Treats from The Cottage and other randomness...

I promised you pictures of the treasures I picked up at The Cottage in Leesburg, VA earlier this month. I could easily spend my entire year's salary (remember, I work three days a month) in their shop but I exercised great restraint. They are known for beautiful pillows and this one had to come home with me..

The colors are so soft and dreamy. I also chose this pottery planter. I love cream colored pottery and I think this will be most versatile in decorating...filled with acorns or small Christmas ornaments or Easter eggs or just a 2 pound bag of M&M's!

This lovely leaf is made of felt. It looks laser cut to me.

Finally, this felt tree stuffed and sewn anddecorated with some chenille trim and a tin star....

attached to a glass candle holder that has been spray painted a matte black.

The tree looks very cute on our mantel (which I will show at a later date) with my new witch made by Larkspur Lane. I found her at Marshall's for a ridiculous price. Her face is so cute and she's clutching a very funny cat under her arm. I like funny, not scary Halloween decorations.

Lots of folks have been writing to ask me how I've been feeling. My Polymyalgia Rheumatica seems to be under control and not causing problems but my body has been at war with some other nasty conditions. I'm fighting with everything I have and I won't go into details because after all...you come here to see cute, funny things from me. Just know that I'm in God's hands and I'm OK. I've not been posting  much or visiting as much as I'd like but I'm still here and fighting to stay well. All will be good...I believe that. It just comes slower when you're past 60. Thanks for not giving up on me.

I have lots to share with you and I hope to be blogging more regularly soon!

I've had lots of time to read and this book has been paged through dozens of time already. Some people are just so clever and can see the artful possibilities in common everyday things...like books!

If you get a chance to thumb through this book at your local bookstore or Joann's (where I found my copy),

you will be amazed at what you can do with paper!

xoxo

Joyce 



From my work table.....

Good Morning....
I have been running around like a crazed person this week trying to finish up some assignments and getting caught up with house stuff (not so much fun but necessary). There are many things I want to show you but for now just a quick post to display a baby banner I just completed for a friend. It's been a while since I have featured something I've made so here it is...

My friend, Barb, asked me to make a name banner for her grandniece's Baptism. She requested pink and green as the color scheme...which is such an easy one to work with.

The flower and butterfly shapes are chipboard.

The scalloped circles were cut using Nestibilities dies.

The letters were made with my wonderful Cricut machine.

After I put it all together, I decided that the letters looked too plain. Using some Quickutz dies, I made the flowers & stems for the "L" and "h" and punched the butterflies for the "e" and "a" using a Martha Stewart punch. I used a marker to color the butterfly bodies and draw the antennas. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them for detail. Baby gifts are always fun to make and you know how I love banners!

Now....I must get busy and finish my assignment for Elizabeth's Halloween banner swap.

I am the "W" in Halloween.

 Just a peek for now!

Hope you all have a splendid Thursday!

xoxo

Joyce

We had the perfect vacation....

Hi friends~
We are just back from a week at the beach in Delaware. It was a perfect week. The weather was wonderful....we ate lots of good food and we stayed at our favorite place...the Bellmoor Inn, in Rehoboth Beach...

where they spoil you with lovely surroundings,

 start the day with a full breakfast here...

have cozy places to sit and chat or read...

and every afternoon...tea and sweets....

fresh flowers everywhere...

gardens in which to sit and relax and have a glass of wine...

fountains and fish...

the most beautiful hydrangeas...

We really, truly relaxed and had a wonderful time.

We walked everywhere from the Inn. The restaurants are interesting and the shops have everything from antiques to t-shirts or salt water taffy...

This is a happy face!

David loves the beach and can sit for hours and hours....

me, not so much

I can do about 2 hours and then I'm out of there...

On our way home we drove up to Leesburg, Virginia so that I could visit my favorite store
The Cottage.
(Visit their blog for additional pictures of wonderful goodies!)
It's a good thing I don't live anywhere close to this place. I would be penniless... but happy!

I always find a few things that I must bring home...but it's also fun just to look at all of the beautifully decorated rooms. Lots of inspiration here..if I had the room and the money, all of the children's chairs would have come home with me!

(Mimi-are you loving these picnic baskets?)

I haven't photographed the things I purchased...I'll share that with you next time along with some neat things that have come in the mail...

until then...

xoxo

Joyce

 

Thank you Mary!

(A note about my blog header and background....I went out in search of a nice Fall-ish background today but this one followed me home. It is so cute I just can't replace it for a little while.  I'll do Fall-ish another day. Love the fat birds AquaPoppy!)
I have often written about the circle of friends I have embraced through blogging...women I have come to care a great deal for but most of whom I have never met.
Mary is one of those friends. Several years ago we were in the same swap group and traded Spring themed handmade items. Since that swap, Mary has written to me from time to time. She is a kind-hearted woman and always sends caring messages. I have never met Mary or have even seen a picture of her. I have encouraged her to blog and she does finally have a blog address but will take her time figuring out how it all works. We've all been there.
When I wrote about my recent health situation, Mary once again contacted me and sent words of encouragement. She also asked for my home address because she had something to send to me. In writing back and forth, we also decided to do a one-on-one swap. When our swap is completed I will, of course, share the photos with you because that's what bloggers do, right? For now, I want you to see what Mary made and sent to me.

A stationary kit including personalized note cards, little post-it note holder, postage stamp envelope, 2 binder clips trimmed with ribbon and a pen. Now, what is really cool is that Mary made the box that everything came in! It is a beautiful gift and a lovely presentation. Oh yes, she also included a family of muslin bears for crafting...I have to think of something clever to do with those.

I was so touched to receive this gift of friendship and her beautiful note.

Thank you Mary.

 Keep working on your blog and when you're ready I will share your address with my other blogging friends....the friends I've never met. You'll like them, too.

I wrote about meeting up with 2 blogging friends for the first time when my sister and I were in Mesa, Arizona in February. What a thrill it was to meet sweet Sandy of 521 Lake Street and my other dear friend who prefers to remain private. We had a wonderful afternoon together and I think back on that day often.

Well, on Wednesday night, I spoke on the phone with another long time blogging friend,

 Marie of Spun By Me. Marie and I have been blogging friends for almost 3 years I think and while we've never met in person...we plan to do that in the future! It was great to talk on the phone...we chatted and laughed just like good friends do.

 If you do not already know Sandy and Marie...take a moment to visit their blogs..you will  giggle at Marie's post today about her Father-In-Law and Sandy has a sweet post about her special Birthday boy!

Blogging friends...I love you all!

xoxo

Joyce