...strung out...

...did you know

that

sometimes

those first small step are the very hardest of all??

 

hello  dear ones!

no matter the challenges we face

sometimes those first, small steps

can be daunting...

i know ~

b-e-l-i-e-v-e

me

i know!

as you may have been reading

here in the land of odds,

(and this will be the last post i will mention it: PROMISE!!)

i have been going through my home,

weeding out things

that are no longer

"who i am today"

or

do not have a place to be out and pretty

letting go can be hard...

BUT

these small challenges don't have to leave you strung out to dry

lol!!

  

i have found that this

s-l-o-o-w process

has made nice

b-i-g

OPEN

spaces of nothingness

as in notta...

a blank canvas to invision

something new

or

nothing at all!

  

who knew "jeanne d'arc living" would seep in,

take hold

and inspire my surroundings

i CAN live without it

and

I LOVE IT!!

  

this is a darling little baby shoe

that i "strung" a piece of silk ribbon onto

and added some vintage bling

a whimsy "small step" neck adornment

that i have hanging on my mannequin at the moment

reminding me to keep going

you're almost there...

and perhaps

 this jar of vintage baby shoes

has finally found a purpose too

what do you think my dears,

would you like

a first step whimsy necklace too?!

 

~

sharing this with:

Common Grounds: Vintage Inspiration Friday

A Rosy Note's: Photo Feature Friday

* pics in a nutshell *

shot with a canon rebel xs

90 mm macro lens

kim klassen's "life's good" texture

set at soft light/ opacity 67%

 

here's to a new canvas to paint who we are today!

...an anthropologie inspired necklace

...hello sweets!!

do ya feel lucky today??

huh??

wellll, do ya'??!!

(always wanted to say that once in my life!)

((note to self, cross off Clint's saying on bucket list))

well, in honor of St. Patrick's day,

and as that shamrock green is

sooooooooo

 not my color,

my gift to you is ~

 sharing my "anthropologie" inspired stone necklace

mini tutorial instead!!

so grab your pretties and lets begin!!

my inspiration is taken from all the pretties in the anthro jewelry section

a lot of smooth, polished stones are being used.

I really just wanted a pretty little something to wear this weekend to the sea:)

so the colors I chose for this, were muted and stormy sky colors.

 when I spied this at Target, I thought

yes!!

and then, when I turned it over to check out the price,

yes, yes!!!

was my reply, as it had been marked down.

  

loved the smoothness,

and the color was just what I was after.

I took a snippet of neutral lace

and stitched the top of it to gather it a bit,

and then put it through the jump ring and stitched it on,

like so

  

next came the flower.

now, there are many tutorials on the "burned edge" flowers

so if your not sure about these

just google it and you will find all the info you need!

I made a few in different sizes in the sea grey color I was after

 

and stacked them until I was happy with the shape,

then just stitched them together in the center.

  

add a vintage pearl drop earring...

  

and voila!

a pretty little flower for my necklace for the sea:)

"sea" how pretty it looks on?!

(my bad!)

I also made a lovely sea silk tie bracelet

I just couldn't help myself...

 

 one of my most favorite shades...

 

and the best part about this piece is,

  

I can also wear it as a choker necklace too:

I hope you were inspired to try your hand

at making something new and lovely to wear...

I will be sharing this over at Common Ground's

Vintage Inspiration Friday

come see what other "luck" you have in finding something inspiring!

here's to the lovely shade of sea grey!

...a swan song

...hello dear ones!

today I was cleaning the glass mirrors
in my living room and

I am feeling a little...
well,
uuummmmm ~
reflective!
sooooo, 

 I thought I would share a few pictures
and thoughts about

my vintage paper, swan adornment.

she resides on top of my mirrored armoire...

I constructed her from pages of vintage poetry books,

~ words of beauty for the heart ~

and vintage sheets of music,

~ notes to resonate within your soul ~

and of course a bit of paper lace and

clear vintage glass glitter for the tips

and although she is made out of paper,

she quietly reminds me to be graceful as I glide along  life

a most elegant creature is she...

  

one to be admired

 ~

a swan song

by me

elegance and beauty

gracefulness and poise,

poetry in motion

without one word,

 a sound,

or a noise...

you are covered in loveliness

always finest in show

and to watch you glide along so effortlessly,

letting all the others know

that you are a special one

chosen indeed,

ethereal in your motions

to which we should heed,

and ponder for a moment

before your vision slips away,

the gift that has been given

~ life ~ 

and in everyday,

we should move about gracefully

with a song in our hearts

and not squander it away,

for today

is a day,

that the Lord has made!

~

thank you for indulging my poetic heart today!

sharing this with

Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday

My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday

French Country Cottage's Feathered Nest Friday

here's to the oh-so-lovely swan and all the inspiration she beholds!

...fairy dancers

...hello my sweets!


the beautiful sun was out today
and
so were the fairies
 that usually stay hidden in my house!

let me sprinkle you with fairy dust
so that you may see them too!!

...close your eyes...

***xoxoxx**oo**xxxoox***xoxox**
(me, blowing fairy dust!!)

here we goooooo...

have you ever seen
a stained glass fairy??

well,
now you have:)
don't you just pink puffy heart her crown?!

and dear readers...
n
o
w
I'm going to confess something to you...
something i have never shared with anyone else!
I have a secret fetish ~

I simply
ADORE
these:

yes, it's true!
they are the tiny ballerinas found in little girl musical jewelry boxes,
that I can never seem to find!
I seek high and lo for them
and
whenever I spy with my little eye a tiny jewelry box,
I twirl with sheer glee in anticipation that one may be inside!!!!
(now you'll know who I am if you ever observe this phenomenon!!)
((it's ok, I'm used to people always looking at me strangely!!))
anyhoo,
I have been searching for years for a manufacturer of these beauties
but have never been able to find just where I can buy them...
 do any of you dear readers know of any?
I would be VERY grateful!!

moving on.

these vintage powder compacts fascinate me...
like beauty lockets, full of the prettiest shades of powder

and when you open them
...oh what magic contained inside!

~ fairy dust ~
to make us glow:)
(where do you think I got that magic fairy dust that I sprinkled all over you, hhhhmmmmm???!)

and really ~
is there any other number to wear??!
(I should think NOT!)
do you think maybe Chanel could have been inspired?

perhaps...
 

and I simply knew I'd love this vintage book
covered in a fabulous fabric,
aged to perfection!

who knew tiny fairy wings would be tucked within the pages
but alas,
none of them are my size
sigh...

I just love it when the fairies come out to play,
don't you?!!

oh,
and don't worry about the magic dust...
the happy, glee twirling will wear off ~
in a day or two!!
lol!!


joining up with Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday
 My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday 
French Country Cottage's Feathered Nest Friday



here's to magical days!

...pretty is, as pretty does!

...

january

...

~ a clean slate ~

~ a fresh start ~

~ out with old, in with the new ~

hhhmmmmmm

I find,

that moving forward

actually requires an action...

as in steps!

and it is often easier said

than done...

sometimes my feet

only seem this big

and it feels as though I am not really moving at all!!

LOL!!

sooooo,

for me, it helps if

I pretty myself up as best I can.

putting my best foot forward, so to speak!!!

maybe I start with a neck adornment...

that's pretty:)

okay,

time for the rest of me

...

aahhhh, yes,

these wings will do nicely today!

   

as any self respectable fairy will tell you,

never to leave home without 'em!!

How else do you think I can anything done??!

Well, the outside is wrapped lovely!

Now,

now it's time to see what's on the inside!!

and this,

my friends,

is the part I will be challenging myself even more with this year.

...and being very careful what I put into "my basket"

for it's those little, everyday choices

that truely shape us into who we are.

So I say to you, my dears,

on this random January day,

It is my desire to be a positive

and shine from within,

so that any beauty you see

is not really being seen with your eyes ~

but

with your spirit!!

and dear readers,

I'd also like to say,

Thank You for all your visits,

your awesome words of encouragement

and daily friendships!

Oh,

~ and hang on!

I think it's going to be

one

exciting and enlightening year!!

...sharing this over at Debra's

Vintage Inspiration Friday

which just happens to be titled,

"junk in my trunk"

lol!!!

here's to all the fascinating things ahead!!

...straight to the heart

...hello my loves!

I have been immersed in my studio

listening to secret garden

~ and have emerged with the creative out pour...

I have been envisioning a special line for my Santos cage dolls. 

Pretty little adornments such as crowns, skirts...

and these ~

a pink leather quiver

with golden feathered arrows...

 

tiny glass glittered hearts

are the love darts... 

    

so lovely...

cupid may even want to try these out this year ~

LOL!!

The bow is almost finished too...

a handle wrapped in pink silk!

ooohhhhh,

puuuurty!!

If this doesn't evoke romance

I don't know what will!!

I'll be sharing that with you later...

but for now,

I'll be shooting this over over to Debra's

Vintage Inspiration Friday

come see if you can find any new loves!!

here's to a handful of love!

...a sparkling toast!

...to all my dear reader ~

This New Year's eve

I will raise a glass of sparkles

and toast

all of YOU!!

Thank You for enriching my life this year.

For taking the time to visit

and to leave your heartfelt comments...

I would have never thought

that words of encouragement and support could help me spread my wings farther!

or dreamed a year ago I would have felt such a bond with others that are just like me,

without ever laying an eye on you!

Truly~

here,

 in this blogging world,

I feel that we are all just creative souls

encouraging each other, supporting one another

and there is room for all who chose to enter!

 

I wish all of YOU

the most love & joy your hearts can hold,

and genuinely wishing each and everyone of you

the 

Happiest New Year!!

~

sharing this last post of the year with Debra's

Vintage Inspiration Friday!!

here's to 2010!!

...my christmas wish

...hello sugarplums!!

All the decorations are up

and sprinkles of magic

~

are sprinkled!!

 

so I'd just like to take this little breath...

to wish all of my dear readers

  

a time filled with grace...

  

~ a melodious heart ~

~ ethereal beauty ~ 

~ true wonderment ~

~ authentic joy ~

  

~ inner peace ~

and much LOVE!!!

  

This is my Christmas wish for you,

straight from my heart

~ to yours!!

~

This is my last post until after Christmas

so that I may share a few precious moments with my loves!

so I will be sharing this for Kathleen's White Wednesday

and Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday 

See you next week my friends!

here's to a Merriest Christmas!!