Painting, pruning, pixies...

and puttering too..... I have been very busy around the homestead lately, getting the yard ready for summer. The other day, after my two year old grandaughter left a perfect FULL set dental impression on my grandson's arm.... I thought it was befitting that I finally get around to painting on this huge frame I picked up at a yard sale for only $3. The Mod Podged paper was already in place. Loving the colors on this...My first thought was to make it into a chalk board, but I don't think that would hold up to being rained on. Its been kept outdoors for over a year already! What to paint? hmmmm... Why a very popular mantra of course, "Keep calm and carry on" I purposely put it side ways--- to further remind everyone (myself included) to keep calm-- crooked things bother me lolThen on to pruning.... I've got a lot of rose bushes on my property, and I'm always on the look out for more roses whenever I go to the hardware store or garden nursery. Last count I took, I had 35, and I've added more since then. I love 'em. This one is as big as a dinner plate. Everyone of the rose bushes has to have the dead heads cut off periodically. My most favorite thing to do in the yard is to prune, so its all good. I pull off the full spent heads of rose petals and toss them over my grandkids, its wonderful until they start grabbing them themselves..... I also have a collection of miniature rose bushes. I have 26 of them, so far. I've been lucky to find some mini roses at one of our local dollar stores-- next time I see them, I'm going to buy at least 30 more so I can have them lined up like little soldiers along the side of my house. Here is a photo of my gardening buddy "Puss-Puss". I stole her from my neighbor. Well, I guess those of you who know cats, know.... you can't really steal a cat now can you. No one owns a cat.... anywho, this once ferrel cat hangs out with me and is my constant outdoor companion when I'm working. I lurve her~
Lastly, pixies.... I've added some pixies inside cages that I've got hanging in various places in my grandkids play yard.... I added about 6 more to the area, here are just a few~ This little purple doll was a 10 cent yard sale find, a little hot glue to keep her curls in place, a smidge of wire to keep the wings that came off a broken butterfly in place and taaaaaa daaaaaaa instant fairy in a cage.Its adorable to watch them find the pixies and get really close to the cages and peek inside. The get so happy, its adorable I tell you!Well, now I'm off to go work on transforming this pinata of "Woody" into a Pirate pinata!Always having fun~

Thrifted Treasures...

I always come across the bestest stuff.... this metal childs patio furniture was being sold for $20, I got it for $10!This absolutely fabulous lamp-- that still works, I bought for only $5. The round metal mirror was $1 and the green beaded tree was $1. Here is a close-up of my lovely new lamp! *swoon*This pile of embroidered and crocheted items was only $2. I've never seen this crocheted edging before... this crocheting was done using ric rac and gives it a lovely scalloped edge. This pile of old photographs, greeting cards, boxes and an old book was only $2.Lastly, this signed water color painting painted by the artist N. Taylor Stonington. My husband bought this for $3... online they sell for around $300 to over a$1, 000 buckeroos. Sweetie... I still don't like it! I've linked to Apron Thrift Girl's "Thrift Share Monday" and "Her Library Adventures "Flea Market Finds" linky parties.

Happy Easter Everyone

Textiles

I seriously must single handedly have the largest collection of crocheted trims, table cloths & embroidered pieces ever amassed. Even more so, because I hardly ever use any of it! I did make a cover for this bird cage awhile back.... I think it turned out rather cute. The chippy bird cage and stand I picked up at a yard sale for $15.
This next bird cage was needing a cover as well... I just stitched the edges of a long rectangle piece of fabric which I added vintage crocheted trim to the edges of. Easy peasy...I have one of my beloved images that I simply treasure that I've made into a fairy inside the cage... I call him "Sweet Pete" I have him sitting on the swing inside the cage. I have over 30 bird cages of different sizes and shapes through out my home.... I know right?.... I think a few more cages might be getting some crocheted trim added to them as well.
I've linked up to Freckled Laundries textile linky party, and Beverly's Pink Saturday linky party.

Swappin' fun

I recently received a couple of boxes of goodies in the mail. The first box of goodies was sent to me from Betty Villalobos. Who doesn't have a blog... just yet. I love-love-love the tag she sent along with a box full of goodies. I simply adore cats, so this is absolutely perfect for me. Honestly, the photo does not do justice to the workmanship that went into this tag. It is 3 dimensional and exquisite~ She also sent along some yummy chocolate, two bundles of to-die-for fabric, an adorable cup and a Tim Holtz metal book thingie. Thank you so much Betty for your generousity, now get off your hinny and start a BLOG!! I would love to see more of your creations as I'm sure others would too! I was invited to join in on Vivian's Easter ornament swap. Vivian Neroni of vivs-whimsy, the swap hostess, made these two ornaments... A felt egg, and a felted chick hatching out of an egg. Super cute huh? This ornament was made by Valeria Kraft of Glittery Daze and Nights. Simply darling!Theresa Whitmore of Sycamore Moon Studios felted this whimsical bunny. Charming little bunny isn't it? Rebekah Conklin from Full of Bliss Creations made this felted bunny. The attention to detail is amazing.
This bunny head ornament was made by Cyndi LaChance from Holiday Sparkle. Super cute!
I haven't brought out anything "Eastery" this Easter--- so I've just got all of these beauties tucked inside a crystal bowlie for my family and friends to admire~
I did hang this beautiful cross in front of a mirror, recently bought for only $1.50.... isn't it beautiful. I guess thats the best "Easter" decoration isn't it~

Clubbin'

We just got back from a little trip to Disneyland and California Adventures amusement parks. The weather was divine, the lines not that long... and lunch at club Club 33 was as fabulous as always~You would never know that this restaurant existed unless you knew of it ahead of time because it is a well hidden, well kept secret. A lot of the staff that work at Disneyland don't even know about it. The entrance is in the New Orleans area of Disneyland. The door is located right beside the exit of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Just a door.... with the number "33" on it, knock and your in. Okokok... you must have a membership to the club to get in... and you must call a few months ahead for a reservation, but after that-- you just knock and the door opens. I always like to start off with a dessert appetizer.... lol.... if you are what you eat... then EAT SOMETHING CUTE! right? Gold signet rings.... this is new to the gift shop. New on my list to Santa too~Chloe was very stylish at Disneyland, she was ultra modern in her politically correct red polka-dot ensemble, and of course a sweet-sweet pixie in lavender,and super sweet in a little Snow White outfit~
Jonathan was a plumber, um... I mean a pirate....Ohhhhhhhhhhh the embarr.ass.ment....We hung out with Tinkerbell for quite some time... Chloe and Tinkerbell have the same personality... So bad at trying to be so good.... you know how those little pixie's can be!They played hide & seek for a while... Tink kept hiding behind Chloe so she never could find her! Thats Tink for you-- so bad at trying to be good!Once they were done playing they got down to serious business and began sharing all kinds of pixie secrets with each other... Jonathan was left out of the loop~ Jonathan didn't waste a second and made a B-line over to Tink & Chloe's good friend Rosetta... He was smitten~ Jonathan was a little annoyed that Chloe was cutting in on his quality time with Rosetta. You can see Chloe clutching at her lavender roses on the front of her dress. Well, Rosetta is a garden fairy, and she would have plucked those off her dress and stuck them in her garden! Those pixie's are tricky like that~After leaving Pixie Hollow, we came across one of Jonathan's pirate buddies. He was searching all over Disneyland to give Jonathan one of his gold coins for his 4th birthday, that made him forget all about Rosetta...The next day, while having breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen Jonathan was dressed like Benjamin Franklin Captain Hook, Peter Pan of course had to come over and pester him. Jonathan did his very best to ignore him~Peter and Chloe have been friends for years & years... as they both are mutual friends with Tink~Even with Chloe dressed in a Snow White outfit that I altered for her, Peter recognized her right away. Normally Snow White doesn't wear a mini skirt..... *wink* Out of the blue, wouldn't you know it--- Tink showed up! What a sweetie, adding some glitter to her little shoes~ Here are my grand kids riding in their sit and stand stroller, they were both passed out. Both of them would have slide on the ground still fast asleep had they not been strapped in. Jonathan has his head in the mesh carry bag that is hooked on the handles of the stroller~It was a very fun mini-vacation :-)