Fairy Gardens at The Cotton Depot

Blessed with beautiful weather over the weekend to create three more Fairy Gardens for The Cotton Depot! These are the perfect small gardens to help a child's imagination grow.

Think of all the different miniatures you could use in your dish!

 

 Sit a while and smell the flowers!

 

Cheese Graters!

I can't tell you how many times I have sliced my knuckles with a cheese grater and boy, does it hurt afterwards. I have always tried my best to avoid them, but here lately they have captured my heart in a totally different way. Now, Don't get me wrong..... I WILL NOT be grating cheese or anything else with these. I will be Re Purposing them for my pleasure this time. I have found that there is something about a soft candlelight piercing through all the little holes that is so very romantic and soothing.  It is almost like a thousand little stars shining out for me. Can you imagine using multiple graters on tables at a wedding? Beautiful!!!!
I also love using the grater to hold my flowers and then using the handle for a tea towel holder. Just enchanting in the kitchen! Graters can have so many ways to play with them in decorating your home, especially that laid back romantic porch.
Old cheese graters can be found easily at antique stores, goodwill or thrift stores! Go out and buy at least three for a special summer table setting!!!!

The Cotton Depot....

As of February the 1st, I will be moving to The Cotton Depot in Monroe, Georgia.  I am really excited, we will have heat and air, making it so much better for our shoppers. Today I am working on getting my jewelry ready for the shop. Monroe has became one of the antique destination of the South. We have four large malls full of antiques and inspiration. If you are even close to Athens or Monroe it would be well worth your time to check us out. I promise you will want to make a day adventure of our shops! I also will be posting on my facebook page The Charm House. Join me there for upcoming events.

Santa's Key

Clement C. Moore'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

 

Last night I was in the basement trying to finish a few last projects for my customers. As I looked around the room I spotted a couple of silver keys I had purchased for a special project. It seems as if I forgot all about the special project, even with the keys sitting in my full view! I found this picture on pinterest and thought what a wonderful idea for children without a chimney for Santa to come down.

 

 I immediately rushed to my office and started coming up with a tag for the keys. I had to get this done before I hit the sack!  I hope you like it and can use it for your own key! The poem came and idea came from http://picadillyandcompany.blogspot.com/2011/11/santas-magic-key.html. I just changed the look of the project. She ask that you not use the poem itself if you intend on selling the Santa Key. I found plenty of tarnished silver keys at Target. Now to find those special children without a fireplace to give it to!

ThanksGiving

All month long I have been posting on my facebook things I am thankful for! Even with the health problems I have, I feel extremely blessed! I have a husband who loves and seems to just adore me, my kids are married to amazing people, in this economy we are somehow by the Grace of God hanging in there and I find my cup half full more so than half empty. When I think of the word Thanksgiving, I see two separate words Thanks and Giving. I truly believe our joy is found through giving to others and thanking those that give to us. I don't understand the world we live in today with all of the entitlements that are being given out. I question if we have become a nation of takers instead of givers. With that being said, I also believe that many in our nation have turned their back on God. For me.... I could not live if I did not have God to lean on. He is my foundation for everything, through His Word He teaches me how to live daily. Through Him I know the true meaning of ThanksGiving and Christmas.

 I am thrilled about the Christmas season. I have been crafting for it since July with friends and family. I plan on having all of my shopping and decorating finished by the first of December. I want to relish all that the month and God has to offer me. I want to enjoy visiting with my children that I only get to see a few times a year. I want to be in the spirit of doing for others. I want to experience Christmas to the fullest!

I hope you enjoy the following pics. Please feel free to share with a link to my blog!

 

 

It has been a long time since I last posted a blog.... lately I have truly missed it! My daughter post often on her blog Jitney's Journey's and I think the bug has caught up with me to start posting again! I have been incredibly busy teaching classes. I love it! With Christmas coming up I thought I would share some of my projects with you! Hopefully I can get it going again and fall in love again with the world of blogging!

Over my blog vacation and a new decorated room....

Yes, I am back!

It feels like forever since I made my last post and I have so much to tell you!

Today's post will be about decorating a new bedroom in my home!

When we built our home, we had a small room in the front (probably most would use for an office) that I felt would have more potential if I put a door in the room entering our master bath. When you look through this door and my master bath/master bedroom door you can see straight through. We have been here seven years and the room has served as everything with the exception of a bedroom. To tell the truth over the last year I have hit the age where sometimes I need to allow my husband a good night's sleep and sleep in another room. This room does it. I can see him.... He can't hear me!

When I decided to decorate this room, I wanted something different from the rest of my house.... Something that showed my love for all things old. Most of the accessories for the room I already owned. The entertainment center came from our beach house and needed a good coat of latte paint. The room is filled with touches of blue glass (which I dearly adore)! The bed coverings are just a mixture of quilts and covers I have used in the past. I did purchase the mantle ($35.00) for my headboard and the lamp on the side table from Hobby Lobby (using 50% off). The shade on the little lamp on the metal table was made using burlap and trim!!! I also made a couple of new art pieces to display in the room! I still want to add a few things to the room.... It will happen when I find the special touches it needs.

So... What is your favorite thing in my new room???

Friendship and the Collage.....

I am a truly blessed woman!

When you look up in a dictionary to see what the definition of a girlfriend is you will find that it usually deals with love between a boy and a girl. So disappointing for one who loves to use quotes and definitions in her work..... I have been married to the same man for almost 29 years and I claim his as my best friend! But there is something about girlfriends.... the bond, the history that seems to be a "happy place" that I enjoy going to. How is it that friends can get together after years and that bond is still there or even stronger because we have been thinking and praying for them over that time?

Friendships for me started in first grade.... Yes, I said first grade! I seem to only have good memories of "the girls", I am sure I experienced bad... but the memory of these times is just not there! Memories of parties, teachers, boys, the ball park, the All Star, Ken's Pizza, driving down Memorial Drive, Winn Dixie parking lot and my favorite~ Playing Girls Basketball!!! Over the last couple of years the "ladies" of South Gwinnett High School Class of 1978 have been getting together every month. We average about 15 at each luncheon, trying to spread the luncheons out between locations and time so all can attend. I am amazed at how this group of girls adds so much to my life! We talk about the present, but so many conversations lead back to the past. Teachers we admired, trouble we got into (including spankings) and wondering about those we no longer have contact with or that have passed on.

I have a group of about 17 girls that I actually attended 1st - 12th grade with. Now that is a true band of girlfriends.... We still know so much about each other, many of our children attending the same school and knowing each other.

When I started working on this piece, of course I had to find the perfect quote.

I loved the quote ~

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

But the I found this one....

Like branches of a tree we grow in different directions, yet our toots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the others.

I read this quote and knew it had to be the quote for my piece.

If you have old girlfriends that you have not heard from in some time...

Call them, put together a girls date.

You will be so blessed by igniting that part of your heart again!

Some of the girls that I attended 1st - 12th grade with!

ChatterHangers...

Another great class at The Charm House~

ChatterHangers

ChatterHangers are 4" X 4" pieces of art that tell a story. We all had the best time, talking and laughing! When it came time to attach the small jewels and charms, it was very obvious who needed glasses~ Thank goodness for my fancy looking glasses! The next class is this Thursday.... ChatterBoards.

Giveaway of a "Rejoicing Chicks" painting....

The Charm House Facebook Page

Drawing to be held Friday at 7:00 in the evening. I will take all comments from my facebook page from now until then for the drawing. You have to hit the LIKE button on the facebook page to count. Drawing for a 9-1/2" X 9-1/2" Rejoicing Chicks painting.

Also, Please be a follower of this page.

A wedding planned around a scrapbook paper... Part II

so... Yesterday I showed you the scrapbook page Katelyn selected. We can finally show you all the wonderful things Katelyn was able to pull together using this theme.

The Invitations.... Gorgeous! Katleyn added some bling to the invites to match her personality.

The programs... It was so awesome sitting in the Church watching everyone enjoy Katleyn and Daniel's program. She had filled it with information about all of the wedding party. You felt like you knew each person after reading about them.

The gift from the bride and groom.... Katelyn and Daniel both attended and met at SPSU. (We use to call it Southern Tech, but the name has changed.) They came up with this wonderful poem telling everyone how they met. Attached to it was a hand calculator with their name on it. PERFECT!

The Wedding Cones.... We made a wedding cone for both the bride and groom's parents. They were placed at the row where they were sitting. See Katelyn's MOM and DAD's wedding picture on the cone.

Now this is a great idea for a guest book. As everyone arrived, they put their thumbprint on the tree and then signed their thumbprint. This was an awesome idea. I am pretty sure that Katelyn's sister drew the tree and the two lovebirds for them.

And saving the best for last.... THE CAKE!!! Oh my goodness, the was one of the prettiest cakes I have ever seen! It matched the paper perfect! Zadie (Katelyn's sister) designed and created the cake topper! This will be a precious memory keeper for Katleyn and Daniel.

Tomorrow I will put up a few more of my favorite pictures from the wedding!

A Charming Wedding .. Part I

My daughter's sweet and beautiful friend, Katelyn, was married this weekend to the love of her life, Daniel. From the time that Katelyn walked through the door, crying with tears of joy, as one being in attendance, you knew this wedding was going to be special. Katelyn and Daniel, together, took the time to fill their whole night with symbolism of what Christ expects from us as we take this journey.

The wedding planning started taking shape when Katelyn and her MOM came to me asking for suggestions. When I found out she wanted to use apple green, I was so excited. I went to Archivers, our scrapbooking/art store, and started looking for papers that we could use. I had one paper that really caught my eye and I knew that Katelyn would be the type of bride to hop on the train and use it. The flowers on the paper were charming! After visiting the florist that I highly recommended, The Garden Gate in Monroe, the color scheme was set.... Apple green and a wine red. I LOVED IT! This was going to be a fun wedding!

The beautiful bride, Katelyn. She wore her Mother's veil.

Katelyn's bridal bouquet!

The Bridesmaid Flowers.

Katelyn and her MOM, Leslie.

My daughter and Katelyn.

This dress was perfect for Katelyn! Look at all of the details!

The wedding party in front of one of the most beautiful Churches I have ever been in.

The shirt Daniel designed for the wedding party to wear at rehearsal.

Too Cute!

The paper that started it all!