Weekly Check-in...what have I been up to?

Hi sweet friends!

Wow...today is NOT a good day health

wise for me.  I awoke mid night to a migrane that

just leaves its awful after affects.  Just know,

if you suffer from headaches and migranes...

I truly know how you feel!

I must admit also, that I have been struggling

to keep in an *up* mood.  Not sure if its the

cooler weather changes, my headache or looming to do's that

the Holiday season seem to bring.  Do any of you

out there feel this way?

I am also struggling as to whether to

continue blogging.  I so enjoy my sweet

followers, but lately many come by to visit my

blog...but few leave me a comment.

I am not sure why that gets me down...

but it does...I really would like to know if I am

just wasting my time or is what I share

relevant...just thinking out loud here.

Okay enough keeping it real today.

A week or so ago I shared that I may be adding

my *creations* to a local store...in Belleville call

Sweet Chateau.  I was also asked by the owner to

Paint on her store front windows...yes lil ole

me felt so honored to do this.  I will be doing this

on Wednesday.  In talking with my friend...I had

taken a mirrored vintage window she had and

she asked me today to paint it similar to

how we has discussed painting on her windows.

So I thought you all might enjoy seeing what I

whipped up today...yep even with a headache!

I haven't heard back from her yet about what she

thinks...I sure hope she likes it!

Be Blessed,

Lorena

***Christmas Is Coming?***

Hey sweet friends!

Yep...Christmas will be here sooner than we would

all like it to be!  And I have been up to

my eyeballs in glitter and paint!

I decided to join up with Kristen over at

KRISTEN'S CREATIONS

for

Share your Creations!

Just click the above link to see what else is

being created for this Holiday Season.

This time of the year I am either spending much of my time

in my beloved studio...or out on the hunt for just one more

thing to *shabby* up.

I am always so giddy after I finish and want to share my

accomplishments...I certainly hope you don't mind.

Above are all of the Christmas goodies I finished up today.

Still trying to decide if I should put these in my etsy shop or my

ebay auctions...hmmm.

These are trees made from Cardboard Mill Spools.

So many ways to use these Cone shaped Spools...

I finished up the silver tinsel one today.

  I wrapped it in a wired tinsel,

topped it off with a silver star and then added my Clay Roses.

I put it with my other trees I have listed on etsy right now.

These two churches are ceramic that were painted in pinks

and whites, glitter and mica!  So much Bling!!!

Lastly, my darling Santa's...one is resin the

other a ceramic.  They both turned out too cute...

I think hehehe!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Be Blessed,

Lorena

***Busy Busy Busy***

Hi everyone!

I am a busy girl right now.

I have had very little time to

think or come in and blog...so PLEASE forgive me.

  This time of the

year I am stocking my shelves for the

Holiday Season.  I always have so much

fun painting ornies and creating

new designs for your

Shabby Chic Christmas!

I am being very brave to show you

exactly what I mean...

something blew up in my Studio! lol

I am not even showing it all to you!!!

I cannot seem to finish just one project

at a time...I work on 20-30!

Seriously...I really am A.D.D.

when it comes to creating!

ALSO....

I am so excited to share that...

in the near future my

Handpainted and Hand Crafted

goodies will be added to a local NEW store

*Sweet Chateau*

 before the Holidays...

stay tuned for when things

finally fall into place!

Needless to say I am excited!!!

I am also hoping to list items in

ebay and stock more in my etsy shop.

LINKS are avaiable on my left sidebar.

I hope you will stop by and check out

what I am have been up to!

Thanks for stopping...

hope you are all having a lovely day!

Be Blessed!

Lorena

***INSPIRATION***REPURPOSING/Upcycling*** Christmas Greeting Cards Into Ornies

Hi Bloggy Friends!

Wow, where did this week go?

I certainly have been a busy girl working

in my studio!  Yesterday I was out got a chance to

visit a dear friend who had some fun project

she needed help on.  So fulfulling!

Okay...if you are at all like me...

I save just about everything...

thinking I might be able to *create* something with it?

I thought I'd share some ideas on ways I have

used and repurposed those cards we receive and send out.

TAGS FOR Gifts:

I cut just the front part of the card off

 and use this as my tag.  You could put a hole
and slip a pretty ribbon through it or just
tape this to the front and bow on it!

IDEAS for MAKING Ornament out of CARDS:

Here's what I have done.

Select the cards you are going to use. 

Either Glue card together or cut the front off your card 

and glue a thinner piece of cardboard on back.

This will make a sturdier surface to work on.

Determine how you will hang then cut holes.
( I recommend do the card first and then the cardboard)

Glitter, tinsel or add lace all around.

Add ribbon or wire for hanging.

Embellish!

Easy peasy and such a great project for kids too!

Below is a sampling of what I have done for you to see!

The card above my sister Katina sent me.  I am sending it

back this way to her this year...cool idea huh?

Ideas are limitless...let your imagination be your guide.

I think this was a hand made card...

I think after seeing it in a

picture I still need to add some lace at the

bottom?

So...would you buy one of these darlings?

I am thinking of adding them to my etsy shop...

we shall see.

Hope you were inspired to use those

cards you may have kept!!!

Be blessed,

Lorena

PS...I'm Linking in over at KRISTEN'S Creations

Share your Creations

Be sure to check out her lovely blog and

and participants!

Pink Saturday ~ October 15th

Hi Pink Friends!

It has been a while since I got my act together

to join in on the PINK fun! 

I can't wait to get out there and see all the fun

PINK post everyone has!

Please visit our wonderful hostess Beverly at

HOW SWEET THE SOUND

to enjoy the many PINK Post today!

Since I create in PINK and have been busy

at work creating some new goodies for

my etsy shop and Christmas...

I was hoping you won't mind if I share a few of my

favorites!

I love painting PINK Roses and making them with

polymer clay too...this tray is magnetic and is so

versatile...vanity with beautiful bottles, hung on your

office wall for notes or just sitting pretty on a shelf.

These are darling Cone Trees, one has my hand painted

roses the other is covered in glitter MICA!

Last, a sample of the sweet ornies I have been making!

All Items are listed in my etsy shop or soon to be

at auction on ebay!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I LOVE to read your comments!

Be Blessed,

Lorena



***Wall DECOR Project***

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

If you came by my blog a few weeks back you would

know I just finished sharing my recent decorating

of my homes living areas for Fall.

I moved a few pieces of furniture and now opened

up a new area for some wall displays.

So I went off to HobLob and found a cool

faux Photo with the unique letterings that

spelled out FAMILY for $10!!!

THAT was my inspiration piece.

 I added my daughters Triple Pix from her

graduation pictures...love my pretty girl!

With the last piece being my *project*.

I recenlty found our Victorian Style Marriage Certificate

 that was given to my hubby and I

as a wedding gift from the Minister who married us.

I had tucked this certificate away for 25 years.

In a recent cleaning of my craft studio I

ran across it again and finally knew what

would become of this lovely piece of my

marriage history.

Okay, so please don't be mad, cuz,

 I meant to take before pictures and

as is my sometimes bad habit,

before I know it the project was done.

Anyone relate to this happening?

Here's what I did:

I took a 16x20 White Canvas board and

began painting deep burgandy, golds and

carmel colors as my base background.

I then lightly watered the edges of the paper

and tore them to give a tattered document feel.

I then used Mod Podge to adhere the certificate.

Then used that great spray stain to age it all

a bit more.  Then I added a thick coat

 of mod podge over the entire piece.

For me this board was a bit too plain so

I stained a vintage crocheted piece I had

and then glued a cross I had also purchased

from HOBLOB.  This was all glued to the

top...

Okay...the last pictures is of my new

wall display corner!

If you are interested in something like this for your

own home, I actually did a search for

VICTORIAN Certificates and came up with

a number of places that these can be purchased

on line from!

Hope I inspired you!

Be Blessed

Lorena

 



***Sketching Pretty Ladies Faces***

Hi Sweet Friends!

Over the weekend I got inspired.

Way, way back, more than 30 years ago when I was

attending my local Community College, I

was a very young 18 year old that did

not really have a *career* in mind.

I had always loved fashion and had dabbled in drawing

ever since I was a kid...but with no

formal training during my schooling years.

It IS definitely something I look back on now with regret.
Why didn't I see the potential I may have possessed?

I know, my momma saw it and like most

teenage kids, I turned a deaf ear.  It wasn't
till I was in my late 30's that I opened myself
up  and allowed my creative side to flurish.

Okay getting back to my story...
I did take a class that year call

Fashion Illustration.  I LOVED that class

and excelled or got an A.  We were taught basics of
shadowing and drawing.  My favorite was drawing

portraits...using a magazine ad picture as my guide.

Well...that leads me to this weekend.

I found an amazing artist, Sue Halstenberg...

 She has done a BEEEAUTIFUL series of Victorian Ladies.

( You can Do a google search or check her etsy shop for

these amazing images.)

  Needless to say these beautiful

images got my juices going.

So I pulled out my colored pencils and began

renewed my rusty sketching abilities. 

In between all of this,
 I also came upon a Facebook friend who was

 sharing some drop-dead-gorgeous

pictures of Victorian Lady Embellished Pictures she

has, with pretty faces and so darling all dolled up!

Very inspired now.

Do ya see where I am going?

NOW, I only drew the just the facial features.

I have some plans swimming in my brain of

how I want to finish these off...but

that may take me a while...
maybe a later post.
But here are the 3 better sketches I am
willing to share with ya'll.

I am not saying these are great. 

But I was so thrilled that I could even do this again.

 I will keep working on them and like in all

of creating, the MORE you practice,

the better you become..or at least I hope so.

Be INSPIRED!!!

Lorena

***Pink and Shabby*** Newest Christmas Arrivals Just Listed in my etsy!

Hey Friends,

I have been busy in between my

fall clean up/decorating and finally have finished

up a few more of my Pink Rosey Goodies

for Christmas!

More to come as I gear up for the

Holidays!  Hope you stop by and check

my etsy store out!

Here's pictures just for you,

my sweet bloggy friends!

3" Glass Round Flats full of clay roses!

My Shabby Cone Trees!

These above are 4" Flat Rounds!

Sampling of my 3" Flat Round with Clay roses!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Be Blessed!

Lorena

***GRANNY CAKE Recipe***

Hey Sweet Friends!

Today I am sharing one of my families

ALL time FAVS Desserts!
I am Also linking up with
Stone Gables, On the Menu Monday
because I know this Cake Recipe is
sure to be a hit wherever it is taken.

This Granny Cake recipe belongs to

hubbys grammy.  He loved it so much that

when we were first dating,

 and she was still alive he called and got it from her. 

He actually use to make this

and bring it to my family functions before we were married.

It is very easy cause it uses 1 Box of yellow cake mix.

It is OOOOOEY and GOOEY...so if that's

your MO with desserts then you will LOVE this.

Granny Cake Recipe

1 Yellow Cake Mix Box

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Can Crushed Pineapple (I believe 16 oz)

2 eggs

Topping:

1/4 Cup Brown sugar

1 stick butter

1 Can Condensed Milk

2/3 Cup sugar

Options: Use a can of Fruit Cocktail insteal

of Crushed Pinapples.  I have also added

Mandrin Oranges as well.

Add to the cake mix your sugar, eggs and can

of pineapple and mix items well together.

Place in a 9x13 greased cake pan. 

Spread 1/4 cup of brown sugar over top of cake. 

Bake in a pre-heated 350 over.

Bake 30 or until not gooey.

While cake is baking, in a sauce pan melt

butter, then added sugar and can of

condensed milk.  Bring this to a boil

and lower heat and cook for approximately

3 minutes. 

Stirring Constantly!

Take off heat and once

cake is pulled out of oven...use a toothpick

to punch holes all over cake and pour

this gooey mixture over entire cake.

I also, pull all sides away from pan so that

the topping can ooze its way down the sides.

Let this sit and the topping will soak

into your cake!

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream!

Enjoy!

I made this on Monday afternoon for my

Bible study on Tuesday. 

My family was so indignant that  it wasnt' for them

that I

had to make sure I gave them each a piece before

I went off to share this.

That's how much they love it!

When my daughter got home from school

yesterday first thing she asked...

any cake left over?

 I was sorry to inform her it was ALL gone!

I'd love to hear of you decide to make this.

I can assure you everywhere I take it

I always have to give the recipe out!

Be Blessed!

Lorena

FALL Swap Goodies ~~~ Blue/White Curio

Good Monday Morning Bloggy Friends!!!

A few weeks ago I joined a swap with

Deb at Garage Sale Gal

and was thrilled that I got to be her partner.

If you check out her blog you will find her post of all the goodies

I sent her cause this girlie forgot to take pictures

before I sent them off...urggggh!!

I just LOVED everything and...

had fun dispersing the great things

she sent me all around my home.
So....shall we get started?

My decorated box, inside and out was so much

fun to open!

Darling hand made card by Deb!

See how fun these things were wrapped?

I think this PUMPKIN Scrabble sign is my fav,

i'ts sitting in my kitchen area so I can adore it all day long.

An adorable white pumpkin and array of fall themed tags...too cute!

sweet goodies, too!

If you look really close in the first picture

I took. there are some loose goodies that were in the

box and pictured below,

 I added this ceramic pumpkin on top of the cloche...

tried the white pumkin she sent but it

was a tad too tall for my Cloche, whaaaaa.

Thanks so very much Miss Deb!

You spoiled me good!

*****

I mentioned in my last post I'd share pictures of my

Curio that I moved, clean and then added

my Blue/White Collection in.

You ready?

I added this picture above so you could see where

it is loacted in our family room.  It was moved over from the

corner on this same wall, just the other side of window.

It always seemed hidden. 

I am now enjoying  how it flanks my fireplace.

To blend it all together, I also brought in a Navy chair

to add more sitting space in this room

and add more blue to this room.

I apologize...mirror, glass ~ flash...hard to keep it

from happening.

More than half of this collection were items that

my momma boxed up and brought to me about

10 years ago from Seattle to Detroit!

Lucky me!!!

  I remember the Sears Blue Onion

Canister set in her kitchen...memories are so sweet.

Also, being a thrify gal, and shopper you can imagine

how some of these goodies caught my eye and

came home with me. Also, some cherished items

from friends who know I love blue and white anything!

Many of the plates were TJMaxx clearance

that were a steal many many years ago...

when we had one close by :(.

I have had so much fun playing with and displaying my goodies.

As well as

 being thrilled with how well it all came together

even if much of it is more mixed and not matchy!

Thanks so much for visiting...

as always, I DO love hearing from you!

Be Blessed!

Lorena