give away – Page 5 – Karla's Cottage

More Puppy Pics and a lost and forgotten giveaway

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, give away, jewelry, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / June 1, 2010

We had such a nice holiday weekend. Of course, any weekend when we get some Sugarwings time is a good weekend.

Add in some pups, and there couldn't be a better way to spend some time.

Then, today was craft day and we took a few puppy breaks outside to enjoy the day. This little tiny girl is the one we have decided to keep. She was going by Glinda, which we like, but since we won't have a whole passle of pups any more, we won't really need to stick with the Oz theme, so we might change it.

I've kind of liked the name Agnes. That was my Grandma's name, and my cousin suggested it for the Name the Puppies contest. I had told her that I loved the name but would save it for a baby we keep some day, not one that was for sale. At that time, we didn't realize we were keeping one.

Since Twinkle got so ill, I simply had to keep one. We might never have pups again! I'd kick myself for not snagging one for myself if there were not any more coming in the future. I also decided that Beth needed one. Her birthday is coming up but I just couldn't wait til then to surprise her, I had to tell her today.

We are going to have a blast taking the two pups with us everywhere. Can't you picture us pushing our flea market carts with the dogs in them when we go to Sparks and White Cloud to shop? Its going to be so much fun to have the puppies play together under our work tables while we cut and glue.

Beth is not ready to take one home yet, her husband has a trip planned and they want to wait till he gets home to be a part of settling in the new baby.

Its so fun to have a houseful of them, I'm glad I get to have Beth's pup around for a while too. The other two are for sale now and it will be too quiet around here when they leave.

They are so funny right now, running and fighting and wrassling. Quite a few of my photos were just blurs, since these guys move so fast.

Not everyone around here is as impressed with the babies as I am, though. Our old tom cat has eaten rabbits bigger than these guys. He can completely ignore how cute they are when they try to get his attention.

Not me. I'm smitten. You might have noticed by my blog becoming a Dog Blog. Sorry guys, bad news if you are sick of puppy pics, they are still coming. And by adopting Agnes Rose (or Agnes Fae?) into our lives, that means we'll have a never ending supply of fuzz ball photos.

See what I mean?

It might seem like it, but I don't spend ALL my time giggling in the garden with Dorky Babies and Fairies. I've gotten quite a bit of new things made lately. This is the May Giveaway Prize. Kind of late to announce, it, huh? If I was trying to drive my readership by offering giveaways, this is not the way to do it. Announcing it after the giveaway was over would be pointless.

But I do them because I enjoy them and I have tons of crap, I mean- cool stuff- in my studio to share.

So this little mini book goes to:

Joanne

There is new stuff in the Boutique too. I took a few hours to list a ton of it the other day.

A few of the vintage paper pieces that I made, but not all. I'll add more of them later.

Quite a few pair of earrings that I made from vintage pieces.

And some junk jewel bags for you to make something with.

Some junkier than others.

By the way, there is a JUNE GIVEAWAY starting now. All comments, all month count. I'll come up with a prize and let you know. Hopefully not after the fact again, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

Plants, Pups, plus the Broccoli Queen, oh, and two winners!

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, flowers, give away, Sugarwings, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / May 6, 2010

Thanks for all of the wonderful birthday wishes! I had a good day, and the garden is planted! My son and Sugarwings, as well as a few pups were there to help.

We had big plans for going out to dinner, but while we were on a roll with the garden, we just kept working. My birthday ends up being the hardest working day of the year, because my family offers to pitch in and help with a big job. I never fail to take them up on the offer, its good to get some manpower put to use out in the landscaping! Since my husband was going to be out of town for the day, he helped me in the flowerbeds over the weekend.

So after days of "help" I am exhausted from all the yard work!! Its good to get the place cleaned up and get flats of flowers and herbs out to enjoy for the rest of the season. There is still more to do, but these last few days really took care of the major chunk of the work.

Sugarwings is a natural gardener, she loves nothing more than being wet and dirty. Her job was to play with and misplace the tools, and spray everything with the hose.

We crowned her the broccoli queen when she decided to wear the garden marker as a necklace and it was too small, so got stuck on her head.

I figured I wouldn't need a marker to recognize a head of cabbage, so made her a necklace to wear from that marker.

I was as wet and dirty as she was, and it was getting late, so my sweet son whipped up one of his great dinners for us while Sugarwings and I got cleaned up. His cooking is better than going out to dinner anytime! He made spinach and red pepper fettuccine with crab. Not bad for something he just whipped up in a few minutes while I showered.

We had a mini birthday party in the afternoon, before my son came by to help. Some friends dropped in to say Happy Birthday and have some carrot cake and blueberry ice tea on the patio and a walk on the Fairy Berry Trail.

They brought their kids, so I enlisted them help feed pups. We made up a bowl of puppy cereal and all the kids got a spoon to feed the babies with.

It was a birthday full of fun, friends, sweet babies, and help. Not to mention all the thoughtful well wishes I got from you. Yep, I'm pretty lucky!

Walmart has never been my favorite store, but it seems like sometimes you just gotta go there. When I do I usually find some spectacular deals. Like these tees. They are pure cotton and soft as if they had been worn for years. And only $4. I treated myself to a stack of them for my birthday and today I am embellishing a few with some of the trims I got from my Great Aunt Caroline's estate.

As much as I dislike sewing, I seem to be doing a lot of it lately, and I have to say, its been kinda fun…

Of course, my sewing is as simple as can be. Straight stitches only! And nothing that has to be perfect. Only decorative things like these pouches made from flocked wallpaper, or embellishing the tees, nothing that is measured, fitted, or complicated.

Speaking of these pouches- I need to announce the April Giveaway winner. The prize goes to:

Holly

She gets the pouch on the right, that is filled with my shard necklace.

Also, I have another 50 sign ups for my Google Friend Connect and need to give away a Peat Pot Pretty for that. I'll give away another at 250.

Please note that if you are already signed up for Friend Connect, you are in the drawing. But if you are a follower else where, I don't have a list for other following sites to draw from. If you want to enter, you have to sign up for Friend Connect.

The winner of a Peat Pot Pretty is:

Rose

Gifts, gifts and more gifts

family, give away, holiday decor, show and tell, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 2, 2010

Everyone was so complimentary about the shard necklace for the March giveaway, that I thought I'd offer one for the April Giveaway too. It is pink rose china with two dangly beads taken from vintage necklaces.

And by the way, the winner of the March Giveaway is:

Andrea of Freckled Star

I'm giving THREE gifts instead of two for all the friend sign ups, because I really appreciate having friends out there! I'll give away one Peat Pot Pretty for the first 100 sign ups, and then draw again at 150. Thank you to everyone who signed up, you are all still in the hat for the next draw.

The first one goes to:

Dawn of the Feathered Nest

And I'll send the bonus giveaway of a glittered egg to:

Jingle

Vicki's shadow box kit goes to:

Freda

I hope she has as much fun making it as we did making ours on craft day!

So far we have no plans for Easter. I'm hoping that Sugarwings will come over for an egg hunt. She and I have been making eggs all week.

We also made up goodies for the bake sale at her school.

We put a cupcake into a teacup and the granola bars on vintage plates. Since I go to so many garage sales in the summer, I never pass up cheap but pretty dishes. They are good for sending leftovers home with people after big dinners, or to use for bake sale goodies too. When I wrap up baked goods like this, I also like to include a list of ingredients for the buyer.

Notice the cute little "Spring" tag and the sweet, stuffed bunny behind it? Those gifts came to me from Freda, so I was really excited when I saw that I had drawn her name to send a gift to!

The pewter bunny was from my pal, Sherry.

There are a couple more gifts I need to show you, its been downright Christmassy around here with all the presents!

Sugarwings got these adorable gifts from sweet swappers who participated in the Alice Tag book swap.

She is a lucky kid, and has so much fun with the thoughtful things that have been sent to her. I wonder what she thinks of it? I can only imagine how impressed I would have been as a kid if my grandma's friends mailed packages to me out of the blue, and its not even Christmas!

This last gift was from Beth. I'm afraid I didn't get a good photo, with the sunlight coming in through them, the curtains don't show up as good as they could. I'll have to try again later, because these valances are worth a second look! She gave me a pair of French net toppers that I have tied together and hung over my studio window for now. I might put them onto a rod later.

I think I'm pretty lucky too. Sugarwings and I both are! Thanks!!

Shadowboxes, buddies, and tagging along plus 4- count ’em FOUR giveaways at once!

fairies, flowers, give away, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 31, 2010

This week is craft-o-licious! Beth came by all day Sunday and we had so much fun chatting and gluing and cutting that we forgot to even have lunch till 4pm. Then, on Tuesday, the regular crowd of snippers and gluers came by to hang out and have an Italian themed pitch in lunch. No way we'd forget to eat that meal, it was excellent.

Usually we all bring whatever we feel like making that day, but we tried a little something different this time and had a group project. Vicki has designed these shadow boxes and sent some for us to play with.

At the end of the day, there was plenty of oohing and awing. Vicki had also included collage sheets to use, and most of us used those plus a mix of vintage goodies we already had.

Clockwise these are done by:

all of us, Shawn (who made the lasagna!), me, Mary, Beth. I'm sad that I didn't get a good photo of Marilyn's hers was impressive. There are photos on her blog of all of them, you can see her masterpiece there.

Shawn's daughter, Bethany, bonded with Sugarwings over the jelly bean dispenser in the treat cabinet. Little Bethany has been part of the craft group since we started, but Sugarwings is a wild crafter and I get nothing done after she joins us in the afternoon, so she isn't there for the whole day.

Beth left her Cuttlebug with me on Sunday and I might have gotten a bit carried away making tags from old papers with it….

But what a great use of scraps! Plus, these will be wonderful to make into tag books, and to tie to packages I send out with orders from the Boutique.

One tag book is already done, and ready to list in the shop.

Its not listed yet, but if someone wants it before then, please contact me, its $20.

And here are all the giveaways I tantalized you with in the title:

1- Today is the last day to enter for the March Giveaway, a rose quartz and china shard pendant. All comments all month, any post are entered.

2 & 3- If you sign up to be my Google Friend, you are entered to win a prize, I am giving away two Peat Pot Pretties with vintage flowers. (details in the sticky post at the top)

4- We have one extra shadowbox from Vicki that I will offer to someone who leaves a comment on THIS post. Thanks, Vicki!! These things are really cute.

5- And hey, is this #5?? Yep, Officially, the April Giveaway starts at midnight tonight. And I'll do my best to announce what it will be soon, instead of forgetting till the 20th or so…

March giveaway does really exist and some Tag Book Tendinitis

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), fairies, family, give away, jewelry, Sugarwings, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / March 17, 2010

Happy St Pats! There is a great parade downtown Lawrence, but I had to skip it today. Sugarwings went with the rest of the family and I stayed home to rest.

Remember the Frozen Charlotte flu that knocked me out of commission a couple of weeks ago? It turned into pleurisy. But on top of that, I seem to have some tendinitis in my left arm, from making over 70 tag books and typing out the labels. Funny, when you are over 50 and call the Dr. to say that your chest and left arm hurts, everyone starts to panic.

But, I knew it wasn't a heart attack, I could just tell. But my Dr. wouldn't see me to say what it was, I had to go to the ER. And since my stubborn, doctor's office hating, husband has high cholesterol issues and a family history of heart problems, I knew that if I refused to go in to get checked, he would use this as an excuse to not get checked himself if a future chest pain ever came up for him.

Since I KNEW it wasn't my heart, I finished all the tag books (from the tags that were already here, I am expecting a few more yet) and got them to the PO before I went to the ER. The pain had been around for more than 24 hours, I figured that if it was an emergency, I'd already have been dead.

So, the tags are in the mail, I am feeling better, but am supposed to rest up. I might take a couple of days off from typing, this hurts!

Sometimes it sucks to get old. Things hurt more. And linger longer.

Just ask poor old Bookie and Sparkle, they know how I feel. Those two hardly ever leave their pillow by the space heater. But I did coax them out to pose in their St Pats finery.

I'm going to take today and tomorrow off to get cozy and rest up while I recover from Frozen Charlotte Flu induced pleurisy and Tag Book Tendinitis. I've got some reading to do for book club and need to go see Alice in Wonderland.

Before I go, I wanted to show you the giveaway for March. Yep, its once again past mid-month by the time I remembered to announce my month long contest….

This is a china shard pendant that I've made from a vintage plate, a rose quartz cab, two rose quartz beads, and vintage crystals. This giveaway is retroactive, all comments all month, all posts go into the hat.

Now, back to my ibuprofen. I hope you all find a lucky four leaf clover and a pot of gold today!

Good Goodies

Books, give away, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 4, 2010

The Alice Tags are starting to arrive at my doorstep, and it gets more fun every day! Not only are we getting some gorgeous tags for our books, I'm blown away by some of the packaging too. Like Samantha Miranda's tags wrapped in a sweet hankie, and including some chocolate bunnies! She and I had similar ideas, about Alice and the small door opening but we each had different takes on the theme. Aren't hers pretty?

Some thoughtful gifts came too, which was a nice surprise, especially after the week I've had. How can I be feeling down and yucky after opening all of this?

These are from Suzanne Crowley, and the box smelled lovely, from the gift of verbana soaps she included! I'm saving all the tissue paper that she used, it has the scent of flowers on it, and will make packages I send out smell wonderful too. (I try to recycle as much as I possibly can, and this time it will be a joy to do!) Look at how she has made Alice hang out over the edge of the card. I love it when people "color outside of the lines".

Suzanne also sent a fluffy pet for Sugarwings, and a towel set to go with the pretty soaps. To top it all off, everything was tied with soft old ribbons and hand made crepe paper flowers.

Kitty, who I've had the pleasure of meeting when I went to PA to visit her daughter, Heather, (and who is just as talented as that girl of hers) sent these. She included gorgeous, vanilla velvet ribbon wrapped up and packaged in an old album mat, then pinned with hat pins she made with crystal beads.

And this loveliness is from Laurie. Along with her pastel Alice tags- look at how cute that doily is!- was this Cottage sheet music and pink rose wallpaper!

The colorful bunch of tags are from Karen. She also made stationary set with the images she used on the tags.

I repeat- blown away! Thanks, ladies!

Yep, some very pretty things are showing up at my doorstep. I can't show you all of the tags that come in, but here is a Flickr site if you'd like to see what everyone is making. So far, we have 22 members, I hope that more of the 80 swappers will add their photos. Yes, I did let the number GROW again. Very much like Alice eating the cake, the swap grew, and grew, and grew.

These tags are from my Sissy. All of that red is very fine glitter, I wish it showed up better in the photo.

You can see the glitter better here. She has great little details in her tags, like the vintage crown charms hanging from heart shaped punch outs.

Now, you'd think that was enough mail excitement for any one person, but look at these! Vicki sent me a passle of her Shadow Box frames with fairy collage sheets. I'm going to have a craft day party with these and we can all see what we come up with. Won't they be fun to play with?

My photo shoot with Carol is rescheduled for Monday and I have not done ONE THING for it yet. I woke up today, again thinking I was fit and happy and ready to face the world. Then, I started to droop.

Ignoring my droopiness, I thought I'd try to clean up and foof the living room, but after dropping and breaking a couple of things, I gave up. But I knew that there was no way on Earth I could face another day of bed and TV.

So I took myself
off to the salon to get some new hair, as Sugarwings calls it. I figured that sitting in the beauty shop chair would get me out of the house, dressed, and maybe perked up. I know myself well enough to realize that if I'd stayed home, I wouldn't be resting, I'd be working, whether I was up to it or not.

Plus, being so sick from just the flu made me feel extremely OLD. Some highlights to hide the gray helped a bit. I'd probably feel less old if I wasn't so tired.

Before I forget, I need to announce the winner of the February Giveaway, the Alice Tag Kit.

Here is the sweet comment left by:

Pattyjo

I would love to win the giveaway…so I am hoping you will add my name
in the hat! Thank you for your blog and all the gorgeous projects you
show us. It must take so much of your time. I think I can speak for
most everyone on your blog that we appreciate it so much!
Pattyjo

Now, I really need to sit at the desk and get out the glue and paper to make a few small projects for Monday.
Wish me luck on being ready for the photo shoot! I'll need it.

3 years, 700 posts, a swap, some puppies, and a bonus giveaway, all coming up!

Books, celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), give away, paintings, Sugarwings, swaps

By Karla Nathan / February 9, 2010

A year ago this time, I was posting puppy pictures. Here is Twinkle and her one true love, Teddy, with their one year old daughter, Bella (middle). Isn't she a pretty pup? Hopefully, we'll have a few more little dorks running around the house in 60 days or so. I'd better have some puppies, 3 are already spoken for!

Last year this time, I was hosting a Puppy Love Tag Swap. It was such fun, I'm thinking about hosting another, but since I don't have puppies around yet, how about an Alice swap? No, not this little Alice! I mean an Alice in Wonderland tag book swap?

The rules will be very similar to last year's swap. I'll write them up and get back to you for a sign up, I just wanted to plant the idea for now. Anyone interested?

As a Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fan, I'm so excited about the Alice movie coming out soon! The previews have been glorious.

Along with the details, I'll also post some pages from a vintage Alice in Wonderland book that Beth gave me, if anyone wants to print those to use for their tags.

This swap is just what I need to celebrate my 3rd anniversary in blogworld!

3 years and 700 posts are both coming up this week, so I'll have a special gift for you too as a thank you for keeping me company these last 3 years.

If you'd like to win a copy of my book, please leave a comment on any post between now and Valentine's Day. If you'd like to sign up for the swap, I'll have details coming and a separate post coming for that.

All comments all month count toward my regular monthly giveaway, whatever the heck I come up with for this time. I seem to be so short on time in the studio, that I never quite get done what I need, and still haven't got a gift pulled together yet. But I will….

Feathered Friends and a forgotton giveaway

collections, give away, redos, Sugarwings, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage

By Karla Nathan / January 19, 2010

Beth and I finally got together today, we've been trying since Christmas Day! She and her husband were supposed to have Christmas dinner with us, but got snowed in. Between bad weather, and many other little issues, we hadn't had a chance to hang out since.

Today, she was able to come here and we worked away in the studio making things and talking for what seemed like a few minutes, but was really hours. When she left, I begged her to come back tomorrow, it was so nice to have a day to relax, chat, and catch up while creating things.

We also exchanged gifts, a few weeks late. Here is what she brought me. I hated to open it, the wrapping was so flowery and gorgeous, but was glad I did! I got a sharp, pink kitchen knife and cutting board (everyone HATES my kitchen utensil situation when they come over, and I really needed this upgrade), as well as a stack of especially pretty post cards and a floral box.

I'd made her a Christmas tree (yes, kind of late to enjoy that one!!) and placed it into a lidded glass jar that I decorated with her initial. I figured she could pack away the tree and use the jar in her studio for supplies. I also gave her a coffee travel mug that I fixed up, but forgot to take a picture of. I did a similar one for myself, so I'll show that with some how to's another day.

For me, today was birdie day. I had some red birds, that were a nice, vintage cotton fiber, but honestly, I just am not a red person. So, I thought I'd try painting them. I used a combination of acrylic paint, then crackle paint, then glitter and was pretty happy with the results.

These two are in love.

They are all love birds now, instead of cardinals. Some have already been used in projects and will be lovely Valentine displays, that can carry on into Spring time since there are no hearts or other blatant signs of Valentine's – just a feeling of it.

Others are individual birds that are ready for you to use in your own projects, or to simply enjoy as is.

If you'd like one, they are listed in my Boutique.

I've got big plans brewing for beefing the Boutique back up, its a bit emptied out after the holidays.

I've already listed a few packs of Heavenly Wallpapers (sorry, they are already sold!) but am still chopping and will be adding more soon as I get all the slicing and dicing done.

There will be an announcement when they are ready to sell. I've got 11 x 14 and 8 x 10 in about 15 styles so far, but want to cut more up and get a full restock done. Since I've got over 200 rolls of wallpaper, I can't cut them all without spending a lifetime doing nothing else, but I at least want a BIG assortment ready to share with you. I hope to have at least 25- 30 patterns cut and ironed and photographed by the end of the week.

There will be some new millinery packs coming too.

Its a lot of work to pluck the blooms, but at least I have a helper!

I forgot all about the January Giveaway!! How about a bird? I made an army of them today, the ones pictured here are just a few. If you'd like a foofed and glittered bird, please leave a comment on any post, all month.

Janice has a new home and you get a Big Bargain Bonanza of Baubles!

Etsy Goodies, family, give away, Sugarwings, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage

By Karla Nathan / December 27, 2009

Little Janice is safe in her new home. A family from Junction City tried to come and pick her up for Christmas, because they had just lost their elderly poodle and the kids were heartbroken. Janice had just lost her owner and was heartbroken too. It was the perfect match! But the family got into trouble with the beginnings of the blizzard and totaled their truck while coming to get her on Christmas Eve!!

No one was hurt, but the truck was done for.

So, on the day after Christmas, my husband and I made a 3 hour trip (still snowing, and slippery, but not as bad that day) to deliver sad and scared Janice to her new home.

Even though our truck's wiper motor blew out and we had to stop and clean the windshield a lot, I have to tell you, that trip was worth every minute of the time and trouble we took to make it.

The family had a tiny, tiny house, about 2 feet of yard in the front, right off the highway. It was not a good neighborhood, but the house was spotlessly clean and the kids were polite, sweet and so happy to see their new dog. The mom said she didn't have much but offered me $6 for gas money for bringing the dog all the way out to them.

I was so moved, that I had wished that I'd brought a bagful of gifts too.

What a perfect home for that little pup. Sugarwing's Nanny would be happy to know that the little dog she rescued a few years ago is now, once again, safe and loved.

These photos are some that I edited for a slide show as a farewell for Nanny's service today.

Losing someone that suddenly, out of the blue really makes me think. Especially after delivering that little dog to a family who apparently had so little, had just lost their transportation but seemed so happy together. I wish I'd had my camera with me so you could see the way that kid's face lit up when I handed her the dog!

There is nothing more beautiful than bringing a smile to a little girl!

So, I thought I'd try to bring some smiles to all of you "little girls" out there who read my blog! Of course, there is the regular monthly giveaway that you still have till New Year's Eve to enter for. And this month it is an extra special gift, of Amy Barrickman's new book.

But for even more smiles, I'd also like to offer everything in my Boutique and Etsy for half price till the end of the year. (except the Grumpy Fairy Book, sorry, the production costs won't allow me to offer that big of a discount for that.) The sale includes items already marked down, too!

Make your purchases as usual, through Pay Pal and I will send you a Pay Pal refund for the discount.

Also, please note, that sometimes, with multiple items, the shipping can grow a bit high. If it is too high, I refund a portion of it. Also, I will combine the shipping if you order something from each shop. So feel free to shop away!

If you are paying by check, email me for a total. But remember, with Pay Pal, that I will give your discount AFTERWARD as a REFUND.

Thanks so much, all of you who listen to my ramblings and keep me company when the bad things happen and share the good things with smiles.

Lets all have the happiest of New Years!

A warm pink glow to ward off the freezing weather

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, give away, holiday decor, Sugarwings, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / December 9, 2009

Just a note to let you know that my email is being a bit screwy. Its not a Typepad issue, Typepad has been very sweet and cooperative lately. I don't know what the deal is, just that I respond to emails (not just on comments, regular emails too) and they are not getting through.

Its frustrating to answer emails, then get a message from the Postmaster or the Mailer-Daemen saying they are undeliverable. Sorry if you were one of the dozens of people I couldn't respond to! There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason, some (quite a few, actually!) messages just are hitting a dead end.

We've had our first snow and it was a doozy. More cold than deep, but enough to keep me indoors by the roaring fire. Trouble is, my husband is out of town and the stack of wood is getting low. I'm feeling like a wimp, but just DO NOT want to go out there in the single digit weather and fill a wheelbarrow with wood.

On the other hand, a fire in the wood stove sure feels better than just turning up the thermostat. (and is much cheaper too!) I'd better man-up and go load the wheel barrow.

We've been staying indoors decorating and redecorating the tree. I think that Sugarwings will make her pink tree an ongoing project for the season.

Each ornament has been on every single branch of her tree at least once so far. Sometimes all the decorations seem to be on the same branch at the same time.

I filled a basket will all of the unbreakable ones and let her do as she pleased with them. Of course, she had a little bit of help from Twinkle.

Although, after a couple of hours of hard work, even Twinkle was getting tired. And Sugarwings was just getting started.

I don't think this will get old for my fairy grand baby, she's in pink heaven with that glowing tree.

(and I am loving those heavenly curtains!)

As for me, I think I'm done with my share of hall decking. Its a mini explosion of holiday glam this year for me, and I'm kind of liking it kind of laid back.

Well, laid back for ME, that is!

These peacock feather fans go a long way in adding some flair when I tied one to a lamp shade and another to a plain white feather wreath.

Years ago, I used to raise peafowl and these feathers were gathered from Percy. He dropped them all every summer and it was a treasure hunt for me to crawl around the barn and walk out in the woods every day searching for feathers. Some days, I 'd find one or two, other days maybe a couple dozen.

Now, I've taken bundles of the plumes and wrapped them with vintage ribbons, added a millinery flower and a jewel. Plus a touch of glitter.

There are a couple left from Miss Frenchie's and I have them listed in the Boutique, as well as the celluloid box I've posed the fan next to.

Don't forget that you can win this book by Amy Barickman (isn't she a peach to offer it?) Along with the book, you'll get a couple of hankies from me to use in the projects and a gift certificate from Amy to use for downloads from Vintage Workshop.

My December giveaway is open to everyone. No tricks where you have to post about it on your blog, or add yourself as a follower. All comments, all posts in the month count. I just like to say thanks for taking the time to come by to visit!

I just wish you were here in person and could help me heft that wheelbarrow of wood.

Also, if you'd like to see more holiday decor, go visit
Thoughts from Over the Rainbow

for a hall decking party!