Forever Flowers

I frequent wedding blogs quite often. Once Wed and Vintage Glam are two of my favs. A regular contributor, La La Laurie offers this lovely tutorial on making fabric flowers, specifically bouttonnieres, but I am sure you can do much more than that.






In fact, all of her tutorials are amazing, such as her tree stump pedestal cake stand in detail here on Etsy's Storque with tons of lovely featured picks!



or her bird and flower garland.



You can visit her blog, or even purchase some of her goods in her Etsy Shop!

Oh So Very Vintage Inspired

I truly adore Emily from The Black Apple.



Her artwork is lovely, her wardrobe and fashion sense are stunning, she is adorable (even her little nose and eyeliner skills are perfect), her stories are sweet, her macaroons are glorious (her recipe here) and now we can see that her living room is just as fabulous.



She shared some photos of it a little while back, so I thought I would show them to you here. Oh, those curtains!



I have been looking for a couch like hers for forever! This is an anthro couch... I figured it out from this post here at Life in the Fun Lane!



We had a little cement deer when I was young in our backyard that we would ride. I adored it.



Have you ever seen more glorious vintage pillows?



The quilt + The pillow + The green vase + Red roses = Love.



I can def see myself eating macaroons and sipping marshmallowy hot chocolate in a delicate gold trimmed teacup in that stunning chair.



Lovely, aren't they?

Ooooo, Art and Fabric Fun!

So, I was talking to a neat seller, Art by Rosemary, about a month ago and told her I would do a blog feature, but that thread got buried and I could never find it again. Well, she popped in the forums today searching for new sellers with no sales, so that she could purchase from them (awe, so sweet) and I recognized her shop as the one I had been searching for. I would so plaster my home with her artwork, if it wasn't pink taupe and sage (shudders) and only had one wall that is large enough for a painting! She has gorgeous contempory, abstract art in lovely rich, bold colors. While looking through her thread, I found this shop, Kale, also with 0 sales. I don't think that is going to last long, because she has the most wondrously cute fabric creations, go check them out! Even a fabric charm, how sweet is that?!



On a side note, last night we cleaned like crazy, it looked so nice in here! I figured, well, if all of my crafting/jewelry items are far far out of reach, maybe today will be better (of course any production for me then is kaput)? Well, not exactly. This just made it even funner for my toddler to destroy furniture again. Did I ever tell you that I have to wrap bungee cords around my table legs so he won't break them apart? Well, I haven't been able to find those, so today I have been picking up chairs all day long. And couch cushions. He destroys the couches all day long, every day, in less than 10 seconds flat. Oh, my aching back, I feel like I have aged about 10 years this week alone, and I am serious when I say that I am in search of a good back brace.



Aaaaand, I got a new calling in church, nursery, yay! So, I struggle all week long with my son, then I struggle with him during church so I can attempt to hear the talks being given, and now, instead of dropping him off in nursery so I can have 2 hours of peace to hear lessons, I get to go and struggle with him and 18 other kids for 2 hours. I definatly feel like God is trying to teach me a lesson at this point, punishment maybe for my lack of creativity of parenting? When I stood up to be sustained at church for the calling, I tried SO HARD to smile, but my husband said it looked like I was sucking on sour lemons and about to cry at the same time. During nursery, he was pretty much the only one who disobeyed and threw tantrums. Great, I am the mom of THAT kid. The one that other moms probably look at like, "Oh, she must be a terrible parent, can't even keep her own kid under control." Every week the nursery leader is like "Oh, we had to put him in time-out again." Yet, when I tell them "sorry, I know he can be difficult" people always respond back, "Oh no, he isn't difficult! He's just a boy, that is how they are, he is an excellent kid." Oh yeah? Then how come none of the other kids get put in time out? Why is he the only one who is acting nutso and screams and destroys everything in his path like a hurricane.

wood sign by Morning Star Design

Did you know that his wooden bed frame is DUCK TAPED to a BARBELL, because he kept flipping it over and destroying it? His mattress is actually NAILED down to his bedframe, because he has shredded it as well? His furniture is in our verry cramped little room because he tears it apart and climbs it? His brother can't even sleep in his own crib, for fear the he will climb in and smother him? Don't get me wrong, I love, love, LOOOVE my kid and my baby, my toddler is a complete angel when he wants to be (about 50% of the time) and he is so stinking smart, and adorable. I am just exhausted and tired during the other 50% of the time.

motherhood shirt by Juror2

So, I outed myself on Etsy about having bouts of regrets of parenthood, and most women were pretty understanding about having similar feelings at times. They gave me a lot of support and great ideas to keep him somewhat occupied that I will be trying this week. A lot of things I can't do, like take him to the park/library... because for one, carrying 2 children up and down 3 flights of stairs is very difficult for me to do, so I only leave our home when necesary, and because he is a runner. He takes off and runs away, fast, and I can't chase him while pushing a stroller or holding my baby, so those types of things are out (yes, I have tried a harness/leash, but he throws tantrums even worse so I end up dragging him, and then, he just takes it off anyways). So ladies, if you want to know why I don't do play dates, or get togethers at parks and such, here is the honest truth.



Now, I have a whole week to recuperate and try this nursery thing again, as I know, I will probably learn something valuable in there, and I am thankful to be able to teach the sweet little ones! So, in the meantime, think I will just move into this little fairy cottage and eat potatoes and Indian food and chocolate, and dance around in tutus and rhinestones (yes, it is a real house, I found it on Strawberry Anarchy’s blog).

"Baby Hurt"

So, I was online in the Etsy labs with Matt's discussion addressing resellers, and what we can do to prevent them. All of a sudden, Caleb starts crying (he is sitting right next to me, playing with my toe, I am rubbing his cute little head.) I look, and I see Isaac has a huge, sharp pair of fabric scissors in his hands. Caleb has a little dab of blood on his forehead, so I pick him up, wipe it off and I see no cut.

scissor shirt by Phipps Art

I am comforting him (have taken the scissors away of course), so I begin to nurse him as I look for the cut, and I see nothing. I look up and all of a sudden, Caleb and I are DRENCHED in blood! I immediately start sweating like a mad women, pick him up and rush him to the bathroom. I put him in the bathtub and am searching his body for the wound... he is so covered in blood, that I can't find anything. (Keep in mind, that he is not crying at this point... he is actually playing with the blood as if it is fingerpaint). Isaac is running around saying "baby hurt, baby owie, baby got cut"! My dog is barking, weaving in and out of my feet (tripping me as usual) as I search for compresses and medical tape.

scissor necklace by Mack

Well, after I jump in the shower with Caleb to rinse him off, I find the cut is on one of his fingers. It's quite deep and definately a good chunk is gone. I am panicking, on the verge of crying, still sweating. I jump out of the shower and am trying to compress the wound, I can't find medical tape, so I grap clear packing tape and I tape the gauze down around his finger, and around his whole dang arm to keep the sucker on, because he keeps ripping it off. We get dressed in non bloody clothes and I rush him to our local Care Now. Running down 3 flights of stairs with 2 kids while having a near heart attack, in flip flops and wet hair is no fun, mind you.

band aid sugar cookies by KukisKukas

I get to Care Now, and the Dr. ends up being a former high school acquantiance. Yeah, I am majorly feeling like an ugly failure right now. I am there for over an hour, trying not to tie my rambunctious 2 year old up, all the while, filing out paper work AND holding the compress on my baby's hand. Well, I asked the Dr. do you ever have to stitch babies up this young? She looked a little embarrassed and quietly said, "he is the youngest I have ever needed to stitch up." So, a couple hours later, we are home, with antibiotics, 3 stitches (really looks like it needs a couple more). Great. Give me the mom of the year award right now. Well, it turns out someone DID give me a little blog award! So, once I clear my mind, I will post all of that info and hand out some blog awards myself.

stiched wrist cuff by Greenbelts

As a side note, in my defence, I DO recognize that having a crafting business entails lots of little dangerous things that accumulate around the house. Just the other day, Isaac got into my jewelry supplies and dumped out all my small metal findings. Hubby and I spent a good 3 hours picking tiny pieces out of the carpet. I have locked things up, put them high on shelves in hidden drawers out of reach, installed baby gates and childproof locks. I take great care in putting items such as these away after use, and yet these things still happen. I have actually gotten rid of many things (including furniture) in order to have a safer home, and I am at a loss right now. I am even considering just getting rid of everything and calling it quits. It is a very tough decision, and I am really trying to figure out what to do here. Any advice would be helpful. Advice or sweets. Or liters of root beer. If you would like to send me cookies for my crazy day, feel free to email me. I like brownies as well. A massage at a day spa would be most welcome.

photo by Boopsie Daisy

xo
Lisa

Creating Patina

My Jeweled Ambrosia earrings.

I LOVE me a good patina. I was standing outside my mil's home, waiting for her to answer the door, and I studied her old metal windchime and the natural patina on the lighthouse charm. It was blue and green and a nice river of pale yellow where the rain drips down the side. I thought, this has been sitting here for about 5 years now, how do I get that lovely patina?!


Bangle by Tider Design Gold and black patina with gorgeous etching is lovely adding to the artistic development of the piece.

Well, there is Jax Patina, a chemical you use to paint it on layer by layer that looks gorgeous! You can also patina copper with a torch, and there is also the ammonia method, enameling and eggs, Silver Black or Liver of Sulfur for oxidizing sterling silver (this discussion is reserved for another time).

Or, you can of course, let your metal pieces sit outside for 5 years...



Stacked Rings by Painted Metal

But, then there is this method, shared by the wonderful Vintage Bead Shop, the authority on vintage jewelery and supplies (go visit her shop and get some lovely goodies and kits!) She shares her absolutely wonderful method of creating colorful and artistic patinas. Everything in her photo she has done by hand. Remeber, I focus on jewelry here because well, I LOVE jewelry, but really, this would be great to use on a pair of old candlesticks (like I did HERE), drawer pulls, frames, pretty much anything metal that could use an update.


"CREATING COLOR ON OXIDIZED BRASS COMPONENTS

Materials Needed:
Sponge
Gloves
Paper Plate
Xtra Fine Steel Wool (for buffing, if desired)
Any color paint that is suitable for metal. I like a satin finish paint but you can also use semi-gloss or gloss. If using spray paint, just spray a little into the paper plate so you can dab it on with the sponge. Just a little goes a long way.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Cut off a small piece of sponge and wet it with water. Squeeze out any excess water so the sponge is just damp.

2) Dip the sponge in your paint and blot on the paper plate to remove excess paint from the sponge. When it makes a "blotted/sponge" pattern on the paper plate, you know you have the right amount paint on your sponge. You don't want to much paint on your sponge :)

4) Selectively dab/paint your piece as desired. You can coat the enitre piece or just dab it here or there....your choice. You can even use more than one color for a truly unique and colorful effect (see hearts illustrated in first photo).

5) Allow paint to semi-dry (about 15 minutes), then (if desired) just buff with xfine steel wool to expose the desired brass highlights. Note: On the dragonflies, I paint a thin coat then wipe off the wing edges to expose the dark oxidized patina underneath while the paint is still wet :)

If using for jewelry, you can either brush or spray with a clear satin polyurenthane to provide a nice smooth, hypo-allergenic finish. I like Ace Hardware brand "Great Finishes". It is available in a small can for brush on or in a spray can if you prefer to spray your pieces. "

For MORE excellent tips, tricks and methods on creating patinas, see the Yours Truli post HERE!!!


Amie King Custom Charm Necklace

Now, on a totally different note, I was selected to do an alchemy request for the Neverending Story Childlike Empress' Headpiece, for a Halloween costume. I know it isn't EXACT... but pretty darn close given the materials I could find!




And now, I must be off, as I hear laughter, squeals, banging and yogurty sounding splashes resounding in the kitchen. Oiy.



(10 mins later) Well, I was wrong. It was a brand new bucket of butter. Yay. Why am I here you ask, and not cleaning up the mess? Well, I am composing myself so I can deal with the situation in a calm manner! (Trust me, it is a lot worse than in the photo.)

The Circus

Art by Shawna Nonna

So, we went to the circus yesterday to celebrate my lil bro visiting from the military and also for my nephew's 5 year birthday. The boys (including my husband) had never been to a circus before, and they looooved it! I made my nephew a little birthday badge out of felt that was so cute and super easy, he loved it so much!


Art by Roadside

Which I gotta say, how interesting is it that we went to the circus, since my sister decided earlier this week that she is going to become a professional clown. Not. Even. Kidding.


Dress by Smiley Jones

But, the girl was voted in high school as "Most likey to become a clown", "Most likely to bungee jump at the age of 80", "Friendlist", Homecoming Queen, Varsity Cheerleader captain, she won "Best Swimsuit" at her first and only pageant... and about 8 other class favorite titles that I can't remember right now. What was I voted for? "Biggest Flirt." I wasn't exactly a flirt though...


Circus Train Charm by Jamie Noel

Of course, I took tons of pics of my jewelry yesterday, so when I pulled out the cam to snap some shots, the card was not in there! So, I will have to wait for my sis to let me use her pics. But in the meantime, I will feature some circus prints from fellow Etsy artists.


Wall Tile by Eggman Studios

And for those of you who love random facts, here is the wikipedia entry of circus. While watching the Olympics (my fav is the gymnastics), I saw a segment on training the Chinese gymnasts. At the age of 3, they begin selecting gymnasts to train at specialized acrobatics schools. They learn to master balance, pain and flexibility at such a young age, but the culture is the master at acrobatics.


Bichon Frise by Weller Wishes

*Ancient Rome and China had circus like events, dating far back before Christ.
*"Circus" is Latin coming from the Greek word kirkos meaning “circle or ring”.
*Americans instroduced human oddities as a "freakshow" or "sideshow".


Invitation Set by White Sugar

A word on freakshow entertainers who suffered from medical abnormalities. I would say what I think, but SweetheartSinner says it best: "This era of time makes me feel a little bit sad but at other times I have to wonder if the folks involved didn't feel a bit of agency in not having to hide in "shame" because of their differences.

"

Tags by Rita's Sweet Shop

Smooth Criminal

So, my 2 1/2 year old has done it again. He has been pretty good at not smearing make-up/yogurt/poop... all over the place on a regular basis, so when I caught him doing this to our baby, I had to grab the camera! (See HERE for his last mascara fun day.)

This little guy is so fast, I had to keep putting him across the room, and by the time I lifted my finger from the picture taking button, he was already on the lens. Not to mention my older one kept trying to steal the spotlight! It is amazing I got pictures as clear as these. Doesn't his big brother look so proud of his artwork!?

Also, I have to share this yummy recipe I got from a friend. It is so easy and delish. This is just awful, but I was going to include a cute chicken Etsy find, but then I got so sad about the poor little chickens, so I am including a YUMMY looking vegan chicken dish from pitseel (yes, she sales them, check out her shop), and this cute little pendant from julep115. Horror images from a secret taped of the "killing machine" that undercover PETA member did a while back at a Tyson factory has seeped into my mind. But I will not share THAT video, (though it would be the responsible thing to do!) Feel free to google it...


Chicken Azteca:

Turn on crock pot to a medium setting.
Dump a can of black beans, can of corn, 1 cup of salsa in a crock pot.
Put a bunch of cut of (about 1 1/2 - 2 inch size pieces) raw chicken on top.
Pour another 1/2 cup of salsa on top.
No need to stir, then cover.

Let sit for a couple of hours. Once the chicken is cooked through, take a small box of cream cheese (the fake low fat stuff works perfectly), cut it into cubes, and stir it into the crock pot. Once it melts (fairly quickly) your food is done.

Serve over rice, sprinkle with cheese... this is so good.

Also, I have to showcase some Twilight jewelry... but it isn't mine for once! Look at this lovely bracelet from More Everything, isn't it to "die for" (pun intended, vampire lovers)!! It says "I run with Vampires (or you can choose werewolves instead). But what is great, is for non Twilight peeps, she can also do a custom saying for you as well.