Karla's Cottage

Procrastination, Power Tools, and Pictures from the Past

What did I say this morning when I posted the pictures of my loot from the trip to St Louis? "I should be working"  Well I should be now too instead of posting again.... But I did get some stuff done today-           

Beth http://bethleintz.typepad.com/ and I did a little design redo job, then went to her house to use power tools! I brought my compressor and nail gun over to help her finish the base boards for her new craft room.  The floor they put in is like linoleum, it is a vinyl type product.  Looks like wood, doesn't it? Very practical for a work room and looks good, plus it went down in squares and they were able to do it themselves. 

I have to write an article for Romantic Country this weekend, but think I am too tired tonight to start.  I at least made an affort to go through the stack of past photos and found the ones needed for the story.

I came across some older ones that I liked and thought I'd post them.

Funny how much my home can change in a couple of years. I don't have any of those walls those colors any more, and the mantel is now my headboard.

The framed quilt square was done by my Grandma Nathan, there was a bag of them in her closet when she died, I framed them up and gave them to family members.  That is one item I will always have, I am sentimental about family things.
I no longer own a single piece  of the furniture in these three pictures!  I gave the hutch to my niece, it used to belong to my mother, so I wanted to keep it in the family. 

Lets see, a few years later,  out of these 3 photos, I still have:

the cement cherub

the quilt (mom made it)

some of the dishes 

Things do tend to change a lot around here.

Bill Mathews was the photographer for these pictures, he does lovely work. They were styled by Gloria Gale. I can't remember which magazines they were in, probably Romantic Country or Country Almanac.

A Drawer full of Dorkiness and some other goodies

First of all, can anyone tell if my blog opened any quicker??? I did some tweaking.

I should be working, but thought I'd show some of my loot from my trip before I get on with my day. 

Aren't these 3 ladies something?  Hey, it was suggested that we do a Halloween bag swap!! Good idea. And maybe I will save this photo for my bag, I think these old crones could easily be witches!!

My husband had to work a few hours at Columbia Country Club in Missouri, about half way to St. Louis. (and no, that isn't a polite way of saying he was playing golf, he really had to work).  So, I shopped at a mall there. It is far from my favorite place to go, and I really had to make an effort to stay there long enough to stretch out my time, there wasn't a lot of great stuff. But I found all this!

Those bottles will be fun to decorate and fill, and I got a lot of old photos for under $1 each.

The best purchase (and Twinkle's fave) is this set of old drawers covered in wallpaper.  How handy will that stylish storage be???

Since I slept in the car most of the day, I was up late after we got home.  I painted some more of the outlet covers that I had got in the big bag from Goodwill last month. Only 4 left to paint.  I am selling them on Etsy and have sold a couple from this blog.  These are not listed yet (the 2 switch plates are sold) so all of the outlet covers are available if anyone wants one.  I'll be listing them later this week, or email me here if you'd like one.

I'm off to work, have a decorating/rearranging job to do today with Beth. http://bethleintz.typepad.com/

Feeling like a Queen and having the Crown to go along with it

Look where I have been!  the Chase Plaza in St Louis has to be the best hotel EVER. Pure luxury. I feel quite quennly when I stay there.

These two photos are of the lobby, one from each direction. I am happy to just stand there in the hall like a rube and stare at all the marble, granite, chandeliers that are bigger than my living room,  and the gorgeous architecture.  I've stayed there many times, but I never get over my awe of the place.

The rooms are newly remodeled, but I loved it when they still had an 80s vibe to them too.  Now they are updated, streamlined and sumptuous. 

The restaurants are as over the top as the lobby, and "Eau" is our favorite when we are in town. 

I felt like I was visiting "Top Chef", I even ate an amuse boocsh or however that is spelled.  It is French for a one bite appetizer to delight your mouth. Mine was delighted. I've seen them served on Top Chef, so felt like I knew all about them. This one was a strawberry brushetta.

See? Delightful! 

And the salads were so pretty.  Mine had truffles. 

There are 3 restaurants in the lobby along with a movie theater.  When the movies are over, an attendant offers you chocolate on a silver tray as you leave.  

The pool is right outside one of the restaurants and I love to lay by the water with a good book (this time it was a Stephanie Plum novel) order lunch with a strawberry margarita.

And sometimes I just put down the book and gawk. I never get tired of the beauty of that magnificent, old building.   

Yep, I'm a rube. 

I should have packed my tiara!  This is one location where I would have felt properly dressed to have one on!

Barbara http://www.123lavenderlollipoplane.blogspot.com/ sent me this beaut, and not only was this wonderful piece of queenly head wear in the package, she sent presents!!!!!!!!

A hat box, vintage laces,  a sweet fairy for me and a fairy framed mirror for little Sugarwings!!!

The generosity of blogger/swappers never fails to amaze me. I think she really over did it. Thanks, Barb!

I got  this photo from Sissy, she has been making gift bags.  She doesn't have a blog, and makes such pretty things, I had to show you sicne she couldn't.  I am thinking about seeing if anyone wants to do a gift bag swap?  But later on this summer.  Or, hey, it would be a good one for getting ready for the holidays, wouldn't it? Let me know if you think we should do a holiday gift bag swap later on!

While I was in St. Louis, I didn't spend all my time eating, laying by the pool or gawking at the big city sites.  I spent a couple of hours working one morning. I did this little chubby cheeked fairy painting and also a commissioned pet portrait.

This is the beginning stage of the painting.  Whenever I do a portrait, the first thing I paint is the eyes. If you can capture life in the eyes, you know it will be a good likeness. If not, I throw it away and start over.

Here is the finished product along with the photo I was using to work from.

I always wonder what the housekeepers think when they come in and see the suite transformed into a watercolor studio. Or sometimes, I take jewelry to work on while I am at the hotel. I just can't stand to not get any work done at all for more than couple of days!

Thanks for all your input on my blog being slow. Typepad says that maybe I should try doing excerpts, but I don't want to do that.  They also said to try not having as many postings listed on the first page. I'll be keeping all but a few in the archives and see how that goes. Please let me know if that helps?

Today is the 28th, so only two more days to enter the giveaway for the hand painted rose charm.  (and yes, I counted all the "happy birthdays to Beth "http://bethleintz.typepad.com/ )

On Saturday I also have to write an article for the fall issue of Romantic Country and have little time to get it done, so my drawing might be late that day. So you'll have all day to enter.  And I will start a new drawing on Sunday!  Maybe a matchbox full of goodness?

As much as I loved living in the lap of luxury in St Louis at the Chase Plaza, it was good to get home. We went straight to see Sugarwings and took her out to dinner.  I think she wore more than she ate.  I still thought she was cuddly, even covered in some sort of goo that she was eating.  I couldn't get enough hugs after not seeing her for a few days!

More is Better!!!

Why would I just make one of something when I can make a bunch?? Seems to be how I live my life, "More is Better!" should be my motto.

I really enjoyed the matchbox swap and just had to make up the rest of the package of matchboxes into something pretty.

I used vintage papers, ribbons,

and added some hand painting or drawing to each one, along with some 3-d bit of something nice to the tops.

And yes, they are filled up with trinkets and trivial little goodies.

Oh, and did I mention Glitter?  Yep, there is glitter.

All 4 sides of the sleeves are decorated and the entire tray is painted, with glitter sprinkled inside the tray.

The bottoms are cute too.

• Every one contains:

a page from a mini almanac from the 1800s

a bit of old wallpaper

a die cut flower from an old page of English die cuts

a stamp sized copy of an old portrait picture

some jewels

2 genuine amethyst beads

a vintage button or two

a large, tear drop shaped, moonstone quartz bead

some teeny bezels to add something to, and one bezel with an old bead added to it already

a charm frame to use in your crafting

• The almanac page in the moon inspired box is about the eclipse of 1893.

All of them are a bit different, but have a similar amount of work and comparable amount of trinkets inside.

I'll be listing a few on Etsy, but if you'd like to own a hand crafted, tiny treasure box you can contact me through this blog or email. They will be priced at $10 each.

And of course, "more is better" with Dorkies too!  I took my 3 and my brother-in-law's 2 dorkies out on the lake last night.

Oh my god, did I really just post a photo of myself in a bathing suit??? I must be crazy. I guess I am so covered up in furry little dogs, no one will notice my middle aged body. 

Back when I was in my 20s and probably looked OK in a bathing suit, I never would have allowed a photo of myself in one to be seen.  It is a relief to be older and comfortable in my own skin, even if it is starting to sag and crinkle up. 

"More is Better" but 5 dogs in a boat is a lot.  They are:

Sparkle, Twinkle, Arty, Bookie, and Ruby.  Hopefully next year, Arty and Twinks will 'hook up' and we'll have a few more puppies around!!!

I have a list of people waiting for Dorkie babies.  We usually give a couple away to family and friends from each batch, but it has been 4 years since our last litter.  So, the list of people waiting for a dog is getting long.  Twinkle had better be as prolific with her puppies as I am with my art projects!

SIX DAYS LEFT TO ENTER THE DRAWING FOR THE HAND PAINTED CHARM, leave a comment if you want to enter!

Ps- does anyone have trouble opening my blog?  Kim at Daisy Cottage says that she does and my neice told me that it opens slow for her.  Any other problems with it? 

Also, should I try to do shorter posts? I do seem to run on and on and on.  Like I said, "More is Better" has always been my motto, but I wonder if I get a bit carried away and no one has time to look at what all I put out there?

I'll be back on Thursday, we're going to St Louis for a couple of days!

REDRUM

What a perfect Garage Sailing Saturday!  Good weather, lots of sales, good prices, it was just right.

I love the $1 robin's egg blue frame.  I might just put it on the wall and hang plates inside it. I found many 10 cent pieces of glassware, a old pin cushion (with a crown pin!) for 50 cents, a made in Japan pink fish from an aquarium -50 cents, another old floral tray- $1, a solid old chair to paint- $4, a box of Italian framed prints to fix up and add new paintings to- $5,  

a bagful of vintage seed packets- $2, 2 dozen old postcards for $1, a beaded purse- $1 and a McCoy pink pot that I splurged on for $20.

I also broke one of my Garage Sailing rules. I usually don't go to the  2nd day of a sale, but I did to this one, and hit the jackpot.  Barkcloth, old table clothes and vintage trim!

I will need some of this silver/grey trim for some Silver Bella projects (and the tiny pin crown too).  But I got YARDS of it and will be selling it by the yard at my Etsy shop.

I found old lace too!  This crocheted table cloth with fringe will be perfect for my dining room during the Christmas Home Tour.  Can't you just picture the table set up with all white and cream?  I have some old white Wedgewood (big stack at an auction for $11), some Ironstone, and crystal. I know it is only June, but I have my Holiday Table all planned!!

Love this trim too.  I will be selling it on Etsy, the butterflies are adorable, so I'll have to keep some. Probably will make an art journal page for Sugarwings with it.

For all that fabric, trim, and a few very old books to cut up, I spent $17 at that sale!!!!  I don't even want to think about the barkcloth I missed by not going on the first day. Oh well, I am happy to just enjoy what I did find, never does you any good at all to be greedy about junk.  It comes and goes, I am thrilled when I find goodies, but can't fret about what I missed.

As if my day wasn't good enough already, we went to a wedding in Kansas City and stayed over night at the Savoy, where the wedding was held. 

This place is a pure faded elegance.  It has a run down neglected feel in many parts of it, like this entryway.

And these long, dark hallways make you think that you will meet up with those twin ghostie girls from the Shining around the corner.  but around the corner, is- nothing.  Empty halls with walls ripped out and doors bolted shut.  Very little of the hotel is operational and in use.

The rooms are cozy, and furnished with antiques.

I'd say the bathroom fixtures are original. 

It is all decorated in a bare bones way. I think they do the best with the budget they have and let the old architecture speak for itself.   There is a lot of charm there, but it is a bit neglected and has the feeling of an old bouquet left in a vase to droop. 

There was some fantastic wallpaper in the spooky halls.

And the lobby was pretty much original too.

Since they only have part of the hotel in use, the front desk becomes the bar and the lobby is where the wedding cake was set up. 

The cake was delicious, a fudge marble swirl.

The entire front of the old building is stained glass, done by Frank Lloyd Wright himself.

Harry Truman and Harry Houdini used to be regulars here. And the place feels like you could walk up to either one of their ghosts at any time.

I actually had to buy a dress for the occasion. Didn't care for that. But found this nice, stretchy black one at TJMaxx for $32.  Not bad, it was comfy and I didn't need a new bra or shoes, or have to wear panty hose!  What more can you ask for in a dress?  I did make a necklace to wear with it.

What the Savoy saved on in renovations, they spent on FOOD AND SERVICE. Oh my god, it was better than being on a cruise ship. We were catered to every second.  Great staff, some of them have been there for over 25 years.  Our water glasses and coffee cups stayed filled to the brim and we had 2 waiters fluttering about.

Starched white linens, heavy silver, great food.  And coffee made just for them from the Roasterie (best coffee in KC), called "Savoy Blend".  They give you a bag of it in your room! Along with a plate full of fresh cookies, and a gift bag of sample sizes of toothpastes, and toiletries and candy bars.  All complementary.

These are the breakfast choices. Notice my husband chose boring old Bacon and Eggs?? What was he thinking?? I got the Lobster Bisque and Coquille Saint Jacques.  and it was wonderful.

Breakfast is included in the room price of only $99.

Amazing.  I've paid more than that to stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

If you are ever in Kansas City, you have to stay here, it is quite an experience, a one of a kind hotel.

And of course, if you are in KC, you have to promise to call me too. I'd meet you there for a cup of that coffee in the morning!

Bunnies, Ballerinas, and Bears, oh my

That dumpster might have been yucky and smelly, but I am loving the  stuff I pulled from it.

I dug out an old, broken magazine rack and almost tossed it back in.  But it had a cute shape, so I kept it.  When I got home, I gave it a good whack with a hammer and tore it apart.

This section with the bear painted on it is the center of the rack, with the handle on the top. 

Wouldn't this be sweet in a little baby girl's room?  $20 if you are interested.

I have a thing for ballerina bears. I have painted a t-shirt for Sugarwings with this on it, and did a mural for a friend's daughter of a  cute dancing bear in a tutu also.

My matchbox is ready to be mailed for Natasha's Swap. http://natashaburns.blogspot.com/

My partner is Debra of http://www.hophopjingleboo.blogspot.com/ who is a talented artist and a collector of bunnies (she is hosting a bunny swap, you should check it out).

I was fresh out of vintage bunny paper (or maybe I never had any), so I painted some bunnies on my matchbox.

My first step was to paint the entire thing pink, and add some striping.  While the paint was wet, I dumped a bunch of glitter to the inside of the newly pink box.

I painted a white rose on one end and a brown bunny to the other end.  Then I wrapped the sleeve part of the box in vintage sheet music and wallpaper and painted a bunny on the top.

I drew some gold swirls on the bottom, and glued chenille ribbon and crystals to the sides, so it is pretty from all angles.

I thought it was missing something, so glued 3 little vintage millinery flowers to the top.  I bought the flowers from Deb Dusenberry of Curious Sofa http://curioussofa.blogspot.com/.

When she was moving from her old location to her new (and magnificent) store, I worked at her moving sale.  How cool to style her shop and get the sale set up!!!!  Ooh, I felt schmancy working there.  She had bundles and bundles of these posies

marked from $1.50 to $3.00 each so I bought quite a few.

I also bought a pair of these columns from her. I have them in a nook of my studio.

I might have spent more than I earned that weekend working at her shop.

Back to the matchbox- those things are tiny, but you can jam a lot into them!

I found some old bunny shaped buttons, rhinestones, and some small ephemera goodies. To top it off, I put in another teeny bouquet of those posies from Curious Sofa and tied them up with black velvet ribbon.

Last week while Garage Sailing, I found an old jewelry box, for almost nothing and it had quite a bit of old jewelry in it (included in the price).

There just happened to be a bunny brooch inside!Just what I needed for my swap partner who loves bunnies. Fate?!

It is way too big for the matchbox, plus I wanted to add some copies of my little fairy girls too, so I wrapped them all up together in old silk wallpaper and tied it with a silk ribbon I hand dyed.

But the trouble is, now I am SWAPLESS!! I am all caught up and have no swaps to do.  Although, I saw an art-doll hat swap that looks really unique......  take a look at it here: http://craftingbycandlelight.blogspot.com/

I was still up and working at 4am last night, so missed Garage Sailing this morning. I thought about just working till 6am, then going out sailing, but realized that I am way way way too old for those old tricks and went to bed for a few hours.  I can't go with out sleep like I used to when I was in my 20s and could stay out all night, then work the next morning.

We had company all day (family BBQ) and all I could think about was a nap.

This little nightstand used to be the right half of a desk.  I got it cheap-cheap-cheap because it was butchered up a bit in the deconstruction. 

Some wood putty, sand paper, primer and paint is all it needed to be a decent little hunk of furniture. 

I was going to do more to it, but thought the hardware was so nice, I didn't want to distract from it.  Plus, it was about 3am.

Well, it is about midnight now, and if I want to go Garage Sailing tomorrow, I'd better get some rest. I cannot miss it two days in a row!!  Its already near the end of June and my shopping days are slipping by.  The season is just too short around here!!

Ps- the wierd mask is spoken for now.

ppss- don't forget, only SEVEN DAYS till the drawing for the handpainted charm. leave a comment if you want to enter!

Dumpster redos

Today was mostly a day of primers and base coats. I spread drop cloths everywhere, set up card tables and got out a bunch of junk that needed to be painted white.

I found this little toy vanity/jewelry box at a garage sale last week for $2, and the weird mask thing was in the dumpster that I climbed into.

Presto chango- and abra cadabra- magically these pieces are now transformed.

A light sanding, 2 coats of bonding primer, and some white paint were added to all these items.  Then, for the mask and the shelf that I also found in the dumpster, I added 3 more shades of white with a sponge. 

Medium grade sand paper, lightly rubbed over the edges of the  toy vanity gave the piece an aged feel. I added a vine of roses to the top of its oval mirror, then a garland of flowers to the bottom drawer.

• I was glad I got to get some flowers done, because I had so many things to get a coat of white onto, plus visited with Sugarwings for a few hours today, did yard work and went to the grocery store TWICE.
• Here is my list of what got base coated today:
• the 4' x 4' mirror from last week's garage sale (flowers to be added later)
• toy vanity
• weird mask thing (finished)
• a piece of ceiling tin to add flowers to
• part of a desk, cut in half and made into a nightstand -(pictures later, when I add the finishing touches)
• the shelf from the dumpster (finished)
• 4 pieces of a magazine rack I found in the dumpster and took apart to make into wall hangings (pictures later)
• a small gold frame that I added music paper and flowers to (finished)
• a metal box with a lid to add flowers to later
• a watering can to paint flowers onto

I am not sure about the odd mask. It is interesting, but Not My Style. Although, I do like a bit of funky stuff around.  Maybe in the garden? Or maybe I'll sell it, let me know if it is YOUR style.. $15?

Playing with Sugarwings was a good break in the afternoon. After she left, I finished up with the white and then had time to add some flowers.   

I had bought this tiny frame (with an ugly picture in it) when I went on vacation last month and shopped at goodwill in Indianapolis.  Today, I primed, and painted the frame, then glued down old sheet music.  Over that I painted some flowers.

I distressed the frame slightly with sand paper, and coated the whole thing, picture, frame and all, with umber glaze and wiped it off. $35 if anyone wants to buy it. I will add it to my Etsy shop next week, or email me here before then.

My handsome son, Ryan, came down to the studio to talk while I painted.  He's good company and loves to chat.  But, he is so shy with other people. I wish he'd meet a girl.  He simply will not get out and meet people, and certainly will never find the love of his life playing his guitar or video games up in his apartment, or hanging out watching horror movies with his mom or staying up all night working out with the punching bag or watching wrestling on TV. That is all he does besides go to work.   

He is my biggest worry in what I think is a pretty happy life. I just want him to meet someone he can be comfortable with, but he is so reclusive and shy.  It certainly isn't his looks holding him back, is it??  What a cutie. 

  Typical mom, I worry. I want this son to be as happy as Sugarwing's dad is with his little family.

Sorry, I shouldn't be running on like this is a diary and I am pouring out my problems.  Back to some eye candy--- 

Michaels had swavorsky crystals on sale for $2 a bag.

I bought a few bags in different colors and shapes. Love the teardrops.

Oh, I forgot to add this soap dish to my list of what I base coated white today. It was brass before. I might add a glaze to give it some age and depth.

And here is another photo of my new cafe set, just because I like it and it is fun to get new things that don't need anything done to them! No painting, no fixing, just unload it from the car and enjoy it!

But I did paint the cement cherub statue. She was spray painted gold, uck.

Dumpster Diving, Glittering Bottles and a Shimmering Fairy

Some signs are meant to be ignored.

Especially when they are on the side of a dumpster full of good stuff!  Well, not all of it was good, but it was all old.  Much was broken or ruined from rain on the dumpster the night before or from years of neglect in the basement.

And by the look on my face, some of it smelled.

If only I was searching for polyester, I'd be set.

But I did see an old bottle at the bottom that might be interesting.

Here are my favorite finds from the dumpster.  Love the mirror!

The shelf and the rusty wire thing are cool too. I also got a gold Syroco Mardi Gras type mask.

I did manage to dig out the bottle I was digging for too. It is a Johnson & Johnson glass bottle, not all that old, I'd say early 60's. But it is a cool shape and cleaned up nicely.

I filled the bottle with glitter, added a silver engraved bit from an earring to the top, an aurora Borealis rhinestone pin to the bows, and a lovely tag from Holly Doodle to the neck of it. I tied another of her tags to the Tuesday Morning clearance aisle bottle that I got for 99 cents and am using it for glitter too.

And how was I lucky enough to get these pretty tags with "K"s on them from Miss Holly Doodle?

Natasha Burns http://www.natashaburns.com/ set up a mini fairy swap, with Holly http://hollydoodledesigns.com/WordPress/ and Heather http://prettypetalsboutique.blogspot.com/.

The package that came in the mail today from Holly had the prettiest box, covered in old wallpaper and sheet music.

 

Inside the box were three vintage wall paper tags with glittering "k"s on them. 

And nestled down into a pink tissue nest, was this little ballerina fairy. She is sprinkled with shimmering glitter and seems right at home here at the cottage.

I have her next to the pansy mug I bought at Junker Jo's garage sale for $2. It is filled with my $1.99 clearance roses from Monday's floral markdowns at the grocery store.  Aren't they are perfect fit together? 

I HAVE AN ETSY SHOP!!!!!!!!!!

I started an Etsy Shop!!http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5099942

I only listed a few things so far.  I will add to it as the week goes by.

I hope to carry raw materials for supplies, like these garden tags, and some finished pieces like the tags I made up from a couple of the tags always available.

  These tags look like they were meant for a garden center to use to mark their plants.  I have plenty, the offer still goes for 12 for $1, includes postage,(unless you live somewhere overseas, then the postage will need to be added)

I also listed one of my hand painted switch plates.  I have sold a couple through the blog already, and am making more.

I will be listing more hand painted items too.

Well, it is a start, I actually set the shop up and listed some stuff, after saying for MONTHS that I was going to! Wish me luck.

Today started with me going over to Sugarwing's house to pick her up.  She was sound asleep, but always wakes with a smile!

Their place is a rental, but that is no reason to live with plain walls!  I faux finished these for her to enjoy. When they move out, a quick coat of white over it will get their deposit back.

Her bed is painted with fairies, the one on the right is a Dorothy fairy, Sugarwing's mama is a big Wizard of Oz fan.

I got this bed for her on clearance for 75% off. It had been $1,000!!! My god, who pays $1,000 for a baby bed?????? I was happy with this cool bed for $250, though.

We picked up my niece and met a group of friends for coffee (for the moms, not the girls, they had juice) at Bella Bistro.  Lovely murals there to enjoy. (not mine, although I have a few murals at places here in Lawrence)

While my fairy grand baby is napping, I went out to pull some garden weeds.

It is starting to look good out there! The green tomatoes are getting bigger.

My husband tried to help by tying up the tomato plants for me, but he used old mop handles, broken bits of wood, and metal fence stakes for posts.  He honestly sees nothing wrong with that. I tried to politely explain that it was sweet of him to help, but that I wanted a prettier garden.  Oh well, the tomatoes will grow and cover it all up with green and I'll never notice the mop handles. I guess I am just lucky to have a husband who helps.

12 days left to enter the drawing for a hand painted charm!  Leave a comment or an email, enter as often as you'd like to.

my Brother from another Mother, a Fairy Princess, and a purple haze

I just found out that my tiara swap partner

http://www.123lavenderlollipoplane.blogspot.com/

and I have the same birthday, 5-5-58!  Now I am curious to find out how close horoscopes actually are. I want to quiz her to see how Taurus-ey we match up.

I wrapped her tiara up like a birthday present with some sparkling tissue and a dangling purple crystal.  And of course a flower, us May girls love flowers--"April showers bring May flowers".  My mother always used to tell me that meant me, I was her May flower.

Barb's address is 123 Lavender Lollipop Lane, so I made a tag for the package with a hand painted purple lollipop all glittered up and tied with a bow.

I like to mix collage work with hand painting.  I am such a quick painter that it is actually faster for me to paint something than to dither through all the boxes and shelves of papers I collect to decide what to add next.  But, then half the fun of doing any collage work is playing with all that gorgeous paper you collect! 

And of course, the lollipop had to have a crown too.

I painted the lollipop on watercolor paper, cut it out and glued it to the tag that I had attached pretty scrapbook paper to (on sale at Michaels for 10 CENTS a sheet). Then, the crown was cut out of gold holographic mylar paper, that I glittered up and added crystals to.

I wrote the address directly onto the tag and screwed it up (I have notoriously bad handwriting). So I re-wrote it (more carefully this time, I do tend to scribble) onto a snip of matching scrapbook paper and glued it over the screwed up writing and outlined it in marker.  Sometimes, messing up a project makes it better, I like the added layer of the striped paper on the tag.

Next, I glued a border of sparkling trim (used on the tiara)  to the edges and tied a bunch of ribbons to the top. Then of course, the ribbons were in the way when I went to glue down paper to the back of the tag. I do get ahead of myself.

Sugarwings tried on the tiara before she went home after our Father's Day Extravaganza Brunch.

I should make her a princess crown of her own.  But she'd eat it.

More purple!  A verbena started up between the bricks at my garden entry. Last year, I had planted some in the hanging baskets above the bricks.

Don't those pavers look like they have been there forever?  Actually, it is just simply bad installation.  I did it myself and they are all settling in and sagging.  I like that look, though.

I accomplished lots of yard work yesterday, was spreading mulch and trimming up. When I went to the garden center for  a few bags of Cyprus, I found this table and chair set for 75% off.

And since my husband shared his big casino jackpot winnings, not only with his son and dad- but with me! I treated myself to something new. I usually just buy garage sale furniture, but couldn't pass this set up.  It was $79 for all three pieces. Not a bad deal for such a heavy, well made set, and its very Frenchy looking, isn't it?

(and look- purple in this shot too)