Generous Hearts:A Swappy Tale

One of my swap partners for the Candy Box Swap that I hosted was one Miss Marlynne Snare of Marlynne Creates Daily. When I discovered her blog a few months ago I simply fell in love with her talent and artistic style!

Marlynne is a true folk artist, with a love for the color red!

Just look at the heart box that she created for me! Marlynne chose fabric as her main medium!

Layers of fabric hearts, and the valentines themselves are hand stitched together! I love the cute little girl with her paint can, and the little birdie! She also sent me a huge red and white fabric banner! It's already hanging over my art area.

Tucked inside the box were these treasures!

There was more chocolate, but I ate it! lol

This handmade booklet of Marlynne's art is my favorite piece of all! 

Her paintings come from special things in her life, like her collection of sock monkeys, and the little blue chair that sits in front of the wood stove in her kitchen.

You must visit Marlynne's Blog to see more of her special art work.

Her "English Cottage Series" was inspired by staying in the Cotswold's while celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary! Thank you so very much Marlynne for everything! I feel so lucky to now have some of your art, and to have made a new friend! :)

And then a surprise package showed up! The very kind Deb (Garage Sale Gal) sent such sweet things! She made me a candy box, and filled it with all sorts of good things! Once again...there was more chocolate, but I ate it. lol

Deb and I live about 45 minutes apart. We met for the first time at an Estate Sale, (go figure) where I recognized her from the pic on her blog! Deb, thank you for being so generous and thoughtful!

Well, I'm excited to see pictures of what everyone else has been receiving for the swap. I sure hope you all had fun with it, and most importantly were able to connect with someone. Because that's what it's all about!

Love you all (in a bloggy sort of way)-

Erica :)

Wellie wanted to say Hi too...but I guess she fell asleep. :)

At The Flea Market!

The weekend before my surgery I had planned on going FULL FORCE at both of the flea markets near me. This would be it for the year, so I had to go out with a bang right? LOL

The Yellow New Dot Pyrex was from EBay, but everything else was from that weekend. I've always thought that this cookie jar was really cute. She had it marked $15.00, but she took $10!  I got to cross that little strawberry jam jar off of my (mental) must find list too!

I mostly bought the x-mas lights because of the cute graphics, but I tested them when I got home and they DO work! Only $3!

I found a great old locker basket, vintage cookie cutters, and my favorite find...this J.CHEIN & CO wind-up rabbit! He still works too, and was $5.

The top two pieces of PYREX were from the flea, but the bottom one just came yesterday in the mail! The very talented and generous Renee of My Vintage Mending sent this gorgeous Turquoise Snowflake piece!

You can about imagine how excited I was to open that package!

OK, I bought more PYREX in those two days than I ever have on one weekend! I even bought patterns that I swore I wasn't going to collect (Woodland that's you). Because I think when I finally get it all stacked and displayed I'll be glad to have some browns and darker colors.

I found some little dress pot holders that will make cute little gifts!

This bag of vintage fabrics is HUGE! I paid $15 for it and was anxious to get home and see what was really in there. Oh boy was it good!

Gobs of cute fabrics...

Another bag of Hexies...

And dozens of Sunbonnet Sue's already cut! As soon as I can get back on my arthritis meds and my hands don't hurt, I'm really going to get serious about sewing!

I don't know why I thought I needed this used vintage Baby Book. Well, yes I do! It's full of cute graphics.

This baby boy's Mama was so sweet. She recorded every little detail. It makes me a little sad that it didn't stay in their family. It's so odd how that happens.

Pretty sweet huh?

 This folder of a dozen prints was just a dollar. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them, but I thought they were neat.

What we do... Day by Day :)

Like eat our breakfast! :)

Hope you guys enjoyed seeing what I found at the flea markets!

Talk to you soon my friends!

Erica

REDNESDAY: All The Pretty Fabrics

I've had a mild obsession with vintage fabrics lately, especially feed sack prints. You should also know, that I can't sew! So this is becoming a problem!

I was so excited to find a little bag of hexagon quilt pieces at the thrift store the other day...for $1.00!

There are lots of cute ones!

Bless this woman, she even included her ragged little paper pattern!

This is my favorite!

OK, so I also found these little squares at the thrift too! WHAT AM I DOING???

Pretty cute huh?   :)

I have a good sewing machine that my mom bought me a few years ago!

But for some reason it intimidates me! I have to get over my fear if I'm ever going to use all these pieces!

 I'm inspired by all the darling sewing projects that I see my fellow bloggers do!

I CHEAT and buy things like these vintage pillow covers at the antique store!

I wish I could say that I made them. I know they would be a really simple project for someone who sews!

A close-up of the cute fabrics!

I had to have these! I still need to find some squishy, down filled pillows for them.

The fabrics below are all from recent garage sales or flea markets.

So as you can see, I have no excuse but to get sewing!!! I'll keep you posted as to when that actually happens. LOL

Thank you all for following along with me today! I appreciate YOU so much! :)

ERICA

I'm linking up with Coloradolady for "Vintage Thingie Thursday"

and with It's A Very Cherry World for "REDNESDAY"