My Valentine Mantel

On our way to the cheery sights of Spring, I'm glad we have the cheery colors, sights, tastes, and celebrations of Valentine's Day to enjoy.  I had so much fun making and hanging the Valentine Bunting over the fireplace this week, that I had to go ahead and switch the mantel from January decor to Valentine Decor.  So...here we go!

The window is the anchor piece of my mantel display.  It was $2 at an antique store in Northern Indiana, and I love it!  The view 'out' the window changes with the seasons.  :)  Pretty raspberry colored berries help cheer up the view for this month.  I love to have a seasonal plate on the mantel, and this one came from Home Goods several years ago.  The old burgandy hymnal raises it up to the right height, and a pink and white tea cup goes well in the center.  The gorgeous teapot on the left was a gift from my neighbor when she was dividing up her relative's belongings before an estate sale.  It comes from England, as does the teacup.  My little almost-matching creamer is Bavarian...so beautiful, and from my Mom in law's china hutch.  Love it!

I used an old piece of sheet music from 1965 to make this bunting.  Petite Gavotte is French for Little Folk Dance.  So sweet.  The hearts are made with my Cricut machine and a punch.

The piece with the title of Petite Gavotte was supposed to be at the far left as the beginning of the muscial bunting.  But the best laid plans often go awry, and here is ended up at the end of the bunting.  Oh rats.

This Fire King plate is a Christmas gift from a dear friend.  I do love me some Fire King!  And that adorable little girl is my 6 year old Mama in 1947.  :)

Using my beautiful Pink Depression Glass is always a favorite for Valentine's Day.  This is a candlestick topped with a beautiful plate, and a little dessert dish on top of that with a candle.  See what's keeping the glass pieces steady?  A piece of white Sticky Tac bonds the candlestick to the plate temporarily.  Love that stuff.

The vintage book art I made for our son's rehearsal dinner nearly a year ago (HERE) continues to be one of my favorite pieces on the mantel.  It's been layered with a little fabric heart sachet for the season.

Thank you for coming over to see my Valentine Mantel.  :)  Wish we could have coffee or tea and some Scottish Shortbread together.  If you want to invite me to come see your Valentine Mantel, just leave me a comment with a link below.

Blessings and Hugs,

Donna

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Smitten, Again!

Yesterday I met my dear friend Lori half-way between her home in Florence, KY and my home in Evansville, IN for a Girls Day Out in Louisville, KY.  The weather was frigid but sunny, and alittle 'feels like -2' never stopped a girl from Flea Marketing or Lunching Out, right?
Lori found a string of Flea Markets in Louisville called Peddler Mall.  There are several locations...I see many shopping trips ahead for us!  :)  Anyway, as we strolled along through booth after booth of vintage goodies, we spied this interesting box up high.

I got it down and we oohed and aahed over how interesting it was.  Five little wooden cubbies, and a  slanted glass lid on hinges.  The little label holders in front were unique too.  

I put it back up on the shelf where we'd found it, and we went on on our way.  But within minutes, I decided that little cutie needed to come home with me.  I don't think it is vintage, but it is def. vintage-inspired.  And soooo unusual.  And soooo versatile.

I brought 'her' home with me with glee.  Vacuumed out the cobwebs inside, wiped her down, and then began the super fun work of styling her cubbies.  This little gal will surely live in different parts of my house over the years and be styled with seasonal vintage goodies that can easily be changed out.  For now she is on the old organ bench so I can prop the lid open against the wall.

She's alittle Valentine-y for the present and I am completely smitten.  Wonder what I should put in the little label placards on the front?  What would you put in her cubbies?

I'm like a kid in a candy shop at vintage flea markets...are you?!

Thanks for stopping by....Blessings, Donna

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Little Sweet Hearts

Time for a few sweet Valentine crafts!  January is a great time to start them...less pressure, which means more fun, knowing that Valentine's Day is still weeks away.  I decided to play around with some red and white fabric, embroidery floss, felt, and embellishments to make some sweet hearts that will be fun to give to friends with a card and to tuck into vignettes around the house.  So here we go...

I mostly used fabric for the fronts of the hearts, and felt for the backs.  But this polka dot felt was a must for the front of one of the hearts.  Just fold some scrap paper in half and cut out a heart about the size and shape you desire, to make a pattern.  Then cut out the fronts and backs to your hearts, using that pattern.

I used a woven fabric for the white heart, which had places for me to freehand a cross-stiched heart.  You could use aida cloth for that too.  Or even burlap!  Red felt worked great for the backs of the hearts.  Felt is so easy with which to work.  Use 2 strands of red, black, or white embroidery floss for stitching the heart fronts and backs together with a running stitch...leaving a little opening with your needle and thread still intact.

Using a small funnel stuck into the little opening, I filled each heart with some fragrant loose leaf tea.  Orange Cinnamon tea makes a great choice!  If you don't have loose tea, you can use fiberfill or dried lavender or even dry rice with a few dried herbs mixed in.  Yum!

Then finish stitching your heart together, knotting it on the back.  Give her a sniff...ahhh.  Not only cute as can be, but fragrant as well.

I embellished the front of each heart using buttons, felt hearts, stick on jewels, and ribbon.

Aren't they sweet tucked into a little white vintage berry bowl?

I am going to enjoy them in my sunny craft room for a week or two...then...

I

...give most of them as gifts.  I have one of them tucked into a shadow box too.  Cute little Valentine surprise peeking out from that unexpected place.

These are all hand cut, sewn, embellishments glued...so you can easily sit and do this in the evenings.  We are getting back in the swing of having one hour after supper most nights where we are 'unplugged' from electronics.  That one hour gave me a head start on creating these.  If you made these alittle bigger ( mine are 2 inches tall) and filled them with dry rice, they would make cute hand warmers!  Use your imagination and above all ENJOY!

Blessings,

Donna

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Pretty Cash Envelopes...the Dave Ramsey Way!

My husband and I have been married for 29 years.  And thankfully he had a plan for how to manage our finances when we got married.  The envelope system!  I think he learned it from the late Larry Burkett, back in the early 80s.  The man who teaches this concept world-wide today is the one and only Dave Ramsey.  It has worked GREAT for us all these years.

The gist is that you put cash in labeled envelopes for as many categories as you practically can.  The grocery money has an envelope, and when the cash is gone...you stop spending til the next payday.  I must admit we sometimes rob another envelope alittle bit if something has depleted the food cash and we need milk and apples for the next few days.  But overall, that's the way the system works.  But as you can see, the envelopes get pretty tawdry over time.

They are in and out of my purse, the car, hubby's pocket, etc.  So within a month, they start looking kind of bad.  I used to be a bit embarrassed when I'd take them out of my purse to pay for something at the store.  I wondered, years ago, if people though I was too poor to have a wallet!  Ha!  But now, nearly every time I use them at a store, the clerk says, "Do you use the envelope method?  I've been wanting to try that!"

So...this week the sewing bug hit me.  And I have lots of cute little pieces of fabric that I wanted to use to make something practical.  I have to thank the cute little gal blogger at Just Imagine Heaven who created this great tutorial for making fabric money envelopes, for use with the cash envelope system.  It was perfect for my stash of cute fabric AND perfect for fixing the grubby envelope problem.

And here are the ones I've made so far.

Strawberry fabric for the Grocery envelope.  (Ok, so when my husband goes to the grocery store for me, I imagine he'll pull out some cash and leave the strawberry envelope in the car...ha!)

This red and white gingham is sort of festive, so I am deeming it the Gifts Cash envelope.

This cute sewing themed fabric will hold my Etsy shop cash, for when I need to buy supplies.

My attempt at a 'manly' envelope for Hubby...for the Home Maintenance Cash.  Denim and red flannel...I think he'll go for that.

This cutie pie is for the Misc Cash...that's what we call the cash we use for paper products, photo processing, toiletries, cleaning supplies, a magazine, etc.  

LOVE this vintage style fabric!

Classy aqua and white prints for the Clothing envelope.  I should mention that I plan to buy iron-on laundry labels in white and create a label for the front of each envelope.  That's on tomorrow's to-do list.

And now to fill them!  One thing I LOVE about the envelope system is that it gives me permission to buy clothes for me or my guys when there is money in the envelope!  There is alot of freedom in budgeting and designating your dollars when you get paid.

The envelope system also gives you an immediate place to put receipts from those purchases.  My Etsy envelope will hang on to Post Office receipts for me til I get them filed.

Hey!  Let's go to Home Depot!  I should say that this is just for things like paint, landscaping, new door seals, etc.  We have bank accounts that would take care of big maintenance needs for our home.  When we were young and poor, we only had about $25 a month to put toward home maintenance.  But it built the habit in us, and that was invaluable.

The Gift envelope is a HUGE help.  We put a set amount in it each month, and whatever is not spent that month, stays there to be added to the next month's allotment.  When birthdays and Christmas come, we are very thankful to have this stash of cash, ready to use.

I still need to sew envelopes for Eat Out, Haircuts, Dog Care, Gasoline (a friend suggested a duct tape envelope for hubby for that!  Perfect!), and Extra.  Extra is that envelope that covers things that pop up now and then such as a new coffee pot or park district soccer fees.

Do any of you use the envelope method?  If you've always wanted to try it, you can start slow...maybe with just a Grocery, Gas, and Eat Out envelope.  Go to Dave Ramsey's website for lots of encouragement on how to Live Like No One Else So You Can Live Like No One Else!  
Blessings,

Donna

Stockpiling Gifts...Always Be Ready!

Tis the season to start thinking about gifts!  Fall and winter birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day, hostess gifts, or just 'thinking of you' gifts.  It's such a relief to always be prepared.  Establish a drawer, closet shelf, or bin as your gift stash and begin stocking up on things you'll need in the next 6 months.  Here are some ideas to get you rolling!

1.  Gift Cards...this is the newest idea I've had for having gifts on hand.  So many times I've wished for a $5 gift card to send to someone that I want to thank, encourage, bless, or add to a b-day gift.  Getting in the car and going to town to buy a gift card would now cost me about an hour of time and a gallon of gas, as we live in a country neighborhood.  So, I've been starting to buy little gift cards for $5-$10 as I am out already shopping.  Ideas include Subway, Target, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Chipotle, Qdoba, Panera, and more.  Today I remembered a friend's birthday is this Saturday and she lives 7 hours away!  Her birthday tends to sneak up on me because it is at the beginning of the month.  Thankfully I have a cute Target gift card on hand, ready to send her, along with my next idea.  :)

2.  Book Marks...I have had a great deal of fun the past few months making handmade bookmarks.  These are listed in my new paper crafts Etsy shop called The Green Door Cottage.  I sell them in sets of 3 or individually.  The sets of 3 cost around $7 or $8 and that includes shipping, so each bookmark is just about $2.50 each and can be individually gifted.  If you don't like to make your own, you can see my shop HERE.  Or you can make your own and they will cost you pennies plus your time!  This gift is so easy to mail in a card without additional postage or a trip to the PO.  

3.  Crafts...now is the time of year for lots of Craft Shows.  Be watching for cute gifts that you can keep on hand to give to your friends and family.  As pictured above, I like to make these altered art composition notebooks.  They cost me .50 each, and are so much fun to make.  I also have these in my Etsy shop but you can make your own if you prefer.  It's such a fun creative project.  No two are alike, and I love having that small blank canvas to work with.  They are good for journals, school, meetings, and writing letters to give to your kids or grandkids someday.

4.  Nice dish towels and dish cloths...I always watch for these on clearance at Kohls, Target, and the Homegoods/Marshalls/TJ Maxx stores.  Kitchen linens wear out quickly, and nothing makes the kitchen a cheerier place to work than fresh new kitchen linens.

5.  Seasoning mixes, dip mixes, bread mixes, soup mixes....I love to give gifts that can be used up, rather than sit and take up space.  Our daughter gave us a soup mix and a bread mix last winter, and they were such a blessing when I needed a quicky tasty meal.  Watch for good coupons for these and keep a few on hand.  Homemade seasoning mixes are great too.  There are so many recipes for popcorn seasonings as well as for meat, pasta, and more.  Target sells fun popcorn seasonings too.  And little jars of jams make nice gifts, as well as flavored syrups, vinegars, and oils.

6.  Pretty Paper Products...I have so enjoyed receiving pretty packages of napkins and paper plates to use here at home for company.  Cute, unique ones make great gifts.  Target also has cute paper-crafting/scrapbooking supplies on clearance on a regular basis.  I make a point of visiting their paper goods aisles each time I go.

7.  Candles and Handsoaps...a candle during the fall and winter is always a welcome gift.  Watch for good sales or clearance on those!  And who doesn't love nice pump handsoaps as a gift?  I don't usually buy them for myself, but LOVE to receive them for gifts.

8.  Candy and Gum...Target is good about having gum and candy on clearance in their Food Department on an endcap.  I have filled many a Christmas stocking with these that I start picking up in the fall, so that the freshness date will still be good.  I haven't paid full price for gum for my purse in a long time, thanks to Target.  :)

9.  Children's Books...Target's Dollar Spot often has cute children's books for sale.  So do Barnes and Noble and Sam's Club!

10.  Nice Cleaning Products and Kitchen Helps...Sometimes I don't like to splurge on cleaning products and helps that go beyond the bare necessities for myself.  But I would love having them as a gift.  My daughter bought me an Oxi-Clean Gel Stain Stick for a gift last year, and it has been one of my favorite things in the laundry room!!  Or how about the nice Mrs. Myers products, Method Products, or Melaleuca Products.  A geranium scented kitchen product sounds delightful...think I'll put it on my wish list.  :)  Microwave Steaming Bags and Crock Pot Cooking Bags are also such nice helps to receive as a gift.

  Things I DON'T buy for my gift drawer...I no longer buy notepads.  They are so cute and I love them!!  But I, myself, have jillions of notepads that will last me the rest of my life, so I figure my friends and family don't need them either.  I am also careful about buying scented hand lotions unless I plan to give them right away.  Their scents can go rancid after a year.  YUCK.

I hope this has given you a few new ideas.  Would love to hear your ideas too!  Each comment is read and appreciated!

Blessings,

Donna

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70 Booth Rummage Sale? Bliss!!

Today was the county-wide 4H Rummage Sale at the Fair Grounds.  With more than 70 booths of goods for sale, it was a fun Saturday morning!

We got some wonderful treasures at this sale as well as a church Rummage Sale.  See that black computer bag?  Like new with plenty of zippered compartments.  $2!    Boots for my little Northern Indiana grandboy and a .25 Cat in the Hat book.  :)

I like to have a pretty seasonal plate on display, and this is my new Johnson Brothers Autumn plate.  :)  $2

Can you believe that a digital frame was on my Christmas idea list?!  This one is brand new and a great price...told my Honey and to save it for Christmas.  :)

And then there are the vintage items.  Oh. Man.  

The painted trays were popular in the late 50s and early 60s.  This is a miniature one, about 5 inches long.  50 cents!  This is before I washed it up.

Vintage Christmas ornaments with a vintage price tag on the end...50 cents!

I grew up with my mom's aluminum measuring cups and still love using them at her house.  These Ecko ones from years gone-by were....50 cents.  :)

My favorite find.  My Grandma from Texas had this very cookie jar throughout her married life.  She passed away 20 years ago and I have wished I would have asked for her cookie jar.  Today I got this one just like it at the Rummage Sale for $5.  I am thrilled!

A lady with a booth at the sale was selling things from her elderly father's home.  Including this 1960's Kodak Brownie Starmite camera and leather Kodak case...50 cents!  I had to get it.  It's so cute in my house...show ya in a minute.

I have been looking for one of these all summer!  It's vintage...cost 97 cents at Safeway many years ago (tag on the back).  I'm going to paint it Heirloom White and use it in my kitchen for hanging my vintage potholders and other vintage kitchenware on it.  Yippee!!

And now to see my goodies in their new found homes.  Kodak Brownie is hanging out on the mantel.  

For now, miniature handpainted metal tray is at home on the Gossip Bench.  Look...it appears that the lady of the home (in the 1940s of course,) came in from shopping and removed her hat, put her purse down, and took off her earrings to talk on the phone, laying them on the tray.  :)  I'm sure the tray will move around the house as I figure out new places for it.  May even stick it on the wall with a 3M strip.

The measuring cups are at home in my vintage drawer in the kitchen.  And see...I DID paint the drawer's handle aqua.  Love.

And Grandma's cookie jar...it has been washed and shined.  It's on my raised bar.  And the site of those raised ceramic cookies with all kinds of icings and decorations on them still make my imagination dance.  As a girl, I thought they looked so yummy!  Grandma's cookies inside the jar were yummy too.  I miss that beautiful, sweet lady.

Thank you for stopping by!  Your comments warm my heart!

Blessings,

Donna
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