{ fabric tags }

 Sweet new fabric tags for my goodies!

 I am gearing up because I had some fabulous news this week from my awesome friend Jami, over at Freckled Laundry...soooo.....

...stay tuned for more on that! 

{ Linking this up to Freckled Laundry's Party this week! }

{ muslin & leather plaquette cuff }

I love my leather cuffs, and I have many...but I am always looking to try something new with them...and so...

This is the latest. Another one of my coveted number plaquettes from my sweet friend Roben-Marie and her Art Goods Shop is front and center on this one! 

I criss-crossed walnut stained muslin to give it the look of cross stitched leather. 

Tied on a plaquette with more muslin and then finished it off with a mix of walnut stain and glossy mod podge. 

I went right over the top of the leather, muslin and all. It gave the muslin the look and feel of old leather. I LOVE IT!

{ I will be linking up to some of my favorite parties here ! }

{ summer in snapshots. week 3 }

 

{ week 3. }

 

It is time again for Summer in Snapshots, 

a fun and inspiring party hosted by Amber over at The {Starfish} Blog. 

I have said it every week, and I will say it again -

This has given me back my wings! I did not realize how deeply I had missed the 

view from behind the lens. I feel freer than I have in a long time!

Welcome to Week 3. Please join in and follow along!

 

 

 

 

{ thank you Amber...this is so fun! }

{ this must be my lucky week ! }

  I can not believe my LUCK this week! First loads of treasures in the mail and secondly the proud and happy winner of a AWESOME SHABBY APPLE DRESS!

I am so excited! I was so happy to recently "meet"  Gretchen over at Mimi-Toria's Designs...and while there I entered her lovely contest! She and I share a great many thoughts and ideas on things, one of them being shells & rocks...she is super talented, and has the most gorgeous jewelry creations in her shop....of course I have a special love of them because they have NUMBERS on them!

 Please be sure to stop by and say hello!

{ Thank You Gretchen ! }

{ so proud of where i live...of who we are }

I wanted to take a moment to say how very proud of where I live and who we are a, as a Nation.

Once upon a time our pride as a Nation is what buoyed us...held us afloat in the face of all things, great or small. We did wait for a ship to sail into our harbor to wave our flag and proclaim our Patriotism.

I am teaching my children to be proud of who they are and the Nation they are so fortunate to call home. I am teaching them to wear their Patriotism with honor and to hold their Freedom in the highest regard. Cherish it. Honor it. Believe in it.

There should be no shades of grey when it comes to who we are...what we believe in...

Happy Independence Day!

{ I am sorry for the late posting...I was a little under the weather 

the last few days, but wanted to wish you all a safe and happy, happy holiday! }

{ why i love the mailman ... and the tears his bounty brings }

           It is a rare occasion for me to go to the mailbox and find a postcard or a letter. It would be a like celebrating my birthday early to find a package waiting within...but today...today was like falling in love with the mailman on Christmas morning!

        When I hear the crunch of gravel as he makes his way up the drive I know it is going to be a good mail day...and so when the bell rang I was already scurrying out onto the front step, ready to greet the tiny man trudging up the path, arms loaded with teetering packages. I couldn't believe my eyes...and all in a day!

...this is what awaits me.

{ a few priceless trinkets from the store of my dear sweet friend petite michelle louise  }

{ some chunky vintage stamp books &  precious french ephemera vocabulary cards }

 { a beautiful antique recipe box, vintage french tag, & wonderful old pattern paper...

...and this. A surprise so sweet, my heart sang. }

 

{ a most precious & unsuspecting gift of the heart. sweet, sweet michelle made me this most beautiful keepsake to remember my Angel son by...a vintage key with angel wings and of all things, a BEAUTIFUL WHITE HEART SHAPED ROCK.(read the story here)

I was so overwhelmed with this precious gift, that I wept...and it would not be the only time that day that I did... }

{ some vintage books from my sweet friend Cathy }

  { this too was a surprise gift & I was thrilled to receive it. I covet all dictionaries & anything to do with numbers so these will claim an honored spot on the shelf with the others & not go unloved. }

{ some yummy chalk paint samples from my sweetie pie friend Jami at Freckled Laundry }

{ she knows I have been dying to try these out & was kind enough to offer to send me samples...what I didn't know was that she would send me these unexpected treats as well... }

{ some of those delicious clay NUMBER tags from her adorable shop...I can't wait to NUMBER something with these...stay tuned for that! }

{ some scrumptious looking milk paint that I ordered from John Millen Hardware, in Illinois...thanks to the good advice from Miss Mustard Seed...I can not wait to try these out either...I better get rounding up some more furniture that needs painting! }

{ sea green & slate...aren't you all proud of me for not ordering white? }

{ and last, but certainly not least, ANOTHER surprise gift of the heart in the mail from Amber over at the starfish blog }

{ ANOTHER beautiful and heartfelt reminder of my Angel son...one of her awesome stamped tag necklaces, complete with his name & a HEART!...and so I wept again...a good weep. A weep that represented all the LOVE that I felt...all the friendships I had forged... }

...I can not begin to thank these women enough...

{ thank you for your thoughtfulness & sweet, sweet gifts of the heart }

{ thank you for your kindnesses & your sweet words }

{ thank you for your support & your encouragement }

{ and most of all...Thank You for your Prayers...I love you all. }

{ and a SPECIAL thank you to all of the other wonderful friends in my life who have sent me things over the last year. I cherish each and every thing that I have received from each of you. I remember them all, always. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! }

{ My Sweet Surprise Feature on Cozy Little House }

   Brenda over at Cozy Little House was kind enough to feature me this week on her adorable blog. I was so thrilled and honored that she thought of me among the many talented people she has featured. Stop by and pay her a visit. Cozy Little House is full of inspiration, talent, and super reading. {her blogging tutorials are wonderful!}

Thank you Brenda, for such a warm welcome!