Polka Dots

First I thought I would show you this little birdie, I reworked it. Added hand dyed flowers and leafs out of wool felt. Then I rubbed Champagne Gold into the cracks and added gold glittered pins to the centers....I put this on my Ebay. The link should be at the top of my side bar
Now onto my polka dots...I almost always paint the packages that I mail out...and add polkadots.
So I thought I would share with you different ways that I accomplish this....The Finger Dots...Yup, just stick that ole finger into fresh paint and smoosh...polk a dots!!!
Then their are the dabbers...they come in different sizes, I dabbed into an ink pad and you get the prettiest soft polka dots
Now I dabbed the dabbers into the paint...A little thicker look,but you can dab it into 2 different colors. A couple of other ways...punch a hole in a piece of hard plastic, like transparencies and then use that for a stencil. One other way, which I really like...is an end of a new pencil...the eraser...works like a charm...there are also dowels that have been sanded smooth. Oh, I also have a GREAT big black marker that is made for making big dots. These can all be done with glue and then sprinkle with glitter.
Check back with me on Tuesday..I'm going to be gone for a couple of days and I wanted to leave you with a giveaway to sign up for...that way I will know you wont forget me. lol.

Flowers

I just wanted to share the "banner" with you. I took this picture last year in front of a cute little florist shop. This week I went to a digi scrap booking class that goes with the program that I have...so I played around and this is what I did. I love the color of blue. I'm the only one that was "scrapbooking" for my blog (and to learn something new) .

Croquet Balls

Years ago I saw old croquet balls in a bowl. I can't remember if it was in a Country Living magazine or at an antiques shop. I have always wanted the balls, but they were always so expensive...I was running to our Home Depot one eve. and saw a big sign that said "FREE" so I glanced over...WOOAH!! low and behold a croquet set. I grabbed them up, when I got home I saw the the posts were broken , well, now I have my balls!!! I just love them, for now they have a home in my wagon.
I gave my shoe a bit of a new look with different buttons on this side.

Nest and Bird

On the search for farm fresh eggs...One place we check is in Hubbard, I LOVE this cluster of birdhouses. I have painted this a few times.

Another place we check for eggs is outside of Independence, they were out of eggs, but look what they gave me...the sweetest LITTLE nest...it was on the middle of their lawn...no trees, no shrubs...just the nest that the wind had picked up and gently sat down on the lawn...I am preserving it under glass...brought it into the house and the kitties where sure I brought it for them.lol As far as the little birdie I am showing, I'm going to take it back to Ebay. I would like to sell it before the 4th.
I had a wonderful surprise in the mail yesterday. The most perfect Pink and Aqua!!! Rosalyn-Sue
from the Little Blue Bird Diaries sent me these!! They are just gorgeous! I cant get them around here. THANK YOU Rosalyn-Sue!!

Red White & Blue !!

Here is my latest primitive shoe. As you may have noticed, I like to try new things, so after I painted it red, I sanded it down...I loved the look, so I just left it, then lightly antiqued it. The ribbons were aged a bit. I added my colored glittered pins...red white and blue. This is going on to ETSY
I picked this up yesterday at our local goodwill..$5. Its ready for a re-do.
The other birdie I made for a maniquins shoulder. It is sitting on a nest of vintage netting surrounded by wonderful flowers, this velvet bow was part of the "nest" The picture below is the back side.
I have been tagged by Melissa
rules of the game: Each player answers the questions themselves. At the end of the post the player tags 4 people and posts their names, and goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

5 things on my list today. Oh my goodness! I am SUCH a LIST maker...do I follow them...well, I try!! Ok, I have a list like this: Clean an apt, show and apt, sit by pool for a bit (yes, I put that on my list.lol Call back people that left me messages after hours. Then there is the personal list: Go to Bridgeport for lunch, Drive half an hour to go get farm eggs, Get todays blog up and running (which includes this one) Paint one of my little coasters and give my sewing box a coat of paint

Snacks I enjoy. LOVE licorice (black and red) Love scones, Love popcorn, potato chips with cottage cheese....yummmm

Things I would do if I were a millionaire. Go live in Paris for 6 mo. Go to Cape Cod for 6 mo. Give Stacey a dollar or two.lol. I really dont know what I would do

Places I have lived. Pasadena, Ca./ Salem, Or. /St. Cloud, Mn
I'll have to tag others later, I couldn't get it to work.

New Idea!

A friend of mine mentioned making a birdie to go on the shoulder of a maniquin. What a great idea is that!!! So this is the first one, I'll show you another tomorrow. Anyway, I made the little pincushion to fit into the center of the wonder vintage flower that had other little flowers around it...how cool is that! I put a piece of wool on the bottom to help stabilize it. Well, of course, after I made it I thought of other places...like on a little childs chair, sit it in a birds nest. It can still sit on top of a tea cup, or just perch her on a shelf. I would love to hear other ideas! I put this little guy back on Ebay...sorry, for those of you who cant stand ebay...I will try to work with both the etsy and the ebay.
I also added this one to Ebay...I LOVE the handle on this...A little black rub on letter in the blank spot, wouldn't that be a neat thing to do. I used Martha Stewarts brown glitter for the pin tops,to go with the polka dots
I'm working on more goodies...oh yes, please check back tomorrow I will have a little primitive fourth of july birdie.......

New Technique

I found another set of the little silver coasters that I paint the bird nests on.... While I was watching Jon and Kate plus 8 (anybody else watch them??) anyway, I got to clicking on crafty Youtube clips...there is soooo much info out there. This guy was using spray paint and watered down acrylic paints to make unusual finishes...so after my little show was over I went out to give it a try...(I am soooo glad it stays light late) This is what I came up with, I tried something different on each one...I love it!!! I cant wait to paint them (tonight!) Next time I'll show you the backs...they're done too, but look different because the paint slid off rather then puddle up like this side did....oh the fun I had!
Oh yes...my office was a big hit with my boss.

I've been busy

This top picture was painted by the wonderful Kijsa of Kari and Kijsa
After I painted my picture I contacted Kijsa for permission to show it on my blog.
She wrote back the nicest letter granting me permission, what a wonderful gracious lady!!
Kijsa's painting is for sale, you may contact her.

We all know how much we love Kari and Kijsa.
I have been working on changing the look in my office.
I remembered seeing one of Kijsas wonderful paintings, thinking it would go with
the look of my office, sooo I painted this using Kijsa's painting as inspiration.

I have a red wall in the office entryway, so I wanted to incorporate a touch of red, I added a bit of red boarder. I had one day to redo my office, I got it all done, the shopping plus the painting...the only problem I had was when I was screwing in my brackets with the heavy duty power drill, it slipped off the screw and so I was drilling the philips into my finger...I'm not a crier...but boy did I let loose. Stacey just thought I was upset until I showed her my finger...its amazing how much blood is in there.lol

I bought this clock because of its size and colors

A quick stop at Ross Dress for Less...3 curtains for $3.00 each, new black brackets

Well, this doesnt look very good...but it does look very nice, I painted the edge of the desk.

shovel and strawberries

This is an old shovel that I painted.
We haven't had very much sunshine so our strawberries are so tiny, but full of flavor. I've been getting a handful every day.
A little deformed too..lol

A little painting

This is a little painting I did a few years ago. I just love it.

more on the subject

Thank you all for all your sweet comments. I was speaking "in the moment" Stacey is 26 now and she can paint and draw beautifully, the issue being...she wont do it for others to enjoy, I think due to the criticism of when she was little. She just helped me redecorate my office today...she is always spot on...Little higher,,,little to the left, you know how you always need someone elses "eye".She has always been able to see what is out of place, or the wrong color or size, she started that when she was about 4. lol

A few oldies

I made a big mistake with my daughter...when she was 7 she went to 4 H...When they had their show she entered watercolors and oil paintings and cake decorating. As you walk around you can hear the judges and then they write on the tag...well, they thought she hadn't done the painting herself...she had a brush in her hand at 2...no she it isn't her design...but she did ALL the painting herself. That had such a negative impact on her, then in grade school she had molded a girl, sitting on a bench playing the piano (when I find it I'll share it) In order to get it done she was allowed to bring it home to paint it. Well, she had a liner brush to use for the keys...not one of those crummy brushes that they had around for years...The teacher told her she was going to get an F because she didn't do it herself...she came home in tears...I stormed back to the schools, with my brushes that she had used, and a box of paints and EXPLAINED that I had not touched it and she is quite capable of painting it herself...but the damage was done. It is so sad what damage adults can do. Oh yes, the cake, I called and asked what the cake should be on, they said to cover a board with foil, which we did...they didn't judge her on the cake decorating...they said that they didn't like what the cake was sitting on, the one that won was in a cake box...Stacey still blames me for that one.lol. I have had a horrible week, this post will probably reflect that.lol.

Baby Quilt

This is a little baby quilt that I made a while back for a friend.
I love machine free hand stippling.

Busy !

Little watercolor nests each one a little different and the start of cupcakes...going into charms...
I pulled this piece out of my stash of old hats...This gal wants a bird that can perch on the shoulder of a maniquin...I'm thinking a little steam to fluff this up, this might work, what do you think
And then the birdies...see those little itty bitty beaks.lol. My kitties LOVE them!

Just Right

aaaah, my banner looking a little better today. Yesterdays gave me a headache, sorry about that. Here's my latest. I left the sugar bowl with the "just right" amount of tarnish.
I found that I had 3 of the most perfect shell buttons. 3 different sizes, and the color...just right! Look at the edge on the silver sugar bowl.
going through my stash I found these pearl earrings... oh they are "just right
The vintage flowers, after tweeking the color with a few colors of Glimmer Mist, I got the color "just right"can you see the sparkles that Glimmer Mist adds?? I even added a bit to the green leaves. A friend of mine invited me to bring my birds to sale at her party. So, I'll be pulling my birds out of Etsy next week for a few days.

Tiny Birdie

I took a picture of the two sizes, reg. sized one is in the back, how sweet and little is this one I have listed on Etsy. Take a look at the roses on the handle...soooo gorgeous!

This is just a tiny little thing. Have you ever noticed...small is harder to make.lol. As I was stitching the eyes on I thought of something I should share, did you know that there is a right and wrong end of the thread to put through the little tiny hole of a needle...if one end doesnt work, try the other end, I believe that it is the end that you just cut,that works the best...also, one side of the needle takes the thread better then the other. I just looked at this blog. The banner is a bit obnoxious,lol, I'll have to change that. I'm thinking aobut changing the ribbon on the birdie...this one looks huge in the photo, its fine to look at it, but once its on a photo they look different****************************
The winner of my little Rose on the tile is: TattingChic

Old Saw

For today, I thought I would show you a saw I painted as a special order last year.
Check out the dry erase tile below. It is my giveaway...please leave me a message.
Have a great day!!

Paper Flowers

A while back I had a giveaway...I gave away these French music flowers...well I met a new friend because she won one of my flowers...wait until you see what she did with it, its wonderful.
If you get a chance go meet Michaele

Little Tiny China Cup

Thought I would share this sweet little cup. The cup is only 2 1/4" high. 5" altogether. I used vintage millinery flowers, vintage ribbon that I dyed using the fabulous glimmer mist. I used light green glitter for my pin tops...I love the color. Well, I added this to my Etsy...it still seems weird to say Etsy, not Ebay.lol.

...and I was worried...

This is my latest little sugar bowl...
It was a lot of fun...I couldn't do it again... The primer reacted to the paint and crackle med. which made crackles before it was suppose to...anyway, it has a very unique crackle on it.
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So, I was worried about going to Etsy. A few nice gals asked me to join their group (thats the badge below) so I did, and my birdies flew out of Etsy, wow! So now I'm breathing, swimming along nicely...and panicking! lol. I've got to get to work on some more. How much fun am I having!!! Oh yes, If you would like a chance at my dry erase board I will GIVE IT AWAY on Monday. Thank you everyone!

My Birdies

View my page on Etsy Cottage Style

Giveaway Friday

Utah Grammie made one of these dry erase tiles, so I thought I would give it my spin.

I painted this using Folk Art Enamel paints. Have you used those paints? They are not the easiest to work with. you can't use any water and it has to dry before you add any other colors. Anyway. I made me one and one to share. This is my GIVEAWAY Please leave me a message I will pick a winner on Monday.

I have to show you this before and after...I put this little shoe on ebay...(the one above) It didn't sell...so I changed it up, added little roses to the nest, Ribbon instead of wire, I made a few little wool flowers. changed the color of glitter on the pins.

AFTER

I just put this on ETSY... Thank you for all your support!!