Buttons, Flowers, and Words of Wisdom

A beautiful mantra that will start my day.  I am posting this inspirational quote in a little frame and it will be at home on my nightstand.  So as I turn to get out of bed it will be there to remind me to live my day with grace, humility, and faith in all that is good...

This arty photo of a blume on my favorite plant caught my attention.  I'm thinking a large scale painting.  Something to consider.

And then there is my latest button creation.

My day was full.  Teaching, meetings, chores, cooking, crafting, prayer and a quiet moment of meditation, phone calls, and oh my I'm getting tired !  So as not to fill this post with ramblings I will acknowledge my gratitude for all the wonderful moments that made my day and wish you a terrific Thursday.

Dollhouses Come in All Shapes and Sizes

I have become infatuated with the whole idea of creating dollhouses.  I have just about completed my second house and am waiting for two one room house kits to arrive.  A surprise from Hubby John the other day.  He was watching me explore the net for a new project and low and behold he ordered not one but two!  I had showed him pictures of the kit done up and mentioned how it would be fun to create a mercantile and maybe a bakery. (It will have to be a fusion of French and Polish desserts and breads.I must honor both our heritages.)  The book pictured below is a find I picked up awhile back for 10 cents at our local Salvation Army.  I pulled it off the shelf last night to read a bit.  We are setting aside at least one evening each week where the TV is off and we read. (Loving it because I just don't get enough time to read for pleasure.)  Anyway, I was taken by the photo on the cover.  Transform a bookcase into a dollhouse; what a fabulous idea!  I will have to start hunting for just the right one.

I apologize for the picture quality my camera (or the operator) is just not working well.  The exposures just don't look focused and crisp. But you can at least get the idea.  Isn't it fun!  I can just imagine decorating for the changing seasons and holidays throughout the year.

This is another favorite.  Remember the old woman who lived in the shoe?  This is a permanent display but oh so cute! The entire scene is enclosed in a glass sided box that is a lamp base. I simply must go shoe shopping.

Hope you are having a day filled with discovery, creativity, and fun!

Tiny Little Faces

I was at the Saint Vincent DePaul Store today and found these beautiful little tins.  They are about 1" in diameter and have such pretty pictures.  I am sure inspiration will invite creativity and who knows what they might be transformed into.  Time will tell... 

Magnets, pendents, pins, ornaments, ring boxes, oh my the possiblities are endless!

What would you create?

And the House Becomes a Home...

As you can see the decorating has begun.  I have the major pieces in place and it is now time to make curtains, and add those little touches that help make a house a home.  The kitchen cupboard needs dishes and maybe some fruit for the little silver plate.  The livingroom needs a reading lamp, and the bed needs pillows and a coverlet.

Notice the little visitor on the railing...

The bench for ready for the garden.

The neighbors have come to pay a visit.  It must be a very chilly day.

The mail box is hung and the vines have begun to wrap the porch rails.

These little pots (1" tall) will hold plants to flank the porches.

And as you can see the coach has arrived at the house could he be bringing news from a far off friend?

And the house begins to become a home!

Buttons, wire, and a little creativity...

This was really a fun project.  Buttons, chain, wire and "Wa La"...funky jewelry.

Button Jewelry what a cool idea!  As you may have read earlier I made an awesome purchase of a ton of buttons.  I wanted to do something with them I've never done before...hence the jewelry experiment.

The above picture is the first necklace and earring set I've created.

It looks lovely on a black sweater.

My second piece is a bracelet.  I'm not quite sure if it's finished.  I may add a few smaller buttons for a fuller look ...I just don't know.

I think the next piece will be muticolored.  A long piece that can be wrapped around multiple times.

If you had a ton of buttons what would you create?

Like a Teddy Bear

Learn to listen like a teddy bear,

With ears open and mouth closed tight,

Learn to forgive like a teddy bear,

With heart open, not caring who is right,

Learn to love like a teddy bear,

With arms open and imperfect eyesight.

Have you hugged your Teddy Bear today?

My "Painted Lady" Dollhouse

Happy New Year!  I am bound and determined to finish All the projects I have started and there are many!

The first project on my list of many is the dollhouse I started and have not had the free time to complete.

With time off school for the Holidays I whittled out two days to work on little else but the dollhouse. It was a bit of a challenge in that there were no directions just the pictures of the parts and pieces. 

The box offered one suggestion, "Use the picture on the box as your guide."  That was it!  Not one other instruction offered.  So I got started by punching out every piece. (there were tons of them!)

Once all the pieces were punched out and identified I began painting.

I used three shades of blue, two shades of brown, and white.

Once the paint was dry I began assebling and gluing all the pieces together.

It began to take shape.

Some hours later the "Painted Lady" emerged.

                            With the exterior completed I will begin the process of furnishing the interior.

The rooms are not as large as I thought they would be but I think I can still come up with a cute finished house.  The remaining furnishings may require another house, Oh My!

As soon as the interior is completed I will be sure to share it.

How do you make your house a home?