Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Happy Friday and Happy HAPPY chocolate Valentine's Day!! I hope that you have someone special that will give you that BIG box of chocolates today and if ya don't...well.....give yourself a BIG box. HEY....I have a mister but I will probably still have to buy my own...hehe  That's alrightie though because then I will get the kind I want. Hmmmmm, I might even buy me some pretty flowers too while I'm at it. ^_^

I wish that I could give each of YOU a special Valentine's because I adore each and every one of you that come to visit me in my whimsical world. You don't realize it but some days just coming in and seeing that someone took their time to drop in and make a comment....well....it brings some light to a day that might have stayed dark. THANK YOU!!! OK....enough mushy stuff.  Since I can't give all an individual Valentine gift I can still give you something. A delicious ohhh soooo yummy recipe that is ohhh soooo easy to make.

 Oatmeal Ohhhh soooo Yummy Muffins

(makes 12 regular size muffins)

Ingredients

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup milk

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

cinnamon (how ever much YOU like)

1 lightly beaten egg

1/4 cup oil

2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring

In a small bowl mix the oatmeal and milk, let sit for about 15 minutes

In larger bowl mix all the dry ingredients together.

In small bowl mix lightly beaten egg, oil and flavoring.

After the 15 minutes is up mix the egg mixture with the oatmeal mixture then pour into dry ingredients.

Stir just until all is moistened.

Fill paper lined muffin cups with mixture to almost the top. Pop in oven that has been preheated to 350.

Cook time is 25-30 minutes (or until toothpick in center comes out clean)

These are the best muffins to fix anytime and I do mean anytime. For breakfast, snack, dinner, dessert. These have ya covered and like I said ohhh soooo easy to make. You can add more ingredients like walnuts, raisins, apples, blueberries, and/or bananas. If you are wanting to use them as a dessert simply mix up some confectioner sugar drizzle (confectioner sugar, water, lemon juice) or even drizzle some sweetened condensed milk over the tops. I promise once you make one batch.....it will become a favorite recipe.

Happy Valentines!!!!

Regi

l'amour est dans l'air (Love is in the air)

Happy Thursday and welcome to my whimsical world under the old Southern ooaks tree. I hope that you will wander throughout to see just what I'm all about...hehe  (WARNING: I truly am a whimsy at heart and it shows)

L'amour est dans l'air......Love is in the air!! Well....I hope for all of us it's in the air all the time but that one day where it truly is all around us is almost upon us. Valentines Day!!

This cute card can be found at the Graphics Fairy

As those that visit here often, it's already known that I LOVE to decorate for any and all holidays. I say it's because of the kiddo but in reality....I will always decorate even when the Chazman is grown and out on his own. Of course, I'm sure I will have to remake my decorations because he has already informed me that HE is taking them ALL with him...hehe  (makes this heart feel so good that he loves them that much)

I didn't go overboard with Valentines decorations this year. If you remember, last year I decorated our Christmas tree I had left up....hehe......for Valentines and Mardi Gras. I didn't keep the big tree up this year and all my cute cards I made to go on the tree were given away last year. I did want to let my mister and my Chazman know that I love them both so I made a cute banner to remind them.

Simple and cute and YOU could make one too. If you are one of those "crafty" people (saying that in the good sense people..hehe) then I bet you have everything you need to make one. Here's what you'll need:

Digital image sheet music

Digital image word "LOVE"

glue

Fringe yarn, ribbon or twine

Red glitter gel pen

German glass

Fingernail polish (yes, you read that right)

My digital images for this project came from Free Vintage Digital Stamps

You probably can make this much easier than this old gal did but I am one of limited means. (which means the mister allows me a very small craft budget....mean old man) Here's what I did. I printed off the images using brown cardstock for the music hearts and then cut them out. Brown because it reminds me of chocolate AND it was the only color of cardstock I  had. I printed the word LOVE out on regular white paper, cut the letters out and then colored some of it with my red glitter gel pen. Glued the letters to the hearts, then poked holes in the hearts to run my fringe yarn through.

Once I had the hearts on the yarn I layed it out to look at it and decided it needed just a little "Umph". Ya know what the word "Umph" is meaning here, ri iight? Glitter or glass...love them both. For this project I decided to use some of my german glass. This is where the finger nail polish comes in....crazy I know but hey...it works. Just brush the polish on and then sprinkle some of the glass on. The polish makes it stick and seals it at the same time. 

It's so hard to get a good pic of the german glass but it does make the letters look vintage and pretty.

I let it sit for about 5 minutes and then hung it up on the mantle. Simple and cute!! It's not much but it says a lot to the mister and the Chazman. That I LOVE them. They know that already because I tell them that every single day but HEY....I got to decorate for a holiday!!

Did you notice the little heart flowers sitting on the mantle? Those are really easy to make too. A clothespin and some of those little glitter hearts you can get from the craft stores or the Dollar Tree. Just glue them on the top of the clothespin and you have a cute heart thingie...hehe

I hope that YOU have a wonderful day today and that tomorrow (Valentine Day) brings you chocolate!!!

Ohhhh, I found these at Free Vintage Digital stamps too and just had to share. I mean they are beach themed cards. I love anything BEACHY!!!! Hmmmmmm, wonder why? 

Until next time..............keep a shell in your pocket and some sand between your toes,

Regi

      

Not letting 2013 follow into the new year!!!

I'm one of those that never wants one year to follow me into the next. Good or bad, the past year is over and a new fresh one is beginning. With that being said, I was sitting and looking at my Christmas decorations late yesterday and decided that I wanted 2013 to stay in the past where it belongs so I needed to put all the decorations away so it could do just that. 

All are packed up and ready to go back out in the shed until next year. YEA!! I always hate when I first take them down because well......frankly....it makes the house look "NEKKID" for a bit. I know I shouldn't look at it that way. I should look at it as having a nice clean house back, which is a good thing. I have to admit though (looking around) that I did leave the small tree I had in the B&B room in the closet so that I can pull it back out next month and decorate it for Valentine's and then again for Mardi Gras and then again for Easter. Oh yes...I love to decorate a tree. If ya remember I kept the big tree up last year and decorated it for January and February, but decided it was just to big and took up to much room to do it again this year. Not to mention I used the January winter paper ornies I made on the Christmas tree and packed them up..hehe 

I do like  having my nice clean house back....I really do. I like having my teapot collection back out with Alice and her gang mingling in between. Just love Alice, Mad Hatter and March Hare!!!

 

Do you see (looking around AGAIN) the little pedestal in the corner? That's where I'm going to put the little tree on in February and March to decorate it..hehe  I'll actually get to decorate it February (Valentines) March (Mardi Gras) and April (Easter). It's going to be FUN!!!!

Since I was able to get everything done last night I had this morning to take the Chazman to get a much needed haircut. He wouldn't let me take a photo...he's being shy today. Awwwww!!!! Then we went to the library....we love the library and then to Stacey's and ate lunch. They have the BEST sampler platter of salads. Tuna salad, chicken salad and egg salad. It's so good it'll make ya wanna slap yo momma...but don't, please...that wouldn't be very nice. 

After we got home I decided that since I have some books to read that I wanted a pretty bookmark and since I have been going through my shell stash I found some pretty shells to make one with. I'm thinking about making some to put in the souvenir shop if I can find some more pretty shells. 

Now....it's a bit chilly (where's my lambswool blankie?) so I'm going to go snuggle up in my reading chair and read a bit. 

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

Regi

P.S.  I hope that everyone has a wonderful New Years Eve. Stay safe, don't drink and drive and remember that 2014 is going to be a very good year. A very good year indeed!!  Come and visit often because I plan on giving away lots of goodies this year BUT you have to come visit to find out what and when!!!

Creative Pay-it Foward

In January one of my VERY talented artist friends, Shirley Harris, posted this on her Facebook page.  

2013 Creative Pay-It-Forward: The first five people to comment on this status will receive from me, sometime in the the next calendar year, a gift. It could be anything-it will be a surprise-and it will be hand made by me. There will likely be no warning and it will happen whenever the mood strikes me. The catch? Those five people must make the same offer in their facebook status. Make sure you message me your address. This is going to be fun!!

I love to receive surprises in the mail and am so blessed to have friends that do send me surprise gifts from time to time and when it arrives it is usually at a time that I so needed it to happen. I simply could not resist the urge to pay this forward on my FB page as well. I didn't play along just to receive gifts so much (OMGOSH..who am I kidding, I already said I LOVE to get surprise gifts in the mail) but as a way to send gifts out to some of my fellow artistic friends. I had four friends that took up the challenge and I am so excited to be sending them something from me. I'm very excited to receive my gifts too and as a matter of fact....I have received two of mine already.

My sweet friend Janice sent this beautiful handmade gift to me when the Chazman and I were battling that gnarly, nasty flu bug. It came at the perfect time to pick our spirits up. Oh yes, the Chazman gets just as excited about receiving packages in the mail too.  (I tell him it is to both of us) She called it the "HEART IN A HEART". We unwrapped the pretty tissue paper and there was the cutest lil burlap heart with a tiny red rose on top. I was so happy with that, that I didn't even notice that it had something inside of it. The Chazman did though!! Inside the burlap heart was a beautiful paper art heart on a pretty ribbon necklace. We hung them on our Mardi Gras-Valentine tree so we could look at them and enjoy them together. They will both hang in my studio once I change the Holiday tree for next month. Thank you Jan!!

I have followed Shirley Harris's work for awhile now and I just love her whimsical art work. Talk about someone so surprised when we opened the box from her and found this AWESOME plague. I can hardly wait til spring gets here and I can hang it on my front door. Chaz is convinced that Ms. Shirley had us both in mind when she painted this for us. The ladybug and the chick are mine and the frogs are his. Thank you Shirley!!!

Now....I want to apologize for it having been several days since I have posted. Technical difficulties in life have kinda gotten in the way lately!! If you come to visit often then you know I have been working on the monster goodie bags for the Chazman to take to school tomorrow for Valentine's Day and that has taken up a good bit of my time as well. However....I finally finished getting them all put together this morning. Talk about "up to the last minute". Whew!!! Chaz is excited and wished that this morning was tomorrow morning so that he could take them to his classmates...LOL He is sure that they will really like them because we added some cool goodies....like the handmade friendship bracelets....the Heart Pop ring.....Sweet Tart mini hearts.....Fun Dip and a pencil. I tied the tag on the bag without knotting it so that they can open it without tearing it. I'm excited about tomorrow getting here myself...I want to hear how they went over. I had a big bag that I did a few little tags for and that's what all the small bags will travel in. Fingers crossed it isn't raining in the morning.....as it is now!!! Not complaining about the rain though...the Chazman and I love to dance in it!!!

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

Teacher's got a different bag ^_^

Good Morning!!! It seems that our walks to school in the mornings are "OUR" time to talk about things and our time sitting at the table in the afternoons playing Farkle. (yes yes we are hooked BIG TIME)  Chaz said he was really liking the goodie bags but really didn't think Mr. H (his teacher) and Mr. S (student teacher) would like the friendship bracelets. He was so cute once it came out of his mouth because he looked at me with the strangest look and started back peddling really fast. "Ohh no momma...they WOULD like them but I don't think they would wear them." He was so afraid he had hurt my feelings. Such a sweetheart...I'm telling you and any girlfriend in the future had better thank me for doing such a good job raising this southern gentlemen..hehe!!  Although, hmmmm...he has made a point and given me something to ponder on.

I thought about making them a bracelet out of twine or hemp but then thought that perhaps they might not be that kinda guy. NOT saying that in a negative way at all.....I dig seeing a man wearing a hemp bracelet but the look isn't for everyone. Now what can a man use everyday that I could make and still make it using my twine? AHHH HAAAA....a keychain!!

Another simple but AWESOME project. (if I must say so myself..hehe) Using the same macrame twisted square knot I tied making the friendship bracelets...I made these key chains.  I didn't want to put glass beads on these so I used one of my sterling silver starfish charms and one of our natural shells found on one of our beach walks. I do believe they will be surprised when they open up their monster bags. Of course, the heart POP ring and sweet tart hearts could surprise them too but then again....even us adults like candy!!!

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

Regi


I had an Ahhh Haaa moment a little while ago and realized that Chaz is changing classrooms and has another teacher he needs to remember plus his sweet speech teacher. So here's what will be in their Valentine's goodie bags.

Catch that MONSTER!!!

WOW...it takes some time to round up 25 little monsters but I did it!!! All the bags are completed and ready to have the goodies placed inside. Chaz decided that he wanted each bag to have the same thing inside so no ones feelings got hurt because someone got something different than them. Ahhhhhh, isn't my little man just the sweetest. YES HE IS!!! ^_^

Here's what the kiddos will be getting on Valentine's Day from the Chazman. Each bag will have a "Heart POP ring"....a little tissue paper bag with 3 sweet tart candy hearts inside and a handmade friendship bracelet.  Chaz decided that he really liked three of the sayings the best so I made tags yesterday. The ones he picked for the bags were (1) Have a MONSTER of a day!! (2) I only have EYES for you!! and last but not least (3) You're so COOL it's Scary!! I think he picked out three good sayings. The friendship bracelet was one I thought about yesterday after Chaz and I talked about the bags on our walk to school yesterday and him saying that he wanted all the bags to have the same thing in them. As soon as I walked in the door, I immediately started making them. They got the Chazman stamp of approval when he got home from school yesterday. Soooo, that's what I will be doing for the next few days...I'm sure!!

Simple little bracelets using the macrame twisted square knot...some glass beads and finishing it off with a sliding square knot closure. The candy will be gone in seconds but this bracelet they can keep and remember their friend....the Chazman!!

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


Psssttt.....if you are my 5th person to comment on this post then I will make YOU a friendship bracelet. Of course it will be a bit more grown up. ^_^

Who loves paper bags? WE DO WE DO!!!

Thank goodness the Chazman headed off to school this morning. OK OK that's not entirely true....he drug his feet on our walk to school and said that he didn't want to go....wanted to stay home with me...not leave me all alone. HEY..it almost worked too but I know that after missing a week with that gnarly, nasty flu bug that he didn't need to miss anymore. The thought was ohhhh so sweet though...ya gotta admit!!!

Sorry I didn't post any this weekend. Hope YOU  had a good one!! We were trying to rest and recoup so we could be ready for this week.  The Chazman and I played several games of Farkle (with real dice and everything..hehe) and UNO. He and I love to play games even if he does seem to always beat me. I do mean always too!! While we were playing he asked if I would make something special for his classmates for Valentine's. Of course, he knew I would....all....twenty-five.....of....them!! HAHA   Our budget is a bit tiny this month so I started looking in our stash to see just what I had available. Here's my list of items I found to make some really awesome (Chazman's word) goodie bags.  PAPER BAGS, GOOGLIE EYES, CRAYONS, GEL PENS, WATERCOLOR PENCILS, YARN and TAGS and oh yeah....glittery hearts.  I drew some monsters on a piece of paper (that's what Chaz wanted) then after his approval I started putting them together. What fun!! He sat and played with his science kit goo and created (a BIG MESS) while I worked. I drew on all the bags first. WHEW...it took awhile too. Then I took one (of many) and started decorating it. Here's three of them. HEY...it takes time to do these peoples and I'm just hoping I can get them all finished by the 14th. *GULP*

I'm going to punch a small hole on the top left side of the bag and tie a tag with multicolored yarn to it. I have some cute sayings picked out that are of course Chazman approved. ^_^

Have a Wild Valentine's!!

I'm CRAZY about you!!

You're so COOL it's scary!!

I only have EYES for you!!

Hope it's a MONSTER of a Valentine's Day!!

I have been buying candy for over a month to use for Valentines and I'm so happy that Chaz wanted these paper MONSTER bags. (kiddos will love these much better than candy in a baggie..I hope)  I'm thinking of making some of my small paper boxes and putting some of the candy hearts with sayings on them inside them. Perhaps a trip to the Dollar Tree and buy some pencils to go inside too. I love making the Chazman happy and he loves making his classmates happy. It's going to be a HAPPY Valentine's for sure!!

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

Regi, Chazman and the lil monsters!!!

February Holiday Tree is up!!

Well....we might be fighting that gnarly, nasty bug here but nothing and I mean NOTHING was going to make me break my promise to my Chazman about our Holiday tree. I promised him when we talked about doing this, that it would be changed out to it's new holiday the first of each month. A promise to your child is one that needs to be kept.

HAPPY FEBRUARY BY THE WAY!!!  February is a month with several holidays...like Ground Hogs Day which is tomorrow and Super Bowl Day which is Sunday (yes to some that is a major Holiday..hehe) There's Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day which we are celebrating with our tree. There's also Ash Wednesday and President's Day too. So many possibilities!!

A friend gave me a beautiful mesh ribbon wreath for my birthday this past October (thank you so much Shannon) and I have it hanging on my front door....sooooo...naturally, it is going to get decorated. ^_^  It is such a pretty wreath and I'm going to try and keep it looking that way and what better way than to use a pretty Mardi Gras mask and party horn and oh yes.....a few Mardi Gras beads that we caught in the past.

The Chazman got to choose which Holidays we had the tree represent this month. He picked very well I do believe. I wanted to pull the two together so I made two of my Mardi Gras paperdolls holding pretty glittery hearts. As well as making some cute little Valentine's paper tags and heart clothes pin holders.

What would Mardi Gras be without the laughing and sad jester's? We added those to our tree too....of course we had to separate them so no trouble would be cast about...one at the bottom, one at the top. HA!!

There is tinsel with happy carnival faces and strands of Mardi Gras beads all around the tree. We love it!! So happy that we decided to do this.

The Chazman has a special strand of beads that actually have the jester beads on it. The tree kinda overwhelmed it so we found a place that it would be seen and enjoyed. A new addition for this month to the tea party gang.

So that gnarly, nasty bug may have me down but so not out. I kept my promise to my little man and he is smiling brightly. He made my day when he told me that "I was the bestest mom in the world....cause I was making such AWESOME memories with him". Now that is the bestest medicine a mom could get when not feeling well. ^_^  

Happy February and until next time.............Hugs,
Regi

Art studio has become a BATTLEFIELD!!!

First off I want to "WELCOME" my new friends. So happy that you came to visit and decided to stay!!!
Keep coming to visit, as this year I'm going to be giving away some of my art...at least once a month.  No do this or do that....all that will be required is to simply post a comment. I will pick a post and then say which comment will receive the gift. Pick as in what number comment...like "the 5th person to comment on this post will receive a gift." This is my way of saying thank you for visiting and a way to share my art!!  ^_^

Now....let's talk about my title, shall we?  HAHA  Yesterday you will recall that it was my mermaid soul and faerie soul that decided to have it out. (my souls are my muses...I was cursed blessed with several) What a ruckus those two caused too. Remember ya'll left me with clay balls being thrown at me....not good..so not good. I wouldn't leave you!! Well....ok....I wouldn't leave but I have to admit I probably would be laughing so hard that....ummmm...yes...ok...I would help you!! Now while those two were battling it out and being distracted, my gypsy soul decided to take advantage and come out. She reminded me that she loves Valentine's day and wanted to add her flair to my art. I think her addition was quiet lovely...............

Bronze wire was used to make the heart and then attached with silver wire one of my 80 year old vintage red glass beads and a tiny glass message bottle. There is a handwritten note inside the bottle that simply states "I LOVE YOU".  The fish hook earring wire is bronze and they have bronze stoppers on the back so that you won't loose them.

The next pair are two hearts attached. (two hearts together make one heart in love) Bronze wire was used to make the hearts as well as to attach them together.  Then I used some more of the vintage red glass beads and a tiny silver glass bead. The fish hook earrings are bronze with the stoppers attached. I love bronze...it goes with both gold and silver....or at least I think so.

The last set is one simple heart with the vintage red beads and tiny silver glass bead attached. Perfect for Valentine's...ri iight? Oh who am I kidding...these would be perfect anytime. ^_^

Now...my mermaid soul has wandered in and is looking around and I do believe before she can get anything started that I am going to work on my little sea dragon.

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

Come and get your Desk Sitters!!!

I want to thank all of those that have left comments or sent me emails about our sweet Ms Peaches. It's amazing how words can make you feel like you aren't alone and that others understand and care. Again....thank YOU!!!  She still has not come knocking on the back door and the Chazman and I believe that she did knock on someone else's door and that was that of an angel. Our furbabies attach themselves to our hearts so fast and when they leave us they leave tiny little footprints that will remain with us forever.

Yesterday was such a dreary day here. Rainy, humid and just your good ole Southern weather. Heck fire, I had on my cotton gyspy skirt and a short sleeved tshirt BUT today is a totally different story. I have on my black warm pants and a  long sleeved shirt and *GASP* I even have socks and my crocs on. I know...I know, it's a shocker. I normally have my flip flops on with socks but I needed a little bit more warmth than that this morning.  ^_^   Now I know that some of YOU are probably laughing at me but when you are use to the humid warmer air even the least little bit of brrr makes us go BRRRRRRR!! (yes I am spoiled)

I spent the day detailing the little desk sitters. I think they turned out rather cute. They make the perfect little companion to sit on your desk at home or work. They can hold their little saying cards, to do list, memos or even a favorite photo.  I use to keep a dragon on my desk when I was working. You would be amazed how many of the men would pick it up and look it over, smile and put it back down. I was a safety/HR director for a transportation company and not many females about....just big, burly menfolk. (that apparently had a soft side for little dragons...hehe)  I love dragons and my muse is whispering that I need to make a bigger one again but that's for another post. Let's see how the DS gang turned out.

These would make great Valentine's gifts or just a little gift to tell someone you think of them. I have posted them in my Etsy shop for $5.50 plus shipping. I ship Priority mail but if you want it sent via First class then send me a message before you purchase and I will change the shipping for you. Each one will have it's own little handmade paper box with a pretty pompom made from vintage yarn.

Now...what to work on today?

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