My Green Cupboard for Valentine's Day!



I'm back...I think. lol
I've missed you all! Is this winter a killer, or what? Here in MN we're so used to freezing temps and lots of snow that you would think it wouldn't be a big deal. But this is for sure the worst winter I've been through! Day after day of sub zero temps, and then the weather guy will say "Get ready, the coldest temps are yet to come!" What??? I think that this Spring will be the absolute best! It can't come soon enough!

Anyway, I finally got my Valentines decorations up.

I had vowed to never own any other type of holiday tree. Well, I finally caved. I was no match for the 50% off ($4.00) pink tinsel tree from Target after Christmas. So I now have a Valentines tree. I draped it with vintage mercury glass beads and little things that some of you have sent me!

Kim K. and I did a little putz house swap this year. Here is the house she made me! Can you believe how cute it is?  She's so talented!

This big canvas wall hanging was at JoAnne's a couple years ago for 75% off. The puppy valentine up in the corner came just yesterday from Linda Lou! 

In the front are a couple 3-D Valentines from Germany. And behind them are the adorable candy boxes that I received from Dorothy, and Marlynne. Oh, and my vintage book of cut-out Valentines that I found at an estate sale for $1.00 last summer!

This is one of my favorite vintage x-mas ornaments. It's German.

Deb sent me this wienee valentine the other day! And in the background is the candy box that Maddie made for me last year. I found the Beswick dachshund figure at the flea market a couple years ago. The frame is from Target. I know I have a couple more wiener dog valentines that blog pals have sent me. I need to get them up there too.

Chris M. made that darling hula girl shadow box for me last year.

I'm so glad I took the time to finally put some decorations up. It cheered me up and reminded me how lucky I am to have such sweet friends out there. 

XOXO- Erica 

Easter Fun, NO PEEKING If I'm Swapping With You!

 Hi Friends! I'm sorry that my posts have been few and far between. I haven't been feeling the best with my R.A. When I do get a bit of energy though, I've been making little Easter things for swapping. It's so much fun!

The cute cards in this post were recent purchases on EBay. I needed a little "pick-me-up"!

 I tried my hand at a Vintage Easter Putz House!

 I made my first little match box!

 At my local thrift store I found these two vintage bunnies and a great book! I made a doily basket for the yellow one. Look at what they've been doing at the thrift! They now pull out the old books and write "vintage" on them. This one was marked $2.50. In the past it would have been $1.00.

The next time I visited the store, they had put out the other two bunnies that go to the set! They're so cute!

 But not as cute as these little bunnies!

These were at the thrift too, and they're marked "Made in Spain"

I think I have to trim the awning of the one on the right. He's so cute under there...painting Easter eggs!

But you can't see him unless you pull up the fabric.

 I found this Good House Keeping ad online and thought it was just great! So I made a couple of these wooded plaques. They're heavily distressed and glittered. Sometimes I get carried away with making things look old! It's just so fun to do!

Another card that I couldn't resist.

These handmade paper mache rabbits are sold, unpainted, by a seller on Etsy. I had fun painting and decorating these up last night. These guys are little, but I have a large one that I'm going to make for myself if I get around to it!

 And here is a tip. I don't have one of those little machines that make perfect paper medallions, but I knew that I would want that look for my Easter Swap spoolies. I remembered that our Goodwill always has these huge badge/ribbons for $1.00! And the two smaller pink and yellow ones were from Target's Valentine's section. They were 75% off, and I just had to remove the heart on the front.

And here's one of the spoolies that I made with the large medallion ribbon!

You may want to look for some of these because it worked really well.

I hope you're all doing well!

I mentioned that I had some exciting news to share, and here it is.

I'm moving!!!!! My (twin) sister ended her LTR with Mr. NOT Right. So that means that she's able to live with me! We got a very cute townhouse, and we move in on April 1st! I can't wait for this new chapter in my life. My parents are wonderful, but it's been quite difficult to live at "home" during my early 30's. I can't wait to show you all the new place, and to decorate it!

So, you know how I just got out of my cast a couple months ago? I still have lots of pain and limp quite a bit. Well the other day Angie (my sister) fell down the stairs and broke her foot. So she went to the ER and got her cast. Then she came home and stumbled down the stairs AGAIN with her crutches! This time she cracked a couple ribs!

We are quite the pair! It's pretty ridiculous! :)

Erica

In My Room, In My Room :)

I'm out of time! So here is a very picture heavy post. I suspect that most of you are busy doing x-masy things, and not catching up on blog reading anyway!

 But here you go...just in case you have a moment to relax!

My beautiful house from Kim K., mixed with some vintage ones.



This bunny and the Santa below were made by folk artist Kerry Howard Schmidt of Paper Moon Gallery.

She makes such funny characters! Her Halloween ones are the best! I also have a skeleton and an Easter Bunny. She sells on Etsy, and it's really fun to look back at her "sold" items!

LOL. Another by Paper Moon Gallery.  I think he's hilarious, and darn cute!

Some of my plastic candy containers.

Mini mug and spun cotton picks were a gift from Tammy this year!

An example of what I like to do with vintage x-mas corsages.
That's just one corsage tucked into the Santa mug.

This whole set of gnomes was $10 at the flea market one year!

One of my favorites, because you don't often see orange in vintage glass ornaments.

I can't tell if the Pet one is a Bunny or a Dog, darling either way! And the one on the right is huge!

Grandma Dorothy's Candy Cane Holder.

 I had to toss one more pic of my wreath in! Better light this time.

 People call these grapes. But to me they're raspberries, and make me think of picking berries with my Grandma Dorothy at the cabin.

 This bottle brush tree is a foot tall, and was my Great Grandma's!

Merry Holidays to all of you! And a special HELLO to my brand new followers!

Erica

An Etsy Shop Holiday Update!

Hi Friends!

These little things are now in my Etsy Shop, Golden Egg Art.

Here's the link to my SHOP again. But of course "Window Shoppers" are appreciated just as much! It's such a joy to me just to be able to spend time at my art table and create! I know that many of you feel the same about your own crafts!

Happy Holidays :)

Erica & Wellie