presents revealed!

** LONG POST ALERT! LONG POST ALERT! **

Thank you so much to everyone for your sweet birthday wishes! I had a great day thanks to my super-sweet husband and boys for making the entire day special.

And as many of you know, the 18th was the day I could finally open my birthday swap goodies that arrived from Debi at Life in My Studio! Debi and I had planned the swap nearly two months earlier. Debi shipped two boxes to me! The box labeled #1 could be opened before my birthday.


Party in a box!

Now onto box #2 ... {All photos are click-to-enlarge}


44 wishes (LOVE this)


Everything wrapped beyond-beautifully!


Like a pretty cake ...


with delicious filling! The box that Debi decorated is a present in itself.


And a tin LOADED with treats!


Including these incredibly cool magnets featuring the little "cottage" cottage!


This Max Factor jar received its own beauty treatment.


The green wallpaper is a returning super-fave from our I thought of you swap. It will be so fun playing with this amazing assortment of vintage paper.


SWOON!


GASP: a Josef Original BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!

When in one's life does one receive treasures like this in the mail?
When one blogs, I suppose! Amazing ...


Debi and I even planned a birthday call. I was so giddy when the phone rang. We had a wonderful and easy conversation all about our goodies, blogging, and how we enjoy shopping for one another!

Here's what I sent to Debi


A little birthday girl!


Crafty treats and finds with an emphasis on pink!




I made this little doll using a clothespin from Debi.





Debi is still celebrating by hosting a generous giveaway! There's still time to enter!



Thank you for sticking with me through this long post! Hope to see you at Natasha's party!



xo

ps

Please take the poll at the top of this blog. Thank you!

birthday giveaway at debi's!

Birthday girl Debi is having an amazing giveaway over at her blog life in my studio, to celebrate her birthday! She has assembled the most amazing treats and there will be 5, yes 5, winners! [For some reason, I am unable to upload any images.]

I'm a birthday girl today, too. As you may already know, Debi and I decided to do a birthday swap. We have both been giddy over this for about 2 months. I know that she already opened her presents. I am saving mine for a little later. Eeeeps!

xo
elyse

treasure spotlight 1

Part of the fun of winning a giveaway, buying something from a blogging friend's shop, being part of a swap, or giving or receiving a Pay-it-Forward gift is making others aware of some of the inspiring creativity among us in Blogland.

I am so happy when I find that a post of mine has lead new followers to someone's blog or shop. Whenever I display the treasure spotlight image in a post, you will know that I will be showing and sharing the work of some talented bloggers.

SPOTLIGHT on: WILLY NILLY ART & WHIMSY



I was among the very lucky winners of the First Lollishop Design Team Giveaway. This coolest of cool rings was made by Michele at Life on This Good Day. I was so impressed by this giveaway that I decided to open a Lollishop. (Now if I could just find the time to work on my new shop)



GASP! Michele included this beautiful tag, too. Ooh la la! Michele has online shops at both Etsy and Lollishops; both can be accessed through her blog.

SPOTLIGHT on: THE BEEHIVE COTTAGE/SASSY SADIE LEE



Maryjane of The Beehive Cottage is my fairyblogmother. She leaves the most encouraging comments, has sent me gifts just-because, and if you read her blog you will find the sweetest and spunkiest role-model there ever could be. Maryjane has 2 shops on Etsy, both accessible from her blog. She creates beautiful tags, like the irresistible one I purchased (above), among other things.



BOOtiful banners streaming with seam binding, like this one that she sent me for my birthday. (See -- fairyblogmother!)



One of Maryjane's birthday banners. A just-because from the little busy bee herself!
I hope you will visit both Michele and Maryjane's blogs and shops. As for me, my week has been crazy-busy. I haven't even sewn a stitch yet (eeek!) and I am way behind on my blog visits and comments. I did manage to mail Debi's birthday swap.

tee hee!

xo

treats and treasures

Thank you so very much to everyone who left a comment on my recent post, sewdown at the ol' cottage. I truly appreciate the support, advice, laughs, sharing, offers, links, and understanding about my patternphobia and reluctance.

I am happy to report that I have a project in mind and hope to get sewing (gulp) this week. I will be sure to keep you posted!

• • •


Click to enlarge

This week I sent a Pay-it-Forward gift to Beth at THE imPERFECT HOUSEWIFE. She has such an easy-going and cute blog: sweet and full of easy recipes and fun.

After assembling Beth's little bag of treats I thought: something like this would be nice for my Etsy shop. So I gathered goodies for another little bag.


Click to enlarge

I decided to name this item Treasures and the bag is filled with small treats like cabochons and beads, vintage trimming, scraps of paper, a small bunch of millinery flowers and some blank tags. Kind of like receiving a swap package. It was very fun to put together and so I plan on making more.



You know how I love packaging!


Click to enlarge

I also sneaked in making some tags. I am new to tag-making but they're a great, small project and a nice way to use odds and ends. This was my first time using black glitter. Ooh la la!



About a month or so ago, Debi at Life in my Studio, and I discovered that we share the same birthday. When Debi asked if I'd like to do a birthday swap, you can easily guess my excited reply!

Of course, I had to create a button:

Illustration: Joan Walsh Anglund

Over the weekend, I am also hoping to do some apple picking, baking and raking. Let's hope the fickle New England weather cooperates. (Did I mention mountains of laundry to do, too?)

Happy weekend!

xo

sewdown at the ol' cottage

That's right sewing machine. It's you and me.

Gulp.

Almost two years ago, my sweet husband (who also made this showdown image possible) surprised me with this Janome sewing machine:



I was thrilled! After all, I love fabric and had been making things with fusible tape (aka Stitch Witchery) for years. But after looking at patterns, I FROZE. Past fears of math and seemingly complicated instructions clouded my vision and have deterred me from making anything. My only attempt resulted in a row of holes.

I signed up for Natasha's It's All About Me blog party. I like that it provided me with a deadline: October 22. There were many things I thought about making and then thought: I will sew something!



I have some pretty fabric {goodies below from the talented and adorable Lizzie} . . .



And I just bought this little kit . . .


Now all I need is a simple project and some confidence. I think I might need a pep talk. Any advice?

xo

my kitchen on facebook

That's my kitchen re-do on the Facebook page of 100 Decorating Ideas!

I myself am not on Facebook. I recently submitted before/after photos to BHG's 100 decorating ideas under $100 magazine and was asked if they could instead use them on their Facebook page. Of course!

I don't know much about Facebook but can't imagine finding time for it because of course, I wouldn't want it to take away from my blogging time, which lately has not been easy to find. Anyway, if you're on Facebook, check it out. Sorry for the rambling: afternoon coffee?

Who knows, I may start a Facebook account after all. Are you on Facebook?

xo


How many times have I said Facebook in this post?! LOL
No more p.m. coffee for me!

P is for . . .

Pretty packages that arrive in the mail

This beautiful collection of treats was sent to me by the amazingly talented Sonia for being one of the winners of her giveaway. Visit Sonia and you will find that she is very excited about her own wonderful "P is for ..."



P is for . . .



Pottery Barn Kids catalogs because they are always filled with brilliant ideas like this wreath, woven with flowers and suspended by ribbons



or this vase of flowers hanging from a curtain rod. Positively perfect!

P is for . . .



Printing new business cards and thank-you tags for my Etsy shop customers

P is for . . .



Pay it Forward

This purposeful collection of pink was sent to me by sweetie pie Lisa over at PupyLov. According to Lisa, I am to ask the first 3 commentors of this post if they would like to participate. If so, I send each a handmade gift (Lisa called this gift to me "cheating" but I love it!) and then they do the same. So, if you are one of the first 3 to leave a comment, please send me your address to play (or "pay") along. My email address can be found at my profile.

xo

everything is special

When I was little, I saved every tiny thing: pressed flowers, mini fashion booklets that came packaged with dolls, the small plastic containers from rain bonnets, plastic swords from sandwiches.

Everything was special.



Blogging has reawakened that part of me.



When I buy something from an online seller or receive a gift or swap goodies from a blogging friend, I save and savor all of the details.



If you notice anything familiar, please feel free to share a "that's from me!" comment!



Or a "gee, where's that from?"

• • • • •

The other day I was rearranging some things and placed this mirror on the wall in place of a plate that was there. I really like the contrast of rough and delicate. The mirror's frame is made from chunky, reclaimed wood.


Click to enlarge

Sometimes the smallest change can make you SWOON all over again!

xo