Oui, Oui ~ Alles Bag Giveaway

Are you smitten with all things made with vintage grain sacks?

or handwriting and grain sack reproduction fabrics?

{sofa available at Beyond The Door}



The Old Painted Cottage is hosting an awesome giveaway for a gorgeous Alles bag made from an authentic vintage grain sack!

 {go to blog to view pic}

Hop on over there before Nov. 6th to enter!

xo's my Sugahs!  Heidi



Artists, antiques and crafts, oh my!

For the better part of a year, my friend Karin and I have been planning on the arrival of the Country Living Fair in Stone Mountain, Ga.

A weekend filled with artists, antiques and crafts ~ we couldn't be two happier girls!

Here is "Stella", my flea market cart with a retro table cloth fitted as a liner and Karin's first score of the day, a superbly priced antique stool.  My honey thinks Stella is a little trashy looking but you junkin' girls "get it" don't you?  I can tell you that I could have sold her many times over at the fair {but let's not tell her that, lol}.

I am planning to upgrade her liner with a more graceful chenille one, rosette included.

 I was so excited to see Joanne from the Ribbon Emporium at North Lakewood fairgrounds!

Her store is decadent eye candy for any girl who loves vintage and finely hand dyed ribbon and trims.

If you are ever in the Atlanta area, add her store to your itinerary!

Here are some pretties I scooped up while at her booth.

I adore neutrals as a palette {in addition to aqua, pink and ivory, of course!}.

Jan Blough of Silhouettes and More had a charming booth filled with lots of black and white hand crafted, silhouette inspired gifts.

I loved her found object key chains!

Carolyn Westbrook was one many wonderful authors in attendance delivering inspiration and excitement to the Country Living Fair experience.  It was a joy to meet her in person!  I love her French inspired style, infusing bliss and everyday decadence into her home.

One of the first booths that stopped me in my tracks was Scarlett Scales Antiques.  The proprietor, Scarlett, had dreamy garments, eclectic jewelry, neat antiques and vintage inspired home decor items.

I am also super excited that her storefront is in Tennessee!  With family located nearby, I am going to plan a visit to her shop into my trips.

Burlap and linen pillows

Lots of neutral tones - gray, taupe, cream, black and a punch of basil green.

Sweet felted birdies!

Sachets in bread baking molds

You always know when you meet a kindred spirit.  Such is the case when I met Linda Marcov of Willow Nest Farm.  We were each wearing our Magnolia Pearl outfits and immediately understood each others love for artful romantic clothing.  She is such a sweet and endearing person.  I love her enchanting style ~ EVERYTHING in her booth made me swoon!

Everytime I turned around I was smitten with another gorgeous vignette.

Simple bottles ~ beautiful piled in a bowl on their own

or waiting for Linda's touch of vintage romance.

 Vintage millinery ~ these are the top of my list of favorite things that inspire me.

 I loved these old bottles and the sweet spotted feather nestled into them.

My kind of fall!

Where does gorgeous jewelry begin and enchanting vignettes end?

I love how Linda combines vintage textiles and components into something divine and dreamy.

I could have photographed and stayed in her booth all day! 

A vintage inspired Christmas

Such sweet and romantic pillows ~ adds such warmth and nostalgia to your home.

The festive pumpkin patch!

What is it about eating outside that just makes food taste better?

The weather was more perfect than we could have wished for  - all the better to eat gyros and drink sweet tea al fresco.

Karin and I were so very lucky to meet some of the artists in the  Earth Angels Toys booth.

We were completely blissed out watching Laurie Meseroll paint.  Her enchanting mixed media paintings are adorned with characters that are soulful with a dreamy quality.  I really enjoyed talking with her about how she approaches her art.  It made me realize that sometimes I plan what I am going to do too much. 

I need to let her words inspire me to just be creative and not be overly concerned about the planning part.

Typically, I tend to think I need to have a plan so I don't waste fabric or trims - really, I need to let loose sometimes and not worry about that - just . . create.

Another artist affiliated with Earth Angels Toys, is Melody Elizabeth.  She was demonstrating how she deconstructs garments to create her handbags.  She has an amazing eye for repurposing different elements into something beautiful.

Kelly McCants, proprietor of Modern June, had a rainbow of oilcloth patterns to delight any retro inspired homemaker!

From her cheery pennant banners to her customizable placemats, we had a great time enjoying the wares in her booth.

Jeanne Cherry of juNxtapostion was so patient and sweet with us as we poured and swooned over all of her coolio jewelry made from silverware and typewriter keys!

I had a hard time deciding which necklace inspired me the most.

They were also so pretty!

You would think this would be "the one" right?

I decided this was "the one".  {Actually, Karin insisted this WAS "the one"}

F*E*A*R*L*E*S*S

Fearless about using my fabric {at least sometime, lol}.

Fearless sounds right.

Thank you for stopping by my Sugahs!

I wish for you many fearless moments in the days ahead ~ I am here cheering you on!

xo's ~ Heidi

Scrap-ade Part Two

 


I had such fun making the Halloween notepads that I became inspired to make some fall ones too!

For these, I snipped and gathered moire fabric scraps with a pinking shear.  Then I adhered a raspberry, crushed velvet ribbon.  A sweet gathered rose seemed like the perfect icing on the fall cake!

I often "tweak" projects after I test drive them.

Do you do that too?  Some projects just seemed to evolve when I open myself up to them.

I decided to stamp some small scale images on the bottom of the notepads.

When the paper is torn from the paper, a little bit of pretty will be carried to the paper's recipient!

A little bit of FUN in life's everyday "to-do" list is a must.

 In addition to using fabric scraps, you could also use patterned paper or stamped paper, snipped with your favorite decorative scissors, as the first layer of this project.  Crumple it, ink it, Stickle it . . . such fun experiments to try with your scraps!

Sweet fall wishes to you Sugahs!

xo's ~ Heidi

Lemons & lemonade, scraps & . . . scrap-ade?

During a trip to the big box store, I picked up a pack of small notepads.

They have been sitting on the shelf waiting to be transformed . . . and waiting

. . . . and waiting.

While going through my stash of Halloween scraps I had a moment of candy corn, cob webs and spooky spells inspiration.  {*grin*}

Spooky cute notepads!

I ruffled some Halloween fabric and fired up the glue gun.

Then, I added a strip of coordinating ribbon to cover the stiches.

Using my ribbon stash {have I said I love ribbon?  um, I LOVE ribbon - ok, moving on},

With the help and guidance of my sweet girl and craft buddy, Alex, I made some sweet bows and added a few buttons and charms.

Scrappy, spooky, sweet gifts for some of my favorite teachers!

I just wanted to share this too - - -

As my honey was walking through the door he mentioned what a beautiful sunset 

we were having outside.

It was gorgeous!  I snapped a few shots to share with you.

I hope you have a festive fall week everyone!

xo's ~ Heidi

Molly's Victorian Cuff

Shelley  and Natalie  hosted a Victorian Cuff swap.  I have never made a cuff before but love to sew.   What fun to be able to use pretty trims and pieces on a new project!  Thank you ladies for hosting this for us!

My sweet swap partner, Molly, loves velvet, tulle, jewel tone colors and girly things.

I started with an aubergine crused velvet with ruffled tulle sandwiched in between.

Then came the really fun part . . . embellishing!

Crochet, lace, beading ribbon  -- so much fun!

little charms peeking out underneath the tulle

I had such fun on this project that I would like to craft a few more!

Thanks for stopping by Sugahs!

xo's ~ Heidi

Back Roads

{graphic from The Graphics Fairy}

If you can escape the big city lights of Atlanta, you will find Georgia has lots and lots and lots of back roads.

They may not even be on a map.

Let your inner junkin' soul guide you ~ you will find some of the best stores and neat people there!

On a recent back road trip to Carrollton, I stopped in Whitesburg {don't blink people, you may miss it and their local deputy who is more than willing to give you a complimentary ticket . . . I just sayin'.} at a shop

called AntiqueLoco.  The dearest and sweetest woman, Camille, works there. 

Every time I visit, she welcomes me back with the charm of a true Southern woman.

{So glad you stopped in, how's the family and such}

These were my recent finds at AntiqueLoco.  See the pile of pink floral twill in the background?  - - - two chair covers {insert eep with excitement here!}  For now they will be chair covers until I decide to deconstruct them and give them new life as a pillow? a purse?

Then, an iron urn.  This is not only a great decorative piece but something I can use for storage {cooking utensils, art paper}. 

A sweet cherub planter{now repurposed as a button holder next to my sewing machine} would also be cute to hold soap in the powder room.

The lampshade cover was only $1.  How could I pass that up? really?

Soon, it will be adorned with a burlap shade and rosette!

The glass jar is truly antique jar ~ not a reproduction.

I have not decided yet what I will store in it but until then I even like the way it looks empty {transformation in the waiting}.

Wishing you the best on the roads less traveled Sugah!

xo's ~ Heidi 

Georgia Chicks in Alabama

Once a year, me and a few of my besties, Ann, Tracy, Karen and Vicki, join a few more ladies and hit the road to escape for a weekend of scrapbooking/crafting, propping our feet up and letting our hair down.

We have been going to a wonderful retreat home, the Grand Oak Retreat, overlooking lake Guntersville in Scottsdale, Alabama for the past few years.  Cindy and Bill, the proprietors, welcome us to their retreat home, entertain us (theatre room, hot tub, beautiful vistas, rocking chairs, chocolate fountains) and cook the most amazing meals to nourish hard working ladies {insert giggle here}.

We are practically sitting on a cliff with beautiful vistas of lake Guntersville wrapping around.

New to the Grand Oak Retreat this year were cutie chickens and their coop!  Tiffany, I couldn't help but think of you and your shabby coop!

I didn't take long for the thought to dawn on me ~ "Will these plucky chicks doodle at 6am?" 

My room was very near their coop but, thankfully, no crowing was made since they were still too young to let their awakening be announced to the rest of us.

I loved waking up early {just don't talk to me until after I have had my first cup of coffee}, not only to see the breathtaking sunrise over the lake but also to experience  . . . . peace . . . . and . . . . .quiet.

I have been going and going like the energizer bunny.  I didn't realize how much I needed a break until I was really able to have one.

Morning inspiration of laces and fabric

I decided not to do any scrapbooking this weekend.

Sewing, making jewelry, sewing and more sewing makes for a happy girl {insert beaming grin here}.

Stocking up for ETSY and store.

Here is a cute pic one of my dearest friends, Ann, sporting one of my stamped fabric ribbons as her diva scarf!

Ann and I love many of the same things but like different color combinations.

Here is a pic of her workspace.

She is inspired by hot pink, lime green, black and bling!

Ann's work space

{love her adorable tickets!}

This is a sweet embellishment she made . . .

Oh gosh! How did she know I loved that dear shade of aqua?

The tag aptly states "You Are So Amazing" . . .

Yes, she is.  She is a beautiful person from the inside out.

One of those treasured friends I know I can call at 4am and she will be there.

No matter what.

This is another embellishment she made.

How appropriate for all of us all weekend!

Tracy, Karen and I would break out into random dance,

song and peals of laughter.

We all truly celebrated a few days away from chores, stress, to-do lists.

My workspace before all out crafting started.

{radio announcer: "Ladies, start your engines!" or in my case, sewing machine}

Later in the weekend . . . .

This pic truly sums of the weekend ~ beautiful views, inspiration and friends, doing the things that bring me joy {creating and fellowshiping with my peeps}.

Early to rise and crafing late into the night.

I know this may not sound like a break but it was for me.  ;-)

I took dozens of pics of the moonlight on the lake.

This was the best one I could get ~ it is so tricky getting this shot at night.

Thank you for staying with me through this long post!

Wishing you a wonderful week my Sugahs!

xo's ~ Heidi