Sunday, October 31, 2010

My Halloween cuties!








What a fun halloween night! Lots of my nieces and nephews stopped in for some candy!!
BOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, October 29, 2010


based on the graphics Image:Halloween-witch.jp...Image via Wikipedia

 
    HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Happy HalloweenImage via Wikipedia








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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

And the stockings were hung... part 1

I am always looking at the fancy smancy Christmas stockings in all those fab catalogs- my daughters have had different decorative stockings over the years that I've either made or bought -mainly to match the living room decor! Their "real" stockings that Santa fills were knitted by my mom's cousin with their names on them-beautifully sentimental but they don't match so they don't get hung by the chimney until late Christmas Eve!  Well, you know my addiction with toile, right??  So, I made some cute ladies boot stockings with pointy toes and high heels with the toile that matches my chairs. Some lace and ribbon top the stockings off-LOVE them! For the hangers, I used crystal beaded tassel I had to jazz them up a bit! Can't wait for Christmas! (only kidding!!!)  Aren't they so feminine and perfect for those grown up daughters of mine!  Take care, Gotta fly!  Claire
(PS-The peg board was made when they were very little and the stenciling is out of date but I keep it for the sentimentality -someday I will repaint it and use those vinyl letters I adore!!)
(PSS- stay tuned for Part 2 of the toile stocking story!!)

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Monday, October 25, 2010

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall




Mirrors lighten up my life!  Not looking into them, mind you, but just scattering them around.  The reflections are glorious.  Mirrors are placed, nailed, glued, and hidden among my rooms, in my bookcases and even in the back of the fireplace!  Sounds weird, huh?  But, you put a lit candle in front of a mirror and the shimmering glow reflects tenfold which creates an ambiance in your home like no other. Serene and peaceful, those happy little mirrors.  I never liked looking inside of my fireplace and tried a mirror in the back of it-wow, what a difference.  I placed battery operated candles on a decorative stand in front of the mirror.  Love the look of the room's reflection with the candles lit too! Mirrors can also play tricks in a room.  The reflection tricks the eye and rooms appear larger than they really are.  They open up a space to give one an illusion.  It's always a good idea to check what is reflected in your mirrors.  This can add to your home's beauty. Mirrors need not be expensive.  Many of the home improvement stores have mirror aisles- some are trendy but some are chic and for well under $75, you can add elegance and character to a room and make it so very pleasing to the eye  Give it a try!
Take care, gotta fly-Claire 
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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Hydrangeas

"In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil.

And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November."

- Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden, 1905

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Monogram Mania!



You know me-I can't get enough of monograms and harlequin patterns , so I combined the two for a dream come true! (Soo corny, I know, sorry- couldn't resist!)  Last summer, I picked up two of these wooden plaques.  They were lavender with the initial's L and M which mean little to me but the main reason I scooped them up was the shape and most importantly, they were each.70 cents-that's right not 7 dollars but 70 cents!!  I gave them a quick spray, cut out a big fat R from my fave scrapbook paper. Again, that cost me a whopping .59 cents! Umm, do we see a pattern, everything under a dollar-gotta love it!  A quick stick with some modge podge and it looked great!  I also happened to have some cute little ribbon I picked up at the Christmas Tree Shop-embossed with fleur de lis- a 10 yard roll for 1.99- So I stapled a bit of ribbon to the back, hung it on a nail and voila! Just what the front hall needed!! (And to boot, all for under $4!!) Don't you agree?      
       Another quick little project that only takes a few minutes-scrapbook paper inside a frame (toile, of course!)-simple right? A wooden initial painted and a few stickies later - a pretty monogram "on" a frame!! These are cute, cheap and quick! What more could a girl ask for?!!!!! Well, Gotta fly- Claire
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Featuring...

Wow-I'm excited- I am featured today on Cheap Chic Home for my burlap-toile-bee runner-thanks, I'm thrilled!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Black and White

Black and white.  You see it everywhere in home decor, from linens, pottery, wallpaper, lamps, bedding, art, even furniture.  Black and white is the perfect contrast with patterns whether it's damask, harlequin, check, stripes and toile.  It can also be considered a neutral . No matter what color scheme your room is, a statement piece in black and white gives a room the needed pop that adds that special pizazz!! Catalogs are showing lots of design in black and white-
In the sitting room mirrors are used to reflect the strident black and white style of the room 
  John Jacob Interiors

Black and white furniture is striking in any setting.  I'm always looking to add black and white decor to each of the rooms in my home. Try it-I'm sure you'll love it too! Take care-Gotta fly-Claire


My black and white focal point in a blue toile room!
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Monday, October 18, 2010

Kiss me Kate!

    My cute little niece, Kate, got a big girl bed recently.  She doesn't look so sure of it, does she?
     Well, I decided to paint her name for her over her new bed!
Painting canvas is a pretty easy task.  Pencil on a letter freehand or with a stencil, if you like.   Now the fun part begins-choosing the color combos!  Next comes trimming out the canvas edge with grosgrain ribbon.   Hang the canvas up with a bow and voila! 
     These letters are all over the catalogs, and they are very pricey!!   It just seemed too easy to make and I can't buy something  if I know I can make it.  A simple craft that has a big impact on a room-see for yourselves!Well, take care-gotta fly-Claire
By the way,doesn't she look happy with her
new freshly painted name frames?
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Friday, October 15, 2010

Burlap "BEE" Runner







Burlap is a newfound love-you know, that itchy rough scratchy fabric!  But that texture is what does it for me!  The natural fibers create a warm, cozy feel.  My first forray using burlap was for decorative pillows.  Now, I"ve moved on to a table runner-I've been hesitating  but I think if I say it outloud in the blogosphere world, there's no turning back-I'm committed!  I used the same bee transfers I got for my pillows and trimmed the runner with leftover fabric from my drapes.  I love the way the bee transferred ever so lightly-it almost looks like it's part of the burlap! So, here it is, cute, huh?  Love the look- kind of natural and easy with the formal toile fabric-It's a nice combo-kind of like the style in my home!  Well, gotta fly- Claire