Very Merry

We had a wonderful Christmas! I hope you did too! Most of our week was filled with visiting friends and extended family. Lots of fun!

I've also had some computer issues... I loaded some software that my Little One got for Christmas, and *something* happened. Things just aren't working quite right.

I always enjoy this time around New Year's, looking back fondly on the previous year and looking forward to new and exciting things for the coming year. I've seen lots of other blogs doing a recap of the year, and thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite photos from my blog from 2008.



I want to wish everyone a fantastic 2009!!!
Happy New Year!

(P.S. The winner of the final giveaway was Maija!!! I had sent her an email but didn't get a chance to post here. Thank you all for playing. I loved reading about your special traditions!)

Warm & Felty

While we were without power during the ice storm, I had a little free time to make some ornaments for some friends. I have been a huge fan of Charlotte Lyons for quite some time, and I was very excited to see that she had put together a sweet little book and kit that was available in her etsy shop earlier this Fall. The booklet, called "Crafted. Felts and Fabrics. Inspiration from the Scrapbag" is delightful. There are lots of cute projects using wool felt and fabrics, with little or no sewing involved... which I LOVE! Be sure to visit Charlotte's blog too! She has been sharing some fun holiday crafting projects! I just adore the lace wreath! (Maybe I'll have one done for Valentine's Day... or Christmas next year! Heehee.)

These are what I created. Simple heart ornaments using just the scraps that she had sent in the kit, and some felt that I had made using my own sweaters. It was just fun to play.


I really loved working with the felt, and hope to do some more soon! I've been telling my family and friends to check in their closets for old wool items that I can have. There are some other great felt books out there right now, like this, this, and this. I have a couple already, but I'm hoping Santa will deliver the others!

And finalllly... using this random number generator... the winner of the Monday giveaway is:
#11 Laurie - Magpie Ethel
"I love the holidays a ton....christmas is definitely my holiday. I think what I enjoy most is making it a magical time for my kids. Even tho they are in high school now I love all the traditions we have established...making pizelles, cutting the tree, hanging special decoration they made as little ones, filling stockings. The holidays take on a special meaning when seen thru the eyes of children!"

For all the details about the giveaway and to enter, click HERE!
There are 3 more days of prizes!
Thank you all for stopping by! I'm really enjoying reading all of you family traditions and what makes the holidays so magical for you!

Marshmallow Snowmen Tutorial

Thank you for the sweet emails and comments about the ice storm. It has been a crazy experience... hopefully a "once in a lifetime" thing. We are really lucky though, some of the people in the more rural areas may not see power for weeks. Can you imagine?!? Yikes.

I've suddenly received a bunch of emails asking for directions for these Marshmallow Snowman Pops that I posted a photo of last year. I've been making them for several years for little friends and classmates. The kids LOVE them! I can't take credit for the idea... there was a kit to make them at a gourmet shop that I had visited. It was about $20 and only made 3-4 pops (which I thought was a little steep!) This is my less expensive version. I don't have the supplies on hand to do a proper tutorial, but here are the directions.

Supplies:
Large marshmallows ( 3 per pop)
Long lollipop sticks (these are about 7" long)
White chocolate candy melts (available at craft or baking shops)
Mini M&Ms
Waxed Paper
Cellophane Bags & Ribbon

1. Push 3 marshmallows onto the sticks. The stick should come about 3/4 of the way through the top marshmallow(the head), but should not poke all the way through. The marshmallows should be touching each other (no gaps in between). The flat sides should all face up.
2. Melt white chocolate according to the package directions in a medium bowl.
3. Working quickly, dip marshmallow pops into the white chocolate. The marshmallows need to be completely covered, or they will get hard and yucky. Shake slightly to allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. While the chocolate is still wet, add M&Ms for eyes, nose and buttons.
4. Allow chocolate to set. Peel from waxed paper and wrap in cellophane. Tie with ribbon and store in a cool place.

Tips:
*If the chocolate starts to get too thick, you may need to re-melt it.
*Add some other decorations to the snowmen. Maybe pretzel stick arms or a scarf made from a fruit roll-up.

Holiday Shop Update & New Kits!

Phew! The shop update is finally complete. Over 60 new items!!!
Vintage beads
German Paper Mache Containers
Felt Ribbons
Lace Flowers
Plastic Embellishments
Vintage Holiday Picks
New German Scrap styles
and More!
You can see everything here.


I am VERY excited to share a few new kits with you!
The first is a kit to make your own Vintage Sweet Angel Tree Topper!
She stands about 12 inches tall and has the loveliest face...
(These are a slightly larger version of the ones that I made last year.)
This is a super easy-peasy project that you can make in less than an hour.


The other kit is a fun and retro Kitschy Christmas Embellishment Collection.
This cute Santa boot is stuffed with vintage holiday goodies.
Lots of red and green, plastic, dime-store goodness to use in your Christmas projects.


***An important note: Orders placed this weekend will not start shipping until Monday***


And finally, I wish you and your families a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!!
I hope that lots of yummy food, lots of laughs, and lots of fun is headed yor way!
I've got a lot to be thankful for... and that includes you!
As always, thank you for your continued support of my little shop.
It means the world to me!
Hugs!

Bodacious Blooms

I know I say this a lot, but I LOOOOOVE these!

These just came in!
Big, beautiful lace flowers.
They measure about 4" across and they sure are purdy!

I'm going to add a pin to the back of one to wear on my new wool coat. I was also thinking of sewing hair elastics on a few of these for my Little One. And for me too...


You can see them here, as well as some other colors too. I'm still plugging away at the holiday shop update. There are just a few more things for me to add... I'll let you know as soon as I'm done!

Ciao Bellas!

To all my Silver Bella Friends... I hope you have an AMAZING weekend!!! I wasn't able to go this year because of other committments this weekend, but I did send some fun goodies for all of you! I can't wait to hear the stories and see all the fabulous photos from this year!

(The above photo was taken by photographer John Granen at my booth last year at the Silver Bella Vendor Night. These are vintage posies that I had bundled together and wrapped in sheet music. This photo and several others from the event can be viewed on the Country Living website. There was also a fabulous article in the November 2008 issue of CL about Silver Bella!)

Artful Blogging

Some exciting news...
My little blog is featured in the Winter edition of Artful Blogging!
Here are some peeks!


The editor, Staci Dumoski, contacted me last Spring to write an article for the publication about what blogging means to me. It was a fun challenge! I haven't had to write a paper since college, so I was a wee bit nervous, but once I started it was actually a lot of fun! Staci was just sooo nice and fantastic to work with.


It is so surreal to see it in print. I think the whole neighborhood heard me squeal when I opened my mailbox to get my copy. They did such a beautiful job with this issue! It is currently for sale through the Stampington website and on newsstands. It is chock-full of beautiful blogs! Definitely worth checking out!

Eeek! A mouse!

Wait! Don't be scared! This mouse is super-sweet!
The AMAZING Amy Powers at Inspire Co. has created a fun and fabulous project using the small paper mache eggs boxes that I carry at Speckled Egg. You can click here to see the tutorial. If you have never visited Amy's blog (which I seriously doubt!), you are in for a treat! Go grab a latte and explore her archives!!! She creates a virtual magazine every few weeks that features the stories and work of fabulous artists and presents some of the best and most creative tutorials that I have ever seen. And she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met!

Edit: The small paper mache eggs have already sold out! More should be arriving early next week.

(Above photo by Amy Powers)

Score!

Check out these fantastic ribbons that I recently found!

Vintage ribbons from Europe embroidered with red initials or numbers.


Click here to see if your favorite numbers or letters are available!

Halloween Treats

It's a cool and crisp morning here. Fall is definitely in the air. This is my absolute favorite time of year. Actually, this whole stretch of time between now and Christmas is my favorite. My husband and oldest daughter also celebrate their birthdays in October. So much going on. I just love that. The preparations for these big days to me is almost as much fun as the day itself.


I've just finished adding some Fall and Halloween goodies to the website to help you prepare for this fun time of year.
You can see the new things here.

Also listed are lots of new ribbons, velvet flowers, and vintage posies.


Happy Creating!

A crush

I'm soooo loving these new crushed silky ribbons!
You can find them here, along with some other new goodies.
More artsy treats tomorrow!

Back on track

Hello Friends! It has been a while, huh? So much going on here. So much good stuff!

My Little One started kindergarten last week. She LOVES it! (I'm the one who isn't taking it so well!) She has a wonderful teacher and is in a great school. It is a full day program and I definitely miss her a ton. My Littlest One and I are adjusting to our new schedule and getting back into the swing of things. We had a fabulous summer as a family and I'm now I'm feeling really re-charged. I'm working on some fun projects and swaps that I can't wait to share. I've also been collecting LOADS of new goodies all summer long for Speckled Egg and will be adding them to the website this week and next.

These tags and book are on their way to their new home. A little trade with a sweet friend. I'll share more next time! We are actually in the middle of a really big & scary thunderstorm... so I better get going! Yikes!

Pretty Posies and a Flop

Yikes! I'm a little late with this "Friday" tutorial. Maybe it is still Friday somewhere in the world? Heehee...

I do have a good excuse. My project was a dud. Total flop. I had planned on making some pretty little ribbon flowers... and they just didn't turn out as I had hoped. They just were not working with me at all. Maybe I procrastinated too long? Or I just wasn't in the crafty mood yesterday. I'm not sure what happened.

So this week's tutorial isn't really a tutorial. More of just an idea. A little bit of inspiration.

I scooped up these beautiful flowers at one of my favorite farm stands and thought it would be fun to embellish them a little.

I first wrapped the bouquet in a large sheet of vintage newspaper. Then I added a strip of vintage wallpaper around the stems and tied it with some pretty ribbons.

The final touch was a vintage rhinestone pin. A really easy and super-quick project.
Great for a last minute gift... or a last minute tutorial! :)

Thank you so much for the wonderful comments and feedback for Speckled Egg's Birthday and for these tutorials! I've had a lot of fun doing them and am so happy that you liked them!

The winner of the final $25 gift certificate to Speckled Egg is:

GLORIA B!!!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday weekend!
xoxox

Decorative Cake Pedestal Tutorial

I'm so excited to share this little project with you!
I really LOVE making these, and hope you will too!
They are perfect to display a special little treasure... or a single yummy dessert!


Supplies:
A paper mache box lid (round or square works best)
A candlestick (these glass ones were found at the dollar store)
Pretty wallpaper or scrapbook paper to cover the box lid and/or paint
Ribbons, lace, pom pom trim, etc
Scissors
Glue stick, hot glue gun, and E6000 glue
Additional embellishments: buttons, flowers, velvet leaves, nests, glitter etc

1. First, we need to cover the box lid. I chose to use vintage wallpaper. Simply trace the lid onto the wallpaper, cut out, and glue to the top of the box. You may also choose to paint the inside and edge of the box for a more finished look. Let dry.

2. Use a hot glue gun to adhere ribbons, lace, or other pretty trims around the outer edge of the box.


3. Flip the lid of the box over and use E6000 glue (or similar) to attach candlestick to the center.

4. Easy peasy! You now have a very pretty pedestal. Leave it as is, or add some additional embellishments, like buttons, flowers, or a pretty nest.


Tips and other ideas:
Some of the paper mache boxes that I saw at the craft store were warped, so try to select one with a box top that is pretty level. Same goes for the candlestick.

Drill holes around the edge of the box lid and dangle beads or chandelier crystals.

Use a wooden candlestick for the base and cover it in glass glitter. Or, why not cover the WHOLE pedestal in glass glitter?!?!

Make several pedestals using different sized box lids and candlesticks, place them on top of each other for a tiered display.

AND... the winner of this week'd $25 gift certificate to Speckled Egg is:

CATHY NASH!

I'll be back next Friday with another fun tutorial and $25 gift certificate winner.
To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on any post for the month of August.
(Each purchase made on the website enters you in the giveaway as well.)
All the details of Speckled Egg's 4th Birthday Celebration can be found here.

Have a great weekend!!!