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

Fall Frivolity

Falling in love with fall is about spending time outside in the cool, crisp air . . .

football {at least here in the South, lol} . . .

baking with my family. . .

craft fairs and state fairs.

Recently, I have been falling in love with prize ribbons!

Any kind ~ from small scale prize ribbon jewelry to large prize ribbons for decorating.

In the spirit of fall {and the fact I am a textile junkie}, I wanted to combine multiple

textures ~ delicate and airy, caramel and velvet.

Here is what came out of that inspiration.

I love the refined ribbons and tattered linen.

{I like to junk it up a bit, ;-)  }

First prize deserves a sparkly brooch right?

I knew when I saw this one it would be perfect for a fall prize ribbon.

I am displaying mine on my basket.  However, it would also look nice on a fall wreath for the front door

or pinned on chair backs for festive Thanksgiving dining decor.

Wishing you a happy fall season my Sugahs!

xo's ~ Heidi

Victorian Cuff Swap Inspiration

Here is a little sneaky peek at some of the colors I am using for sweet Molly's Victorian Cuff.

Molly loves crushed velvet (a girl after my own heart!, tulle, sapphire blues, purples and emerald greens.

Shh! we are keeping it under wraps until the reveal!

I am getting so excited Molly!!

Take care my Sugahs, xo ~ Heidi



Vintage baby

The crisp air of fall is finally making its presence known in Georgia in the early morning hours.

The changing seasons always inspire me to fluff my nest for the beauty each season brings.

Time to change the cloche contents!  I LOVE vintage baby pictures.  I especially love this picture because of the water stains {yes, authentic distressing - still love my Tim Holtz distress ink pads though!}, the crisp picture and delicate details of the child's jewelry and lace.

This fall is all about soft colors of white, brown and tan for me.

{thinking of making a white pumpkin run to Hobby Lobby!}

I have a silver locket that was given to me as a gift a very long time ago.  I have never polished it - only dusting.  I love the aged patina it has.  {I guess a few wrinkles could be an aged patina too but let's not talk about that, lol!}

I thought the locket would be a sweet nod to the necklace around the baby's neck.

Birdie?  . . . because I love me some birdies!

Sweet little prairie baby!  I wish I had some worn cowboy booties to clip this one to.  Maybe with a little rhinestone blingy.

A little Victorian lass which much have had some pretty blue or green eyes.

She has a funny look on her face which reminds me of her parents asking her to sit still just so the photo could be shot.  {some things never change}

Wishing for you a very inspired fall!

xo's, Sugah ~  Heidi

Quick and Crafty!

Hi everyone!  I have been soooo swamped with the beginning of the school year, Girl Scouts, the antique store, my Mom having surgery and life in general.

{blah, blah, blah, blah, blah - we have all been there, right?}

I have missed you guys!  I missed reading your blogs and seeing what fun things you are up to.

Back to the regularly scheduled channel . . .

Sometimes I need a quick {and I mean quick} gift item.  Such is the case for this cutie owl notepad.

As an incentive for ladies who decided to become Girl Scout leaders, I gave them a sweet gifty to inspire them on their journey.

I didn't have alot of time for extra embellishments -  just simple, cute and inexpensive!

I used:

Jr. legal pads {available at Wal-Mart and most office supply stores for about $4 for a pack of 6} 

{yes, only a few dollars per gift for cuteness!}

Coordinating cardstock and decorative paper

Grosgrain ribbon

Cricut cartridge - Disney princesses

Stampin' Up scallop punch

If you do not have a Cricut machine - no need to worry.  You can use any decorative die cut you like.

I do love my Cricut machine though!  I can resize the owl to make tags or post-it covers to match if I am giving a coordinated gift of sweet office supplies.

Sometimes after I have created a project I tend to tweak subsequent pieces. {do you do that?  I think I second guess myself too much sometimes}  I think this owl would be sweet with a little flower in the corner with some Stickles glitter! (and a little distress inking on the scallop part)

Thanks for stopping by!

xo's, Heidi

A Little Bliss Break

I don't know about you, but my days seem to fly by faster than I want them to. 

Slow down girlie - time for a bliss
break

Lori of Mudpie Studio sent me some sweet paper covered clothespins.

They are so cute and inspired me to make a quick bliss break for a crafty girl.

Here are the supplies I gathered:  Some yummy Martha Stewart paper,  old book pages, Mod Podge, foam brush, clear chunky glitter (go to the kids craft section of your local craft store - it is cheaper than the clear German glass glitter you will want to save for other projects) and of, course clothespins.  What
otherpackage did you spy?  Oh, yes, that would be the Heidi Swapp Tattered Angels Glimmer mist (eep, just makes me jump for joy, lol)

Glimmer mist just makes a girl happy, don't you think?

This is Viva Pink and
Silver Sugar

This project is a great way to recycle some of your pretty paper scraps.  (is it silly to think some paper is just too pretty to toss ~ even if it is just a snippet?)

Once you have trimmed all of your papers, adhere them to your clothespins using Mod Podge.  If you are going to use some distress inks, do that before you Mod Podge over the top of your papers.  Swipe more Mod Podge generously over your clothespins and press into your glitter.

I must confess - I was so excited about playing with this project that I used the book page scraps I had already cut out previously to glimmer misting the other book page.  I think they still turned out beautiful.  (When I finish a project with the glimmer misted pages I will do another post on that, lol!)

 

Another idea - I white washed some clothespins with diluted white paint for a shabby, distressed look prior to applying Mod Podge and paper.  Here are the Martha Stewart paper covered clothespins.

Thanks for stopping by ~ I hope it was a bliss  break for you!  Have fun my Sugahs!

xo's, Heidi