Cottage In The Sun

Teenage Bedroom Redo

2011-10-11T22:45:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love the difference paint makes!?!

From pink walls and girly-girl cutesy . . .

. . . to something a bit simpler, bolder, and "teen-ager-y"
Slightly off-white walls and squares in her school colors.

Oops! I still have to do something about those super pink baskets!

Well, we didn't make all the kid stuff go away!

Condensed version of all the steps!

I think this is the most important!
I cut and taped poster board squares to the wall in a way that I thought looked balanced and not too busy. The squares were too small the first time (top photo) and looked "too cute-sy" so even though I didn't want to - I cut more and bigger squares and re-did it (bottom photo)!

For the next step I called my husband in to help!
I penciled around the corners of the squares so I knew where I wanted them to be and then my sweetie used a level and drew the squares all perfect (and square!) for me - I hate measuring!

I managed to tape around the lines pretty evenly - I learned to tape slightly on the outside of the pencil marks.

After having the paint bleed and look awful I read online about taping, then paint the original wall color over the tape, letting it dry, and then painting the new color. This worked amazingly well! I only had a few places that I touched up with a tiny artist brush.

I did all of the red first - it took 4-5 coats!

Then the black. The taping was a bit trickier - I had to cut the tape and make sure it was perfectly straight where it met the red. And I had to paint over the tape in 2 different colors (original wall and red) to make sure there was no black bleeding onto the red or the white. The black paint was only 1 1/2 coats and went on super fast.

Done!
Now I just need to find the time for new curtains and bedding . . .

And the best part - I did this in 3 days while she was away at cheer camp (I used an oscillating fan to help it dry faster) - she was totally surprised AND loved it!

New in my Shop

2011-10-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

My first Christmas together ornaments were quite popular last year, so I've decided to add a customized version!

I'm adding more colors ready-made, but also listing an option for design your own!

And since they are now available in whatever colors you would like - wedding colors, school and team colors, or favorite colors, they are perfect for many different occasions.

I love the coastal/beach theme colors of this one!

Autumn Wreath - Part Two

2011-09-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I just made a new autumn wreath last year, but I found these fabulous flowers - zebra and cheetah - so cool!! - and just had to make something with them! (And wreaths are pretty much what I can make - my flower arrangements never turn out quite right!)

I started with my summer wreath that literally melted apart it was so hot this year - notice all the old hot glue - and fern and flowers that coordinated with the big ones that I love! The wreath at least was free, but even purchasing everything on a half-price day the flowers and foliage were around $30 (the animal prints are regularly $7 each - yikes!) Oh, I found everything at Michael's - the animal prints are from the "safari floral stem collection."

I really wanted the animal print flowers to go all the way around like my sunflower wreath, but they were quite pricey and since I went on the last day of the sale, they were down to these five.
I used the same steps as on my other autumn wreath - main foliage, big flowers, more foliage, and then the smaller flowers. (I didn't use the cream colored ones.)
Normally I just pull all of the flowers off and glue them directly to the wreath, but this wreath is on its last legs, so I cut the stem 3-5" on each flower so that I would have plenty of room to adjust them and make them do what I wanted.

I just couldn't wait and put it on my door tonight - sorry about the flash!

Homecoming Mum Making Experience - Finished !!

2011-09-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that they are finally finished - Homecoming seems early this year and I was so stressing about getting them done just right! They are for my oldest and her "big sis." These mum are both larger than my first one - about 40" long with 36" streamers and the mum flower is 6" across and 8" across with the backing. I think they are a really nice size without getting in the way too much.

And I have to share - When I was trying my youngest daughter's mum on her she asked - "And why am I wearing this again?" My husband (not a Texas native) thought this was too funny and rolled his eyes when I told her it was because she was a Texas girl and that's what she's supposed to do at Homecoming! I loved the mums I had at Homecoming (back when the flowers were real!) and I hope my girls love these just as much!
I put these together just like the smaller mum - I just added more embellishments.
I made some military braids (I looked at several sets of instructions and practiced quite a bit - I also had to adjust the ribbons more tightly after I finished, but they turned out just as nicely as the ones in the stores and as long as you are careful not to crease the ribbon the adjusting goes quite smoothly.) I also made some diamondback style braids that my daughter really liked. (Again, it just took a bit of practice after looking at instructions.) You can also buy the military braids at a craft shop if you'd like.

Before I got started attaching everything I made up some ribbons with footballs, bells, and megaphones. (I punched out some star shapes from glitter paper and attached them to the megaphones.)

I wasn't quite sure how to finish the ends of the braids, so I stapled and then used hot glue and ribbon to cover the staples.
I glued the ribbon and charm on the front and then wrapped and glued the ribbon that I tied everything with around the back.

I laid the flowers and ribbons out to see what I had and decide what all I was going to use. I used zebra ribbon, school spirit ribbon, 2 different braids, name ribbon, homecoming ribbon, gold star chain, gold cheer chain, curly ribbon with megaphones, bells, footballs, and skinny gold sequin ribbon.
Using 36" lengths, I began the streamer circles by attaching 9 (#9) ribbons (4/5 red and 4/5 black) to the fronts. My daughter felt they needed to be fuller, so I added 7 (#9) more ribbons (3/4 red and 3/4 black) ending up with 16 lengths on each circle. I also added 8 (#3) ribbons (4 red/4 black) to each.

I almost forgot - I found the cutest little lion head pens, ripped the heads off, and glued them to the center of the flowers. They weren't quite big enough all on their own, so I added a little embellishment to teach of them! I used different color accents since the bases are different colors (one is more red, one more black) and so they would each be unique.

I don't have a picture, but I then laid out all of the "fancy" ribbons and chains on top of the streamer base so that the colors and chains were balanced, not exactly symmetrical, but spread out so that one side of the mum didn't have too much red or too much black, etc. You can get an idea of how this looks by checking out my other mum post.
I used the homecoming ribbon for the center, attached the zebra and school spirit ribbons more-or-less evenly on the sides and then also placed a braid and gold chain on either side. I attached the braids, chains, and skinny ribbons on top of the fatter ribbons.
If you look at both mums you can see that one is more black and one is more red, but they are both balanced. I made sure everything was stapled down, glued the flower on top of the streamers (a lot of glue), and glued a plain circle to the very back to cover the staples.

I have tons of photos of the completed ones!

I angled the bottom of the ribbons just a bit to give it a more finished look.

Close-ups of the military braid and zebra striped ribbon. I found the star garland in the Christmas section at a craft store.

Sequin ribbon, cheerleader chain, and megaphone charm.

Close-up of the diamondback braid and a bit of the black velvet sparkly ribbon adorned with shimmery gold and white bows.
Mum #2!

Cheerleader chain and military braid.

Happy Homecoming!

My Kitchen Subway Tiles

2011-09-05T17:56:00.000-07:00

This is how I dreamed my kitchen could look - like the gorgeous kitchen in the 2009 Coastal Living Idea Cottage.

I knew the honeycomb tile wouldn't be in my budget so I thought I'd try several colors of subway tiles (which I've always loved!).

I still have a long way to go, but here is my kitchen wall so far!
And I do have a stainless venthood just waiting...

I used 3 shades of white and off-white to replicate the various tones in the tile that I love. I laid out several rows at a time and then placed them row by row on the wall.

I chose dal subway tiles arctic white, almond, and biscuit in a matte finish.

I have moldings to finish (as similar as I can get to the ones in the idea cottage) and outlets to change out before I do more and I have to work up the nerve to try out a tile saw but I'm really excited to see that it is looking just like I hoped!

Looped Dimensional Homecoming Ribbon

2011-09-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Sneak Peek - I'm almost done!!

These are instructions on how I made the looped ribbon with the letters that spell Homecoming. You can alternate the colors of ribbon and letters, add layers in different colors, or even use larger ribbon with trim. You can also use thinner ribbon and smaller letters for garter-sized or petite mums.

I started by cutting lengths of the #9 (1 5/16") ribbon into 6" strips - I folded each one - pretty side out - together and stapled to form a loop. I made a total of 18 - 10 to spell Homecoming, 4 for the year, 1 to separate them, 2 more for the top to hide all of the staples as it leads to the top of the mum, and 1 from another ribbon that had a lion design printed on it.

I made all of the loops first and then placed each letter (each is 1 1/2" tall) so that the top of each letter is approximately 1 1/4" below the top edge where the ribbon is stapled together.

After attaching the letters on the loops so they appeared centered I tried measuring to see if I could apply the letters first - I thought it would be easier so I wouldn't smash the loops - but for me it was easier to apply after I made the loops. They just ended up looking better this way for some reason!

My mum's longest ribbons are 36", so I used that length and started about 5" or 6" from the bottom just because I hadn't decided yet on how I wanted to finish the bottom. (I ended up adding an additional ribbon loop with a lion's head and then cutting off most of the rest so that the ribbon appears to end in a loop.)

I stapled the bottom symbol first and then placed each number or letter approximately 1 5/16" above the previous loop. So, from the raw edges of one loop to the next is approximately 1 5/16" - your measurements might vary depending on the size of your ribbon and letters. I used 2 vertically placed staples on each loop. The back of the ribbon has the sharper edges of the staples, but doesn't really seem to be an issue since there are so many layers or ribbon beneath it. I tried to staple so that the staples were the other direction, but it was just too hard to see to line up the stapler with the ribbon edges. You can always hot glue another ribbon to the back if sharp staples are an issue on your mum.

This is how they look from the side. The farther one away has had glue applied, the nearer one has not.

For a nice finish and to make the loops stay where I wanted I applied a bead of hot glue right below the staple line after I had everything stapled.

Aren't they fun?! You can spell out whatever you'd like as long as your mum has the space!

My Homecoming Mum Making Experience - So Far

2011-08-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, summer has gone by so quickly and now that we have one in high school, football season is upon us!

This year we need to make a homecoming mum for daughter's "big sis" at school. I was so worried about messing up something that is so big, so I decided to do a "shakedown" mum to get the mistakes over with and gain some confidence. Since I knew my littlest one would just have to have one, too (who doesn't love ribbons and cowbells and glitter?!), a small mum seemed just the thing!

So, if you are tempted to make a homecoming mum, I hope my photos will help you get started!

I bought my supplies from a floral wholesaler and from a craft store and made my letters at a scrapbook store. I really recommend buying the ribbon from a wholesaler if you can (mine also sells retail) - the ribbon came in 100 yd spools and is so much cheaper in the long run, especially if you have more than one to make, will be making them for several years, or you're like me and worried about mistakes! And if you go in with a friend it will be cheaper and more fun!

Just to give you an idea of materials - I used for a small mum - about 18" in length total:
(1) 4" mum
(3) 4" cardboard backers
(1) package silver star garland
(2) small black megaphones
(3) silver cowbells
(5) red sparkle curling ribbon
(2) red floral grosgrain ribbon - 15"
(2) black/white grosgrain ribbon - 15"
(5) glitter letters
(1) glitter heart
(4) black #9 (1 5/16") ribbon - 30"
(1) black #9 ribbon - 15"
(3) red #9 ribbon - 30"
(4) red #3 (9/16") ribbon - 30"
(2) black #3 ribbon - 30"
About 3 yards each of #5 (7/8") black and #3 red to make the points for the base of the mum.
Stapler and glue gun.

I started by cutting 4" strips of the #5 black and #3 red (I needed 26 of each).

Layer the red over the black, fold to make a point in the center and staple. This takes a bit of practice to get them even and get the red flat against the black (and mine aren't perfect), but after a few, it's pretty easy.
(front view)

(back view)

You can also simply fold the ribbons in half and use them that way. I have seen mums alternate flats and points and some with just flats.

Begin stapling the points along the edge of the base (after the first few I laid my flower on top to make sure that it was going to look how I wanted).

I couldn't wait to go all the way around the circle to see how it looked, so I started the second layer before I finished the first! The second layer is a little farther in and is placed so that the points are in between the points of the first/outside layer

This is how it might look if you alternated flats and points.

This is how it looks when it's all done! I used 13 on the outside and 13 on the inside.

Using lots of hot glue, make sure the mum is centered and attached really well.

I made these letters using a die-cut machine and glitter paper that is peel and stick. The paper was a bit pricey, but still cheaper than buying each individual letter and I really wanted red and black! I had hoped for more traditional looking letters but these were the only ones that fit on the ribbon. I'm sure that some of the new cutting systems would be perfect for this.

Peel and stick!
(I used some extra bits of ribbon on the back of the heart to make it "not-sticky.")

Okay, now the second circle. The ribbons and fun stuff!
I only used the #9 and #3 red and black ribbons.
I cut double lengths and folded them (30" down to 15") because I wanted to make sure mine was at least kind of even and fluffy enough, but you can definitely staple them one by one - that is what I did with the grosgrain ribbon and the ribbons with the bells and megaphones.

I don't think there is really a right or wrong way to do this, just make sure the ribbons hang how you would like them to and that the colors are somewhat balanced - the first time I tried I had too much black on one side and had to staple on more red.
Totally unplanned, I ended up adding some grosgrain ribbon that I had on hand because I thought it needed some white (since the mum is white) and because I really like the flower ribbon!

Half-way done!
(Next step was putting the name ribbon on top.)

This is how it looks with just ribbon and no extras - still pretty, but I knew my little one would want more!

So, I added some star garland around the top.
I folded them into bow shapes and stapled them around the edges. (I think I need just a bit more for the bottom, but I ran out.)

I used the curling ribbon and added the cowbells and megaphones at different lengths on either side of the name ribbon. I tied the charm to one end, curled the other end, and stapled in the middle so that the curls could wrap around the end with the charm.

I also added a length of the silver star garland on either side of the name ribbon - I just lightly curled it around a pencil to give it some shape.

I folded a 5" loop to make the hanger (I just need to get a couple of corsage pins) and stapled it to the back of the circle with all the streamers several times to make sure it would hold.

My next step will be to glue the mum layer to the streamer layer and then glue one more cardboard circle to the back to cover up all those staples which get stuck on everything!

I'll probably trim up the ends a bit before I'm all done!

Since I'm now feeling quite brave, I have gotten started on the "big sis" mum - I used larger ribbon (#9 and #5) since it is bigger (6") and played around with the ribbon a bit. The streamers will also be quite a bit longer.

For this mum I'm going to add some fancier ribbons (in gold) and some plastic garlands and maybe some braided ribbon chains, too.

And just to be a little different I think I'll use a red mum!

If I left out something or if you have tips to share I'd love to hear from you!

Some Thrift Store Days are Just Better than Others

2011-05-24T20:31:00.001-07:00

I don't usually come home from thrift stores really happy - either I'm not very good at finding treasures or things are already picked over! But last week was a good week for me!

I actually found this horse at an antique shop, but it was only $8 and is about 5" tall. It is a vintage Swedish Dala Horse and I am so excited because during a move I lost a very similar one that my Papa gave me when I was a little girl (his parents immigrated from Sweden). It is quite worn, but fits in perfectly with all of my other vintage decor. I think it is fairly old, but I don't know enough about the designs to be sure.

I LOVE rose prints and this one is so sweet! A print in perfect condition from 1969 and a sturdy wooden frame. $1!!!!

A delicate silver (most likely plated since there are no marks at all) heart bracelet with just enough wear to make it look nice and vintage-y! I love silver and hearts and bracelets!! Oh, for only $2!

I know that y'all will think I've flipped, but I found 2 of these ($2 each) and they will be perfect for all of the football games I will be going to now that my daughter is a cheerleader. No, they're not the right color, but I'm really not that picky (and orange is never a bad color in TX) and since I have been keeping an eye out for them (really!) I couldn't believe my luck in finding 2 just a week after I started looking.

I also found an American Girl-sized salon chair (target brand) for my little ones dolls and animals - it even has a lever on the bottom to raise and lower the seat just like at a real salon - too cute! A bit pricey at $4, but new ones are $25...

And a skinny leather bracelet with silver heart medallions for my oldest. ($2)

Another Painting . . . By Me!

2011-05-21T19:19:00.001-07:00

Obviously not perfect, but I am quite happy with my Eiffel Tower painting I did at my local painting parlor. This is the 4th painting I've done - I've also managed a chicken (I posted about her here), a rooster, and a cat! I knew the tiny lines would be a challenge since I do not have very steady hands, but I really wanted to do it and it turned out better than I expected!

The instructor paints the picture also (on his own canvas) as you go, so you get to see actual technique as it's happening. We did the background first - which is always so much harder for me than it should be - then the dots. Next, we traced the Tower and the floral design at the top and then used the tiniest brush ever to fill everything in.
It was my late birthday present to myself (I even used my first ever groupon) and I had tons of fun!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day . . . again . . . from Petals!
Petals first wished some lucky mom happy mother's day in 1957 (according to the inscription on the back of this cutting board).

I am so glad that I was able to rescue her from the thrift store and give her a new beginning just in time for mother's day 2011!

I just finished placing the last mosaic piece. Hopefully I will be able to add the grout soon and Petals will be complete! (My daughter named her Petals since it starts with a P and the plate pieces are floral.)

I have been planning Petals for a while and had the lavender and green plates since last year, my mom just found the berry colored one at a yard sale last weekend so I couldn't wait to get started!

She is handmade and about 14" by 9". The lavender and berry colors are both reproduction Spode; the green was unmarked and vintage.

Cheerleader Pillowcase Update

2011-05-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my daughter's pillowcase!
(I started in this post.)

This is the front side all pieced together . . .

(I love my new cutting mat - even if it does smell awful and I have to store it in the garage - and rotary cutter! I still can't sew straight, but at least straight cuts make it a bit more possible!)

. . . And this is the whole case - done!

I used the "hotdog method" to sew it all together - I found really easy instructions on sewhooked's blog.
I need to find a new pillow just a bit bigger and it will be perfect!

I did line the pieced front side with muslin (thanks for the advice YippeeVintage!) and did a bit of stitching on the front just to hold it together

School Carnival and Bake Sale

2011-04-29T10:22:00.001-07:00

My oldest help my youngest decorate a cake for the cake walk this year. She was so happy that her sister helped her and is sure that they are going to win! I think there is a good chance if there is a most creative category - I would certainly have never thought of making a LochNess Monster cake - with volcanoes, too!

I got to make the cupcakes with the instructions - Lots of sprinkles, Mom!!

Cactus Flowers

2011-04-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

Last year was an amazing year for Texas wildflowers and I took so many photos. This year we didn't even get the essential kids and bluebonnet photo. However, the cactus flowers have been fabulous.

Even the tiniest cactus seems to have a huge blossom!

And the bees are enjoying them, too!

Memories of Easter

2011-04-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we would prepare for Easter in the spring at Sunday school and a few days before we would color eggs at home (usually with melted crayons!) and leave them out for the Easter bunny. I can remember waking up and the sense of excitement as my brother and I waited for the front doorbell to ring (our Easter bunny rang the doorbell) and then my dad would come in through the garage door saying he had just seen a rabbit hopping away. He was a great storyteller, so very believable! And truthfully, I adored candy so anything that would get me candy worked for me!

I love that I now feel the same sense of excitement every Easter and not just about the Easter bunny.
I hope y'all have a joyous day with family and friends!

Cheerleader Quilt Squares

2011-04-19T19:45:00.001-07:00

So, my oldest just qualified to be a member of her high school cheer team. She will be going away to camp this summer and I thought I would make her something she could take with her. She will be getting all kinds of bags and clothing with her team info, which didn't leave much for me to do.

I have really been into sewing lately and last week I found some really cute cheerleader fabric and thought - a pillowcase! The cheerleaders are in many colors, but luckily there were 2 in black and red - just what I need.

I recently bought a quilt pattern called Ruffles by The Pattern Basket and the squares are just the right size to fit the little cheerleaders! I still have to make up the rest so that I can sew them together to make up the case, but since this is my first piecing project I am really excited about how they turned out!

I am still trying to decide if I should line it since there will be raw seams on the inside. It just seems like I should - maybe some thin muslin? I will probably go to my favorite quilt shop here in town and ask their opinion.

Farmhouse Fresh

2011-04-14T06:20:00.002-07:00

A collection featuring some of my favorite farmhouse finds!

Click on the large photo to go to Etsy and get more information.

Patchwork Heart Organizer Hooks

2011-04-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

I was so excited! To celebrate my recent quilt fixation (did I mention I made it to all 12 shops on the Bluebonnet Shop Hop?) I designed this patchwork heart for one of my hooks. And I added a vintage flower tack, too - isn't it cute!

It turned out so pretty! But somehow when I used the sealer it made little bubbles on the bottom sides of the plaque next to the heart. I don't think I can sell it now, I might try sanding and re-sealing but I already had to re-paint, so I think this one is going to just be for me!

Vintage Feedsack Quilt Redo

2011-04-11T16:53:00.001-07:00

Last summer I rescued some quilts from the floor of my grandmother's old house before it was demolished. They had been exposed to the weather and who knows what else for over a decade and where/are in really bad shape. The fabric is fragile and stained in some places and ripped in some more. The backing is coarse feedsacks and some of it is even more fragile than the front - I can even see a faint outline of a chicken on one! But, considering all they had been through, I tried to be grateful for what I could salvage.

I spent a few months coming up with ideas, but nothing seemed to really fit what I had to work with until . . . one day in the craft store I discovered album frames (for records or scrapbook pages.) They will accept thicker objects than normal frames and are super easy to use.

These are 4 of the finished squares! It's so nice to know that at least 4 squares are safe from falling apart.

This is one of the rips from where it was folded. Even though everything I read told me not to wash the quilts until I could repair them it just was not possible. They were so far from sanitary that I couldn't even touch them without gloves. Luckily I have a front load washer so I was able to soak and wash them one at a time.

I laid out each frame over a salvageable square and traced around the edge. They aren't perfectly square but I didn't want to pull the fabric too much.

It took me about an hour before I was ready to make the first cut. I even called my mom and said okay I'm getting ready to cut, just want to make sure it's still okay! (It would have been much easier if it had been made by someone I didn't know or wasn't related to!)

These are so pretty, but either are damaged or on the edge so I will have to come up with some other way to use them.

I love all of the different fabrics and it's so cool to know that my grandmother and great-grandmother pieced them all together. I gave away the squares to my mother and cousins and will save some for my daughters, too.
I'm not quite sure yet what to do with the other quilts (this is the best one), but at least they are in a safe place now.

Southern Lady's Market Monday

2010-12-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

Come Join Us!

Southern Lady's Market Monday for December 6, 2010

Start Your Christmas Shopping Today

2010-11-22T05:58:00.000-08:00

Southern Lady's Market Monday is today!

Start shopping or add a link to your item!

Here's mine!

My Visit to the Painting Parlor

2010-11-14T16:28:00.001-08:00

This is Bernice - isn't she cute!
I painted her today at The Royal Canvas Painting Parlo r in San Antonio.

You should know that I cannot paint at all - the teacher for this class is fabulous!

This is the original painted by Gina at the studio.

And guess what, she also has a shop on Etsy - Too cool!
I love her Crows On a Line painting!

I'm hoping to go back and paint Fred the Rooster next week - I can't wait!

Market Monday

2010-11-08T05:35:00.000-08:00

Southern Lady's Market is having Market Monday over on her blog!

Tons of Christmas goodies
and more!

Add your link to your shop
and
go shopping, too!

Here's a sneak peak at my entry...

Autumn Harvest Thanksgiving Wreath

2010-11-07T15:28:00.001-08:00

I'm a little late, but I finally have a new wreath for Fall this year!

I thought I'd give a quick step-by-step for anyone who doesn't know how to get started but wants to make one of her own.

I gathered my supplies
-glue gun and glue
-grapevine wreath form
-foliage (separated from bush if necessary)
-flowers (separated from bush if necessary)

I usually cheat and buy a pre-arranged bush when I want an elaborate looking wreath but don't want to have to work really hard. All of the flowers on my wreath were on a $20 bush that I got for 50% off. The fern was also a bush and I think 50% off of $13. (I hate paying full price!)

I'm sure there are many ways to design a wreath, but this is the method I use most often because it's fast.

1. Lay a base of foliage, sticking over the edges however you would like - I chose circular in the same direction. It doesn't have to be perfect because much of it will be covered and extra can always be added (I always save a few bits of foliage just in case.)

2. Separate the flowers into groups, larger to smaller.
3. Arrange larger flowers in groupings that are a pleasing distance apart. (Dark orange) Nothing is glued yet, so this is not permanent.
4. Arrange next larger size/group of flowers until all of the flowers have been used. (Taupe and then cream)
5. I had a bunch of tiny flowers, ivy, and tiny berries that were also included and I spaced them out to fill any gaps. The extra foliage comes in handy now to fill in any other gaps!

6. Hang up your wreath, make sure everything is securely fastened and still looks "balanced" now that it is vertical, add a few bits of foliage if needed (I needed!) and admire.

London Eye

2010-11-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Some days it seemed like the London Eye was in every single one of my photos!

We rode it one evening and it was amazing to look out and see all the lights!

New Ornaments for Christmas

2010-10-31T13:17:00.001-07:00

When I was in London in September, I saw the cutest embroidered pear ornaments. I just knew I had to make some tin ones! I bought a couple of pounds of Bradford pears, studied the shapes, and came up with this fabulous (I think!) ornament.

It was harder to make a pear shape than I thought it would be!

I hope to find some more "curvy" tin so that I can make some more.

Vintage China

2010-10-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

I am hopefully linking up to Vintage Love Saturday with Southern Lady's Vintage. This week is Vintage China!

My grandparents received this set from their church for their 25th wedding anniversary. It is from Lynmore and is the Golden Rose pattern. The date would be circa 1956. I have plates, cups, saucers, small bowls, and serving dishes. I never saw them use it, but it has a few chips, so I know they must have when I wasn't looking!

I found this set at an estate sale and I just love the colors - plum and turquoise! I haven't been brave enough to use them for eating, but I get to see them every day in my china cabinet. They are an American-made Knowles pattern called Chalet. I think from the 60s, but not positive.

Our Hotel Room in Paris

2010-10-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

The weather was beautiful when we were in Paris (September) - views looking up and down from our room.

And our room was so cute! Doesn't it remind you of these yummy macarons (that we bought at Laduree)!

It was small, of course, but not too small, and really close to where we wanted to be.

Here are some more architectural and random photos!

Brass Heart Garland

2010-10-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

It's been forever since I showed y'all this tray - It was harder to cut than I thought, but I finally managed to get it done and cut hearts avoiding most of the blemishes. I think it's sweet! Of course I'll never be able to replicate it, so it's one of my few truly one-of-a-kinds!

I just listed it in my shop!

What do you think?

Just a few photos from my trip

2010-10-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

I mostly have "typical" photos from my trip, but I do have some more architectural-type ones that I really like.

Obviously, the Eiffel Tower. I never knew the edges were almost like lace!

Cobblestones, windows, and tunnel siding in Greenwich. I meant to take more cobblestone photos, but there was so much to see everywhere we went I didn't take half of what I had planned! And then my camera really doesn't like taking low light photos.

Remember These Journals?

2010-09-10T19:55:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to show you the finishing touches!

I couldn't find any Paris or London scrapbook paper to line the insides, so I added a bit of Texas instead!

And the elastic and eyelets worked out great with a little help from the ladies at my local scrapbook store - and some tools that I've never heard of!

I can't wait to see if everyone enjoys them!

Look What I Found Today

2010-09-10T11:46:00.001-07:00

I had a few extra minutes before meeting my husband for lunch, so I thought I'd pop into the thrift store for just a minute....

I found this super cute trunk!

It even has a movable rack for hangers! It has some condition issues - scratches and dents, the latch is a bit sticky, and the inside needs re-lining - but it's perfect for my little one's doll outfits! It's 16" tall and 8"x8" wide.

Does anyone have any suggestions on redoing the lining? The outside of the trunk is metal, but the inside of the trunk is wood, so I don't want to get it very wet. I was thinking just peel off what I can, sponge it lightly, seal it, and then apply a new paper lining. I'd love any advice!

And if you have any info on the age or the doll that went with it, it would be fabulous to know!

I wonder if I can find similar star paper?!

Lunch Time

2010-09-09T14:40:00.001-07:00

So, Sunday night before school started, we realized that last year's lunch bag, was just not going to magically materialize like we had hoped - it's in one of those "kitchen" labeled boxes I know it is!
Anyway, my little one finally agreed that I could make her one like her big sister's. They are both made from denim - the blue one is my oldest's and I made it from an Old Navy spaghetti strap dress - this will be it's 3rd year, so it's holding up nicely! The black/gray one is the newest one and is from the brother's outgrown jeans and a dress that had seen better days.

I used the bias trim from the sleeves of the dress for the straps and the jeans leg for the body of the bag. The ladybug and buttons were from the front of the dress - I had just cut off the buttons 2 days before to recycle them and thrown the dress away - I was lucky that my sewing scraps hadn't been discarded yet!

I used the skirt of the dress to make a lining and pocket (for the icepack) and the snaps of the jeans to keep the bag closed. My hand-sewing could have been better, but I only had an hour till bedtime and my little one wanted to make sure she had a lunch bag!

I made fabric "baggies" last year, but the crumbs would catch in the velcro and peanut butter and jelly made them kind of yucky. Maybe I should try that fake oilcloth fabric and just flip the tops of the bags over?

Paris and London Journal Notebooks

2010-09-08T21:20:00.001-07:00

I am getting ready for my trip and wanted to make a small hostess gift for my friend who has invited me to visit her in London. Also, I needed a small birthday gift for a new friend that I met when she came for a visit over Easter with my cousin from Sweden. We will be staying in London and making a short 4-day trip to Paris - and meeting up with my new friend who will also be visiting London - small world!

After weeks of searching - I knew what I wanted, just didn't know if it existed - I found these beautiful papers online (they are from Cavallini). Of course, you can buy the journals already made, but what fun would that be?!

I found journals on clearance at Michael's and mini-notebooks at Target. I just used decoupage glue to attach the papers and a spray sealer to make them a bit water resistant. Tomorrow I am going to figure out how to attach elastic to keep them closed -I already have the holes punched, I just have to figure out how to use eyelets!

Any ideas about airport legal, non-crushable packaging? Maybe those clear fabric gift bags?

Cupcake Mosaic Tray

2010-09-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

I just have to share my first completed mosaic project!

I found the sweetest mosaic tiles at ChipofChina on Etsy! You have to check out her Marie Antoinette and Peter Rabbit!!

Aren't these cupcakes the cutest!

I found this tiny tray - just big enough for 2 mugs or 1 mug and a cupcake! - with really ugly tiles and couldn't resist transforming it with these super cute tiles.

I love the bright colors don't you!

Even the grouting wasn't so bad since the tray is so small! I just have to seal it and it will be all ready to use!

Just For Me

2010-07-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I really dislike about my kitchen is the huge window at countertop level right behind my sink. It is set back and almost every time the sink gets used something splatters on the window or the counter and I can't reach it to clean it - unless I get a stool.

My custom made piece from TheShabbyChicCottage doesn't really solve the problem, but it makes me much happier just to see it!

She makes votive and tealight holders in her shop, and I was so excited when she agreed to make this bottle holder for me!

I love it!
(The flowers are called Eryngium if you're interested.)

She has so many other fabulous things in her shop, you have to check her out!

Mosaic Fun

2010-07-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

Our family is doing something a bit different this year - we are having summer camp at my mom's house!

My oldest is working on a firebreathing dragon.
The middle one is making Sonic the Hedgehog (apparently a video game character!).

Even the little one is getting in on the fun - I cut up paper squares and she made a combination maraca/tambourine.

My mom is making this for a friend - I love the outline colors!

I didn't think I could concentrate on an actual design, so I am "filling in the spaces" on this tray I found.

I think I could easily want to begin to mosaic everything - it takes a long time, but it's so fun!

Something New

2010-07-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished these plaques/organizers today!

Perfect for a beach house, pool house, or mud room!

In my shop now!

Independence Day Dress

2010-07-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

At the last minute, my little one decided that she "needed" a new dress for our Fourth of July parade. Since the parade is a day early this year, that didn't leave me much time.
Fortunately, I save almost everything and I still had this (my favorite western skirt that doesn't fit anymore) in my closet.

I used another dress to estimate how long it needed to be, cut off the waist, and removed two of the ruffles. I used a pattern I have for a peasant top to cut out the shape for the neck and the sleeves. I was a bit worried because the skirt was wider than my pattern, but I like it even better than the dresses I usually make from the pattern and it doesn't look too bulky at all.

I made a waist by adding elastic above the ruffles. (I made a casing with seam binding on the back side of the fabric.)

I also gathered the neckline. The sleeves were a bit shorter than the sleeve pattern because I cut them from one of the ruffles. Instead of gathering the bottom of the sleeves like I usually do, I left them as flutter sleeves and really like them with the style of the dress.

The pattern I used is Simplicity 4206. I always cut the neckline lower about 2 inches because, at least on my child, it always ends up being too high otherwise.

Denim Crocheted Doily Dress

2010-07-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

I have had this idea (and the dress!) for months, and finally had time to lay everything out and start sewing. I found these pretty colored doilies on Etsy.

I layered the doilies in different sizes and colors and then pinned them where I wanted them to go.

I hand-stitched each one all around the edges and within the doily, too, to hopefully prevent fraying and catching on things. (I definitely plan on handwashing.)

I used an off-white thread on each one (tiny stitches) so I didn't have to come up with so many different colors of thread and the stitches don't even show.

I love how the edges of the doilies are free to move. My little one has already gotten several compliments!

One of my Chandeliers is Finally Up

2010-06-28T19:36:00.001-07:00

I have been holding on to this chandelier for five years ever since we moved from our previous home. Of course I couldn't take the house with me, but I just couldn't leave the sea horse knobs in the bath or this sweet chandelier from the dining room. It was always too small for the room, but I just loved it!

Of course it really needed rewiring and major cleaning! It always seems so easy to take it all apart and then put it back together, but it never is! I was smart this time, though, and took photos of every part that I unscrewed or moved.
And yes, I needed the photos!

The rewiring didn't take long at all since it's just a single bulb, but I must admit that cleaning and hanging the crystals took about an hour.

In the end, though, it's definitely worth it and makes cleaning the kitchen so much more pleasant!

Scottie Dog Birthday Part 2

2010-06-27T19:48:00.001-07:00

I thought I would never get these photos posted! But finally here are the rest of the scottie dog birthday pictures!
A chocolate chip cookie cake (take 2 - the first one didn't come out of the pan, so I didn't even try with the 2nd one!)

Bunting - so everyone could find us at the park!

Scottie chalkboard tags to go with the chalk favors. Two coats of chalkboard paint and they seemed to work really well.

My oldest even drew some scotties for decorations around the tables! What a sweetie!

A Mary Engelbreit Scottie Dog Birthday

2010-05-27T20:58:00.001-07:00

It all started when I found some super cute scottie dog notecards in the dollar bin at Michael's on the day before I HAD to get the invitations sent out for my little one's party. I didn't have any theme in mind, so. . .

I grabbed a notepad, too, (and a few other things that I hope to show in another post). I have a huge collection of curling ribbon, so I picked some colors I liked and picked up some sidewalk chalk at the dollar bins at Target.

I ripped the plastic off the chalk and removed the paper label, too - really sticky, but doable!

I cut out the scotties from the top of the notepad and attached them to the buckets with packing tape. I just need a tiny extra piece for the bottom of the circle.

Added some curling ribbon and presto - super-cute party favors!

Of course, we had to have a coordinating outfit - mostly because I haven't sewn since Christmas and was looking for any excuse!

I found some fabric on ebay and on etsy. Unfortunately it is discontinued, so it was priced accordingly, but I didn't need much. I just used the width of the fabric for the bottom tier and subtracted about 1/4 the length for the top tier. I sewed the ribbon (both top and bottom edges) right along the seam line then sewed the bow on separately.

I found this cute ruffle shirt at Old Navy and added some ribbon to coordinate with the skirt. I pinned it right on the edge and stitched both the top and bottom edges of the ribbon. I couldn't resist making a head scarf with ribbon trim, too!

Now we just have to wait until Saturday to celebrate!

My Cabinets are Going In

2010-05-18T10:26:00.001-07:00

My cabinet installer arrived today to begin putting in my kitchen cabinets!!! I can't tell you how excited I am!

I finally get to see them without plastic wrap!

Lots of drawers! And isn't the lazy susan going to be fun! Finally some use for that-corner-where-things-go-to-disappear!

I won't have countertops for a while, but I should still be able to show you pretty photos of the cabinets soon!

Ceiling Retexture in Progress ... and Done!

2010-05-17T21:16:00.001-07:00

It doesn't matter what you call it - acoustic, popcorn, cottage cheese, or something else - scraping this off the ceiling can be messy!

Making progress!

My new favorite "tool!" So much easier than using a simple squirt bottle. But it didn't make me any neater!

Almost done - it took me about 4 evenings.

In case you can't tell in the photo, new texture that matches the walls was sprayed on (not by me!), and since I forgot to buy primer about 4 coats of paint (another 3 nights)!
Touch-ups coming soon (I also had to repaint the corners of the walls where new sheetrock was attached and lucky me I had almost a gallon of paint left over from painting 4 years ago).

It's already worth it - my husband is totally impressed with the new look!

Birthday Sale

2010-05-13T20:00:00.001-07:00

To celebrate my birthday this year, I am having a 25% sale now through Sunday evening!
Come check out some of my favorite designs!
-CottageInTheSun

Kitchen Remodel Plan - A Bit Revised

2010-05-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

Original Plan - make this 7 foot kitchen ceiling go away - what where they thinking?!

Revised plan -
Wow! What a huge beam! Bummer, definitely structural. And really . . . wires, wires everywhere!

Two really fast electricians and one sheetrock installer later... Recessed Lights!

And a skinny beam that only hints at the 7 foot ceiling that used to be!

Making progress!!

Happy Birthday to me - a little early

2010-05-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

My mom surprised me today with my birthday present just a bit early!

She has very recently started creating mosaics (I think this is her 3rd or 4th piece) and made this gorgeous tray for me!

the stems are from my Gramma's brown Dot and Daisy Marcrest bowl that my kids dropped...

and the corner pieces and some flowers are from my formerly fabulous maroon Coors Rosebud oval platter that I managed to break (boo for potholes).

Thanks Mom!

A Vintage Chandelier for My Kitchen Island

2010-04-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

While out scouring the vintage shops today I found the perfect chandelier for my kitchen island! No island yet, but the chandelier is waiting!

Not just white and not just dark!
And just enough sparkle to be fun!

It's even been re-wired! And the price was fabulous, too!

I absolutely adore chandeliers like this one from RichardandRuthie on Etsy, but I think the colors would be just to much for my space. I love to look at it, though!

Happy Etsyversary MissesKwittys

2010-04-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

One of my many Cottage Style friends on Etsy is MissesKwittys - in fact my first team purchase was some sweet tags from her shop!

Anyway, she is having a fabulous giveaway in her shop to celebrate her 4th Etsy-versary! Just click on the photo below to go to her blog and enter!

She is practically famous for her sweet birdies!

And now they're in a gift pack!

She has other goodies as well, so make sure you check our her shop!

Something New

2010-04-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

I have been working on something new and I have finally finished one completely to put in my shop! Fun and cottage style hooks for your jewelry or whatever needs a spot.

I'm trying to decided if I should continue with the ribbon up top. It would only be decorative if you wanted to hang heavy items (I put hangers on the back), but I really like it (and I already have holes drilled in 4 of them!).

This one is still in progress and has a totally different feel, more "old world," less cottage-y.

I Won - Thank you Catnap Cottage!!

2010-04-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

I won my first blog giveaway ever! I don't enter that many - only the ones I really want to win, so I was super excited to win these fab sachets from CatnapCottage - she has a beautiful shop on Etsy!

Aren't they gorgeous?! And they smell divine, too!

She also has amazing vintage chenille and the coolest vintage feedsack pillows!

Lucky me! Thank you CatnapCottage!!

A Great Day for Soccer - and Wildflowers

2010-04-18T20:12:00.001-07:00

It's a good thing we left for our soccer trip early - and that I remembered my camera. The wildflowers in South Texas are amazing right now! In between Cuero and La Vernia the colors were breathtaking as we drove through today! I wish you could have been there!

I managed to get a bug enjoying the flowers as well!

And we did make it in time for some soccer!

New Cabinets for our Kitchen

2010-04-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

They're finally here! We won't be able to have them installed for a month or so, but how cool to actually see them! It's so tempting to rip off all the packaging!

How cool to never lose anything in that corner cupboard again!

The lower cabinets and island are simple panels in a dark brown.

A pull-down space for all my sponges and scrubbies in the sink cabinet!

I can't wait to have room for my plates - two doors are going to be so much more practical than three! No more twisting the plates to get them out!

All of the upper cabinets will be a creamy white beadboard with a light brown glazing (built-in dust!)

Look at all this trim - so glad I don't have to figure out where it all goes. Oh, wait, I probably do - I just won't have to actually attach it myself!

For now I just have to imagine them installed! Everything has been ripped out for a while now and I'm excited to see how the kitchen will feel with an island and actual eating area instead of a cramped u-shaped kitchen. Although, I must say I am enjoying the space with only a sink, dishwasher, and fridge.

Countertops will be next and then figuring out the backsplash. I may have to repaint or save up for lots of tile. I don't really like the tile/wall contrast to the left of the venthood. Of course the tile I like is being discontinued so I will be rethinking the whole plan! Any ideas? Oops - almost forgot stools - counter height - and I haven't even started looking yet.

Swedish Texas Cemetery Search

2010-04-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

This week has been amazing! My cousin from Sweden (that I have only been in contact with through letter and email) came to visit with her husband and two friends. My great-grandfather and her grandfather were brothers. Thanks to google I have seen photos of the historical marker at the Type Cemetery, but have never made the visit (it's not a very easy place to find!) Armed with some information from an older cousin, we went in search of some history.

Jonas Sunvison, my great -grandfather (my dad's dad's dad).

I have read this part of the inscription many times, but never imagined that Christina Fredrickson was my great-great-great grandmother! My cousin's husband did research not only on my great-grandfather's side of the family, but also some on my great-grandmother's side (so sweet, and so unexpected!).

Also, the gravesite of my great-grandmother's parents, August and Amanda Nyman (Christina's daughter).

Then we made a 3 hour or so drive west to West Sweden (a "ghost town", marked only by the cemetery), quite isolated, but easier to find, where my great-grandparents and their 3-year-old daughter were buried.

My grandparents and father lived in this area until sometime during or after the 1950s drought (1950-1957.)

More Redo Photos!

2010-03-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when your sweetie rents a mini jackhammer for the day...

All day - just for the entry, but he did a wonderful job.

I think the cats approve - or maybe they're still critiquing!

Beautiful 16" tile - so much better than the ugly 8-9" tile!

I love our tile installer! I smile every morning when I walk down the stairs and see our fabulous new tile! Now if I could just get the energy to work on those baseboards!!

First Bluebonnets of Spring

2010-03-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

My first bluebonnet photos this spring! I love how they look next to the cactus - and a cedar tree in the background - almost perfect, but I couldn't get just the right angle today.

They never look quite as pretty in my photos as they do in real life, but every year I have to try! Maybe this will be the year I get the perfect photo to frame - I still have about two or three more weeks to get my elusive perfect photo!

Quick Bath Floor Redo

2010-03-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

My kids' bath has definitely seen better days and the flooring was never my favorite - so I decided to look for some peel and stick tiles that I kind of liked and will hopefully last until we can budget in time and $ for real tile.

About 12 years ago I found some vinyl saltillo tiles that I used in my old kitchen and loved them - I was amazed at how well they held up (8 years when we moved) and the color was perfect! And then, of course, they stopped making them and I haven't found any others that I even came close to liking.
Parquet, especially fake, has never been my favorite, but I was excited to find some on Monday that seem perfect for the beach cottage theme of the room. (They are much more of a natural oak color - instead of yellowish - then it appears in the photos.)
So, I started late this afternoon and made tons of progress! Since the old vinyl already had lines that were squared I just used those lines to center my first tile and it went super quick from there.
I'm going to paint the baseboards, my sweetie is going to change out the toilet this weekend (about 6 more tiles there) and caulk around all the edges - and then done!

It already looks better! And don't you just love the vintage seahorse knobs!

Front Door Before and After

2010-03-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

I really want to paint my whole house, but that's just not happening right now, so I figured . . . at least I could handle the front door!

So, here is the before...

And here is the after!
I still need to finish a bit of tile on the front step and add some flowers - and maybe scrape off those stickers, not very welcoming! But it's still so much cheerier!

I started by sanding the door since it had been painted with a glossy paint. Not awful, but I really wanted a pretty color, not just gold/beige.

The first coat - what an awful color - this is the point where I was thinking this was a really bad idea! My kids thought I was crazy!

It took me three coats with a bit of extra touch-ups. I used a brush for the molding and smoothed everything out with a small foam roller. The hardest part was staying at home long enough for the paint to dry between coats!

While I let the first coat dry, I gathered wreath-making supplies. I have family coming to visit from Sweden, so I was trying for yellow and blue, but the blue just didn't work.

I like it, though!

I found these cool vinyl numbers at HouseHoldWords on Etsy. Begged my mom to come help me put them on - she's so good at measuring! I love how they turned out! Thanks Mom!

The color I used was color matched at Home Depot in a Satin finish. It is Sherwin Williams Relentless Olive. The interior green that you can see in one photo is from the same color strip - Shagreen and is actually Sherwin Williams - it blends perfectly!

Paper Bead Necklace for spring

2010-03-21T17:39:00.001-07:00

My daughter really wanted to make a necklace for her kindergarten teacher today since tomorrow is the first day back after spring break, but the beads we had on hand were too small for the string we had available. I had the "brilliant" idea to use my scrapbooking paper scraps to make traditional paper beads. We had so much fun! She picked the paper and I had the job of rolling - I remember it being much easier when my fingers were tiny!

I found some gorgeous ones on Etsy that put mine to shame!

Super cool pattern from - rafikasuhandi

Fab color and texture from - artspell

Great shapes from - paperandwhimsies

Springtime Texas Mountain Laurel

2010-03-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

Every spring I wait for the Mountain Laurels to bloom!

They usually begin blooming in February right about Valentine's Day until mid March. There was a bit of a late start this year with a couple of freezes, but it was worth the wait! They smell divine! Like grape soda - but better - and usually have bees buzzing everywhere. Rain is moving in tonight, so the bees were taking a break and I was able to finally get some photos!

I planted this tree five years ago this spring and have been ever so patiently waiting for blooms. There was one bundle of blooms last year, but this year. . . wow! About 12 bunches on such a tiny tree!

It's definitely springtime in Texas!

In Shop Now - New For Spring

2010-03-18T07:43:00.001-07:00

Bunnies, Lilies, Flower, and Plaques in fabulous spring colors!

Sneak Peak for Spring

2010-03-14T17:27:00.001-07:00

New colors for spring - coming soon to Cottage In The Sun!

Snow Day

2010-02-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

We took the kids out of school early today and headed an hour northwest or so to the hill country so they could play in the snow for the first time ever!

My sweetie (who has seen lots of snow!) gave everyone lessons on how to make the perfect snowball!

I'm sure it doesn't seem like much to those who have had so much snow lately, but for us, it was a lot of snow!!

A drive through West Texas

2010-02-22T19:36:00.001-08:00

Wow! 80 mph!

Sometimes 80 mph doesn't seem fast enough when you're driving - and driving - through West Texas,

Aagh - is that Shrek following us?!

but if you slow down a bit, the openness can take your breath away!

Can you see the windmills?

Ouch!!

And here's "Henry" right outside of Midland.

A long drive for one weekend, but a great time visiting cousins!

My Treasury Made Front Page

2010-02-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

I love vintage shades of white and I guess Etsy does, too!

Of course I missed it, but one of my treasuries made Etsy's front page today!
So exciting! The first time ever!
And even better it showcased several of the fabulous ladies of the Cottage Style Street Team.

List courtesy of craftcult!

StarryDeborah, TinyBearDK, SignsByDiane, LittleThings1, SouthernLadiesVintage, BraytonCottage, and CatnapCottage (who's gorgeous purse sold before the list hit front page) are all awesome team members! Middleburg, LookWhatIFound, SimpleLinens, RememberMeEmily, Maclancy, and RobertaGrove rounded out the list.

An Awesome Sunday

2010-01-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

-In Christ Alone-

I first heard this song sung by Travis Cottrell at a Beth Moore conference in San Antonio and I just can't get enough of it. We sang it in church today and even though I can't sing a note, I just had to "make a joyful noise" today! I found a youtube link and thought I'd share:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4KwbCnRtAM

I hope it touches your heart as much as it does mine!

Vintage Button Rings

2010-01-24T21:01:00.001-08:00

Remember those vintage buttons that my mom rescued from my grandmother's old house?
Well, I managed to find a bit of time during the holidays to make some rings for my mom and cousins for Christmas. The buttons were metal, plastic, and porcelain or ceramic.
Everyone really liked them - cute and sentimental!

I love the textures!

I have quite a few white ones, so I think my next project will be button tassels. I haven't quite figured out how, but I can picture them!

Spring Easter Crosses Arriving

2010-01-23T09:35:00.000-08:00

I just love spring and fortunately in South Texas, it always starts early! We have already had a hard freeze, so we're all hoping that the worst of our winter is gone with just a few cold snaps leading up to spring!

My shop is full of hearts for Valentine's Day, but I was also inspired to start my spring collection of crosses a bit early!

The blue and green are already available and the pink, apricot, and yellow will be in before Sunday morning.

The tooth fairy came to our house

2010-01-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

One day right before Christmas my kids and I were talking about braces and teeth and all of I sudden I thought, my kindergartener should be about ready to have a loose tooth. Well I reached over and wiggled a tooth and sure enough, both bottom teeth were really loose!

I'm glad I had time to warn her because one came out that week and the next one came out two weeks later. She was so excited when the tooth fairy came to visit!

Project Updates!

2009-11-30T09:05:00.001-08:00

The fingerless gloves/mittens are completed and my grandmother loves them! Yay!!

And one set of Christmas outfits done

I just received these super cute buttons today from TessaAnn on Etsy and will be adding them soon as embellishments on the shirts! Don't they look delicious?!

One of my favorite fabrics and a great Buy!

2009-11-19T21:38:00.001-08:00

I finally finished this dress, I tried out several and even bought 2 different chicken wire fabrics until I found the right one - chicken wire fabric, who knew?!

And look what I found at Marshall's! ($15!!). A mini (toddler-size-5) dress form - yes, it is "developed," but I just turned it around and it makes the perfect model when the little one doesn't want to "try it on just one more time!"
And it will look super-cute in the powder room when not performing modeling duty.

My Attempt at Fingerless Gloves or Mittens

2009-11-18T07:19:00.001-08:00

So, I bought this super cute (and easy to understand) pattern on Etsy from WhileTheyPlay, to make some gloves for my grandmother. The design is beautiful and it's so fun to knit with all of those little double-pointed needles! It just takes me a while because unlike my grandmother I do not have petite hands. I used a somewhat fuzzy bamboo yarn which looks fabulous, but the stitches are tiny, so I had a hard time picking them out when I made a mistake.

One down and one to go!
And I'm getting faster!
It looks like the small is a perfect fit for a pre-teen, too!

Christmas Outfits!

2009-11-14T17:26:00.001-08:00

Now that my little one is in Kinder and we have a cousin who "needs" matching outfits, I love making outfits for whatever holiday we are going to celebrate! There is so much cute Christmas fabric out there - so we are designing two!

These are the fabrics and some of the work in progress.

My cousin wants fluffy cuffs on the top that will match the santa leopard, so I will also be breaking out the knitting needles!

I searched all over for my fabrics, but here are links to some of the fabric on etsy.com

Santa Leopard Fabric

Angel Cakes Fabric (in green)

What Do You Think?

2009-11-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

So, here's my newest ornament.
I really like them, but can you tell what they are?
Just wanted to make sure!

Time For Stars

2009-11-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

As all of my friends know, I adore hearts. But the closer we get to Christmas, the more I want to make stars!

In my shop now!

Photos - Virginia in Autumn

2009-10-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

Some photos of my recent trip, including Williamsburg, the Shenandoah National Park, and Chesapeake Bay.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

We always look forward to visiting our "somewhat local" pumpkin patch every autumn!

Autumn Pennant Banners

2009-10-14T07:46:00.001-07:00

So, I volunteered to help decorate for the school's pumpkin patch. I thought, I love banners - I can make those. Of course, 42 of anything takes a while! I'm about half-way done and I've run out of the right color circles - off to cut more. And I still have to laminate - won't that be fun!

My how-to:

-I cut out triangles the size I wanted.-Found the only leaf die-cut at the school and cut out tons of leaves.
-Decided polka dots are always fun and cut out some of those.
-Layered and glued (glue-stick).
-After I laminate, I will either punch holes and string or use packing tape to attach to ribbon.

-If I were using scrapbook paper (which is usually thicker than school paper) I would probably add those cute little eyelets/grommets for stringing the ribbon through.

~~~~~~~~~

This would be a fun project to give to your kids for when they get out of school that week of Thanksgiving. Make sure you have tons of leaves, or have them trace and cut their own. They could even attach real leaves! Although, it might get kind of messy when they get all dry and crumbly. (Our oak trees should just be starting to turn and will be just right!)

SweetHeart Dress Ornaments

2009-10-11T10:25:00.001-07:00

Coming to CottageInTheSun on Wednesday, October 14!

I have wanted to include more girly-girl ornaments in my shop for some time and have been "trying on" dresses without finding the right style - until now!

Y'all know how much I adore hearts - so I made a small heart template and maneuvered it to create my own sweetheart neckline (and hem) dresses!

Each ornament is about 4 1/2" tall without the attached ribbon.

Autumn Twirl Skirt and Top

2009-10-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

I purchased these beautifully colored fabrics from a lovely shop, TheQuiltShoppe, on
Etsy!

I only have photos of one, but made two - one for us and one for our cousin.

I was planning on making ours more patterned, and the other more "halloween-ish" since we don't celebrate, but ran out of fabric so both skirts are the same.

I love how the twirl skirt is so full - and it was easier to make than I thought it was going to be. I used 8 different fabrics. I cut 8 rectangles and 8 "1/4 pie pieces" (triangles with curves on the bottom). The rectangles are longer so they can taper and meet at the waist. I used a plate to trace the triangles.

Her top has all the fabrics, our top is without the "animals!"

My SKIRT how-to:
~I laid out design, alternating fabrics.
~I sewed one triangle to the side of one rectangle on the lower edge (8 times), making sure that I sewed each set together the same way. I zigzag-finished each seam after this step.
~Using pins (which I hardly ever use), I lined up one rectangle side to the desired triangle side. It was a bit tricky at the top of the triangle, but I pinned as straight as I could. I sewed the seam and zigzagged, and then did the same for the remaining pieces.
~I finished the bottom with a tiny zigzag.
~I folded over fabric the top of skirt and made a casing for an elastic waist.

My SHIRT how-t0:
~I cut the pieces and laid out the fabrics on a piece of interfacing and pinned them down.
~I sewed a tight zigzag on all the seams and around the outer edge, too, since my machine is really picky.
~I ironed the square to the shirt and sewed a straight stitch around the edges to hold it in place.
~I added a little bow to top - it just made it look more balanced.
~~~~~
I'm not used to explaining my patterns, so if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them!

My First Coat

2009-09-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

For some reason I thought it would be fun to make my little one a coat. I had the pattern left over and unused from my oldest, so I took the plunge last night. I had to make huge seams and adjust the collar because of it, but I think it's going to work.

I still have all the finishing work, top stitching and hand stitching to do, but I'm so close!

Did I mention it's reversible?!

I love how the fabrics contrast. The lady who sold them to me wasn't convinced, but it turned out just like I planned. She was so sweet - "You do know that at some point both of the fabrics will show at the same time?" I told her I was going for vintage funky!

Just in case you're interested, the pattern was from 1998, it is Butterick 5714. I made the collars and pockets contrasting, whereas the pattern has them the same.

Hmm - Any Opinions?

2009-09-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

So ... I found this wall hanging today. Brass, floral, deeply embossed, well-loved. Now, I have to tell you that I planned to cut it up like my ceiling tin (and I still might!), but I wanted to see some other opinions. By searching online, it appears that yes, this is definitely vintage, maybe as early as the 1950s based on some other items. None of the other ones are floral, though. But they still seem to be a tough sell on ebay. (Only found 2 on etsy).

It has some condition issues, there are areas of black, peely (paint?), and and two worn spots with a green color showing through (like copper does). Can that be fixed? It doesn't seem like it would be wanted in this condition.

So, I could (1) attempt to sell as is (2) paint it and "cottage" it up a bit (3) cut it up and make a heart garland as originally planned (4) keep it a mystery and not tell anyone!

I would love to hear your opinion/advice!

A Rustic Pumpkin Patch

2009-09-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

I am almost finished with a whole batch of pumpkins!

Each one is about 6" tall. I'm going to add hooks to the backs so they can be hung separately or strung all together like a garland.

Available in my shop on Saturday, Sept 19!

Lucy

2009-09-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

Lucy hasn't arrived yet, but her sweet mommy has already requested some special letters just for her. I was so excited that I had such a "girly" designed tin to use as the material.

And since I love pink, I was doubly excited that this was the requested color!

I love the swirls and curves!

I Wonder Who She Is Talking To?

2009-09-09T14:56:00.001-07:00

So, I downloaded my photos today and guess what I found?

This is what happens when I leave the camera out!

I wonder how she got her cat to do that!

A TShirt and a Dress!

2009-09-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

My little one needed a coordinating outfit, but the smallest tee was just too big. So, I took a deep breath, said to myself - it's only $10, and got out the scissors!

I laid the shirt flat, cut off each sleeve about 1 and 1/2" inside each seam and sewed a straight seam up each side also about 1 and 1/2", so a total of 3" off of each side. I also sewed higher so that the arm hole was smaller. Each of the sleeve ruffles is a long, shallow curve (approx 1/3 of the long side of an oval) that is gathered and sewn to the top half of the arm opening.

I made belt loops and added a belt to give it a bit of shape and added 3 ruffles to the bottom. The turquoise fabric is a handkerchief print to go along with the "giddy up" theme. The bottom ruffle is attached to the very bottom of the tshirt (it was long!) The other two ruffles are just sewn on top of the shirt. The top edges are finished.

Problem solved! And everyone's happy!

New For Fall

2009-09-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

I am slowly introducing new designs in my shop for fall - here are a few that are in stock or on their way!

A Sister's Creativity

2009-09-01T21:05:00.001-07:00

Just had to share the cute tees my oldest made for herself and for my youngest! She is so proud to be able to say - My sister made it for me!

SnapShots on Vacation

2009-08-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

I had a fabulous time with my sweetie in Virginia! I was also able to meet up with an old friend and even found time to take a few photos!

Etsy Front Page by Anakim

2009-07-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

Front Page - I'm so excited!

My Etsy friend Anakim - isn't her jewelry amazing! -

makes such gorgeous treasuries and I'm always thrilled when she finds one of my photos good enough to include. (I wish one of my treasuries that include her would make FP so I could repay!)

As luck would have it, I changed my photo after she created the treasury - I didn't actually see the front page, and don't know which photo was used, so I hope it didn't ruin the look.

Something New

2009-07-29T07:22:00.001-07:00

I have several new ideas for fall and these little square tins are one of them! This is my sample just to see if it's going to work.

There are always bugs to work out in a new design, I have run across several in this one.

1 - my mitre box is just not helping me make square cuts, so how do I find someone with a "real" saw that will help me cut the frame.
2 - I wanted them to stand up, but either the tin is too heavy or I just can't balance them, hmmm...

I love the color, though, and the tin has several more motifs, so 3 more to go to make a colorful arrangement for me and hopefully everything will work out so I can offer them for sale, too!

Yeah! They're Done!

2009-07-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

I love how all of the crowns turned out - just wish they had been easier to cut!

I will have to figure something out if I want to make more!

Here are the final photos!

Floral Treasury

2009-07-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I make a lot of treasuries - but they're so much fun! Most times I'm really happy, but today I made one that I really, really love full of my cottage friends' creations and wanted to share! If you click the photo, the link will be good till early Sunday am and you can comment.

Princess Crown Banner

2009-07-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

Still works in progress, but I have some photos of the custom crowns I have been working on.

They took me quite a bit longer than I had imagined, but I really like the way they turned out. It was so fun to work on a new design and was glad to have this order to give me the push to just do it!

More photos soon I hope!

The HairCut!

2009-07-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Who do you think was more traumatized - me or him?!?

Me!

It was his idea - but it was so pretty - am I allowed to say that? :)
Oh, well, it'll grow!

Fairy Skirt and Top

2009-07-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

My little one has been begging me to make matching skirts for her and her cousin. One's favorite color is yellow and the other one's is purple. I found this super-sweet fairy fabric (in both colors!!) at my local quilt shop, added some ribbon that I bought months ago because it was "so cute," made some puffy flower pins and done!

It took forever to come up with a design idea for the top that wouldn't compete with the ribbon trim - I think the flowers are just right and I love that they can be moved around!

A New Project In The Works!

2009-07-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of a new project - Crowns! It took a while to get just the right shape. Who knew there were so many decisions to make. Tall and skinny, short and wide, "jewels" on top or not, 3 points, 4, 5, angular, curvy, and the list goes on! (I hope to unveil them next week!)

I'm so excited about crowns right now - who doesn't want to be a princess! - so I thought I'd share some beautiful crown-themed items made by fellow members on the Cottage Style Street Team from Etsy.

PinkButterCreme - ornament

TheDecoratedHouse - mixed media art
SouthernLadysVintage - hand felted applique or brooch
SomplaceInTime - faux sugar cookie
SunshineAndRavioli - gift tags
PopaliciousToo - wood cut-out

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Road Trip to Dublin - Texas

2009-07-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

We went on a little road trip this weekend, through the back roads and lots of cute little towns. We ended up in Dublin (Dr Pepper), Texas.

We took a tour of the bottling plant (not very big!), bought some souvenirs, and, of course, brought home some sugar (not corn syrup) sweetened Dr Pepper. Yum!

Some of the bottles they refill are 50+ years old! If you can somehow collect 18, you can take them in to be filled on bottling day.

And I even found some tin in the antique store across the way - a perfect day!

I'm in Etsy's Gift Guide!

2009-06-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

What a surprise today to find that my wedding hearts banner is in Etsy's wedding decor gift guide!