Cupid, Draw back your bow

Ok y'all, it doesn't get any easier than this. I mean seriously, your kids could do this. And most likely without your supervision. So here you go. Four easy steps, most difficult is making a trip to Target and we all know that that just really isn't a difficult step at all.

 First step, stop at Target, grab these out of the Dollar Spot. These were $2.50, not a dollar though, just FYI.

 

Second step, glue clothes pins on to back with wood glue, let dry.

 

Third Step, grab a favorite photo, this one is of my Mom as a little girl. 

Fourth and final step,  set up vignette.

And as Miss Priss would say," Easy Breazy-Lemon Squeezy". 

Happy Valentine's Day!

ginger 

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Iron Butterfly

A quick little project to bring a little taste of spring to these cold winter days. This is a frame I picked up at a garage sale last fall. It's been sitting in my to-do pile. I knew what I wanted to do with it moment I grabbed it. It was a side by side frame. Time to mix it up a bit.

I wanted to have it hang rather than sit for a couple of reasons. First, most houses only have so many places to "sit" photos and with the rising popularity of gallery walls, I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. First I attached a loop of burlap to make a hanger but when held up,the frame wouldn't quite lay flat. I grabbed a small plate that was purchased at Home Depot, drilled a couple of holes and screwed the plate to the back, across the hinge area. This made the whole thing hang nice and flat.

 A couple pieces of some vintage inspired scrapbook paper of lepidopteras. A nice little sign of spring during these cold winter days.

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

ginger

Linking up to:
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Two More Bottles of Wine

  

Well, really it's three but who's counting? Have you picked up on the fact that most of my post titles are song titles? This one comes from an old Emmylou Harris song that my FIL (Father-in-love) likes. I made this for my SIL as a gift. I save wine bottles from special occasions, or special nights spent with special people. I write the date and the people I shared it with on the bottle with a sharpie. They reside in my dining room in a giant tall wine rack. Perfect place for me to go shopping for this gift.

 

Here are the supplies you will need for this project. 

Used wine bottles, empty

Nail Polish Remover

Cotton Yarn

Old Tray

Sink full of ICE COLD WATER

Lighter

First wrap cotton yarn around your bottle where you want it to be cut. Wrap it many times, like 5 wraps, give or take. Tie off and trim ends.

Remove from bottle but keep it in the circular form of the bottle.

 

Fill cap of nail polish remover with nail polish remover. Put cotton yarn in the nail polish to soak without unrolling the yarn. While it's soaking, get your sink ready with about 6 inches of water and LOTS of ice.

NOTE: if you are doing several, you will need to add more ice as you go along. Water MUST be ice cold or it wont snap. 

The next step is a bit tricky but try and follow along. Remove your cotton yarn from the cap and put it back on the bottle where you want it to break. Note, it should not be covering a paper label, it wont crack well. Still keep the yarn wound in the shape of the bottle. At this point, is the scariest but don't worry, once you've done it the first time, it's not bad. You are going to light the yarn on fire It is a slow burn and not very high. While it's burning, rotate the bottle. (It is slow enough that I managed to snap a one handed picture while it was burning)

 When it is finished burning, immediately plunge it into your ice cold water! 

 Above you can see the bottom that popped off laying in the sink And below is the bottom piece. 

 The bottles that I used were one from my birthday weekend I shared with my SIL. 

 This one is from a bottle of wine my SIL/BIL brought back from Italy to share with us. It was shortly after we purchased our home. 

And here they are on the tray, it was an old silver tray with a TON of age on it. Too much to serve any food on it.  Gotta love the paper towel roll in the back ground. Nice job there Olan Mills.

A couple of tea lights later, some sprigs of greenery and we have a nice little gift. Perfect to admire with a glass of wine with a special person.

NOTE: I took these down to our workshop and used our grinder to smooth the bottoms of them and make them stand a bit more level. I did wear long pants, long sleeves and safety goggles as little shards of glass went a wiggling everywhere.

Enjoy,

ginger
Disclaimer: I did not invent this technique. I came across a video on youtube. Here's the link should you care to watch it. 
Cutting Bottles with Household items 

Linking up to:

No Minimalist Here 
 

 

Old Things New

A reason, a season or a lifetime. That's what my mom use to tell me about people. She would say that people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime and that you just don't know which one it is. Well recently a woman reconnected into my life from my childhood (she was my Dad's girlfriend back when I was very young) courtesy of Facebook. You just never know who you'll get a message from in your inbox when you open that dang thing up, do you?
Well amidst reminiscing about memories of my Dad, who passed away back in 2006 she sent me a bunch of pictures from my childhood of me and my Dad. Talk about making my day when that package in the mail! But she also shared with me that her MIL makes these beautiful crewel work designs. She asked if they would fit in with the Savvy Shanty shop. I love to give my customers one of a kind, hand made items. These are not vintage but they sure do reflect an era of time gone by. She sent me several.
Here is just one of them and the first thing I made with it. How beautiful would you feel shopping with something like this! Can't you just imagine strolling through a farmer's market in the spring gathering fresh flowers, home baked breads and fresh veggies in this bag! To be honest, I really didn't want to put it up for sale!

This pattern has various herbs with their names sewn on to it and when she sent it to me, it was attached to foam board and covered with protective wrap. After detaching it from the board, I began to attach it to canvas and made a large market bag.

Look at the hand sewn detail. Can you imagine the hours of labor put into such a design? Seriously, you can't get this kind of work out of China!

You know, in between trips to the farmer's market, it would also be a great little overnight bag, or knitting bag, or quilting bag or..... well really, it could be just about an anything bag. Either way, it's up for grabs. Message me or stop by The Savvy Shanty at Queen of Hearts to pick it up! This item can be shipped.

Enjoy,

ginger

Linking up to:

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She's an American Girl!

 So for Miss Priss's birthday this year, she requested an American Girl/Unicorn/Rainbow slumber party. Quite the theme! And believe you me I wasn't going to shell out the $$$$ for one at the AG store  was determined to come up with something fun and creative. So here you go, enjoy!

Tiny food shaped erasers picked up at Walmart for  .25 cents for two. Check, that's in the budget.

Tiny American Girl size cakes made. And teapot crafts we made for the girls to put all their "food" in after the party.

Found a basic cake ball recipe. If you aren't familiar with it, just google it, there are a ton of recipes out there.

I made sleeping bags from two pieces of fleece, cut with slits around the edge and tied together. (That is what is rolled up in front of each place setting.)

Those of you that know Jen over at  http://www.socialsalutations.blogspot.com/, this is her daughter decorating her sleeping bag. I ordered flowers and butterflies from Oriental Trading that were self adhesive for the girls to decorate with.

Here is the link for the butterflies and flowers:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/butterfly-embellishments-with-rhinestones-a2-65_65751-12-1.fltr?Ntt=self+adhesive+butterflies

and

http://www.orientaltrading.com/self-adhesive-daisies-with-jewel-center-a2-48_2836-12-1.fltr?Ntt=self+adhesive+flowers

Here is Miss Priss decorating her sleeping bag. Also used the butterflies and flowers as table decorations until we did the craft.

And the four Little's with their completed sleeping bags.

One deliriously happy birthday girl who told me that "This was the best birthday party in the world! Especially because there were no boys!"

And for breakfast, blueberry muffins both in regular size and American girl size.

As for the rainbows and unicorns, they came in to play on plates/napkins and a pin the horn on a unicorn game. She saw them and had to have them. After pizza, crafts, mini-cakes, and presents they all adjourned to the the playroom with all of their dolls and played. We topped the night off with popcorn and an American Girl movie. Then of course they stayed up and giggled til midnight!

Enjoy,

ginger

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Tablescapes Thursdays @ Between Naps on the Porch