Shabby Framing

One of the most universal characteristics of shabby design is that it's not precise, it doesn't cost much, and it makes do with what you have to make an interesting piece. My son got married recently and I wanted to frame the one and only picture I've seen of the wedding. It's a little wallet sized pic that my DIL sent with her thank you notes. 

Instead of buying a mat perfectly sized to the photo I cut out part of the note to put in back of the picture. I think this would look nice with larger frames, hand-written letters in the background or other interesting text.

Decorate with Antique Silver For The Holidays

I actually use the antique silver tea set I have and I also have it on my hutch, it makes a really nice decorating piece. You can find them for $200 and under, just look online. You DON'T have to pay thousands, just get some silver cleaner and an old piece will look like a million dollars.

I love to use my set when people  come over, I happen to be an herb tea lover! Here's a pic of my tea cupboard!

Incredible Hardware At Anthropologie!

I went to lunch and shopping with my daughter in law yesterday and we went into Anthropologie at the Otay Ranch Town Center near me. I was blown away and thrilled to see their collection of hardware: knobs, door knobs, racks, cabinet knobs and more. Simply DIVINE!

Old-Fashioned Glass Handle-Smooth and curvy glass paired with aged brass fittings lends charm to dressers and doors.

Hardware required-Glass, brass-1.5"L, 6.5"W- 2" projection-1" between bolts-Imported-style #77822- $18.00

Bubbled Glass Handle- Curvy, fizzy glass is set in gleaming iron.- Hardware required-Glass, iron-6"L, 1.25"W-1.5" projection-Imported-style #973166- $24.00

Coy Finials-Oh, my - our mercury glass is blushing.-Set of two-No additional hardware required-Glass, iron-6"H, 3.5" diameter-5.5" projection-0.75" attached bolt-Imported-style #973036-$48.00

elexia flower doorknobs-Faceted blooms of glass.
Glass, cast iron-2.75" diameter-3" projection- Imported - style #57439-$38.00

Fleur-De-Lys Hook Rack-style #770301- $38.00

The best thing is that you can buy their stuff online!

Wrap your Christmas presents in eco-friendly Sam Bags

My company makes Use It Again Sam®  reusable shopping bag totes. Last year I wrapped a lot of holiday presents in my SamBags. REALLY Why waste paper? Wrap your presents in eco-friendly Sam Bags. Just add a ribbon and voilà you have a beautiful gift. SamBags come in 11 great colors and by themselves are a nice green gift.

SamBags fold into a pouch in the inside seam so you can also bundle a stack of them with a ribbon for a very pretty green gift!

Shop today!
Go to SamBag site.

The Joys Of Applying Makeup With A Lighted Makeup Mirror!

I can't believe I spent so much of my life putting on makeup without a magnifying lighted makeup mirror! I searched around online and found this one that actually looks oval but is pictured round. 

For anyone whose ever over tweezed their brows or left the house with poorly applied makeup that you don't notice until you glance in your rear view mirror I'm sure you'll see what I mean once you get to actually see your face up close!

I KNEW that I was messing up one eyebrow but I couldn't see what the problem really was until I saw it magnified....eiy yie yie!!!

It's amazing to put eye makeup on and see your eyebrows up close etc. This mirror is sort of antiquey looking too and looks really nice on my shabby furniture! I found it on Amazon.

Open Kitchen Shelving Is HOT!

My son and his wife just bought a house that they gutted and are rebuilding the inside. The kitchen is very small and I had an idea for them to do shelving instead of all cabinets to have a English country cottage look. Lo and behold when I looked online I saw that the open shelving idea is really hot right now. I also thought for a small space it would be a lot more storage then enclosed cabinets.

Sew Your Own Christmas Stocking -- Patterns Now For Sale

I wrote awhile back about my Christmas stocking patterns and they are now done and ready to sell. The pack is $25.00 and has all three patterns, Dove, Angel, and Candy Cane Palm Tree. You can buy them using your PayPal account, click on the buy now button. I suggest that you have more than beginner sewing skills.

Years ago I made my first free style Christmas stocking using felt and cut-outs in a flamingo bird design for myself and the logo from the movie Ghostbusters for my son. Those stockings were so popular that I ended up sewing hundreds of them in designs from skateboarding Santas to Dinosaurs strutting through the city with presents.So I decided to offer these three simple designs as patterns that you can sew yourself. These stockings are very large, about 21 inches high and 15 wide at the foot.

All you need is a sewing machine that does zig-zag, some different color felts--you don't HAVE to use Christmas colors, using greens in Chartreuse and reds in Fushias, Pinks, and Purples makes very cool and Shabby Fab stockings. I adjusted the hues in Photoshop on the palm tree stocking image so you can get an idea of different looks you can make with just one pattern!

What you need

1. Different colors felt--go out of the box with your colors
   
2. Thread
3. Sewing needles and pins
   
4. Sewing machine
5. Fat piping for trim
6. Bells
7. Some kind of braid or strong trim for hanging loop
   

These stockings also make really nice Christmas decor. Sometimes I stuff them with paper and put them up on my hutch or on a ledge surrounded by Christmas balls. The best thing is that they hold a lot so if you're doing a "stocking only" Christmas gift you can stuff them with all kinds of creative presents.