Giveaway Winner & Yummy Monday: Nesting

And the winner of my 1ooth Post Giveaway is.....Cathy of Treasured Heirlooms! Congratulations, Cathy! Send me your address and I'll post this little sweetie right out to you!

In case you are HEARTBROKEN that you didn't win this piece ;) please don't do anything drastic. Never fear, I would love to make a custom piece just like this one for you. Just email me and we'll make a plan! :) And as I mentioned last week, I will also be offering some "kits" to make some little Valentine Shadowboxes like this yourself, in case you're a DIY kind of gal. Here's a peek at Kit #1, called "Dearest," which features another one of those sweet little vintage bisque dolls in a tiny antique baking tin, gorgeous little vintage jewlery piece and even the "dearest" snippet which is actually from a 1922 love letter! There will be more kits to come.....they'll be in my etsy shoppe later this week....

Now for our YUMMY MONDAY excursion where I take you on a little trip through cyberspace to see all the yummiest treats that have caught my eye of late....

As you may know from my recent posts, I have a "New Nest" that I am busy "feathering" these days. It is so lovely and I am so grateful for it. So I thought it would be fun to have a Yummy Monday post with the theme of NESTS. Hope you enjoy it!
And look who volunteered to take us on our little trip? A dear little bird and her sweet companions.....so hop on, Sweets, and off we go!YUMMY THING ONE: The Dack Family by Kris Hurst

This is my new favorite thing here in my nest! I asked Kris Hurst who is OH-SO-TALENTED to make a custom piece for me with the theme of "Our New Nest." She came up with this and I just couldn't be happier! This is going to be framed next to our front door. I also had her design some similar change-of-address cards to send out to friends and family and I am equally pleased and delighted with them! She is just amazing.

YUMMY THING TWO: Bird Nest Tag by Bluebirdlane

Wouldn't this be lovely attached to a house-warming gift or even a baby gift? YUMMY THING THREE: Our Nest sign by Nesting Designs

Now isn't this sweet? I love the font and that little bird perching on the "t" is just the sweetest touch!

YUMMY THING FOUR: Magnolia Nest Print by Hadley Hutton

There is something really special about this print, don't you think? I love the kind of dream-like quality of this piece and the colors are so "me." Gorgeous.

YUMMY THING FIVE: Nesting Box by Holly Doodle Designs

I am just as smitten as I could possibly be with this precious piece by the very-talented Holly! She made this for herself but she says she is going to be making these boxes on a custom basis for others, as well. I will be first in line, Miss Holly! This is just such a beautiful, touching piece of art with a really special (and emotional!) message behind it. I adore it.

YUMMY THING SIX: Nest for Pins by Lily Cottage

Linda of Lily Cottage was my very first swap partner in my very first swap and has since become one of my "favorites" here in blogland. She and her business partner, Laura, make some of the sweetest little creations! Here is one of their latest pieces. So whimsical and lovely, girls!

YUMMY THING SEVEN: Bird Nest Pendant by Starry Designs

I have one very like this one and it is one of my favorite possessions. So simple and understated...smaller than a quarter. But it's pretty on AND it has a very special meaning. It represents my 3 sweet babies!

Well that's it, Sweets! That dear little bird is winging us home but I DO hope you'll be coming along next Monday for another Sweet Trip....

Have a lovely day and a wonderful week!

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....

I'm Back! Yummy Monday, 100th Post Party & A Giveaway!

Well Hello, Sweets! Did you think I "fell in," as my mother would say?? OH gosh...I nearly DID "fall in," Sweet Friends! Here's what has happened since I last blogged:

-A move to a lovely new nest

-Found out no phone hook-up (should have been done during construction....) which of

course meant NO INTERNET!!!!

-Christmas

-Baby abruptly stop nursing, leaving me painfully engorged. I was seriously considering

nursing anyone or anything. No joke.

-I got very sick with a flu

-Finally got phone line/internet hooked up last week....a full 3 weeks after moving in

So by some miracle, I am back, mostly in one piece, SOOOOO very grateful and feeling quite blessed and happy. I have MISSED YOU, Sweets! It has been a good little hiatus and I feel grateful for the perspective it brought me. I am hoping to be a bit more "balanced" in 2008 and quitting all my internet "doings" cold turkey (albeit not willingly!) kind of forced me to begin to move toward that.

But GUESS WHAT?????? I am writing this from my NEW STUDIO! Glory Hallelujah! I am quite simply and totally IN LOVE with this lovely little room. I only wish you could all visit me in it. I will show piccys very soon....later this week, I think.

But today is something very special that takes priority over even a new studio.....

As promised, it's my 100th Post Party & Giveaway!

100 posts....can you believe it? I was absolutely floored when I realized I had posted 99 times. Wow! What a lovely few months it has been and I feel so lucky to have met so many lovely new friends and made so many wonderful connections in such a short period of time. This party is about YOU, Sweets!This post is to thank YOU for being here, whether you just arrived for the very first time or have been with me from the beginning.

I started blogging, thinking it would be fun to comment back and forth with my friend, Lauren, who moved up north and kept talking about her blog and how much fun she was having with it. She sent me to look at lots of pretty blogs and we would talk about them but I never imagined that I would actually have a blog myself. One day I decided to give it a whirl and was SHOCKED by how simple it was....and how fun! Very quickly I found other like-minded gals blogging, flickering, etsying, swapping and the rest of it....oh what fun! And before I knew it I had linked to all sorts of wonderful places and other people had linked to me and now here I am, having my 100th Post Party. Wonder of wonders! All of this is because of YOU, blogland, and because of that I am going to not only have Yummy Monday but also give something away. Hang in there with me through all my yummies, because the very last Yummy on my list is something I'm going to give away....

So get ready, get set, and here we go!

YUMMY THING ONE : Vintage-Inspired Baby Album by SilverSpoonScraps

Now isn't this precious? You must go look at this listing for all the delicious details. And this seller's store is worth perusing, as well. She's a girl after my own heart!
YUMMY THING TWO: Vintage Refrigerator Drawer by Summersdarling

Pat (who has a really fun blog I love to visit!) has a whole group of matching pieces in her store but this one is my favorite of the bunch. Isn't this perfect for keeping crafty goodness in?

YUMMY THING THREE: Vintage Cup by Time*Goes*By

Dear little cup! Perfect for housing little doo-dads or for display in a little (or big!) girl's room. And the price is right!

YUMMY THING FOUR: Vintage Children's Vanity

I hesitated to show you this one. I had to really mull over whether I could find a spot for this in MY house before I showed it to anyone else. But alas, there is not even a corner! But isn't it just the most darling thing you have ever seen??? A sweet little matching tuffet out of some vintage barkcloth would be just the ticket.

YUMMY THING FIVE: Valentine Cupcake Picks by thecanster

These look like such fun! Whether for Valentine's Day baking or crafting, these are definitely adorable.

YUMMY THING SIX: Sweetest Trench Coat by Gymboree

I am seriously depressed that this coat doesn't come in a grown-up size and that my girlies have more coats than there are days to wear them. But for the coatless cuties in your house, consider this treat...YUMMY THING SEVEN: Cupcake Dress by Gymboree

I got this for my three-year-old for Christmas and honestly, I would be o.k. if she wore this every day of the week. She is simply scrumptious as it is, but in this coat (and the matching hat), she is downright edible. This sweetie is on sale, so hurry over and get one while they're still hot!YUMMY THING EIGHT: Vintage Trinket Box

I don't know what it is, but I just love this. I think it's the little gal's face, which is positively DEAR, as well as the way her skirt is spread as if she's sitting on the box. I have NO CLUE why her shirt is the color it is, but even that is charming in its own way! Plus I am just a container fanatic if you haven't realized that before now!YUMMY THINGS NINE AND TEN: Myrtle & Girdle Valentine Pretties by Rosey Posey Confections (ME!)

Meet Myrtle and Girdle. These chubby bird friends are just so happy to have found one another...who knew there was another bird out there who was just as chubby and polka-dotted as they? These sweet pieces are part of my DOLL collection for girls. Bubblegum pink tee or dress, custom-designed in YOUR doll's size. Will arrive at your doorstep with size and hang tags for gift-giving. See my etsy shoppe or email me for ordering details!

AND NOW.....drumroll please....

YUMMY THING ELEVEN: "You're a Doll" Vintage Valentine Shadowbox (a.k.a. THE GIVEAWAY!)

This piece is actually the prototype for a kit I'll be offering very soon...more details later this month. I've had this concept in my head for MONTHS and finally found all the bits and pieces I wanted. I have several of these itty bitty little vintage bisque dolls (they are only about 1.5" tall!), some vintage wallpaper like you can see as the background of this piece, vintage German glass glitter, vintage millinery flowers, antique jewelry and even old love letters from the 1920's! But what I'm giving away is this already-finished piece. The entire piece is only about 5" tall and can either sit or hang from a velvet ribbon loop.

I can't wait to get these kits into my store, hopefully in the next week or two. I think you'll love creating your own little heirloom piece, either as a gift or something to use in your own home. But I thought I'd give away my very first piece in this "series" in honor of my 100th post!

So the way this giveaway will work is that I will wait until this coming Sunday (that gives you nearly a week) at 10 p.m., when I will draw a name from all of those who have commented here or on any other posts I do this coming week, and I will announce NEXT MONDAY who has won!

Thank you again, dear friends, for all you say, do and write here on my little bloggy! I had no idea I would be blessed so much by all of you!

BIG HUGS and MUCH LOVE to each of you....

Cheryl :)