things to come...

I'm working on lots and lots of new ideas for the store.



Here's one thing that I have in the works...but I'm using vintage fabric from real feedsacks! I can't wait to show them to you.

More button bracelets to come soon...and possibly pins and necklaces as well. What do you think of that?

p.s. The flu is making its way through my family as a sort of late Christmas gift. :( I'm hoping that it will skip over me but I'm feeling queazy and shaky.

p.p.s. The Christmas items will disappear from the site within the next week so if you see something you have to have, grab it now.

maggie rocks!

A few years ago, I painted a little rocking chair for Seth for Christmas. I painted a dog running after a ball on the seat of the chair. At the top back of the chair I painted his name with a puppy peaking from behind. It turned out very well...possibly the best gift I've ever given.

Now lately Miss Maggie Lou thinks this chair so clearly marked with Seth's name is hers. So of course the time has come for her to have her own chair. My sister asked me to paint a humpty dumpty on it...I'm quite pleased with the results. I've just applied the last coat of polyurethane. Oh, how I love ticking things off my incredibly long list!

paperdoll magnets

I'm making these for my little friends...










I used my friend Mo's new kits...I just put Seth and Maggie's little faces on the paperdolls. To magnetize the paperdolls, I used adhesive magnet rolls that are sold at the crafts store.

To make these for your little friends (wouldn't this make a darling rainy day project to do with them!), go to Mo's site. If you ask nicely, she'll let you into her secret club which is filled to the brim with fabulous ideas like these magnets. I got the idea for the magnets from my sweet friend Tracy. Here's how hers turned out:



Don't ya love?

If you hurry, you can make these before Christmas! They are oh-so-cute!

mad money!

This is just about the craziest gift ever. It is a book of dollar bills that can be torn out just like you would a page from a pad of paper. It doesn't hurt the dollars one bit.

I made this one for my mother who will just adore the idea of having such a stash of cash.





This is 100 one dollar bills all stacked up and hot glued on one of the skinny edges. It's best with fresh new bills but my bank teller would have none of that.

The book-making instructions are just a bit complicated, but if you are interested let me know and I'll send them to you.

I will probably decorate the cover of the money book. If I do, I'll shoot a picture to share. This is a perfect gift...much better than a gift certificate or just plain cash. :)

the countdown begins...

and there's no turning back. We have just less than a week. Just wanted to let you know that even though it may seem so, it's not too late to shop online. Customers in California will have to send their orders this morning since it will likely take five days to get to you. Otherwise, the closer you are to Virginia, the longer you have to shop. If you have any questions, just shoot me an email.

cute overload...

Question of the day...Is there such a thing as too much cute? If there were ever a place to find out, here it is.

Whenever you need your cute-fix, now you know where to go. Enjoy!

Sandra's on TV!

Our friend Sandra Evertson is on HGTV's "That's Clever" today!!!! Tune in at 12 noon (now!) or 5 pm.

I'm taking a break to watch her right now! So exciting.

p.s. She also called into Martha's show last month. If you saw it, you'd remember! She's the one that uses her dishwasher to store her craft supplies. :)

how about one more thing for the list...

one more thing for my list...

My friend Lesley showed me this today and I had to add it to the list before Rich does all his buying tomorrow.

tons of orders

I have so many orders that I hope to get out today. Thank you so much everyone for your orders! The Serenity Angels are so popular and I'm running out of them left and right.

I'm going to get busy getting your orders out to you. If it takes a bit longer than usual, thanks for understanding! Where are my elves???

finishing up the list...

and the list goes on...

I'm continuing my wish list today.

As a big Oprah devotee, I would love this...


and from the Oprah boutique, I would like this...


If not Paris, perhaps these...

These are croissants flash-frozen and sent from a French bakery!

Oh, and to see dear Julia again...

more of my wish list...

Here's a cute little change purse...


A money box? Intriguing. I would like it filled with money. :)


Note to Rich: I know you are going to say I have too many cups and mugs but I really love this one. I think I would choose it everyday and if you made me, I'd throw out all of those others if I could just have this sweet one. I like the other styles too if you feel like getting more than one.


I spotted this at Target a few months ago and have been kicking myself since because I didn't buy it. It would be so swell for my projects.

I love this...pajamas packaged in a little suitcase!


I would like to learn to felt. Here's a kit to help me get started. :)


All of my projects are stored in suitcases. I would love this sweet luggage rack for them.


I'll continue my wishlist tomorrow.

button bracelet party!

We're going to have a button bracelet party at The Cottage next Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Email me for registration information. I'd love to see you there!

santa baby...

Each year I compose a wish list for my sweetie, friends and family to use so that shopping for me is easier. I thought maybe I'd put it up for all the world to see.

This sweater reminds me of Doris Day. :) Happily it is on sale for a fraction of the original price. (psst, Rich? Hurry...it might not be there for long!)



I adore this charm bracelet with cameos all around. Love love!

I need a new stylish wallet. You know me, PINK!


I am so in love with these new pajamas from Susan Branch! I love them all but if I had to pick, of course, I'd pick pink. But at this price, get me all three Santa Baby!


Don't these bath fizzies look yummy? You know how much I love a hot soak. These are from my good friend Kim's new online boutique.


Tell me these don't look exactly like me! I know I have lots of notecards already but they make me so daggon happy.


That's it for now. I have more to list but I don't want to get nauseating.

T-Day History!

Thanksgiving was FABULOUS! Many said that the turkey was the best they ever had (not exactly music to my mother-in-law's ears, but boy did it make my day!) I made a chestnut sausage stuffing which everyone gobbled up. The tables were set oh-so-beautifully in mix and match style. Everything went very well. I didn't take pictures...I intended to but there was no time. Thank you everyone for your well-wishes and advice!

Today I'm off to enjoy Black Friday at The Cottage. Come visit me if you're in the area!

Turkey Day Countdown...

Monday finds me with a messy house, a 27-pound fresh turkey in my refrigerator, and a laundry list of things to do. I think I should play "I will survive" about a hundred times as I prepare for Thanksgiving Day.

On Thanksgiving Day 4 years ago, my sweet little nephew Seth was born. He came a whole month early (he was supposed to be a Christmas baby!) We celebrated his birthday this weekend with a party at the movie theatre. We saw Chicken Little. It would have been lame if I weren't sitting right next to squirmy Seth who seemed to love every bit of it (until the last 35 minutes when he kept telling his Dad that he was ready to go home!) My father who is a deaf as a doornail complained that the movie was so loud. Regardless, he fell asleep almost immediately. My mother said that it was the stupidest movie she'd ever seen. My sister Jessica laughed at all the funny things...it made me laugh just to hear the things she laughed at. :)

I gave Seth this game...Elefun. He and Maggie had the best time catching butterflies...or as Maggie likes to call them "Hairbows".

I also gave Seth a snowglobe. I was contemplating buying it at the store...shaking up each of the assortment and playing their music when a little boy came up and asked in the sweetest little voice "Can you please show me that?" His mother yelled at him before I could show him but it did make me see how much little people would enjoy something like a musical snowglobe. A few times this weekend, Seth and I enjoyed a quiet moment gazing into the snowy world in the globe. My heart just melted with little Seth said "I wish I could be inside there!"

pictures from The Cottage