June 6, 2012 - Wednesday

Good Morning...what a slow start I'm having.  I got up early and began my blog and got so sleepy I had to go back to bed.  What a great sleep that was!  Kind of like a cheater nap!

Today is HUMP day... (for those of you poor soles that still work).  I need to get my MOJO back... I've been in a bit of a slump for the past several days.  Do you ever get like that?  Sure hate that feeling ... I wonder what brings it on? hhhmmmm... haven't figured that out yet...but when I do.. I'll let you all know.

I was so excited to see that one of my favorite designers - "With Thy Needle and Thread" has some wonderful new patterns out... take a peek!!

The top left - it's an adorable sewing box that she has painted, lined with pages from an old book, and then attached this wonderful new cross stitch to the top.  Guess what the box is from???????  A 12 oz. box of Whitman Candy!!  Isn't that so clever?

Then the right photo is a needle roll... you can see how it's all folded up immediately under it.

Then she made an adorable pin cushion... I love the lace and old buttons.  Then added a strawberry needle keep with a small pocket in the front to hold your tiny embroidery scissors and needle pack.

Can you see how she has the blackbird - strawberry theme going in all of the pieces?  I think it's simply adorable!!!

Yippee... Brenda!!!  It's awesome!!! 

 

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Here is another adorable and clever idea!!!  When you have a party... freeze water into colorful balloons and then place your drinks around the balloons!  It's so pretty, doesn't make a sloppy, drippy mess and it's so fast and easy to dispose of and clean up!!

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Why oh why haven't I thought of this???  They've taken a large hot pad - folded it over and stitched around it...leaving an opening at the top.  They now use it to store their curling iron when traveling!  How many times have I waited for my iron to cool off before having to put it into my suitcase?  DUH!!!  I LOVE THIS IDEA!  It's fast and inexpensive!

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Now... as center islands go... I LOVE THEM!  I sure miss one in my kitchen now!  I just think they add so much to the decor... not even taking into consideration all of the storage and work space they give you.  Look at this one...it's made from OLD WINDOWS!  I sure do WANT IT!!!  You take a base cabinet...that you can purchase at Lowes or Home Depot - and built the windows around it...making any adjustments to the bottom base to make them all fit together...then add the counter top!  So darn cute!!

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I guess I'm going to have to shop in the Dollar Stores more often.  They say they got this picture frame - repainted it - used some craft paper/scrap booking paper, mod podge and made this adorable print.  I just want the frame... they are so hard to find at a reasonable price!!!  I think that may be on my "TO DO" shopping list for this weekend.

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Then... I love this idea (not necessarily the cabinet).  They have taken a beautiful wool piece (I think it's a hooked rug) and attached it to the front of this primitive cabinet.  How wonderful is this idea?  So many times we have these great pieces and we just don't seem to know what to do with them.  If you are not into hooking... (a new hobby)... make sure you keep an eye out for pieces like this at antique stores.  Especially the antique hooked chair pads.  I just found a beautiful pink one... I'm going to attach it to the top of a pretty round box...  It will look so lovely! 

I would love a scrappy pieced mini quilt with wool applique placed on a cabinet like this too.... How pretty hanging on a wall!!!  hhhmmm... sound like another project idea I need to write on my list!! 

Then we'll dress it up with a sweet primitive planter on top with an adorable ivy trailing down the side... how about finding a sweet little primitive ceramic "blue" bird to place with the planter?

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And last but not least.... this is the true meaning of:  "Honey... does this make my butt look too big?"

What in the heck was this chick thinking????  JUST SAY NO!!!

This looks like it belongs on that show - My Favorite Gypsy Wedding!!!  Have any of you seen that?  Oh My.... words cannot describe it....

Have a super Wednesday.... I'm sewing and trying to get out of this slump!!!  HELP ME!!!

Hugs to all...

Gloria

June 4, 2012 - MONDAY

Well... that weekend sure went fast!!  I was very productive...well at least on Saturday - NOT so much on Sunday.  I had a case of "lazi-itis" and didn't do much of anything!  Soooo... I must get busy today.

It's just simply.... without a doubt... time to clean house!  I HATE CLEANING HOUSE!  Jack is out and about on some errands - Lexie is with us this week during the day - sooooooooooo... .while she is watching her favorite shows and playing... I thought it best to get busy.  She loves to help - so that's pretty wonderful.  Of course the attention span is pretty quick so we pick out the small easy jobs for her.

Look what I made on Saturday!!!   It's a wool "thimble holder"!!  It's very small and can attach to your sewing basket!  The front is blue wool and the back is a blue print.  I've attached a small wool flower (pearl in the center) with some greenery.  It was pretty fast to design and didn't take long to stitch.  I will be making it into a pattern... and making a second sample.. more primitive.  I think I'll use some plaid or hounds tooth wool for the second one.

I gave one of my clasps to my friend, Jan Vaine.  I just knew she would love designing a thimble case with all of her beautiful ribbon work she does.  Maybe she can teach it at her applique university!!  Can't wait to see her creation!

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One of the things I love is to find cute ways of packaging that doesn't cost a fortune.  You know... as I've gotten older - I find some things we spend money on are just not required... for instance - expensive wrapping paper!  Just think about it... we pay all that money.. for a little tiny piece (I bet if we calculated it out - it would be 40 times more expensive than fabric...ICK!!) that we tape around a package.  Then in a nano-second it's ripped to shreds - never to be seen again!  HA!  Aren't we silly people. 

By the way... if you use all of your discarded wrapping paper (like at Christmas) and feed it through a shredder - it makes super packaging material for fragile items!  Plus it's very colorful.

Well... anyway...back to the picture below.  How sweet - simple white envelopes tied with jute with an added candy cane.  It would even look prettier to tuck a sweet piece of REAL evergreen (from your trees outside) under the jute!  You can even write on the bag - no need to purchase tags.

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Isn't this a sweet Bible marker?  It has scripture words wrapped around the spool.  Well... I've thought of another cute thing to make from all of my "zillion" spools I own.  Can't tell you what it is at the moment... it's a surprise.  But you will see it soon on my blog!!

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I sure wish I would have kept one of these artillery baskets when I had my store.  They are so darn awesome.  I could just kick myself.  The entire basket is wicker with canvas side handles.  They used to house artillery shells in them!  Can you believe that.  If you find one for under $100.00.  Buy it!  They are fabulous above dressers like this one, on your front door, above your fireplace.  Fill them with different silks and foliage for the season.  Heather used to make gorgeous arrangements at the OGC!!  Waaaahhhhhhh (I'm still crying 'cause I don't have one!)

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When I saw these flowers I instantly thought of my friend Cheri!!  She used to live here in Jax and worked at the OGC for me.  She was my pure "primitive" friend!!  OMG how she loved it.  And... blue enamel was her all time favorite.  She had some gorgeous pieces.  We used to call this color "Cheri Blue".  She also loves to work in her  yard... this is her planter... don't you think?  I'm calling it "Cheri's Posies" !!  Love you Cheri and I sure do miss you (she moved to Georgia).

Hey... look at this sweet little fellow.  There is just something wonderful about baby pigs.  They grow up to be so ugly... but when they are tiny...

 I just want to squeeze them to death (not truly...)!!

Have you ever seen such a pink nose??? 

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And my last photo of the day is this sweet little angel!  Isn't this adorable?  How innocent and sweet!  She's watching over the tree to keep it safe for Christmas morning.

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I must get ready for my Lexie..   Heather won a scholarship to attend some wonderful photography classes in Daytona.  So... Daddy, Grandpa and I are on duty!!!

Chat with you tomorrow...it's time to get a shower and dig out the cleaning supplies.  (I sure would love a cleaning lady.....NOT...that would be ME!)

Later chickies...  Gloria

June 1, 2012 - Friday

Well... how do you like my HUGE Olde Green Cupboard header?  It kind of smacks you right in the face doesn't it?  hahahahahahahaha!  I'm trying to make some enhancements on my blog and I decided to start by adding the correct OGC logo.... well, needless to say... it's a bit large!

I tried and tried to make it smaller.... no success!  Do you think it could be because I have NO CLUE what I'm doing?  I see you laughing and shaking your head up and down!!!  Never give up... I will get it conquered.  I just told myself... it's no big deal...just post your "chat" and figure it out later.

If all else fails.... I'll have my sweet Heather help me.  She's a guru with this stuff...not afraid to push buttons - explore - read (I hate to read all of those instructions..) and then she manages to figure out how to make things happen!  Ahhhh...... LOVE HER!!

Yesterday I ALMOST FINISHED MY FIRST SOCK!!!  Yes... I have to get them finished before August when we head to Alaska.  I want to wear them!  My toe is almost CLOSED... then I can start on sock number two.  I just love them.. the yarn is so wonderful.  As soon as it's off the needles...I'll take a photo and post. 

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This is so cool!!!  They had this on a "camping" posting... they've taken a headlight and strapped it to a jug full of water.  It illuminates the entire jug and gives you light in your tent!!!  Now... by headlight... I think they mean one of the battery operated headlights you can wear on your head while hiking, working on car engines, etc.  Isn't this a wonderful idea???  So darn clever!!

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I LOVE galvanized stuff.  Don't ask me why... I have no clue as to why it attracts me.  Maybe because it can blend in well with different types of decorating.  Well... old washtubs are especially favorites of mine!!  Look how they have taken the GIANT washtubs and made them into lighting!  Wouldn't this be awesome in a restaurant or bar?  Have I posted this before??  It especially looks great with the white and green accents on the table.  How inexpensive this project would be!

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Then... on a smaller scale... look how they have made this into a lamp shade for a table lamp!  Then you can write on it with chalk!  SO COOL!!!!! 

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Look at my new Annie I found.  Poor baby... it looks like she's been run over with a car tire!  Or stomped on in the mud.  I don't care... I still think she's adorable!!!  Don't you just love her little dress??

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Okay... another wonderful trend I've been seeing... using upholstery jute tape for other things than chairs and couches!  I love how they've used it as a ribbon on this wreath...then attached it to a bright red sled!

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Or... wrap it around wonderful baskets - add some trim - in this case ceramic numbers - and you have an adorable new display.  How simple... how cute!

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And... look at this!  How simple!  Wrap it around candles, fold the raw edge under and attach with upholstery tacks!  OMG!!!!  Can you see a beautiful display with these at Christmas - sitting in an old dough bowl... with greenery spilling over the side... red berry garland inter-twined within the greenery... maybe an old antique Santa sitting in the bowl.  I'M IN LOVE!!!! 

Maybe we should have a "JUTE TAPE" contest... to see who can make the coolest stuff!  It comes in all colors....! Search the Internet... you'll find it!  Go to your local upholstery shop and see if you can buy some from them!  Have FUN and CREATE!!!!

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Then... on the more "blingy" side... take a peek at this sweet thing!!!  I don't know if it's real or not... don't even care... I just think it's so cool.  Wow... I can jump from "industrial metal" to "jute" to BIG BLING really fast can't I?  Pretty unusual to like the rustic and the necklace below.  Oh well...what can I say?  That's just me!!

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And last but not least.. look at this sweet kitty!  Don't you just LOVE his little face?  It looks like a starfish has clasped onto his head for life... or a giant **asterisk** exploded in front of him!  What a cutie!!!! 

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We're going to visit our oldest granddaughters today.  They just moved into an adorable house together and we're taking them a brand new set of POTS & PANS - bright red!  I can't wait to see how they have their little house all put together (Toby and Dayle's girls - Jaimi and Elizibeth).  They are a couple of cutie patooties... and we love them to death!!! 

Then it's off to AUCTION night!  Vic and I are going to check out an auction and see what trouble we can get into!  (That won't be too hard!)

Have a great weekend... sew lots (I plan on it!) and finish up those UFO's!!!

Hugs to all!!

Gloria