Tooth Faerie Brigade!!

Quietly coming into a room without making a sound and then darting under their pillow and perhaps even their covers and almost getting squished by the sweet, sweet child laying in the bed doesn't sound like a very good experience, does it? It is though and one that bestows great honor on the one that holds the job title of Tooth Faerie!!! She loves collecting the baby teeth of all the wee ones and exchanging them for silver coins and she has been doing it for centuries. She is however a bit tired of all the hunting for teeth that have slipped out from under the pillows and rolled onto the floor and under the bed. This can be very dangerous as cats can SEE faeries and I'm sure you know what might happen if she is seen by the family cat. Not to mention how many times she has had to spend time whispering in the child's ear to open it's little hand that is gripping the tooth with all he or she has.

After a very long and tiring night of having to hunt, search or persuade her little charges to let go of their baby tooth, she came up with a plan. A very good plan and one that would help make sure she collected all the baby teeth being offered to her each and every night. She was going to recruit some assistants!!

Meet Pumpkin and Squeak....a great little team if ever there was. 

Meet Fernando who can't leave the pond without his lily pad.

Meet George who loves wearing his Banana tie.

Meet Rascal who again has pulled up one of farmer Joe's carrots.

Meet Cupcake..the sweetest of the team. (Warning: Never, EVER try

and take her cupcake)

Didn't the Tooth Faerie pick out the cutest little whimsical characters? She discovered them living near the old Southern ooaks tree and made them an offer to help that they just couldn't resist. Are you still scratching your head wondering just what a tooth faerie assistant is? Let me explain. Being a mom and wanting to keep up the magic of the Tooth Faerie and having dealt with the lost tooth not under the pillow, lost tooth under the covers, lost tooth under the bed or finally realizing the lost tooth was in the hand, I designed these characters to help me out AND keep the magic going. It's important to let magic flow in a child's imagination especially one that has a very quirky artistic mom. HEHE  Each one of these were hand sewn using a cotton fabric from one of my own patterns. They were lovingly stuffed with just the right amount of batting so that they are still very huggable. Each has been hand painted using acrylic paints and detailed using a black fabric pen. The mouse, lily pad, banana, carrot and cupcake are pouches made from felt. These are the things that will help the parents Tooth Faerie out the most. Each has an open top so that the very special baby tooth can be placed inside. I have placed two little plastic bags inside for now.....one for the tooth and one for the silver coins. (or dollar bill or even a IOU that promises a future fun adventure) The pouches have twine so that on that special night they can be tied around the fabric characters neck and the character sat on the bed or nightstand. You can even take this a tad bit further and make it fun by making up a small bedtime story to go with their character and make this a truly magical and special time for your child. The best part is that you won't have to be taking a chance waking them up by feeling under the pillow or the covers to locate that tooth anymore. ^_^

These whimsies are being donated to the Baldwin County Christmas Angel program and I do hope that the child that receives them will love them as much as I loved making them....just for them!!!

Until next time..........Hugs,

Regi

Happy Happy Monday!!!

Happy Happy Monday ya'll. Yes yes, I know that most don't like Mondays but if we didn't have them then it would just be Tuesdays that got a bad wrap..hehe...so enjoy your Monday!!

I'm going to be TRYING to finish up the Tooth Faerie Assistants today but ya'll know how my muse gets tired of working on one thing to much and flutters over to another. I will try and contain her for as long as I can so (fingers crossed) I can at least get them all painted. I did get the rabbit, cat and monkey painted. I know that I said in an earlier post that I was going to make a dress for the rabbit but the Chazman said something that got me to thinking. He doesn't know these are Christmas gifts FROM Santa (he still BELIEVES) but he thinks they are just gifts I'm making for our sweet friend Sue to give out. He said what if Sue gives the rabbit to a little boy instead of a girl? Then he added "Mom....I wouldn't mind the rabbit but not one in a dress". Good point, eh? SO I decided that they would all go all natural. HEHE  I'm also thinking of painting a heart on each one and drawing little faerie wings on that...as their emblem. HEY, they are proud to be Tooth Faerie Assistants.

Now after they are all painted I still have to make their pouches. The ones that will hold the tooth for the Tooth Faerie to find a lot more easily and not get squished in the process of doing so. I'm thinking of a banana for monkey, carrot for rabbit, mouse for cat, lily pad for frog and I'm in a bit of a quandary about the one for the dragon. Any suggestions??? AND before anyone suggests this one...this dragon does NOT eat faeries. ^_^

Until next time...........Hugs,
Regi

Did I do thaaaat???

Meet Steve "The Chazman" Urkel....hehe!! I still can not believe that he is doing this crazy dress up week but I'm so proud of him for breaking through that shy shield. I wish I had taken my camera to school this morning because it was a school filled with Urkel's....Muahahahaha!!!  If you don't know what's happening with the dress up go back one post and check it out. (that way ya'll will know that we aren't losing our minds..... completely)

I worked on the rabbit tooth faerie assistant yesterday. Her face is painted and I have started on her outfit. A cute light pink shift and a flower print full apron. Again...this is going to take some time as I'm still sewing by hand but I have to admit that I am enjoying it. It's a great "therapy" session!!

So, what's on YOUR plate for today? Something fun and creative I hope. I plan on sewing and perhaps squishing some clay today....at least that's the plan!!

Until next time.........Hugs,
Regi

Dragons and rabbits and bears...OH MY!!!

It's a beautiful day today and I'm staying inside..hehe  The mister has gone off with some of his work buddies, the Chazman is pillaging and plotting (playing one of his games) and I'm sewing. Happy Happy Happy!!!

I am working on some of my Tooth Faerie assistants for the Angel Christmas program today. A rabbit and a bear. Yesterday I finished with the dragon and he looks "adorable".

Dragon, monkey, cat and frog are just in the "bones" stage right now but will look amazing when I get them painted. I think I might even dress a few of them. Still pondering on that!!

Now I can see that some of ya might be a scratching those noggins wondering what in the world a Tooth Faerie assistant is. In a time far away and long, long ago....hehe....it does feel that way as I made my first one about 30 years ago. Tooth Faerie assistants are fabric characters that aide the tooth faerie in her quest to gather children's baby teeth. Do you remember how frustrating it was to try and find that tiny little tooth hidden under your kiddos pillow? I can remember having to lay on the floor and search and search around and under the bed, only to find that my son(s) had the tooth in hand....literally!!  Well....that's where these guys come in. Each has a little pouch they carry so instead of putting that precious tooth under the pillow you put it into the pouch. The assistant then sits on the bed patiently waiting for Tooth Faerie to come and pick up the tooth and leave some shiny coins in its place. Yes I said coins people...no need to spoil our youngins. Well...we don't want to spoil them TO MUCH!!

While I'm sewing today I'm also doing some baking.....BING...the dirts ready!! Did ya try my dirt brownie recipe yet? I'm on my third batch this week..hehe  I have some eggs sitting out to come to room temp so the Chazman and I can make some ghost poo cookies. They are really "forgotten kisses" but they have different names depending on the holiday around this homestead you see. Halloween they are ghost poo, Christmas they are angel clouds and at Valentines they are smooches..hehe Here's our easy recipe just in case you want to make some for your little ghoul or boy. 

Ingredients

2 large egg whites at room temp

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup fine granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup crushed peppermint sticks

1 cup walnuts

Mixing and baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy. (do not overbeat)

Add sugar about 3 tablespoons at a time beating well in between spoonfuls. When half of the sugar is added, add vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding sugar until all sugar is mixed in and not grainy. Your fluffs should be shiny. Fold in any of the optional ingredients you may want to add at this time. (we love them without any of the optional ingredients too...just sayin) Working one teaspoon at a time, push a teaspoon of the meringue onto the parchment paper using another spoon to help you. Leave about 1 inch in between cookies. Place in oven...turn oven off and leave cookies in at least 2 hours or even overnight until cookies are crisp and dry. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.....if they last that long!!

Until next time........Hugs,

Regi

Shan the Kitchen Faerie is Complete

Faeries love sweets...I mean really, REALLY, love sweets. So what's better than one being an assistant pastry chef. Shan loves to help in the kitchen and baking anything sweet is her expertise. She has been collecting recipes for well over one hundred years now. Her little recipe box is overflowing with delicious sweetness. Today she has assisted in baking some jumbo Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes and she herself can just taste how delicious it's going to be. She just needs to add a bit more shugar and it will be ready to be enjoyed.  Shugar is a faerie word...it means sugar and honey...ohhhh so sweet. Like I said...faeries love their sweets!!!

Shan is one of my fully sculpted ooaks with a very strong wire armature underneath. She stands at 5 1/2 inches if you don't include her hand sewn Chef hat. Her outfit is made from clay but her apron is cloth with a tiny pocket that holds her spatula, whisk and wooden spoon. (those three items were made from clay and then hand painted using acrylic paints.) Her eyes are some of my hand drawn and her hair is wool. She has been painted using acrylic paints as well. Her wings are made from vellum paper. Her Shugar shaker was made from clay with a paper label wrapped around it. She has one of my tiny hemp bracelets around her left wrist.

The base of this piece is a small glass votive holder. It holds one of my felted cupcakes along with a tiny recipe box made from cardstock. It actually holds tiny little recipe cards and spacers. It has a spiral wire holder to keep your recipe card on so you can see it as you are baking.

I have fallen in love with using vellum paper. It makes faerie wings look magical without doing anything to them.

Shan is ready to go to her new home (she was a commission piece....I did the eyes green and the hair dark to match her new keeper) I hope she behaves herself...LOL!! She has asked that I give all of you her recipe for her delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes. Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Filling:
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon 2% milk

Batter:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup water
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
3-4 tablespoons 2% milk

To Prepare:

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and milk until smooth, Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl whisk eggs, water, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Stir into dry ingredients. Batter will be thin.

Fill paper lined jumbo muffin cups half full with batter. Drop scant tablespoon of peanut butter mixture into center of each cup, cover with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan onto wire rack and let cool completely. While cupcakes are cooling mix frosting ingredients together and then frost cupcakes,        Yield 1 dozen.

Until next time.............Hugs,
Regi

Kitchen Faerie WIP

My muse has FINALLY started singing about something other than mermaids. Don't get me wrong,  ya'll know that I LOVE mermaids but I love other creatures too....like faeries. A friend has commissioned me to make her a kitchen faerie. I'm so excited, for two reasons, (#1) that I get to design a kitchen faerie and (#2) that I'm going to be pulling in two types of my art that I love to do....felt creations and clay creations.

Now this friend is a fabulous baker....OMGOSH...her cupcakes are to die for...or at least so good that they might make ya want to slap your momma. (I so wouldn't advise that...and I so don't condone that type of behavior. It's just one of our quirky Southern sayings that means it's "OHHH SO GOOD") The Chazman loves when she has orders to fill and makes a few extras because she brings some to us. Well...I really shouldn't say US as the Chazman seems to be the only one who gets to enjoy them. Not that we wouldn't love one but it seems when we decide to eat one...there...aren't.....any....left. Imagine that!!

With her love of baking and cupcakes being her specialty, well, it didn't take to much whispering from my muse to tell me what I needed to do with this ooaks. My plan is to make one of my felted cupcake pin cushions...but this time it won't be a pin cushion. It will be the base to a recipe card holder. The Li'l faerie will be the assistant pastry chef. She will have her little apron and chef hat along with a few baking instruments. Hopefully, she will be holding a tiny can of sprinkles and shaking it over the cupcake.

Here is what I have so far and keep in mind that I just started working on this.....it's still in the early WIP stage.

I have her wire armature completed and she is all wrapped up. I like using the florist tape to bulk out my pieces so as not to use to much clay to weigh them down. I mean...she has to be able to fly ya know!! ~_^

Here are some of her cooking utensils....a tiny wooden spoon....the sprinkles shaker.....a whisk and a spatula. I'm thinking of putting some vines on the handles but then I might not as they are going to be in her apron pocket. Decisions....decisions!!

Time to get back to work.....until next time...............HUGS,
Regi

Corsage with a secret compartment

I love all the art that I do and I like to mix it up so I don't get bored. I get bored very easily..HA!!! I have of late being working on some more fabric corsages but these hold a secret. Want to know what the secret is? (sitting silently waiting for one of you to say YES)

Ahhhh...YOU said yes...thank you...it was getting way to quiet here. Have you ever gone somewhere and didn't really want to carry your purse just so you would have your lip stick or chap stick with you? If you are like me then chap stick or lip stick is a necessity that just can't be done without. I hate carrying my purse with me when we go to events, like sitting in the park and listening to good music or even walking on the beach. I mean..who would want to take a purse on the beach. Now...you won't have to....take a purse...I mean. My newest corsage has a hidden compartment that will hold either one lipstick tube or chap stick. 

This is the front...pretty..isn't it? Just say YES!! This is one of my fancy ones...silk ribbon roses along with some cotton shabby roses. Vintage lace with pretty fringe hanging down. Pink pearls...oh so pretty!! You don't see the hidden secret compartment either...do you??

Perfectly hidden from anyone...they will think you just have on a beautiful fabric corsage. It hangs nicely too when it's worn. The trick is the pin being attached above the corsage with some of the pretty pink pearls. Can you say pretty pink pearls 10 times without getting tongue tied? ^_^ HA....you tried didn't you?

Back to work on some pretty but a bit more plain ones. I'm trying to keep busy as life is throwing us some curve balls at the moment. So thankful I have my art to dive into...it lets my heart and soul SOAR!!!!!!!

Until next time...........Hugs, Regi

I'm alive!!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Year's beginning. We surely did because we stayed home..LOL!! Living in a tourist town kinda keeps us at home on some occasions...not all...just some. We will be getting out for sure next month to go to all the Mardi Gras parades. I love Mardi Gras...so festive and so much FUN!! I will be posting more about that later on in the month though. I just wanted to touch base and let you know that I am alive and kicking. Well perhaps not kicking but alive. (so much better than the alternative ^_^)

I am working on some designs and hopefully will be posting them soon. What are you working on....nosey inquiring minds want to know? My muse is whispering so much in my ear that I'm a bit confuzzled on just what to do first. I just hate that...don't you? Well...I had better get back to work ummmm play...ohhh ya know what I mean.

Until next time..............Big HUGS, Regi

"Party like a ROCK ....party like a ROCKSTAR"

WOW....I can...like totally.....so understand that phrase now.   I know you are probably in shock...go ahead...run around the desk holding your face and screaming "It can't be so...tell me it isn't so".  Of course, it isn't so.....SO you can sit back down and relax. What I mean by the phrase is that I pulled an all nighter and I haven't done that in many many many (whew) many many many many...ok..I think ya get the point....years!! It seems that cutting all the different pattern pieces and then sewing 25 penguins takes a tad bit more time than I thought.

I will have to take another pic of one of the penguins when the Chazman gets in from school. Either my camera or perhaps even myself was a tad bit out of focus and the pic didn't take. I didn't make them exactly like the original one I showed ya'll in my earlier post. I didn't make them a hat but I did make their scarves out of real wool. I didn't get a chance to add my faux snow flakes or glitter either. I LOVE to play embellish with my faux snow flakes and glitter. I really do....even if I end up somehow wearing more of it than I should..hehe. DON'T ask!!!!

I did manage to get a few shots of the "BOX". You remember the "BOX"...ri iight?? The one I painted for the mummies to be delivered in. You do remember the "Mummies"...ri iight?? (why am I suddenly feeling like I'm in a very old detective story?)  I took the same box...HA....I bet you thought I was going to type "BOX" again...didn't you?  OK I need coffee to.....snap out of it....as the Chazman would say. Like I was saying..I took the package, removed the mummy info and touched it up a bit.

Why is it that the pretty twinkles of our glitter don't show up in pics.....arrggggg!!  I guess I will have to just tell you what I'm talking about. Three of the corners I painted with white paint...to resemble snow of course. The package is coming from the North Pole. Once the paint was dry, I added a coating of Twinkles crystal glitter. HEY...I did get to play with some glitter but sadly not the kind that you can wear...ummmm...I mean the kind that accidently spills on you like faery dust. Wait...I said "Don't Ask"  ^_^  so I'm not telling..so pfft ....there. My, my...please forgive...the rockstar in me apparently can't ROCK it all night long anymore...I am apparently delirious from lack of sleep.

I found these really cute tags online. I love the North Pole mailing label with the "ELF INSPECTED and SANTA APPROVED" stamped on it. The four little stamps really added to the.........package (gotcha) but I almost panicked when I went to print them off and discovered that my colored ink cartridge was empty. No worries though....I came up with an idea to use them anyways. Yep...I can come up with ideas when I haven't pulled an all nighter. I did the printing BEFORE the party!! I printed them off using my black only cartridge and then water colored them with my water color pencils. Love my water color pencils!! It gave them a vintage look...don't ya think? The big Santa tag is one that is appearing everywhere it seems. I really love it and knew it would add to the ........parcel.......so I printed it off in black only and painted it.There again..my twinklie, sparklie coating is not showing up. I covered Santa's beard, hair and eyebrows with it and it really looks awesome...not the dull color showing in pic. Could be the photographer though!!!

 Chaz said he is bringing the box and the tag home this afternoon. The tag he is going to hang on the tree. I just love when my kiddo loves something that I have made. Ahhhhhhhhh....let me sit and relish in that feeling a moment. Nooo, better not...I might nod off ^_^

Until next time............Hugzzzzzzzzzzz

I SEE PENGUINS!!!!

25 Penguins to sew all the day

25 Penguins to sew

Finish one up

Toss it aside

24 Penguins to sew all the day

That's going to be my song for the day..ALL..THE..DAY..LONG!!! LOL  I so don't mind though because these Li'l guys are going to the Chazman's Christmas party at school on Friday. They are so simple to make and only take a few supplies. 

Supply List (if you want to make some yourself)

Felt (Black-orange-white-off white-Burgandy)

Black and White Thread

Black seed beads (for eyes)

Faux snow or glitter

Pin backing/Bobby pin/Hair clip/Embroidery thread

Pattern (feel free to borrow mine)

Body Cut 2

Face Cut 1

Beak Cut 2

Flipper Cut 2

Feet Cut 4

Medium YoYo

(for hat)

Small YoYo

(for snowball)

Scarf Cut 1

I think you can look at my already made penguin and see how to make it. I would do a tut but I just don't have the time....YIKES...these have to be done by Friday morning...on top of the other projects I have going on. Someone, remind me to start making all these wonderful gifts right after New Year's day..ppplease!!!

I can give you some tips though. I hand sew all of the penguin....they are small and it would just take to much time on the machine. Well...for me anyways ^_^  I use a blanket stitch on all the sewing. I'm sure most know what type of stitch this is but just in case.......

Of course on the YoYo hat and snowball you will just do a straight stitch and then gather it up and tie the ends together to form each one. I put a tiny bit of batting in both. Put a tiny bit of batting in the body too.

The face I just sew on when I sew the sead beads on for the eyes. On the beak you will cut two and sew just the tops together. I put two small straight stitches where the nostril holes would be. Why cut two of the beak you ask? It makes it look like the penguin has a real beak...hehe!! I also sew these on before I sew the body and stuff it. Just makes it easier.

I cut two of the feet (that would be four actually....two pieces for each foot so that penguin has 2 feet. Got it?) I don't stuff these but having the two pieces blanket stitched together just looks better. Gives it more strength so they will last. I sew these on after the body is stuffed and sewed.

Once you have penguin put together then you simply sew a flipper on each side....put a snowball in one flipper...his hat on his head and his scarf around his neck. I made the scarf for the above penguin out of a strip of felt but with the ones I'm currently working on I'm going to use an old sweater. Use your imagination..there are so many possibilities. I add faux snow flakes to the flippers and the snowball. Glitter works good too. Embellish yours how ever you want. I KNOW they will turn out awesome!!

You can turn these Li'l guys into pins to wear.....attach a bobby pin or hair clip....slide it on a headband or ribbon or just attach a hanger from the hat. Again...use your imagination and have FUN!!! Now let's start singing......................

Until next time.....Hugs, Regi

OMGOSH..I forgot how much fun Barbies were!!!

Yes...I admit it...openly!!! I played with a Barbie this weekend. What memories came pouring back to me. The Saturday night sleep overs with one of my best friends...completely taking over the living room for the weekend with all of Barbie's things. Believe me that was an honor too because Momma NEVER let anyone go into the living room unless they were special company. Getting off on a small tangent here about Momma and the "Living Room".  I remember when I was about 7 and had been really sick and Dr. Hall (our preacher) came to visit. I walked in the room...took his hand and took him to the breakfast nook and had him sit down at the table. Momma looked at me and asked what I was doing. I patted Dr. Hall on the knee and told him I was sorry but the living room was only for special company. Can you hear the "GASP" from Momma? From that day on Lee and I could play Barbie in there anytime. (as long as she wasn't expecting any special visitors mind you) Now back to the present!!  Man oh man....did we ever have Barbie things. I'm probably going to tell my age here (well heck and dang it all...I'm sure most of you know I'm one of the ancient ones already) Do ya'll remember the big heavy cardboard fold out Barbie house from the 60's? I HAD ONE and was so proud of it. My Daddy even made me some furniture to go with it. Ohhhhhh...to be young again...just for a little while so I could play with my Barbie. Oh wait...I did play with one this weekend. I almost forgot..hehe!!!

I know ya'll must be sitting there wondering just how far off the deep in I have stepped. Knowing that I have a boy and no girls....(Noooo...Chaz will not play Barbie...well..he will with his young girl cousins if they ask nicely and they have a Ken or GI Joe man. Shhhhhh..don't tell him I told you that. He is just such a sweet Li'l guy) I must have had a nervous breakdown......ri iight?? Nope..I'm just as sane as always. Well..as sane as I can be. The Chazman was invited to one of his classmates birthday party...which is this afternoon. When I called to RSVP I asked her mom what L liked. She said that I probably only needed to know one thing that would help. L is a big time "girly girl". Now to a mom with a son..what in the world does that mean? She told me the L really loves Barbie. That was all she needed to tell me. The gift just "POPPED" into my head. I had to find me a Barbie.

Saturday morning I woke up with a mission. To find that Barbie. I know I could have gone to Wal-mart to buy one but that wasn't an option. I wanted to make an outfit for one of the Barbie dolls that L already has. I can't believe it but the first yard sale we came to...the woman had a box full of naked Barbies. Thankfully, she sold me one and back home we came. I had a blast designing a faery costume. Nothing fancy but it really turned out so pretty. I even made her some attachable wings.

Notice the top of her head? She had the craziest hair....well....if you don't count my crazy hair. She had the craziest hair for a doll. I made a little scrunchy to match the outfit thinking that maybe L's dolls hair might have some bad hair days itself. I couldn't stop at just the scrunchy though. I mean what self concerning faery with her finery on doesn't wear her crown too. Yep...I made her a crown.

Isn't she purty??

Once I finished the outfit I decided that it wasn't enough to give L for h er birthday. I mean I wasn't giving her my Barbie....she was old and used. Besides,  I might want to make more clothes and will need a model for them.....ri iight...that's the reason...not that I might want to relive my childhood and sit down for an afternoon and play with her again. Nahhhhhh)  Since I have been on a roll making the fabric flower hair clips, I thought since L is a girlie girl that she might like one or two. 

Now that I had the gifts made I realized that I needed something to put them in. Can you guess what I did? It seems once I get on a roll...I keep on rolling...LOL!!! I painted a box to hold all the goodies L will be receiving from the Chazman. Even made a sweet little tag to go with it. 

I hope that L has a wonderful birthday today and enjoys all the gifts she will be getting. I do hope that (fingers crossed) the Chazman's is one that will always be special to her. 

Until next time.....Hugs, Regi

I made my own gift box..hehe

I hope that you read about how to make your own box in my last post. I also hope that they were easy to follow directions so that you could make some of your own. I enjoyed making the "How to" post so much for everyone that I made some more boxes...ten to be exact....LOL!!!  These were made for a purpose. Do you remember the flower garden I have been cultivating here of late? You know the one....don't you? The one that took up a weekend plus. Need a reminder? Just Click Here.   I made the boxes to hold these precious flowers plus I made three more flowers to add to the bunch.

I do hope that the little girls that receive them Christmas morning will love them just as much as I loved growing making them. I just love the fact that so many people are coming together to make Christmas a special time for the families that need the extra help. I'm very excited to be one that is able to use my whimsical talents to help out. Paying it forward is a motto that all of us should take to heart. I know that I certainly do. Let's take a walk and see the newest flowers clipped from the garden.

I love using fabric and ribbon. This little beauty of a rose was made from a wired satin ribbon and has cotton fabric leaves. Not only do I love using fabric and ribbon but I really love buttons. The prettier the better!!! On this one I was able to use two buttons. The white one looked like the center of a flower. How perfect...ri iight??  I just couldn't resist using this little butterfly button to go along with it. It's attached to a large clip barrette.

Here is another rose from the same bush. No thorns either...that makes it nice. We don't want any ouchies from our sweet little ladies.....now do we? I used one of my flower buttons for the center of this one and instead of a hair clip...I attached it to an elastic headband. Can't you just see a sweet baby girl wearing this?
Sit and imagine....now let's all say...........Awwwwww!!!

This little beauty is from the whimsical side of the garden. I had these fantastic, colorful fabric scraps that a friend gave to me in a big bag of.......scraps!! HAHA  They were just the perfect size to make these with. So important tip here.....never throw out those scraps you might think are to small to be keeping. I just adore all the colors in this one too. What do you think of when you see the colors? I think of ice cream..... Neapolitan ice cream and a scoop or two of sherbet thrown in with perhaps some peppermint. YUM!! I suddenly am in the mood for ice cream. ^_^   Hmmmmm...wonder why? Instead of raiding my button stash for these...I raided my vintage bead stash. Tiny, pretty pink pearls. The leaves surrounding the flowers are made from a ribbon. This one has a hair clip attached to it.

Now I have ten beautiful flowers in all to give away but I just couldn't hand them over to Ms Sue and say "Here ya go". I wanted them to be extra special so that's why I made the boxes. The box liked we talked about at the beginning of this post....the box that this post is suppose to be about. Sorry...I just had to wonder in the garden BUT at least I took you with me and you got to smell see the pretty flowers. For the boxes, I used white card stock......because I know that the box probably won't survive the opening process. I mean if they were big boxes...then they would be "priceless" but these are small boxes. I hope they do survive though because they are really cute and could actually be another gift in itself. For the top of the box, I found this cute vintage page from a children's book with rabbits....I love rabbits....don't you? Rabbits looking out the window at Santa and his reindeer flying over the snowy sky. I printed it off in black and white and then water colored it in to give it that vintage look for real. I applied a tiny bit of sparkle flakes to the rabbit tail....some red glitter by some of the holly leaves and even a teeny tiny piece of red glitter on the nose of the first reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh. RUDOLPH!!! Well....either Rudolph or the reindeer had one heck of a party the night before....but....that's....another......whole post entirely!!

Until next time.............HUGS, Regi

Weekend Projects

The weekend officially starts on Friday afternoon...or at least around this old Southern Ooaks it does. I always look forward to the Chazman getting off the bus and as he is dancing walking up the front walk and singing "It's Friday...it's Friday, chachacha", I know the weekend has begun!! Silly goose...I know...but ya gotta luv him. Well, you don't have to but believe me...if you met him you would. Anyways, this Friday I was given a surprise by my sweet Li'l man. This AWESOME chalk painting!!! I do believe the artistic genes have been passed down. Isn't it awesome? He calls it day into night. I have it hanging right over my art desk. What better item to look at and have my muse sing a complete symphony.

As I stated in my last post, I worked on several designs and projects at once on Friday and continued with them throughout the weekend. You know that I'm making things for the Angel program and this weekend it was spent making for the little girls. I hope that they will like some of these. I mean..who doesn't like to smell fresh flowers. Of course these you can't smell but you can wear them. Some are clipped to barrettes...some to pins and some to hair clips. The hair clip ones you can slide the clip off and slide them onto a headband or even a ribbon and wear as a necklace. So let's take a walk through the garden.

 

 

 

 

  

 

   
Ohhhh, I almost forgot. I was working on some more painted shells on Friday. Another mermaid (a good friend was given the first mermaid one) a snowman and a penguin (look close at this one....you will see where the snowballs come from for the penguin's snow cones..hehe) and one that the Chazman requested (one with a snow scene and Ms Peaches, our cat) I think these will look pretty attached to a wreath. If anyone is interest in them, please feel free to email me or leave a comment here. I have several more that are just sitting here, staring at me, waiting for me to paint.

I have been thinking about painting some of the bigger ones that I have. I have to find a really strong glue that will hold against a shell so I can make a pretty hanger for them. Any suggestions on what type of glue? All suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance...I know I will get one or two...ri iight??

I also spent some of this weekend working on a medallion mold. I had designed one with a mermaid that will have natural shells attached. I finally after working the clay and "SQUISHING" the clay (several times mind you) got one that I liked. It's hard making molds.....everything is inside out. Did ya know that? Or perhaps I just make it harder than I should. But HEY...it worked out for me. Yea!! Here is the first baked piece using the mold.

So...that was my busy weekend. What creative thing did you do this weekend? I'm off now to start on some wrist cuffs and hemp bracelets...can't forget the fella's in the program. Hope you have a wonderful Monday.

Until next time..........Hugs, Regi