lilly cakes

Embellished Napkin Rings

2011-12-28T20:59:00.006-05:00

This year for Christmas I wanted to make something special for my friend and artist Cassandra but I was having the hardest time deciding what to create. Cassandra is so talented and makes everything and makes it so beautifully that I thought what on earth could I give her that she hasn't already made or doesn't already have a bazillion of. Well one day recently while scouring a thrift store I came across a set of napkin rings. They were cheap looking avocado green straw rings but I saw some potential. I knew I could make them into something special for Cassandra to use for her tea parties. I brought them home and began the transformation. I wrapped them in strips of white cotton fabric then embellished them with lace, seam binding ribbon, silk roses, and vintage millinery.

I picked up a set of lace edged, embroidered vintage napkins at an antique store to give her with the napkin rings.

Today I gave the napkin rings and napkins to Cassandra and I was overjoyed that she loved them...they are pretty sweet, in fact, I think I need a set now ;) xoxo, Molly

2011-12-25T22:42:00.007-05:00

Silent night, holy night!

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child!

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace!

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight!

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Saviour is born!

Silent night, holy night!

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth !"

(our tree)

Christmas Blessings!

Love, Molly

2011-12-24T01:11:00.027-05:00

Here it is, Christmas Eve and I am finally getting around to sharing my Christmas decor. Get ready for picture overload. I haven't crammed like this since the night before a big exam in college!

This is my kitchen window, the focal point of the room. Can you believe that doll house?! While I was visiting my Great Aunt Sarah this past spring I went on a treasure hunt in her attic. My cousin Cynthia and I found her doll house from the 1940's and she gave it to Lilly! I also came across a box of felt sequin and embroidered ornaments and light switch covers Cynthia had handmade in the 70's. I fell in love with them. I hung them on the garland all around the window. (Cynthia, if you are reading this, thank you for all of your pretties, love you) The large bottle brush candy canes are from Marshalls this year.

A favorite corner in my kitchen

This wreath was my grandmothers and means so much to me. She hung it in her home every Christmas that I can remember. The fruit was originally on a foam wreath form but through the years so much of the fruit had crumbled that this year I finally carefully removed all of the fruit and attached it to a green wreath. I hope this will help preserve it for many more years to come. I love this guy vintage handmade frosty found at a thrift store years ago Anthropologie cupcake ornaments backed with a vintage tin plate my vintage Christmas apron collection makes me smile :) vintage Christmas pin cushions even my terrarium is decked out with a cute little vintage deer and pine trees This little tree sits by my side of the couch where I read and watch television. I love the little stockings crocheted by my husband's grandmother! I made the little skiers a couple of years ago based on these. you can find the tutorial for the aged chenille stem candy canes here some of my favorite vintage Christmas cards I adore this onewould you believe I bought this awesome Santa at Walmart 4 years ago! I love how he looks framed by my book page wreath. This is definitely one of my favorite spots in the house right now. I made the "Merry Christmas" garland years ago. I modeled it after one I saw at Anthropologie but put my own twist on it. Those cute pink mittens were a recent garage sale find. My vintage nativity looks so pretty with candles lit in mercury glass votives at night. Perhaps my all time favorite Anthropologie ornament a winter wonderland on my vintage plant stand This is such a cozy spot and look at these two faces!! LOVEI think I could leave these decorations up all year and never tire of them. I'm sad I have to pack them all away soon :( Tomorrow I will reveal our tree. We put up a real tree this year and I have enjoyed it so much! There is nothing like a live tree at Christmas.

I hope you all enjoy your Christmas Eve! May it be a magical one. xoxo, Molly

An Artful Adventure Ornament Swap

2011-12-22T06:54:00.011-05:00

This month I participated in an ornament swap hosted by my dear friend Cassandra VanCuren. The first three ornaments are ones I made for the swap (they aren't the actual ones I swapped because I was spazzing out to send them on time and forgot to snap pictures of them, but these are the extra ones I made to keep)

This adorable sign and wooden spool Christmas tree were made by my swap partner

Lisa Brookins.

Peace Schuyler made these lovely retro delights.

Robin Martin made this sweet embellished bottle. I love how it looks in front of my vintage crochet sleigh of shiny brights!

With the busyness of work, volunteering, church functions, shopping and entertaining I am seriously behind on holiday blogging. I hope to share some pictures of my home dressed for the holidays very soon! Hope you all are enjoying this Christmas season. xoxo, Molly

Be Inspired

2011-11-07T20:30:00.011-05:00

The Christmas Edition of Amy Power's online craft magazine, "Inspired Ideas" is now available! It is so colorful and so beautiful. It is brimming with yummy Christmas decorating projects, crafts, and treats. I feel so honored that Amy included my Sugar Plum Fairy Shadow box in the issue. .. I keep pinching myself because I really can't believe that my art is in a publication that features Mary Engelbreit.I mean seriously to have my name and art just a few pages away from hers makes me screech out loud and do the happy dance :) Not only is Mary a contributor but so is Matthew Mead and a host of other talented artists that we all love and admire. I hope that you will check out this amazing magazine. To purchase your own copy click here or on the photo of the cover above. Enjoy and I wish you happy cutting, pasting, stitching and glittering! xoxo, Molly

My Mad Halloween Tea Party

2011-11-02T14:17:00.035-04:00

I first posted about my Halloween Tea Party here. Cassandra and I have been planning this artful gathering for weeks. It was a party for members of our "Pretty and Vintage Things" meet-up art group. The party day finally arrived and we spent hours setting up. We had so much fun transforming my house into a wonderland. I loved the decorations so much that I didn't want to take them down after the party! I wish I could live in wonderland everyday! We all had a great time eating, drinking, laughing and creating. Each lady made an Alice in Wonderland inspired altered cookbook. We also made some great memories. Thank you ladies for joining me in wonderland!

Cassandra and Karen

candy buffet!

Cassandra's macaroons

Sarah

Jeanne

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week! xoxo, Molly

Save Home Companion!!!!!!

2011-10-07T18:23:00.005-04:00

Ok, stop everything and please click here! It's urgent! I miss Mary! I miss her Home Companion! If we join together we can bring it back!!! This magazine has been such a source of inspiration for me for the past 12 years. It went under 3 years ago but I honestly look through my 9 years of back issues atleast twice a week. They never get old and they never cease to inspire me!

2011-10-05T18:38:00.007-04:00

Last month I blogged about the Alice in Wonderland Halloween party that I am planning. I am so excited to show you the top hat that I made to wear to the party! I sort of used the Better Homes and Gardens's tutorial for a mini top hat but tweaked it a little. I use glue instead of sewing it and instead of wire in the brim, I used cardboard (actually a cereal box). I used a velvet like material to cover the hat form and embellished it with vintage lace, braided trim, seam binding, vintage millinery and velvet and glittered leaves. I am going to attach it to a headband like this before I wear it :) I am getting into the "Wonderland" spirit by reading "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" to Lilly. I bought her this pink leather bound edition (photographed with the hat) from Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks ago. We are now on the last chapter. She has loved it! She goes around the house pretending she is Alice. She eats litte sweet tarts and tries to open doors with my vintage skeleton keys. It is so adorable! This weekend we are actually going to a croquet party and she asked if we were going to be playing with flamingos and hedge hogs ;) xoxo Molly

2011-09-29T03:14:00.002-04:00

Just saw this on etsy and about fainted! I mean how insane is this bed?! Swoon

xoxo

Afternoon Tea

2011-09-21T13:19:00.008-04:00

Last Saturday Cassandra had afternoon tea at her home. She set the table so beautifully! It was a feast for the eyes! She brewed three kinds of tea and mixed up a yummy pink sangria. We ate tea sandwiches, berries, cupcakes and macaroons. All of it was delicious. This girl knows how to throw a proper tea party.

After tea Cassandra got out loads of decorative papers and we all just sat around and visited and created whatever we felt like. I made a little hanging collage for my daughter Lilly's room. I imagined a little shop of sweet delights run by a fairy. Lilly loved it and named her fairy "Ella". xoxo, Molly

Visions of Sugar Plums Already

2011-09-20T17:16:00.005-04:00

I know it is early to talk about Christmas and I am not one to rush into the holidays but I just couldn't wait to show you a sneak peak at a project I have been working on for Amy Powers Christmas issue of "Inspired Ideas". I submitted my photos of the project this morning along with a tutorial. I will keep you posted and let you know as soon as the new issue comes out!...

speaking of sugar plum fairies...here is my very own living sugar plum playing dress up...

I love my girl! xoxo, Molly

A Most Curious Affair

2011-09-05T21:47:00.008-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I was checking out at the grocery store and happened to see the Better Homes and Gardens Halloween publication. I was flipping through the pages and saw this...

I was freaking out! I fell in love with this wonderland party. I decided then and there that I must host a wonderland inspired Halloween party for my art group "Pretty and Vintage Things" . I can't wait!

I started right away thinking of a project that we could make together at the gathering. I came up with the idea of an altered cookbook. It will be filled with whimsical collages and delightful recipes of treats one might eat at a the Mad Hatter's tea party. I began my sample cookbook last week and it is coming along nicely...

I made the cover by painting, distressing and drilling holes into a bare wood picture frame.

(this idea was inspired by a project seen in Lisa Kettell's book "Altered Circus")

binding detail a pocket on the inside of the front cover to tuck in recipe cards and tags

decorated pages

I will be sure to keep you up to date on my party plans...I can't wait to work on my costume and share it with you! xoxo Molly

"Queen of Art" Event

2011-08-24T18:51:00.000-04:00

I am beyond thrilled that Karen Hillman has invited me to be an instructor at her upcoming art event "Queen of Art" in Plantation, Florida. I will be teaching a class on how to make this "Royal Sweetheart Wreath"...

It is made with tea dyed coffee filters, vintage lace, silk roses, millinery, luxurious ribbons and lots of glitter! Click here to read more about my project :)

For more information on the event and to register click here . I would love to see you there!

xoxo, Molly

Charm Bracelet Night

2011-08-22T10:22:00.000-04:00

Friday night Cassandra hosted a craft night at her home for our "Pretty and Vintage Things" art group. Cassandra is so talented and makes amazing jewelry! She was so gracious to share some of her amazing jewelry supplies with us and teach us how to make a charm bracelet of our own. It was a little frustrating at first because I had never made this kind of jewelry before, but with Cassandra's help I finally got the hang of it and ended up loving it! We had so much fun eating, laughing, learning and creating together once again. If you live in the Tampa area or in Florida and are interested in our group, click on the link above for more info.

Hope ya'll have a great week, Molly

Terrarium Fairy

2011-08-16T21:58:00.004-04:00

My terrarium needed an update. I decided not to re-plant live plants in it this time. The metal around the bottom of the terrarium is rusting out from years of moisture :( and I didn't want to ruin it. Instead of living plants, I "planted" preserved moss and artificial ivy and fern. I embellished the tiny woodland with small pebbles, my ceramic mushroom, a pair of small garden chairs and a fairy that I created with vintage images and glitter. I placed the terrarium in front of my kitchen sink. My fairy world makes doing the dishes a little more bearable. :)

Thrifty Finds

2011-08-11T16:39:00.002-04:00

How rad are these shoes?! I found them at a thrift store recently for $8! I am in love with them...

I love the color, the texture, the wedge,

and THE BOW! Okay, so I don't normally show my panties on my blog but I had to share these. Today I had to do my weekly trip to Walmart. Walmart isn't that fun for me, it's all business. Cleaning stuff, toiletries, etc. you know the boring stuff. Well I was cruising along and happened to pass the lingerie section and that is when I spotted these cuties... I think I have a built in radar for anything pink and lace. I love these made by "fruit of the loom". I love the stripes, I love the floral print, I love the lace and love the price, $7.95 for both!

Hope you are having a great week! xoxo Molly

Beauty in Blue Save the Date

2011-08-09T11:40:00.002-04:00

I am thrilled to announce Karen Hillman's art event, "Beauty in Blue"! Beauty in Blue is an artistic weekend retreat celebrating springtime in Texas! The main focus of this weekend is to escape and create with an intimate group of artful minded women. We will relax, unwind and indulge ourselves in beautiful projects featuring shades of blues, creams and whites. This all inclusive event will be held at the charming and lovely Whitworth Ranch Retreat. The retreat is a ranch that was built in the late 1800's and sits on 50 acres in Scurry, Texas which is about 50 miles southeast of Dallas. All meals, accommodations, instructor fees and projects are provided with your reservation. Karen is also pleased to announce " The Beauty in Blue Portrait Event" to be held following the art event throughout the week of April 1st. Children, couples, families...this is the time and place for a SPECTACULAR photo session! Karen will be photographing in the stunning blue bonnet fields, styling the sessions with her vintage clothing and prop collection! I can't wait! And I REALLY hope to see you there! All details and sign ups will be announced soon! xoxo Molly

Jolie à Paris

2011-07-24T14:24:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago, my friend Cassandra and I started an art group "Pretty and Vintage Things" on meetup.com. Saturday night we hosted a party at my home for the group. We named the party "Jolie à Paris", which means "pretty in Paris". We had such fun eating wonderful food, sipping punch and champagne and crafting and laughing together. Here are some pictures from the party that I wanted to share...

Cassandra made these amazing cupcakes and macaroons! She handmade the roses with gumpaste! They looked and tasted out of this world!

Champagne with raspberries

my party slippers I embellished with vintage millinery and lace tags I made for each guest

Cassandras bag and slippers yummy supply table

lace, seam binding and glittered die cuts

decorative paper and vintage millinery

beautiful paper makes me happy :)

Jeannie working on her tussie mussie

the hot glue station

sweet Amy

Cassandra looking so adorable! I love this girl :)

Amy's cone

Linda's cone

mine :)

my sweet Ellie Belle

Jeannie, Carrie, Cassandra, Linda and me with our finished projects

Can't wait to craft with friends again soon! If you live in the Tampa Bay area or in Florida and would like to join our group click here. We would love to have you!

My New Vintage Hats

2011-07-14T17:09:00.000-04:00

I visited the most charming little shop last week, "Winter's Past". It is in McIntosh, Florida (where my grandmother and mother were born and raised) "Winter's Past" is like stepping back in time into a vintage dressing room. The walls are covered in vintage hats, there are racks of vintage clothing and cases of dazzling vintage jewelry. I was like a kid in a candy shop. While I was visiting I picked up these two vintage hats. I plan on using their flowers for future art projects. If you are ever in the Gainesville or Ocala area you must visit this treasure trove! xoxo, molly

Coffee Filter Wreath

2011-07-12T17:31:00.001-04:00

I made this wreath a year and a half ago and have always wanted to embellish it. This afternoon I gathered some flowers, leaves, lace, seam binding, and a little gold bird and put this together...

I hope you all are having a lovely week. Love, Molly

Loving every bit of this...

2011-07-02T08:13:00.000-04:00

(everyday beauty)

The Shadow Box

2011-06-29T14:44:00.000-04:00

My best friend Pepper (aka Christie, aka Girlfren) gave me this shadow box about 15 years ago. Believe it or not I had been wanting a large shadow box and she found this beauty at a garage sale for a song! When she first gave it to me it was lined in red velvet and I used it to display one of my old red and pink ballet costumes from when I was a little girl. After I was no longer using red in my decorating the shadow box got tucked away with intentions of relining it and filling it with something fabulous. Well it only took about 12 years and I finally did it! I am hosting "Jolie a Paris", an art party at my home in July so I am very inspired right now by all things Paris. I used the colors of my living and dining room for inspiration for the party and for my shadow box. I embellished the box with vintage lace, coffee stained paper doilies and crepe paper, crepe paper ruffles, vintage rhinestones, seam binding ribbon, silk flowers, vintage millinery and lots of GLITTER!

I purchased this image of Marie Antoinette here.

I am so happy to finally have it hanging in my living room!

Love to all, Molly

p.s. don't forget to click on images for a closer look ;)

Ung Drill Frame Update

2011-06-17T17:09:00.000-04:00

Last year I posted my Ung Drill Frame "Initial Art". Well, I loved how it came out but I decided that I was ready to move on from the bright pink and green shortly after I hung it in our guest room bed. I LOVE bright pink and green but I couldn't really "live" with it in my house, sooo I decided to give the frame a new look. Last summer I appliqued and embroidered a "shabby chic ship". This afternoon I painted the frame in Krylon "ballet slipper pink" and framed my ship. I hung it over the bed in the guest bedrrom/craft room (which I have been working on for a couple of weeks now, will show you the rest of the room soon) and I am soooooooooooo happy with it. I don't think I'll be changing it any time soon :)

Creating Marie Style Magazine and A Charming Giveaway

2011-06-10T17:08:00.000-04:00

The magazine "Creating Marie Style" put together by Sonia at "Vintage Rose Designs" is now available! It features yummy Marie Antoinette inspired clip art created by my friend Cassandra and it also features Cassandra's Marie's Danse Des Fleurs event that she hosted here in Tampa, Florida back in February. To celebrate Cassandra is having a giveaway over at her blog "An Artful Adventure." She is giving away the most amazing charm bracelet and a copy of Sonia's magazine! This will be the third giveaway that I have entered to win one of Cassandra's creations. I am crossing my fingers and hoping the third time is a charm...pun intended ;)

Hope you check out the magazine and the giveaway. Have a great weekend! Love, Molly

Crafting With Cassandra

2011-06-09T08:05:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I headed up to Dade City to spend the day crafting with Cassandra. I can't even tell you what a blessing it is to have such a sweet, down to earth, talented friend who loves all the same things that I do and has a preschooler who my daughter adores, living 30 minutes away. We both agree that it just seems too good to be true! When I arrived she had the most beautiful table set with tea and brunch. We drank out of vintage tea cups and ate on vintage plates. I loved it! After brunch and tea we looked through her extensive stash of yummy vintage supplies and her recent thrift store finds. Finally, we got down to some crafting. We made vintage inspired Victorian cones. This project is what we are going to make at "Jolie a Paris", an art party I am hosting for our new art group "Pretty and Vintage Things". These are my completed cones...

(the vintage earring in the center of my bow was my "Granny Dot's")

It was such a wonderful day! Can't wait until we craft together again!

A Tea to Remember

2011-05-30T04:01:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh! The Artful Tea was a day I will never forget. It was a day packed full of everything I love...new friends, art, antiques, boutiques, tea, wine, cupcakes, and lots of laughter. I didn't want it to end. I drove over to Mount Dora with Cassandra and we had so much fun visiting in the car. When we arrived we went straight to "Karen's Cozy Cottage" where she had a delicious breakfast waiting for us. Next, we headed to the Garden Gate Tea Room to set up for the morning events. Karen and Cassandra let me set the tables up with the art supplies for our project and other lovely goodies. I loved every minute of it! Karen and Cassandra brought along some of their amazing creations to sell. Karen's artful display... Cassandra's stunning dress form:

Cassandra's over the top tea pot she made for a give away...that I didn't win *sniff sniff* :)

After everyone arrived Cassandra taught us how to make a lovely vintage inspired frame.

Here is a photo I took of mine: We created, sipped on tea and ate a delicious lunch. After a morning of fun at the tea room we headed off for some shopping. Boy did we find some treasures. I will do a separate post on my vintage finds soon. I can't wait to share. After shopping we headed back to Karen's cottage for wine and cheese and then we had dinner at the fabulous "Goblin Market". The food was to die for! Finally, we ended the day back at Karen's for yummy ice cream cookie cake. It was truly a perfect day!(dancing in the streets with Michelle, Karen and...my new chandelier :) Needless to say this was after the wine and cheese portion of the day. lol) . (me and Cassandra)

An Artful Tea

2011-05-27T16:17:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I will be joining Cassandra at "An Artful Tea" in Mt. Dora. I am so excited! We will be creating, sipping tea, eating sweets, and antiquing. What a perfect way to spend the day! I signed up to participate in a tea cup swap at the event. Each participant had to fill a vintage tea cup with goodies to swap with a partner. Here are some pictures of my tea cup ready to go: Have a wonderful weekend, take time to sip some tea and relax. Love, Molly

Nautical Baby Shower

2011-05-16T14:28:00.000-04:00

This weekend I co-hosted a nautical themed baby shower for my friend Amy. I made the favors, a sailboat cake topper and cupcake flags. The favors are small blue paper bags I purchased from Michael's and embellished. I decorated them with images I cut from nautical baby scrapbook paper I bought at Joann's. I filled the bags with white mint lifesavers, then folded the top of the bag over, punched two holes, threaded a strip of muslin through the holes and tied a bow. I found the pattern for the origami sailboat here on Martha's website.

As Seen In...

2011-05-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

Last year I came across Amy Powers webzine "Inspired Ideas". I fell in love with the publication instantly and told my husband Doug "one day I would love to have one of my projects in that magazine". Well that day has come sooner than I imagined. Today Amy released "The Happy Birthday" issue and I have not one but two of my projects featured. I am so overwhelmed and so grateful to be included. I thank Amy from the bottom of my heart for giving me this opportunity. It is one of the most beautiful crafting publications I have ever seen. Here is a sneak peak of my projects:

"A Pocket Full of Wishes" - a birthday card holder

"Fringe Benefits" - a crepe paper fringe tutorial More photos of my projects and instructions on how to make them yourself can be found in the magazine. Click here or on the magazine image at the top of my post to buy your own copy. The projects and photography in this issue are breathtaking. You will be inspired beyond your wildest dreams. Amy and her staff have outdone themselves once again! Happy reading!

Love, Molly

A Gift for Teacher

2011-05-10T17:32:00.001-04:00

I saw this post and it inspired me to make these for Lilly's teachers...I made the flower stakes with things I already had on hand in my craft stash. I printed out the message on card stock for the center, cut it out in a circle shape, made a scallop border in a contrasting color of card stock and then glued it to flower shaped doilies (from the Dollar Tree at Easter). I cut out butterflies from wrapping paper and attached them with hot glue. I also used hot glue to affix the flowers onto wooden skewers. I backed them with another card stock circle to cover up the hot glue glob and the top of the skewer. Lilly signed her name on the back of each one herself :) She is so excited about giving them to her teachers tomorrow.

I am working on two baby showers right now so I'm super busy. Can't wait to share what I've been up to. Check back soon.

Love, Molly

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T11:01:00.000-04:00

At the Cross by Hillsong Oh Lord You’ve searched me You know my way Even when I fail You I know You love me Your holy presence Surrounding me In every season I know You love me I know You love me At the cross I bow my knee Where Your blood was shed for me There’s no greater love than this You have overcome the grave Your glory fills the highest place What can separate me now You go before me You shield my way Your hand upholds me I know You love me You tore the veil You made a way When You said that it is done And when the earth fades Falls from my eyes And You stand before me I know You love me I know You love me I wish you all a blessed Easter. Love, Molly

Easter Party Part 2: Fun With Friends

2011-04-23T07:48:00.000-04:00

Adorable Penelope Rose enjoying some yummy treatsThe scavenger hunt was a hit!

The girls each picked out a pastel cross to decorate. First, they covered it with mod podge, then they sprinkled it with sugary glitter and embellished it with paper flowers and a little banner that said "Easter Blessings"

The girls' crosses came out so beautiful.

We can't wait to do it again next year!

Easter Party Part 1: The Table

2011-04-17T01:21:00.000-04:00

The party was a success! Over the next couple of days I will share pictures from the big day. We all had so much fun. After the last guest left, Lilly said, "Mommy can we have another Easter party next year?" We definitely have to make this an annual event!

Frugal Favors for the Easter Party

2011-04-14T17:10:00.000-04:00

Our Easter party is quickly approaching. Today I finished wrapping up the favors. I bought candy necklace kits at Walmart for $3.00 for a pack of 8! They were wrapped in cheap-o wrappers so I decided to repackage them. I used bright pink polka dot cellophane bags I also picked up at Walmart for $1.88 for a pack of 6 (they are made by Wilton to wrap lollipops with) I put the candy beads, candy bunny charm and elastic string into the little bags, tied them up with white ribbon (included in the package of cello bags) and finished them off with stick-on felt daisies I bought this year at Hobby Lobby. I piled them in an Easter pail that I love. It is Target circa 2007 :)

Dreamy Bed

2011-04-13T13:50:00.001-04:00

Lilly saw a bed with a net over it in one of my decorating magazine and said she wanted one over her bed. We headed to Ikea and picked one up a couple of weeks ago. I made a banner to hang over it. I think her bed looks like a sweet dream!

Spring Sideboard and A New Fashion Obsession

2011-04-09T13:15:00.000-04:00

I dressed up my sideboard this morning and thought I would share. I got that lace tablecloth at an antique shop in Mt Dora. I love it! The china is my grandmother's wedding china she just it handed down to me. It is so lovely. I am using it for Easter dinner this year.

I also wanted to share my latest clothing obsession. I found this beautiful top yesterday at Forever 21 for only $19.80! It is one of my all time favorite shirts. I don't usually buy multiples of clothes, but I think I have to buy another one just to have a backup replacement in case one gets a hole or stain. The picture below doesn't give it justice. It really looks like a vintage blouse. I can't wait to wear it to church with some of my favorite floral skirts and some pearls. Have a great weekend! Love, Molly

Girly Easter Party Update

2011-04-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in a previous post that Lilly and I are hosting a girly Easter party. Here are the invitations I made. This week I am working on getting the items together for the scavenger hunt the girls will be doing in the yard. Each guest will be given a list of items to find hidden around the yard. Some of the items include...

a bouquet of daffodils

a glittery butterfly clip

(Lilly and I made these using a "Creatology" foam kit from Michaels) an egg shaped like a bunny and a carrot filled with candy

(found these cute candy holders at the Dollar Tree)a fluffy baby chick

(a variety of yummy colors can be found a Hobby Lobby)

There will be bonus finds too! For instance, the girl who finds a cross hidden in her egg will get a special prize.

Lilly and I are having so much fun getting things ready for the big day. I will be posting the favors and craft projects soon, so come back and visit! Love, Molly

Our Easter Tree is Up!

2011-03-31T07:47:00.000-04:00

I had the most fun putting my Easter tree together this year. I retired my little Easter tree (actually Lilly adopted it for her room). I can't stop buying glittery butterflies, birds and eggs so I had to upsize.

I used oak leaf branches I found in the woods behind my house. I spray painted them a light green. Then, I mixed in some arificial blossoming branches from Michael's. I was really pleased with how natural they look . I tucked in a little nest I made at the base of the tree. I made the robin's eggs last year using this tutorial.

I bought this ornament on a trip to Austria my husband and I took back in 2001 during the Easter season. I just adore the little love chicks (cuddling at the bottom right) and the daisies.

This beautiful swan is my newest addition to my tree. It was made by artist Heidi Wallingford. The minute I saw it at the Marie Event, I knew it had to be mine :)

I bought this egg a few weeks ago while visiting the historic town of Micanopy. I just think it is amazing! It came from a magical little place called "The Shop". My Mimi used to take me there to shop for holiday decorations when I was little. If you live in Florida or are visiting the Ocala/Gainesville area you must visit downtown Micanopy. It is a lovely little street lined with antique and gift shops.

I am in full party planning mode getting ready for Lilly's Easter girly tea party. More to come on that soon! Enjoy your day!~Molly

A Spring Day in Mt. Dora, Florida

2011-03-29T08:32:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we headed over to Mt. Dora for the annual antique boat show. My Dad restores vintage fiberglass boats from the 1960's. We go over each year to see his boat(s) on display at the show. It is so much fun being out on a spring day in Florida and enjoying the water and the sunshine. While in Mt. Dora, Mom, Lilly and I had lunch at the "Garden Gate Tea Room". It was recommended by Cassandra of "An Artful Adventure". The atmosphere is beyond words and the tea and food are delicious! I can't wait to go back! Here are some pictures I took of the tea room to share with you... Chicken salad on a bed of fresh greens, surrounded by fresh fruit and topped off with muffins and an edible orchid dusted with powdered sugar. It was almost too beautiful to eat.

btw, Lilly ate the orchid :)

Lilly loved the little muffins dusted in powdered sugar. They served her homemade lemonade in a china teacup. They have an assortment of vintage hats that you can wear while you are sipping your tea. I LOVED this hat on Lilly.

Isn't it dreamy? Hope you are having a dreamy week! ~Molly

Easter Party Invitations

2011-03-20T22:17:00.000-04:00

Next month Lilly and I are throwing an Easter Party. It is going to be a girly girl party complete with tea, lemonade, cupcakes and glitter! We are going to eat, craft and go on a spring time scavenger hunt. I will be posting my party projects and plans in the weeks ahead. This weekend I created the invitations. I used a vintage Easter card image that I found at "Two Crazy Crafters". The minute I saw it I knew it was exactly what I wanted for the cards. I printed the lambs, cut them out and then glued them to hot pink blank cards. Next, I embellished them with small silk and paper posies and sugary glitter. Finally, I made little banners out of paper labels and toothpicks. I wrote the girls' names on them and used hot glue to affix them to the card. I think it looks like the little lamb is proudly inviting each guest personally.

I can't wait to show you my next project! Have a great week ! Love, Molly

Giveaway at "An Artful Adventure"

2011-03-20T02:59:00.000-04:00

Happy Spring! To celebrate, hop on over to the sweet and talented Cassandra VanCuren's new blog, "An Artful Adventure". You must check it out, it is absolutely gorgeous and inspiring. To celebrate reaching 600 followers on her former blog "My Artful Adventures", she is doing a giveaway. If you stop by her new blog and leave a comment you could win this...

Isn't it unbelievably beautiful?!

It is like a springtime dream come true.

Good luck!

Exhibit A and B

2011-03-04T14:14:00.000-05:00

OK, I have to apologize if you read my blog yesterday before I corrected all of the typos...maybe there are still some there...please don't check :) Anyway, I was rushing to do that post because I was in between a dentist appointment, mopping my house, grocery shopping and a trip to the gym, plus I had a whining 4 year old outside my door and a barking dog in the other room...

Exhibit A:

Exhibit BThey only look sweet and innocent :)

Have a great weekend and if you haven't already, you must check out the spring edition of the online magazine "Inspired Ideas" . It is put together by Amy Powers. She is genius!

2011-03-03T14:57:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night's Marie Market Soiree, hosted by Cassandra VanCuren, did not disappoint. Christie and I had a blast! Here we are at the market...

This is me in my Marie look, Christie snapped this one as we were leaving my house When we arrived at the event, the doors to the ballroom were flanked with two breathtakingly beautiful dresses made by Cassandra... These were the tables set up for the ladies attending the weekend art event... "cake" made by Jennifer Hayslip To my shock, surprise and delight the shoes I made for myself won first place! I won this gorgeous ruffle bag made by Bryanna Fuller-Lenan . The pair I made for Christie won honorable mention so to say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I tried to play it cool but inside I was definately doing the happy dance :) Me and Jen Hayslip of "Sweet Eye Candy Creations" Me and Heidi of "Birds of a Feather" Me and the host Cassi Here is photographer extraordinaire, Tiffany Kirchner Dixon, she photographed the event. I got to meet these great women that I blogged about in my previous post and I was just on cloud 9! It was a night I will not soon forget. Cassi did an amazing job putting the event together and I only saw a fraction of it. If you would like to check out more about what went on at the event visit her Marie's Danse des Fleurs site. I can promise you will be gasping at all the beautiful art and costumes! Love and blessings, Molly

2011-02-24T12:46:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day! The day that my friend Christie and I are attending the Marie Market Soiree. Last week I posted the shoes that I made to wear to the event. Today I finished Christie's pair and I wanted to share as I promised I would. It was a little challenging at first because Christie wears a size 9 and she doesn't wear heels and she wanted pink shoes! So I searched thrift stores and ebay high and low with no luck so I ended up buying a pair of white ballet flats on clearance at Walmart and painted them pink :) Then I used ribbon, lace, feathers and vintage buttons to embellish them. They were the most fun to create. I think I might have a new shoe embellishing obsession. Hope ya'll are having a great week and I will be back early next week to report on all the lovelies that I see at the market. ~Molly

Marie Antoinette Shoes

2011-02-16T20:46:00.000-05:00

On February 25 my best girlfriend and I will be attending Marie’s Market Soiree . I can't believe such an amazing art event is being held minutes from my house. I absolutely cannot wait to see artists like Jennifer Hayslip, Heidi Wallingford, and Cassandra VanCuren (host of the event). I have been admiring these talented women's' work for a while now on their blogs and in magazines such as "Where Women Create". I think I might faint when I see their art in person. All of them create such detailed and beautiful vintage inspired pieces. They are going to have some make and takes at the market and some give aways . The part of the show I am most looking forward to is the Marie shoe contest. I have decorated a pair for me to wear (pictured above) and I will be creating a pair for my girlfriends as well. We are going to have the best time getting dolled up Marie style. I will post my next pair of shoes when I finish them. I have a large gold shadow box that I think I am going to display our over the top shoes in as a memory of the event.

Here are before and after pictures of my shoes I embellished for the event:

Hope you all are having a great week. It's almost Friday! ~Molly

Valentine Fortune Flower

2011-02-12T16:11:00.000-05:00

To make this little pretty I gathered supplies from around my house: an old vanilla extract bottle, vintage buttons, crochet thread, vintage lace, card stock and brown ink. I removed the label from the bottle and cleaned it out with warm soapy water. I printed out the phrases on off white card stock, cut them out and inked the edges to give them an aged look. Then, I threaded a chenille stem through the shank of my button and twisted it to form a stem. I glued a smaller button to the center of the larger one and then glued the petals to the back of the large button with a glue gun. I decorated the bottle with crochet thread, vintage lace and ric rac. I slipped the flower into the "vase" and voila. A new valentine decoration with an old feel. Hope you are having a LOVEly weekend. ~Molly

Felt Valentine Wrist Corsage

2011-02-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

My daughter is obsessed with "The Nutcracker". She watched the Macauly Calkin / New York City Ballet version about a million times. Well during the "Stalbaum party" scene all the girls get wrist corsages and Lilly loves this part. So I thought I would make her her own to wear for Valentine's Day. It was so simple and turned out so cute, I want to share with you how I put it together. I think they would make great gifts or party favors.

What you will need:

-a piece of ribbon about 18 inches long (this fit my 4 year old with extra for a bow) -a rectangle of felt (mine is 3.5" x 1.5")

-two flower shapes with 4 petals cut from felt, one is slightly larger than the other (I cut them free hand) The larger one is about 3" and the smaller one is 2.5" across.

-a strip of felt about 8", straight along one long side and wavy on the other long side

-two leaves about 1.5" long

-glue gun (this is what I used for mine, tacky glue (great for kids to use when making this project) or red thread for sewing together

step 1: glue or sew ribbon across the felt rectangle

step 2: glue or sew large set of petals on top of the center of the ribbon

step 3: glue or sew smaller set of petals on top of larger petals with the smaller set between the larger ones

step 4: roll strip of wavy felt with bumps facing up and flat side down. This will form the center of the rose. Tack with needle and thread on the bottom of the bud or just glue down on top of

of the small set of petals.step 5: glue or stitch leaves under petals

Finally, tie on your little girl's wrist in a sweet bow!

Hope you enjoy!

Happy Gasparilla!

2011-01-29T07:32:00.000-05:00

Today is Gasparilla Day here in Tampa. Last week I posted a wreath I made to celebrate and wrote about the children's Gasparilla parade (it is always the Saturdy before Gasparilla).

On Gasparilla Day a friend of mine always hosts a super fun Gasparilla party and she lives just 2 blocks from the bay (where the invasion and parade take place) so it's very exciting and a perfect place for a pirate party. She decks her house out in pirate decor and it always looks so great. So I thought I would make her a little something to add to her collection of Gasparilla decor...

(click on image to enlarge)

If you're interested in making some vintage inspired pirate art, you can find some great images here.

Hope ya'll have a great weekend! ~Molly

Ahoy Matey!

2011-01-20T19:17:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. Time for Jose' Gaspar to invade Tampa. It's Gasparilla time! Here in Tampa Gasparilla is a big deal. Sort of like our version of Mardi Gras. This weekend is the children's pirate parade and next weekend is the parade for grown-ups. All the houses near the bay adorn their doors with Gasparilla wreathes and Jolly Roger flags. A large pirate ship sails into the bay and fires cannons to start the invasion. Floats carrying pirates drive along Bayshore Boulevard, which lines the bay and beads are tossed to screaming children and adults alike. I can't wait! I'm excited too because the weather here is supposed to be perfect for the event, high in the mid 60's and blue skies. I love this time of year in Florida. Here is my Gasparilla wreath I made this year for our door...

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! ~Molly

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T22:07:00.000-05:00

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

I wish you and your family many blessings in 2011

Love, Molly

Christmastime Is Here

2010-12-09T10:19:00.000-05:00

I have been busy as an elf filling our home with Christmas cheer...

The true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ...

Thanksgiving Table

2010-11-06T14:27:00.000-04:00

Even though I am not hosting Thanksgiving at my home this year, I still decorated the table. After all I believe Thanksgiving should be celebrated every day in November, actually everyday of the year I made a Thanksgiving "tree" with willow branches and paper Japanese Lantern branches. I used vintage Thanksgiving images to create ornaments. I glued the images on a brown paper grocery bag and trimmed around the edges with decorative scissors. Then, I backed them with scrapbook paper and added glitter to the images. Finally, I punched a hole in the top and tied them to the branches with vintage seam binding.

I finished off the table with a April Cornell runner from TJMaxx, antique brass candlesticks, candle rings (I made) and Tiffany blue candles.

Hope you are having a beautiful fall day! ~Molly

Book Page Wreath

2010-10-14T18:28:00.000-04:00

Last winter I was browsing through my Pottery Barn catalogue and saw this... I L-O-V-E-D it and have wanted to make one of my own ever since. Almost one year later I finally did... I am so happy, happy. First, I googled "Pottery Barn Book Page Wreath" so I could see the original picture from the catalogue ( I know I ripped it out for inspiration back in December of '09 but I couldn't find it) Then, I googled tutorials for the wreath. There are quite a few out there. Honestly when I followed a couple of the tutorials my wreath wasn't looking exactly like the one in PB so I merged a few of the techniques together then added some of my own techniques and I think I got pretty darn close to the original. I used 3 different vintage books so I would have different shades of worn book pages and different sizes. All of my books were thrifted. One of the books was over 100 years old, one was 80 and the other was 40. I love making things out of old books. I love how they smell and how they feel. There are so many cool thinks out in blogland to make with old books I've got to get busy.

Hope ya'll have a great weekend!~Molly

Vintage Harvest Cone

2010-10-13T18:01:00.000-04:00

I am going on a road trip to visit my best friend from high school this weekend. I am so excited! I wanted to take her a little something so I whipped up this cone and filled it with some of her favorite treats. I could make a hundred of these. They are so fun. You can find my tutorial for crepe paper fringe here. Happy harvest to all. ~Molly

Fabric Pumpkin Bandwagon

2010-09-30T16:42:00.000-04:00

So I decided to jump on the fabric pumpkin bandwagon. Have you seen how many versions are out there in blogland? I used Danielle Thompson's tutorial, based on one from Martha Stewart Living November 2009 issue. Mine don't hold a candle to Danielle's but they aren't so bad and they were really fun to make. You can even get your kids involved. Lilly stuffed our pumpkins for me. When we were working on them she said "Mommy, when I grow up I want to be a pumpkin stuffer." Never heard that one before :) Hope you all are having a fun fall so far.

Pumpkin Cutie

2010-09-21T17:55:00.001-04:00

Today my daughter Lilly made this pumpkin cutie to hang in our window for fall. It is a project I made up when I taught Elementary school. I always loved making them. Below I have done a tutorial so that you can make them with your children and/or students. Enjoy! Supplies you will need:

two large sheets of orange tissue paper

a wire coat hanger

white glue

scissors

brown paper bag

construction paper

marker

Step 1:

bend the coat hanger into a circle or oval shape to resemble a pumpkin,

bend the hook at the top closed to use as a hanger

Step 2:

trace the hanger with white glue,

turn the hanger over and lay it on top of the tissue paper (with the hanger sticking out over the top of the tissue)

Step 3:

trace the other side of the hanger with glue,

lay the second sheet of tissue paper on top of the hanger so that the hanger is sandwiched between the two sheets

at this point the hanger is at the top sticking out of the tissue and there is excess tissue at the bottom of the pumpkin (see picture below)

set aside and let it dry

Step 4:

use scissors and trim the left side, right side and top of the pumpkin,

leaving the long tissue at the bottom,

cut the excess tissue into strips (like streamers)

my daughter is 3 so I used a pencil to draw lines for her to cut on

Step 5: cut eyes and a nose out of construction paper, I have also used buttons and foam pieces for this step, use a marker to draw a mouth Step 6: cut the paper bag into skinny strips and glue them on as hair, you could use raffia or yarn for the hair instead if you choose

Lilly finished off her pumpkin with a big blue bow (Lilly always wears a bow) When I had my students do this project we put a construction paper hat on the pumpkin. You could also put a bow tie on your cutie. When you finish it looks great hanging in a window or from the ceiling. Happy Fall. Have fun creating with your kids!

Love, Molly

Back To School Apple Trees

2010-09-02T11:01:00.000-04:00

Lilly and one of her BFF's, Jo Jo, started back to preschool this week. They are in the same 3 year old class this year. Jo Jo came over to spend some time with us this week so I thought I would come up with a project for the girls to do to celebrate going back to school. I came up with a recycled apple tree. The project is made of a cereal box, paper towel rolls and red tissue paper left over from a Christmas gift...yes, I save everything :) Here's how we made 'em: First, I cut apart a cereal box and flattened it out. Then, I used a sharpie to draw tree tops and cut them out for the girls (of course older children could cut their own)

The girls painted the tree tops green. Next, I cut 2 inch slits at the tops and bottoms of the paper towel roll on both sides of the roll. Then they painted the "trunks" brown.

I set the tree top and trunk aside to dry.

Next, I cut small squares of tissue paper and the girls bunched the up into little "apples". After the tree tops are dry, glue on the "apples".

Finally, I cut a 4"x2" rectangle out of the cereal box scraps to use at the base of the trunk for stability.

Slide the tree tops into the slits at the top of the "trunk" and slide the rectangle into the bottom slits. That's it! I think they are so colorful and fun!

Lilly's Birthday Scrapbook...Finally!

2010-08-31T16:07:00.000-04:00

Lilly turned 3 years old 8 months ago and I have been dying to make her a scrapbook to commemorate her celebration at Disney World. Last weekend I finally finished it. It was so much fun to make. I have been collecting fun Disney papers and embellishments for months now. I ended up doing my journaling in the form of a story about "Princess Lilly's Birthday". That was kind of Lilly's idea. She wanted the book to be a story. I thought that was great and I went with it. I have to add that the best part of making this scrapbook was that Lilly participated too. During one of my scrapbooking sessions I gave her some scraps of paper, stickers, crayons, and a glue stick. She sat across from me and worked for an hour! I was so impressed. She said "Mommy will you put my page in the scrapbook?" Of course I will! The next day she asked me to put it on my blog. Can you believe 3 year olds these days know about blogs :)

I punched holes in Lilly's birthday cards and added them to the end of the book...

And last but not least Lilly's first scrapbook page...

It will be placed in the middle of the scrapbook right next to Snow White. That is where she insisted it go :)

Meant to Be Hoodie

2010-08-16T15:37:00.000-04:00

This fabric embellished hoodie was my weekend projectLast Thursday I was rummaging through my drawer of clothes that I have collected and saved for sewing projects. I found this girls shirt at a thrift store a while ago and I bought it because I loved the fabric. The shirt was way too big for Lilly and way too small for me but I knew I could use it for a project one day.

Later on that same day Lilly and I headed for one of our twice a week trips to Super Target. I was browsing the sale racks and found this baby... It was the exact same color as the background of the thrift shirt and it was 4 Bucks! It was so meant to be. I snatched it up and could not wait to get home and figure out what I was going to do. I had seen an awesome embellished hoodie here not to long ago made by Alisa Burke. She was inspired by some cardigans from Anthropologie. So I decided to cut out the front of the thrifted shirt and applique it to the hoodie.And speaking of meant to be...look at this dress on Lilly... I found it at a thrift store last week, it is a Lilly Pulitzer, excellent condition, it is her size and it was 99cents! Loving it!

Lion Softies

2010-08-07T15:40:00.000-04:00

Last week I made these lions for my two nieces. They were so much fun to make. The pattern called for yellow fabric and fleece but that wasn't fun enough for me so of course I made my lions pink and green...you know I love those colors :) The pattern for the lions came from this book that I picked up at the Dollar Tree a few months ago. I was so excited about this find. There are some really cute ideas in this book.

Happy Weekend ~Molly

2010-08-02T08:44:00.001-04:00

I took a trip to Anthropologie yesterday and fell in love... It is the Capri Blue Volcano candle! It is divine! Am I the last anthropologie obsessed person to discover this?

I have bought a number of candles from anthro, all of which I love, but this one takes the cake and I don't know how I didn't discover this sooner. I think it's because I have the Capri Blue candle in "Island Orchid" so I assumed that was the only scent that came in the blue jar at anthro. I don't know, but you must get this candle. I have already instructed my husband that he must gift me one of these candles for every holiday :)

Have a great week! ~Molly

Thrift Store Vase Revamp

2010-07-27T11:40:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting something on my dining room table for months. I think it has been bare since Easter. I went scavenging in the garage and found a vase my Mom had given me a while back. She picked it up at a thrift store. I transformed it this morning and now my dining table is finally dressed for summer.

This was the vase before the make-over...

I spray painted it cream... Then I used an antiquing medium and rubbed it on the vase with a soft cloth to give it an aged look. It took me less than an hour to do and I am so happy with the results...and don't the hydrangeas look real? I bought them at Michael's a couple of weeks ago 70% off!

Photo Album Turned Recipe Book...For 2 Bucks!

2010-07-25T09:11:00.000-04:00

I made this little recipe card book this weekend. I think it would make a perfect housewarming gift or a gift for a new bride. It is so simple and quick to make and VERY inexpensive...okay it's down right cheap!

I started out with a plastic photo book that I bought at a craft store for $2. The plastic makes it perfect for a cookbook because you can wipe off any splatters or crumbs that might get on it while cooking. The album I used measures 8"x6". It holds two 4"x6" photos (or in our case recipe cards) on each page. You can also buy 4x6 albums for $1. I have seen them at Walmart, Michael's and the Dollar Tree. They come with tacky pieces of card stock for the front cover, but you can slide it out and replace it with something cute instead :) Here is what mine looked like before:

Here is a view of the inside, with the plastic pockets for pictures or cards.

First, I took the front and back covers out of the sleeves. Next, I made a cooking themed collage using decorative papers and vintage images from my scrapbook supplies. I used a glue stick to attach the collage right on top of the tacky card stock it came with. Then, I cut a piece of coordinating card stock to slide in the back cover. Lastly, I got glued strips of muslin to the inside of the front and back covers so that the book can be tied shut with a bow ( I love bows!)

Now, since you only spent 2 bucks on your gift you can splurge and fill it with these adorable recipe cards from Anthropologie!

Hope you are having a lovely weekend! ~Molly

Inspiring Coastal Spaces

2010-07-21T20:10:00.000-04:00

Here are some beautiful spaces I found over at Coastal Living Magazine's website. They took my breath away. I was gasping and shrieking when I saw them. I want to live in all of them...NOW!

Initial Art

2010-07-19T16:55:00.000-04:00

A few posts ago I mentioned that I have been working on giving my guest room/sewing room an update. The inspiration for the room came from my love of Lilly Pulitzer and my love of pink and green. My starting point was a pair of vintage pillow cases I picked up a few years ago at a thrift store (you can see part of them in the photo above). I finished the art over the bed last week and I wanted to show you. I bought the Ung Drill frame from Ikea. It was originally black but I used Krylon white spray primer to cover it and then I painted it with Krylon indoor/outdoor spray paint in "watermelon". I love that pink! Next, I removed the glass, and covered the cardboard frame backing with an adorable Amy Butler fabric. I picked up a wooden initial from Hobby Lobby and used more spray adhesive to cover it with pink card stock (I sprayed the letter, laid it onto the pink paper then used an exacto knife to trim around the letter (you could also paint it, I just liked the look of the paper). Finally, I affixed the letter to the frame with hot glue.

I can't wait to finish the room and share the results.

I hope you all are having a wonderful week. ~Molly

A Day at the Beach

2010-07-17T18:17:00.001-04:00

I thought I would share some pictures of my Lilly at the beach today. We spent the day at Honeymoon Island State Park and it was absolutely gorgeous! She spent hours in the sand. It is so amazing how children can be entertained for hours with a bucket, a shovel and some sand. So simple. So fun. Her bucket is a $1 bucket from Micheal's that I decorated with a permanent paint marker. I make her one each year for our trips to the beach. I love this one of her eating a strawberry. Seriously, I wish I looked as hip as her at the beach :)

Obviously this photo below is not at the beach, but this is Lilly sporting a shirt I made for her this week and I wanted to share it. It was actually a dress I made her last year (I used a pillow case dress tutorial, don't remember which one but here's a good one) She had outgrown it so I cut it off a little and took it in to turn it into a top.

I hope you all are having a relaxing summer weekend.~Molly

My Dream Boat

2010-07-09T17:25:00.001-04:00

I finally got around to making a sailboat using the tutorial by the amazing Ann Wood. I made the paper mache hull a few months ago and just finished the sail today. (I bought the little shelf it is sitting on at Ross for like $5 a few years ago. It was bright and icky gold (wish I had a before picture). I painted it, distressed it and encrusted it with shells.) If you haven't visited Ann Wood's blog you have to! Her work is breathtaking and her apartment/studio are so inspiring. I hope that I can own one of her pieces one day. Have a great weekend~Molly

The "Goldilocks" Bed

2010-07-07T15:03:00.000-04:00

Lilly has a new big girl bed! She picked it out herself at Ikea last week (I was so happy that she picked my favorite bed there...whew!) As soon as she saw it she jumped in it and said "Mommy, it's Goldilocks's bed!" While she was away at Maw Maw's house for a couple of days last weekend, Daddy and I decided to get it for her and put it together as a surprise. When she came home we took her to her room and she had this huge smile on her face and she ran and cuddled in it. It was priceless. She said "Thank you so much. I appreciate it." Of course later that night when it was time to go to sleep she tried to rebel and said "You and Daddy did a bad job putting this together. I want to sleep in your bed." Happy to report though she did sleep in her new bed after all :) Another new addition to her room is this Cinderella garland I made and hung above her bed. I found a vintage Disney Cinderella book at a thrift store a while ago and had been wanting do make her something with it. If you are a Disney memorabilia fan and you are cringing that I cut up an old book, don't worry the cover was ripped off and some of the pages had writing on them so I didn't have any guilt hacking into it. I picked illustrations that show main parts of the story and I mounted them onto card stock to give them durability. Then I punched two holes in the top and strung them up with pink velvet ribbon. Lilly loves it. For the last year we have had to read Cinderella to Lilly every night before bed so it is really special to her. She sits in her bed and points to each picture and retells the story. I love when she loves something I make for her.

Besides Lilly's room, I have been doing some redecorating projects in my guest/sewing/craft room. Can't wait to share soon. ~Molly

Happy 4th...I'm Back!

2010-07-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

It has been so long since I have blogged that I almost forgot my password. I had to take a blogging hiatus due to some ups and downs in my personal world, but I'm back!

A few days ago one of my dearest friends Amy (I've blogged about her on several occasions) called and said she was heading south and going to stop by for a visit. I was super excited because she is one of my favorite people and Lilly was super excited because her son, Nolan, happens to be her "prince", that's really what she calls him. Amy and I are holiday freaks so of course with it being just days from the 4th of July I had to start whipping up a mini patriotic party for 2. Lilly and I spent the day Thursday making party preparations. First, we made cupcakes, after all no party is complete without cupcakes... Last July I did a tutorial on the patriotic crepe paper fringe and linked these printable cupcake toppers. You can find it all here.

Next, we made red and blue kool aid ice cubes... Then I made some patriotic tissue paper pom poms because I love pom poms and I have to drape something from this chandelier at every holiday... Next, I made the kiddos some festive goodies. I picked up some red and blue tin pails in the dollar spot at Target and filled them with my favorite childhood fireworks: snakes, pop-its, and smoke bombs. I also included packs of skittles that fiz and pop in your mouth! At Walmart I found some cute red and blue melamine plates and used a permanent paint pen to personalize them for the holiday. I completed the place setting with a box of Cracker Jacks tied up with sparkly stars and ribbon. I love the Cracker Jack packaging, still the same as it was when I was a kid and so perfect for the 4th!

A fun time was had by all!

Happy Birthday U.S.A.! I wish you all a blessed holiday.

~Molly

Mother's Day Matchbox Locket

2010-04-30T14:49:00.000-04:00

When I taught kindergarten I had my students make these adorable "lockets" for their moms or grandmas for Mother's Day. They were a huge hit! This year Lilly and I made one for her Mimi. I am including some photos and directions in case you want to make your own.

You will need an empty matchbox and some acrylic paint.

Paint the part of the matchbox that slides out on both sides.

Choose decorative scrapbook paper or wrapping paper to cover the outside of the matchbox.

Use a glue stick to affix the paper (about 2"x4" strip) to the box.

This is what you have now...

Lastly, glue a photo inside the box, hot glue a ribbon to the back of the outer part of the matchbox, and then embellish. I used small paper flowers from Doodlebug Designs and some ribbon left over from the necklace. I also glued a small paper flower onto Lilly's picture inside the box. When I did these with my class I painted the boxes gold and the kids glued jewels and glitter on the front. There are so many possibilites. The best thing is you can use what you have and make such a special keepsake. Don't forget to date the back. Love to all you mommas out there!~Molly

Terrarium luvin'

2010-04-14T16:54:00.000-04:00

My Mimi gave me this amazing terrarium years ago. Every couple of years I replant it. I just replanted it last week. I added some ivy, fern and moss that I found growing in my yard. The mushroom is from target. I also placed a snail shell inside that Lilly and I found while digging in the yard.

I just love when the terrarium has condensation on the glass and the sun light is shining through. It is like a tiny, magical rain forest in my kitchen window. If you've never tried a terrarium you should. They are so low maintenance and easy to put together. You can even make them in glass jars or glass bowls. You can use a glass plate as a lid on a glass bowl to hold in the moisture. Hope you are enjoying the beauty of spring~Molly

He Is Risen!

2010-04-03T23:55:00.000-04:00

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Matthew 28:1-10

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Have a blessed Easter~Molly

"Spring Captured"

2010-03-28T14:30:00.000-04:00

I have always loved miniatures, things under glass, and SPRING! This weekend I combined all of these loves and "captured spring" in a jar!

It was really simple to make and I will tell you how I did it. You will need: -a glass jar with a lid out of your recycling bin -moss or paper grass -spring miniatures of your choice -spray paint -ribbon -scraps of paper -small flowers -and of course a hot glue gun :) How to put it together:

1-Clean the jar and remove the label with warm water, a scrubbing sponge and some goo gone (not the most fun part of the project :)

2-spray paint the lid in the color of your choice ( I used a light green)

3-use hot glue to affix paper grass (or moss) to the bottom of the jar

4-use hot glue to affix your miniatures to the bottom (the egg with the bunny I used is from Joann's) you might need to use long tweezers to place your miniature.

5-place small flowers around in the grass, I didn't glue mine down, I just tucked them in

6-cut a small piece of scrapbooking paper or other decorative paper to use as a background, tuck it in at the back of the jar, I didn't glue this either

7-make a little flag out of a tooth pick and scrap of paper, use a small dot of hot glue to keep it secure

8-place the lid back on, hot glue a ribbon around the rim and then top the jar with a scrap of decorative paper, I trimmed mine with scalloped scissors and hot glued it on to make it look more finished.

I hope you have fun making your own "spring captured" project. If you make one email me a picture at mollyknox@hotmail.com I would love to see what you do!

~Molly

A Look Back

2010-03-25T21:30:00.000-04:00

I went back and looked at some pictures from Easter at our house last year. I wasn't blogging then so I thought I would post some pictures to share with you. This is the centerpiece I did for our dining room table. We had the whole family here for lunch after church. Doug and I love hosting the holidays at our home. I love this topiary. I grew it and formed it and kept it for a couple of years but it died this year :( I have to start another one. This picture makes me miss it. The pansy table cloth was my Granny Dot's from the 1950's. She used it for her bridge table I'm sure. I picked up the flowers from Micheal's last year. They are silk but they look SO real! I made these little chenille stem baskets for each place setting. The tutorial is from Martha of course. Easter wouldn't be complete without an Easter Bonnet! I made the one below for Lilly. I bought the hat for $1 at Target in the dollar spot and added some ribbon and silk flowers to embellish. She wore it for like 2 seconds so I don't have any great shots or her modeling it, but it looked cute hanging on her little chair.

I hope ya'll are having as much fun as I am fluffing your nests for Easter.

Have a blessed weekend~Molly

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2010-03-17T16:31:00.000-04:00

May the road rise to meet you,May the wind be always at your back,May the sun shine warm upon your face,The rains fall soft upon your fields and,Until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Happy St. Patricks Day~Molly

Our Easter Tree

2010-03-15T16:13:00.000-04:00

Our Easter tree is up in all its spring finery...

The delicious glittered eggs below were my Mimi's. She was a lovely and special lady with some lovely and special holiday treasures. I love looking at her beautiful decorations and remembering them in her home when I was growing up. She really fostered my love of holiday decorating. I miss her dearly but cherish the memories I have of us decorating for all of the holidays together.

Inspiring Me Now...

2010-03-14T22:35:00.000-04:00

These two beauties from Anthropologie...

(IF YOU CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW IT WILL LINK YOU TO THE ORIGINAL SITE)

I will make a doily bowl like this one from Martha Stewart if it is the last thing I do... This dream boat from artist Ann Wood...

She has a tutorial for this papier mache boat on her blog.

And last but not least, anything and everything from...

Have a great week! ~Molly

Our Kitchen Decked out for Easter

2010-03-07T16:29:00.001-05:00

This weekend I searched the depths of the garage for my Easter decorations. I love uncovering the bright and cheerful spring colors. It is like opening a box of saltwater taffy. All of the pastels, glitter, chicks and eggs make me a happy girl. One of my favorite treasures are a set of vintage chicks in their original package that I found in my Mimi's Easter stash (pictured at left). Aren't they so much fun? Below is a picture of my kitchen ready for spring! I thrifted the vintage table cloth a couple of weeks ago.

The centerpiece is comprised of a metal tray I picked up while thrifting with my mom a few weeks ago, a candle holder/hurricane from Michael's new Paris collection, a vintage tole candlestick, vintage crochet napkin holder, a bunny and chicks from Home Goods, and a thrifted metal basket with blue robins eggs I made using this tutorial. The birdcage in my kitchen window with more of my robins eggs in a nest I made from grapevine with wire and long dead grass from the empty lot behind my house :)

Bunnies I made using this tutorial over at Martha's. I made them 3 years ago for Lilly's 1st Easter. The juice glasses are Martha Stewart from Macy's last spring. The candy egg holders and chicks were my Mimi's.

I thrifted this beauty years ago. This momma bird has to be one of my favorite thrifting finds ever. I also thrifted the vintage doily with yellow roses and all of the vintage glasses.

My lily chandelier dressed for spring in vintage paper lanterns I won on ebay. Aren't the roses on the bottom sweet? I want to leave them up all year!

I'm signing off now. I've gotta go do my lesson plans for the week. I'll be back soon to share more thrifty goodness and Easter in my Dining room! Love and Blessings~Molly

2010-02-18T18:19:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone

had a lovely Valentine's Day. Doug and I had a nice time even though he caught my cold :( He gave me these gorgeous lilies that I placed in a pitcher that his grandmother gave me. I love them. I love that he gives me lilies on holidays because "Lilly" is the love of our lives.

I managed to do a little decorating this past week after packing away the Valentines decor. I filled this vintage frame (at right) with pages out of a vintage cook book and a post card from one of my favorite local restaurants. I found the frame years ago at a thrift store for $2. It was gold and caked with dust. I painted it cream. It is cracked up but I like it that way. I filled the 3 tiered wire basket with some of my cloth dinner napkins. I draped my new anthropologie dish cloth over the wine shelf so I can stare at it all the time. I am happy with the new arrangement.

I also added a rope on the wall behind the kitchen table to display Lilly's artwork. I made the rope by braiding long strips of fabric and then tying bows on the ends. I hung the rope with little brass cup hooks. Lilly is so proud of her little gallery and her daddy and mommy are too.

My mom is here visiting and we went to one of my favorite thrift stores yesterday. I can't wait to show you what I found. I will share soon~Molly

Valentine Madness

2010-02-09T22:34:00.000-05:00

If you teach 2 preschool classes, have a daughter in preschool, and teach a Wednesday night bible class of 5 year olds, this is what your dining room table looks like the week before Valentines Day...

I love the Valentine madness!

Speaking of madness, only 24 days until... I can't wait!

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Box Makeover

2010-02-02T23:45:00.000-05:00

This is what a $1 box of chocolates from Walmart looks like when I'm through with it :)

The box looked like this before:

Not so cute.

I thought I could change that and make a pretty little gift for my daughter Lilly.

Here's how i did it:

First, remove cellophane and box lid. Turn the lid over and trace it onto the back of a piece of decorative scrapbook paper or cardstock (wrapping paper could be pretty too). Next, cut the heart out with scalloped scissors and use a glue stick to affix it to the box top. Now comes the fun part...Ebellish, embellish, embellish. I decided to top mine with a crepe paper flower, pearls and some paper leaves. You could use stickers, craft foam hearts, die cuts, vintage valentines or whatever else you could think of. If you want to top yours with a crepe paper flower like mine, here's how to make it:

Cut a 24 inch strips of crepe paper from a roll. Fold the strip in half lenthwise. Set the tension on your sewing machine to about 8 (you want it high) and then set your stitches long. This will cause the crepe paper to gather as you stitch. Now you will stitch down the center of the entire length of the streamer. When you begin stitching, back stitch to secure but do not back stitch at the end because you may need to adjust the amount of ruffle you want for your flower. After you have finished sewing, fold the streamer in half again along the stitches so it will be a double ruffle. Next, glue one end of the ruffle to the box (wherever you want the center of the flower to be). Begin winding the ruffle around the center, using hot glue to secure as you go.Finally, add pearls or a button to the center and some leaves and that's it you're are done. p.s. I emptied out the chocolates and filled the box with some of Lilly's favorite confections. You could also fill it with little trinkets. Remember to save your boxes you get this year and you can transform them for next year and refill them with goodies for a loved one.

XO~Molly

Deck the Halls with Glitter and Lace, fa la la la la la la la la

2010-02-01T23:08:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share some of my Valentine decorations with you: A garland in my kitchen window.

It came from the dollar spot at Target last year and I just added some old doilies and clothespins to give it some unexpected whimsy.

Our Valentine tree.

The heart lights are from Target like 15 years ago. I crocheted the red hearts last year. The little cards are from Daisy D's a few years back. I made the topper last year but added some to it this year.

Vintage crochet pillow and pin cushion.

Both were given to me by dear friends.

My vintage honeycomb heart.

It's displayed on my kitchen cabinet. I found this heart at one of my favorite thrift stores for 59 cents! I love the scallped edge.

I love an excuse to deck the halls with pink, red, glitter and lace!

Valentine Crackers

2010-01-29T09:15:00.001-05:00

I am excited to show you my latest project, Valentine crackers using things most of us have around the house. I am making them for Lilly's teachers and for some friends. They are so simple to make and can be used for so many holidays and occasions so I thought I would share a tutorial of how I put them together. Let's get started:

Supplies:

the humblest of craft supplies, a toilet paper roll

10in x10in sheet of tissue paper

crepe paper

stapler

hot glue

glue stick

heart stickers

white card stock

ribbon string

Step 1:

Cover the toilet paper roll with glue using the glue stick. Step 2:

Place the t.p. roll at the bottom, center of one of the long sides of the tissue paper. Roll the t.p. roll until it is covered with the tissue. Smooth and press the tissue paper to the tube as you roll. When you get to the end, secure top edge of the tissue paper to the tube with glue stick.

Step 3: Gather and scrunch the tissue at onen end of the roll and tie tightly with twine.

Step 4:

Hold the tube with the open end up and tied end down. Fill the tube with treats (chocolates, candy, trinkets). Then tie off the other end just as you did in step 3.

At this point you can decorate the tube any way you'd like. You could use vintage images, stickers, scrapbook paper, chipboard shapes, the possibilites are endless.

For mine, I covered the string on the ends with wired ribbon and decorated it with a crepe paper medallion. If you'd like to make medallion too, here's how I make them:

I cut about 18 inches off a roll of crepe paper. I held the streamer at one end and began gathering it along the bottom.

I did this until it formed a circle. Then I stapled an "X" in the middle to hold all the gathers together. You might have to add a third staple if your paper isn't staying ruffled. I hot glued the medallion onto the front of my cracker then added a circle punched from white cardstock. Finally, I added a glitter heart foam sticker and a little banner with the name of the recipient.

I hope you have fun trying this project. I think I will be making these for every holiday.

Have a great weekend.

Love and Blessings, Molly

Snow White's Cottage (aka Cheerio box)

2010-01-27T16:55:00.000-05:00

Before Christmas, I found a tutorial at Bella Dia for turning cereal and cracker boxes into little houses. Lilly and I decided to make one and paint it to look like Snow White's cottage for her little Snow White she got for Christmas.

Lilly helped paint on the base coat.

We cut out the little door so Snow White can go inside. We think she likes her new home :)

Coffee Filter Love

2010-01-26T18:58:00.001-05:00

I'm sure I am one of the last to hop on the coffee filter bandwagon. I know crafters have been using them in creative ways for a while now. It wasn't until I saw this post at Birds of a Feather that I became obsessed. Heidi is amazing. After finding Heidi's creation I began searching the web for other coffee filter creations. Look at this made by Heather at Pretty Petals. Does this not make you want to stay up all night tonight tea staining filters? This is my humble attempt at a coffee filter wreath:

It doesn't hold a candle to Heather and Heidi's but I am loving it anyway. I can't decide if I am going to add anything to it or not. I like the simplicity, but I don't know how long I will be able to resist glittering it in some way. If you decide to try one for yourself I'll share some things I learned along the way after experimenting. To achieve the color I dyed mine using 12 oz. of boiling water, 2 raspberry tea bags and 5 drops of red food coloring. This dyed about 50 filters. I had to do this twice because my wreath took 75 filters. I grabbed the filters in the center and dipped the tips (the ruffled edge of the filter) in the tea/dye and let them sit until the entire filter had absorbed the liquid. Then I layed them on foil to air dry. It took about 3 hours for them to dry. This is how they look drying, they are in the same form that i dipped them in. I put several in the pot of tea at a time. After they dried, I used pins to stick them into a styrofoam wreath form...I hung the wreath over a mirror with red ribbon for Valentine's Day. I plan on leaving it up through the spring and summer and just changing the ribbon and adding to it. Maybe some glittery butterflies for spring! I'll be sure to share my evolving wreath with you. Happy coffee filter dying :)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-25T16:44:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Better late than never I guess. I have missed blogging and I hope to fit it back into my life. I have been crazy busy but have managed to make a few things lately. I find that if I find time to make something there is no time left to blog about it :) I resolve to manage my time better in 2010.

This past weekend my friend Amy and her son Nolan came down to Tampa for Gasparilla. We had a blast. Every kid at the parade was dressed in their pirate garb. I made Lilly's skirt and shirt for the special event. She picked out the fabric herself. When she tried on the skirt she said, "It's perfect Mommy!" I was so relieved she loved it.

I actually whipped up the matching shirt the night before the parade because it had a stain on it. I just cut out a heart and pirate skull, gathered up some tulle and appliqued away.

Lilly and Nolan racked up 150 beads at the parade! We can't wait for Jose' Gaspar and his crew to invade Hillsborough Bay again next year.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T13:20:00.000-05:00

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas to all! With love, Molly

My Sweet Ellie Belle

2009-12-23T07:04:00.000-05:00

My sweet Ellie Belle. We almost lost her this year. She was very ill in the spring, but with lots of faith and lots of prayers she beat the odds and pulled through. I am so thankful she is still here and we have another Christmas with her.

My Latest Christmas Creation

2009-12-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

This is the second Chirstmas dress I have made for Lilly in the past 2 weeks ( I don't have a good picture of the other one yet). I thought I was only going to make one but I found this fabric at Joann's last week and loved it so much I almost cried (click on the photos to see the fabric better). It is the sweetest fabric I've ever seen! It's little vintage angels making Christmas cookies, candies and gingerbread houses. It was on sale and I yanked it off the shelf as fast as I could and was shrieking out "Lilly isn't this the best fabric ever?!" She was too into her lollipop to care that much. I used this tutorial at Joy's Hope and made it my own by sewing gingham fabric straps/bow instead of ribbon and I added the fabric flowers with fabric covered buttons along the top to make it even more yummy. I wish I could get away with wearing this dress/fabric. Aren't you glad I have a little girl and you didnt have to see a 34 year old woman wearing angels and cookies on her dress?

Here are some more pictures of Lilly modeling my Christmas creation. She wore it all day! Mommy's so glad she loves it! Hope your Christmas season is filled with sweets! Love, Molly

Twinkly and Bright

2009-12-06T18:56:00.000-05:00

We had a great day today. Lilly and Doug and I spent the day with my grandparents and my mom and dad. We went to my Dandaddy's (grandfather) church together and then had lunch. After lunch we looked through my Mom's old scrapbooks from jr. high and high school. Mom and Dad grew up together so it was great to see pictures and momentos from their past, times they shared together as kids. That is pretty amazing to me. Another amazing experience from the day was getting to read some of the letters my Dandaddy wrote to his mother from his ship during World War II. They were unbelievable. I couldn't put them down. So much feeling and so much history in those letters. Many of them were written during Christmas time. I can't imagine my grandfather and all those other U.S. soldiers having to spend Christmas on a beach in the South Pacific in the midst of war. We owe so much to veterans. When I got home I snapped some pictures of my living room and dining room to share with you. I love the "twinkly bright" feeling of the rooms. I use lots of gold, glitter, snow and vintage glass bead garlands.

Christmas Blessings to all, Molly

P.S. I went to breakfast at my church Saturday morning and we had an amazing speaker. She read this verse to us:

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

This is the response Mary had when the angel came to tell her she would have a baby named Jesus. Can you imagine hearing this kind of news? How would you or I react? She did not question God. Her immediate response was to serve him. What an amazing example of faith she is. This really touched me and this verse will be in my heart this Christmas season.

ready or not here comes Christmas!

2009-12-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

We were out of the state for Thanksgiving so I wasn't able to decorate for Christmas the day after like I usually do. When I got back from vacation it was time for me to start working everyday at the preschool. I have had a lot going on and I can't believe how long is taking me to decorate the house and post about it. Christmas just snuck up on me!

I want to share some corners of my home. I'll start with my kitchen. I usually go over the top and kitschy for the kitchen with vintage santas, vintage christmas linens and lots of red, but this year I opted for a warm cozy feel with greenery, silvery and cream...

here's how it looks

my centerpiecea cozy corner

nativity my grandparents gave me for my 2nd Christmas, December 1977

I am happy with the overall calming feel of the kitchen but I couldn't be totally kitschless, so i I added some vintage greenery and a mushroom in front of a vintage recipe for fruit cake in my kitchen cupboard :)

Love to all, Molly

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

2009-11-23T15:10:00.000-05:00

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."

Don't Forget Thanksgiving!

2009-11-22T07:52:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you guys but I am just becoming more and more frustrated and annoyed with retailers skipping Thanksgiving and going right to Christmas beginning in September! Christmas has been slowly but surely creeping farther and farther back. When I was young I remember my Mimi commenting on how terrible she thought it was that stores had Christmas out in early November. Well these days we see Chistmas popping up in stores as early as September and I think it is a crime. They use this tactic to get us to buy, buy, buy. Buy presents, buy decorations, buy clothing!. I'm not falling for it. Yes I have made a few ornaments and have been thinking of some Christmas decorating ideas but I can assure you I will not ignore Thanksgiving and to me the Christmas season does not begin until we have recovered from our turkey hangovers.

Lilly and I were at the mall a couple of days ago and Santa himself was already there! Can you believe that? He's been there for weeks already. Lilly did catch a glimpse of him and got a sparkle in her eye, but I sped by because it's not time for that yet! I went to Walmart the other day looking for Thanksgiving plates and napkins and there were none to be found. Where the fall decor once was (back in September), it was all Christmas. Last night was the Christmas light show and tree lighting here in town. We didn't go. It's not Christmas yet.

Lilly and I have been reading Thanksgiving books and talking about how important the holiday is for the past few weeks. I want my daughter to know that Thanksgiving is a very important holiday. What could be more important than being with family and thanking God for all of the blessings in our lives.

I know Thanksgiving is not a glitzy holiday and there are no presents and gobs of decorations and that is why the retailers want you to shove it to the back of your mind, but I urge you to put Christmas out of your mind for the next few days and focus on giving thanks.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving filled with family, love, and warm memories. Love, Molly

Advent Inspirations

2009-11-17T17:27:00.000-05:00

My next Christmas project is going to be an advent calendar for Lilly. I have been looking around the web for inspiration. I have found some unbelievable ideas. Here are some of my favorites...

I want to make Lilly's advent a countdown to the birth of Jesus, the true reason we celebrate Christmas, so I think I will add part of the Christmas story each day attached to a little treasure.

Hope you all are enjoying the beautiful fall season. Have a great week. Love, Molly

Homespun, Whimsical, White Christmas

2009-11-10T21:45:00.001-05:00

So I couldn't stand waiting for Christmas any longer. I had to start Christmas crafting. This year in my kitchen I want to do what I'm calling a "homespun, woodsy, whimsical" theme. I want to use felt, snowflakes, yarn, pinecones, evergreen, creamy whites, and handmade decorations. Here are my first creations for my little kitchen tree... I got my inspiration at BellaDia. I purchased the small pinecones at Micheal's (Florida pinecones are too big), I made the hats by cutting off the fingertips of a cream colored knitted glove, and I cut the scarves out of felt. They were so much fun to make (aside from the two times I got scorched by my glue gun). I plan on making more for friends and doing an angel version too so keep checking in. Have a wonderful week! Love, Molly

Something New

2009-11-05T03:24:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago my friend Christie asked me to make a garter for her cousin's wedding. I had never made a garter before but it sounded fun and I always love a new sewing/crafting challenge. I searched the web for some garter tutorials and went to Etsy for some inspiration. I combined some ideas and this is what I came up with...

one for the bride to keep... and one to toss... I used this tutorial for the folded rose.

P.S. Check out Garter Lady on Etsy. Her shop is amazing!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-01T07:17:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a night full of Halloween fun and lots of candy! Here is my Lilly as Little Red Ridinghood. I made her red cloak using a pattern from marthastewart.com. The apron she is wearing was my Mom's when she was a little girl. She loved it all and had a blast getting all dressed up.

Let the Merry Making Begin

2009-10-28T15:48:00.000-04:00

Hear ye! Hear ye! Anthropologie Holiday Decor is online! I anticipate their holiday collection and window displays every year. They always inspire and influence my holiday decorating. Their ornaments are out of this world. I buy some every year. Look at the beauties below. They are a couple of my favorites. I know it's only October and it's 90 degrees out today (I'm in Tampa, FL), but these girls have me ready to deck the halls!

Halloween Scrapbook

2009-10-27T20:36:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share the Halloween scrapbook that I put together for Lilly last year. So far I have finished pages of memories from her first and second Halloweens. I will add pictures this year to finishe up the book. I bought the book in the dollar spot at Target, one of my favorite places to find scrapbook treasures. I made some tissue fringe and tied on a gingham bow to embellish the cover. It was such a fun project! If you look closely you will see some frayed ribbon, torn paper and smeared ink. That is because Lilly literally looks through this book atleast twice a week. She was looking at this book at Easter time!

A "Sweet" Weekend

2009-10-20T23:00:00.000-04:00

Well our friends Amy and Nolan came to visit this weekend and we had a blast. The kids really enjoyed the campfire, fall festival and just playing together (especially outside in the beautiful weather). We all consumed more sugar than I thought was humanly possible. I filled a cone that I made (pictured at left) and some whimsical Halloween take out boxes with treats for my friend and the kids. Below is a picture of Lilly and Nolan enjoying their yummy cupcakes in my kitchen. We took pictures of them in their costumes but I think I will wait until next week to reaveal Lilly's costume. I can hardly wait to post it...I might give in before next week and show you. We'll see :)

I taught today and had open house tonight so I am pretty beat. I will be back tomorrow to post pictures of the fall crafts that the kids did. They are too cute. Have a great Wednesday!

Love, Molly