Another Great Giveaway and Treasures To Share

Hello my dear friends,

it seems that I am always so busy these days. My back is much better and since I feel good, my house is getting decluttered. (Thank you all for all your well wishes - you are all so kind and thoughtful) I am planning to have a garage sale on the Easter weekend to try and get rid off all sorts of things that just are not needed anymore - it must have something to do with all the snow being gone finally! I must have opened every drawer and door of any room or cupboard today to take a look at what I can say good-bye to and I think I am doing quite well. I just love it when I look around my house and everything has a place and when you open a drawer you can actually see everything at once. Normaly I would do an intense declutter every time we would be stationed somewhere new when we were in the army, but these days it doesn't happen that often anymore since we now live in our own house and don't move anymore.

I am still working on my wee bird tutorial, but unfortunatly it's taking longer than I thought to finish it. I promise, I will try and get it finished and posted as soon as I can.

Another thing I wanted to let you know was that Lisa from "Tarnished and Tattered" is having a giveaway this month.

www.tarnishedandtattered.blogspot.com/2011/04/nature-inspired-give-away.html

So, off you go now - over to her blog and take a look at all the wonderful  things she creates!!

And last but not least ...

... here are a two of my treasures I would like to share with you.

I bought both of these items while I was living in England. There is so much history over there and it's so beautiful. I have a real thing for Victorian items and especially when they are not restored but just a they had been used so many years ago.

 This is one of my Victorian children's sewing machine. It is quite small but really sturdy ...

 ... and it has been decorated with a flower design that is so beautiful and delicate.

This small black old tin might not look like much on the outside, it might even look a bit borring, but once you open it up and look inside ...

 ...it revels it's little secret.

It is a Victorian spice tin with 6 small individual compartments. In the olden days spices were very costly and classed as a sign of wealth and needed to be locked away and this is what they would use to do so.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

Another April Giveaway coming up!

Hello my dear friends,

I just wanted to let you know that Tiffany at "The Cranky Queen" is having a giveaway. She has now over 100 followers - YAY!!

Drop by Tiff's blog and take a look at all the neat things she will be gifting in this giveaway.

http://www.thecrankyqueen.blogspot.com/2011/03/100-follower-giveawaymuch-less-cranky.html

And last but not least ...

still thinking about opening an esty shop and working on my wee bird tutorial.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.



To Etsy or Not To Etsy? - That Is The Question

My dear friends,

I need some advice!
I am thinking about selling my creations in the future some time, because if I don't I am going to end up having to rent a storage unit or two to fit all of my things in! I am in two minds about it though. I have checked out Etsy and it seems to be a really good place. I am thinking about opening a store with them and I'm not really sure what is stopping me.

My friends from blogland, those of you who sell their creations on Etsy or not, what do you think I should do? Let me know about your thoughts or experience with Etsy! It would be much appreciated!

So, the question is ...

to Etsy or not to Etsy??

Please, drop me a line and share your thoughts!
And last but not least ...

... something little I would like to share with you.

I have had this little wooden carved angel since I can remember and I don't even know where she came from or who gave her to me. She has traveled around the world with me all my life, which was more than once and has never been damaged or lost. She is so tiny and precious and her little light always shines for me, so I don't get lost in this big place called "life".

I hope you have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

A Magical Transformation or The Little Pink Box

Hello my dear friends,

I found an interesting little box at the "Bath and Body" shop in our mall. It's almost like an egg carton, but in bright pink and it is used for their air fresheners which are called wall flowers. As I saw this, I knew right away that I wanted to do something with it. I have seen actual egg cartons being used to create, but I am not sure where. I should really look in my magazines to try and find it. (leaving the computer to sit down and search for the article)

I found what I was looking for! Lisa from "Tattered and Tarnished" had transformed an old egg carton into something beautiful, an Easter basket! Why not stop by her blog and take a look at all her wonderful
"egg carton" and all of her other creations!

www.tarnishedandtattered.blogspot.com/2010/02/baskets-big-small.html

And now back to my little creation or let me call it transformation. I did get a bit carried away whilst working on my little box and I totally forgot to take pictures of all the in between stuff this time (sorry!)

And this is my little pink box.

 Bright, bright pink - not really my color.

 But this little box had so much going for it and I saw the result in my mind before I even started!

 And this is what my little box looks like now!!

 I painted the outside with a pale cream color, much more me and used bits of old lace, buttons and pearls to embellish it. A little tag gave it the last touch.

But the best is still to come ... the inside!

 It went from this ...

... to this!!!

 I turned this little thing into a gorgeous sewing box!

Filled with everything you would need ~ old lace rolled onto vintage clothes pegs, a spool of old thread and that's only some of the goodies in this little treasure box.

 I decoupaged the entire inside if the box with pieces of old sewing patterns and using a scrap of tea stained muslin, a little crochet something, a few old buttons and scrabble pieces the transformation of the inner lid was completed.

 It also holds pair of tiny vintage scissors, a wee old thimble, and some old buttons threaded together so you can't loose them. 

 The little pincushion is attached to the inside of the box and has a vintage crochet flower sitting on top of it. It is filled with bird sand, so it will keep the needles and pins nice and sharp. The really neat thing is, that the pearls which make the center of the flower are actually ...

sewing pins!!

 And last but not least ...

 A little glass bottle holds the sewing needles.

I hope you like this transformation as much as I do. Let me know what you think!

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

Another Great Giveaway Coming Up!!

Hello my dear friends,

just a short post to let you know of another great upcoming giveaway.

My dear sweet friend Dawn from "The Feathered Nest" is having a giveaway in April!!!

I personally can't wait to see what she will be giving away this time - can you?

You know what to do now - drop by her blog and take a look!!!

And last but not least ...

another something little called pincushions, I know - again! I made these a while ago and I wanted to share with you. Both are made from vintage lace, old buttons, crochet pansies and old tarnished baby cups.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

Two Most Fabulous Giveaways And New Pincushion Makings

Hello my dear friends,

I just wanted to let you know that there is a most fabulous giveaway taking place at "Tales from an OC Cottage". You should drop by and look at the most beautiful items you could be gifted!!

www.talesfromanoccottage.blogspot.com/2011/03/little-vintage-french-white-farm-house.html

You will be amazed to see so many wonderful items that are to be won in this one giveaway. So much thought has been put into the gifts and they are breathtaking.

Also ...

Vicki at the "Rusty Rooter Vintage" is having a giveaway MONTH!!! 

http://www.rustyroostervintage.blogspot.com/

 Every Sunday a giveaway will take place, but not only once in April - but every Sunday in April. WOW!! So, go and take a look at Vicki's blog and check it out!

And last but not least ....

I few of my pincushion makings.

I made these some time last year before I was a blogger, but I didn't have a chance to share them  with you yet. I hope you like them.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

My New Companion and A Bit More To Share

Hello my dear friends,

it is taking much longer for my back to get better than I thought it would, so sitting for longer periods of time is still a problem and it means less crafting time for me - so sad! One thing that is making me feel good - the sun is shining so beautifully today!!

Something I wanted to share with you today is a little tip about a new companion, that I wouldn't do without anymore. It comes in the shape of a little notebook. I have got two now, since I had misplaced my first one which I happened to find a few days later.

Wherever I go, my little booklet goes with me. It's best friends with either pencil or pen in my bag. So many times when I was out and about - at Timmie's, the grocery store or at the dentist, I would see something that would inspire me or I would come up with an idea for a new creation or a tutorial I would love to make and I would have nothing to write it down on. I would be lucky to find a scrap of paper, an old receipt or a paper napkin in my pocket and I would note it down on it, but some of times when I had a really good idea -  there was nothing on hand and then I would forget something. I would actually be angry at times about it.

A good example is, the tassel idea came to me at my daughter's dentist appointment earlier this week. At times my head is just full of  'life stuff' there is not too much room to store crafting ideas. 

Right now I am working on the "Wee Bird " tutorial. I am hoping to have it ready soon. Not being able to sit for long doesn't really help. I do almost all my sewing by hand, it tends to take a bit longer than sewing with a machine, but standing up and doing it is hard. That's why the ribbon tassel was easy for me to do, no sitting involved really.

And last but not least ... 

Another little thing to share. Yesterday my 10 year old daughter Caylagh wanted to craft something so we decided to use bits and pieces that she could find in my craft room. She isn't finished yet with her creation, but I just wanted to show you what she is making. She covered an old cigar box with music sheets (Mom helped) and then decorated it with a print of two dancers and some other bits and pieces. I think it looks lovely so far!

The inside has also been covered with music sheets and she has used some scrabble pieces and a charm to decorate the inside of the lid. It's not finished yet, but I will show you the end result when it is done.

I wish you a creative and peaceful day,

Karen B.