The librarian's lament

Pull up chair, grab your fave beverage . . .

(I am having Diet Cherry Coke, love love love)

Do you ever notice that anything tastes better when sipped from a vintage glass?

The Dutch girl is one of my favorites.

What have you been up to?

And me?  I have been upcycling (torturing) some books.

I needed some decorative books but have not had time to go shopping for the right color.

(funny, but yes, I shop books for either content or decorative properties, I can't help it).

In the spirit of "getting things done", I decided to makeover my books with a swipe of the paintbrush.

Yeah, I could have just covered them with paper but I didn't want to go shopping for that either when I have a paint brush and paint right here.

Here is what I had to start with.

(not quite the look I was going for)

By the way, these are also my project books.

Project books?  Yes, the ones I . . . um . . . tear pages out of for any random project.

Have I mentioned I love storing art supplies in the open if I can make it look pretty?

Gesso, I love you.

Even though gesso is a prep medium, I love it as a paint.

(a little more toothy and rough)

I gessoed both books.

You will notice the gesso could not keep some of the dye in the red book from seeping through.

I don't mind though, I love pink! (this is more of a peachy pink)

As I am writing this post, a thought occurred to me.

You could stamp or paint words on the binding to coordinate with your decor.

Or for each season even.  Gesso, paint, repeat.

Much better, don't you think?

Wishing everyone a great week!

xo's ~ Heidi

Decisions, decisions . . .

A new year, a fresh nest!

I so enjoy all of the beautiful Wednesday Whites posts from Kathleen's blog Faded Charm and I am linking my winter whites there.

Stop by Faded Charm to see other dreamy white inspirations!

I am also linking to Romantic Homes' Show and Tell Friday.

I am a textile junkie.  I don't know that there is a twelve step program for that.

I do love to use what I have in various projects though.

A moment of inspiration hit me ~ why not create some vignettes with vessels to hold the many laces and crochet pieces blossoming in my craft room?

Storage and decor all in one - I love that!

I gathered a few other things like this small bottle I found one day junkin' and an old watch face which I thought would be a cute nod to a Father Time and a new year.

Hmmm, what about a textile bouquet?

The vase is a thrift store find.

Some of crafty girls might like to receive a bouquet like this.

{you know I would ~ wink, wink!}

Cloche added, here is what I had so far.

Still, it looked like it needed a little more.

Hmmm, what to add, what to add?

More pretties?

The sweet brush I found in Linda's booth of Willow Nest Farm when they came to the Country Living Fair, HERE.

 I love its diminutive size and patina.

I received this sweet ornament from Cheryl in the post HERE.

I know its a Christmas ornament but it also makes a great winter ornament too!

The colors are soft and creamy vintage.

I have a strand of pearls that I bought from a friend who sells Silpada jewelry.

Why not include them?  Open yourself up to possibilities, anything outside the box ~ that is when magic can happen.

This is where it is so far ~ it is starting to look just right.

Cloche added, winter whites adored!

Speaking of adoration . . .

what fun valentine decorations are you smitten with?

Another storage and decor project.

I piled laces and crochet pieces into a glass jar.

{I love using my craft supplies as decor!}

*Librarians cover your ears.*

I cut a heart out of a random book I use for decorating and sandwiched it between the glass.

Then added a sepia picture of a woman.

As I am putting this together, I wonder, who was her first love?

What were the treasured moments in her life?

I think my love for antiques and vintage finds also comes from the stories and possibilities that are carried with them.

A large jar of buttons with a random valentine couple would be sweet too.

For now, I love the layers of crochet and lace with their dreamy whites this winter.

What are your favorite projects for the new year?

Thanks for stopping by sweet friends!

xo's ~ Heidi

Furbaby, spoiling served daily

Our eldest furbaby is a cat our kids named Bradley (it's an army tank thing).

He came into our lives as a stray 6 years ago and won our hearts from day one.

This is no ordinary cat.

In fact, he thinks he is a dog.  His furbaby dog brothers and sister don't think he is a cat either.

This special kitty seeks out his people for affection, begs actually, likes to be cradled and will wrap his arms around you as you hold him.

It is the darndest thing you have ever seen.

Of course, his peeps (William and Alexandra) are happy to oblige him with affection and carry him on their daily adventures.

This boy has the good life.  Really good.

He knows how to wrap everyone around his paw.

He will even use his charm on some of us {cough, cough} to slip him a bit of his favorite scrambled eggs or chicken.  {theory, not proven in a court of law or anything}

We are blessed he came into our lives as one of the most unordinary {extraordinary} furbabies we have had.

Yep, spoiling is served daily here!

Thanks for stopping by sweet friends!

xo's ~ Heidi

Shabby Sweet Sunbonnet Sue

Shabby sweet Sunbonnet Sue stocking!

{say that 5 times fast}

This is the adorable Sunbonnet Sue stocking I received from Cheryl for Joli Paquet's Vintage Stocking swap!

I was blown away by the sunwashed colors and delicate details!  Cheryl has a way of using infusing enchantment into her beautiful creations.

Vintage millinery with a touch of glitter - I think she is trying to make me swoon.

I just love the sweet basket charm she sewed to Sunbonnet Sue's hand!

A sweet rosette with the right amount of bling



I love the layers of lace and taupe pearls droplets - just smitten with the peachy pink roses!

This will be so sweet hanging in my craft room to store vintage paper treats or lace scraps.

As if that didn't drop me to the floor like a feather, Cheryl also included more treasures that made my heart skip a beat, or two, or three, or four.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I was touched by all of the wonderful treasures Cheryl sent.

It was as if she knew exacty what would make my heart go pitter patter.

She REALLY spoiled me - I will not be the same, I will not I tell you! 

 An adorned burlap sack filled to the brim with precious paper treats, ornaments and beloved baubles.

A shabbilicious cuff with soft crochet lace and rosettes.

Here is another pic of the adorned burlap sack.

Isn't the vintage pin with creamy bead the cat's pa-jams?

And hand dyed lace too people! It makes smile just to look at it!

Lucious trims, millinery, crochet pinned with blingy pearl pins on a vintage bobbin.

Oh, gosh!  Let me just lay my cheek against it and sigh.

Shut - the -  front - door!

Isn't this the cutest container for treats?!

Let's take a look inside . . .

A sweet cherub {Cheryl}, vintage wallpaper treats, a sweet looking glass with ribbon and more enchanting baubles!

She must have known she would make me faint.

- a bag filled with vintage millinery complete with clip on earring as a closure.

Then the most adorable ornament in creamy colors and silk ribbon.

{Yep, I fainted, hit the floor in a vintage treat induced coma}

Mr. Glittery Reindeer with millinery won my heart.

Rolls of vintage wallpaper tied with ribbon and a sweet wedding bell.

Cheryl, I cannot thank you enough for such thoughtful and dear treasures.

I adore my stocking and your sweet heart that you put into everything!

Thank you for stopping by to visit sweet friends!

xo's ~ Heidi

Happy New Year Sugahs!

Happy New Year dear family and friends!!

Time to start anew, wipe the slate, rev the engines and ponder what 2011 may hold for each of us.

{courtesy of photographer xxxrmt here}

Cheers to you with some pink champagne!

{If I could transport you to lovely Paris, I would do that too!}

{courtesy of Graphics Fairy}

I am not really into resolutions for 2011.

But I am into inspirations and motivations.

My bucket list:

Keep working on the lifestyle change {the word diet makes my skin crawl.  I like a healthy eating mindset and I am starting to enjoy the gym - who knew?}

Striving to improve on the whole life balance thing - family, work, creativity all into synergy

{can you feel the synergy?}

Be more diligent about letting the people I love know I love them.

{I am terrible at remembering to send cards but I think of the people dear to my heart often}

Continue to cultivate the "brave girl" persona {it's a love thang and check out the Brave Girls if you get the chance.  I have not been to one of their camps but I would love too sometime}

Put more time into my relationship with the Lord {carve out more quiet time for reading my Bible and nourishing my soul, less sloughing off going to church}

Be more focused about making time to be creative by being more organized with my time. {thank you Tiffany for your kind words and inspiration on how to achieve this -- some days I wish I could just clone myself to get everything done.  I need to be content that not everything will get done every day}

Less volunteering for this busy Mom, wife, friend, individual so I can focus on all of the above things.

{I am sitting on my hands instead of raising them - using my auction going skills for this one}

I am sure in the days ahead I will be adding a few more things to the list.

These are just a few things I have been reflecting on as I anticipate the new year.

Are there any resolutions or inspirations you want to share?

I love reading other people's lists {like Sadie Lou's post - love everything on her list} - they inspire me to edit my own.

Thank you for stopping by to visit sugahs!

Sending you the best of wishes for a wonderful 2011!

xo's ~ Heidi

Snow day in Georgia

Hi sweet friends ~ has everyone been having a good holiday break?

Recently, we had a snow day here in Georgia!

We do not get the beautiful, powdery snow drifts as our friends might up north (at least not this year, haha).

Grass and snow angel ~ a little rustic, lol.

The one inch plus sprinkling was pretty though, especially since it began snowing on Christmas eve.

While "snowed in" (I can't even say that without laughing), I was able to spend a few precious hours in the craft room here and there.

The honey and I actually had a craft date one night ~ him working on model airplanes at his table and me tossing ink and ruffling crepe paper at mine.  I think this is one date we will have again! ;-)

a little birdie inspired notepad

I didn't have any light blue crepe paper.  What is a girl to do?

I spritzed some Tattered Angels glimmer mist in Hydrangea (blue with a golden sheen) onto white crepe paper.

I love how the colors were mushy with lighter and darker places.  This inspires me to glimmer mist my crepe paper more!

a little feathery goodness and a corsage pin

The burlap texture against the velvety ribbon - yum!

Are there any color combinations you love lately?

A bubblegum birdie with crochet trim and yummy ribbons!

I decided to use some Melissa Frances chunky glitter in aqua on this one.

I {heart}anything Melissa Frances!

Love the Maya Road leaf corsage pin on this one too!

French inspired sweetness fit for a queen!

If you would want to take this one home, I have listed it in my etsy store here!

I think I would welcome more snow days, with a snuggie and hot chocolate, of course.

Did you have a "snow day" lately where you did something fun?

Thanks for stopping by sweet friends!

xo's ~ Heidi