It's a CSN shopping Giveaway!

Wow! I am so excited to be able to do this. CSN contacted me and offered me a 45.00 gift certificate for one of my blog followers to spend at one of their 200 online stores. Everything from pendant lighting to things for kids and pets! They also have shoes, not that I need more shoes, but shoes are a great thing!
















I think if it was my 45.00, I would get some bakeware. you know, for cupcakes!










I took some time to look and they have some excellent buys and products.





It is time to ENTER!

This is only open to US and Canadian readers....
click on the pendant lighting link and comment on what pendant lighting you like the best.
let me know you are a follower of my blog....
Write about the giveaway on your blog.

Easy Peasy Pudding and Pie......up to three entries!

I will run this for ten days....Make me proud you all!!

finding ceativity again....

When I was in the fog of depression, I learned that being creative does not come easy....Especially when it took all my energy to work...It is getting better every day and I look forward again to going upstairs and making things. I am starting to get back to myself and I like that a lot!
Julie came over with Jace and baby Ava last week and she wanted help to decorate some wood letters that spelled out Ava's name for above her crib. This is what we came up with.









We take turns holding baby girl and playing with Jace while the other one paints or glues. Jace is a such a good boy upstairs. Having the playroom next to the art room is a great thing. He runs back and forth with his toys chattering the whole time. He is two and Ava is a month so Julie has two in diapers. Our time ended when she had two little ones with full diapers.....haha.











Sometimes you think you have it really bad and then someone you know gets it worse...way worse...A guy at my work, Kevin who started the same time I did is going through the worst thing a parent can imagine. He just got over a battle with brain cancer, missed a year of work and now his 14 year old girl has bone cancer in her leg. Maddie just started a years worth of chemotherapy. Because they are treating it aggressively, all of her treatments are inpatient. I was making a pink quilt for an orphanage project but it turned into a quilt for Maddie.....









I asked Kevin to make sure she is the kind of girl who likes pink...He told me that hot pink she likes...My kind of girl. I got some hot pink cuddly fleece to back it with. I am going to get it on the quilter for her tomorrow before work. I figure if I do it a little at a time I can have it done by the weekend. I am going to zigzag on the binding and do a lot of quilting because I imagine it will be washed a lot. I hope it gives her something to snuggle with.









Val was my partner for the YOE swap. I showed the dress ornament I made her and look what she made me!








A snow fairy ornament and the most beautiful blue scarf! The fairy is on my tree and I already wore the scarf...She also sent me M&M's, hot chocolate, bath salts and a book....I don't think it gets any better.....
In December Deb asked me to do a pet portrait of her three Jack Russell's...well I finally got busy and got the background done and the first dogs face done. Everyone always asks how I do it...I draw it while looking at a close up of a picture on a white cotton and then I start sewing and painting in the details...I hope to have this one done and ready to mail by Monday.










I usually use some pretty bright background colors but she asked for sage and cream. I think with three dogs on one piece it will look really nice. Let me know what you think Deb.......

Happy Valentines Day!

I actually did more for this holiday than I did for Christmas...Considering what the holiday is, it is a bit ironic. I had fun though, and that is what counts...The cupcake venture was a huge success and they all were delivered today and paid for. It worked out that Missy did the baking and made the frostings and I did the boxes, the fondant hearts and the decorating. We made a great cupcake team. I am glad the cupcake fest is over. I would weigh half a ton if I made them all the time! Missy got a treadmill and I already have one so if you dont see us, we are walking off cupcakes. Really!
I also made Jean's grandkids fabric Valentines for their teachers. It is the third year I have done them and I have declared it a tradition. I am happy I can do it for them....







I also made what I call "Bitter Valentines"! It is art therapy at its finest and it gives me a wicked sense of satisfaction...you know Valentines Day is a rotten holiday for anyone who has been dumped....So tonight I ate an ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins for dinner..The flavor was Love Potion # 31 and I finished these two cards....













I am sure there is a market for these cards...What do you think?



This week I also did the first month of this years Enchanted Ornament Swap. This is my second year and I always look forward to the monthly challenge and theme. The theme for Jan/feb was "dressed for winter". I made a fairy's winter dress ornament and some cute little enchanted paper tags....











Tomorrow is my day off and I am really looking forward to sewing...I have a pet quilt to work on for Deb and I want to finish the pink quilt top for the orphanage. I also want to go get some seeds and do some cold weather garden planting....I had no idea that things could grow even with snow on the ground....
Sending you all love and wishes! xoxoxo

Cupcakes!!!!

Cupcakes and chickens, two of my favorite things. But first, let us talk about the cupcakes. I know today was the Superbowl and I appreciate that but Missy and I had better things to do. Today was the cupcake test run. It went really well and we had a great time. We ended up with two different kinds of little beauties....







Red Velvet with homemade cream cheese frosting and "from scratch" white cake with a cream cheese, cinnamon, cocoa and whipped cream frosting...The cocoa is very light so you can color it, which we did....


They both taste wonderful, but I think dressing them up all pretty makes them taste even better!









All wrapped up and ready to give as a "sweet little I love you"...Nothing says it better than a cupcake...












Except maybe a chicken or two! Missy, my blogging friend has chickens...In fact she has a little chicken house in her dining room for her miniatures right now..It is too cold to have them outside and I was absolutely enchanted with them. The tiny little rooster even crowed a couple of times. Why do chickens make me happy?














I dont know, I guess I am just strange like that.....gonna go eat a cupcake....night!

Calendar, vintage goodies, Valentines and my new Niece!

(BE SURE AND CLICK ON THE COLLAGE TO SEE IT ALL!)


I have been working a whole lot and just came off a terrible January. I guess it is the roughest month of the year in furniture sales...I am pretty stressed about how I am going to make it on what I made thru February! I just keep plugging along and rely on faith, hope and grace...What else can I do? Pray for me guys....I need it so I am not under the %$#@#@#$$%%'s thumb. I need to be self sufficient again and it has been a struggle for me.
There is happier news though! My new little niece, Ava Suzanne was born on Wednesday. She is a little doll and I was able to sneak out of work and be with Julie when she was born. I don't think anything is better than a new baby and I have smiled all week about her! We expected Jace to be jealous and he has his moments but he loves his sister. All is wonderful on that front.
I have been making cupcake boxes for the fancy cupcakes that Missy and I are making to sell for Valentines Day. I am starting to hope that we dont get TOO many orders or it is going to turn into cupcake hell....I love these little boxes though. Next I will use my cricut cake and cut out toppers from fondant.
I am still working on the pink quilt. It has grown quite a bit and it is ready for borders. I may do a black dot just cause I love black with pink and there are bits of black in the pink fabrics. I also finished Jen's row for our round robin..Everyone is starting to get their quilts back. I cant wait to see them finished! I decided to machine embroider my blocks for her with flowers. At first, I wasnt real thrilled with them but once I finished them with some of her fabric, I decided I really like the row. It is a beautiful quilt top so far!
I am making fabric Valentines for Jean's grandkids again this year. They give them to their teachers and I enjoy doing them. This actually will be the third year I have made them. Boy, does time fly.
I alos want to thank Laurie (indulge your shelf) and Deb (garage sale gal)!!! Deb sent me a box of the greatest vintage stuff in return for me doing a doggie portrait of her three dogs...I have already got it started and it is going to be fun to see it come together...In the picture all the little treasures are lying on a vintage apron. I am hoping that I can bear to use some of these pretty things...I can be a hoarder at times! Laurie gave away a Holocaust Museum calendar on her blog and I won it. It has excerpts from diaries and pictures that are heart rending....I love it and it is already on my wall.......Thanks again you too and I hope everyone has a great week!!!