Ozma of Odds

...my swan song...

2012-01-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

...yes my dear readers,

the time has come...

for me to take leave ~

quiet and gracefully...

my adventure here

has come to an end...

but i know

that a new one

awaits me on the other side...

i have many new pretties

in the works,

to share with you upon my return...

a new year to fill

with whimsy and wonder!

so while i am re-locating

i invite you all

to revisit some of this past years posts

and anticipate

many more inspiring things to come!

as this year

is sure to prove ~

that in the land of odds,

you will always find a pair of wings

just when you need them...

and

unique and interesting

fairy tales

are just waiting to be told...

so hold on dear girlie's!

and keep reading,

as this next adventure unfolds...

but for now,

this is my swan song...

i will be back as soon as i possible can:)

sharing this post with:

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

The Charm of Home's: Home Sweet Home

here's to a new beginning!

...my fairytale theatre

2011-12-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

...hello dear girlie's!

i hope all of your christmas's were divine!

can you believe that

in a few short hours,

it will be 2012??

WOW!!!

i trust you have your fairy slippers and tutu's on

and your wands ready to ring in the new year?!

2012 is sure to be a year full of inspiration

and creativity

here in blog land!

awhile back i was inspired by

Dore's post about her fairy theatres...

see here ~ Burlap Luxe ~

i had also been fascinated by Anita's fairy theatres on her side bar

see here ~ Castles Crowns and Cottages ~

i sooo wished for one of my very own....

so i set out collecting pretty materials

for creating a little theatre of my own

i envisioned an ethereal, "once upon a time" theatre...

i made a mirror by spray painting a piece of glass

with "mirror" spray paint by krylon

i then distressed it to look old with a little rubbing alcohol,

and etched the front of it with the words

"once upon a time" and the flourish wreath around it

i LOVE how it turned out!

i made the tiniest strand of my "fairy lights"

and fashioned a fairy out of paper clay,

dressing her in a most beauteous tutu...

the theatre

is actually a secondhand jewelry box

that i transformed with my Annie Sloan paints:)

i sewed silvery, sparkle tulle

along with more of the fabric i used on my fairies tutu

for my theatre's curtains...

and here in the land of odds,

a crown is simply a must!!

i am so delighted with how it all came together

and now i have a fairy theatre of my very own:)

wouldn't it be fabulous to attend a fairy theatre convention??!!

this will be my last post of the year

so i wish all of my dear readers

a happiest new year!!

sharing this with:

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

The Charm of Home's: Home Sweet Home

here's to fairyland and a happiest new year!

...wishing you a most joyous heart...

2011-12-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

...may your hearts be full of wonder

and your days be wrapped in love...

and each and every moment

contain such ethereal delights

of your hearts desire...

~ merriest christmas dear ones ~

and

a happiest new year!!

here is to a most joyous heart this christmas!

...an angel at my christmas table

2011-12-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

...hello dear hearts!

soon,

it will be christmas eve

this week,

i have been preparing a most elegant table,

for my little family's christmas week...

this angel resides at our table this year...

i can almost hear her sing:

glor-ooor-ia

inexelcious-dao...

see her tiny crystal crown?!

and her beautiful silver glittered wings??

she was a christmas gift from my dear mia...

the color of her skirt

matched my chair bows...

~ serendipity ~

she was meant to be here!

beautiful paperwhites and white tulips in bloom...

a "snowflake" themed table

full of delights...

it is my most favorite table

i have put together at christmas time...

ever!

i adore the crochet snowflake tablecloth

given to me long ago from my mom...

all of my pretties have been lovingly placed

at each individual place setting...

using the best of what i have

for this most joyous time of year

these are my favorite bavarian dishes

with ruffled, silver edges...

white linen napkins with a rose pattern

and for each place setting ~

i made one of these mary plaques

and dusted them with clear glass glitter...

this year,

my daughter took a "woods" class

and made me a tool box!

i painted it with my annie sloan paint

and added a stenciled wreath to each side

then i planted my flower bulbs in it...

she received an A+ for this project

from her teacher,

and a giant hug from me:)

a treasure for years to come...

lovely silk wrapped candles

and the most loveliest shade of blue crystal glasses

for a cup of christmas cheer!

and these beautifully etched glasses

for sparkling water...

i sprinkled the entire table with these diamond gems

for even more glam!

(you know how i adore more sparkle!)

and even adorned our chairs

with these fabulous bows...

also wrapping white felt snowflake garlands

around the tops...

and added a twinkling white star...

i wanted luxury,

so each chair has a faux fur pillow

added to them...

i found them at target

and removed 2/3rds of their stuffing

now they are "just right"

LOL!!

I LOVE THEM!!!

crochet snowflakes dangle from the chandelier...

and look lovely ~

day

night!

as well as at the slider door windows...

this snowflake bunting flutters all around

when the heater turns on

~ magical ~

i have so enjoyed putting this table together

for my beloveds this year

and anticipate the moments we create together

all weekend long,

as we celebrate the birth of our Lord...

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

oh!

what a celebration it will be:)

sharing this post with:

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

Ivy and Elephant's: What's it Wednesday

Between Naps on the Porch's: Tablesacape Thursday

here's to wishing all of you,

a most blessed and joyous christmas week!

...oh christmas tree ~ oh christmas tree ~ how lovely are your branches!

2011-12-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

...hello, hello dear ones!!

i'm taking a short break from making
my christmas "soul cakes"

to share, my snow dusted tree this year...

as i have lots o' pictures

i won't be saying much

mostly just sharing a few links...

i sooo wanted a flocked tree this year

but most of the trees out there were

#1 ~ too big and tooo large

and #2 ~ ahh, $300 is a bit much!

my christmas trees are different

each and every year.

i figure,

we only have so many christmases in our lifetime,

so why make every tree the same year after year??!

so, i set out to find some white tree flocking...

i wanted a snow dusted look.

and that is exactly what i got!

here is where i found my tree flocking

~ WHITE TREE FLOCKING ~

don't be intimidated!!

YOU can do this too!

i used 1 pound of white bonding flock

and two Martha Stewart glitter jars of iridescent glitter...

LOVE how it turned out!!

now, for the embellishing...

a rhinestone pretty from Michelle

~ Petite Michelle Louise ~

to which i added the most exquisite lace ruffle around...

it has tiny beads and sequins and silver threads

so ethereal

and a paper ruffle frill to this one...

(also from petite michelle louise)

and this one...

~ sigh ~

these next few pretties are from Rhonda

of A Little Bit French at

~ Paris Gal 56 ~

all three of us kindred hearts

were drawn to this lovely image this year...

so pretty hanging on the branches....

doves that carry iridescent bubbles of wishes...

vintage blue velvet flower lights.

i was sad they didn't fit in the light strand sockets on this tree

but they are still very blu-eautiful...

HA!!

i'm blamin' those "drunken sour cherries"

in the "soul cakes"!!

tiny glass bells

as one can never

have too many sets of angel wings

in this wonderful life:)

satin covered ones...

there are delicate strands of angel hair on my tree too.

did you know that it is actually spun glass??

i never realized that until this year!!

and Mother Mary with baby Jesus...

the reason for the season in our home

and that is my snow dusted christmas tree!

thanks for dropping by!

i hope you are having lots of merriement in your hearts!

now,

i really must get back to making those cakes:)

sharing this with:

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

The Charm of Home's: Home Sweet Home

here's to lovely snow dusted branches!

...an angel for annabelle

2011-12-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

...whew!

this morning i thought i was lost

FOREVER!!

nooo,

not me personally

per say

(although, to be honest, i am at times...)

but my blog,

and all the contents therein!!

apparently "google"

is now "google plus"

and wants everyone to plus up!!

lol!!

whew...

did this happen to any of you??!!

enough of that!!

back to today's post ~

"an angel for annabelle"

sometimes, some things are just

serendipitous...

as in,

they were just meant to be

this dollie

was just that!

i found her in my travels one day

(ie. thrifting)

or should i say,

SHE found me:)

i fell in love with her straight away!

so i brought her home,

and assesed what needed to be done.

well first,

her gauzy gown was in need of a wash

so i carefully removed it,

hand washed it in lavender suds

and hung it up to dry...

then i got to work

giving this dear dollie

a new life:)

first,

i "A.S.ed" her face and hands

(annie sloaned)

oh yes i did!!

and the whole time i was doing it

i kept saying to myself

can i do this??

well,

yes!

i think i can...

in fact,

i'm sure i can!!

(i felt like willy wonka, i tell ya')

then,

i added bits of lace to her gown...

i loved how she was beginning to come alive again!!

and i think she did too:)

for i swear i thought i heard her whisper

"may i have a crown please??"

and you know how i love my crowns!

so i waved my magic wand and

wha-la!

a crown!!

AND

a pair of wings!

AND

a pair of lace ballerina slippers...

you don't have to ask me twice for fairytale sprinkles!!

LOTS O' SPINKLES please!

i was delighted!!

now here is the serendipity part...

the texture i used on these pictures today,

is Kim Klassen's.

but i betcha' can't guess what she calls it??!

ANNABELLE

get out!! no way!!

yep!

it's true

and that is how i know that she was just meant to be...

an angel for annabelle

(yes, that is my mom!)

sharing this post with:

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

Ivy and Elephant's: What's it Wednesday

here's to NOT having my blog deleted

and to finding an angel!

..a touch of christmas magic

2011-12-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

...hello girlies!

i've been decorating the land of odds with

magic and Christmas cheer!

today, i am sharing my front entrance table with you

i have been busy painting my world with the Annie Sloan chalk paints

one piece at a time!

you may remember this table before

from my ~ autumns entrance post ~

it was lovely,

but i had outgrown the buttercream color

and so

i fearlessly painted it!

i have enjoyed every step of it's makeover...

especially,

added the little flourishes

here, i have added a wreath flourish to each side,

using the Martha Stewart stencils that i have used in the past

the drawer in the front...

even a tiny side detail to each side towards the back

the bottom shelf detail

LOVE the look of the waxed paint

it has such a satin sheen to it and feels so nice to the touch!

next,

i've finished working on this project

inspired by the lovely nordic candelabra's

that can be found on the pages of the Jeanne d'Arc magazines

i have never come across one

and thought it to be a wishful fancy

UNTIL...

dear Sandy showed us all how

it was possible to make one of our very own

check out her fabulous tutorial

~ HERE ~

i wanted one that was unique to my eye

so i incorporated things that i love,

using her tutorial as a guideline

i used things like lace, silk, vintage smoke gray crystals,

silver glass glitter, and rhinestones

gotta have the sparkly!!

i placed my finished candelabra atop an "angel cloth" table runner

that i made most especially for my newly painted table

and of course wrapped each of my candles,

ballerina style in silk ribbons.

before i placed my candles into the holders,

i tucked a piece of lace,

then a paper candy liner

(to protect my lace from the melting wax)

and then my candlestick

lovely!

Sandy made lily paper flowers for hers.

but again,

i wanted something unique to me

so i made my paper flowers ~

"paperwhites"!

LOL!!

nothing says Christmas to me like paperwhites and white tulips

and my home is filled with them around this time of year

soooo,

what better flower to design for my nordic candelabra??

and you know how much i adore some sparkle

so i glass glittered the centers of my

paper paperwhites...

and while i had my glitter out,

i added it to my holly berries too!

that's just the kind of thing you can expect to see,

here,

in the land of odds...

to glam up my holly plants,

i first tucked them into a plastic baggie

to allow me to water them and not make a mess.

then i used 3 white coffee filters in a tulip fashion, to cover the ugly green pots.

i then secured a pretty crochet doily around the coffee filters

and tied them off with one of my

white silk prayer ribbons

i had two fabulous silver cups

that have a crystal embellished stems

that were just the perfect vessels for my

glam-med up holly plants!

ta-da!!!

an elegant angel hangs on the front drawer knob

keeping watch over the tiny white town below...

i really can't say

what possessed me to buy this little white town at the thrift store one day

i imagined someones dear grandmother

lovingly making it while she anticipated the delight

on one of her grandchildren faces when they saw them!

there is even a little, tiny bell in the schoolhouse!

i placed my little town on a mirrored tray...

i bedecked my swan too!

she wears a sparkle crown

and carries a lit pine garland...

above the top of my entrance table,

hang 5 gorgeous ostrich plumes

that flutter about so gracefully when you open the front door

that concludes the front entrance tour:)

i hope you have enjoyed another look inside my home

as i fluff it up for Christmas:)

and perhaps were inspired with a few of these pretties!

sharing this post with:

Faded Charm's: White Wedneday

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday
French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday
Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday
2805's: Potpourri Friday
The Charm of Home's: Home Sweet Home
Ivy and Elephant's: What's it Wednesday

here's to a lovely entrance!

...angel cloth

2011-12-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

...hello enchanted ones!

would you like to see what angel cloth looks like?

did you know that there was such a thing?

i didn't!

and i have worked around fabrics all of my adult life...

i studied textiles in college

and even managed a Jo-Ann Fabrics store, once upon a time.

fabrics have somehow,

always been a part of my life in some way or another.

every year,

when making out my christmas list,

i try to always create a most special gift

for my dearest, bestest friend

who also just so happens to be my mom,

(absolutely no pressure there!)

a gift,

unique and one of a kind

a gift,

that is spun from my soul

and that is the best part of who i am....

this year,

my muse has delighted in making what i like to call,

angel cloth!

it has taken me weeks to gather all of my supplies

of the most beautiful fibers you could imagine

from all over the world!

silk, lace, wool fibers, crystals, pearls

the technique i used is known as "nuno felting"

and

o d

k e

it is like working with cotton candy...

delicate, ethereal and light

layer upon beautiful layer

it is not a creative project for the faint of heart

but,

a labor of love...

i was so intimidated by the process

that it took me two weeks just to read and re-read

and then read again, all that was involved!

i tentatively took the plunge and gave it all that i had!

and now,

well ~

now,

i. am. transfixed upon it!

it has captured my creative heart

and i feel like the dancing girl in the red shoes...

LOL!!

it is like a nuno felting factory in my studio...

and in the kitchen

and in the hallways...

i can't stop!!

can you blame me?

isn't it just oh-sooooo-lovely??!!

i love the strands of silk fibers running through the wool.

and you know how i simply adore embellishing things full tilt,

so hand sewing tiny sparkling crystals,

glistening rhinestones,

dreamy pearls and iridescent sequins

were not out of the ordinary for this angel cloth!

noooo sir-reee!

my muse has caught me by surprise with this endeavor

and i couldn't be more thrilled!

what you are viewing in this post is a scarf

and a wrist cuff adornment...

i am mesmerized at the softness of them

they are lighter than air...

i wonder if angel's ethereal gowns could be made from cloth such as this?!?!

hhhhmmmmmm....

i still have some silk and wool fiber left,

what do you think i should make next???

perhaps a bowl,

to stash my nuno fibers in?

i would be interested to hear your thoughts...

sharing this post with:

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

here's to spun angel cloth!

...scents of christmas...or...dear Martha...

2011-11-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

...ah yes

the wondrous scents of Christmas time!!

fresh pine...

warm cookies...

or gingerbread to be more exact!

every year,

i am bound and determined to make a gingerbread house

and every year,

guess what

yep!

not a ginger house to be found in my home

well

not this year...

okay

granted,

i did not bake these from scratch...

as all of you,

i have many,

MANY things on my Christmas "to do" list

so,

i took a little help from "those" kits that are out there.

you know the ones!

these are the results...

i bought 2 kits from Target

* the gingerbread mini village

and

* the pre-built gingerbread house kit

i tossed ALL of the candies inside

(yuck!!)

and keep only the white icing and coconut shreds

i did pull out a few of my pretty baking supplies

(yes! i LOVE baking pretty too!!)

silver dragees

and

sparkling white sanding sugar where all that was required

then i assembled my town

very simply...

pure, clean and white!

it couldn't be any easier than coloring in the lines

everything is pre-stamped where to lay your icing.

i wanted a ginger church so bad

and look for one HIGH and lo

but ~

yah no!

so i consoled myself

with making a steeple out of one of the tiny village houses

lol!!

i sawed my ginger walls with a serrated edge knife

to be able to etch a V shape out to fit on my roof...

what's a little ginger dust??!

once complete, i piped out an icing cross.

sure, you can still see where a window was supposed to be

but

from across the room

none the wiser!

as i was making these

i got to thinking of writing a letter to Martha

it would sound something like this:

dear Martha,

please, Please, PLEASE

design a gingerbread house kit

as only YOU could!

Filled with elegant shaped lines and clear candy windows.

~ and if you please,

a few, little tiny cellophane bags filled with silver dragees,

wisps of cotton candy for smoke stacks,

and iridescent sugar for the rooftops.

I'd be ever so grateful

and HAPPILY pay the price of such a kit!

For there are no others

who bring us lovely, quality creating items

to embellish our worlds with.

I thank you for that,

and hope that next year,

I am putting together a ginger house

sincerely,

Rosemary

what do you think??

would she read it?

i know,

i won't hold my breath...

but a girl can dream

and even ask Santa!

LOL!!!

they do smell wonderful,

would you like to smell them??

come close

closer...

closer my dear!

yum

you want a cookie now, don't you??

or maybe you were thinking about Hansel and Gretal?!

hahahahhha!!

no worries my dears,

no wicked witch lives in my ginger houses!!

sharing this post with

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

here's to the scents of Christmas and Martha!

...sparkling and shining ~ and the dreamy giveaway winner reveal!

2011-11-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

...hello my lovelies!

i can't believe that Thanksgiving week is already upon us

whew!
there are only so many little moments in a day
i tell ya'

that's why today's post will be short and sweet
for there are pies to bake
and sparkling and shining to do!

but lookie, lookie what found it's way to me last week!!!!

~ an ethereal feathered crown ~

did you know that fairies have a weakness for crowns??

yep'

it's true!

so when i spied this beauty, with my little eye

i actually looked around to see if i was being "punked"

lol!!

i immediately envisioned a beautiful ballerina wearing it

and like to think that perhaps she wore it in a ballet production

hhhmmmmm....

maybe

"Swan Lake"

i am delighted to add it to my crown collection :)

now with the wave of my wand

i must be off

to sparkle and shine my home for my beloveds

i hope all of you dear readers,

have a Happiest Thanksgiving!

sharing this short post with:
Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

ha!
bet you thought i forgot, didn't you?!
nahhhh,
i wouldn't do that.

and now for the dreamy giveaway winner...

thank you to all who played along!
everyone of you is special
and i wish all of you could have a prize
but

random number generator says that this time
it is # 14

congratulations dear ~ Sandi ~
you have won the dreamy giveaway:)
please contact me with your address
so that i may ship off your pretties!

~

wishing each and everyone of you a most grateful and delicious Thanksgiving!

...a coat to really fa-la-la-la-in love with!!

2011-11-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

...i have a slight confession...

i have a thing for lovely overcoats...

and

perusing the Anthropologie catalogs.

although, that is not where i spend my shiny pennies

(they don't take shiny pennies, only crisp $100 dolla' billa's!)

((ha!))

but none the less

i adore Anthropologie's romantic spin on clothing

they inspire me

one day thrifting,

i came across this wool coat.

not really a head turner i know,

but i loved the heathered oatmeal and cream color combination

and the simplicity of it...

yep

nothing fancy,

just a nice ~

i don't care,

kick around in it,

warm coat

it was also just my size

(that rarely happens! it's either too small or too big)

and truth be told ~ i don't like heavy coats

no sirree

(heavy makes me tired!)

but i knew i needed something warm for the winter

as this year is said to be bitterly cold

(just the thought of jack frost nippin' at my nose makes me shutter)

so the fact that this coat is 100% wool,

was perfect!

it is lightweight enough,

and the wool will serve me well

and wrap me in warmth...

after i had it dry cleaned

i brought it home and viewed it for awhile...

viewing ~ viewing ~ viewing

(say this while singing the tune "rawhide")

you know

"rolling, rolling, rolling,

keep those doggies rolling"

anywho...

after many pondering passes

it hit me!

ROSES!!

it needed

LOTS and LOTS

of roses!!

but not just ANY kind of roses

i wanted cashmere ones!!

(hey, just 'cause there's shiny pennies in my pocket,

doesn't mean i don't appreciate a few finer things!!)

so thrifting i again went.

i was on a mission...

now,

you would think that any oatmeal and cream sweater would do

but ~ ya' no!!

there are 101 shades of them out there

so i had to be patient.

it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack

i tell ya'

but perseverance does pay off

i found 3 perfectly colored, 100% cashmere sweaters!

TA-DA!!

3 sweaters gave me 44 roses

...it took me three days of snipping and sewing

but aren't the divine??!

my coat rather seems to think so!

each rose was hand sewn in love

and attached down the front of my Anthro inspired coat.

no scraps were wasted,

i used them to make leaves...

there is not much that bespeaks romance

quite so much as roses...

i am most certain,

that this coat will keep me wrapped beautifully in warmth

for a few seasons to come

and it will still be my ~ kick around in ~ coat

i have no worries if i were to, let's say,

spill a drop or two

of my favorite holiday treat,

a salted carmel latte, on it,

for they are the same color!!

as i bounce around town this year,

gathering treasures for my dear loved ones and friends,

you just may hear me humming the tune...

'tis the season to be jolly

Fa la la la la, la la la la

(with foam on my lip!)

Don we now our gay apparel

FA - LA - LA

LA - LA - LA

la - la...

LAAAAAA!!!

oh well, at least i am happy:)

sharing this post with:

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

Vintage Farmhouse's: Creative Things Thursday

and don't forget to enter my dreamy giveaway
~ HERE ~

here's to being snuggley buggley ~ beautifully!!

...a pair of wings

2011-11-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

...hello my dears!

i hope this post finds you all joyful

and dreaming of

the happiest holiday's ever!

i have been like a ping pong ball this week ~

all over the place

in my studio creating a few pretties...

packing up boxes for our impending move??

strategically planning the next few months

you know...just living life!

one of the things on my ~

"if i do nothing else, i just have to do this list"

this year,

were ethereal angel wings...

i have literally been trying to get to these for years

ever since i first laid eyes on them in my first jeanne d'arc christmas book

i have desired a vintage pair

but they are few and far between

so to create a few pairs this year,

has been my top priority!

i set out to make 8 pairs...

out of which

2 have already been spoken for

this pair however,

is the next pair that is will be available

in my etsy shop

i will list each one as i finish them.

hopefully finishing all remaining pairs

no two will be alike but they will all be beautiful...

when i started,

i envisioned how the french nun's

would have perhaps designed them for the Christmas pageants every year

and wondered if they were giddy with excitement

to create such things as a pair of angel wings!

gathering precious bits of beautiful lace and gossamer gauze...

bending and twisting the wire into wing shapes

and then, very lovingly,

hand sewing all these beautiful materials into

a pair of wings

i pondered if they quietly sang hymns of holiness,

infusing more into these wings than just what meets the eye...

perhaps ~

a sprinkle of enlightenment and joy went into them too?!

i know that i have enjoyed making them,

taking my time as i too,

lovingly stitch on the most beautiful lace bits i could get my hands on,

smiling to myself, as i whispered the words of "silent night, holy night"

but,

more than that,

they have somehow inspired me to keep my heart real this season

and to float above all the entrapment's of the "holiday's"

and all the hustle and bustle...

don't get me wrong

i know i will still be hustlin' and bustlin'

but

my Christmas wish came early this year

for my heart is already filled with such joy and peace!

i guess you could say

that i have been touched by an angel!

now,

i wonder if one of these pairs of wings will fit me??!

ha!

i think our church's "Christmas pageants angel" position

has already been filled!!

no worries though,

if you hear any carolers outside your window this year

i'll be the one with a pair of wings on :)

sharing this angel wing post with:

My Shabby Streamside's: Vintage Holiday Decor

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

here's to angel wings!

...cloud nine and a dreamy giveaway!

2011-11-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

...hello again girlie's!

i'm so glad you came by for a visit today

b
e
c
a
u
s
e

today ~

is giveaway time!!

oh yeah!

happy dance!!

but first,

i would like to share this weeks creative project

"cloud nine"

(geesh! there's always a catch somewhere!)

weeks ago,

i came across a lovely blog called ~ Dear Lillie ~

and immediately fell in love with her ~ "silent night, holy night" ~ pillows

the problem was

the color of the pillows and their script

wasn't what i had in mind for my "holiday theme" this year

i was going for more of a snow covered cottage feel

but i adored the concept of the throw pillows and the frilly, scroll script

so ~ i set off to find an alternative...

and to what should my wandering eyes appear??!

why,

fabulous frilly text
that i found right
~ HERE ~!

~ silent night text ~

~ holy night text ~

THRILLED with my success,

i then designed two pillows of my very own to put them on.

i used a cotton/linen sheet that had a fabulous crochet lace detail

that i incorporated into these covers

i made my throw pillows, envelope style, a very simple cover to make...

in WHITE!!!

love it!!

they are exactly what i had envisioned for our family room this holiday season

and yes, they're washable!!

(hey, just because i live with white covers

doesn't mean i deny myself hot mocha's!!)

now ~

my "silent night ~ holy night" theme

is echoed throughout the room

and i am on cloud nine...

~ sigh ~

~ so how 'bout it?

are you good and ready

to hear about my "dreamy giveaway"??!!

well,

might any of you

be interested

in one of these

hhhmmmmm??!!

an ethereal dream catcher of your very own?!

or might i also interest you,

in one of my favorite "create it" books?!

if you adore Jeanne d'Arc style

you would LOVE this book!

the pages are the beautiful heavy, matte print

as it was printed in the UK

oh yah, baby!!

there are many, MANY swoon worthy projects

contained in this most delightful book i tell ya'!!

for just about every where in your home...

using pretties all of us already collect

such as linen, doilies, crystals, silver...

you get the picture

oh-so-pretty!!

decoupaged crystals...

lace wrapped candle jars...

OH! the fabulousness that is contained within

trust me,

YOU. WANT. TO. POSSES. THIS. BOOK!!

so here's the scoop,

if you would like

to enter this dreamy giveaway ~
and win this beauteous dream catcher and lovely book

simply leave me a comment on this post

optional:

if you would like an extra chance(s) to win:

* let me know if you are a follower

(even if you are a new follower)
* let me know if you blogged about it
*let me know if you posted the giveaway link button on your sidebar

* let me know if you post this giveaway to any of your social networking sites

facebook, pinterest, and or twitter etc

PLEASE
leave a separate comment for each extra option

so random generator can count each chance

giveaway ends November 21st at midnight

winner will be chosen by random.org
and winner will be announced on tuesday, November 22nd
**GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED **

good luck:)

sharing this giveaway post with:
My Shabby Streamside's: Vintage Holiday Decor

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

Vintage Farmhouse's: Creative Things Thursday

here's to a dreamy ending!

...the first snowfall

2011-11-08T14:20:00.000-08:00

...yes

it is true!

it is that time of year again,

when you could be covered by

a blanket of snow at any time

the first of the season is always the best.

always the most beautiful.

and always the most sparkliest!

last week, i showed you my silent night/holy night mirror.

this week, i've been putting together the table beneath it.

and adding ~ first snow ~ magic to our family room...

my candelabra

decorated with paper feathers, crystals

and silk wrapped candles

see my beautiful santos?

doesn't she look cold??!

not to worry

i've been working on her skirt and crown.

although they aren't ready yet,

but i am using a nuno felting technique

and i fear after i am done with here skirt and crown,

i made need one for me!

they are that lovely!!

a vignette in front of my fireplace...

notice the ruffly curtain there?

behind it is our tv ~

out of sight!!

beautiful lace candles i have been creating...

and there is my olive tree:)

behind that curtain are books...

here is the table beneath my mirror

this week i have been trying out my Annie Sloan chalk paint

i LOVE her paint!!

on this table, i used french linen as the base

and then painted over that with a color i call marshmallow

which is 2 parts of the bright white with 1 part of old white.

after it was all dry, i sanded it a little to let the french linen show.

then i waxed it

oh my is it smooth and lovely!

i stash my pretty tablecloths in baskets beneath this table,

utilizing precious storage space.

here is a stencil flourish i added...

i love how it turned out!

the color is just gorgeous.

and when i found this velvet fabric panel thrifting one day,

i knew it would make a perfect runner.

do you think i added too many ruffles??

now for the top vignette

my jeanne d'arc style spin...

mary, an arched mirror and a cross

a large glass hurricane candle

filled with real swan feathers,

a length of my wired pearls twisted around the top

and one of petite michelle's pretties hanging in the front:)

my "nordic" candle holder

candle wrapped in silk

oohhh so pretty!

and a mercury glass cake stand

draped with these lovely treasures!

sigh...

well, that's all for this white wednesday!

come see what other inspiring ideas are over at

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

My Shabby Streamside Studio's: Holiday Decor Showcase

here's to the first snowfall!

...step into the light...

2011-11-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

...m. i. a.

(missing in action)

yep

that's me

and

that's about the sum of it!

without all the blah, blah, blah

cause i don't even want to hear it!

we are in a flux in our transition back to Ohio

i'm not sure how, when or where.

everything is up in the air ~

hence my lack of posting.

can we say

d-i-s-t-r-a-c-t-e-d much?

HA!

so what's a girl to do

when her snow globe is all in a flurry???

why,

she must step into the light or course!!

i will walk into the light...

where

upon entering ~

a most graceful hand of friendship has been extended

life's load is always easier to carry with even one more pair of hands...

and i am grateful...

merci dear heart

and because of that grateful heart ~

it is easier to seek the joys in every day

quietly pondering,

as i use my gifts to make pretties to share with all of you...

while i wait for the flurries to clear

for everyone knows that

it is only with a quiet soul

that you can hear the the direction

in which you need to go...

jeanne d'arc style wrapping paper i've been working on while pondering...

(don't look mom!!)

won't packages with this

be lovely with a luscious silk ribbon tied around them?!

walking, walking...

ahhhh yes,

and as i step into the light ~

you may remember seeing these fairy lights in the past

i adore using them all around my home all year long.

but most especially for the holidays!

as who doesn't love some delicate twinkle??

(i do! i do!)

this is a 100 count light set

to which i have added flowers to

in an every other one pattern

using this tutorial found

*HERE*

as a guide line

i then used tiny paper nut liners for the every other "buds"

2 paper cups, per light

just using hot glue around the stem of the each light

twisting the paper liners on

are they not lovely??

they give off such a delightful ethereal glow...

in the coming weeks,

i will be sharing with you

the little touches i am using to decorate my home

for the holidays.

now,

some of you may not want to think about this yet,

but some of the pretties i will be showing you need a little creative time

need to be ordered ahead of time.

so by sharing these things with you now,

you will have plenty of time to decorate when you are ready!

like,

let's say this

"silent night ~ holy night" mirror cling

which just so happens to be my holiday decorating "theme" this year

i LOVE how it turned out!

you can find them

*HERE*

very affordable and

they are very easy to apply!

just look at how much whimsy it added!!

love, Love, LOVE it!!

next week,

i will be revealing my giveaway

(tee, hee)

i will give you a hint

can you say "dreamy"??

see you then!

sharing this post with:

My Shabby Streamside Studio's: Holiday Decor Showcase

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

Vintage Farmhouse's: Creative Things Thursday

here's to stepping into the light!

...fluttering about

2011-10-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

...hello my sweets!

i have fluttered safely back home

and have missed visiting with all of you:)

it may take me a few days to re-calculate

and get back into a rythm

HA!!

in the coming weeks,

i have a few lovely Jeanne d'Arc style holiday pretties

lined up to share with you

and very soon,

a giveaway!

to thank all of you fabulous readers

for joining along

and always showing such support

for my creative heart and soul...

your encouragement means so much

and i am grateful for all of you in this blogging world

especially if you find yourself inspired,

and take the time to comment when you visit here,

in the land of odds!

so stay tuned dear hearts!

sharing this short post with

Faded charm's: White Wednesday

here's to all of you!

...ethereal dream catcher tutorial

2011-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

...to sleep

perchance to dream...

i'm sure you've seen a dream catcher...

they pop up every now and again

R.A.'s shabby chic couture ones are divinely

fab-u-lous

but as i have not found my way to the land of milk and honey

~ YET!

~ HA!! ~

that price sticker is a wee bit steep for me to fork over for one

(not that they aren't worth every penny!)

(i'm just sayin')

so what is a girl to do

to satiate a small desire of her heart

and to perchance

snare a dream in the process???

you know me all to well

YES!

we make one!!

before we do,

shall we explore the actual purpose of a dream catcher?

(just humor me and say, "a-huh"!)

a traditional dream catcher

was intended to protect the sleeping individual from negative dreams,

while letting positive dreams through.

the positive dreams would slip through the holes

and glide down the feathers to the sleeping person below.

negative dreams would get caught up in "the web"

and expire when the first rays of the sun struck them.

sounds like something i could incorporate into my dream land!

and i bet you already have most of what you need,

stashed away somewhere in your studio like i did!

(priceless)

you can use an embroidery hoop

like i have here

(yes, i spry painted mine a matte, sparkly champagne color)

a hoop or circular shape was used

because it symbolized strength and unity

and decorate it with whimsical findings,

you know,

bits and pieces of your everyday life,

for me, that includes feathers, pearls, lace, roses and silk ribbons

but you may have a love for other materials

so this merely a guideline

~ use what YOU love

lacy, crochet doilies are something i have a slight obsession with

so i have a few at my fingertips at all times

so it just seemed natural to use them here

no web weaving required.

whatever size hoop you will be using,

just make sure you doily is slightly larger.

position your doily between the two hoops

when you are happy with it's position,

simply push your two embroidery hoops together.

that is the beauty of using this type of hoop

no fuss, no muss!

see, wasn't that easy?

now for the fun part...

embellishing!!

i tore strips of a white sheet into 1 1/2" wide strips

then hand stamped the word "dreamer" randomly down the length

of my new "ribbon"

to make your own sheet ribbon:

start on the selvage edge, make a snip in your sheet

and tear it all the way down

it's that easy!

as you are playing with "the look" of your dream catcher

it helps to lay your pretty materials on each side

to see what you like and don't like with it

here i added some lace ribbons...

and of course,

some sea silk ribbon!

on the top, i added a rose...

not traditional

but as these are my dreams

i need ethereal blooms!

a swan feather with the word "beauty" hand stamped upon it

gets tucked beneath my rose bloom

and a few downy feathers are attached along each side

along with some wired pearl streamers...

when you are pleased with your selections,

simply tie them together and then tie them onto each side

and voila!

an ethereal dream catcher!!

oh-so-lovely!

and with all of your personal pretties incorporated

how could you not have anything but happy, positive dreams

gliding down to you?!

i plan on making a few of these beauties for christmas gifts

as we could all use a little more whimsy dreams,

couldn't we?!

i hope you enjoyed your visit today.

and were inspired to create a dream catcher just for you!

also sharing this post with:

My Shabby Streamside Studio's: Holiday Decor Showcase

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

Vintage Farmhouse's: Creative Things Thursday

here's to sweet dreams!

xoxo

...to be as a mute swan

2011-10-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

...hello out there

to all you dear girlie's!

today's musing is about something close to my heart

a beautiful swan

i have several of these ethereal creatures

adorning my home

their elegant presence,

inspires me to always be graceful in my everyday life.

next week,

we are traveling back east

in search of our future lovely nest,

truth be told,

i am nervous about those small details...

i am seeking grace.

~to be as a mute swan ~

you never hear her approaching

for she quietly glides across the sparkling water,

facing forward,

a sight to behold,

s-i-l-e-n-t-l-y wise,

always ready to face whatever challenges that lie before her...

oh dear, there is a storm moving in...

but ~

this does not deter her,

and she continues to glide.

unwavering.

calm.

even when the wind sends out it's worst howls

and tries it's very best to blow her away from her chosen path,

she wades,

feet pedaling,

head strong,

quietly ~ gliding along...

that old, nasty wind will have a piece of her, regardless!

and whisks away a few of her precious plumes

but still,

the mute swan continues on...

never lashing out,

although, so very close to tears.

she struggles on

believing that just beyond her sights

there is a peaceful place to rest...

she only has to trust in her inner strength

with all her might.

ravaged by the fierce storm,

she clings to the gentle voice that woes her on...

"be still, and know that I am"

glide on

oh beautiful one...

you inspire me so...

to be as a mute swan during a difficult storm is not easy ~

i wonder what wisdom she would impart

if i were to humbly ask...

as the Sonshine

grows more apparent

i realize ~ as she gazes my way,

she has already imparted her wisdom

without ever speaking...

i am ashamed of my own disbelief at times,

i lower my head

and beneath my feet

are a few of her beautiful plumes

carried to shore by those once turmoiled waters...

i bend down to gather a few,

upon further inspection,

i can surmise that these feathers

never went under water during that storm,

but merely floated upon the top of the water.

that beautiful swan was made to ~ float!!

how magnificent is that detail, i ask you??!

as i make my way home,

swan plumes in hand

i hear ~

"so do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself"

just

"be still, and know that I am!"

sharing today's musing with

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

here's to gliding along!

...sheer whimsy

2011-10-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

...hello my dears!

how would you fancy a cup of tea with me and a petite tale??

yes?!

why splendid!

please, come sit right over here

at a special reserve table

most especially for you!!

as you smell this most lovely intoxicating fleur ~

magical things start to appear all around you...

don't be surprised if you should gaze upon

a lace winged butterfly fluttering by

they light to dance upon the lacy napkin edges!

and how absolutely enchanting

it would be

if you were able

to see a fairy or two!

as these are just a few of the things you may see in the land of odds...

shall i light your candle??

everyone knows there is something magical about candlelight glow

perhaps it is the soft flickering light that entrances us...

i am not sure

but,

have you ever seen a moon glow candle??

the fairies bring me just one

every year, they like to trade for some beautiful silk ribbons...

ah yes,

tea by moon glow is something very special indeed!

aren't you delighted that you stopped by?!

everywhere you turn

magic is present

wings...sparkly bling...

it's all here ~

waiting for you to discover!

and not to worry when your tea is finished

~ in the land of odds

you will always have an open seat upon your return:)

and that is the end of my very short tale!

sharing this whimsy post with

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

here's to a magical cup of tea!

...my fairytale olive tree ~ a tutorial

2011-09-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

...hello sweets!!

i have been in the mind-set of "re-locating" this week

~ i am at the beginning stages of it

lots-o'-reflecting time

and although i am not usually one to panic,

i believe someone has hit that button!

it has kinda been like looking up the side of mount Kilimanjaro

and thinking to yourself,

"i'm supposed to climb up THAT????

aaahhhh

surely you jest!"

lol!

okay

maybe it's not that bad...

but there are a LOT of details that need to fall into place,

and a peace of mind sure sounds good to me right about now!!

and you know what?

it is true what they say ~

be careful for what you ask for!!

'cause you just might get it!!

(stay with me, this post gets better!!)

this is what i have been creating in the studio this week

~ my fairytale olive tree ~

i have been thinking ahead for the holiday's

as we are set to move around the end of the year

(didn't ask for that, just how it's shaping up to be!)

so in trying to prepare for the festivities NOW,

i made a list of things i'd like to create.

on the top of my list was

dah-dah-dun

(suspense sound!)

an olive tree!

as i am constantly dreaming upon the pages of Jeanne d'Arc Living magazines,

i couldn't help but notice

that photo after photo,

there is always an olive tree or a rosemary plant!

and as i have alllll the "rosemary" i need

ha,ha!!

it was an olive tree that i desired for my very own

but alas,

there were none to be found...

so i looked online...

ahhhh

yah ~ no!

not going to spend upwards of $80 - $ 150 for a plant

and a silk plant to boot!!

so you know me,

i simply made one instead!

and you can too!

sooooooo easy i tell ya'!

you may want to make a few:)

perhaps for holiday gifts?!?!

so without further ado

here is my "fairytale olive tree" tutorial

* supplies needed *

~ lovely urn to suit your fancy

~ an urn decorative adornment

~ liquid nails to glue on urn adornment

~ 3 olive branches from Michael's Craft Store

(see below)

~ 1/8th yard of lace yardage

~ silver glass glitter

(if you're going for the fairytale look!)
~ 1 graceful Mary paper doll

~ a roll of florist tape

~ paint for your olive trunk and olives

(2 complimentive colors)

~ paint brush

~ mod podge OR elmer's "no run" school glue

~ toothpicks

i started with my urn adornment

i found a few of these fabulous rusty metal decorations at "Tuesday Morning's"

they were in the Christmas ornaments section

and two were sandwiched together on one ornament

i wanted the back part flay to go against my urn, so i pulled them apart

which made it much easier to shape and bend

against the contours of my urn

then i glued it onto my urn with liquid nails glue

which, by the way,

would you believe that

i found my urn at the thrift store!!

from the moment i spied it with my little eyes

i was taken with it's awesome texture

and knew that someday, i would find the perfect place for it in the land of odds!

LOVE IT!!

here is the info on the olive branches from Michael's

they are in the "Mediterranean" collection

and the day i purchased them

they were on sale for 1/2 off

(Michael's was the only place i could find ANY olive stems what-so-ever

but you may be able to find them elsewhere in your area))

this is what the olives look like

but being that orange doesn't go with anything in my home,

i painted the orange ones with

folkart's "mushroom" color

once they were dry,

i took off the painted olives

so i could cover them in lace!

hence the "fairytale" olive begins

as i have never seen a lacy olive

have you??

i poured a little mod podge (or glue) over the lace that i had cut into squares

i then enveloped each olive into a square of lace

and then tied each one at the top with gossamer, silver thread strands

~ as, i am part crow and like some sparkle!

this was a little messy because your fingers get covered in the glue,

so keep a wet rag handy to occasionally wash off your fingers.

are they not lovely lacy olives??!

next, i removed the darker green olives from my stems

leaving only the black ones left for contrast

and placed them on the ends of a toothpicks

so that i could paint on the mod podge (or glue)

and dust them with more fairytale magic ~

silver glass glitter!!!

i. love. this. stuff.

it makes anything you put it on ~ instant glam!

notice how i said "dusted"

i still wanted parts of the olive's color to peek out from beneath the glitter.

to accomplish this ~

simple hold your olive that has glue on it

over a bowl and sprinkle on the glitter,

twirling the toothpick around as you sprinkle.

(as opposed to dipping the olive into the glitter

which would give your olive a heavier coat of glitter)

let these sparkly olives dry on wax paper

while you assemble your olive trunk.

to assemble your trunk,

grasp all three olive stems tightly

and begin twisting the florist tape around and around

working your way down the stems

all the way to the bottom.

i wrapped my stems up and down a total of 5 times for two reasons

one ~ to secure the three stems together

and two ~ to give my olive trunk some thickness

when my trunk was completely wrapped

i painted it with the "mushroom" color i used on the olives

when that coat was dry,

i brushed the Martha Stewart paint color "lake fog" over the first coat in random places

using your paint very lightly to give some variance in colors as a tree trunk would be

let dry.

then i used one of my hand dyed, sea silk ribbons

to wrap my olive trunk in a ballerina slipper fashion

to add romance and whimsy in an unexpected place

and since this fairytale olive tree was Jeanne d'Arc inspired,

i attached one of my Graceful Mary paper dolls at the bow

to place your new olive tree into your urn

use a piece of florist oasis foam

fit it snuggly into the bottom of your urn and then

slip your olive trunk into the foam.

i then covered mine with tiny gravel

for a realistic effect and to help support the trunk and to keep it in place

i adore how my fairytale olive tree turned out!

and am charmed by the meaning behind the olive tree!

did you know that

olive trees originally grew by the sea

(well, that explains my draw towards it!!)

and over the years, the olive has been the symbol of peace,

wisdom, glory, fertility, power and pureness.

AND

the olive tree and olives are mentioned over 30 times in the Bible?!

it is one of the first plants mentioned in the Bible,

and one of the most significant.

it was an olive leaf that a dove

brought back to Noah to demonstrate that the flood was over!

so my dears,

the only thing left to say is:

peace be with you!

sharing this tutorial with:

My Shabby Streamside Studio's: Holiday Decor Showcase

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

i hope you have enjoyed this fairytale olive tree tutorial

and are inspired to make one for your very own!

here's to fairytale whimsies!