Blowing dust off the blog...

Happy Belated Easter to all that celebrated last week. My family celebrates 'Greek' Easter which is on a different calendar from the regular Easter and that was just yesterday. Also my birthday was Saturday - dare I admit it was the big 30?? I prefer to think I am aging backwards now, though - so I'm 28 again. ;)

Anyway, despite all that celebrating I've been rather bummed and not wanting to spread it around so that's the real reason for my quiet. Far too often I find myself trying to go to sleep at night and awake thinking of my pending operation and all the hassle, pain, and stress it will cause. But I know I have to go through with this operation as I'm in far too much pain and there is no real future to look forward to unless I try to fix my back.

So anyway - putting that aside. I do desperately need good vibes and positive thoughts. I finally managed to clear some space and time aside again to get back focused on my many, many half finished projects. I think crafting and today's sunshine (it rained ALL weekend) will lift my spirits so I'm ready to jump back in.

Next week I know at least two flea markets I want to go to and a show 'Artopy' which is a Indie type art and craft show by the local Show Me Etsy group. I'm definitely looking forward to that show - the last one, Green with Indie didn't go well for me. I can't walk for more than a minute or two and ended up seeing barely anything at all and the pain was horrible. So this week I'm buying a wheel chair and experiencing the show. If you are in St. Louis then or near enough to come - check out the link above for details. I'll take a few pictures if I can.

(I'm so shy in person that I usually chicken out from taking pictures of people's booths or stores as I think they'll get mad and think I'm stealing ideas or something - does anyone else have that problem?? Should I mention I have a blog and will be promoting their stuff rather than taking away from them? Just a paranoid question from a paranoid person...)

A Few Spring Touches

Just a little fyi and etsy update. I've posted a few items at my shop - the French house with shutters in my earlier post, a new improved version of a Lit House with a red roof:

(I just love the floral front door and button doorknob)

And also a new item - a spring keepsake box with scalloped edges, vintage paper, assorted bits and pieces on the lid, a little surprise on the inside and antiqued with robin's egg blue paint.

Yoyo Crazed

My mother and I have been hooked on making yoyo's the past year or two. My aunt Mae got us onto it and it really is a nice simple thing to do when you're sick or can't do anything strenuous (like me with my back problem). We work on it off and on, but we are slowly working our little pieces into some pillows. This one is all in shades of tourquois-y robin's egg blue, brown and off-white. Originally my mom was going to put this in her room, but then we realized it has all the colors of our living room and looks great on the couch so we'll likely put it in there.


So cute! The letter fabric and the brown polka dot fabric are my favorites.

And then this one is my project - I took the next size down yoyo (we have at least four different sizes at the moment) and I have quite a few of the same fabrics, but accented with some soft pink fabrics.

They look much cuter in person. They will likely end up as a small bed pillow. Again, it features my lovely letter fabric - I just love letters and numbers in decorating. I wish I had some dishes with big black numbers on them, but I've yet to find any I like available for purchase.

And only one picture of my other project turned out okay, but this is just the start of a tabletop centerpiece with even smaller yoyo's (the smallest yoyo's aren't much use at the moment being teeny tiny little things). It'll have lots of different colors, blues, reds, pinks, greens, white, etc. I'm making it similar to the great one my aunt made for my grandmother. I really must get a good picture of her because it is so cute.

Anyone else yoyo crazed?

Ma Petite Mason

I bought an old French text at a book fair last summer and I just love the look of it on the house. The roof is a robin's egg blue with shades of sage green and linen colors sponged on it for an aged and textured look. I also added shutters and a little pink door with a vintage white button for the doorknob. So cute! I wish I could move right in. ;) It's up on my Etsy shop right now. I also altered one of my canvases.

The dream butterflies are stamped on two different vintage music papers. They continue the monochromatic feel of the canvas, but add a bit of interest, at least to me. Also available at my etsy store and I have some more spring/summer items on the way.

Reminder:

If you haven't already - today is the last day to bid on the Du Buh Du shrine with the Frida doll. (It's the very first listing - you can't miss it) I so wish I could afford this myself, it's so beautiful. I must content myself with looking at the picture over and over. ;)

My Supervisor

Often observes my work habits and feels I need to step up the pace a bit. Far too many sick days being taken lately and very little focus and meeting deadlines. I guess he's right.

And if I don't make room for said supervisor to sit down he WILL make room. Preferably right on top of the wet paint, thank you very much.

Now get back to work! ;)

Hello, Spring

I've missed you so.

The stone rabbit in my window has been watching carefully for the signs...

The peach tree is blooming - and soon will be full of little fuzzy green baby peaches. I've developed an allergic reaction to the peaches at the grocery store, it may be the sulfites they spray on them to preserve them, so we decided to grow our own and they taste so sweet and fresh from the tree. Unfortunately something got into them last year and gobbled them up overnight. This year I will be better prepared with some nets over it.

Ye Olde Birdhouse. The magnolia tree next door is blooming, too.

Spring cleaning in my kitchen - the cabinets are still not finished as they are still lacking doors, but they look nice anyway.

Miniature daffodils from my garden and my favorite raspberry bowl. Spring is such a wonderful fresh start. Tomorrow I head off to an Indie Green Craft Fair and some estate sales.

Have a great weekend!!

Green with Envy

If I had a bit more green in my pocket I'd buy these items:

My choices for St. Pat's

Blouse and shorts: Anthropologie

Clutch: Coach

Shoes: natashascafe.com

Necklace: overstock.com

And for dinner we're having the traditional corned beef and cabbage - yum! We cooked it last night as it takes hours to prepare. I'll post a pic and recipe if anyone's interested.

Fixer Upper

I've been sick this past week, but I'm starting to feel a little bit better. I was going through my pictures today I was reminded of a dresser we bought last year that I've yet to fix up.

My mom and I found it at a church flea market and we were charmed by it's cute mirror and little knobby legs. Unfortunately some crafty-person-gone-wrong attacked this beautiful antique and did one of those faux marble painted jobs on the top in a hideous pink (don't get me wrong - I like pink - this is still gross) and did some textured gray thing to the knobs and rather ruined it, but we can fix it.

My mother wants to strip it and probably varnish it the color it originally was whereas I prefer the shabby chic kind of thing to sand it all down and paint it white all over. We'll see who wins. ;) I think she wants to save the wood knobs, but they really are junked up and I think it'd look even cuter with some nice anthropology like knobs or some drawer pulls. What do you think? I should take some close up pictures to show you the details better.

Happy Anniversary!!

To my mother and father - 32 years today!! They were high school sweethearts and met at a school outing to Six Flags.

Aren't they the sweetest looking couple??

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad - and may you always be so happy!!

XOXO, Nicki

Kiss Me

I'm Irish!

Well, part. Also: English, French, German, Italian, Cherokee and Greek - I'm a mutt, you see.

But it doesn't matter - when St. Patrick's Day comes around we all become a little Irish and I love to see shades of green items pop up in the stores and on Etsy. It not only symbolizes St. Pat's, but also spring to me. I am so looking forward to the trees filling with green leaves again and I'm treasuring the little shoots of flowers poking through the dirt and dead leaves just now. So, in the spirit of all that greenery and Irish love - I'm introducing a few new items in my shop:

Irish Wool and Linen Lace Yarn, Irish flags, etc. adorn my shop just now. I also have a very spring inspired Folk Art Flower Pot up. And more spring items to come soon. I just wanted to share my Irish pride. :)