Let the Decorating Begin

Last year I wasn't able to do much for the holiday season. My girls did the baking and decorating, and I shopped online. This year, I'm still shopping online, but I'm already getting my home decorated and will start baking in a week or two. Here's what I've done, so far.

Crafting For the Holidays

The Holidays are upon us, which means I'm in a mad rush to finish up some of the craft projects I've been working on. Here are a few wreaths and some embellished candles. These are now available for purchase in my Etsy shop at http://www.umelecky.etsy.com/. I'd love to see some of your holiday creations.

Frilly Friday a Day Late

Sorry I missed getting something frilly listed yesterday.  I was out looking for treasures at the local antique mall. Much better than the crowds at the department store mall. My dear husband was up at 3:00 A.M. to do that. I will post some of my lovely antique finds later, but for now here are some frilly things to share with you. My old dress form is sporting a pretty white cotton slip with eyelet trim, layered with an old white, cotton apron. I found the slip at the antique shop last week and the apron at the thrift store. Total for both was $6.00. The baby's breath in the tiny pink crock was left over from the roses my husband brought me two weeks ago and the cute little bird salt and pepper shakers were also from my treasure hunt last week. Hope you enjoy. What treasures have you found lately?

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Over The River & Through The Woods

Every year at Thanksgiving time that song pops into my head. I remember singing it when I was in the first grade. You know...over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go. Well, grandmother isn't able to do Thanksgiving dinner any more, and I'm not a grandmother yet, but Thanksgiving dinner is at my house now. My house doesn't look like the one in this print, but it really is over the river and through the woods. The print is something I purchased at last weekends craft show. Don't you just love the old barnwood that the frame was made from?

In Love With Old Books

I've always loved collecting old books and thought I might share with you a few of my latest finds. The one with the pretty lady on the front was a freebie from my local thrift shop. I was in there browsing and they announced that each customer was welcome to three free books. How nice was that? The children's book called "Ameliar-Anne and the Green Umbrella" was a flea market find from this past summer. It has the most lovely illustrations. The tiny "French Self Taught" was a free gift from an Etsy purchase I made of an old wooden bowl. Don't you just love old books?

Novembers Giveaway

I have an extra set of these lovely images printed on card stock and thought they would make a nice giveaway for someones craft project. I used one of these to make a pretty Christmas container to hang on the wall. If you are interested, please leave a comment and share a link or photo of a Christmas project that you have done or just one that you like of someone else's and I will draw a name from those comments on Nov.30th. Happy crafting everyone!

Frilly Friday

I love the blogs that dedicate something special for each day of the week. I wait in anticipation for their beautiful images and creative ideas to spark my own creativity. I am greatful that these generous, talented women are willing to share the beauty of their worlds with me and I would like to think that I might be able to do the same for them. That being said... I am calling today "Frilly Friday". Here is a beautiful, lacey, envelope style pouch that was a gift from a dear friend many years ago. It's all satin and lace, and has faded a bit over the years, but still remains just as lovely. I found this old, white pillowcase with hand crocheted, lace edging that belonged to my grandmother. Such a treasure to find after all these years of being hidden away in a box. It brings back delightful memories of times spent with Grandma Anna.

Some of My Favorite Little Things

As I was doing laundry and cleaning up my space today, I tried to make it fun by getting a few photos of some of my favorite little things. There's a snow globe that my mother gifted me, a Santa ornament that I just had to have, a cutout wooden bird, covered with red floral fabric, and a collection of things that sit right inside the entry way to my home. Little this and thats.

What A Hoot

Some new little owls I made while watching "Dexter" last night. Aren't they a hoot? I have them hanging from some birch branches that I gathered last week while walking Jack.

Interesting Nature Finds

Today Jack just couldn't wait for his afternoon walk, so we went this morning instead. I waited for him while he sniffed things and he waited for me while I got some interesting photos. We found several places where the wild things live, some cool shadows, and I noticed a date carved into a large rock that's been alongside my driveway forever. I don't know how I missed seeing that date all these years. It is 1939. It must have been here from when my husbands grandparents had this land. There's a photo of a rope that hangs at eye level from a tree that's also been there forever and I'm not sure why. I'm afraid to guess what might have hung from that rope. Anyway, some of these photos are pretty cool and others a little creepy, but all of them are kind of interesting.

Where Are The Birds

It's funny that all summer long my yard was filled with happy chirping birds and the minute I put up the new bird feeder, they all disappeared. I wonder if they'll be back.

Creating Eco Friendly Home Decor

Last summer I had a visit from my dear friend Odile Gova. She is a lovely, talented artist from Canada, who uses zippers to create beautiful brooches and other wearable art. She taught me how to make felt using recycled wool garments and since her visit I have felted a mountain of the stuff. With the holidays approaching, I have been busy using that felt to create ornaments and decorations for sale in my etsy shop as well as for a local craft sale that I am participating in on Nov. 20th. I've also been trying my hand at some eco friendly home decor using some of that felt as well. Here is an example of a pillow made from the soft, recycled, eco friendly wool.

Frosty Face

I haven't made a snowman in years, but I think this door hanger turned out okay. He's made of all recycled garment wool that's been felted, so he's eco friendly and cute too.

Pretty Bits & Pieces

Thanks to Lisa Jordan of "lil fish studios", I learned something new that I've been wanting to try for a long time. She provided me with the inspiration and the information to get started on my way to dyeing textiles using natural plant materials. So, last weekend I tried it. I used red and yellow onion skins and some cranberries. The results were beautiful. Yesterday I put all the bits and pieces of fabric and ribbon together and created a lovely collection of shabby chic decorations. Here are some pics of the finished products.

Too Early?

Okay, I know it's probably too early to be bustin out the Christmas tunes and gathering pine branches, but I just couldn't help myself. Jack and I were out walking and I broke off a bit of pine and that was all it took. The fragrance brought back memories of Christmas's past and I couldn't contol myself, so I gathered a small basket of the branches to bring back with me. I was actually out looking for berries to use for some natural dye, but only found a few which were protected by some pretty nasty thorns. Just not worth getting tangled in the thorns with a crazy dog pulling me every which way.