Angel Wings and a Guest Post

~Today I'd like you to meet someone very special~

Her name is Susan and she just opened  her etsy store. I wanted to give you a sneak peek of some of the treasures in her shop, lovingly crafted by hand.

Just look at these gorgeously romantic angel wings......so feminine and sweet

And now before I show you more, I invited Susan to write a guest post to introduce herself.

I know you'll all love her.  Take it away Susan......

"Thank you, Karen, for including my shop news in your White Wednesday post this week!  I am honored and grateful.  To all Karen's readers - I had the utmost pleasure in meeting sweet Karen last spring at the 'At Home With White' event at the Wrentham Country Store.  I knew I had found a kindred spirit in her, as well as our dear fellow blogger and WCS vendor Sandi (A Cottage Muse).  I can't stop featuring the shutter I purchased from Karen in my blog posts and Etsy listings as background!

My love of all types of needlework has allowed me to provide unique creations to decorate my home over the years.  Now I'm happy to be able to provide such creations in my new Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/EvelynAndRose.  The items are inspired by all that is French, romantic and vintage.  I only create what I love and would use in my own home and hope that you would enjoy them, too.
Thank you, Karen, for inviting me to your blog this week.  What a pleasure!  - Susan" 

See...I told you! Isn't she a doll? 

Now for  more eye candy...look at this pillow she created. It's part of her "Present Pillow Collection".

Another scrumptious heart, leaning on that shutter Susan was telling you about...

And just look at the fabric on these luscious pillows.... SIGH....DROOL!!!

I hope I've whet your appetite for the kinds of things Susan will have at her store. So hurry over and check out her shop AND blog  ...you wont' be sorry!  And more good news...Susan will be hosting a giveaway very soon, so stay tuned to her blog for that!

I'll be linking these lovely whites to Faded Charm for White Wednesday. Thanks as always Kathleen, for hosting this party! I look forward to your posts every week!

Treasure Transformation

I wanted to show you a before and after of each of these tiny projects, but I forgot to take a "before" of this one.

Anyway, I picked up these little vintage Lucite boxes at an estate sale. Six of them, yellowed to perfection in their own little wire rack.  I imagine they were used in the MR. of the home's workshop for little do-dads and what-nots.

I had these beautiful vintage look tickets that I was waiting to use on just the right project...and voila~

A little modge podge and they're all set for eternity...

I plan on adding knobs to the covers like the one you see here...

Won't this be a great addition to someone's craft room?  I think this will land in my rented space at WCS or perhaps in my soon to open Etsy Shop.

I found this basket at the Christmas Tree Shop. Not loving the Rooster, but the basket has great bones.

Rusty looking wire with wooden handles...I could see the French in it, just begging to come out!

I removed the yucky lovely rooster and added an antique door plate, some vintage lace in the center of it, with a Tim Holtz number decal to finish it off

I then strung some vintage lace all around the inside and tied it on with some string.

I think she looks and feels better now, don't you?

Lastly, (and I apologize about the blurriness of this photo) I had this cool wall hanger. The glass door knob is beautiful and the whole piece is quite heavy, but I just wasn't loving the blue....

So, I pulled out a vintage index book I picked up (photos of that later) and decoupaged the heck out of this little sweetie!  What do you think?

So... I hope with my vintage Lucite find, embellishing the basket with an antique door plate, and dressing the little sweetheart above in vintage papers, I can safely and happily link up to Vintage Inspiration Friday over at Common Ground. (for my second time joining the party)  Thanks for hosting Debra!

White Wednesday Aprons

Today I'm linking up with Kathleen over at Faded Charm  for White Wednesday.

My offering to you are these lacy, dreamy, vintage white aprons

For now I have them hanging in my kitchen from an old garden rake

If you look closely...you can see the detail that went into these vintage lovelies

They seem too pretty to wear, don't they?

I can just imagine June Cleaver donning something like this, as she putts 

around the kitchen in her high heels....

Since I live with all sons (and being the only female in the home)...

I have but one hope for my lovely vintage apron finds...

May my young men not use these as hand towels as they make their way 

around the corner...  :(

Loving all things white...and especially on White Wednesday.... 

~I've got a brand new pair of roller skates.... and you've got something I need

Does anyone remember that old song from Melanie?

Well, I've got a brand new old pair of roller skates.....

Let me tell you...these things are pretty heavy, not to mention awkward. Not sure how anyone ever roller skated in these.  They're not a matching pair...but precious just the same.

I just couldn't resist buying them when treasure hunting this past weekend.  They're so shabby, crusty and rusty to perfection ~

I'd like to put them in my rented space at the shop, but I need your help ladies! What could I embellish them with to add a little romance or chic to these, or how could I re-purpose them for another use?

I'd be so grateful for your ideas.  I lean toward shabby, romantic, french things, if that helps.  And to show my appreciation, if I choose your idea,  I'll be sending you  a little gift of thanks. I'll be sure to show a follow up pic, once I choose your "inspiration".

I'm also linking up with Debra at Common Ground for my first ever "Vintage Inspiration Friday"

I'll be waiting to hear from you all, (inspire me please) and until then...anyone want to race???

Family Rules

Oh happiness...my custom family rules sign arrived today. 

Look how gorgeous and it's HUGE!

The creators of this sign ask you to give 8 rules or thoughts that make up your individual "family rules or mottos" (or things you want to promote in your family)

There's a close up below that shows the actual color of the sign...the one above was taken in different light.

I first saw these on this blog

http://tarahlowry.blogspot.com/2011/05/back-in-business-for-summer.html

 and just HAD to have one....

Now...if I can just find a wall big enough to accommodate it....

Brimfield FleaMarket

I had the pleasure of attending the Brimfield Massachusetts Flea Market this past Friday.

I only took a few pictures this time, since I was very preoccupied with dragging my little cart through the muck and mud.  It had rained all week, leaving the poor dealers (and customers) to contend with the mess.

Let me show you  a few of the pics I did take...

This is the Bliss Farm's Antiques Booth.  Jackie does a beautiful job displaying her wares....

Sigh!

Ooh La La

Next I stopped by this gorgeous space...

The Textile Trunk

She specializes in Antique and Vintage European Textiles

This is Wendy, the owner...very sweet to pose for me

Lastly, I stopped by my friend Yvonne's space. 

Yvonne has a local shop "Shabby FiFi".    I actually first met her on ebay and was delighted to find how close by we lived to each other.

Aren't her displays to die for?

She has such an eye for arrangement...

I SO wanted to take one of these cherub statues home with me.. but alas...I wasn't there to shop for Karen...  :(

Here's one more view of her fabulous tent 

And here's our  Shop Keeper Extraordinaire, Mary Ellen.

As huge as Brimfield is, I was amazed to run into her twice.  Look at all those treasures in her cart.

In the days to come, I'll be sharing some of the treasures I picked up, although I must say, I actually had more luck over the weekend at local tag and estate sales.

For now, I'll be linking those gorgeous Cherub Statues to White Wednesday over at Faded Charm. Thanks Kathleen for hosting!!

We will never forget...

A day that changed our lives

images forever stamped on our hearts

I spent this evening at my son's church as they held a 9/11 remembrance

and gathered together for sweet fellowship

I'd like you to meet one of my heroes...my son Luke.  He was asked to speak at this event

Luke enlisted in the Army, September 2001 because of 9/11

He has served in Afghanistan twice, and in Iraq twice as an Army Ranger...

and four times, the Lord has brought him home safely!

Now I'd like you to meet my other hero... my son Jim (shown here with his wife Angela)

Jim is a Captain in the US Army and has served in Egypt and Afghanistan( and may be deployed again soon).

Jim has currently served 15 years and is definitely a "lifer"

I'm proud of the patriotism of these two upstanding sons of mine

Tonight...and tomorrow...and forever, I would like to thank not only my sons, but the entire U.S. Military, our firefighters and police from all over the nation for their service and dedication.

And to all the families who lost loved ones on that horrific day, and to all the families who have lost loved ones on the battlefield since that day....

your nation is forever grateful...and it's heart aches for you always....

We will never forget..

Dress Form Makeover

I picked this dress form up at a little local shop awhile ago.  She "appears" to be sort of vintage but I'm not sure. She stands about 35 inches tall.

Anyway, this dark pink with the hideous flowers just wasn't doing it for me....

So that being said, I decided it was time for a mini makeover.

First things first...I ripped  removed the flowers from her bodice

Then I gave her a couple coats of white gesso

Added some clear beads where the flowers were

Added new lace trim to her bottom area

She now wears a vintage doily as a "shawl"

TA-DA

And then...I just strung around her waist some vintage laces and ribbon with of course a skeleton key and tag

And to finish her off, I gave her a little crystal beaded necklace.

Let me know what you think of her...

I just love the soft colors (whites, creams, peach, and blue)

She may land in my space at the "shop" or maybe she'll hang out in my bedroom for awhile.

Either way, I'll be linking her up to Kathleen's  Faded Charm for another White Wednesday....