A CHRISTMAS AF-FAIR! + CANDLES

For the first time ever I signed up for a table at a Christmas craft fair. I'm so excited! It's at a local church down the street from me on November 21. Here's a sampling of some of the items I've made:

I purchased a basket of Swedish tin molds at a yard sale back in June and have started making some cutesie little baskets.

 Trees-inside-shakers idea came from Dorothy at Hen's Rule. She made me one last year!

. . . and some miscellaneous paper crafts!

I'm probably not the first to come up with this idea, but I'm glad I thought of it. Paint the tips of toothpicks to make candles for your mini trees:

HAVE A LITTLE LOVE

I made this little Valentine shadowbox from an Andes Mints box - just the right size for my chipboard letters!

INSPIRATION WHEEL

I have a Facebook acquaintance who has a problem with obesity. She was supposed to get the surgery but is having a problem with the insurance company, and she's depressed about it. I put her on my prayer list and an idea popped into my mind (thank you, Holy Spirit!). I call it an Inspiration Wheel, based on the Philippians 4:13 verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

I added some motivational words to read as you spin it. The white border looked too plain, so I just grabbed a marker and squiggled a line around it, nothing fancy. I sure hope it lifts her spirits!

MY LATEST VALENTINE CRAFTS

I had decided to make a Valentine tag for my neighbor, Becky:

She's a sweetheart! At the last minute, I decided to make a card for her 3-yr-old son, because he's home most of the time (preschool two half-days/wk) while his three older siblings are in school. I also tucked in a piece of chocolate.

 \
It's hard to tell, but I made it a pop-out card.

Well, yesterday afternoon I walked down the driveway and put them in their mailbox. As I was coming back the 2nd grader was walking over with a vase of flowers in hand! I told him I had just put the cards in the mailbox and he went to get them.

Becky called to thank me for the gifts and was especially thrilled that I gave a card and candy to Shawn. He had a fever and couldn't go to his pre-school V'Day party, and was jealous that his brother had come home with all kinds of candy and he had none. So she said that I had made his day! (Thank you, Lord!) Becky also said that she gave the flowers as a thank you for letting her kids use my (long) driveway to get to the bus stop.

I was happier about the blessing I was than the flowers I received.

MY SPOOLIE SWAP GOODIES

Wow, the East Coast of the U.S. is being slammed with a freezing rain and snow storm. Stay safe everyone! Let's celebrate Rednesday today!

I received a package in the mail yesterday. I just knew it had to be my Spoolie Swap box from Chris of Perfectly Printed! You know it's gotta be something good when you open to pretty pink bubble wrap!

The first thing I see under the bubble wrap is a pair of socks! I LOVE socks!!

And, what was with the socks? Candy! Yippee!

The next layer produced a boatload of goodies: another box of chocolates, vintage Valentine cards, a pretty pink tissue bell, two vintage floral decals, a cute little "rag" bowl and a mini paper bag with L-O-V-E Scrabble letters. I'm on sensory overload at this point!

And the piece de resistance is ~ the spool! OMG, it's so beautiful! (Sorry it looks crooked, but I photo'd it on my couch) Look at all the pretty crocheted items, the ballerina, heart mold, pink ribbon, pearls, doilies, and . . .

a gorgeous antique calling card that says, "A token of regard for thee In this my simple offring, see".

Chris, you outdid yourself! Again, thank you SO much! Now, here's what I sent to Chris:

This is the spoolie, celebrating the Queen of Hearts ~

And this the the Valentine card/shadow box ~

I hope you all have a fun and wonderful Valentine's Day!

VINTAGE CHRISTMAS SEALS

Hi all! I have had this package of vintage 1944 Christmas seals/stickers for a few years. They're just so cute that I decided I can't keep them all to myself. I scanned them and please use them to your heart's content!

VALENTINE REDNESDAY

Happy Valentine Rednesday! How many of you were affected by Blizzard Nemo? It dropped 24 inches/61cm of snow on my town here in Massachusetts. Some places got 30+ inches, flooding and power outages! We were blessed with safety and power. The hurricane-force winds blew drifts up to 5 feet/1.5meters in some parts of the yard! (Didn't help while shoveling to the bird feeder.) But the wind did keep the snow off the feeders so the birds were able to eat throughout and after. Here's a shot of the snowbirds (juncos) before I shoveled.

Now, for some Valentines . . .

You know something good is about to happen when you receive a lime-green package in the mail!

It's from Denise of Bloomin' (formerly Beagle Run Cottage) blog. I couldn't wait to tear it open! Take a look at the fantabulous banner she made. Of course, it deserved a place of honor in the kitchen!

She also sent along this great patriotic apron! I can smell the burgers on the grill already! Come on, Summer! Thanks so much for thinking of me, Denise!

Next is a Valentine that I made, but didn't finish. I thrifted the heart-shaped metal wreath (6"/15cm) and glued on the lace and tulle. I hung it on this hook right above my craft desk and there it sits! I kinda like it as-is!

This Valentine I made for my 90-year-old gardening buddy, Ethel. She's such a sweetie! I'll make some heart-shaped sugar cookies to take over with this. I used a gift-card box and glued the doors on, then decorated the inside with a 3-D girl.

Now, I'll be on my way and I wish you all a very pleasant Valentine's Day!

PAGE-OF-THE-MONTH FOR MARCH

Now I know this is bringing it right down to the wire, being the last day of the month and all but, hey, at least I made it in March!

I don't know if it was the distractions of the week of warm weather or spending so much time in the garden and starting seedlings but, this month, I found it a bit of a challenge to "fill" this size of pages.


The butterfly paper is s.e.i "Chocolat framboise"and the torn paper (front and back) is from Webster's Pages "Postcards from Paris".

The two pinked squares here are vintage fabric.

Now, I can't remember if March came in like a lion or not, but it went out like one (sort of). We had snow this morning when I woke up. Thank goodness it just melted into the ground!