Soft Sages

This lovely treasury is the perfect excuse to try out this widget thingy from craftcult.com. My guest books have been featured in some really nice treasuries and I've had a lot of fun discovering new shops featured along with me!



The book featured, Moss and Porcelain Guest Book, is a limited edition of just two books. I'm sad because I love this book, but this moss and gold paper is no longer available. Bummer :(

Imagining Spring Is Here

Heavy With Dew by OliviaGirdPhoto

Along with most of the rest of the US, I am so tired of this cold weather! It has been a very rough winter, especially for those of us who aren't used to such cold temperatures. As I write this, I've got a cherry pit heating pad on my back (because I ate ice cream for dessert and now have the shivers).

So, I'm going to pretend spring is here since that is the latest topic for the Etsy Bloggers' Blog Carnival. Melissa of MadeByMelissa is hosting this round and asks what items are in my shop to celebrate spring. I have all sorts of spring guest book designs, since spring is the start of the wedding season.

I thought I'd go with a yellow theme, to coordinate with the daffodil picture. Here is my Mums In Canary Guest Book.

I have one more yellow book in my shop but it's more of a summer theme...but here is one still in the works from my Petite Series--to be listed soon!

Ahhh...I feel warmer already! I hope these bright, cheery yellows warmed you up also!

I See The Light

Some of my favorites...

Luna Handmade Paper and Twig Art Lamp by Wyldewoodpapers

This lamp is amazing! It looks like something you'd find in a hobbit or a fairy's house. Jan makes the paper herself, cooking the raw fibers of hickory bark and the abaca plant and forming them into sheets which are wrapped around the twig framework. I fell in love with this lamp the moment I saw it!

Spicy Hot Pepper Table Luminary by ZienOnMain

Hot Pepper was inspired by a picture Cindy took in South Korea. Made from terra batik handmade paper and branches, it’s vibrant, fun, and casts a warm glow on a cold winter night. Very sculptural!

And last...

Chandelier with copper accents by SilverCityIron

This chandelier is handforged using traditional blacksmithing techniques and features fish-tail scrolls, copper wire banding and reclaimed copper candle holders. Corry often uses materials which are recycled and salvaged which adds to the character of each piece!

Be My Valentine!

Personalized Cupcake Toppers by thepaperkingdom

It seems Valentine's Day was more special for me when I was a child than it is now. I remember the excitement of making our own mailboxes and taping them to the sides of our desks for the BIG DAY.

Valentine's Day Personalized Cards with Keepsake Mailbox by InkspotWorkshop

When the day came, we'd walk around the room playing mail carrier, delivering Valentines to everyone's mailbox. I think there was a rule that if you participated you had to give everyone a Valentine, not just a special few people. That way no one felt left out.

In Bloom Spring Colors 3 by simplysplendidstamp

I kept my Valentines for many years until at some point when I was a teenager I decided they weren't cool anymore, so I threw them out. I wish I still had them. :/

Snowflakes!

We rarely get snow where I live, so this is the best I can do for snow pictures! Which is fine by me...snow is pretty to look at when it's freshly fallen, but I can do without the cold thank you very much!

1 Snow Queen Bracelet by drakonaria
2 Magical Blue and Silver Snowflake Ornament by tianarutledge
3 Snowflakes photo cards by filigreephotos
4 watercolor stationery by cynthiacallan

Etsy Blogger of the Month

Is CalKat! I just love this piece of jewelry from Kathy and Carrie's shop, it's so unusual!

Braces? At my age!

**Please note: my article was "borrowed" by get-a-celebrity-smile.com and appears without my permission on their website, advertising some teeth whitening pens. I DO NOT endorse them, especialy since they used my article without my permission and I cannot find any way to contact them to have it removed!!

I just got Invisalign braces this week for a rouge front tooth that decided after 20 years to revert back to it's former position. (I wore metal braces twice before as a child--blah!).

I am miserable. Of course it would be worse if I had those horrible metal brackets tearing up my cheeks, but my whole face hurts. The tray, as they call it--it snaps over your teeth, has rough spots on it along the gum line that are driving me up the wall. I've already attacked it with a nail file a couple of times.

Brace Face by GottaLotta

And on top of that I've got a sore throat and nausea. At first I thought I was coming down with something, but thought perhaps I would check the intenet for reported side effects of Invisalign. Lo and behold, I found many other people reporting the same thing! I've concluded it's either an allergic reaction to the plastic or caused by a severely dry mouth (another side effect of having Invisalign).

I reported these symptoms to my orthodontist, who is one of those good ole southern boys, and he said he'd never heard of such a thing. Maybe it was anxiety. (WTF??!!!)

So I have taken it upon myself to educate him by emailing him all the links from my afternoon of research on the internet. I'm kind of locked into treatment with him since I've already paid for over half of it, so changing orthos would be a bit of a hassle. Besides, the histrionic female accusation, he's a nice guy otherwise.

I'm definitely going to lose weight too, due to the hassle of taking the durn tray in and out every time I eat. Then I have to brush before putting it back in, otherwise the food will be trapped in the tray and I'll get cavities. Unfortunately, aside from a couple of inches around my belly to get back into my "skinny" jeans, I really don't need to lose weight. So I'll end up looking like a skeleton before this self-imposed ordeal is over.

I've been sipping on water the last few hours and the nausea has gotten better, so maybe it is related to dry mouth. The good news is my treatment will only be 12 weeks long. I put up with morning sickness during my pregnacy with my son longer than that, so I guess I can hang in there!

Friday Favorites

1 Burlap Romance... by AlicesLookingGlass
2 Vintage French Book Paper Wreath by SimpleJoysPaperie
3 Elegant True Love Memory Box by FunWallArt
4 Rosa ornament gift set by cardinalhouse

Dishwasher Woes

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday! (for those readers in the US). My holiday was nice, spent with family, and now I am recovering from having a house full of guests.

Today I got a lot done--laundry, putting things back in their places, and dishes--yes, dishes. My dishwasher broke last night. I'm not happy about that. It's a 2 yr old Kenmore provided by the builder of my new home.

Kitchen Scrubbie by Laksaware
I may just need to get this if my dishwasher doesn't get fixed soon!!

Part of me wants to fix it since there will be lots of expenses with the holidays coming up and I don't really want to shell out the money for a new one, but the other part of me wants to replace it. I've never really liked it as it doesn't do a very good job, is extremely noisy, and bowl #4 always comes out dirty. I have bent the tine so many times trying to tweak the position of it I'm afraid it'll pop off if I bend it again!

Crocheted Dish Cloth by Laksaware

I miss my Maytag I bought for my last house. I wish I could have brought it with me! Yes, I'm spoiled, but I didn't always have a dishwasher so I figure I've paid my dues. My parents had one when I was growing up, but it was never hooked up. Isn't that the stupidest thing you've ever heard??--and it's still not hooked up. It's just a vintage kitchen decoration at this point.

Hmmm...I hope mine is not destined to become a vintage kitchen decoration.

The Beauty of Dragonflies

My preschooler loves to walk in the garden with me to discover the latest blooms and insects. We recently planted a redbud tree and checking on it has become part of our repetoire. This evening there was a green dragonfly sitting on the topmost branch munching on his dinner. We watched him for a while and my son waved at him. To our surprise, the dragonfly lifted his front leg and appeared to wave back! My son was thrilled!

Enjoy these handmade dragonfly items I found on Etsy, as well as the dragonfly poems!

Water lily and dragonfly original oil painting by LeslieMacon

Dragonfly Treasure - Wide Band Dragonfly Ring with Lapis by LavenderCottage

La Libellule limited edition 8x10 print by Peggitha

A Dragonfly
Your delicate wings rapidly beat the air
The sleekness of your weightless body hovers
Curiously observing as though you care
Steadily searching for lifelong endeavors

Do you bring a message of a tranquil destiny?
Does your evolving maturity convey wisdom?
If I follow, will I find harmony or perplexity?
As you disappear… I am serenely lonesome
by Theresa Moore, 2007

Deco Dragonfly Mug in Seafoam by OneClayBead

DRAGONFLY FLY Blue Green Glass bead mix with Antique brass by kelleylovedesigns

The Dragon Fly
A dragon fly upon my knee
Is sitting looking up at me.

He has a scarlet tail and six
Little legs like jointed sticks.

With two of them he rubs his head.
His eyes are brown, his mouth is red,

His wings are colored like the rain:
He lifts them, and flies off again.

by Dorothy Keeley Aldis
1896-1966, written in 1925

Peacock Perfection

The Peacock Bustle Moleskin Cahier by mulberrymuse

Holly Peacock Feather Hair Clip by TheSleepyAlbatross

Peacock 8 Original Oil Painting by RozArt

Peacock Necklace (vintage lucite) by MataHariJewelry

I love peacocks, they're such regal looking birds! Here are some lovely peacock themed items I found on Etsy. Whenever I see a peacock now, I think of the time we took my (then) two year old to the zoo. We were in one of the gift shops and a peacock came up to the window and looked in at him. They examined each other for a long time, it was so cute!

Top Five Summer Favorites

1. Flowers in bloom...

Sunshine and Sunflowers by LaughingDogPhoto

2. Warm sunshine...
Turtles In The Sun by DigitalKangaroo

3. Beach breezes...

Walking In The Waves by SherriConley
Swings by WaterBugFineArts

I couldn't resist putting two here. These swings remind me of swinging on the beach in Nags Head as a child.

4. Longer daylight hours...

Ethereal Sunshine by kristensteinfineart

5. And finally, yummy fruit!

Good Morning Sunshine by ara133photography

Thursday's Treasures

This week's favorites! Click the links below to visit these talented artists' shops...
8x10 Assisi Print by ValeriaH
Vintage Cloth Journal by SewDanish
Purple Charm Bracelet by circ
Shades of Blue Vase by potteryhead

Thursday's Treasures

I'm starting another new weekly posting! Each Thursday I'll pick my top four favorite items from Etsy to share with you. Today's debut features some fabulous items from these sellers. Click the links below the pictures to visit their shops!
au naturale mini vase by annaspots

bee and the blossoms by waywardgirl

Tina Brown and Blue Batik Quilted and Beaded Bag by kimbuktu

handmade glass pendant necklace by fatesdesigns