Out of the Boudoir

A flea market birthday

I figured this was my last chance to create a flea market baby birthday party before my sweet darling son started to ask for a Spiderman theme or a rowdy day at Chuck E. Cheese's. My inspiration taken from Flea Market Baby by Marie Moss and Barri Leiner.

I was lucky to find the card on ebay. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect one! I used the inside as the thank you card, and glued it to yellow blank cards from Michaels.


It was the first birthday party I had ever thrown, and I was hoping that it would be a hit. I had big shoes to fill you see...My mother threw the best birthday celebrations in my book! She was the ringmaster, the one that made it all fun. Those are wonderful memories in my life, and of course I want to do the same for my son. Well, at the end of the two hours all the three to five year olds had a blast, and went home with prizes, a super goody bag, a full tummy, pin wheels and a smile on their face...I will even dare say, that the parents were entertained themselves...Phew!:)

Martha Martha Martha!

I am loving all the Martha craft section at Michaels.My son and I put together a lion and a piggy puppet at the lake house last summer, and it was a perfect activity to do on a lazy afternoon.



The kits are very simple and child friendly, and the instructions very easy to follow and very clear. By the time christmas came around we put together the child stocking which was a matter of peel and stick snowflakes, and cutting out letters.


But all the fun is not for the kids only. They have paper flowers kits, beautiful gift paper, around october they have halloween themed crafts and decorations for your home...I could go on and on! I am very excited to get a chance to put together the pom-pom kit, maybe it they will hang in my studio!

Words of Wisdom

I have always loved quotes. I will be posting the ones that speak to me on my side bar. I also wanted to keep a log of the previously posted ones, so we can all enjoy the insight that they offer...I will be adding them as links in this post as I change quotes...Enjoy!

"Can someone eat the fruit that comes from the tree of action that grows from the seeds of your mind?." Eugene James Martin

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter" Dr. Seuss

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." Henry David Thoreau

"Courage doesn't always roar...sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says "I will try again tomorrow" Mary Anne Radmacher

Yummieness overload...mmm!

O.k, so I must either be very hungry for something sweet or too tired. But I just can't make up my mind on three or four pictures of my mom's beautiful Bday cake. Here are a couple of pics to get started...


I bought this scrumptious cake at Mariana's Supermarket for my mother's overdue birthday celebration...shame on me! My mom who is the most energetic, smart, helpful, sweetest, most wonderful person ever and who, may I add is really a supermom (term from the eighties for someone who can do it all!) had a birthday on december sixth, and when did I remember you ask? Well how's december 13th! I know...shame on me isn't enough. Anyway, on that day, I woke up early(7am) and drove to Mariana's to buy her a cake and flowers so we could wake her up with a birthday song.

She was surprised, and loved her cake. There's something about mexican pastry, and the way they do cake decorations that I just love. Every time I walk into Mariana's I walk by their pastry shop, just to see what designs they've done for that day. I'm always waiting for a special occasion just to buy one, but the truth is I don't need to! So next time I see I cake I like I'm getting it. I'll come up with the occasion later.

I have to confess, that I am being totally and completely superficial about these cakes. When buying mom's I did not care what it was made of, what flavor it was, wether it had feelings or not, oops! I meant filling. I just cared about the way it looked. Yes! I know, there is more to a cake than just how pretty it is, but I won't hear of it.



I tend to take a gazillion pictures of one subject if I have the blog in mind. I hope that with experience I won't have to take so many. So, if the last nine pictures didn't send you into a sugar high, I'm sure the tenth one will.

Rudolph the red nose... moose?

Why in the world did they do a moose instead of a deer I don't know. I'm talking about the beautiful stocking holders from Martha Stewart for kmart these came out a couple years ago in different finishes.

The church had a brass finish, the christmas tree, pine cone and moose a copper finish. Even though they look nice, I thought I would spray paint them all off white and give them a more vintage look to fit my style. I had a rough idea as to what to do, but didn't know specifically what they would end up looking like.

Well, that christmas I spray painted them and never got around to doing the detail work. They didn't get packed with the rest of the holiday trimmings because I thought oh! this won't take long I'll find time to finish them soon. Fast forward to this last xmas.. and they still did not get done! I started to pack again and just made them a priority. It was a four day project trying to get them done... not because they were difficult, but when your have a two year old with huge beautiful almond shaped eyes wanting to play with you, well the choice is easy.


I used acrylic paint for most of the detail work, a gold pen for the star on the tree and church windows.I painted the snow on first to see how the paint would behave, and I have to say I may have to come back and spray a top coat so it doesn't disappear should it get water on it somehow (project for next xmas...wink wink). I continued with the church,the tree, and then Mr. Moose, who was calling out for a red nose, and could not be ignored, Santa would love him just as much, he's different and that makes him a perfect fit for this family. The last thing I did was take a metal file from my hubby's tools and peel some paint off. Looking back, I wish I had done before and after pics for the blog. My mind isn't trained in blogness just yet.
Something to get used to.

Never too late for a xmas wish...

My life has been very busy since the middle of december...lots of changes in my life, some still happening...all good though.

As far as the new year I just now thought of a resolution....find the time to pattern my new bags, make the cloth doll I have had in my mind oh!...for the last three years!, and of course the staple on my list every year...excercise.

Merry xmas to all and a good new year!

Etsy Love

It is so amazing to me the sense of community not only within the Etsy family, but in the whole craft industry. I was so excited to hear that my shop was being featured this week in Crystal's blog!
She and her mom are the creative minds behind 2BellesBeads, an Etsy shop filled with pieces that are classic, timeless and beautiful!

Let's keep supporting each other so make sure you stop by and check them out!
Thanks so much Crystal!!

Reuse, Recycle

I started rescuing old beads a while back...all remnants of old broken jewelry. Mostly the kind that lay unwanted in the bargain basket at flea markets. Boy! if I could show you my drawer full!!


These are just a few of the ones I've sold to very talented individuals who I'm sure will give them new life. For me, I get great satisfaction knowing they are being reused.


I love vintage beads. They have challeged me to photograph them in a different way. I want to compliment their beauty, I want to create excitement about their possibilities, I want to spark someone's imagination and creativity...


Gosh! You'd think I was talking about something else!

Anyhoo peeps, let these pics be a glimpse into that drawer full!

A Baby's Warm Wish

I made two blankets for my brother's babies...they are due early next year...twin girls!

I also made coordinating pillows and pillowcases for each blanket. I didn't have time to take pictures before I had to send them away...anyway, enjoy these pics of the blankets...




My sister in law suggested I make more an put them up in my shop. I might sometime next year...sometimes I feel I have more projects in my head than time to crank them out!! Don't you?

Moms vs. Germs!!! The fight continues!

So what was a hot seller at the craft fair I did? I couldn't tell you then, but I can now that I have better pictures!

I started making shopping handle covers to protect my son from stuff that may be living on them. I never bought the ones that cover the whole seat at stores,because they were just too bulky! Altough I think they are great. The paisley one I have been personally using is pretty handy as far as being able to carry it in my purse, and easy to put on and take off. The last couple of days I have been going mad cutting and sewing some up, since thanks to my hubby, I have had some requests at Nolan's kiddie class.

We'll see how well they do...I would find it hard to believe its an original idea, I am sure I'm not the first one to come up with it, but I thought I'd make my own. I am giving them as gifts to my brother and wife who are expecting twin girls!!! and some of course are in my shop.