A Blondie Day

Ghost in the Garden

About a year ago, I purchased a big 'ole lampshade at a yard sale.  I could not resist it.  It had such pretty lines, and at $3 I knew I would find something to do with it.

A few weeks ago, JW looked at it perched upon the top of one of my fabric stash cabinets, and I was asked the question "Are you ever going to do something with this thing?"

I knew the time had come.

 

 

 

As most of you know, ghost shades are all over the crafty corners of the internet, and I did like them.  But I wanted to do something a little different with this.

So I thought - Why not the garden?

I stripped off the dusty old fabric and out to the garden it went.

 

 

It made the perfect pretty cage for flowers!  I loved the way it looked.

 

 

You can hang all kinds of pretty bits off the shade, as long as it is something you don't mind getting wet or blown around a bit.  Old lampshades are so easy to find at yard sales and thrift shops.  Find one with a shape you love.

 

 

And as the flowers grow and poke through more here and there, it will look prettier and prettier.

 

 

 

Now there will be those who will be curious...

 

 

 

...and those who may look at you as though you've lost your mind...

 

 

...but don't you mind them one bit.

 

 

You just enjoy your Ghost in the Garden.

 

Much love,

Helena

 

A Little Help

Meet Stella.

 

 

She is the biggest of my "girls".  As my dear friend Antoinette puts it - she is the size of a cow.  She means that in the most affectionate way.

 

Her eggs are huge, and practically a meal in and of themselves.

She was determined to help me in the taking of the pictures of the new Market Totes for the shop.

And I'm thinking she did a smashing job.

I think she is also very proud to show you a glimpse of her little Home.

 

 

The new Market Totes will be going in the shop this afternoon.

 

 

I made a few new changes to the design, which I'm hoping everyone will like.

 

 

The straps are extra long and adjustable.

 

And there's a pocket on the outside, as well as the inside for a little extra storage.

 

There's a few other little added touches too.

 

 

I am off now to take my Lily chicken for a follow up at the vet's.

I still need to tell you Lily's Tale, which I will soon.

 

Happy day to you!

 

 

Much Love,

 

Helena

 

Sunshine and Shoes

We have been blessed with the most smile-making, sunny, warm weather this past week.  It is hard to remember it is still March, and it is still possible to get snow.  But I'll pretend I didn't say that.

This past week I was absolutely giddy with the sunshine and warmth. I was out running errands in a rose printed dress and my new red shoes. Never underestimate the power of a pair of fabulous shoes and a sunny day.  My spirits were soaring.  I just had to take some pictures when I got home to share.

 

 

I had some company.

 

 

Miss Rita - Head Hen.

 

 

My chickie-girls wondered what all the fuss was about my feet, and they followed me about just in case there was something good to eat near or ON my feet.

 

 

An inquisitive Stella.

 

 

Eventually they tired of my feet and decided to investigate the rest of the yard for possible tasty morsels.

 

 

I was able to photograph my feet - chicken-less.

 

 

This weekend is a bit chillier.  But that's OK because now I can be inside sewing... working on new bags and pillows for the shop.

 

 

Happy Day Dear Friends!

 

Much Love,

Helena

Roaming With Buttons

Recently I purchased a treasure trove of vintage buttons from a great little junque shop near my home.

 

So what should one do with such a purchase (besides sew with them)?

 

Wander around your property, in the cold, and take pictures of them until your fingers start to freeze, of course.

 

A pretty row of stacked buttons...

 

 

 

Joy to the World...

 

 

 

Heart and Soul...

 

 

 

 

What in the world are these?

 

 

 

Zig Zag...

 

 

 

Placed on a post...

 

 

 

... and a button puddle...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend My Lovelies!

Be back next week with an Enchanted How To.

 

XOXOXO

Oh Happy Day!

The official beginning of the Christmas Holiday is here!

I wish I could say I was a lot more organized and ready than I am, but that's OK.  I'll get there.  I promised this year my mantra would be "no pressure". Can you say that with me?

No pressure!

Now repeat that to yourself every day between now and Christmas.  

No one is perfect.  No house is decorated magazine-ready, while 500 dozen cookies are baking in the oven, and presents are beautifully and perfectly wrapped while you're kneading dough for homemade bread as you sing Christmas carols and make dozens and dozens of Christmas crafts and sew gifts for the 200 people on your present list... all while you prepare for company for an open house buffet for your neighbors AND make new holiday outfits for your beautiful, perfectly mannered 1 dozen children.  If you do a few of those things - in moderation - while spending happy times with the people you love the most, well that's a pretty perfect holiday to me!

This Holiday Season has started on a lovely, happy note for me...

 

 

One sweet little brown egg - our first one EVER - from my head hen, Rita.

I'm so proud of her.

 

So I will be back this week with lots of "happies" for the holidays.

New wares for the shop.

A coupon code.

My first Vintage Recipe Thursday...

... and a new Holiday Craft Tutorial.

 

Here's hoping your holidays are starting on a lovely note.

 

XOXOXOX

Good

Sometimes, finding vintage sewing items at a garage sale...

 

 

 

is as good as...

 

 

 

... a really good dust bath...

 

 

 

... so it appears.

 

 

Yup, that good.

 

 

XOXOXO

 

Pondering

Some pretty estate sale finds found me last week.  Vintage bedspreads and sheer curtains called my name so loudly, I could not leave without them.  It would have been too sad.

They immediately got a nice refreshing dip in the washer and were hung to dry on the line so they would get that sweet fresh air smell.

 

 

The blue and green bedspread is my favorite.

 

 

 

 

And apparently it is Rita's favorite too.

 

 

 

And we pondered together as to what these pretty bedspreads would be pursuing as a second career?  And we thought - Farm Girl Market Bags - nice big ones! And that sounded just about right.

 

The others were less interested.  Not even pretty lacy sheer vintage curtains flapping in the breeze right above their coop run made them ponder one  bit.

 

 

The nerve of some people!

 

XOXOXOX

 

Chicken Legs and Such

I have had a lifetime battle with my thighs.

I know, no big news - most women have.  I truly don't think I've ever heard ANY woman say - Oh, how I love my thighs - at least not the women I know.

Now this has been going on since I was at least a teenager, and probably got even worse in my 20's, as I became more and more self-conscious that I wasn't "perfect", whatever that was.  But the funny thing is, when I look back at pictures of myself at that time, well, my legs are just fine - thighs and all.  We are our own worst critics, aren't we?

It reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me a long time ago.

One day, she went to the beach.  On a blanket across from where she had situated herself for the afternoon, was a woman.  This woman was wearing a bikini.  Not a teeny weeny little bikini, but a bikini none the less.  This woman was a little plump, and my friend thought to herself that maybe a bikini was not the right thing for her to be wearing.

But a funny thing happened.

As the afternoon wore on, my friend said the woman began to look better and better. And after awhile, she looked darn good in that bikini. 

See, the secret was, the woman was comfortable in her own skin.  She was happy, in control, confident - not in an overbearing "in your face" kind of way, but in a "this is me, and I'm just fine" kind of way.  And it showed.

And that's really what it's all about.

 

My Beautiful Mom

 

This is a picture of my Mom. Stunning and lovely, wasn't she?

She hated her legs.

All her life, she thought they were too thin.  "Chicken legs" she called them.

Now, let me ask you - were these legs that needed to be hidden?

I think not.

 

It's all in how we see ourselves.

 

Stella Starlight - 3 1/2 weeks old.

 

Take Stella for example.  Her feet are a little big, she's having a bad hair day, but darn it - I think she's gorgeous.  Don't you?

 

Here's to seeing the beauty in everyone - and in ourselves.

 

xoxoxoxo

Sneaky Kokeshi - A Fairytale

I don't really have an actual Kokeshi doll collection.  I only a have a few dolls that live with us.

But if I do adopt one, it's always the light haired dolls that catch my eye, simply because they remind me of My Girl.

 

 One of my Kokeshi dolls.

 

My Girl.

 

You get the idea.

 

But the latest Kokeshi doll (who I have named Kimi) that I have brought into my home has been quite the character to say the least.

 

She most certainly has a mind of her own, that one, - much like My Girl.

 

I think with all of the commotion in our home of late with regard to all that is "chicken", she decided she needed to get some of her own.

 

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this...

 

 

Yes, Kimi the Sneaky Kokeshi, had gone and gotten five little chicks of her own… 

Kalei, Karla, Karina, Kai and Karlotta.

 

Well, I must admit, she had been taking very good care of them, keeping them well fed, giving them plenty of love, and even some sand so they could take little baby dust baths.

 

They were very happy.

 

Kai, however, was a very smart and very curious little bird.  And soon she wandered off.  She wanted to see what else was out there in the big and mysterious world.  But soon, she found herself far from home and unable to find her way back. 

She perched on the top of a house and tweeted with all her might.

 

 

Kimi the Kokeshi had already discovered that Kai was missing, and went looking for her.  It was beginning to get dark, and she feared the worst for Kai.  Soon however, she heard little Kai's "tweet, tweet", and she found her, shivering, frightened and hungry.

Don't worry LIttle Kai, I'm here now.  I will take you home.

 

 

Kimi brought Kai back home, and all the other chicks were so happy to see their sister.  Kai promised that she would never, ever wander far from home all alone again.

 

And now they are living Happily Ever After.

 

So the question is, do you think if I told my Little Chicks (and My Girl, as well) this story, they would listen and never wander far?

 

NAH!

Oh well, it was worth a try.

 

xoxoxo

 

P.S. Thank you for reading my silly little fairytale.

A List

 

 

 

 

 

(warning - the following list is written by a completely enamored

brand new chick mama)

 

1.  They already recognize my voice and chatter and run about excitedly when they hear me.

 

2.  They remind me of my girlfriends and myself the rare times we get to go out to dinner, chat and catch up on everything.

 

 

3.  The adorable way they stretch - leg pulled back and wing stretched out.

 

4.  Their "big chicken" mannerisms.

 

5.  They remind me of all the women in my family.

 

 

6.  Whatever I feed them from my hand always seems to taste better to them then what's in their feeder.

 

7.  How they try to fly up and roost on my arm.

 

8.  How my little Australorp, Elizabeth Rose (a/k/a Rosie) seems to have taken on the roll of Mother Hen, even at this early age. 

 

 

9.  How their little butts wiggle when they poop.

 

10.  How every single time I look at them, something else has changed... little feathers have sprouted, parts on their head have formed for wee baby combs to grow... they get bigger, taller and can fly higher.

 

11.  How happy I am that they're mine!

 

 

xoxoxox