Embellishing - making it even more attractive!

In our shopping yesterday, I found this adorable burlap covered deer.  Notice the burlap has been printed with sheet music.  And you can't really see, but it is glittery!!!  Found this at the florist shop here in town, so it's brand new.  I simply couldn't resist!

Colleen got these at Hobby Lobby and I "borrowed" them from her.  LOL!

Found this little ornament at the florist:

and of course, they had this gorgeous glittery bow that I had to have!!!

So I embellished the deer!  Now don't bother asking what goes on in my mind when I see things, but I knew that original deer was great, but just too plain for me!

I took apart the spray I "borrowed" from Colleen and hot glued each individual piece allowing them to drape from the antlers in the exact position I wanted.  I put that gorgeous bow on the back and removed the greenery from the front.  (Yes, there are those who say I'm quite dangerous with a hot glue gun!!!  LOL!!!)

I added a bit of greenery from yesterday's project around the neck, added the ornament to the front, and added more glitter balls from the spray to the ornament to give it dimension.

She's going to be a perfect addition to my winter decor on the dining room table!

I may take her back to the florist just to show them what I did with items I purchased from them.  My advice, don't go to this shop!  I guarantee you will want everything in site!  It's a Touch of Love Florist on S 9th st here in town.  Their website doesn't do them justice as I happen to think they are one of our truly hidden secrets!!!  The store is so much more than what the website presents!

Hoping that you will start looking at things as how they might become with just a little bit of imagination and embellishment!!!

Rearranging Life

What do you do when you have to rearrange your life?  Well, I gave it some thought and decided to play with that thought a little bit!  How many times have you gone to a thrift store or a garage sale and wondered what happens to all those out-dated flower arrangements???  This one was $1.99 and pretty old and dusty:

Start by taking it all apart.  Pile each type of flower/leaf/green piece into it's own cluster:

If you want, make some silk ribbon flowers, or even flowers out of old netting to add to your new arrangement:

Then, sort of put them together how you think you like them.  I do this on a craft sheet.  I can easily start over and try this a hundred different ways.  Obviously, I've decide to only use the white flowers and green leaves for this project:

Next, I took 6" wide white netting and wrapped it around my craft sheet which is on a glass mat.  The weight of the glass mat held this in place.  I can then place a drop of warm glue (I no longer use a hot glue gun as it's a weapon for anyone over 60!!!) on the netting.  Place a flower on it and press down.  When the glue cools, you can easily pull the netting and flowers up off the table.  Pretty darn cool!!!

 And when it's all put together......doesn't this look much better than that old arrangement I picked up at the thrift store?  And it cost me $1.99!!!

I did add a cut little dove....and of course, some stickles glitter.

For now, it's an arch over a painting mom did. But I'm getting new furniture for the bedroom and everything will get moved which means I'll be rearranging what's on the walls....puttying holes, painting.....

it just NEVER ends!!!  LOL!!!  But oh!  what fun!!!

Jubilation!!!

A week ago, I had a lumpectomy done.  I've known about the lump since March.  But with the move, Kerry's health, Mom's health.....and just life....I guess I didn't know how much I was worried about this until the surgeon called and said the all the cells were benign.

Who knew one could feel such jubilation??  Such praise to God for His grace and glory!  Kerry and I celebrated most of the day.

How?  By driving 9 miles to a neighboring village and having lunch at a BBQ place we had seen.  And then I spent 2 hours wondering through the antique stores this little place is known for.  More about all that later.

I came home inspired to play.  I'd seen this done in one of the cute little shops.

Take old lace that you have and wind it up loosely, then pinch one end and tie a ribbon around it real tight.  Fluff open the other end and it sort of looks like a flower!  I did it with some old doilies first:

used 2 doilies for each little flower

And I took apart some silk flowers to add to the mix

Thinner lace looks a little like rose buds

And I made a rose from silk - you can buy it by the yard from Creative Impressions

and then I stuck it all in a cut glass bowl I picked up at the thrift store ($.99)

It's great to go antiquing if you want to get inspired!  And what a great way to store my unused lace.  Now, if I look at it every day, how long until I decide to use it?  One must live in creative surroundings in order to live a creative life!!!

Right there in front of me!

Do you ever have a light bulb moment? When the light in your brain finally flashes on? LOLOL!!! Well...I wanted velvet flowers. Little tiny ones. Couldn't find any anywhere. But I had this big pile of old flowers in little bags in a box in Lucy's Little Store. Of course, they didn't sell, and last week, I even tried to give them away and no one took me up on it.


So last night, I decided to take a closer look at them and see what I could do with them....a little undu...and my iron!


Look at this!  Gorgeous satin and organza flowers!!!


And there were TEN tiny velvet flowers in the lot!  Exactly what I needed!


When I first looked at this one, I almost gave up.  But I decided to go ahead and take it apart.....

And the results are fabulous!

This was my best surprise....a tiny rose...

And I ended up with 5 flat flowers!!!

Well, you now know that I'll be off to thrift stores tomorrow in search of more tiny flowers that I can take apart with undu, iron flat....and reuse on projects!  I'm not the least bit worried about the centers as I can use brads or rhinestones.  But I'm looking for white or cream flowers that I can airbrush.

Funny how some things can be right in front of you for ages and you don't even "see" them!!!