Swap, Sweets & My Studio!

Hello, Sweets! I've been so touched by all the sweet comments and the idea that anyone at all missed me while I was "away" from blogland! I know I missed all of you but it just warms my heart to know I was missed in return. :) Good gracious, we have so much to catch up on! I've been trying my darndest to catch up on all of your blogs and am slowly but surely making my way around to all my favorite spots. So with my Diet Coke here beside me, Daddy in charge of my cuties and Caedmon's Call blaring so that I don't hear the fussing/jumping off of things let's catch up a bit!

First of all, I'm a bit embarassed that this is the first chance I've had to talk about a super-fun swap I'm co-hosting with Miss Jenn of Sweet Eye Candy Creations! I'm thrilled to be co-hosting and having a blast creating for my SECRET pal. But I feel bad talking about the swap since it's ALREADY FULL! Jennifer introduced the swap and got it going since I was without the internet until last week and though we hoped for a good turn-out, we were totally shocked that it filled up in a matter of 2 or 3 days! So for those of you who are participating, thank you! And for those of you who might have liked to sign up but missed the opportunity, I'm really not trying to rub it in!!! LOL I have seen all sorts of great Valentine's Day swaps out there in Blogland so poke around and find a good one. I'm happy to point you in the right direction if you're not having any luck finding an open one.

Our swap, which we're calling "Jenn and Cheryl's Secret Admirer Valentine's Swap," is going to be super fun, as well as slightly different from the norm! * Swap is open for 40 people (eeek! full and then some!). Deadline to sign up is Jan 11th. The swap gift must be mailed by no later than Feb 6th. We want everyone to have their gift by Valentines Day.

* The swap must consist of three Traditional Valentines theme.
- Heart
- Cherub
- Chocolate

* One thing must be handmade- It can include all the elements, two, or just one. It can be an ornament, friendship pin, pretty decorative valentines day box, tussie mussie, ornament, collage, whatever your little heart desires. The chocolate can be a small box of chocolates you buy, or a simple candy bar.

The TWIST to the swap is after everyone has signed up, Jenn and I will draw a name for each of you and tell you WHO you are making your swap gift for and provide you with their home address. However, the receipent will NOT know who the swap gift is from, because the shipping box label will have your return address, but your name is NOT to be on the package, just your return address. Everyone must have their gift by Valentines Day in which we will host a virtual Valentines Day party. On that day all that have participated in the swap must post on their blog pictures of the swap gift THEY made, and WHO their secret admirer IS. The fun part will be searching and visiting EVERYONES blog to see who YOUR admirer is that sent you your swap gift. Does this make sense? RECAP.... We assign you a name, you make and mail the swap gift, but with NO name attached only return address. Than on Feb 14th we have a virtual party, and everyone involved in the swap can post their pictures on their blog of who their secret admirer is they made the gift for. The fun part is searching and looking at all the participants blogs to find YOUR admirer.

We will host a fun Valentines Day party the anyone can attend. Feel free to post pics of your Valentines Day home decor, flowers if you receive them, children, candy, your IDEA of a romantic Valentines date with your sweetie. ANYTHING that fills your heart with love!

THANK YOU KRIS HURST FOR THE ADORABLE SWAP BUTTON!!!! :) Kris has been working on some pretties for me, too, which I can't wait to show you in another post...she is amazingly talented.

Well I promised a peek at my brand new studio so I must deliver! These will only be "corners" since the room as a whole is not.....er....camera-ready. There are still boxes of fabric and piles of paper and STUFF all over. I want to organize it but of course am working on projects at the same time, so it may be a while till I show the room in its entirety. But until then I can't wait to show you some nooks and crannies of this sweet little room! I'm just in LOVE with it, Sweets!

My Crazy Desk! I doubt it will ever be anything BUT crazy, except for a few times a year when I get the urge to really ORGANIZE. But that's what this room is for, right?? A place to spread out in....a place to leave unfinished projects out where I can SEE and TOUCH them...a place I can close the door to and come back again later and find everything just as I left it! (Lianne....that's your yummy fabric book there in the wood tote! It's turning out so cute!)
Here's the top shelves on my desk. We found this desk DEEPLY discounted at Mor Furniture a few months ago and snatched it up. It has a few invisible dings that I can easily overlook and the price was AMAZING. I just love the sweet shabby-chic style!
A few of my pretties that are inspiring me right now! A little pincushion my friend, Pat, made (shaped like a shoe!), a vintage spool holder, vintage millinery rose my sister Whitney gave me, a tiny vintage cupcake topper ballerina from Cerri, some vintage milinery forget-me-nots (the tiny blue flowers), the "Dream" collage Karin gave me, some pink glass glitter from Heather and some vintage girl/doll prints by Bessie Pease Gutman in the background. I'm going to frame the Gutman prints and hang them here in the studio. Sooooo sweet!

One of my Christmas presents was this "dolls" sign by littlebrownhouse. I love it! My Mama called us "Doll" growing up and now I call my girls my "dolls"....and my clothing line for girls is called "DOLL....for yours"!My sweet "Chic" hat from Dara and a pair of little ballerina slippers I embellished with vintage and new flowers!My own "Charlotte" piece by Jenny and Aaron...another wonderful Christmas present I got from my mama! The little ballerina box is something I made recently, too.And here's a GORGEOUS pillow Pat sent me. It has that same lovely Gutman print! I adore it, Pat. Chenille everywhere and vintage trims, crocheted flowers and pretties everywhere. The chair is one my mom found by the side of the road! I am going to paint it white....or pink....haven't decided. In the background is a vintage sewing machine cabinet my mom gave me that is GORGEOUS. I am seriously considering painting it, as well. Above is a really fab vintage armoire my mother-in-law gave us that is my new "store"! It has a sweet little hanging area in it that is perfect for hanging my clothing designs, as well as all my packaging materials down below. I have supplies in the drawers, too. It's such a dear little piece and I am thinking about painting the inside of it white and putting some repro decals on the outside of the drawers.

These are three SCRUMPTIOUS fabric bins by Rachel Ashwell sitting at the ready! I Love having containers to put different projects in. I am a very "fickled" crafter and like to have LOTS of projects going at once. So these will help to contain each project in its own little spot but also have each one VISBLE. Out of sight, out of mind, after all!

And I've got THESE on my feet.....one of my favorite Christmas presents! I got to shop for myself a bit and when I saw these on etsy I just about screeched. I ADORE this pink ticking pattern, as well as that scrumptious teal "dumb dot" print by Michael Miller. I was hoping I'd like them in person but a little concerned....sometimes ordering shoes online doesn't go so well for me. But oh my gosh....they are WAY cuter in person than in the pics! Rush over HERE and get some for yourself! They are so cute and comfy.

And LOOK AT THIS! I SQUEALED when I opened the package yesterday! This was made for me by my dear friend, Jennifer Pafford, who doesn't have a blog (yet!) but who is soooo very crafty and sweet. She sent me tons of goodies that I don't have photos of yet but I just HAD to show this lovely piece off. I think I have talked her into making custom plaques like this to sell so if you are interested in one of your own, email me and I'll hook you up with Jennifer!

The lighting isn't great here but the frame and the lettering are in the palest shade of green! I just love it. Thank you, Jennifer!

And since I'm on the subject of sewing and crafting, here is my latest tussie mussie! I hand-embroidered this sweet little birdie seamstress from a vintage pattern. I just love how it turned out! The ruffle and yo-yo is in a yummy repro ticking fabric and the button was made/embroidered by me. The "strap" and bow are vintage seam binding. Also included is the sweet pair of vintage scissors and matching thimble in a yummy blue! This darling set would be perfect in your sewing room or studio, don't you think?? I am going to give my blog readers first dibs on this sweetie and then I will put it in my etsy shoppe. It is $40, (that includes shipping for YOU, Sweets!), and includes all 3 pieces you see in the photos....
Hanging in my studio window!That's my daughter's school across the street! Well Sweets, that's it for now! I have several shelves for my DH to hang for me and goodies to put on them so I'll have to show you some pics every once in awhile as I make more progress. In the meantime I'll be choosing curtain fabric and making lots of pretties here in my new space...thanks for "visiting" with me here....