Meet some chatty little chicks

Okay, so let me explain ...

I started decorating these little birdhouses and ended up making a small bunch for my Etsy shop. After five of them were finished and lined up in a row, the 8 year-old in me thought it looked like a little neighborhood. So of course it was off to my youngest son's Playmobil stash to grab a tiny coffee pot and cups.


"I have been feeling so cooped-up all winter."
"Let's see a chick-flick, shall we?!"


"Looks like rain from up here!"


"It's always nice to enjoy a hot drink with my peeps!"
"And, it's cheep!"

xo

Pink Saturday • Shabby Support • A Giveway Message

A very happy Pink Saturday to all!

I have been having fun this week giving little birdhouses shabby makeovers for cute chenille chicks.

Buying these little chick brings out the crafty kid in me! They're so cute!!! A big thank you to Beverly for organizing another pretty Pink Saturday.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Support Shabbyness: Vote for The Painted Cottage in New Jersey Life Magazine

If you have read my blog more than once you probably know that my favorite store is The Painted Cottage. Sure, it's about 6 hours away from where I live but it has become a must-stop on visits to my family in New Jersey. I blogged all about my trip there just after Thanksgiving and you can read about it here. Lots o' photos! GASP!!! The couple who owns the store(s) (home, studio, cafè) are wonderfully sweet.

The Painted Cottage has been nominated in New Jersey Life Magazine for the 2009 Reader's Choice Award! It is such an amazing store. You can show your support by clicking this link and voting for The Painted Cottage.


Even if you have only done some browser browsing, I'm sure it counts. Please show your Shabby Support!

Signs of Spring Give-away
Pop over to visit Cynthia at Cynthia's Cottage Design to enter her generous Signs of Spring give-away at her blog. Be sure to check out her sweet blog, awesome give-away prizes, and newly re-done website!

xo

March Makeover Madness

The other day looking over my Etsy shop, I noticed that two cans have been there since the beginning. Perhaps feeling inspired by What Not to Wear I thought, my cans could use a makeover!

Can #1 ~ Before


The Reveal

Etsy link

Can #2 ~ Before


The Reveal

Etsy link

Now if only all makeovers could be so simple, fun, and didn't involve cutting out muffins!

xo

My First Pink Saturday

Welcome to my first Pink Saturday post!


Pink ribbon from my box of ribbon


Pink doors at my favorite shop, The Painted Cottage Studio


Pretty sheets that won't fit my bed from Pottery Barn Kids


Pretty pink faux cupcakes and a pretty real cake ~ Mother's Day 2008


Yum!

Happy Pink Saturday to you, too! Thanks for stopping by.

xo

Sharing, Swapping and Shopping!

I find that all bloggers are so creative and whether it’s assembling a lovely vignette (VS!), a savory pie, quilt, or anything else, we all enjoy the process of making and sharing. Some of us even have our own little cottage–or make that–cottage style–industries. Now that I have my own little cottage industry, I understand that thrill of when people like what I like to make. Packaging it all up is half the fun.

I recently treated myself to a pair of the most sparkle-y earrings ever from Lucky Girl Gifts. How sweetly they came packaged in a wrapped match box with two wish tickets! Thank you, Cari!


I love a good business card. Whenever I have been part of a swap or a customer, I always hang on to the cards. Here is what I have collected so far. The "frosting" card is actually a tag from pearly beads but I love the look of it.

Click to enlarge

Here’s my own little set:


I just became aware of a shop called Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods and it's actually in Rhode Island! I haven’t been yet but will definitely go soon. The website looks beautiful!


Would online window shopping be called screen shopping? Browser browsing?

See you soon for Pink Saturday!

xo

And the winner is ...

Before I announce the winner, I want to give a great big thank-you to everyone who entered my ThinkSpring Give-away. Your comments about what you like best at my Etsy shop are so helpful and encouraging to me, and it was so nice to "meet" many of you for the first time. Thanks again!

And now, the winner, as selected by random.org is ...
Suzie Q of Suzie Q - A Work in Progress Congratulations! I will be wrapping up all of this and sending it to you.


Keep on thinking Spring! I will be participating in my first Pink Saturday this week if anyone would like to stop by and say hello!

xo

Enter My ThinkSpring Give-away!

Today a little boredom provided some inspiration. It’s February vacation week and my boys have no school. This morning as I stared at the calendar wondering what today’s big plan would be, I noticed that tomorrow is the 20th. For some reason I remember that makes 2 months since starting my Etsy shop, Tinkered Treasures. Sounds like a reason to hold a give-away to me!

Not only is it fun to win a give-away but for me it is so much fun to pack things up and make the recipient feel like they just got a present. That’s what I aim to do with every Etsy order – I wrap things in tissue paper and ribbons and always enclose a note and small gift.

If you read my blog you will know that I recently took part in a wonderful swap, just bought myself a big ol’ pack of glitter, and have been yearning for spring. So, I am combining all of this into my ThinkSpring Give-away.

The winner will receive:

• a 4”x4” picture frame that I have painted pale spring green, decorated with floral scraps that hangs from a green polka dot ribbon; framed is decorative paper embellished with glitter (including the first-ever use of my new glitter including the glass glitter!)
  
• 3 of my cottage clips in pale colors
  
• Your very own treasure box, just like the ones from the swap, filled with fun little springtime crafty items
  

To enter please visit my Etsy shop, Tinkered Treasures, return here and leave a comment on this post about your favorite item at my shop for sale. This part is just for my own “research.”

I will close the give-away on 2/24 and announce the winner on Wednesday, 2/25.

xo

More give-away pics:

cottage clips


inspiration box


a sneak peek


think spring!


"cheep cheep" means "fun fun"

Give-in to Glitter!

I have become quite smitten with glitter and am starting to amass a collection. I love glitter’s small, neat containers and how their brilliant, tiny contents catch the light.

The Michaels near my home has a beautiful set of fine glitters called the essential colors glitter set. There are twenty-four 0.37 oz vials of glitter. Vivid shades with names like charoite, kunzite and verdelite. On my all-too-regular jaunts to Michaels I would “visit” the set, unwilling to pay its price of $29.99. But yesterday there was a 50% off coupon and now a set is mine, all mine!

For my birthday my oldest sister indulged me with a glass glitter sampler from Tinsel Trading Company. It’s all so precious that I haven’t even opened one container yet. I know I won’t be as wasteful with it as I am with my glitter from the kids’ craft aisle: letting the shaken excess scatter on a paper plate and then discarding much of it. The glass glitter is like fine gold. (Um, I'm beginning to sound like my "mascot" the troll!)

To me there is something about glitter that takes me back to doing crafts as a child in school. The ooh-and-aahs of making something sparkle with a simple outline of glue and an outpouring of glitter. This still holds true for me today, even if I now refer to the color as say, carnelian instead of red.

xo