Notes from A Cottage Industry

A water dish can be a thing of beauty...

     You know how some people have good china and save it for only very special occasions? I am not one of those people. (Actually I probably need a 12 step tableware program, since I am about 2 dishes and an antique butter knife away from needing an intervention) It's all part of living a beautiful life. So...

Wanna see the pupper's water bowl? (I can't believe I hadn't shared this with you sooner)

What?

You thought it was a compote, or a salad bowl?

Oh. Now that you mention it, I guess it could be. But I was looking for a new water bowl for the boys, and, for the most part, they are just so..small, and when I do find a larger bowl, they are often so Gawd awful unattractive and expensive (Hellooooo, suddenly single budget here, folks) and, well, they never seem to go with my kitchen decor. (and you know that I am all about the details) Then...I stumbled upon this...beauty. Toile, no less. Stunning, and just the right size. (Oh, and I loved the lifted off the floor pedestal effect, too. Those dog dish tableware designers think of everything.)

Where? Of course, TJ Maxx, baby. I got it last summer for only $9.99 and worth. every. penny.

Life is too short to not use the good stuff, people, even for the pups.

Sunday afternoon

    I feel like a bit of a tease, not telling all the details of my move right now. Please know that there is a lot more involved than just me randomly deciding to jump and sell my cottage. From bad things come good, and there's a time to evaluate your life and step up to the plate. (It's that old "Life is not a dress rehearsal" concept...so true!)
Becoming suddenly single and the financial dynamics that came along with it have been a challenging learning and growing experience, to put it mildly. I've learned the hard way that people don't always keep their word, especially where money is involved and I've learned that life is far to short to try and figure out why...
    Life is also far to short to spend time doing things you do not truly love doing.(It's all about following our Bliss, people!)
      I'll share more with you when I can. For right now, I am focused on selling my sweet cottage and moving on to the next wonderful chapter in my life.(and rest assured, I'll share more when I can!)

Words to live by - week 61

Quietly forgiving and moving on is a gift to God ~ and yourself.  unknown

Who says you can't buy happiness?

     The happiest little cottage in Reno, Nevada just went on the market.
     This wonderfully special home helped save my life in more ways than one, these past many months.
     In the beginning, it provided many a late night project that helped me to fill those lonely, scared, sleepless nights. Then, it presented a warm and welcome haven to come home to each night, to keep my sanity and many happy, memory making meals with family and friends gathered around the table.
     Now it's time for someone else to enjoy it's warm embrace.

From my heart

     Thank you for all of the wonderful bloggy love yesterday! The comments and the emails were..well...wonderful. They made my day...my week, really.
I hope you all have happy, happy Friday. You deserve it.

A circle of friends

“Kindred Spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. Its splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables

I have met the absolute nicest people since I began blogging. Truly. Kind emails, compliments, pep talks and occasionally even surprises in the mail. Such was the case two days ago. I arrived home from an extra long day at my grown up girl job to find a padded envelope in amongst my other mail. 
     Knowing my passion for nesting, and all things nest related, sweet, sweet Jenny sent me this incredible nest pendant that she made herself! Thank you Jenny!(I'm going to string it on a thin Robin's egg blue satin ribbon) My heart welled up and spilled over when I read your sweet note.
     I can't put into words how much inspiration and support all of you have been to me the past 18 months. (I know I don't mention this nearly often enough.) I thank God for my friends, both online and right here in person too. Old friends and new. Kindred spirits.
     Days when I felt down, or angry or frustrated, I found hope and friendship here online, reading comments and emails from people that have gone through what I went through and am still feeling the after shocks from now and again. People that cared what I had to say, and missed me when I didn't post for a day.
    You may have thought I was sharing all my ideas and projects because I am creative and because I seem to enjoy chattering on endlessly (and there is some truth to that last part), but the entire truth be told, it was you who have kept me on track. Kept me from falling off the road into the ditch of negativity and depression, and red puffy eyes from having  endless pity parties. I felt obliged (in a very, very good way!) to post as often as possible, about positive, fun, good-for-the-soul-things,instead of wallowing in a giant puddle of self pity.

For this, I thank you all.

Sweet lil' table re-do

    So, this is the cute lil' table I snagged at the high school rummage sale early last Saturday morning. Here it was before....
     Good bones, decent price, but, oh, so 1981 Sears and Roebuck. Yawn.
     I took it home, primed it, painted it, and finally, antiqued it.(just like I shared in this past post...same color paint and everything.) I added the bows for good measure...now I am not sure I like them, so they may disappear.
     Now, it's divinely vintage foofy-la-rue, and I'm really feelin' the love.

Look for this little baby at the upcoming Tumbleweed Cotillion....unless it sells ($45) locally before June 27th.

Back to the wedding....

 

      That's right. It ain't over till we design the Thank You cards, folks. (That's my prototype you see pictured above.)

      Remember that I told you that we had an old time photo booth at the reception? (to refresh your memory, we had the photo booth, which, in fact, did break down for a short while, and if you were there, I do hope you got time to take a picture for the guest book! The guests took pictures in the booth, then glue sticked them in the guest album and wrote a note to the bride and groom in the book by their photos...so much fun!)
   Well, it was a complete no-brainer that we'd use some of the shots that the newest newlyweds took in the booth on the Thank You cards.(especially with it being a black and white wedding!)
     It was a group effort. Yup, a family affair. The bride provided the photos, the MOB (me! The Mother of the Bride) designed them,then emailed the file to the maid of honor, who then printed them, along with stamps and envelopes, and got them all ready to be delivered back to the new Mr. and Mrs. to write out their thank you notes in a timely fashion.

*sigh* Oh, I so wish all of this could go on for just a bit longer.

A little peek at what I've been up to the past few days....

     I totally meant to post last Friday and then on Saturday, but time just was slip sliding on by me at record speed. I've been oh, so busy on some to-much-fun-for-words projects! Mmmm hmmm...
So, without further delay, here is a little, eensy, weensy peek at one of the projects.(I know some folks don't believe anyone should  paint wood, but pul-ease. These chairs were so not working for me unpainted.)
They are for the upcoming Cotillion, (mark your calendars!!)and I am loving the look of them so far. Yup, there are two of these chairs, exactly alike, with perfect upholstery (are you noticing the original, in mint condition little wooden wheels? Too charming!)...

Oh, and I also scored a (soon-to-be) equally darling table that I found early Saturday morning at a high school rummage sale. I am doing the table up to match the chairs, natch. (I'll share the table later...typepad won't cooperate this morning!)    
     The Sewing Queen of northern Nevada is whipping me up some fabulous toile pillows with yummy fabric I found at the $2 Fabric Store! (feather filled no less!) with half inch knife pleat ruffles (a darling coordinating stripe we found at WalMart for the fabulous price of $2.50 a yard!) to lay on the chairs....

...Man, I love me some toile. Love it, love it, Love. It. (Never can get enough of it, especially in Robin's egg blue.)

*sigh* I'll share the completed project, just as soon as I get the finished pillows from the Queen Mum. (Hey, wait a minute!!! Mom, is that you, reading this? You should be sewing!!!!)

Two hundred pound dog bed (I think this carries the term "puppy love" a bit too far, don't you?)

     Man, somebody is gonna have a crick in his neck tomorrow. (And before you ask, yes, I do have two doggy beds...)

*sigh* I love these  guys.

Words to live by- week 60 (Happy, happy Easter!)

The great gift of Easter is hope - Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake. 
                                                    Basil C. Hume
Happy, happy Easter everyone! I hope you're having a lovely day with people you love.

They're baaaaa-aack...The Tumbleweed Cotillion returns with a Vintage French Market

    Thanks so much for all of the sweet, kind comments about the wedding! I'll share more details and photos, I promise, but I wanted to make sure and share this big news with you as soon as possible....
     We've picked a date and we've got a theme...it's official now. The next Tumbleweed Cotillion will be held right here in the biggest little city, in late June! That's right, those crazy Cotillion gals are at it again! Mark your calendars if you live anywhere near us!
The Tumbleweed Cotillion presents:

There will be lots of shabby vintage furniture, funky jewelry with a French flair, fabulous aprons and all sorts of charming antique and vintage feel items. Um..ya, and maybe some foofyfied cupcakes too.

If you're a crafter or merchant with items that carry a most definite vintage slant, you may want to apply to get yourself a booth at the upcoming  vintage French Market  yourself!

Oh! I can't wait to show off some of the pieces I'm working on for this wonderful event!

A few little wedding day details....

      Remember this? Wow. It's so nearly impossible to believe we went from an engagement announcement just last October to the wedding being over in March. I mean, we went from the "Save-the-date" cards to the  engagement party to the shower to the...wedding! Seriously, I blinked and they were cutting the cake.
     It's all kind of a happy blur, and I can't wait to see the photographer's photos, because I barely took any. So much to tell, and not many pictures (yet) to show!...
The church wedding was lovely. We all had our little flags discretely hidden in the pews, and when they new Mr. and Mrs. were announced we all waved them wildly and cheered. It looked spectacular, I thought. (I hope the photographer caught it on film!)
We welcomed the newlyweds into the reception by waving our flags once again (as you saw in yesterday's post with the groom's Dad)
     The tables looked just like the bride wanted, with black and white photos of Hollywood movie romance couples (pictures from the great Gatsby, Pretty Woman, Titanic, Gone with the wind,  When Harry met Sally...) and lots of votive candles everywhere, all on scrunched brocade style fabric runners that the Sewing Queen of northern Nevada had surged for this very special day.
     There was the candy buffet, with all the black, white and silver candies, and an old time photo booth, where we took pictures and put them in an album, then wrote well wishes as a guest book...so fun!
(I promise to share pictures as soon as I have some that show the details.)

Box lunches, cupcakes and a little bit of pampering for our tootsies

     I thought I'd share a lil' bit more from the day before the big day. After "Breakfast at Tracey's" all of the girls in the bridal party and the mother of the groom and I headed up to the lake for pedicures before the wedding rehearsal and dinner. (As I am writing this I am discovering that it seemed to be all about eating)
We decided it would be easiest to take along shoe box lunches for the girls, instead of squeezing in a trip to a restaurant.
     Friday morning before the breakfast, we packed the lunches- croissant sandwiches, fruit, and some fabulous cupcakes.(See the cute napkins the bride ordered?) I found the perfect white boxes at Michaels and added the darling polka dot ribbon and the tags.The bride found the adorable paper napkins with the fabulous chandelier logo online.

     Even the gals working at the salon loved the presentation and added mimosas all the way around for us, as we took turns getting our tootsies done up for the big day.

*sigh* This was all just too much fun to plan.

Happily, happily ever after

    I love this picture. It's the groom's dad, right as the newlywed couple entered the reception.

     I can't really believe it's already over. The entire weekend flew by. Lots of deliriously happy tears and so very many happy memories.
     They're off on their honeymoon now, all the  friends and family have headed home, and I am looking at pictures and taking in all of the wonderful memories we made this past weekend.
The groom's family is enormous, filled with fun loving, wonderful folks that all came to share in the happy event. Our side of the family, on the other hand, is quite tiny, (our entire family all fit on one pew to give you a reference point) and this felt strangely magnified to me this weekend, as everyone seemed to be in happy couples with cousins, uncles, aunties and grandparents hugging, chatting and celebrating all throughout the party.
  I must admit that I am feeling a little melancholy and lost today, and I am relieved that I took today off as a vacation day to collect my thoughts and regroup.
     The very last of my three babes has officially begun her very own new family. It's one of those strange moments in time, that has a beginning and an ending at the very same moment.  Feeling so happy for her, and him, as they begin their own journey down this road, with so much of life ahead to look forward to and plan, and, at the very same time, feeling more than a bit lost and unsure of my latest role in life now. I'm not anywhere near the spot I thought I would be standing at this moment in time,and I never dreamed I'd be in this place alone, but I know I am where God wants me.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Welcome to Breakfast at Tracey's

*sigh* It was the icing on the cake. (You remember the theme for my little breakfast party for the bridal party and the grooms parents, don't you?)
This darling cardboard poster was given to me last week, (can you even believe it?!) by a friend that had received it as a birthday gift and had no idea where exactly to put it. It rode around in the back of her car for a while, and then she ran into me at the store one day and I told her about my party plans. Then,a week ago last Friday, the poster arrived in my office. (her Dad works with me) Well, I was so excited I almost cried. (the folks at my grown up job must surely think I am a total nutbag)
Anyway.
I knew where I would put it, right away. A little customizing and foofifying, it it was all set to go on the old dresser on the porch, welcoming one and all to the party. (OK, in the end, the silly wind blew it off of the old dresser and it was propped on the porch near the door, but it worked none the less)

Oh yes, this poster of Holly Golightly was the perfect way to set the mood for the party.

Here's a peek at the buffet set up....

And let me tell you, the food was good, and the company was even better...

Oh! The creme brulee French toast was pure heaven, and we made plenty of extra muffins so we'd have them on hand for the next morning in our rooms....the coffee set up...and the champagne...

  .....but the real highlight came when the groom's Mom shared a DVD she had compiled and edited herself, ( She's a real pro at this; she's even taken classes on using a special editing program) showing both the bride and the groom, from birth until the wedding and it was so beautifully and professionally done!
     It was set to music and it. was. perfect.
I think we all fought back tears as we watched our babes grow up before our eyes. So touching and so special. These two little babies, then toddlers,then school kids and teen agers... growing up, to find each other. I'm tearing up just remembering the pictures set to music now.
     After the breakfast, she gave me my own copy to keep and then the DVD was played all throughout the reception on a large screen TV.

*sigh* Spending time like this with the people you love most...it just doesn't get any better than this.

Words to live by - week 59

 

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

     Mignon McLaughlin

Here comes the bride....

   
     It's here! The b-i-g day. The last one. The third wedding in 12 months and 1 week and 1 day, to be exact. I thought I'd share some wedding love and some cupcake love, just to tide you over till I have time to post about the big day.
    Here's another lil' idea I saw a while back on some flicker picture, and I simply had to try it out.(Sorry, can't remember who's flicker picture it was)....how do you like my little bride and groom cuppy-cakes?

They were rubber stamp impressions. I scanned them and made them large enough to work as cupcake toppers, then I cut them out, foofied them all up with some pearly glitter, and attached them to toothpicks.
      I could go on creating stuff like this all. day. long. Seriously, I could...

*sigh* Doesn't somebody want to pay me to do that for a living?

100 hours (give or take) to the B-I-G day

    I have the rest of the week off to prep for the last B-I-G day, (Thank God) and I am running around like a complete spaz this moring, but I wanted to give a quick post to share my excitement. (If you have emailed me or placed an order for a kit in the past few days, it may take me a while to respond....)
     Oh. My. Gosh. No matter how organized a person thinks they are, there are always those last minute things popping up here and there.
     I'm doing mock table set ups for the reception location to use as guides for setting up the guest tables, cake table etc.
     Have I told you we're having a candy buffet? It's all black, white and silver candies. These will be the guests favors, complete with monogrammed little boxes for each guest to put their selections in....
*Sigh* it is going to be oh, so elegant, and so, so fun at the same time.

And later (much later)that same evening....pew decorations

 
   I know. Two posts in one morning, and it's still not dawn yet! (What can I say? I'm on wedding-bliss-overload and I want to share the love)
     This third and final wedding will be held in a lovely church, and there are wooden pew boxes that we will be tying these bows onto, as well as having candles in.(We're doing the bows for every other row of pews down the center aisle) I think it's going to be beautiful.

    We're sticking with the classic monogram theme.(Hard to tell in the photo, but the "R" is a nice matte silver) The letters are made from chipboard, and cost just 99 cents at Ben Franklin's...yippee! Pretty and cheap. How do you like them?

A sea of placecards....

All done. All 115 of them.

*sigh* It's amazing what a difference pinking sheers can make.

Coconut cupcakes anyone?

Mmm, mmm, mmmm. Yumm-meee. Pass the milk please.
     One of my friends at my grown up girl job is having a birthday today. Her 49th to be exact. That's big. So big, that it called for a little cupcake celebration.
     I decided to try making filled cupcakes this time. Coconut creme filling in a coconut cupcake, with toasted coconut buttercream frosting.

Coconut isn't really a very strong flavor, and these came out just right; nice and tasty, not overpowering)

I think this flavor just became one of my top favorites.
Have you ever had a filled cupcake? if you haven't you're missing out. They're deee-lish.

Words to live by - week 58

Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog;
but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog.
                                                      Douglas Mallock

Moose always follows me wherever I go in the cottage. When I am working on a project or on the computer, he settles in with his duck and lays under my feet, never all the way asleep. He's too afraid he might miss something.

Signs to add some charm to the day...

...the day before the wedding that is.
Ooooh! I am getting oh, so excited for the entire wedding weekend ahead!We're in the final count down now. Mmmm hmm. We'll start off with the "Breakfast at Tracey's" soirée' and I  made up the absolute cutest signs to set near the beverage  areas! Here, for the coffee area...(click to enlarge the pictures to read the quotations)

and here, for the Champagne bar (so fun!!!)

Back to work now...pew bows are next on my list, followed by the place cards for the guests at the reception!

3D Monogrammed letters

     I was so busy yesterday I never even got time to post. Sheesh. Out the door at 6:30 for Toastmasters, then up to the lake and back after work. Whew. Looooooooong day.

Anyway.

     Maybe you've already seen these, but they're new to me. 3D Monogrammed initials from the craft store. (I put the spoon in the picture so you could get the size proportions.)They came in craft paper brown or in black. I didn't even have to paint them and they only cost $2.99 each! I'm going to put them on the buffet table at the "Breakfast at Tracey's" event, then I'll take them to the wedding location and they'll be next to the cake. *sigh* Perfect.
See the fabulous giant diamond ring? It's one of the napkin rings I ordered from here. Ya,I know. Too cute.
Tomorrow I'll show you the rest of the decorations for the pre-party breakfast!

A couple of new handbags

    Look what I found at Michaels when I was picking up supplies for the wedding! They're little picture frames, but...well, you know me...I think they will make incredible place card holders on my little kitchen table. There were 7 different styles. I bought the 2 that went the best with my decor, but the rest of them were darling too.
     Now, the next time I have a friend over for Sunday brunch (or an early supper after an afternoon of shopping?), we can enjoy these adorable little details.

     Wouldn't they make darling favors at a bridal shower, a luncheon, or a tea party?  Use them as place cards first, and a take away favor when guests leave. Heck, they're so cute, I think I might have to use the "me" one when I set the table for just myself.
     Oh, and the best part? They're only $2.99 before you use a coupon for a discount.

*sigh* They are just too cute for words.

double chocolate cuppy-cakes and a night in creative overdrive

    What a busy week.(and it's only Tuesday!) Wedding stuff, and helping a friend re-do her kitchen. I was glazing shutters and cupboards last night, then making little signs back at home for the "Breakfast at Tracey's" party. So much fun.(I swear, I get so pumped up doing this type of thing that I could stay up all night creating. Really.)
     We have 2 team members at my grown up girl job having birthdays, so I also made cupcakes last night to take to work today. Double chocolate cake with double chocolate frosting. Double yummy!!

**Edited to add** I used the big Wilton star tip, #2D, to frost these babies.

Still busy, getting ready for the B-I-G day...

      Ms. Crafty was over yesterday, helping me create the last of the 120 flags. Toooooo cute. ( Shhhhh! Remember, it's a little surprise for the groom!)

Words to live by - week 57

There is nothing like a dream to create the future.
                                                 Victor Hugo

(**These cupcakes are from Cupcake Jones, Portland's newest Cupcakery in the heart of the Pearl district.**)

Master bathroom re-do continues....

OK, so you've seen the first part of my master bath makeover. Now it's time to see the rest of the area. I squeezed out a slice of time and I finally tackled the rest of the master bath.
Here it is, in the "house of mirrors" before state (I know. Scary.) and after:

...Why did I wait so long? Sheesh.
     My son in law hung the old hutch top to use for me (I have had the silly thing for several years) and swapped out the light fixtures. Gone are the "Hollywood" lights! Gone is the "tri-fold" medicne cabinet. It's so much more user friendly (no more trying to decide which mirror to look in...) and just so much more cozy...
*sigh*...more me.