Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

Our sons are now 24 and 22 years old...

Remembering past Halloweens....

with Grandma Clarita - 1992

 1993

1994

Fun childhood memories!

GIRLS ROAD TRIP

I was blessed this week to take a GIRLS ROAD TRIP with my dear friends Julie & Cindy

We stayed in an awesome log cabin in the woods at The Big Cedar Lodge. 

We were on GIRL TIME - no husbands, cooking, jobs, chores, etc.

We junked/picked at every possible antique store, flea market and garage sale along our route

Poor Cindy... we crammed our treasures around her in the backseat.  I think she only got hit once with sliding debris - OK not hit, but definitely bumped.

We are known as the original CHICKER PICKERS.

 

My motto is "there is always room for more"

At our last garage sale we had to unpack the car and repack it so we could squeeze in three large wooden flower boxes.  These were a great find as they were cheap! and they make great bases for Autumn & Holiday table centerpieces.

 

Aah, but that was just the last garage sale.  We hit a handful more antique stores and one flea market and managed to squeeze in even more treasures... just small ones.

We also enjoyed retail shopping, tea room lunches and the gorgeous Autumn trees of southern Missouri

There was a beautiful waterfall at Big Cedar Lodge

This was our last morning and we stopped by the marina to see the morning fog lifting off the lake.  A man fishing in his boat in the midst of the fog offered this great photo

Autumn is my favorite season...  

"Winter is an etching, Spring a watercolor, Summer an oil painting and Autumn a mosaic of them all." ~ Stanley Horowitz

Button Floozies Fall in Love with Buttons tin swap!

I am delighted to share with everyone my Button Floozies Fall in Love with Buttons tin swap.

My swap partner was Laura Quaglia

Laura & I emailed with one another and shared a bit about ourselves.... boy did she WOW me with the button tin she sent me!

 Plus a lot of other wonderful goodies from Laura -   including a Laura's Original fused glass women's head brooch!

I want to share with you what I emailed to Laura as she

'got me'...

I adore all the thought and details you put into your tin – the old button dictionary definition, the map of Paris, je t’aime ribbon trim, fringed button trim, black & white toile paper, button feet, the Button word discs and the darling clothes pin holding the Button, Button tag… it is so me!

Your petite textile pillow with ribbons & buttons is precious and your original fused glass head brooch is fantastic… I am in awe!  Thank you again so my for my treasures!

It is so wonderful when someone gets the little things that make your heart smile - thank you Laura for my heart smiles!

~

According to the USPS, Laura should have received my button swap tin today.  If you haven't received it Laura, close you eyes and don't look below until after you get it in the mail

Here is what I created for Laura

 Inside a bit of Parisian flair as Laura also likes Frenchy things

I made a couple of other things for Laura...

Art tag featuring a Eiffel Tower charm and Journal de Paris sheet music with overlay images of a butterfly, Eiffel Tower & Annette Himstedt doll - Laura collects these dolls

Here's the backside with additional doll images

'Thankful Blessings' Thanksgiving card I made using a crepe paper Oak leaf, burlap, lace, paper, ribbons & trim   

This swap was a lot of fun!

Kudos to Laurie of Button Floozies for coordinating this swap!  Great job my friend!!

 

2011 Vintage Connections Creative No Harm Button Swap Debut

It has been difficult not to share our swap photos sooner, but I did not want to ruin the surprise by posting photos before swappers had time to receive their swap.

As you will see there is a wide range of creative ideas and I think each & everyone is amazing!

Linda Kelly & Laurie Jackson swap partners -

  Wall art collage by Linda Kelly

Framed art tags suspended on wire by Laurie Jackson

Tami Hacker & Gwen Niemisto swap partners -

  Wall art collage by Tami Hacker

   Wall art collage by Gwen Niemisto

Tami Hacker & Frederica Braidfoot swap partners - 

Wall art collage by Tami Hacker

Crocheted chain with Yo Yo material & rhinestone button necklace by Frederica Braidfoot

Pam Kenney & Hope Ellington swap partners -

Christmas wall art collage by Pam Kenney

Vintage ledger paper & button collage by Hope Ellington

Joni Reinhart & Becs Swartzlander swap partners -

Crow and pumpkin with Autumn leaves & buttons by Joni Reinhart

Pocket pillow with buttons and goodies by Becs Swartzlander

Marsha Cassada & Terri Wilkerson swap partners -

Lamp by Marsha Cassada

Fabric book by Terri Wilkerson

Marilyn Welling & Marilee McKelvey swap partners - 

Quilted pillow & buttons by Marilyn Welling

Collage Box by Marilee McKelvey

Such amazing talent!  

Thanks swappers for participating in this swap!  Your comments have been so kind!  

Some of us were already friends and some of us are new friends - I hope this swap has blessed your lives with lovely art and lovely friendships!  

Show-n-tell... Beads, Buckles, Buttons & Dress trim from my 2010 European vacation

Recently I blogged & reminisced about my 2010 trip to England & France.  

Here are a few of the beads, buckles, buttons and dress trim that came home with me from England & France...

 Overview of buckles, buttons & dress trim from France

Closer view of the buckles, buttons & dress trim from France

Overview of buttons from England

Closer view of buttons from England

(The top three rows of stenciled pottery buttons were purchased from the Victoria & Albert museum gift shop.  Their images are from textiles that are on display at the museum)

Left: China beads, Right: China buttons

These are what I dug from the china dump in Briare, France

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping back by to visit