The Latest Buzz At My House

A couple of days ago I got the cutest package in the mail – a sampler made just for me by Debbie of Kitten Creates.  She had looked over my blog and figured out some of my favorite things.  Let's see….Pink? check…Teal…love it….Yellow Roses? doesn't any Texas gal love them… Buttons? of course….little 50s cowgirls? what could be cuter????  So Debbie mixed them all up and out came this adorable sampler.  Look at how the lace makes the stems for the roses. 

That's not just any little cowgirl in her little cowgirl outfit and maryjanes…that's Debbie herself.  Aww – she dreamt of being a cowgirl or an artist.  Guess which one she grew up to be?  She inherited her Grandmother's sewing skills and

is also a jewelry designer.  She sent along this beautiful pink necklace with another of my favorite things…bluebirds!  I love it sooo much,

Thanks a million, Debbie.  And while I'm thanking people, I wanted to thank, Dana for these darling Valentiney gifts she sent.  I love the bookmark and look at this handkerchief.  Soooo pretty.  Don't you love RED??? 

Look what else came with the hanky and bookmark!  Something Pink, naturally.   The Stone Rabbit has his own personalized pens!  He sent me two of them!  It was nice of him to put Dana's name on there also but she does lug him around all sorts of places and that can't be easy.  Well I just think it's so clever.

It's been a wonderful mail week for me.  My little ceramic family is growing.  Here's their latest family picture.

They are all '50s and '60s folks and I should never name them because…well…then they're family!  So from left to right….The Snappy Snails, Silas and Sally,  the three bees, Sleepy, Sting and Honey and the newest member of the bluebird family – Flora.  The whole group wants to wish you all a happy Pink Saturday!
Thank you Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for this weekly get together.  Let's go visit everyone else now!
xoxo Nancy

Love Is In The Air

Have you ever seen such sweet little faces???   This adorable couple is saying it all with their eyes. They are Snappy Snails made by Enesco. 

Can't you just see her batting those big beautiful eyelashes at her dapper little snail boyfriend? 

I don't know  if I can bear to part with them!  They were originally supposed to go in The Roost but they love living right here with me! Oh sigh…what to do?

I'm joining Cindy's Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic  Home – be sure and stop by there!

xoxo Nancy

Low Tea With The Queen

What would one do if the queen were coming for tea?  and one forgot???

I'd quickly grab the closest teapot and hope for a miracle.

We'd need cream and sugar.

I'd set my table with all the royal purple I could find! 

And hope the queen wouldn't mind drinking from a pretty mug.       

I'd set my table with Bavarian plates and Holmes and Edwards Danish Princess silverware.  And I would explain that I simply forgot that the queen was coming for tea!  I'm sure she would understand!

I'm joining Laura at Decor To Adore for her High Tea Party! 

California Girl

A swap hosted by Linda – A Swap For All Seasons – is just too hard to resist.  So when she announced her Winter Sampler Swap I immediately signed up.  I should think these things through!  I'm not a stitcher!  I was lucky  to get a fun and forgiving partner.  An Ohio gal who loves and misses the ocean and loves all things hot and colorful – Mexico and Dia de los Muertos.  A child of the 50s who grew up to be a hippie chick! 

This was really tough for me – I was worried!  That's when I found my Worry dolls…do you remember these?  They're from the eighties and these were on a hair clip I had so I pulled them off and put them to work worrying for me.  This is what I came up with.    French knots, a cut up calender towel, a dia de los muertos sugar skull, some groovy mushroom trim, bright yellow crocheted trim, embroidered tablecloth flowers and leaves.  If  your lazy daisy doesn't work out switch to butterflies!  Add some trims

and on the back cover up those messy stitches with

a little help from some Rotarians!  My swap partner was so much fun – we got to discuss Housewives of Beverly Hills and that wack job Allison Dubois. (Holy cow – did anyone see that dinner party at that she devil Camille Grammer's house?) Back to the swap…Debbie's blog is Kitten Creates and she is just that – creative! Check out her Etsy.
Today, I'm joining My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday and
Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday.
Have a wonderful weekend.  xoxo Nancy

Dolly Dingle Valentine Exchange

Move over Oprah and Oprahs favorite things!  This Valentine exchange has been one of my most favorite things ever!  I was so very excited when I read about Elizabeth's offer to make a Valentine  in exchange for one sent to her.  Seriously! I've always wanted something made by her so I jumped at the chance.  Then I was offered the opportunity to host a sidebar swap with 5 more people.  Lucky for me I got confused and ended up with 6 more.  I had three Lindas who signed up.  My lifelong friend LaVerne, my best blog buddy Dana both signed up and then lucky me…Laura Ingalls Gunn signed up.  I didn't realize Laura was Decor To Adore – one of my favorite blogs.  So let's get to it and I'll show you all the fabulous valentines I received.

 Elizabeth at Bluebird Papercrafts.  When I found Elizabeth I hadn't been that excited since I got my first Mary Englebreit magazine!  She completely astounds me with her talent. I will treasure this forever, E!

 Laura at Decor To Adore  sewed this beautiful card.  It's perfection, right?  Read my post from yesterday if you are looking for inspiration…Laura is it!!

   

LaVerne at Riverside Studios  LaVerne and I have known each other so long we craft alike!  Unbeknownst to each of us we both used original German scraps!  I love this triptych card she created.  A map, a castle…so creative.

Linda @ Lambsworld  - her card just took my breath away.  Look at the envelope which was adorable all by itself and then she stitched a gorgeous envelope for the card.  Absolutely adore the whole package!

Linda at Linda Ruthie's Aprons  made the sweetest, softest card. So many little details and again – a beautifully crafted matching, lined envelope.  Isn't it gorgeous?  I love it sooo much.

Linda at Linda's Felted Folksies  card is pinkalicious!!! I love the ric rac and crepe paper and bluebirds which happen to be one of my favorite things in the world. 

Dana at The Stone Rabbit  claims she isn't a papery person but she's a fraud! She's a fabulous paper artist and look – I think the little bunny on the front is one of The Stone Rabbits ancestors.  I wish you could see the ecru colored crepe paper better.  I love the storybook background and the message on the back is one I'd like to send to each of you also.

I hung it so I could see it from both sides!

and it reads….

and here  are  the valentines sent to my very special seven.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your beautiful creations.  I treasure each and every Valentine and

each and every one of you.

Thank you Elizabeth for this wonderful bloggy Valentine's Day Party!

 

Valentine Swap

The award for Most Amazing Swapper in the role of Queen of Valentines goes to….tada

Laura Ingalls Gunn!

Laura and I did a one on one swap for Valentine's Day and I was the lucky recipient of a beautiful box of heartfelt goodies.

A beautifully presented box was packed with the most gorgeous of handmade things.

This altered heart candy box as you can see is all done up in vintage soft pinks.

packed inside were all sorts of ephemera….cupcake toppers, ballerinas, tickets, stamps, tags….gah!

A vintage hair comb, appliques

ribbons

and pins and birdies OH MY!

   

This is the most original clever creation.  Akin to an Engish "cracker" it's a pine log  

and she "Pines" for me – haha. 

When I opened the end out tumbled more goodies.

There was yet another little white heart and a huge bag of chocolates.  Thank you sososososososo much, Laura.  I appreciate every sweet touch you put in this beautiful box. 

I'm just thrilled to have all this fabulous Pinkness to share with all my Pink friends.  Happy Pink Saturday to all of you and to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound.

Laura's blog is Decor To Adore and you definitely want to stop by to see all the eye candy she has.  Also – she has the most inspiring story of perseverance and her journey to become the woman she is today. 

Stop back tomorrow when I'll be showing all the gorgeous Valentines that I've received in the Dolly Dingle Valentine Exchange.   xoxo Nancy

February Happy Homemaker Tag A Long

My theme this month for a "Year of Celebrations" is Chinese New Year.  This is the "Year of the Rabbit" and if you want to read the sign you were born under just go here!  It's so interesting.

Anyway, that's not why I've gathered you all here today. haha  Here's how I went about putting this little tag together.

Last year I had ordered a package of the thinnest tissue paper diecuts I'd ever seen direct from China!

Too thin to use as is they had to be put on something to keep from tearing so I had…

I added a small scrap of red and pink scrap paper (not shown here) and need to find another!

I wanted to give the illusion of two little girls standing in front of a temple.  The gold foil dresden trim lanterns and the pink and red flocked paper reminded me of some I've seen in Chinese restaurants.  I hinged the large lantern because……………….

 

I wanted…….

 

to give it….

 

MOVEMENT!

So  that's it! This little tag is right at home with my Valentine display. Two tiny hearts are my nod to Valentine's Day.

To my Year Long Tag A Long partner Scrap For Joy, to our host Elizabeth at Bluebird Papercrafts   and to all my fellow "taggers" I want to wish you all a  Happy Valentine's Day!

We have a blog for the Happy Homemaker TagALong Swap and I think it's a wonderful idea.  I'm going to put up a link in my sidebar  or just go here to see all of us who are lucky enough to be tagging along!

Until March…

xoxo Nancy

Sukiyaki???? As Loretta Lynn would say "and Patsy if yer listenin'…but make that Barbara…this songs for you! LOL

Facebook

Gosh – what did snowbound people do before facebook?

Last night we got an inch and one half of snow. Right here in Central Texas!!  (Did I hear a collective groan north of the Red River???) 

 

  I'm so busy nosing into everyone's business over there I haven't had time to do anything for Pink Saturday! 

Yesterday I met a fellow Valleyite (Valleyite…person from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas)  

through blogging – Ladybug Creek -  and found her on FB.  I'm "friends" with people from my old elementary school and junior high and high school.  Just talked to a "kid" who used to spend half his time at our house – he's been married for 16 years now!

And I've seen everyone's rare Texas snow pictures and their dogs!

(Ladybird Johnson)

Lillie waiting on Iris.

And chitchatted with my blog buddy Dana of the Stone Rabbit.

And I wonder why I never get stuff finished!!!

Happy Pink Saturday and Happy Snow Day!  To see much more productive blogs go visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound.   I'm unplugging now – really – I am!