~my barkcloth Converse shoes & a flea market road trip~

OK you asked to see em..here they are LOL..

my barkcloth Converse ALL STAR shoes.

Men's size 8, now what Man would wear floral shoes?

I LOVE barkcloth fabric new or old.

Found these years ago

on sale $8.00 & had to have em :-}

********

2-14" by 16" vintage Provost framed prints $3.00!
flea market finds
2- aqua hand painted rose lamps $4.00!
******
One of my passions is flea market shopping.
Sunday my oldest daughter said to me

"Mom what to go on a road trip?"
I said "Sure Michele where to?"
"She said you'll see..just wear comfy shoes"
so I put on my barkcloth Converse shoes
and was ready for a road trip.
You see my favorite flea market had
re opened this Summer
and I'd not yet been there..
To my surprise that's where our road trip ended.
Yippee!
for only $10.00 I bought
4-zucchinis
4-bell peppers
4-cucumbers
2-pictures
2-lamps..
Time spent with my daughter priceless!

~Enchanted Makeovers~transforming shelters for women & children

This is Terry Grahl,

founder and president of Enchanted Makeovers.

She is a mother of four and an award-winning interior decorator.

“The mission of Enchanted Makeovers

is to transform shelters for women and children

into heartwarming havens, forming the catalyst for all that become involved,

that create the realization that everyone’s dreams can come true.”

Learn more about how you can become part of the team,

and, with your help, they can turn everyone's dreams into a reality.

Please take a few minuets to check this web site out!

Thank you :-}

~It's party time! "Where bloggers create"

Welcome to my studio

It's where I work and create!

***

Thanks Karen from My Desert Cottage

for letting me join in on all the fun!

Many projects

have been made at this table

I find that having things where I can get at them

is very important

so my studio is cluttered

but most everything I need is close at hand!

my ugly but functional desk...

my old commercial Pfaff sewing machine

I made these barkcloth pockets

to hold a bit of everything

mainly cards from my blogging friends

a few paper projects



One of my vintage cupboards
it's holds/hides
just some of my fabric

My "friends" banner made
by a blogging friend

My sink and cupboards...

come in very handy

my favorite little sewing machine.. works great!

a bit of fabric

just a few jars of my button collection

*****

Thanks for stopping by!

~The winner is.......Forever Vintage~

The winner of my 400th post give-a-way...
is Caroline from Forever Vintage..
Congratulations!
I hope you will be pleased with your banner & background.

~My 400th post give-a-way! ~

My 400th post give-a-way!

To enter a chance to win the above

custom banner and background for your blog

please leave me a comment on this post

no later then July 23

I'll then pick a winner

If you add the above

"400th blog give-a-way" banner

to your blog post or sidebar

and let me know you've done so

you'll get 2 chances to win.

If you'd like to see what the banner & background will look like

on a blog

please stop by my Bella's Banners blog.

Good luck!

~I won The White Farmhouse II give-a-way!~

Yippee!! I'm the winner :-}

Maggie from The White Farmhouse II
had a 100th post giveaway on her blog...

the gift was a $25.00 gift certificate

to her newly opened Esty shop

Thank you Carole from a Bohemian market

for telling me to check out Maggie's blog

I picked out this great ticking pillow.

It's so lovely and very well made!

Thanks so much Maggie..

I'm enjoying my pillow :-}

~decorating my living room on a slim budget~

Larger white tray on table from thrift shop $3.

Wicker suitcases $1.-$3.

Old child chair antique show $10.

Wicker chairs belonged to my Mother

sewing bags on wall eBay & flea markets $5. each

cottage photo above chair $1.50 thrift.

the hutch belonged to my Mother

on hutch an old cottage tea pot $1.50 from thrift

Chandelier given to me by a friend

Candle stick lamp given to me by sis

Large old mirror $8. flea market
all 4 Rose pictures $5. at flea market
gold rose plaque (below mirror) given to me by a friend..

I made the mantel scarf from an old
hand cut & embroidered Italian sheet $2. from a thrift
smaller old Madonna pictures from thrift & flea markets $1.- $5.

Large gorgeous picture of Madonna & child $12. at a thrift

"Pieta" belonged to my Mother

clock $5.

clock stand 90 cents

***

my $6.99 Franciscan dishes from Salvation Army thrift

I've always had to decorate on a very slim budget

I've been very blessed to have many of my things

handed down, given to me,

or I've found at thrift shops/flea markets

to re decorate my living room I only had to put $11.99 in to it

this time,

that was to convert my chandelier into a hanging light..

I slip covered my stool

and made a few pillows with fabric I had..
the rest I gathered from other rooms in my cottage

my old soft

when the fabric wore out I made and added the gathered skirt

curtains $2. thrift

I made the dolls & 2 checked down pillows

Handmade crochet tasseled throw $8.

I slip covered the foot stool
Annie doll I made for my precious daughter Nikki
the wonderful picture is hand drawn work
of my Granddaughter Isabella by my friends Mother..
more about that another time.


old Barkcloth era curtains
I made from old fabric $9. found on eBay
fabulous old rose hand painted lamp $3. thrift

old rose pictures $.50-$2. thrift flea markets

The 2 Oriental ladies on top my hutch were my Grandmothers

My $20. transfer wear dish set..from a thrift!

2 tall cranberry vases were my Grandmothers

most frames from thrift shops
$1.-$2.

some of my before photos
I also loved the look of my old living room..

~My new sofa~

My new sofa

My sister gave me one of her sofas

from Arhaus furniture, my favorite furniture store.

Thanks so much sis!

It's been a dream of mine to own an Arhaus slip covered sofa.

On my income that's a dream that I thought would never happen.

Well it did!

The 3 year old sofa

is a slipcover style, gold cotton damask, down filled

I REALLY love it! It's so comfy too..

With my new sofa I needed to re decorate my living room

but had no money to do so

my mission was to

searched my cottage and find things to re do the room..

and I did

Next post will be of my re decorated living room.

~a Suprise package for Me!!~

Kitchen-Linens-Book Yesterday I received a wonderful surprise package
in the mail
with all these lovely wrapped gifts..Yippee!
It was from my sweet friend Mary of crash-n-smash
for my birthday
What a sweet thoughtful Gal Mary is..
Thanks Mary!
Look at ALL these goodies!
a fabulous Kitchen-Linens-Book
a beautiful handmade banner & card
made by her daughter Brandy of
Stamp with Brandy
a lovely silver cross on pink
pink covered button magnet
lemon candy
more yummy wrapped candy
RedRose tea bags
see this sweet beads.. they say Mary Rose!
click on the photo to get a better look.
check out this adorable handmade birdie banner & card
from Brandy..
Wow! Wow! Wow!

~My lovely bracelet has arrived!~

Here's the bracelet I won for entering

Darcy Knotty Knitter give-a-way..

Thanks so much Darcy!

And thanks to Leslie Wind for designing

and making

this lovely sterling & gold bracelet just for me!

It's signed inside

"Mary with love from Darcy & Leslie June 2009"

What a special added touch this is..

I'm so lucky.

How I LOVE this bracelet!

What a joy it was talking to Leslie on the phone

discussing my bracelet.

Leslie your jewelry is fabulous!

Darcy you are such a wonderful Gal.

bless both of your Gals for all your kindness....

Front of bracelet

****
back of bracelet
****

My bracelet on my old...but very happy hand! LOL..