What A Find

Hello my dear friends,

I just had to make a little post to share my latest find. I was out doing my grocery shopping and decided to just jump into one of the thrift stores I tend to visit and have a peek if there might be anything I could use and just before leaving I saw this bag with something large and white in it hanging off of a hook. I wasn't too sure what it was but figured that if I didn't want it I could always return it. And this is what it was ...

... a large roll of old lace!

Lots and lots of old lace!

Layer upon layer ...

of this beautiful vintage lace !!!

And to think I was thinking of returning it before I even bought it ... 

... and at $3.99 ~ what a find!!

Otherwise I haven't had too much time to create the past week ~ not even for one little Christmas creation! I am hoping once I have finally finished all my other chores, in and outside the house, I will find some spare time for me and making something lovely. Until then ... keeping stopping by and taking a look!

I hope you are well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

Wynken, Blynken And Nod

Hello my dear friends,

today I would like to share my newest creation with you and I am thrilled that it is now finished. It has taken me many attempts before I was happy with the result and I have been so very busy with my Mom still in hospital that I haven't been able to create much lately. On top of everything else she is now recovering from a nasty pneumonia. My family and I take one day at a time. 

I am not sure if any of you have ever watched the movie "Dennis the Menace" and seen the part where Dennis is having a sleepover at Mr. Wilson's house and Mrs. Wilson recites her favourite poem of  "Wynken, Blynken and Nod" to Dennis as he is trying to fall asleep. Since that day I have always loved this poem, well, actually it is a old dutch lullaby and not just a poem!

It was written by Eugene Field...

and here is a picture of the original sheet music to the lullaby.

Going back few weeks ago I was getting my out-of-house chores done when I went for a short stop at one of the thrift stores I visit and I saw a pair of small dutch wooden shoes. Unfortunately not thinking of my favourite poem I didn't buy them and of course when I had the idea for this creation they were gone! Wooden shoes aren't something you tend to find that often these days so I had to come up with a solution...

http://annwood.net/blog/

It was then I remembered Ann Wood ~  she makes the most amazing ships out of cereal boxes with fabric sails amongst other most beautiful creations! You should really go and visit her blog to see for yourself!

That's when I knew how to tackle my quest on how to get my hands on a "wooden shoe" without having to wait or search for long ~ I am not good at the waiting game when it comes to finding something I need for a creation! I sat down and started designing my wooden shoe made out of cardboard. I was hoping  to get it right the first time, but as they say " try, try again" I did and after several attempts I finally had what I wanted ~ not perfect but I liked it ~ my "wooden" shoe. The rest of this creation just came to me suddenly and I entered it into my idea little booklet where it stayed until it was time to become reality.

This is what I really love about a creation!

It is when this ...

... and this ...

... become this!!

My Wynken, Blynken and Nod creation!

I will let the pictures do the talking and hope you like what I have created.

I just love my little star punch! Combined with book pages and glitter ~ perfect stars!

I am so happy the way this creation came together and I can't wait to come up with a new idea for my next  creating adventure!

I hope you are all well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

More New Treasures To Share

Hello my dear friends,

I just have to share my newest findings with you ~ old and new ones. I took time out a few days ago from my garden work and ended up in an antique store where I found these two beauties!

They are soap tins!

One of them is made from tin and the other is made from brass. I am not sure what I am going to do with these but I just knew I had to have them!

This one has such a beautiful embossed design on the lid.

Not quite done with my shopping I went to Michaels the next morning for their "25% off anything you buy" sale and I found some really neat things from Martha Stewart.

She has the most amazing punches and I bought two of her newest Winter/Christmas themed ones. Can you believe it ... they were both 65% off the original price!!! What a buy!!

This is something really simple but very effective ...

take a bought card and just using the corner punch in the bottom corner.

I think it just gives the card a little something extra or ...

... you could also just go crazy!

The punches make the neatest little snowflake cut-outs. I already know that they are going to be very handy in some of my future creations.

Did you also know that Martha now has wool?!

I fell in love with this gorgeous colored wool and just had to have it and now I do!!

It is the most beautiful color that reminds me of cold frost clinging onto branches and glistening icicles, don't you agree? I can't wait to use some of this soon!

And last but not least ...

... I just wanted to share my beautiful tree with you. We've named her "Salisbury" ... here she is in all her Autumn beauty...

When the warm sun rays shine on her, her leaves almost look like they are made from gold.

I hope you are all well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

Today We Shall Remember

Hello my dear friends,

today we shall remember all those who fought for us and lost their lives, those who were injured and those who are still apart from their loved ones waiting to return home.

My husband is a retired soldier who served 24 years in the British army. 

We are one of the lucky families ~ he always came home ...

... many other families were not so lucky.

Today we remember those families all over this world and their loved ones that didn't come home ~ yesterday ... last week ... last month ... last year ... ten years ago or many more years ago.

Remember them ...

... and never forget ...

... where ever they may be.

I wish you all a peaceful day,

Karen B.

A Little Something That Made Me Happy

Hello my dear friends,

I would love to share something that made me happy these past few days. I like to take photographs once in a while when I see something that catches my eye, especially when it has anything to do with nature. I thought it would be fun to submit a photo or two to a local magazine called "The Beat" magazine that talks and showcases art in our city. There is a section called "the final frame" in which they print a photograph that was submitted by someone of a place in our city or surrounding area. I submitted one of my photo's ...

... and they decided to publish it!!

This is the cover of the November issue in which my photograph has been published.

And this is my photograph ...

... a beautiful tree in all it's color and glory of Autumn with a touch of glistening whiteness of Winter!!

I took this picture a few years ago when our city had a sudden snowfall over night which unfortunately claimed many trees that broke under the weight of all the snow on top. Thankfully there were trees that were fine. This beautiful tree is standing at a park on our street and I took it that morning walking my younger daughter Caylagh to school. It is such a beautiful sight!

I am still working very hard on my "old" design but yet again time is not on my side with many chores in and outside of home, so don't give up ~ I will finish it. It's just 'when' I can't tell you right now.

I hope you are all well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.