leslie ann hart

Our little baby turned 2!

2012-02-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has already happened! Clarissa turned two February 13! It happened so fast we almost missed it!!!! We had a great birthday party Saturday, Yo Gabba Gabba theme with games, cupcakes, and #2 cookies! She had so much fun!!!! Then Monday, Scott and I got off work early to pick up the Pnut and celebrate her birthday again since it was really not her birthday until yesterday. We had her tricycle put together and downstairs waiting on her with a bag of some other treasures to go with it. I think she liked the $5 voice altering microphone more than anything...funny girl. It was a busy weekend and Monday so it was a little hard for her to get to sleep last night. She just couldn't get cupcakes and presents off her mind! I'm that way too sometimes!

Scooting around getting the hang of it!

Not quite sure what to think about her new tricycle...

Checking it out.

Push it daddy!

Push it this way daddy!

I think she really enjoyed checking it out more than riding it for now.

Staff meeting notebook

2012-02-02T13:53:00.001-08:00

Being a legal secretary can be tedious and somewhat mundane from time to time. So I decided to spice things up a little and make little collages in my staff meeting notebook!
Now of course not every page is like this, I have to take some notes!

101 things to do with your toddler

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Because I am a working mom, my time with our little girl is limited. When we are together I try to spend as much time with her as possible and try to keep daily tasks and chores to a minimum. Although I want her to learn that these tasks and chores are important I also want her to learn that life is fun and we have to do a little of both work and play to make it work and create a balance in order to be happy.

Sometimes I worry that I shouldn't work, but I have realized that she has learned so much from going to school. Things that I don't think she would know now if she were staying at home with me. I also believe that her seeing me and her daddy getting ready to go to work everyday, eventually will teach her to understand why we do what we do and have a good work ethic...at least I hope so! At any rate, here's a list I found on a mommy blog.  The real credit goes to the forums of The Mommies Network.

I have hopes to complete most of these if not all in the years to come and maybe even continue some as traditions no matter how old we are! I hope you can get something from this list as well.

1. Color - done
2. Blow bubbles - done
3. Play hide-and-seek
4. Peek-a-boo - done
5. Play chase - done
6. Do finger-plays
7. Sing a song - done (we do this all the time too!)
8. Collect rocks in a basket
9. Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
10. Make a fort out of cushions and sheets - done
11. Go for a walk - done (just this week and it was so wonderful holding her little hand)
12. Make a car out of a box
13. Read a book - done
14. Go to the park - done
15. Finger paint
16. Play with play dough - done
17. Toss bean bags into a bucket
18. Play the shell and pea game
19. Dance to music - done (we do this all the time)
20. Download games for toddlers from the Internet
21. Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags - done
22. Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
23. Roll a ball back and forth on the floor - done
24. Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket - done
25. Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other
26. Put on a puppet show
27. Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
28. Make a horseshoe game
29. Make a shape puzzle
30. Play paper basketball
31. Run through a sprinkler
32. Play with a bucket of water and a sponge
33. Make a drum out of an oatmeal box
34. Wash windows together
35. Bang on pots and pans with a spoon - done
36. Brush each other's teeth
37. Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
38. Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
39. Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
40. Make a playhouse out of a large box - done
41. Let child play with a sticker sheet - done
42. Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets - done
43. Play a musical instrument together - done
44.  Go on a smelling hunt
45. Frost cookies
46. Plant a flower or vege plant together
47. Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
48. Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
49. Play hide and seek together - trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
50. Have a splash party together in the bathtub - done
51. Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
52. Record each other on a tape recorder
53. Make and try on paper hats
54. Give a piggy-back ride - done
55. Play horsey - done
56. Talk into an electric fan
57. Play tug-of-war with a blanket
58. Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real)
59. Make a camera and go on a safari
60. Play games with frozen juice lids
61. Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives - done
62. Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives - done
63. String large beads onto or along a shoelace
64. Squirt each other with squirt bottles
65. Glue shapes onto paper
66. Make sock puppets
67. Make paper puppets
68. Fill an old purse with toys - done
69. Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone - done
70. Make binoculars and go bird watching or stuffed animal watching
71. Put snacks in different fun containers - done
72. Act out a story from a book
73. Walk on a balance beam
74. Draw with chalk on the sidewalk - done
75. Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
76. Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper
77. Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
78. Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
79. Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
80. Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
81. Do the hokey pokey
82. Make a super hero costume out of household items
83. Do knee bouncing rhymes - done
84. Play red light, green light saying "go" and "stop"
85. Make a shoe box train for stuffed animals
86. Make a pillow pile to jump on - done
87. Make an easy puzzle with felt and velcro
88. Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaner and jingle bells
89. Learn numbers from a deck of cards
90. Play the matching game with a deck of cards
91.  Make a domino chain

93. Play dress up in mommy or daddy's clothes
94. Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
95. Make a nature collage
96. Mirror each other
97. Make a "mummy mommy" with toilet paper
98.  Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways
99. Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
100. Take a nap - done

Surprisingly, some of these we have already done so I have marked those! But we still have a lot more to do! Fun times ahead!!!!!!

Simple Diary today says...

2012-01-19T12:46:00.000-08:00

Date: January 19, 2012

Your day was (only choose one)
( ) irresistible.
( ) recluive.
(X) listening.

Explain why: went to a lunch event and met people that I didn't know so I always like to study their faces and listen to them talk.

And time stood still: as I listen to some of them cause I get distracted by features on their face.

A sunrise has no stage fright.

GIRLS ARE BORN
1. with beautifl gifts and burdens.
2. to be taught.
3. to connect, to collect, and to be perfect.
4. to feel and to deal.
5. to take it.
6. to cry and to be shy.
7. to love.
8. to tell.

All of the above!

Calm Me Down/Lift Me Up

2012-01-16T16:39:00.001-08:00

By: Barbara l. Heller
One side of the book is to help calm me down and the other is to help lift me up!
The first lesson from both sides:
-Turn off the tele
-A group of like-minded people act as a support group, providing energy and motivation.
Stay tuned for more!

Chilling

2012-01-13T16:55:00.001-08:00

Ready for a long weekend! Got lots to do or at least try to do like...make an iPhone cover, Pnut's sleep mat, iPad cover, clean studio space, organize house files and of course some thrifting!

ARTIST: Chrissy Poitras

2012-01-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this artist with you cause I really LOVE her art!
Her name is Chrissy Poitras...artist, co-owner, and operator, along with her husband Kyle Topping of Spark Box Studio located in Canada. Their mission is simple as states that they want to take art outside the studio and into public spaces by organizing off-site projects like public installations, outdoor exhibits and youth outreach programs. How cool is that? And check out their residency program too! What a great place!!!!!

But it was Chrissy's artwork that sparked my attention and I wanted to share a little of her work with you...her work is so free and loose and not to mention inspirational! I can't help but want to try to get this loose in my drawings and paintings!

Make sure you go to Chrissy Poitras' website and check out her artist statement!

Thrift store finds today

2012-01-07T11:08:00.001-08:00

Clarissa and I only had a couple of hours to get our errands ran this am and one of them was to hit the SOS Thrift store. This is what we found:
1. The Easy How Tp Book
2. Hallmark paper coasters
3. Bias tape in the color tango
4. Tiny red pompoms
5. Fabric hangers
6. USA 518 olive green bowl
7. Raggedy Ann and Andy curtain valance
8. Soft plaid blanket with crochet trim
Great finds for a quickie!

Bath Time is the best time of the day!

2012-01-06T16:31:00.001-08:00

I always look forward to bath time in the evenings and so does Clarissa! She even likes it when I rinse her hair. She's a water baby for sure! I just made the first payment at McCarter community pool and reservations at our favorite Folly beach house! Good times ahead!

The play kitchen is finished!

2012-01-04T15:36:00.001-08:00

It took much longer to complete than we thought it would, thinking Santa could bring it...but he just couldn't get it finished in time. So he brought it to the house today while we were all at work and school!

Birthday parties galore!

2012-01-04T07:09:00.001-08:00

Last weekend Clarissa had two birthday parties to attend...we were very busy having FUN! First we went to Callie's Friday (see pic) then Saturday we went to Claire's birthday party both turning three! Callie's was low key so it was easy to get a picture but Claire had a jumping house so that was all Clarissa wanted to do so I couldn't get any pics cause I was in the jump house too! We have another birthday party this weekend too...Lilly's at Gymborees! I can't wait, I think I have just as much fun at these parties as Clarissa does!

Back to normal life now!

2012-01-03T11:07:00.001-08:00

After a long break I'm now back to share my life, art, and whatnot! First day back to work after some vacation days and all the holidays are all over and already into a new year. First on my agenda is to decide when the next vacation is! Happy 2012 to all!

Folly Beach Memories

2011-11-30T08:24:00.000-08:00

Scott and I love to go to Folly Beach and we were so happy to share the enthusiasm with our little girl Clarissa for the first time last year! But this year was so much more fun even though the weather was a little cool and we couldn't get in the water to swim. Hopefully next year we will make it back when the weather and water is much warmer!

We had such a great time, eating really good food at Taco Boy and Lost Dog, champagne every morning, watching the sun come up over the water and set over the pier, playing in the sand and chasing Pnut all over the beach, and a lot of thrifting! Lots of GREAT memories to bank!

Mori Girl Fashion

2011-11-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this fashion statement! Mori Girl Fashion. I've included a Check List to go by if you decide to dress like a Mori girl and a little bit of the background of what a Mori Girl is. My interpretation of a Mori Girl is fairy meets grunge with a little dash of Pretty in Pink...while doing my research for this post I kinda felt like I was reading about myself, I already dress in a similar way but I have hopes that this post will help me complete my look as well as my little girl's. I hope you will enjoy and be totally inspired!

I also have a Mori Girl Fashion Board on my Pinterest!

What is a Mori Girl (according to the Mori Girl blog):

Mori Girl Blog

Mori Girl Check List:

-Loves loose fitting one-piece dresses.
-Wears one piece dresses and skirts as everyday dresses.
-Prefers somewhat quirky clothing to simples ones (but don’t really like out and out flashy ones)
-Seemingly Natural type fashion style with little quirk.
-Loves to be particular about materials.
-Loves to wear ethnic clothes.
-Dresses in A line clothes.
-Loves one-piece dresses little girls would wear too.
-Loves smock-like one piece dresses and blouses.
-Don’t like super sweet fashion.
-Loves deep earthy colors like Bordeaux (burgundy), dark green, dark blue, and brown.
-Looks good in warm colors.
-More comfortable with short nails.
-Loves soft, cushy knit or fur caps.
-Loves ear muffs.
-Loves ponchos and boleros.
-Likes to hold leather bugs.
-Uses clutches at every chance.
-Prefers gold accessories to silver ones.
-Finds old items charming.
-Loves pocket watches.
-Loves necklaces with large motifs.
-Loves animal motifs.
-Loves candy and sweets motifs.
-Loves checks and polka-dots.
-Loves retro flower prints.
-Loves laces.
-Loves tights and leggings.
-Wears flat soled shoes as default foot-wears
-Loves round-toed shoes.
-If wearing sneakers, they must be slip-ons that’s loose fitting and cute.
-Prefer cloth buttons to ordinary buttons
-Loves to wrap the scarves and stoles all the way around the neck.
-The default winter wears are turtlenecks.
-Loves to wear layers.
-Feels the pangs for puffed sleeves.
-Loves fairy tales.
-Have light complexion.
-Soft curled hair.
-Bob cut with short bangs.
-Short bangs, long hair with curly hair.
-Girlie-girlie.
-Loves Felissimo.
-Loves especially Syrup and Snow Fellisimo
-Loves the vibe of Q-pot candy-shaped accessories.
-Loves to hang loose/chill at cafes.
-Loves to take a walk with a camera in a hand.
-Before you know, you would be shopping one small shops to the next.
-A collector, have a habit of collecting things you love.
-Feels happy when you find cute books at bookstores.
-You get exited when you at furniture store.
-Loves hand-made stuff.
-Loves winter and autumn as far as the seasons go.
-Wants to travel to northern Europe someday.
-Likes to put round make-up on cheeks.
-If you are going to put any perfumes, you’d like faint flower scents.
-A girl with soft air about her (or longs to be one)
-A girl with pure and clear air (or longs to be one.)
-You were told you permeates a laid-back aura at all time.
-You consider Hagu from “Honey and Clover” is a Mori Girl.

We had a GREAT time with Open Studios...

2011-11-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

But now we are exhausted...gonna take a little break for a week or so but I'll be back very soon with lots to say I'm sure. I need some down time! My birthday was Friday so we kicked off the weekend by not working on Friday and eating pancakes and drinking champagne! Oh and a delicious cake from Strossners! YumYum, I always eat the entire cake and gain weight that I just lost! Oh well, it was fun doing it anyway!!! The we had Open Studios with lots of people at the house...had a great time. Open Studios not only makes me create new artwork but it also makes us get our stuff together and get the house in GREAT shape. I hope we can keep it this way for a while!

Strossner's carrot cake! YUM!

Me and Pnut birthday morning.

Mr. Fox painting.

Detail of the owl in the hallway.

Detail of Mr. Hare in the hallway.

Hallway upstairs.

Livingroom.

Livingroom again, new painting over the fireplace.

My cards.

Detail of Ms. Raccoon.

Detail of Bird in a Cage painting over stairs.

Same...

Fun weekend, now we rest!

Open Studios!

2011-11-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

Come on over and enjoy the art! Would love to meet you!

We've had a great weekend so far and I'm pooped...but ready for one more day!

15 bucks - unframed paper collage

20 bucks - unframed paper collage

Open Studios!

2011-11-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Open Studios is this weekend! Woohoo!

A little bit of info for you below to make your shopping for art easy!

I will have a "price list" to give out at my studio that will coincide with my open studios blog page. (I just added this OS page at the top of my blog) When you visit my studio, pick up a "price list", make notes and if you don't purchase johnny on the spot, you can refer to your notes and my "open studios" blog page to pick out what you want to purchase in the comforts of your own home....I just hope it will still be available!

I will be accepting charge cards and I can email a paypal invoice. I will also accept personal checks and of course CASH!

Friday night we will have win and cheese and lots of fun hanging out...it's my birthday too so I will be enjoying the evening if I do say so myself!

I hope you will be able to make it this weekend, I have worked so hard on trying to make this happen and I would love to share it with you!

If you come to my studio and you read my blog please tell me so I can give you something special! I hope I will remember what I just said...it gets really busy sometimes and I won't have my head screwed on tight at all times. If you speak up and I don't give you anything, just remind me by sending me a message on my blog or something and I'll mail it to you!

Sneak Peak!

2011-10-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

You are invited to attend the opening reception of the exhibit "Squared Off"

featuring the 124 artists of Greenville Open Studios.

Come celebrate the events 10th anniversary at the Metropolitan Arts Council Gallery!

What: Squared Off Show

When: October 28, 2011 6:30-11pm

Where: MAC Gallery - 16 Augusta St. Greenville, SC

I thought I would give you a sneak peak at one of my newest pieces to be included in the MAC show this weekend.

This is only one of the many new pieces that you will see at my studio space and home the weekend of Open Studios next weekend (Nov. 4-6)!

Hope you can make both events for a GREAT time with lots of crazy artists hanging around!!!

12"x12" epoxied paper and fabric collage on wood

Mommyhood!

2011-10-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful lunch today. Spent the hour with my sweet baby girl Clarissa. I picked her up from school and we wondered up to the snack bar for some mango, peach and vanilla twist yogurt on the patio, then we walked around in the plush grass in the bright sunshine and picked flowers and slowly made our way back to the school, washed our hands and then back to her room for a nice long nap. The best way to spend my lunch hour is exactly like that!

More please mommy!

She kept saying, "I'm gonna get chew!"

She mostly wanted to eat the flowers instead of wear them!

Tuesday tutorials: what can we make tonight?

2011-10-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

These are just a few tutorials I liked and thought I would share with everyone. Just in case you get home tonight from work or school and don't have anything else to do...here ya go!

Enjoy!

DIY triangle bunting necklace from dainty squid

I like the idea of using leather for this project.

Pressed Penny charm bracelet...from Goddess Hobbies blog. I've got a ton of these pennies, I freak out when I see the machines!

DIY: Glitter shoes tutorial by Pixie in Pumps:

How to revamp vintage suitcases! at crash n smash blog:

My next project!

2011-10-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Clarissa and I went thrifting this weekend and look what we found!

I was so excited to find our night stand to revamp into her new play kitchen!!!

I definitely will be using the "Build A Play Kitchen" from Out of the Crayon Box blog.

These are a few pictures of what we found and how it looks for now. Once we get started I will try to remember (this is really hard for me these days) to take pictures as we go along so you can see how and what we do. I have plans to make a backsplash and paint it with chalkboard paint (been wanting to use that stuff for a long time now). I'm thinking we will use the colors black, brown and mint green...burners on top, and make the top drawer be pull down like oven doors and the bottom drawer can be storage for the cute little accessories, pots and pans I'll need to find somewhere...oh man I can't wait to get started!!!!!

Oh and the best part...the price $24.99!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

We finally made our way to the pumpkin patch this weekend and picked three big pumpkins and two little ones.

It was so hot and the wind was blowing, what a great afternoon to pick out pumpkins!

Clarissa just couldn't make her mind up as to which one she wanted! She kept picking up all of the little ones and dropping them, saying "punkin, punkin."

But these are the ones we picked out and then we took them home and decorated them with these cool pop-ons like Mr. Potato Head! So easy and cute!!!

Gotta love that hugh?

Once we finished and sat back to look at them, Clarissa was a little unsure of our creation...but giggled a little when she would make that one that looks like a pig say "oink, oink!"

It was a great way to end the day...punkin picking.

An Invitation to My OPEN STUDIO!

2011-10-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

Yeah! OPEN STUDIOS - It's almost here and I can't believe I have made it this far!

It's been tough but an accomplishment that I am most proud of!

I have been working very hard at preparing new artwork, working on new projects, and making silly outfits for my little girl that probably won't be on display...well, we'll see.

I still have a lot more to do to get ready and not much time left to do it in!

Wish me luck and I have HIGH hopes to meet a lot of my blog buddies out there that secretly read my blog. ;)

*This year they have something new to offer as far as lists of artists and maps to their studios to make it easier to find them here.

**Now the fun begins October 28, 2011, probably will start around 6:30ish, there will be a gallery showing of all participants in Open Studios at the MAC Gallery located at 16 Augusta St. Greenville, SC 29601 (864-467-3132).

***And next...my studio WILL be open Friday night, November 4, 2011 from 6pm-9pm!!!! What a great way to get the party started...not to mention it's my birthday too!

****And lastly...my studio WILL be open Saturday and Sunday of course too.

Saturday, November 5, 2011 - 10am-6pm

-and-

Sunday, November 6, 2011 - noon-6pm

You don't have to have an invitation to come out and enjoy the artwork.

Come one, come all and just so you know I will be accepting credit cards via PayPal and SquareUp in case you don't want to blow threw your cash! (heeheehee)

Directions:

From downtown Greenville, take Wade Hampton (Hwy. 29) north for 2.3 miles, then turn right onto Rushmore Dr. Turn left on Edwards Rd and then right onto Shannon Dr. Turn right at stop sign onto Lake Fairfield Dr. #228 will be on the left.

Call me if you get lost or need more directions from another spot in town...864-238-0387

Hope to see you there!!!!

Busy days these days!

2011-10-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to get a handle on life these days!

1. Clarissa has been sick with this aweful hand foot and mouth disease with ulcers in her mouth! But I hope we are on the fast track to feeling better these days!!!!

2. Getting ready for open studios... this weekend I got the first coat of paint on the fireplaces and am almost finsihed with the last three paintings...ugh!

3. And lastly, I'm slammed at work and can't seem to get caught up!!! I'm tired!

Sorry for the delay in posting, I will try to do better!!!!!!

A funny thing happened yesterday!

2011-10-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

I ran into the downtown Publix right quick on my way back from lunch to pick up a gallon of milk and some sandwich bread. I was walking down the isles trying to remember what I was there to get while mesmerised by how many people were in there at this time of day.

I've always enjoyed looking at people, wondering what they are doing that day, you know just wondering what's they're story or as my dad used to say...what's their deal?

Then all of a sudden I passed somone that looked so familiar but I couldn't put my finger on how I knew her face...I passed her again on another isle, got all the way down the isle and then it dawned on me. It was the writer of the blog My Black Sketchbook!

I'm so sorry but I just can't remember her name, I was so excited about seeing her and meeting her! It was like meeting a star or something! Funny!

I do like her blog and find it to be inspirational. I loved her wig shots and office snap shots and zine/book ideas!!!! The girl is just real! I hope you will enjoy it too!

Play Kitchen Cuteness!

2011-10-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm so jealous that I didn't think of this before these peeps did cause they really deserve some kind of crafty award for it!

After coming across a revamped nitestand turned play kitchen a few months ago, I've been thinking about making one for Pnut for Christmas.

I think I will have time and it will be the perfect gift for her with my plans to revamp her room into a Big Girl's Room for next year.

I can't decide which design I like better since they are all so aweseme!!!!!!

I've posted a few pictures of these cool little kitchens but you have to visit Out of the Crayon Box for details...she has a Build With Me Lesson 1, Lesson 2, Lesson 3, Lesson 4, Lesson 5, Lesson 6 and a Supply List available on her blog. I've also included a Flicker Group with lots of cool little kitchens for your enjoyment! Check it all out cause the before and after pictures are just truly amazing!!!

Thanks Jane!

My Little Gems made a diy play kitchen from a nightstand too!

Friday, finally!

2011-09-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Obviously, after working a full week, I am always excited that it's FRIDAY! Today I didn't feel like getting dressed so I wore my old faithful Doc's, some jeans, layered necklaces and painted my nails last night using gold OPI and one of those paint pencils.

I have several pairs of Docs and you can tell these are one of my faves. I just recently bought a pair of high heeled Docs, don't wear them that much. Lately I'm not a big fan of heels.

Trying to get used to taking pictures of myself...heeheehee!

I love to pick up heart charms when thrifting. They're not easy to find so when I do, I grab them up!

I love this necklace, I can't remember who made it. I bought it at a craft fair a few years ago, the maker revamped jewelry.

This is one of my fave necklaces as well. Got it at a thrift store too.

I need some practice with that nail pen, but I did this in a hurry last night and it was pretty easy.

Bow Ties for Girls

2011-09-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bow ties for girls!

Why not? Bow ties for girls, sounds like a great idea to me!

I just bought one this summer for my fall wardrobe and I just can’t wait to wear it. It’s mustard yellow knit. But I want to share some other bow ties I found that I think would look great with a cute secretary dress or a t-shirt, blazer, jeans and docs!

I love how clean lined bow tie is presented, I would just hope that I could keep it that way! It would look perfect with a red dress.

via: granny zann

So sweet, reminds of Christmas.

via: strawberry seams

What a great thing here. Make your own! I'm getting one of these puppies for sure!

via: m.e.h. art gallery

Okay, now here we go...bow ties for doggies!

via: pecan pie puppies

Great fall colors...mmm, I can smell it now! Pumpkins, spices and a new bow tie for my fall wardrobe :)

via: grip and word

Sweetness, a bow tie bola!

via: norwegianwood

Get out of town...look at this, a bow tie for your kitty!

via: snoop catty catt

Stylin with your bow tie on, that's what I'm gonna do when I wear mine!

via: bow tie co.

T-shirt bow ties!

via: eldenna designs

Last but not least, I'm loving this tie, I know it isn't a bow tie but I loved the creativeness of it! Great for fall girls!

via: karmelidesigns beautiful jewelry

Halloween is on the way!

2011-09-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about the holidays this year now that our little girl is older! We had fun with her last year, but this year, I believe she will enjoy herself as well!

First we have Halloween and appropriately she will be a vampire this year! Recently we have had issues with biting so we thought that would be a perfect costume for our little blood thirsty girl this year for Halloween. Might just be a little vampire family...we do love True Blood!

I'll be on the look out for a red, white and black ensemble...maybe black skirt and white shirt with a red cape or black dress with a red cape? We'll have to see what's out there at the thrift stores...maybe a stitch here and there and we'll have it.

I can just see Scott dressed like this!

I can't wait to get some projects underway for Halloween, thought I might decorate this year!

First, we will have to carve the pumpkin:

I'm thinking about this scary cat as my template!

Now, how about some glow in the dark Halloween bunting?

...instructions can be found here.

Treats to share at school:

Eye of Newt cookies!

What you need:
20 mini-powdered doughnuts
Red decorating gel
20 green M&M's
Black decorating icing

Put doughnuts on a platter.
Drizzle each with red gel.
Place a drop of gel on the back of each M&M, and put one in the center of each doughnut. Top with a drop of black icing to form the pupil.

There might even be some time for extra fun stuff around the house like:

Halloween coloring pages!

Sewing up so skull patches!

Or creating shrinky dink charms made just for a Halloween charm bracelet!

Make a vampire doll!

And last but not least, make a potion!!!

How about some monster punch?! (with or without alcohol of course)

*2 tubes of red decorating gel

*4 cups of prepared lemonade

*2 cups seltzer or club soda

*green food coloring

*1 can lychees in heavy syrup, drained

*12-16 grapes

Pipe the red gel around the top rim of 4 glasses. Pipe a few drips of gel down side of glasses.

combine the lemonade with the seltzer. Tint with green food coloring to the desired color. Press a grape into the opening of the lychees. Fill glasses with the lychee "eyes" and ice cubes. Pour lemonade mixture into glasses and serve. I found this at Nick Jr.

experimenting is fun!

2011-09-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

In order to participate in Open Studios you have to commit to producing at least 10 new pieces of work. Now that's a lot to me! I'm talking 10 new pieces of artwork, not skectches and doodles which some people may consider new pieces but not me. So with that said, I have been very busy and am almost finished with all of my projects. I decided to create one large painting/collage that measures about 48"x60"...and am very pleased with how that piece turned out. My other projects include fabric collages framed with embroidery loops, paper and fabric collages nailed to wooden plaques and then epoxied, and a few animal paintings all of which I am very excited to share for OPEN STUDIOS!

This little shadow box is only a little sample of the epoxy pieces I've been working on. I haven't quite finished this one yet and don't really have plans to disply any shadow boxes, this being the only one. I have really enjoyed working with the epoxy and will definitly continue. It's a little messy and somewhat time comsuming, but I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of it.

Vintage Campers!

2011-09-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Vintage campers...wait while I dream about some day owning a really cool fully restored (by somebody else of course) vintage camper...that dream also included us winning the lottery (btw).

No. 1 - The Catolac!

*It's got the original star burst laminate tabletops!

*Newly primed and painted on the outside!

Look at that cool back splash and those chenille curtains! Oh My Goodness!

Not to mention that astro-a-gogo seat cushion!!!

And look here...it's for sale!

When I was younger my family bought a VW Westfalia Camper that we loved to go camping in. I have fond memories of my sister standing on the portable potty freaking out because our site was being invaded by armadillos! Ours was orange and like I said we had a portable potty, a tent and lots of camping equipment. We went to the beach several times and to Disney World in it!

Some day I do hope to have a vintage camper that we can pack up and just take off to see the world! I love packing up stuff to go on trips, trying to figure out what you will need and what you might not need but you take anyway :) Scott always complains that I take too much! Who me?

We had an awning too on the VW.

We would ride our bikes and eat outside at the picnic table. We would eat hot dogs and hamburgers and the food would taste so good. Eating outside makes food taste much better than it really is! I remember having so much fun when we camped :)

the weekend

2011-09-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful to have weekends! There's just so much to be done when it gets here that I always feel overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. But with a little effort I can figure out some time to get a little bit of art done and a little bit of r&r, some thrifting, and maybe some clothes washed!

I'm starting to feel the crunch of Open Studios, deadlines steadily approaching. Makes me very nervous. I have much work to be done to finish all of my projects, not to mention getting the house ready for peeps to visit. Walls to be painted, blinds hung, and a lot of straightening and organizing!

We decided to have guests over the first Friday night to start off Open Studios the right way...lots of cheer with friends and family!

More details to come on a GREAT event ahead of us! But go ahead and mark your calendars for November 4-6, 2011 and stay tuned for more details.

I'm working on new fabric collages and reworking some old ones...new ideas make for better pieces! This year most of my fabric collages will be framed with needle point hoops.

Been working with painted fabrics for some time now and I am totally addicted. Some times I just like the way the fabric looks with paint on it and nothing else...I'm weird like that.

I'm very messy when it comes time to work. I prefer it that way, don't know why...

Love my modge podge!

Got some new paintings too! Different sizes and shapes as well.

At the end of the day Sunday, me, Scott and Pnut went seaching for acorns...Pnut was calling them corny. I love how silly she is! She had her own collection too, she put them in her toy scooter when we got inside.

There were beautiful colors to choose from, green, brown, tan and black...I know, it was wierd seeing black acorns. I'm not sure why they are black but they sure were butes!

the A-Z of ME!

2011-09-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

This is me and Mary Scales in Florida! I'm on the right :)

The following is a survey that bloggers are sharing so everyone out there can learn a little bit of the basics about each other! I hope you enjoy...

A. Age: 42
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the house, washing and folding and ironing clothes! I used to really despize going to the grocery store, but now our little family goes together and that makes it a lot more fun!
D. Dogs: We only had one left of three pups when Clarissa was born and shortly after her birth he decided to move on to the other world where Katie and Elsie live so now we are without. But...we have plans to get another doggie soon once Pnut is old enough to understand and help take care of it :)
E. Essential start to your day: A sip of medicine (diet Dr. Pepper) and then a cup of coffee to follow.
F. Favorite color: Seafoam green running a close race with a creamy orange.
G. Gold or Silver: Silver for sure. But I will wear gold plated jewelry if it’s cool looking.
H. Height: 5’4
I. Instruments you play: I can play a few chords on the guitar but nothing special...me and Clarissa like to play with daddy’s drum machine though. She’s pretty good too!
J. Job title: Legal secretary to the managing partner of a small law firm.
K. Kids: 1 - and her name is Clarissa, she’s 19 months old and she’s the best thing that ever happened to me and my husband! She is so much fun and has a great personality!
L. Live: Greenville, SC. I’m a true southern girl.
M. Mother’s name: Evelia.
N. Nicknames: None, unless Scott gets mad at me!
O. Overnight hospital stays: I think we stayed three nights after Pnut was born.
P. Pet peeves: People that drive slow in the passing lane, those that help themselves to a cup of coffee at work and don’t fill up the water tank, the list is too big!
Q. Quote from a movie: "It’s the f*ckin’ Catalina wine mixer." – Step Brothers {we watch this movie at least once a month}.
R. Right or left handed: Righty.
S. Siblings: 1 younger sister and 1 sister-in-law.
U. Underwear: Funny that you ask because lately I have noticed that I’ve been putting my undies on the wrong side out for some reason. I had a thought the other day, "what does that mean?"
V. Vegetable you hate: Beets, without a doubt!
W. What makes you run late: Sleeping late, I can’t seem to ever get enough, even before Pnut came along! Then you can add to that, can’t find something to wear that fits right (need to loose weight), can’t get my hair to do right or just dragging!

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, abdomen (acid reflux), boobies.
Y. Yummy food that you make: I don’t cook. Scott does most of the cooking. But I can make crock pot stuff pretty good. I know that’s not saying much but, I’m just saying.
Z. Zoo animal: We don’t go much, not really a big fan of the zoo. But if I had to pick my fave animal at the zoo, I would have to say the lions.

I hope you had fun reading a little more about me :)

If you play along link up in the comments so I can learn the ABC’s of you!

(via: Srslyliz)

Fingernails!

2011-09-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love to paint my fingernails...but...it never stays on, so I really don't do it that often. I can paint them on Friday and by Sunday it's chipping. I even bought OPI's Chip Skip to help with that and it does work a little better but not like most people that can wear their polish for a week and it not chip. All I can say is they must not do anything all week!

I finally got the Sally Hansen's nail stickers and this is what happened! It was easy to apply and no drying to wait on! I did it Friday night and by Sunday I had chips but it has lasted longer than nail polish. I gotta take it off tonight, there's just too many chips now.

I always feel self conscious at work when I paint my nails cause I don't paint them the colors most people paint their nails. Currently my favorite color is OPI's Mermaids Tears. I know my boss is looking at my nails as I pass a file to him...he's thinking "what in the world was I thinking when I hired her?"

I cannot wait to paint these little nails.

Having a baby girl is so much fun! I have so much in store for her!

Vintage Inspired Birthday Party for Kids! (via the crafty minx)

2011-09-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

I loved this post so much from "the crafty minx" that I had to share it!

1. Take it outside – pray to all your gods for good weather, throw open the doors and festoon the backyard with decorations and a cheerful 50s tablecloth or two. Or find a prime spot in a local park with access to shade, picnic tables and a playground. Stake out your colony with blankets and a radio tuned to hits.
2. Set a theme for the children – how about simply dress-ups? Easy on the grown-ups, and lenient enough to allow for princess, fairy and pirate fixations.
3. Bunting – festive, easy, cute… need I say more?
4. Be at one with the sugar content – there are times when fairy bread, cupcakes, lollies and chocolate are okay. This is one of them (adults won’t be complaining, either).
5. Keep it short, sweet and small – set a time limit of say, two hours, and only invite friends your children recognize. All-day affairs with squillions of guests are a modern, somewhat tiring phenomenon.
6. Old school games – pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, What’s the time, Mr Wolf?, egg & spoon and 3-legged races are all oldies, but goodies. Pack a few extra prizes for cheering up teary kids who came last.
7. Alcohol – for the grown-ups, obviously; reward for spending their precious weekend watching a bunch of kids go nuts. Failsafe drinks? Champagne and Bloody Marys. And keep the number of guests without children to a minimum (your twenty-something co-worker might say they’d love to come but trust me, she’s just being polite).
8. Save your efforts until children are old enough to realise what’s going on. If you start with the first birthday, you’ll be over it by the time they hit 3, and that’s when the fun really starts.
9. Keep a list of who gave what – parents will appreciate a thoughtful note, saying thank you for the welcome doll/Lego/book/princess shoes they spent good time making or shopping for.
10. Goodie bags for all the kids – compensation for watching their host tear apart gifts with wild abandon, screaming ‘mine, mine, mine!

The Indie Craft Parade!

2011-09-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

It was a full day of craftiness, art and great music! We started at 10:30 am and made it home by 2:30! We were all tired and Pnut fell asleep before we could even get her home in her bed! There was so much great goodies there that I could hardly focus, so with that said I made a list of some vendors I will have to revisit online:

1. Rachel Wilder - sterling silver initial charms

2. Pogo Shop - wool teddy bears with sleeping bags

3. Gumptions Designs - collage and artsy goods

4. Lazymuse - a two headed crocheted bunny and lots more

5. Jordan Grace Owens - art, paper dolls and lots more

6. NeedleNoodles - crocheted goods (note to self: purchase a ring box)

7. Steve Morrison - artwork and wooden puzzles

8. Urban Gypz Artisan Yarn - yarn and handmade scarves and shawls

(this is my list to remind me but on the Indie Craft Parade site you can see them all!)

After a full day of The Indie Craft Parade, Pnut was very tired but very dedicated to her dragon tail. We had to convince her to go to bed without the tail!

Pnut was enjoying her audience while dancing and prancing around in her dragon tail to the music of The Ragged Orchids! This photo taken by Mike Wooten truly captured her happiness!

Owlette Collective - Makers of the dragon tail! I love these girls, they are great creators and friendly too!

We purchased this print from Marisol Spoon that was framed with a handmade frame that is amazing. I don't have a picture of the framed print but this is the print we purchased and it is awesome in person especially with the amazing frame!

These two collages are similar to the ones that we purchased from Rachael. I loved her artwork and wanted to buy more but I had to leave some for other peeps!

Rachael Madeline

More Bentos in the mail!

2011-09-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, this finishes up my orders at last. I finally got the My Melody Bento box and silicon cup dividers this past week. It is a little difficult keeping the food seperated unless you use these little cups but I have found that cupcake papers work just as well and are not as expensive. These little cup dividers are a little smaller than I expected but we'll see how they work out for us.

My Melody came wtih a little cup already inside!

(via: Tokyo Gift)

Divider cups in action...

Thrift store finds!

2011-09-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we finally had an opportunity to go thrifting! I love to go thrifting any time I can and when we go the time just flys by! I have running list of goodies to look for that I keep in my notebooks and try to keep in my head as well but once I get in the store, I get so excited that I can't remember anything so I wind up going all over the store and being side tracked by everything. But I don't care cause I could spend all day in a thrift store! What a great weekend!!!

Pnut wanted to try on hats as soon as we got there!

I have been looking for tennish shoes for Pnut and finally found some Converse for her. They are too big for now but she will be in them before we know it I'm sure, she's growing up way too fast!

I love it when I find doilies, I have plans to make either a doilie bunting and I like to use them in my fabric collages. We found mini pompoms, and fabric tape, a Vera scarf and this cute cropped strawberry sweater for P.

I like the way the Converse are worn in really good, imagine how comfy they will be!

Love me some Vera! Some day I'll take a picture of my Vera collection.

Close up of strawberry sweater...

Lastly we found this silver heart charm bracelet, obviously made to fit Ms. Pnut!

Blogging Worldwide!

2011-09-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

I finally made the list! Blogging Worldwide is a project that Mary Rebecca of Hello Mary Rebecca has created.

This is a quote from her project to explain:

"I'm super giddy to announce this new blog series! I thought it up while I was shopping for a Georgia postcard to send to Jana of Giggles, Glitz & Glam. There are so many great blogs out there, so I thought why not compile a huge list so people can discover new blogs and be discovered? [plus I think it's fun to find blogs in the same location as you]

Doesn't matter where you are in the world--if you have a blog--you're in!"

So check it out! It's really cool!

Shop my closet is up and running...Finally!

2011-09-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

Finally...I have opened my etsy shop

that will be selling vintage goods from my closet and

some handmade goodies as well.

I started off by posting some vintage brooches that I have and will add more items very soon! I have tons of items to add like clutches, dresses, belts, shoes...and more!

Go grab what's left and look out for more to come! Save me as a fave if you like and join my blog for further updates and lots of fun stuff to come!

$5.50

$10.00

$5.50

More Bentos!

2011-08-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

As you may have already figured out, I'm really excited about Bentos these days. I can't help myself, they are just too cute and I'm sure Clarissa loves eating her lunch and snacks in them! I have a few more items yet to come and as soon as I receive them you can rest assure that

I will share them with you!

"Bear/Pig: mix x mate - our daily life overflows with happiness."

This one is small for a quick morning or afternoon snack

with little latches on the sides to keep the lid on.

Double deckers are cut for a big lunch. This one is called "Clapping March Musician (like the pink one posted earlier) the concert will start soon." This one didn't come with a band to help keep it shut, guess I'll have to use another one that I have.

A dreamy little cluster of three..."Fairy Tale World - Hope this special day will be filled with happiness! Turn Left, down, Up! Up! Here!"

Blue, pink and green! Perfect for a Pnut's lunch or snack!

Happy Bentos!

(cute thrift and pawn shop)

More Bentos came in the mail today!

2011-08-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

This one is too cute, it's a double decker that, obviously, looks like a hamburger with lettuce! It has little latches on the sides to keep it closed up tight and it has two layers for food and one thin layer on the top for your fork or spoon and napkin. I need to find some mini hamburgers for Pnut to take for lunch in this bento!

(Charm Store on Ebay)

This little bag came seperately, it was a little bit smaller than I had expected but still very cute! I don't think I can get the bento and a drink inside the bag but it is large enough for a couple of smaller bentos. Notice how it has a zipper on the side for your fork and a draw string to keep everything inside. I love the Hello Kitty design with rainbows and clouds...look at how her ears are floppy!

(Gift Online Ebay Store)

Marshmellows for dinner!

2011-08-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

When we got home Thursday evening Clarissa went to the pantry and picked out what she wanted for dinner, she chose marshmellows! Recently she has had this obsession with getting into the pantry and pulling food out even if she just ate. We finally had to put a rubber band on the handles so she couldn't do it anymore and that really makes her mad! She ate more than marshmellows of course but I think she really liked the marshmellows because she would put them all in her mouth at once, gag them out and then do it all over again! The girl is a nut!!!!

She's a marshmellow bandit!

Bentos are too cute!

2011-08-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Ms. Pnut started her new class at daycare just recently and one of the new rules is to bring all finger foods that are easy for her to eat herself. Let me tell you, that has not been a very easy task since we have a slightly picky eater on our hands! I've been trying to think of ideas of how to make eating more fun and interesting for her? So I went on the search for fun lunch boxes and this is what I found...Bento lunch boxes!

I have discovered that the Bento lunch boxes from Japan are the cutest!

I have bought several different boxes and accessories and will post pictures as they trickle in from the mailman.

This came as a three piece package...one single bento and one double bento with a little insulated zipper bag. It's called Clapping March Picnic!

I researched different meal ideas but most were a little too advanced for her so we've had to embellish on those ideas a little.

Below are a few of the recipes we thought were interesting!

Bee shaped sandwich with marshmellow, cheese, grapes, carrots and apples

Owl shaped sandwich with cheese, carrots and cookies

Candycane sandwich, marshmellow snowman, carrots, cheese and mandarin oranges

Turtle sandwich, yogurt, manderin oranges, blueberries, cheese and carrots

Fun Times with Friends!

2011-08-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Stephanie was in town so me and Clarissa went on a journey

into the stormy day it was!

We met Stephanie, Wendy and Claire downtown for ice cream and a stroll in the park.

We had such a great time, we watched the ducks, saw the river rushing madly over the rocks, watched the boys in black do their stunts on the benches and wires and ate really good ice cream from Spill the Beans while Clarissa and Claire played in the water fountains. Fun times to remember!

Handmade dresses!

2011-08-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Nanna made Pnut a new dress!

She actually made two, so we'll post the other one soon...

It's so cute with purple shorts with polka dots and fabric covered buttons to boot!

The other dress posted is one that I made.

Now mine is made from mixing articles of clothing but Nanna made hers from scratch!

Camo dress was made from a boys camouflage t-shirt and a red and white polka dot sundress. It was almost finished but I just felt like it needed something else...Scott suggested cutting the sleeves to cap them and then one day it was laying in the floor of the den (den was a wreck) and Pnut had gone through some of my sewing things, leaving a piece of scrap material in the floor with that heart patch on it. The two were laying on the floor in a way that made me realize I should put the flag heart on the camo shirt dress!

A peak inside my little office

2011-08-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

I decided to snap some shots today of my somewhat newly decorated office. They decided to replace the carpet and paint the walls so I was inspired to redecorate. The first picture is my small art collection mixed with my art and others. Don't miss the mobile in the right corner at the door! People are always facinated by that, they ask, "what is that?" Sorry for the mess on my side desk, but I always have a mess somewhere in here or all over for that matter.

This is my "teacher" wall with the map and chalkboard. The chalkboard is for listing whatever supplies the office may need. I love the color contrast of the walls, map and board and then we use bright colored chalks on the board. The chairs came from Greenville Office Supply, imagine that!

This wall is behind my desk and chair. The bulletin board is kind of an inspiration board with postcards, dried flowers, pictures and a small calendar for a quick glance as to what day it is...in my world the time goes by so fast I forget what day it is all of the time! The painting is mine, a newer one that I did for Open Studios 09.

My 10'x10' office is quite small but I've tried to make it as comfy as possible since I do spend a lot of time there...this painting is another Open Studios 09.

A close up of the art wall.

A detail from the art wall. This is the newest addition to the wall, a painting made by an artest I met at the Big Crafty in Asheville. I fell in love with her art and bought two pieces. Her prices were very reasonable and I couldn't help but love the characters in each piece. She doesn't have a website or a blog so I really can't direct you to her but her name is Leslie Hinton.

Boxes make great clubhouses!

2011-08-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

Scott had left a ton of huge boxes in the living room from some equipment he recently ordered.

Me and Clarissa have been eyeing these boxes for some time now and decided last night to execute our idea...A Box Clubhouse!

This is probably why she stayed up last night until midnight....she couldn't quit thinking about it I guess!

We had so much fun making it and when we finished she was loving it!!!

It has two rooms, several windows and a door with handles!

We'll see how long her interest lasts...if it lasts as long as the weekend maybe we will add another room and some paint!

The Vested Gentress

2011-07-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

Vested Gentress was established in 1961 and was based in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Their factory was located in Trappe, Pennsylvania, about twelve miles from Valley Forge. The company was known for whimsical screenprinted fabrics. These fabrics were made into dresses, slacks, and skirts. They also had a line of golf wear. The company closed in the late 1980s.

Dating hint: In the earlier labels, the lady does not have the crop in her hand.

Written by Lizzie Bramlett at fuzzylizzie.com

I recently aquired a few Vested Gentress dresses and love, love, love them! They're usually made out of cotton and have really cool printed fabric!

I have posted a few pictures here for you to see what they look like. I will try to post pictures of mine soon.

Noah's Ark via: fuzzylizzie.com

Whale via: no-frills marilyn at flickr

Fish N Cocktails via: unknown

City Scape via: jade pussycat

check this collection out! via: vintage mimosa at flickr

By the Seashore via: dandelion vintage

Mushrooms and Frogs via: plastic paradise

Dog and Bird via: ebay seller unknown

Felt Crowns Rock!

2011-07-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love these crowns! I think this has to be my next project!

FELT CROWNS!

my cakies

the kidz clothesline

Things you’ll need

wool or acrylic felt squares

large piece of felt

3" piece of elastic, ½" wide

2 by 5 piece of fabric

thread

sewing machine

pins

needle

measuring tape

tissue paper

marking pen

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Measure the circumference of your child’s head. Subtract 3" from this measurement to get the length of your crown.

2. Draw a crown template on the tissue paper (or use this template from Skip To My Lou). The crown should have at least three points, but feel free to get creative with the number, size and shape of the points. Cut out the template. Make a duplicate copy on another sheet of tissue paper.

3. Divide one of the crown templates into even sections. Pin each section to a felt square and cut it out, adding a 1/4" to each side for a seam allowance. You can use difference colors for each section or alternate between two colors.

4. Pin each section together then stitch the pieces together with a 1/4" seam allowance. Trim the excess felt from the seams.

5. Glue or sew decorations onto the crown. This is where you can really get creative. You could also sew cut outs of the felt to the crown, ribbon, feathers, glue jewels or seashells onto the body of the crown.

6. Pin the uncut template onto the large piece of felt, and then cut the fabric out along the template. This will be the crown lining.

7. Fold the 2 by 5 inch piece of fabric in half lengthwise (right sides together) then pin. Stitch along the raw edge to form a 1 by 5 inch tube with open ends. Turn the tube right side out then insert the elastic inside the tube. Stitch the ends of the tube closed, making sure to catch the elastic in both seams, which will cause the fabric tube to gather.

8. Pin the felt crown front to the lining with the wrong sides together. Pin the gathered fabric tube to each end of the crown between the two layers of felt, near the bottom edge. Top stitch the crown layers together about 1/8" from the edge of the felt.

9. Add any finishing touches or decorations.

(Instructions by ehow.com)

maureen cracknell

rocken tot

those great house women

two little bluebirds

Polished nails...

2011-07-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

I love painting my fingernails but it never stays on for too long so I usually just paint my toenails only. For some reason it just won't stay on my nails!

At any rate, I recently bought a stash of OPI colors from their Pirate collection. So I painted my toenails Skull and Glossbones with the black crackle and my fingernails Skull and Glossbones only. Then, in just a day my nails started chipping so I covered up my chipped tips with Mermaids tears!

I liked the way it turned out!

Pnut Dress...

2011-07-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

I was bound and determined to make Pnut a dress last night once we got home.

When we went to the Big Crafty this past weekend I saw some dresses on these little girls that I absolutely loved! The owner of Garage 34, located in Asheville, NC. made the ones I saw but when I saw them, I thought, "I can make that for sure!"

So when I got home last night Pnut and I got to work finding stuff to cut up, stitch, add and subtract...and this is what we came up with! It was so easy that we started another and have plans for many more! It really shows her character and she loved it when I put it on her this morning.

Materials used:

1. The top part is a 3T t-shirt that fits comfortably.

2. Then we cut up a size 18 vintage dress that really was too little but it had lots of pleats in it, so when I cut the arms off it had a lot of material to play with to make the bottom half of the dress. I pleated the dress once in the back to give her some extra room for movement.

3. In the middle we added a ladies vintage cloth belt to bring the two pieces together.

4. Then I had a shirt that needed a button. I liked the apliques that were on the shirt better than the shirt itself, so I cut the mermaid off and sewed it to the t-shirt.

Then I found a pair of cream short bloomer panties for underneath.

Ta-dah!

The Big Crafty Loot!

2011-07-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

These are all the goodies we bought with the exception of a few pieces that are gifts...don't want anyone to see those of course! We had so much fun shopping and hanging out in Asheville. Pnut loved it too, she was definitely in her element!

1. Owlette - crayon carrier and a bonnet not pictured...we had to special order Pnut's size.

2. Monkey and Squirrel - cast iron hooks.

3. Leslie Hinton - the large painting on canvas and the small one on the piece of wood - I loved her work but she doesn't have a web site just yet.

4. Ryan Ashley - crocheted bow tie!

5. Seven Feathers Tribe - plush cookies.

6. The high Fiber Co. - cute little snack pouches :)

7. Lucky Creature - Cool little halloween painting on canvas.

8. Sugar Kids - I think this is who made the little rose tshirt hairbow.

We had a GREAT time! It was about 2:30 in the afternoon, having been there since about 12:00 and I said, why am I so hungry? I didn't realize that we had not eaten lunch yet. I've never done that before! Fun times to remember for sure!

The Big Crafty is this weekend!

2011-07-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

The Big Crafty is an indie craft show that is held twice a year, if you're lucky, in Asheville, NC. If you can make it up to Asheville for a few hours you won't be let down by the awesome artwork and crafty stuff that will be for sale!

I've highlighted a few of my faves for you to enjoy and get a little taste!

#1 Owlette - these girls are from Nashville and they make the cutest baby stuff. I got Clarissa one of these bonnets the last time I saw their booth in Greenville!

#2 - Raimbowtree - Yes, I said raimbow...look how awesome this flower is in her hair! I can't wait to get one for myself!

#3 - Canoo - Check him out! His name is Uncle Bertie...heeheehee!

#4 - Jordan Grace Owens - Personalized Paper Dolls! I know, I can't wait to see them in person!!!!

Hope to see you there! Oh and by the way, the show is Sunday (July 10, 2011) only!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Lavender and Limes made these flags!

These cutie minies are from Olive Someday!

Look at this "how to" at Bison Girl!

Check these out at Back Home Again...

Lastly...these are the ones I made!

Now that I've seen all of these, I gotta get busy! I love flag and bunting and they're not that hard to make either. Flags are so festive and very appropriate for July 4th...might have to hang them up in the house just for the weekend!

Have a great 4th of July everybody :)

Fun night!

2011-06-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to do something different during the week and last night we did just that! Scott's band the Ragged Orchids played the River River Concert night and had a GREAT time! There were a ton of people out to enjoy the night and thank goodness it didn't rain, the surrounding storm just cooled the evening off a little and the sunset was beautiful! Fun times to remember!!
https://www.facebook.com/theraggedorchids

Get some loving with blog lovin!

2011-05-26T10:42:00.001-07:00

Follow'>http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2607837/leslie-ann-hart?claim=zswa7akfwpn">Follow my blog with bloglovin

Thrift store finds!

2011-05-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Loot shot...

Clarissa and I decided to hit a church garage sale this past Friday, I had taken the week off for our vacation so I decided to go thrifting with my little girl. I think she likes it as much as I do!!! I'm so glad of that :), I'm bringing this girl up right!

When we walked in I noticed that it was pretty well organized but the stuff was a little high priced. With a little bit of digging and some help from Clarissa, we did find some treasures before we left.

We found a huge box of scarves that Clarissa helped me rummage through and there were 3 vintage Vera scarves in the box! We were so excited!!!! Clarissa tried all the scarves on for me so I could see how they looked. What a big help she was!

This scarf isn't a Vera scarf but I loved the feathers on it. In my new collages I'm thinking about incorporating feathers and doilies. And this doilie was the greatest light peach color!

Then I found these vintage belt buckles (two bundles for 10 bucks), a sterling silver guitar charm for my charm bracelet and a heart locket. Since I'm a Hart now, I collect heart lockets or charms. Lastly, the paper weight...if you can't see it very well, its an ocean scene with a little dried seahorse in it. Nothing like memories of the beach while you're sitting at your desk in the office.

Lastly, I found this little figurine on a junk table right before we called it quits. We had walked the room several times and I just knew I might find something one more time around and we did! I'm not sure what it is though...the little yellow flower has what looks like used to be some kind of foam or something in it maybe to stick pins in...not sure...but I loved it so we purchased it for a whopping $1.00!

Florida Trip Much Needed!

2011-05-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

I didn't think I could do it but I did and am very proud of myself! Scott and I went away for several days without our little Pnut! Florida was our destination, Orlando...I know, you're asking "why did you go to Orlando, FL without the kid right?" Well it was a business trip so we couldn't take Clarissa this time and I don't think she would have gotten Disney World just yet anyway. So I didn't feel so bad not taking her this time. Plus all we did was cocktail parties, dance parties, seminars and lounging by the pool while drinking cocktails...no room for babies at that hotel!

We did have a good time, a much needed get away for the two of us to get a chance to reconnect. But every time we would leave the room we would feel like we were forgetting something and when we had a moment alone we would call to check on Clarissa or talk about her, wondering what she was doing without us. Clarissa did great without us, although she was in great hands while we were away!

Big cocktail/dance party Tuesday night. The crowd was huge, the bar was open and lots of food everywhere!

The dude with the cook's hat to the left kept on dancing to the music while he was serving people.

If you know what Charles looks like, he's dancing on the dance floor to the right. Look out people, Charles is cuttin-a-rug! (Whatever that means)

It was late and the bar had been open for some time now and the party had been extended. The peeps on the dance floor heard a song they liked...I have no idea what it was but they loved it and knew to hold up their arms and waive their hands when the time came! What, what?

Tommy, Laura and Kevin...those drinks in front of them do NOT belong to them...yeah right! Tommy and Laura found out Thursday right before we got on the plane to come home that their new baby girl was at home waiting on them. For eight years they were on a waiting list to adopt and their little girl was born Thursday morning! They had to go buy a car seat on the way to the hospital when they got home! Talk about a surprise!!!!!

You are looking at VIPs in this picture! This night the entertainment was at the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal Studios and they took a small group of us as VIPs to enjoy an extra cocktail before the show. You can see Kerry with Sanford, Mary and Charles and Me! Scott was talking to someone so he missed out on this picture. After this we ate and then saw Journey...yes, Journey! All I can say is, that was kinda weird!

Let's see...who has more freckles? Mary or me?!

I didn't take many pictures while we were in Florida, only a few of the parties I took my camera. I did take some pictures of us by the pool but after I looked at them I thought there is no way my peeps are going to see this!

Fun times with great people that Scott works with at GOS!!!

Newspaper Nails!

2011-05-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

I found this funky nail treatment and thought I would give a try! It's easy and looks cool!

I think the next time I will try a different color and do two coats of polish. I tried one with a comic strip and it turned out pretty cool too, so might do all comics the next time. It was fun and easy to do so give a try and let me know what happens!

Here's how you do it...

Materials:

■1 Small glass
■Rubbing alcohol or vodka
■10 Strips of newspaper (big enough to cover each nail)
■Any light colored nail polish (whites and pastels work best)
■Clear top coat polish

Process:
1.Polish your nails with your desired coats and let dry
2.Pour some rubbing alcohol/vodka in the small glass
3.Dip your (dried) nail in the rubbing alcohol/vodka (make sure you wet whole nail)
4.Place and press a strip of the newspaper on your nail and hold firmly but careful for 30 seconds. (do NOT Move the strip around)
5.Remove strip and repeat on each nail or a select few nails if desired
6.Finally, polish your nails with a good clear top coat to seal the deal.

Let us know how your newspaper nails turned out!

Week Update!

2011-05-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

I'm glad this week is coming to an end...rough week! It started out with Clarissa having a fever of 103, mouth sores, drooling like crazy and very fussy. Doctor said it was a virus similar to hand and foot but without the blisters on her feet and hands. Finally today she is well and somewhat back to normal but even with that going on she's got teeth coming in too...poor little girl :(

Then the heat went out! Of all times, when we have a cold wave coming through! The fix-it man came but had to order parts, it's running but still isn't totally fixed after giving him 1600 bucks already!!!!

Then I got a bad head cold...it started out like allergies and then a full on cold...my head is totally stopped up and I cannot breath through my nose at all! I feel like crap but I have to go to work cause my desk is covered up and I can't seem to get caught up!!!!

So you can see how I am so glad that it's Friday...I have plans to sleep late Saturday and Sunday for sure!!!

We do have a great weekend planned though...Saturday Scott plays at the "Hoot and Holler" fund raiser so we'll have a great afternoon in the park, then Sunday for Mother's Day, we have a cookout planned at the house with lots of good food, I'm really looking forward to that!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day!

Thrift store finds...

2011-04-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Clarissa and I decided to do some thrifting on our lunch break! This particular thrift store doesn't really have much but we were able to find a few treasures. We shopped through the books and Clarissa found a Number book that she was excited about and then a cool little hat that was denim on one side and red checked on the inside...too cute! Then over to the lady's dresses we went and I found a great sundress! Not too much vintage but the fabric was vintage looking and the style was classic, gotta love those classic cuts! Lastly we made it over to the linens and I was able to satisfy my latest obsession which is doilies. Don't know why, but for some reason I have found much happiness in finding this little jewels...they just might end up in some new fabric pieces I've been thinking about.

Very excited about the weekend! As always we have way too much on the "To Do" list but Scott has agreed to babysit the Pnut so I can work on some paintings! I've so much in my head I'm going to have to focus and do all that I can in a short period of time...ugh, that makes me nervous!

In the picture: vintage tablecloth, two doilies and vintage handkerchief

I love using vintage handkerchiefs for Clarissa's little nose, they are so much softer than a tissue. The tablecloth is to add to my collection that I love to use for events at the house of course but also when I do craft/art shows as well. They add so much character to your booth and/or party.

Kitchen addition!

2011-04-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

We finally did it! After living in this house for about a year or two we decided to renovate the kitchen. Now by renovate I mean that Scott and I, ourselves, totally demolished the countertops, the floor, the cabinets and all! After removing all of the old stuff we put in the new cabinets, had the hardwood floors refinished and then countertops installed. It looked great when we were finished! But then we decided that we would add a little piece to it that we had left out back then down one side of the kitchen. This is a somewhat finsihed picture, without the countertops. Hopefully soon I plan to post pictures of the old kitchen and then totally finsihed kitchen. The difference is amazing!!!! I love the way it is starting to look and feel. It will be nice to have it done so we can move onto the next project of many :)

Easter 2011!

2011-04-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

Clarissa's 2nd Easter technically, was a great time with the family! We enjoyed great food menu follows:

ham

turkey

dressing

mac and cheese

corn

green beans

cantaloupe

potato salad

boiled eggs

rolls

three layer pie

German chocolate cake

(Angie, let me know if I forgot anything)

Clarissa wore an Easter dress her nanna made for her and it fit perfect. She was so cute in it but it was really bothering her cause she couldn't get down in the floor and crawl really good so we had to take it off after the pictures were made...

We ate and played and then ate some more, what a lovely day!

Fun in the park on Earch Day!

2011-04-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

So Sunday, after a long morning of moving stuff to get ready for the new addition to the kitchen, Clarissa had a nice nap while Scott and I got ready to go to the park. We made it just in time for a little relaxing and socializing and then Scott was ready to play by 6:00. We had a great time, Brandy brought Callie and Lowe so Clarissa was excited to play with someone she knew! It was so nice, the weather was perfect and the music was great! They finished up playing and we left the park around 7:45, we barely made it home from Spartanburg before Clarissa passed out stone cold!

Earth Day - April 17, 2011

2011-04-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, Scott's (my husband) band, The Ragged Orchids is playing in Spartanburg's Jam in the Park - Earth Day Jam! They will play at 6:00pm, Sunday, April 17th... Jam in the Park is held in the Duncan Park Ampitheatre located at the corner of Duncan Park Dr and Union St, Spartanburg, SC, 29306.

Bring a picnic and the kids, it will be a fun day in the park!!!!

"Although the Ragged Orchids are a fairly new band, they have already amassed a significant catalog of original tunes. Their unique blend of Americana, alt-country and pop draws deeply from a well of influences, ranging from Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, and the no depression roots music movement. Their songs evoke lost love, twisted trysts and small town disillusionment all recanted through a smoky haze of bar room whiskey and southern colloquialisms. Their melodic style is complemented by a poignant lyrical sense, enduring harmonies, and a uniquely American sensibility of country and pop." (quoted from Jam in the Park website)

GRAY hair...

2011-04-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have officially decided to let my hair go all the way gray! I can't say why I have all of a sudden decided this but I think it is the right decision for now. It might be because I'm just so tired of having my hair colored! Or it could be that I'm just curious as to just how much gray I have and exactly what my natural color will be. It could turn out that I don't really like the way it will look but I think I might give it a try. I've always said that I would go to my grave with dyed hair but I don't think it will hurt to give a try...who knows, I might not like it and go back to dying but we'll see. The following is information that I picked up on eHOW Style if anyone else is interested in going gray. I heard it is a trend these days to go gray even if you don't have gray hair peeps are bleaching their hair and dying it gray shades! What da know, I didn't know I was so trendy without even trying if I would only let my gray hair grow out!

Instructions:

1. Grey hair tends to be coarser, and tends to turn yellow with too much heat.

If you're ready for an abrupt change, you can simply grow out the dyed hair with regular trims. For something more subtle, you can use lighter colors to make the transition more gradual. Do not try to duplicate your natural color- skin changes as you age, and the resulting color will seem too dark.

2. Figure out your natural coloring- it will look most natural if you choose colors that are consistent with your own coloring. If you have dark hair, your grey will be most visible- but will look quite stunning. Some of the lighter blonds may be able to simply grow out the dyed hair, as the contrast will be much more subtle.

3. If you go to a stylist, s/he will be able to plan your transition to gray hair. Dark hair might do well with semi-permanent color in a shade lighter than the natural hair color, then going lighter as more gray grows in, using frosting and color glosses for high and low lights. If you're interested in fun changes, you can go for a series of successively lighter colors, experimenting with shades until you get to a light, cool blonde, then you can grow that out.

4. If you're going it alone, watch out for colors that don't cover gray. There are specially formulated colors for covering grey. Alternately, you can use colors that don't cover grey to let it shine through. You can use home colors in shades lighter than your natural color, foils to add streaks of color, and color glosses to add dimension to your hair color, and slightly camouflaging the grey.

Another GREAT artist to add to your list!

2011-04-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

Michelle Berg Radford

I know, I know..."how cute!" is what you're saying and so was I when I saw this little robot pillow!!! I couldn't resist it and I thought even though it doesn't match Pnut's room it will be a great addition to our art collection. I love art pillows.

And look at my new hair pin! I loved the colors and print on this cute little fabric flower. I got something else but I can't share it cause I'm giving it as a birthday present soon...but it's a great item as well.

Michelle is an art teacher at Bob Jones University, we met through the daycare when our little girls became friends and so did we! Michelle paints dreamy landscapes with oil paint. But I believe her passion is sewing and jewelry making. I think the story goes...when she found out she was pregnant with her first baby, she decided to make a quilt and she just finished that as well and I just couldn't believe how awesome it was. Michelle's a genius!

Look Michelle up on facebook so you can get a look at some of her other creations!

Coffee with friends...

2011-04-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

A day in the park, Falls Park that is...we had a great time with loving friends! Clarissa decided that she would stand on her own today while pulling the flowers out of the planters in the park that day...it was cute. All the while Claire was running around trying to get me and Clarissa to catch her!!!! It was lovely morning, me, Wendy and Lynn were able to enjoy a cup of coffee and catch up on gossip and all that's going on in our busy lives. Good friends are hard to come by, thanks Wendy, Claire and Lynn for a lovely morning :)

Clarissa's Wall of Art

2011-03-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah, we got the new piece of artwork for Clarissa's wall of art in her room. I have collected art from other artists and added some of my own to it as well and it is starting to get full. This lovely piece is called "never ALONe" by Mafalda Laezza over at polkadotscloud on etsy. At Polkadotscloud there's all kinds of funky arts and crafts, you'll have a hard time picking something out cause it's all too cute! This piece is small, about 4"x4" I think and its a collage of paper and drawings.

Thrift store finds today!

2011-03-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

Thought I would go by the thrift store today and see how my luck was...pretty good...I did find a few treasures!!!

1. Cute little summer smock top for Pnut, the underlayer is white cotton and the overlay is sheer with butterflies and a crochet like neckline.

2. I love this color of yellow and Pnut looks so good in it too! I'm not really sure that it will fit but I have heard that once she starts walking she may slim down a little and then it might fit. I hope so, it would look great with some cute little red sandles and maybe a pair of red plaid bloomers!

3. I loved this cotton skirt for me, I hope it fits!

4. Some of these are going to my friend Michelle Berg Radford, a local fabric artist and painter. I think she might can make some use, repurpose some of these smaller peices into some really cool jewelry!

5. Last but not least...the cutest Dr. Seuss bib with a little pouch to catch all the mess that little Pnut likes to drop or hide!

Pnut's first trip to the zoo!

2011-03-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

First trip to the zoo! We had a great time this weekend at the zoo even though the person working the ticket booth was a booger...rude booger at that...we still had a great time. Clarissa wasn't much into everything there but she did like the giraffes mostly. My sister Gena, Marcus and Romero was visiting so they went with us too. The day was cold and overcast and we thought at first we might not be able to walk through being so cold but we did it anyway. Most of the animals were huddled up trying to stay warm and not that active. The elephants were eating and the giraffes were walking around and licking on the building in their home. Not much action at the zoo this time. I was a little disappointed that the animal homes were not that spacious or lucious in greenery. They could do a LOT better in that department but the animals did look somewhat healthy and content. I'm not big on zoos but at least they are safe in their environment and don't have to work too hard on getting food for the day. Like I said my sister Gena was visiting this long weekend, we had a great time while they were here! We ate good food, went to Falls Park, the baseball field, and the zoo...good times. She mentioned coming home again around Christmas, Ihope she can arrange for that! We will visit San Jose soon but I wanted to wait until Clarissa at least can walk and motor around pretty good then we will go!

Birthday weekend!

2011-03-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

The picture is Scott when he was a baby and I just can't believe how Clarissa looks just like him!!!

I'm finally getting around to posting about our birthday weekend! Scott turned 50 and Clarissa turned 13 months!!! We had a great family weekend...

-Thrifting - we found some treasures and bargains! Scott found a huge bag of smoking chips for 10 bucks!

-Chilling and sleeping in - Clarissa is finally letting us all sleep in a little, that's with all of us in the bed together!

-Champagne in the morning - I love doing this!

- Birthday lunch with the family Sunday - good food and fun with the baby!

The weekend was over before I knew it. We have lots of fun ahead of us though, Aunt Gena is coming to town. Clarissa met Gena when she was born so she probably won't remember her. I know Gena is excited!

Jamie Rowe-Rischitelli

2011-03-11T12:32:00.000-08:00

I love Jamie's paintings and I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase two last year! I don't think she has a website but she can be found on facebook, just search for Jamie Rowe-Rischitelli. Jamie and I met at the Art-O-Mat swap meet several years ago, her and her husband were kind enough to let me sit with them during breakfast at "Mary's of Course" that morning in Winston-Salem, NC before the swap. I had gone up by myself so I was glad to chat with friendly peeps.

I love her work, it's loose and free so much the way I wish I painted. Each piece is so individual and full of things going on. I also love her color combonations, I would be afraid to do some of her combos but they seem to work for Jamie.

I heard she had some new paintings. You might can talk her into selling them if you're lucky! I hope you will enjoy her work as much as I do :)

(This painting is one of her new ones I believe)

2011-03-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how one day can be beautiful outside and then the next can be like today...a mess!

I have to say for the past few weeks I think I have spring fever...I'm just not into working and I can't help but look out the window constantly yearning to be outside on those beautiful days!

I heard this weekend is going to be awesome...70 degrees!

I need to start planning my garden so this weekend might be a great time to start the plans :)

Vintage finds!

2011-03-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

As promised I took some pictures of some of our loot from thrift shopping this past Saturday...I didn't have time to take a picture of all the items so I only took a few of my favorites. We found some great vintage clothes for Pnut, a lot of them are the 80's school girl look. I can't wait for her to be able to wear dresses. She's practicing on cruising around and still crawling (I think she has figured out crawling is easier) but a dress just wouldn't make it easier for her right now. So, we will patiently wait for the little doll to walk soon and collect the cutest vintage dresses ever until then! Look at that plaid scottie and cheerleading bear! I couldn't believe what I was finding and then when we got up to the register...everything was half price! I felt lucky that day!!!! I also found these cute cherry or apples (I can't tell which) shorts and picnic tablecloth jumper. My little Pnut is going to look so cute for those summer outings!

What's in the bag?

2011-03-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

I found this bag this morning at the post office and couldn't help but wonder what had been in it, where had it been, when did it's journey start...???... Could it have carried money, lunch, a beverage of some sort, clothes, makeup? I didn't pick it up

but I thought it would make an interesting picture. I do enjoy found papers but this wasn't very clean so I resisted picking it up. I had to leave it behind for the wind to blow it to it's next destination...reminds me of the Tom Robbins book "Skinny Legs and All."

Pnut's first guitar!

2011-03-05T16:53:00.001-08:00

Today went by so fast! We started early cause Ms. Pnut got up at 5 am hungry...

We decided to take a road trip to Spartanburg for the guitar show. It was an interesting crowd to say the least! Scott didn't find anything that he couldn't live without, I know what a surprise, but we did get Clarissa her first guitar!!!

It's a Hello Kitty guitar!!!!!! She loves it, Scott played if for her when we got home and she kept pointing at the kitty, she watches Scott closely when he plays as if she were practicing already!!!

After the guitar show we had a soup and cornbread lunch, perfect lunch for a cold rainy day and then decided to do our favorite thing...thrift shop! We found some great items that I will try to post tomorrow.

A different route...

2011-03-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

So I decided to take a different route to work this morning, it being Friday and the fact that I wanted a home cooked breakfast from Tommy's Ham House :) So, with that said, I went to Tommy's and then took Mulberry to the train station and then left on Washington to make a quick stop at the post office. This was an interesting route, one that I should take more often because of the sites and sounds all the way to the office. It may have just been the difference in scenery that made it special and the fact that I now am eating an awesome breakfast! I've eaten most of it already, dove in as soon as I got to my office...mmmmm! It really isn't very healthy but it sure was tasty!

(It was toast, sausage patties, scrambled eggs and grits)

Beautiful Day!

2011-03-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

Today is such a beautiful day, while at the post office this morning I noticed how the Bradford Pear trees are blooming. I love this tree but it doesn't like me at all! I have already started feeling the effects of the blooms in my head...oh how it hurts!

Listening to: Robin Hitchcock & the Egyptians - So you think you're in love on WNCW while sitting at my desk working away.

The office is somewhat quiet today. I'm so glad it's Thursday :)

Baby and Daddy

2010-10-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

We all had a great time at Fall For Greenville this year. It was Clarissa's first Fall For Greenville and she did great, fell asleep before we got home! The day was beautiful!!!!! The Ragged Orchids started off the day for us and then we ate and drank our way down the street and back up. Fun times!

The Sketchbook Project: 2011 » Art House Co-op | We build art projects and communities

2010-08-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

Take the Pledge and clean out your pockets!

2010-08-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

5 Minute Choco Mug Cake

2010-08-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly before pouring in the milk and oil in. Keep mixing. Add the optional chocolate chips next (who makes that an option!) and vanilla extract, and mix again…

Mmm, cake batter!

Put your mug in the micro wave and cook for three minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed! Allow it to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

This is too easy!!

(this can serve two if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

In loving memory...

2010-08-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

In loving memory of my dad, Sonny Garren, who passed away a year ago August 2, 2009.

Death is Nothing At All

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.

All is well.

Poem by Henry Scott Holland ~ 1847-1918
Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral ~ London. UK

Greenville's going to have a Craft Show!

2010-08-04T12:39:00.001-07:00

SEPTEMBER 10 & 11, 2010
Friday 6-9pm &
Saturday 9am-5pm

Come out and support local arts and indie crafts!

2010-03-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

what a day! miss clarissa cecelia hart born feb 13, 2010, @ 2:50 am, 7 lbs. 14 oz., 20 in. long!

Dollie Invites and Envelopes

2010-02-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a step by step guide to making the invite with suggested dimensions:
a) Select a doily that can fully cover your old cardstock when folded on 4 sides. I used found cardstock, which is really just an old library card measuring 4 and 7/8" by 3" (124 by 77mm) and a doily 7" (178mm) in diameter. I love it that old paper stock usually comes in round imperial measurements.
b) Fold in the flaps by the sides first, followed by the flap below.
c) Fold down the top flap and seal it with a kiss. In this case, I used Herma Self-adhesive label No. 2213, 8mm in diameter.
d) Turn card over and addess with another adhesive label. I typed guest names on Herma adhesive label No. 2253, 19mm in diameter. I could use a round label as guests to this party did not have long names.

Play around with sizes and textures. Cardstock with colour works better than white ones as the contrast enhances the pattern of the doily.

Baby Hart at 28 weeks and 2 days!

2009-11-30T13:38:00.001-08:00

Had a visit at doctor today and this is our new little baby inside me at 28 weeks and 2 days! We didn't find out the sex, we want that to be a surprise!

We've got so much to do to get ready and I am starting to get nervous and excited all at the same time! I can't believe it really has happened, after all this time we have been trying, it is truly a miracle!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

I have so many things to be thankful for but at the top of the list is the fact that Scott and I have a little one on the way!

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving is GRAND!

Indie Craft Experience Craft Show - November 21, 2009

2009-11-18T06:30:00.001-08:00

november 21, 2009

www.ice-atlanta.com

craft@ice-atlanta.com

Hello Crafty Peeps,
Have we told you how in love we are with our vendors? As you get ready for this coming Saturday and the 10th Indie Craft Experience, go ahead and take a look at all our vendors and what they have to offer.

As a quick reminder, here are the details about the event and in case you missed our last newsletter ...there's a lot more info about the good times!

Date: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Time: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Admission: $5
Location: Ambient Plus Studio
585 Wells St. SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30312
www.ambientplusstudio.com/

***Please remember to bring cash - some vendors don't accept credit cards.***

Our Amazing Vendors
(Please go to website to view map sites)

100%cool Efi Designs - 98
a bardis - 78
a.fine shirt - 86
A is for Arrow - 51
A New U - 97
alena hennessy - 39
All Dogs Allowed - 60
Amy Mann Designs - 60
Andy Mathis Art Co. - 88
Another SASSY! Product - 58
Avie Designs - 72
Beat Road Accessories - 57
Bella Bee - 14
blueeyedfreckle - 9
Brown Parcel Press - 70
Cathy Dailey Designs - 33
Christy Wooke - 4
Class Attire - 16
Congello - 80
Cuyler Hovey-King Jewelry - 13
Daisycakes Soap - 17
Dana LeBlanc Designs - 18
Deuce Goods - 5
Dulce Vegan Bakery - 85
Dynagirl Vintage - 92
eleventhirtyfour - 100
Estas Muy Linda - 56
fattycakes - 64
Felted Heart - 69
felt good fibers - 34
Fernworks - 84
Fluffy Flowers - 43
Friends in May - 38
Fuzzy Ink - 24
Gangbusters Jewelry - 54
Glue and Glitter - 82
Gypsies Tramps & Thieves - 3
Handmade Studio - 23
HappyFamily - 28
Hark Industries - 99
Honeydoux - 76
Honey Pie Creates - 99
I <3 Hearts - 80
Icon Style Showroom.com - 90
iram-inal designs - 61
Ivey Handcrafted - 26
Jane hancock papers - 32
Jeanette Zeis Ceramics - 6
Jeanne Fint Designs - 37
Jessica Gonacha Swift - 83
Just Add Honey - 86
Kapone Is Ill - 68
Kaz Style Creations - 94
Kelly Marie Designs - 19
Kelly McKernan - 89
Killing Me Softly - 3
Kilroy & Maw - 93
Ksmith Jewelry - 22
L is for lemonade - 63
Lizerati - 81
Lorigami - 81
Lot 10 Paper - 87
LuVaBoo - 55
Mamie Ruth Designs - 42
Marsha Marsha Marsha - 29
Microwave Girl - 15
Ministry of Tiny Hats - 79
Missy Kulik - 1
Mod Meadow Studio - 27
Modern Anthem - 96
mogo - 75
My Book of Lists - 53
MVL Designs - 62
One Tiny Sparrow - 44
only & one - 74
Pancake Meow - 73
Patina - 77
Pink Scorpio Designs - 91
PlanetPrahler - 52
Pop + Shorty - 20
Princess and Butch - 25
Pure Intox - 49
ragamufyn - 67
Rancho Cocoa - 1
Re-Construct DVD: Eco-Friendly Crafts Made Easy - 76
Re:Paper - 21
Red Rocket Farm - 30
Robot Baby - 48
Ruby Regis - 71
Sew Sew Def - 45
shopSCAD - 12
Sloth Craft - 10
SoSheSews - 2
Sprout Jewelry - 47
Squirrelly Girl Creations - 46
Stitch Machine - 41
Sudsy Mugsy - 59
Talulah B. - 50
Tania Julian Ceramics - 7
Tasha Hussey - 61
The Small Object - 11
Thornton Metals - 40
Tu Tu Kids - 8
Twine - 79
Urbnpop - 36
WPR Jewelry - 35
WristieLove - 95
xoelle - 31
Y.Miller Art - 66
yes, please. studio - 65

The Ragged Orchids New Artwork

2009-11-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

While working on some new paintings this weekend for Open Studios I came across a collage I needed to finish for my husband's band The Ragged Orchids and finished it. Thought I would post it...painted book page stitched to painted fabric.

What a weekend!

2009-11-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Man, what a weekend!!!!!!

I'm exhausted but excited that the weekend was such a success! I didn't expect the amount of people that came out into the suburbs to see art nor did I expect to sale as much as I did.

Thanks to all that came out and especially to those that bought my art! I like to think that you all will find an special place to display my work within your environment and enjoy it forever!!!

Thank you so much for your support :) Leslie

Open Studios!

2009-11-03T08:15:00.001-08:00

Greenville's Open Studios is November 6, 7, and 8 and this year my studio will be open to the public for the first time!

Mark your calendars and get ready for a great weekend. Not only is it Open Studios but it's also First Friday! Lots of art for everyone!

Come out to my studio and see what's been going on lately. I will have a variety of art available: paintings big and small, paper collages, fabric collages, waxed collages and handmade pillows just to name a few things!

I will be offering the opportunity for buyers to use their charge card if needed through the Metro Art's Counsil .

I'm excited and I hope you are as well!

See ya November 6, 7, and 8th!!!!

www.leslieannhart.com

Welcome!

2009-10-28T11:55:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my new blog. Snail Mail Art Kit will still be around but only for snail mail art postings.

Here you will find personal updates on me and my family, new art, findings, events, and whatnot.