulged again.

 Johnny Was leggings, $39, black velvet and lace top $10, and thought I was happily finished.

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Although, it was hard to tear myself away from these bins.

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So much treasure hunting!  This is where I found the $10 shirts.  I made some friends there, as we all dug and looked for each other’s sizes.   There were ladies from all over the country, and even a family from Europe who were exploring the boxes.

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Not everything in the store was at a huge savings, the Sundance store’s prices are way up there to start with.  But ooooh, so pretty!  And so much to see.   There were new items on Saturday that weren’t out on Thursday, so if you go, try to check back again.  

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As the Guncles and I were leaving, Randy pointed out this jacket (and it was cold outside, much chillier than I’d packed for).

it was $249 on sale for $49, and I fell in love with its furry lined coziness.  (Looks like someone else in the crowd buys Johnny Was pants, huh?)

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Typically, I’m a tee shirt (usually from Walmart) and jeans person.  But I do love pretty things and am glad I let loose to get these new pieces! 

Even though I don’t seem to have enough sense of style to avoid wearing a J. Was shirt with a kid’s $3 jacket from Kohl’s clearance.

Oh well, works for me! 

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Painting with thread

sewing?

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Happy 4th of July weekend!  I thought I’d post a little bit of red, white, and blue for the holiday.

I seriously dislike sewing, but have been attracted to anything embroidered lately and wanted to try some myself.

So, I called it "painting with thread", to ease the pain I feel when I mess around with a needle and thread.

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I had a favorite shirt, washed so much it was soft and faded, comfy and cozy.  It is perfect to throw over a tee shirt with jeans. But I had worn it so much, it was stained in multiple places, like it had been splashed with coffee at some point.

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The speckles of stain dictated where I drew the design.  

Apparently, I'd splashed myself pretty good, because there were dribbles all down the front.

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The vines were drawn with a kid's washable marker.  I didn't worry about covering it completely, knowing it would disappear when I washed it.  The drawing was just a guideline.

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My main worry is that the thread will go away when I wash the shirt too.

The back looks pretty awful, and while there are many, many knots, I doubt if any of them are secure in the right places.

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One thing I figured out about embroidery, is that it doesn't go quickly.  I worked on this piece here and there for over a month, it isn't like zipping through something by gluing it down and moving on.

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When the stains were covered, I added mother of pearl buttons and I thought I was done.

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But then, I decided that I'd like to try to do a rose.

Well, none of it is perfect, and it all seems bumpy to me, but I still like it and will wear this until the threads probably come out when I wash it…

I  hate to admit this but I kind of enjoyed the work.  Maybe I will have another to keep by my TV watching chair to piddle around with during evenings while watching shows.

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