Fairy Christmas Tree~

Our local fair is starting next week on October the 7th. I was choosen to decorate a Christmas tree to show at the fair. Wonderful huh? I got notified this past Monday... that I have to decorate it on Saturday~ *gasp* I had plans of doing this all along, but because I hadn't heard from them for so long, I thought I wouldn't get to do it. It was (and still is) my intention to decorate the tree with all the fairy ornaments I've been making that I'm going to be selling in November. Always a method to my madness~

Here are some blocks that I've painted white and distressed and added some sitting fairies.I glued flowers and fairies to these woven pine cones...These vintage Christmas ornaments were revamped with glued on bits and pieces and tiny fairies....Bazillions of snowflakes... These vintage birds all got glittered party hats~I added vintage book pages to these painted and distressed frames for more filler for the Christmas tree.

These 3 glittered teardrop shaped ornaments~
I also bought a $5 dollar vintage ruffly skirt that I'm going to use as the trees "skirt".... all this along with all the other things with fairies on them is getting stuck on that tree :-) then its up for sale~

Mixed Media Monday~

This weeks challenge theme is: "art"~ I am still trying my hand at painting.......I ended up painting over the face and not giving it any shadows giving it a flat appearance. I am going to add a little bird that will sit cupped in her hands :-)

Pocket watches~

I made these little pocket watches using a bunch of faux brass curtain rings. I got a huge bag for 50cents. I glued different clock face images to the back of each one and added some glitter and of course a little tiny fairy. These are going to the craft boutique!I also made this "Merry Christmas" sign to hang on a Christmas tree that is going to display the ornaments I've made.....Of course this little fairy was all to eager to correct a major spelling mistake turning my "merry" into "fairy".... Never a dull moment around here~

Halloween fun~

I picked up a few things from a second hand store recently and revamped them for Halloween.... Here is the before~Here is the after~I wanted the book to look like a spell book--- so, I painted the cover black and dirtied up the pages for an old witchy kinda feel to it. I added a sheet of paper with a couple of funny spells printed on it to the center of the book.For the shoe, I spray painted it white and then rubbed some stain over it then distressed it with some paint and painted in some details and taaaaaa daaaaaa instant witch boot!

I had huge, HUGE plans to make a bunch of things for halloween. But... like a ninny I signed up to sell things at a craft boutique in November.... I have nothing to sell at this craft boutique! Needless to say, I've been feverishly making things..... The only way to make money at these events is to mass produce things and sell them cheaply......I'm going to set up a Christmas tree with little fairies all over it. Should be caute!

Mixed media Monday

This weeks challenge theme is: Buttons~

With halloween right around the corner I thought I would make two gift bags for my grandkids. You can't tell it from the photos but the childrens images are 3 dimensional~I loved using buttons on bingo cards when I was younger. Sooooooooooo what better? Here is one of the bags...

and a close up of the little charm hanging from the bow~Here is the other bag~And the charm on that bag~Now, comes the fun part of filling them up with lots & lots of yummy candy-- last minute of course or else "Nana" will eat it!

Shabby little stool~

I've had this little stool for about 27 years now.... I actually remember the day I bought it at a local thrift store-- I'm nutty like that. It was looking a little shabby, and not in a good way~Sooooooo I gave it a new coat of paint, and I made a little tufted top using some vintage fabric and mother of pearl buttons... and of course some ruffles for good measure. Now its shabby in a good way~I've linked to Debbiedoos.

Thrited treasures~

Here are some things I picked up recently at some yard sales... These two photos below of jewelry were a combined cost of $3. Seventeen pins....and seventeen sets of earrings. (there are tons more earrings, these are the ones I'm keeping) I especially like the orange drop earrings with all the fauceted beads, perfect timing for Halloween~I also got a shabby chic quilt with two matching pillow shams,along with 8 lovely shabby chic pillows all totaled for $20.Old velvet ribbon and a bunch of odds and ends were only $1.50. Forty vintage birds for only $1.50, and the vintage key bookends were $1 for the set.This gold soon to be white jewelry box was $2.This oak antique table I bought was only $4...During the process of spay painting it white--- I realized the women who sold it to me had been using it upside down. It is an umbrella stand! Ahhhhhhhhhhh that explains why its "missing" a top piece! *insert laughter here* I don't need an umbrella stand, so I'll make a top for it and continue using it as a table~
I've linked up to Debbiedoos thrift store show & tell.

Happy Birthday to me~

Happy birthday to me,

happy birthday to meeeeeeeee~

Give me a fork, pass me some cake...

happy birthday to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Here is a recipe of the birthday cake (cupcakes) that I made for myself.. its fabulous! Some say this southern layer cake earned its name because each otherworldly bite makes you hum with delight....

Sounds like the perfect cake for my birthday!

Here is the recipe:
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (I never add the salt)
1 cup vegetable oil (I use 1 cup of applesauce instead)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup coconut
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in the center. If your using cake pans-- butter and flour pans. Set aside.
2.) In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
3.) In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat oil (I use applesauce) vanilla and sugar until combined... about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4.) In a medium bowl, mix together banana, pineapple, walnuts and coconut. Add to egg mixture; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; blend well.
5.) Divide batter between pans. (I prefer cupcakes!) Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, baking 30 to 40 minutes.
6.) Transfer pans to a greased wire rack. Let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto racks; cool completely.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 pound (16 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, but into pieces, room temperature
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
1.) In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add butter, beating until incorporated.
2.) Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar, beating until incorporated. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Frost cake or cupcakes...

Mixed Media Monday...

This weeks challenge theme was: use "warm" colors. I made these teeny-tiny little boxes with tiny halloween fairies in them. I love to create these little boxes. These ones are the smallest I've ever made~I made 12 in total~Also.... I was needing a sturdy box to ship something in the mail ...soooooo I made a box out of an old scrabble board. Neat huh?I got rolls and rolls of the neatest old brown tape-- which is what I used on the fairy charms and the scrabble box.

My list...

My birthday is coming up... on the 8th of September... here is my list.I stopped at 8... I'm not greedy~