Chuggin' Along...

... trying to patiently wait for springtime weather. Much easier said than done!

A three part series:

Mommy, you're so funny

I want to eat your face

Okay, THAT'S enough!

I don't know why but blogger finally decided to let me upload my pictures for my chandelier project, YAY! So here we go...

This is a project that I've had done for a while but I thought that I'd share with you how I turned my ugly chandelier shades into a wonderful springy look. 

Step 1: Gather ugly lamp shades, glue gun, glue sticks, scissors, and painters drop cloth

 Step 2: Start applying very hot glue around the base of your lamp shade and roll fabric- taking care to pull tight. Fold drop cloth under on the bottom and in on the top.

Please ignore my half dressed chandelier decorations from Christmas, I took these pictures over many days. :-) 

A couple almost finished pictures- the underside of the shade doesn't make for pretty decor, so it needed something extra.

Doesn't it give a wonderful fresh spring look?

I found some ruffled ribbon in white and hot glued around the inside base. 

Add some springy garland, some birds nests with eggs, a few fabulous mirrored ornaments, and.... WHA-LA! A fabulous springtime chandelier.

Frustration

Can anyone out in blogger land explain to me why I can't upload some pictures from my computer. It seems as though that I can use some pictures, but it won't allow me to use others, why is that?

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY RIGHT DOWN THERE... go on.... enter. :-)

Easter Basket Giveaway!!

I thought that I would give some of you moms out there an idea for that upcoming Easter basket, or a "just because" gift to leave on your daughter's bed. The best part is that you decide the border, the initial, the specialty stamp, and a choice of bobble charms to add to this unique necklace.

IN FACT.... LETS GIVE ONE AWAY!!!

In order to win.......

1. Leave me a comment (Do 2-4 for extra entries, increasing your chance of winning)
2. "Follow" me
3. Blog, Tweet, or Facebook about my giveaway with link in the comments section
4. Visit my Etsy shop "Timeless Treasures" and tell me what your favorite item is

Giveaway will run until April 1st and winner will be announced on April 2. Good luck!

On a side note: This little girl had fun with mommy and grandma in the dollar bins at Target!

I was going to share a project for your chandelier lampshades but blogger has conveniently stopped allowing me to choose the photos that I want.... sooooo..... that will be for another day. :-) Happy Tuesday- 3 more days until Friday!!

Cheers~

Amber 

Time for Shorts!

Don't you love chubby baby legs in shorts?!

Those have to make your Monday more cheery......!  

T-Rexin' It

Last night we took the munchkins out for a surprise and boy was it cool! 

Sam is jumping for joy, Isaac and Caroline can't stop looking around....

Caroline is SOOO excited.... all the "see light"!

Some pictures of the inside. Sorry for the blurry ones, but you get the picture.

 See the dinosaurs upstairs too? Everything moved!

We sat right in front of this moving lava wall

Now that's a BIG octopus

THUMBS UP! 

Caroline recommends the pizza

Our AMAZINGLY awesome dessert, complete with dry ice magic!

What a great way to start off the weekend! We'll be enjoying sitting at home and watching March Madness and doing home improvement projects.... Life is grand!

Cheers~

Amber

FINISHED!!

I am SO incredibly proud of myself! As I've grown older I have a fondness for homemade goods. My first attempt at doing something crafty was having my mother teach me to do counted cross-stitch. Minutes, hours, weeks, months, and years, my mom poured her heart out into beautifully hand made Christmas stockings. Something that I'll have for always and something that I wanted to do for my children (I have 3 started, none finished :-/ that is a goal to be finished for this year) Then, for Christmas one year she gave me a quilt that she had in the works for quite some time. At one of the most difficult points in her life, that is the craft she chose to keep herself calm and her mind at rest. With this quilt came the best note with it- I swear it makes me bawl every single time I reread it. In giving me a wonderful quilt made with her own two hands, she realized that not only would it keep me warm and keep her with me in my most trying times, but would also eventually be wrapped around her grandchildren and hopefully their children and so on for many years to come. Because of that quilt, my mother's memory will live on long after her. In my note, she told me to wrap this quilt around my children and my grandchildren and to tell them that their grandma is hugging them, holding them close to her. 

Well, I can't quilt- not yet at least. ;-) However, I wanted to teach myself to knit. So a year and a half ago my mother-in-law got me the starter materials needed to get me going. I started off with simple dish rags, that are now my most favorite to use in my kitchen, then evolved to making hats, and now on to toys. Toys for my children. Toys that I'm hoping are well loved and well played with. Toys that look like they've been through thick and thin in the adventures and imaginative land that my children play in. Part of why I'm so proud, is that this is my very first toy I've made for one of my kiddies. The embroidery details aren't perfect by any imagination, but the charmingly imperfect details give it that homemade made-with-all-my-motherly-love that I put in that funny bunny. To watch my sweet Caroline's chunky toddler hands holding it tightly and lovingly totting it around couldn't bring my heart more warmth. I hope that in the coming weeks, months, years that I can create something for each of my children that they too will hold near and dear to their hearts. Something that they can show, play, use, with their children and grandchildren, that my memory will love on much longer than I'll wander on this earth. That, my friends, is a life well lived. To all my mama's out there.... here is to our memory living on through homemade goodies!

If you'd like to create this incredible toy run on out to your local bookstore or jump on Amazon and purchase itty-bitty toys by Susan B. Anderson! You can also friend her on Facebook! She creates incredible things and I plan to make just about all of them. :-) 

Cheers~

Amber

New Jewelry!

There are certain things that I make strictly for my jewelry shows to satisfy the needs of women or men that enjoy the instant gratification of "cash and grab" items. I've realized, however, that there is no reason that I shouldn't be putting these up for grabs on my Etsy shop until the art shows start up again. I am my own #1 fan and love each and every thing that I make, so I thought that I would let others see the things that they otherwise wouldn't, unless you live in my local area. First, I'll start off showing you these awesome antiqued copper necklaces. I've used my stash of antique looking images to make these necklace. Hope you enjoy the vintagey look on these as much as I do.

Vintage Copper Necklaces

$15

I know Christmas is a L-O-N-G ways off but isn't he AWESOME?!?

Vintage Copper Rings 

$8

And for those of you that love all things tiny....

The Newest in the Hand Stamped Sterling Dept. :-)

This sterling silver hand stamped oval bracelet is simple, soft, and subtle, a bracelet that will surely fit in perfectly with any type of outfit. Dress it up, dress it down, it looks fabulous either way. 

Simply stated: "Be still" hand stamped with my uppercase curly-cue font and my lowercase calligraphy font, with a simple white pearl hung to the side. Sterling silver oval measures 1.25" in length and 3/4" wide attached on a sterling silver rolo chain, spring form closure as clasp. Total length of bracelet is 7.25". 

Tweet Sounds of spring...

A variance in my "I love my soldier" necklace....

I LOVE when people come up with their own twist on current items in my shop, so refreshing!

I'm also starting to release some new rings to include vintage buttons that I've upcycled. 

Size 7 - $15

This is such an awesome combination of teal and black vintage buttons that I have upcycled into a new and improved - ONE OF A KIND - wire wrapped ring! Once this ring is sold, no other can be made- used from a stash of unique vintage buttons, I have no others that look like the one shown in this listing. Funky, vintage, retro, modern, all in one!

Black button measures slightly over an inch (slightly larger than a quarter), teal button 1/2" (size of a dime). I have wire wrapped these two vintage buttons with silver artistic wire that will NOT tarnish- size 7.

More items will be coming soon! If my munchkins allow, more will come sooner than later. :-) It snowed here yesterday and melted all in the same day....here's to a happy and weird start to spring!

Cheers~

Amber