...Mary's May flower crown

 

 

...hello again dear hearts!

 

earlier this month, i had a gentle urge 

 to make a floral crown for my Mary statue.

 

~ and as it sometimes occurs,

the topic arose as i was conversing with a dear customer

about this desire.

imagine my delight when she told me that in the month of May,

that (in the Catholic Church)

the Virgin Mary is honored  as "the Queen of May"!

 

how apropos...

 

 

 

 

here a few photo's of my Mary's May flower crown...

 

 

 

 

i adore how the fresh, spring green background looks

as a back drop to her white crown and lace veil.

 

 

 

 

there was an interesting, ancient brick fence

at the location i chose...

i admire the decaying beauty of it all.

 

 

 

 

i could hardly believe my eyes

 when i saw the above photo up on the screen,

as the lighting of the sun that day

caught the camera just so...

can you detect a golden halo around her head??

i just had to add a faint lace accent to it...

:)

 

 

 

 

more ancient loveliness...

 

 

 

 

O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,

Queen of the Angels and Queen of May!

 

 

 

 

~adore~ this shot,

 

Mary and a mini crystal chandie :)

 

 

 

 

i always look forward to the spring flowers

as they are so short lived.

i try an capture a glimpse of their beauty

for those long winter days!

 

and like many of you ~

one of my favorite flowers are lilacs...

 

 

 

 

they smell

h-e-a-v-e-n-l-y!!!!

 

wouldn't you agree?!

 

 

 sharing this post with:

common ground's: be inspired friday

french country cottage's: feathered nest friday

my romantic home's: show and tell friday

 

 

 

 

here's to May flowers!

 

...things of fairy dust, decorating and silver linings

...hello dear readers

sometimes in life,

i find it useful,

to carry a few shiny bits of magic around with me

for those occasional moments,

that sneak up and try to steal my joy away!

aaahhh ~

yah no!

"NOT today!!"

i say, as i toss a bit of fairy dust in the air!

this is my mantel

~ i put up a grey linen/vintage bit of irish lace backdrop

because,

long pause......

deep breath

(and even then, i hesitate to tell you)

but

this is just our temp abode!!

(yes, we are seeking a house ~ STILL!)

so needless to say,

if i had my druthers

(does anyone say this anymore??!)

 my wall colors would be more along this line...

as we are only here until july-ish,

i have no extra energy to paint it!

(what's that you say??)

((you think i'm a nomad??!!))

(((yes,

yes my dears,

it IS beginning to appear as such)))

HA!!

but on this journey to my most authentic self,

it is simply a must

A MUST!

i tell you,

to remain open to the twists and turns in life

for i have found,

those turns do have a purpose...

so i adorn my spaces,

for however long,

as best as i can...

with things that i find beauty in,

and fill in the rest with as much love as i am able

i recently read somewhere

something that struck a cord with me

 and made me throw my head back in laughter...

would you like to hear?!

well then,

here.

it.

is.

be the kind of woman

that when your feet hit the floor each morning

the devil says:
"Oh Crap, She's up!"

i know right?

~ AWESOME ~

i read this as the kind of woman i want to be!

which in no means is as a negative woman

but instead,

a woman that is strong in her soul

that knows that with those glorious rainbows

that also,

the storms will come

but

she can deal with it graciously and she won't fall over!!

i believe that at the end of every challenging road,

there stands a silver lining...

if you give up,

you will never see it!

but if you keep on,

you may see a glimpse of heaven...

my heart is broken in many places

and i wouldn't trade it in for a new one if i had too!!

would you?!

i have earned those cracks

and it is my hope

that through those cracks,

you can see a lovely light within me...

and perhaps, my whimsy:)

sharing this post with

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

here's to silver linings!

...French Market Basket Tutorial

...hello, hello!!

i have much to share with you today ~

would you like to see how i turned this ho-hum basket

 

into this

~ French Market Basket ~

???

one of my favorite movies is "A Good Year"

starring Russell Crowe

who wouldn't love a romantic, french winery setting??

I can imagine using this basket, in town, at the local farmers market

or

taking it along if i were to visit a few of the ancient monasteries

to collect a few of their impeccably made artisan products!!

i know,

i dream BIG!!

lol!!

you will need a few items to duplicate similar results

* a "french market basket" in the rough - purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics

it is part of their craftologies line and actually comes with the wheels

you can either purchase the natural willow or the white willow.

i bought the natural willow

* 4 bottles of "folkart" outdoor opaque paint

 #1618 "burnt umber"

and  3 bottles of "folkart" outdoor opaque paint

# 1610 "wicker white"

i know this sounds like a lot of paint

but, it is a big basket!!

* a larger sized foam sponge brush (love these!)

* a regular paintbrush

this is the ratio of how i mixed my paint:

1 whole bottle of the "burnt umber"

to 1/2 bottle of the "wicker white"

it reminds me of chocolate mousse!

mmmm....chocolate mousse good!!

keep in mind that it will dry darker than you think

start painting on your chocolate mousse brown paint

try to get into all the grooves of the willow

i found it worked best for me if i painted my basket facing me sideways

as opposed to the basket standing straight up and down.

it was easier to get into those grooves

be patient, and work in sections.

the good thing is, this paint dries quickly :)

ta-da!!

notice, i did not paint the inside of my basket?

i ran out of paint!!!

i only bought 3 bottles of the burnt umber color :(

(hence, why i suggest 4 bottles) 

not to worry, i will remedy that ~

 someday!!

*step two:

paint the inside of your basket!!

(ha,ha)

*step three: white washing

you should have at least 1/2 a bottle left of the "white wicker."

~ pour what you have left into your paint bowl

now,

add warm water to the "empty" container of  your "wicker white" bottle

and

shake, Shake, SHAKE it baby!!!

then shake it some more!

add the shaken water to the paint bowl and stir it up with our sponge brush until incorporated

(yes, i know the bottle says don't mix with water,

but it's my project and i always color outside of the box!)

have a bowl of plain water and your dampened paintbrush waiting

begin with your "white wash" paint

using your sponge brush

swipe the paint onto your basket.

now take your wet paint brush and "paint in" the white wash.

you are just giving your basket a light wash of white,

not trying to cover it in white paint.

keep using the water brush to lighten the white over the brown until you are happy with the results.

something like this

WOW!!!
I LOVE IT!!!

now it's time for the liner!

remember the original liner this basket came with??

eewwwww!!!

yah NO!!

i was thinkin' of something more like this

yes!

much better!!

for my basket liner, i used a shabby chic shower curtain!

and used the lime green liner as the pattern

then i added a ruffle!

(you knew i had to have a ruffle in there somewhere ~ didn't you?!)

i designed this "Mission de Saint Rose"

for the front of my basket

and printed it onto silk

then decoupaged it to the front.

i wanted it to seem like it had been there for many years...

added a pocket to the inside...

i then envisioned what a rose may look like

  had i purchased it at one of the artisan's monasteries...

and came up with this

i hand stamped a few flower petals with french script,

then added some lace, tulle and a vintage fleur center.

i fashioned some rosebud leaves and put them all together...

lovely, no??

and were you wondering just what was up with the smaller basket??

well,

i wanted it for the back of my basket to put such things as keys

and perhaps a lovely bottle of water...

i just tied it through the willow

securing it on with ribbons.

i can't wait to use my new french market basket!!

as i'm sure you will feel the same way about yours!

  

i hope you have been inspired

and will be headed to JoAnn's soon

no, i was not compensated by JoAnn's for the use of their products!

your comments are compensation enough :)

the end.

sharing this with:

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled laundry's: Air your laundry Friday
Vintage Home's: Farmhouse Friday
My Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

here's to lovely transformations!!

update:
specific info on the Jo-Ann's market basket

"natural willow wheel"  #841488061356  $39.99

Jo-Ann Fabrics Corporate Office Headquarters
5555 Darrow Road Hudson, OH 44236
(330)656-2600

...creatively "lost at sea"

hello my dears!

i hope you are enjoying the last of these glorious summer days

there is already a bit of cool breeze in the late afternoons

my how time goes quickly!

i have been creatively "lost at sea" in my studio lately ~

(that's a good thing!)

next week is my birthday,

and

i shall return to the beautiful sea!!

(you know how much i love that!!)

so my thoughts have been of those ruffled waves

and the fizzy salty air...

sea inspired,

i've dipped some gorgeous new hues of silk ribbons

waiting to be sea washed

and

have been making these...

~ sea silk ear adornments ~

  

~ sea ballerina ~

~*~*~

~ dancing sea mist ~

  

~*~*~

 

~ charmed sea horse ~

  

~*~*~

~ shooting sea star ~

  

~*~*~

i envision a lovely mermaid finding favor with these:)

as this is also my white wednesday post,

here are a few white pretties which surround me

that through my eyes,

 are in the jeanne d'arc living style ...

an enchanted birds nest vignette...

  

glass hurricane candle...

love, Love, LOVE white feathers!!

they are so ethereal to me

an embellished french spritzer bottle...

  

an eyelet lace wire heart...

  

a graceful ceramic statue... 

and wire wings i've been designing.

i just never know where my muse will lead me...

there are so many wonderful things to discover in blog land!

wouldn't you agree??

i'd also like to share that one of my creations has made it to print!!

which just so happens to be my lacy ship!!

(what better way to be lost at sea??)

~ Creative Vintage Charm ~

i * am * beyond * thrilled!!

you can see it *HERE*

she is also having a giveaway:) 

thank you Sonia:)

sharing this with

Faded Charm's: White Wednesday

here's to sea ruffles and being lost at sea ~ creatively!