Grace Filled Moments

my may tag

2011-05-27T16:30:00.004-05:00

i've had this scrapbook paper for so long. i love it so much i've never wanted to use it! but i added it to my paper stash for the Happy Homemaker Tag Swap and decided to pull it out this month and actually cut into it... gulp... they are such simple tags, but the paper is so cute it doesn't matter!

the language of flowers

2011-05-24T14:49:00.004-05:00

atcs for a swap with my Red Lead Swap Sisters. so fun to make atc's again!

the necklace round robin... round 2

2011-05-18T17:32:00.003-05:00

becky chose a mix of vintage and new metals for her neckace. she made the 18" starter, then it went to halley, and then to me for the 3rd installment of metallic goodness. it's looking great! I had such fun putting it together... and i didn't buy a thing! it's all found treasure from my studio stashes! it has just one more stop! (gee, i wonder how mine is looking about now!!)

such a sweet gift

2011-05-17T05:26:00.003-05:00

could anything be sweeter than this mother-of-pearl "mother" pin? except maybe the precious pink handmade pocket it is pinned to! i received this as a swap hostess thank you gift just in time for mother's day from cami. i absolutely LOVE it!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T05:59:00.002-05:00

the necklace round robin... the first exchange

2011-04-21T17:55:00.005-05:00

I received Heidi's necklace last night. It is a four strand beauty with a vintage clasp in the center of the 18" starter. What a joy! I couldn't wait to get started on it! This morning I rooted through my vintage estate sale stash and my bead boxes and pulled out everything I thought might match. This is what I came up with.

For the middle strand, I used a great vintage necklace (I just snipped off the clasp), and added 2 short additions to each end to make it long enough, and to turn one strand into 2 for the ends (to keep the necklace at four strands overall). Where the vintage necklace connects to the smaller chain/pearl chain duo, I added some vintage buttons for accent and dangle.

For the 2nd strand, I took apart a broken necklace to use the chain pieces. Then I made some sparkling ivory trios to connect the chain pieces together.

The 3rd strand is a great old length of chain that I found on a bolt at an estate sale. It is perfect!

I think I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. I really hope Heidi likes it. I had so many other great pieces I wanted to add, but I couldn't use it all!

We have 2-3 weeks to complete our necklace, and I finished in less than 24 hours! I had a blast with this and I can't wait to get the next one! I'll keep you posted!

a necklace round robin

2011-04-19T14:24:00.003-05:00

My knitting buddies and I decided to start a necklace round robin, after seeing one in a recent Somerset Studios jewelry magazine. We are each starting our own 18" necklace, then will pass it to each other every 2-3 weeks and we will each add another 18" to each person's necklace. There are 4 of us, so we are talking 72 inches of glorious handmade wonderfulness when our own necklace returns home! Here is my 18" starter necklace, ready to swap for the 1st time tomorrow night. Each person will try to keep to the theme or style that each person sets for their necklace. I guess mine could be considered "junk drawer bliss"! I will continue to post them as we swap, so check back once in a while!

My April Tag

2011-04-13T09:12:00.004-05:00

I'm really enjoying the Happy Homemaker Tag Along! Visit and take a peek at all the great tags!

Look what came in the mail today!

2011-04-07T16:27:00.006-05:00

I participated in an Easter Tag Swap over at 521 Lake Street ...and here are some of the delightful goodies I received from my partner Becky. I love the jumbo tag and the Easter banner (which is already hanging on my mantle!), and she also included some great vintage sewing notions, (those yellow buttons won't last long- I put them out on my studio desk to use in my Easter projects!), a lovely vintage hankie, and some blank tags (which also landed right on my desk for Easter projects!) I must confess that she also sent me some Easter sweet treats like chocolate, a reese's pieces carrot, and some marshmallow bunnies & chicks but, um, they weren't, um, available for the photo shoot. (they were delicious:)

Thanks, Becky! I enjoyed swapping with you! I hope you enjoyed your swap goodies too!

2 things I love today

2011-04-06T09:23:00.003-05:00

First of all, I LOVE this picture of my daughter, Mary Grace! I took it last week while she was on Spring Break. She was looking in the mirror, and I just happened to walk behind her, camera in hand...

And secondly, I LOVE my 7 Gypsies Atc Holder! I recently changed the ATCs to some happy Spring ones. It hangs in my kitchen where it brightens my day every time I walk by it!

That's it... I just wanted to share these 2 happy things today!

Welcome March!

2011-03-01T18:12:00.003-06:00

This is my March Tag for the Happy Homemaker Tag Along with Bluebird Papercrafts. I couldn't resist this little Irish cutie!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T09:30:00.002-06:00

Favorite ATC's Revisited & Repurposed

2011-02-10T08:29:00.002-06:00

I found this 7 Gypsies Frame at Archivers the other day. What a great way to display seasonal ATCs! I have a huge collection from years of swapping, hidden away in binders in my studio, and I rarely take the time to look at them anymore. Such beautiful artwork. The light bulb went on when I found this frame. I dug out those binders, and found 12 Valentine-ish ATCs, and they are now proudly on display in my kitchen! It adds such a punch of color to my kitchen and I just love it! I've already chosen 12 Spring/Easter ATCs to replace them with next month. I went back a few days later and purchased the 7 Gypsies metal carousel style stand for ATCs as well. (with a little help from my 30% off coupons and a Christmas gift card from my husband!) I've been busy filling that up with even more of my treasured ATCs. I've placed the carousel on a side table in my dining room so they can be enjoyed as well.

If you look closely, you might just see one that you made! Anyway, I am so excited about this, I wanted to share it. (I got the typical "oh yeah mom, that's nice" from my family, but I knew YOU would truly share my excitement!)

my february tag

2011-02-07T15:31:00.001-06:00

for the Happy Homemaker Tag Along Swap. take a visit here to see the other fabtastic tags! ...

for my red lead swap sisters

2011-02-06T09:46:00.002-06:00

My January "Happy Homemaker Tag Swap" tag

2011-01-11T09:54:00.007-06:00

I am participating in Bluebird Papercraft's Happy Homemaker Tag Swap- a year long tag swap! Each particpant chooses a theme for her tags, picks a line of paper to use for the year, and then creates 2 tags each month. One tag from each month will be given to her partner at the end of the year. I've chosen "vintage kids" as my theme. Shocker, right? Do I ever make anything that doesn't have a vintage kid on it? (Don't answer that.) What "happy homemaker" doesn't (or didn't) have a "vintage kid" around at some point, right? (I hope I didn't stretch the theme too far :)
So anyway, we're also suppose to show a picture of our "paper stash" for the swap. It was hard to narrow my paper choices down! It's a bit of a hodge-podge of a few different lines, but it all coordinates- 10 sheets in all. I hope my partner will like these!

My January tag is called "Snow Day". I used this image in a project for Christmas, but I didn't get enough of her yet! I just love her winter coat and hat!

Was there anything better than a Snow Day when you were young? I can remember listening to the radio, waiting and hoping to hear the name of my school announced in the school closings! Now let's fast forward to last night... my daughter Mary Grace put an orange in the freezer before she went to bed, put her pajamas on inside out, and slept with 2 spoons under her bed... all in hopes of getting a snow day today. (Her classmates and teachers put their heads together at school yesterday and came up with these tried and true methods of trying to bring about a snow day!) Know what? It worked! I never even woke her up- she's still sleeping in! We got 3-6 inches overnight. Some things never change!

New Year's Resolution in Progress

2011-01-06T16:35:00.002-06:00

One of my New Year's "Art" Resolutions is to get more of my jewelry photographed and listed in my Etsy store. This is the first step...

thanks, sweet sis!

2011-01-03T16:23:00.000-06:00

my sister susie made this for me! it's a picture of my 3 kids! isn't it beautiful? i love the softness and the cream/sepia combo. and of course, i love the image! thanks, sis!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T06:40:00.004-06:00

Happy Pink New Year to my Pink Saturday friends!

The first picture I am sharing today is one of my parents on New Year's Eve in 1953! New Years Day is especially bittersweet for me, as it is the anniversary of the day I lost my mom to cancer. My dad passed shortly after. So I remember them on this New Year with gratitude and love. I just love the happy faces in the background in this picture!

Since New Year Eve and Day is not a holiday that I celebrate with gusto, (but at least I no longer stay in bed with the covers up over my head- time heals!) I often work the New Year Holidays in an effort to be off on Christmas. The second picture represents me at work! I have the best job in the hospital, as I work with newborns! I wonder if my hospital will have the "First New Year's Baby" this year?

Happy New Year, everyone! I wish you all the best of health and an abundance of blessings in 2011.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T05:32:00.005-06:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy this special time with your family and friends!

This is a picture of me as a baby, under the Christmas tree, "singing" a Christmas song! That aluminum tree looks new in this picture! Notice the color wheel too! I wish this tree had been saved, but we used it for so long I'm sure it was pretty well mangled when it was finally retired!

If you are a Pink Saturday visitor, I am not sure why, but this picture seems to have a "pink cast" to it, although nothing in it is really pink! It seemed perfect for our special Christmas Pink Saturday !

Beverly asked us to share what we are doing this Christmas Day on our Pink Saturday Post. I am spending a leasurely day with my husband and 3 kids. Justin is 24, Andrew is 21, Mary Grace is 15. Justin's girlfriend, Julie is also with us this year from Kansas. We will leasurely open presents, eat our traditional breakfast of "Monkey Bread",stay in our pajamas, watch movies, take naps, and then later in the day have a special Christmas Dinner, just the 6 of us. This year we decided on a turkey instead of ham, with all the trimmings! Heaven on Earth to me!

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas Day, and thanks for visiting!

Peppermint Tag-O-Rama!

2010-12-22T15:16:00.004-06:00

Look at the tags I received in Bluebird Papercrafts' Peppermint Tag Swap! Thanks, Elizabeth for making this beautiful mosaic blog display! If you click on the picture, you can get a slightly enlarged view of the tags. I love each and every one!

Marie's Giveaway

2010-12-15T05:29:00.002-06:00

Head on over to Spun By Me and sign up for Marie's Beautiful Giveaway! Every item is soooo lovely!

between friends

2010-12-13T06:23:00.002-06:00

my crafty knitting buddies and i decided to create a little holiday cheer for each other using some of our favorite colors... here they are! i absolutely just LOVE them!

Home for the Holidays

2010-12-13T06:15:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd share a picture of our tree and our hearth all ready for Christmas. Now to finish the shopping and baking and wrapping and and and...

My Peppermint Swap Tags

2010-12-05T19:32:00.007-06:00

I am SO excited to be in the Bluebird Papercrafts Peppermint Tag Swap! This is one of my tags. I found this delicious vintage Christmas wrapping paper at an estate sale and have been hoping a great project would come along for it... well, this was the one! If you have not visited Elizabeth's blog before, you are in for a real treat! She is sooooo talented and inspiring! This is my first tag swap with her and I can't wait to get my package later this month! I'd really love to make a holiday wreath or garland out of all the different tags!

My Matchbox Swap begins its "Countdown to Christmas" today!

2010-12-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

Take some time this month to blog-along and see some fantastic Christmas matchboxes! Start at my swap blog: A Swap For All Seasons. You'll find a list there of all the particpating blogs- then just start following the links! The 25 gorgeous matchboxes that I received are being shown there each day as well! There were 71 participants in this swap, so you could literally spend all day blogging along if you would like! Or just visit one each day to get your daily dose of holiday spirit! Come on... blog-along!

gifts from dear friends

2010-11-24T19:20:00.006-06:00

look at these lovely birthday gifts from my dear friends and my sis. they made my day very special! if you click on this collage a couple of times it will enlarge so you can get a close up of the amazing handmade cards & tags as well as the beautiful hand-knitted scarf. And in case you are wondering... the 2 words that sum up the trick to getting perfect socks quickly and easily every time? Tar. Get.

seriously? it's november already?

2010-11-22T19:17:00.003-06:00

what a whirlwind the past month has been! i've had a "whole lotta craftin' goin' on"! here's a little peek at the cards i made for the christmas card swap with my swap sistas at red lead...

The Santa Clause Blog-Along Giveaway

2010-10-07T05:31:00.003-05:00

... is going on at A Swap For All Seasons (my swap blog) this week! The participants in the current swap will be posting pictures of Santa on their blog so we can all blog-along and see them!

My Santa Pic is one of my all-time favorite photos- it is my husband Ed (on the left), with his brother Troy (right), and dear little sister Debbie, who is clearly not very impressed with Santa! Precious!

is it really October already?

2010-10-03T18:31:00.006-05:00

...it seems like just yesterday that it was, um well... July! Wow does time ever fly by! Sooo much going on... here are the highlights.... I started a new job! It's actually my old job! After trying a different type of nursing for almost 3 years, I went back to my previous job as a staff nurse on a Maternity floor. It feels like I went back home where I belong. Back with the newborns that I love so much! So that was stressful, but in a good way.

I've also been busy with the latest swap on my swap blog. Another good thing. I absolutely love hosting swaps! Lots of work, but also in a good way!

Lastly, and I can feel my whole body tighten up as I type this, we have a nasty termite issue in our home. Lots of damage. Right now I have no kitchen, as damage repair and reconstruction has started on the back wall of my kitchen, including my cabinets, sink, etc. And that's just the beginning...yikes. Enough about that.

Thus endeth the excuses for not keeping up with this personal blog of mine. Still plenty of Grace Filled Moments happening, but just not a lot of time to share them!

I did make some time for a Halloween Postcard Swap with my favorite Swap Sisters over at Red Lead! Here they are! It was a fun diversion this weekend!

Another fun diversion from the house saga is my son Justin's 24th birthday today! He's actually back home, having graduated from college in May. I love having him home again! Happy Birthday, dear blonde-headed boy o'mine!

Wishing you all a happy October!

pink saturday!

2010-07-10T17:25:00.006-05:00

one day this summer, my sis and i set out on a play date. we ended up at our favorite local antique mall, where i found this adorable little elephant. i collect vintage baby planters and i couldn't resist her pink sweetness! plus, it was a steal, which sealed the deal!

then, we both have a small collection of white hobnail glass, so we each bought one of these tiny dishes to keep as a memento of our fun day.

happy pink saturday!

a fun crafternoon!

2010-07-05T07:38:00.003-05:00

My buddies and I gathered at my dining room table several sunday afternoons ago for another "crafternoon". We made these delightful birdhouse necklaces. We decided ahead of time that we had to have the birdhouses, and then we went with mostly all white/silver charms. We collected all kinds of fun doo-dads, set the date and were ready to go!

I went with the "white" theme and served potato soup & rolls for a light lunch, and then "white" desserts. I pulled out my beloved white hobnail milk glass pieces for the table.

We proceeded to have a ball. We listened to oldies that I had on my ipod (many of them laughable!), and then made and added as many charms as we could over the next few hours. I took a picture of them when we were finished, although we ALL added MORE charms to them later! Because in this case of course, MORE is MORE!

Our families had some great comments about our creations. My husband for example, asked if I was going to wear it around the house for awhile to "get my back used to it". My sister, always eloquent, asked if I "robbed a junk store". My nephew, who was over the next day doing some electrical work for us just said, "Wow Aunt Linda...that's um, alot" Jealous, the lot of them!

I absolutely adore my necklace, and the whole experience of making it on that fine crafternoon!

Swap Goodies from Linda...

2010-07-03T08:07:00.004-05:00

from my Something Old... Something New... Something Borrowed... Something Blue Swap that I hosted on A Swap For All Seasons.

Linda knows me well! Look at the delightful things she chose for me! I love every little thing so much! Thanks, friend!

a long overdue update!

2010-06-24T06:55:00.005-05:00

if you haven't already given up on me here on at Grace Filled Moments, i'm finally back with a whole lineup of updates as to my whereabouts and adventures these past weeks!

life's been busy and good, or good and busy! with "grace-filled moments" aplenty!

APRIL: my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, our 2nd son turned 21, and Ed had a birthday too. wasnt' Easter in there somewhere too?

MAY: Mary Grace graduated from 8th Grade and Justin graduated from college in Kansas.

JUNE: Mary Grace turned 15, Justin moved back home, we attended an out of town wedding, and have had lots of house guests! And wait... it's still June, right?

anyhoo, here's a few pictures of the celebrations... Justin getting his degree, Mary Grace's 8th Grade Dance, and Andy's 21st birthday- (Andy is on the right)

thanks, jenny!

2010-04-25T07:01:00.002-05:00

look at the May Day basket that Jenny sent me! there are so many little pretties tucked inside that you can't even see, too! love love love it!

a sneak peek for jenny

2010-04-16T18:50:00.004-05:00

i am participating in a "petite may basket swap" and this is the basket i am mailing to my partner, jenny (also the hostess of the swap). here it is all wrapped up and ready to mail. i sent it off this morning. hope she enjoys it!

Look what I found!

2010-04-02T05:57:00.003-05:00

Aren't these the greatest? I have been captivated by these in Sandy's Etsy Shop since I first spotted them, and I kept going back to see if they are still there, so today I decided I just had to have them. I just love Sandy's style, and I love the way she has them displayed. I have a dolly at home who will just love wearing them too! So fun!

is it Spring yet?

2010-03-19T17:54:00.004-05:00

these are just a few of the atcs i made today. i'm in a spring atc swap with my red lead swap sisters! i think red lead has the best images! oh hurry, Spring!

...still in a jewelry groove...

2010-03-13T07:14:00.003-06:00

makin' more stuff... gotta go with the muse for now...

newest creations

2010-03-01T16:25:00.003-06:00

i've really been neglecting my poor blog here. i hope you haven't given up on me!

i've had 2 main things keeping me busy. #1 my swap blog - the current swap is at 100 participants, so lots to do there! but wow! how far it has come! and #2 i've been working on jewelry again. making a necklace & earrings for my friend joyce got me in the mood to make a few more things! i made these 2 necklaces, plus some matching earrings that i haven't photographed yet. i need to do some updating and house cleaning in my etsy shop and put these in there.... but alas, my work week starts again so it'll have to wait until next weekend...

so that's my story... what's been keeping you busy lately?

buttons and a baby

2010-02-06T07:18:00.003-06:00

while antiquing home from Kansas last weekend, i found the teeny tiniest little baby you ever did see, wearing the teeny tiniest little crochet outfit! and i found more buttons! i barely had the car unpacked when of course i had to dump the jar onto the dining room table to find the treasures! woo-hoo! lots of great ones! ahhh...the simple pleasures in life!

Lovely Treasures from a Lovely Friend

2010-02-05T15:10:00.005-06:00

I received a box from heaven the other day. It was the swap package from my "Vintage Valentine Swap" partner Joyce. I have never met Joyce in person, yet she feels like a dear old friend whom I've known forever! This is really the best part of blogging and swapping, isn't it? Whatever did we do before blogging and swapping, I wonder? Perhaps something ghastly like housecleaning... anyway I've digressed.

Look at the treasures I received! I love each and every little thing, every bit of lace and ribbon, every paper treasure, each beautiful Valentine, Godiva truffles!, fantastic stamps and accessories for crafting, the lovliest little vintage bottle filled with pearls and topped with mininery flowers, and a handmade garland which I cherish :) There are so many little personal notes and tags and extras that I haven't mentioned here, but they are imprinted on my heart for always. (AND I have a little side story about one of these items that I will share with you another day!)

Thank you, treasured friend!

my most recently rescued orphan

2010-01-28T11:24:00.004-06:00

these are just some of the orphan babies i have rescued from estate sale junk piles and thrift store bins. sad little dollies in need of a home and someone to love them. the very newest is the adorable girl on the top right with the 1950's hair and no pants. her oversized shirt is clearly a hand-me-down. no doubt someone will find something unkind to say about her (like susie, who accused one of them of looking like 'chucky's' little sister), but i think she's lovely. she is now a happy member of the Smith fam and lives in the vintage baby stroller in my studio with her new siblings. i haven't named her yet...but i'm thinking she looks like a "Nancy". what do you think?

Pink Saturday

2010-01-23T06:00:00.007-06:00

i thought i'd share a couple of my favorite "finds" on this lovely Pink Saturday morning! i love white hobnail milk glass and also vintage hankies. i can't walk past either without stopping! and if the hankie has a little pink trim, well, it usually comes home with me!

Happy Pink Saturday! Stop by Nancy's crafty little page to see some of her recent finds...some beautiful rosy plates for Pink Saturday and a vintage blue mixer to die for!...

Pink Saturday and Tag Along...My Valentine Tags

2010-01-16T21:46:00.007-06:00

i made these for a swap... i think i like pink even more than red for Valentines Day!

have a few minutes? first go here to learn what pink saturday is all about.

then go here and read a cute little pink saturday story about a rabbit and a snowman!

lastly, go here to a FANTASTIC blog called Creative Breathing to learn about "Tag Along" - making a tag each month.

hot off the art table...

2010-01-15T20:38:00.003-06:00

...very vintage atcs for my red lead swap sisters!

My first Pink Saturday!

2010-01-09T13:47:00.004-06:00

For my first Pink Saturday post, I thought it would be appropriate to tell why the color pink has taken on special meaning to me. The picture in the top center of this collage was my mom, who died from breast cancer metastasis in 1998.

Last year my sister was diagnosed as well. She was in the process of going through treatment when the annual craft fair at her church came around. I have a booth there each year, and she has always been beside me for support. I decided to make everything PINK and to donate the proceeds to the Susan Komen Foundation.
These are some "pics of the pink" that I made for our booth.

My sister and my daughter were there with me. Customers I have seen every year stopped and shared stories about their lives for the first time, about how breast cancer had touched their or a loved one's life. It was such a special day. It's amazing how the color pink has unified so many women.

On a happy note, my sister is doing great! She celebrated her 1 year anniversary recently.

So that's my first pink story... and I am looking forward to sharing more of the pink on my blog each Saturday this year! Click here to learn more about Pink Saturdays.

Tip of the Day

2010-01-07T09:13:00.002-06:00

My lovely daughter wore her pajamas inside-out to bed last night. She said it would bring her good luck in getting a snow day today. It works!

my least favorite part...

2010-01-02T08:48:00.005-06:00

...is having to put it all away. it takes so long to wrap each ornament and box them up...it's so bittersweet...my goodness Christmas came and went so quickly! i feel as though it was just yesterday that i unpacked each treasure and set it out... oh well, maybe that's part of the lesson we are meant to learn from the holidays...to savor and enjoy every precious, fleeting moment...

on the needles...

2009-12-31T07:49:00.004-06:00

these fingerless gloves started out as a christmas gift for my sister, but i had to rip out and start over...looks like maybe a new year's gift at this point!...
and then i promised andrew i'd knit him a sweater...i finally got the opportunity to drag him through a yarn store (no easy feat) and he picked out this brown fisherman's wool...finished the gauge swatch, picked out a pattern and it's on the needles now too...let's just hope it goes faster than mary grace's orange sweater did!... we plan to burrow in and watch some movies tonight so i should get a great start...and that's the knitting update...

you gotta love it

2009-12-29T13:19:00.002-06:00

i think my son andrew inherited my "slightly off" sense of humor! he gave me this creature for christmas. he said, "mom, i think you're the only person who could love this, so i had to buy it". he knew it needed me. it was my favorite gift this year.

my christmas angels

2009-12-26T21:02:00.003-06:00

i'm not sure what is going on with my camera- but i wanted to share these pics of my kids anyway, blur and all. mary grace is in heaven having her brothers around her and the house is full of laughter, boys coming and going at all hours, piles of shoes and socks at the front door, empty pizza boxes and 2 liter soda bottles, toilet seats left up, towels on the floor......aaahhh....all's right with the world again! I love EVERY minute of it when my kids are all home!

the knitting knuts' krafty kone xchange!

2009-12-26T20:49:00.004-06:00

what??? this year, my knitting trio decided to exchange cones for Christmas. this year our color theme was inspired by a great skein of yarn that becky had in her knitting basket. there must always be a color scheme of course! the skein was a delicious varigation of harvest greens and yellows...and here are the cones! of course they were filled and surrounded by various handmade treasures in the same wonderful hues. we oooh'd and aaah'd over the lavish wrappings then slowly opened and admired each little detail of each precious gift... is there anything better than exchanging handmade treasures with dear friends? thank you becky and heidi!

Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus

2009-12-24T07:19:00.004-06:00

everyone who knows me knows i have a passion for babies. what you may not know, is that it all began with the baby Jesus. we had a nativity set under our aluminum christmas tree (complete with not one, but TWO colorwheels) when i was a little girl. i would lay under the tree and gaze at the baby Jesus. i was so in love with Him! he had a cotton ball for a pillow and shredded looseleaf paper for hay. you might say i loved him a little too much, as one year i broke his head right off of his body! it was glued back on of course, but you can still see the crease on his neck!

the years have long passed and that very same nativity set was lovingly passed on to my niece, Kathryn Rose. i told her to take very special care of that baby...for He is indeed, VERY special!

one of these days i will pay my niece a visit and take a picture to share with you! the set i have in my own home is the willow tree set in which baby Jesus is in His mother's arms- where of course all babies belong!

giveaway goodness!

2009-12-11T18:57:00.003-06:00

head on over to my friend Marie's blog, Spun By Me for a chance to win these sparkly treasures! don't delay! the drawing will be held sunday, dec 13th!

these are a few of my favorite things!

2009-12-11T05:39:00.004-06:00

i think our tree is especially beautiful this year! the boys were not here when we put it up and oh how i miss that! mary grace was here, thank goodness for my girl! isn't she growing up?? i zoomed in on a few of my favorite areas of the tree...some of my favorite vintage ornaments- some that have been in my family forever and some from dear art friends, one of my toy robots (which i adore!), the doily with my friend cathy's kindergarten pic she so lovingly pasted on a doily for me during our high school years... cathy has a whole area of the tree dedicated to the ornaments she has made for me- some are dated 1978!)...putting up the tree and hanging each dear ornament brings back SO many memories! some of them were made just for me by dear people who are no longer with us, the adorable pasted/colored/delightful messes that my kids made in preschool, the ones my husband gave me the year we were engaged... i could go on and on.
i also included a couple pictures from christmas present...my mary grace in front of the tree after we finished decorating and my great nephew Henry on thanksgiving. is that the sweetest face you've ever seen? his grandma and i were singing songs to him right before this pic was taken, and every time we finished a song he'd say softly, "more". be still my heart... truly grace filled moments...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T06:53:00.001-06:00

Wishing you all a peaceful day with those you love most.

feeling especially blessed...

2009-11-22T08:30:00.005-06:00

i am so thankful for my friends...my knitting friends who start off my week and who i can't wait to see each monday. my work friends who are so supportive and fun. my oldest and dearest friend Cathy, who has never let a birthday go by without stuffing my mailbox with handmade and/or hysterically funny cards and lavishly embellished envelopes. and last but not least my one and only sister Susie, who i'm not sure what i would do without.

they all made my birthday so special this week! take a look at some of the fantabulistical gifts I received! the pink and so doggone stinkin cute birthday collage house from becky-who also gave me the knitting pouch which already has my double pointed needles tucked inside and the great vintage image of the baby nurse. heidi- whose incredible bff collage with the beeswax straight pins nearly stopped my heart right in the middle of borders. she also gave me an awesome vintage cigar box with some great noro sock yarn & double pointeds tucked inside! b & h also gave me the Knitting Answer Book & adorable tag with the girls on it. my work friends gave me the warm and soft and long gray sweater to replace my "knarly-ass pink sweater" they so lovingly call it- an old pink sweater that I keep at work and put on when I get cold- it is worn to threads and has a hole in the elbow and every week they threaten to throw it away or start a bonfire with it on the parking lot. and last but never least... my sister Susie who made me the TO DIE FOR big tote & small pouch made from a vintage quilt accented with handmade yo-yo's & vintage buttons- we nearly had to call 911 when I opened this one. I will love it forever. you should see the inside of the bag- it's as cool as the outside! she also gave me one of those tiny craft irons that i pick up and put down constantly at the store- too cheap to splurge and buy for myself. woo-hoo look out beeswax... here I come!

overwhelmed with gratitude i am for the grace-filled moments this week with these special people in my life!

Dear Mrs. Beasley...

2009-11-15T08:11:00.006-06:00

When I was young, I used to love to watch the show "Family Affair". Remember Uncle Bill, Mr.French, Sissy, Buffy & Jody? I used to secretly wish that Brian Keith was my dad. He was so handsome and sweet (and looking back, probably rich too!) but what I really loved was Mrs. Beasley, Buffy's grandma doll. I always wanted a Mrs. Beasley doll of my very own. I came so close... my godmother asked my mom what I wanted for my birthday, and my mom said, "All Linda really says she wants is a Mrs. Beasley doll". So she wanted to be the one to get it for me. She couldn't find the doll before my birthday so she told my mom she'd find it for Christmas. Well, when I opened my Christmas gift, my mom was aghast to see it was a Monopoly game. "What about Mrs. Beasley?", my mom asked her. "Oh, that doll was so ugly! I couldn't believe Linda really wanted that doll". It was the sixties, mom had 4 kids, she couldn't just run out after Christmas & buy a doll. So alas, I never did get a Mrs. Beasley doll of my very own. So now, when I happen upon them in antique malls, I run over like a long lost friend, scoop her up in my arms and give her a squeeze. Once I carried her around with me and talked to her (as my sister rolled her eyes and shook her head!) But this particular Mrs. Beasley did not have her voice box anymore and couldn't talk back to me. She had also lost her glasses. Poor Mrs. Beasley. But I've lost a few things over the years too. My hair is starting to gray, I need glasses to read, and I'm a little more "fluffy" than I used to be. So I didn't mind. I did have to say goodbye to her, though. This mom has 3 kids and can't just go out and buy a doll either (and what would I do with a doll now?) But it was so good to see her again...

swappin with my swap sisters again!

2009-10-25T12:19:00.003-05:00

the theme for this atc swap with my favorite art group is "winter wonderland". want to be a red lead swap sister? join the yahoo group today! right here!

2009-10-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

swaps go out and swaps come in!

2009-09-25T19:57:00.006-05:00

i recently participated in a "vintage circus swap". why? i have no idea! i'm not a "circus girl". but it was really fun! my partner Jules, is from australia, which made it really fun! look at the amazing lighted shadowbox she made for me! i wish you could see it in person, as the pic does it no justice. and all the other fun circus stuff too! i'll definately be wearing that clown nose!

i sent her the animal crackers tin with goodies and the "life is a circus" little hanging. i hope she likes it...it hasn't arrived yet...so no peeking, jules!

and then on my swap blog, we had an "altered tin swap". my partner leslie made this magnificent tin...it's even more lovely on the inside- check it out! she is really talented!

i sent her this "beach glass" themed tin because she loves the beach. i tried to fill it with some fun "beachy" stuff...i hope she likes it!

all done swapping for awhile... (but never for long!)

weekend finds

2009-09-13T18:35:00.003-05:00

a few estate sales and a flea yielded a few retro keepers...my fav of course is the puppy dog planter! the magazines are from 1964!

silly

2009-09-11T22:00:00.006-05:00

the atc challenge is: which Red Lead image are YOU? this is my favorite RL image, and i am quite short... so i decided to use it...and i think if i really was a fairy, i would for sure want to live in a button jar.

on the needles...

2009-09-03T08:38:00.003-05:00

now that fall is nearing, i'm anxious to finish mary grace's orange sweater. it's been a work in progress for a long while and now i just have to finish the sleeves and it's ready to put together. she loves orange, and oh my goodness is it ever orange! ANOTHER reason i'll be glad when it's finished!

my favorite project right now, is this Noro cardigan i'm making for ME. yes, ME! i always make things to give away, so i'm really excited to be able to make and then (hopefully) wear this one! i love the colors!

...so anyway, that's what i've been up to. how about you? is anyone else working on anything fun? (not just knitting!)

busy busy busy

2009-08-15T18:46:00.005-05:00

making atcs for a fun "artful holiday atc swap" with the red lead yahoo group

a sweet surprise in my mailbox!

2009-08-03T13:29:00.004-05:00

look what my dear sweet sister sent me! what a surprise! i love the stacked button charm and the nurse's hat, and the adorable baby pic. i wore it the first day i got it. thanks, susie!

adding to the stash

2009-08-03T12:31:00.011-05:00

yarn sale this past weekend here woo-hoo! mg & i met up with my friend heidi and waited in line with the other knitters for the noon door-opening frenzy. 75% off everything in the "bargain barn", 30% off everything else. from the bargain barn i got this funky chunky- enough for a scarf at least. then of course at 30% off, i couldn't resist a skein of the harry potter sock yarn in the lovely shade of "dumbledore" (God rest his soul). they also had "harry", "ron", "harry & ron", "tonks" & "lupin". (what about hermoine & molly i wonder?) my stash is beginning to take over my closet...may need to eliminate one of those pesky clothing rods and add a few more shelves...but i digress. heidi bought a few skeins of amazing noro sock yarn- she is sock-knitter extraordinaire btw... ahhh,a good time was had by all!

k3tog

2009-08-03T08:54:00.004-05:00

oh how i love mondays! that's "knitting knight" for me. we knit. we eat cookies. we look at magazines. we gossip (just a bit) we laugh. alot. and we swap. this time we swapped knitting tschotske pins. look at these! first of all, the presentation always takes my breath away- they are ALWAYS too pretty to open.(that knitting print ribbon is a gift in itself!) OMG. i heart these pins and have already worn them. and i totally heart my knitting buddies. thanks, b & h!

A new swap!

2009-08-01T07:10:00.003-05:00

visit my swap blog, A Swap For All Seasons for the details! I'm excited about this one- it's simple and sweet.

Remember These?

2009-07-14T08:43:00.003-05:00

They were called "Liddle Kiddles" and they were tiny little dolls. Some came inside of a plastic locket, some in a perfume bottle. I remember wanting one for the longest time, and one day at "The Dime Store" (I think the name of the store was Kresge's) my mom must have had a little extra money and let me buy one. Gee I wish I still had it! They sell them on ebay now and I love to look through them to see if I can remember which one I had. Does anyone out there remember these??

tschotske swappin...

2009-07-10T17:51:00.004-05:00

with the red lead yahoo group...must keep going and make a few more...

back to the trip pics...boys will be boys

2009-07-01T14:51:00.005-05:00

One of the highlights of the vacation for Ed & the boys was our stop in Gettysburg. They are all Civil War buffs, and seeing the battle sights (the 3 hour car tour with audio cd commentary), getting out and exploring Little Round Top, Devils Den, and lots of other places they've read about and seen depicted in movies was thrilling for them. They walked around,talked, pointed, and climbed, and would get back into the car all excited, talking about the battle. (I got a whole lot of knitting done in the car that day!) But I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing this male bonding time that I know the 3 of them will never forget.

"antique ancestor" atcs

2009-06-29T15:24:00.003-05:00

it's been awhile since i've made a set of atcs. i felt kind of rusty at it, actually. it was a good project for me- it really forced me to think outside of my usual "art box" since the guidelines for this particular swap were tight. this is a swap with the red lead yahoo group, and the quality of the atcs coming in really made me need to do my best work...not sure if this is it, but here is the finished set.

Abraham, Martin and John

2009-06-27T20:25:00.003-05:00

"Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham? Can you tell me where he's gone? He freed alot of people, but it seems the good they die young... "

These pics are of the Lincoln Memorial, the Ford Theatre where President Lincoln was shot, the steps of the Lincoln Memorial overlooking the grand basin where Martin Luther King,Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, and the gravesite of John F. Kennedy and his immortal flame at Arlington National Cemetary.

what an incredible honor it was to stand in these sacred spaces.

heartwarming

2009-06-25T08:46:00.004-05:00

the best thing about our vacation was having all the kids together. the boys enjoyed hanging out together in the evenings (until wee hours in the morning), and mary grace LOVED being with both brothers. i love this pic of her with justin on the metro- ed & I were sitting in the seat behind them. grace filled moments...

we're back...and look what we saw!

2009-06-22T13:32:00.002-05:00

we just returned from vacation in washington dc. it was our first trip there (although the boys have been there before). what a site to behold! we were surrounded by the magnificance of our nation's history...what a vision of lovliness the capitol building is- both inside and out. it was an amazing trip...i'll share more pictures soon!

taking a little family roadtrip...

2009-06-11T09:37:00.001-05:00

be back soon!

the birdcage

2009-06-09T07:35:00.003-05:00

i have a few old birdcages that i've collected from estate sales...although i am afraid of real birds if they are up close and personal, i do love looking at them, and i love bird art. i also have this tendency toward "unique" collections. i love "kitschy" owls- you know, the ones from the 70's that were usually done in bad colors! many of my pals know of this collection, and always find just the perfect little owl to send me... as i was reorganizing my studio recently, i decided the owls needed a home...here are a few of them in their new digs.

more treasures

2009-05-30T15:39:00.004-05:00

a few estate sales this morning...and a few fun finds! the dollie has a bit of a lazy eye and could use a fashion makeover...her name is mary...and of course i can't leave a pretty floral tin with a lid behind... the ornaments were too much kitschy fun to pass up...and then of course i hit the milinery motherload! my husband has long learned not to ask "what are you going to do with THAT?" i guess because he prefers i not ask HIM the same question!

more sweetness

2009-05-30T15:35:00.002-05:00

mother's day sweetness from my sis- some pretty white hobnail glass, which i love! the perfume is called "flowers" and smells heavenly. aren't sisters great? they know just what you'll love!

sweetness x3

2009-05-22T19:17:00.002-05:00

the adorable knitted bunny is from becky, the sweet baby (NOT scary, susie!) i rescued from an estate sale, and the vintage bunny was made into the cutest-ever pin cushion by my friend heidi! a trio of sweetness!

a special day

2009-05-01T19:29:00.002-05:00

Mary Grace was Confirmed (a "coming of age" sacrament in our church) this week. She asked her big brother Justin to be her sponsor, so he came home from college to be with her on her special day. When did she grow up? Where was I??? And how could this man be my little blonde headed boy?? I wish there was a "rewind" button in life...or at least a "pause"...

may projects

2009-04-26T15:26:00.003-05:00

i've got a few things goin' on in the studio this weekend...tags for a tag swap on follow your bliss, my itty bitty page for the red lead book, and an rak chunky page...

I won!

2009-04-23T07:58:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited! I won the Earth Day Giveaway at The Salvage Studio and will be receiving a copy of their book! I can't wait! I LOVE their style, and since their studio is in the state of Washington, I won't be able to visit any time soon...so now I'll be able to "visit" anytime I want by paging through their lovely book. (Maybe my luck is changing...I never win anything!)

Tag Book Extrordinare!

2009-04-20T07:30:00.003-05:00

I just received my finished tag book from the Red Lead Yahoo Group Tag Book Swap. Wow! is all I can say. There were 44 participants so we each made 44 tags, so the book has 44 different, incredible tags! What a sight to behold! I notice something different each time I look at it! Special thanks to Debbie for putting it all together!

Spring Fling Treasures from Julie

2009-04-18T17:38:00.004-05:00

I participated in the Spring Fling Swap at Vintage Ephemera (see swap badge in margin) and look what Julie aka Cupcake DD made for me! It is a paper mache box that is so very sparkly and springy and absolutely lovely! And she send all these other goodies too! What a delight to open!

Couldn't leave her behind...

2009-04-18T17:31:00.004-05:00

Look who came home from me from an estate sale last week! She has scared a couple of people, and our dog barks at her, but I think she's sweet!

Got Any Jelly Beans ??

2009-04-10T21:35:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter!

Happy 50th Birthday, Eddie!

2009-04-04T17:54:00.003-05:00

My sweet husband turned 50 years old today. He still looks like this though. I'm so glad he was born!

RAK

2009-03-31T08:23:00.003-05:00

i made these to contribute to some rak chunky books for cyber sisters...shhh...can't say more...

precious gifts

2009-03-29T09:43:00.005-05:00

my friend linda sent me these hostess gifts from the Vintage Spring Sweetness Swap. she has an amazing ability to choose just the perfect things for people she has never met. i like to refer to her as my cyber soul sister! thanks again, linda for the joy you add to my life!

be still my heart...literally!

2009-03-20T07:30:00.003-05:00

these are my boys. Boy #1 just arrived safely back to school from spring break trip to denver... Boy #2 just arrived safely back home from spring break trip to texas. spring break trips used to mean family vacations, now they mean gray hairs and worry worry worry. they are great young men, and I am so proud of them...and so thankful to God for their safe travels!

ed's relatives

2009-03-15T06:48:00.003-05:00

my husband found this picture when he was looking through his family's old suitcase of pictures the other day. he said, "i have no idea who these ladies are, but you're gonna love 'em!" indeed! aren't they great? the back just says "July 4, 1953".

tag-o-rama

2009-03-13T15:53:00.003-05:00

wow! i'm finishing up 47 spring-themed tags for the Red Lead Tag Swap. that's a whole lotta tags! it's also been a whole lotta fun! i can't wait to get the finished tag book back. it's going to be a sight to behold for sure!

precious

2009-03-09T09:24:00.002-05:00

my friend heidi found these at an estate sale for me last week. i collect baby shoes, and old "walkers" are my favorite! aren't they precious? i especially love the rusty old bells and laces!

a grace-filled moment this week

2009-02-26T08:39:00.003-06:00

i came home from work tuesday, oh-so-tired and weary and found an incredible surprise in my mailbox! it is this "to cheer you" book from the Sunshine Club on the Follow Your Bliss Network that i belong to. my dear friend b, who also belongs to this group must have told them that we've been going through a difficult time (my husband's been laid off since the week before Christmas in the steel industry) and the group made a book for me! each page is personalized for me, and let me tell you, it made my day, no, my week! i was touched beyond words... and my dear friend b and my cyber friend linda each made a special page, as well as many people i do not even know! mary ann, the founder of Follow Your Bliss put it together and did many of the pages herself! thank you, dear friends! what a grace-filled moment!

a little something

2009-02-20T16:45:00.003-06:00

i was invited to a delightful valentine making afternoon at my friend becky's awhile back, and we made the cutest little canvas pendants! here's mine...

Surprise Yarn Balls!

2009-02-20T16:34:00.002-06:00

What's inside is still a surprise! One of them tinkles like one of those vintage baby toys when you shake it! My oh-so-fab knitting trio exchanged these balls (I didn't make one of mine to keep, so mine isn't pictured). We made each ball long enough to complete a scarf, and the scarf will be a surprise in the making, with different yarns as you get deeper into the ball... and a treasure when you get to the center! It makes me want to drop everything and knit away...but then again, I really do enjoy admiring them just as they are, and imagining the possibilites...

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T06:29:00.001-06:00

an old atc of mine...this couple makes me smile...