all about Pretty!

In the garden...had a good cry!

I've been wanting to create & post some lovely stories all summer but it seems my life has gone to the garden.  I wanted a big yard and now I've got it, be careful what you wish for.  Don't get me wrong, I love my yard and gardening but with a 1/4 acre and battling fibromyalgia it just seems to be never ending and I think I might have bit off more than I can chew.  Had a good cry today after working for 8 hours digging up an evasive groundcover, my legs were shaking from all the up & down (great squats for the buttocks!) and when I looked down after all my hard work had only finished one third of the flower bed.  I'm not sure if I'm daydreaming or what happens during that time but it seems I'm in lala land and obviously moving slower then I think I am.  So I just wanted to let everyone know the reason I'm falling behind with my blog.  I would love to be creating more and visiting all you lovely creative bloggers out there...so if you don't mind my asking I'd love a little prayer for health and a handsome, single, gardener to marry me and make my garden all pretty for me while I sit on my veranda sipping ice tea and watching his muscles ripple in the sunshine, oops there I go to lala land again.  I hope to be back soon.  I'll  bring pics of my fabulous yard for proof of where I've been hiding all summer!

God bless!

have a PRETTY! day,
Laura

FARM CHICKS PART DEUX

You know I'm still giddy from the Farm Chicks show :) !!  I promised to post my lovely finds so here they are.  I wanted to buy so much more but I would have had to tie my Auntie to the roof for the 7 hour drive home so this year I kept it to a minimum.  Boy was that hard with so many gorgeous creations & vintage finds it took all I had to restrain myself.  Next year I told my Mom & Auntie to meet me there and I will head down with a semi-truck.

I forgot to mention a few other amazing Farm Chick booths I visited so I've listed their blogs/websites now that I've finally unpacked all my treasures and found their business cards.

LULUZ lovely booth - my Mom bought me one of her fab bubble necklaces but she hid it away for Christmas so I have no pic.

Stephanie Lee

Be Present Be Here

Restart Jewelry

Mady Sunshine

Flutterby

have a PRETTY! day
Laura

WOWEE! Farm Chicks Rocks!!!

We followed the rainbow looking for the pot of gold and found the amazing Farm Chicks Show. 

 

I met so many fun, friendly, creative souls, their wares & booths were stunning and I was in heaven!  I'm definitely heading back next year but this time I'm taking more money & a truck!!!

Here's some of my pics but they didn't turn out too great so I've posted some links of the amazing talents that were there and they have beautiful pics of their booths on their blogs so make sure you visit.

Heather Present Past Collection

Cindy Queen of Tarte

Antie Joy

Lisa A Thing for Roses

Isabel Maison Douce

 

 

and on the way home guess what, another rainbow... it was a "Pot of Gold" weekend!

I'll be posting the treasures I came home with shortly.

Have a PRETTY! day,
Laura

FUN FUN FUN !!!

Well I've been away from my blog since the end of March, it's seems like forever.  Been so busy, first had hand surgery which wiped me out for a month.  Carpal Tunnel so with my hand out of commission it was a bit frustrating having all this time off and not being able to create.  Next was the start of a trying time with the building of my garage/art studio.  They told me it would take 2 weeks, now 2 months later it’s finally done and I can start working on the inside HOWEVER now the garden is calling.   Been very busy designing and planting my garden as it was very neglected when I moved in last year.  Very sore muscles, they just ain’t workin like they used to. Here's a before pic, will post the after when it's bloomin pretty.  

In between all this I had a vacation out to the coast, shopped my way through Washington working my way to Vancouver, BC to work at the corporate office for a week.

Stayed in a lovely B&B (The Odell House) in Spokane and enjoyed some great antique shops.

Then on to Puyallup, WA and some more fab shopping.  This was the view from the breakfast table.  What a beautiful place, didn't want to leave.

Had some interesting finds to add to my project pile, found in Spokane and some stunning treasures from some of the great places I discovered on my venture.

   

Horatio's, 105 2nd Street SW, Puyallup, WA - Barbara has such a unique shop and I love her ribbons, lace & millinery but she also carries all sorts of hand blown glass, art and antiques.

Kristy's has such pretty clothes.

Then I discovered Sumner, WA and Amy's amazing boutique and just fell in love with Today's Country Store, if you're in the neighbourhood stop in and say Hi to Amy.

Amy sent me up to Whimsical Whites in Kent on my way to Vancouver.

Have a PRETTY! day,

Laura

New Pretties!

Well Spring is here! Yippee I'm starting to work with my contractor and building my new garage/art studio so I'll be crazy busy.  Also having hand surgery so I'll have some down time, then I"m off to the Pacific Northwest on vacation and a buying trip for my sale.  When I return home I'll get busy creating some new pretties for my first ever "Vintage Pretty" Sale to be held in my new studio.  Hopefully I'll have time to visit you all and keep up in blogland. 

I'll be posting my creations for the sale over the next few months (they'll also be listed on Etsy until the sale). So here's the first, some "Jewel Keeps" to show off your jewelry collection or some other uses could be a pin cushion or you can even use it to display your favourite picture just pin it on.

And I wanted to post the lovely creations I won from the OWOH (One World One Heart) giveaway back in February).   I received a beautiful collage from Kathy, she's an amazing talent. I was a lucky gal because I also one the beautiful charm from the very gifted Deirdra. I also won the vintage mirror (pictured) part of a vanity set from Dona and I'm planning on restyling the brush into an altered art piece.  Thank you all, I will treasure my lovely prizes!

Have a Pretty! day,
Laura

Best Antique Shopping in the USA

Need your help...quick post to ask the question, what town/city has some of the best antique shopping in the USA?  I'd like to plan a vacation and since my fav thing to do on vacation is antique shop I'd like to head somewhere with great antique shopping.  I love anything rustic, worn, torn & tattered, not the highly polished antiques.  If anyone has some suggestions please leave me a comment. THANKS!

Have a Pretty! day,
Laura

I know rice cakes are good for you but I prefer LACE CAKES!

Well the springtime air and longer days have sparked my creativity.  I watched the film Marie Antoinette last weekend (great eye candy) and was inspired to do a collage with a modern, little girl twist.

When finished I loved how the lace turned out. It looked like a lace cake...aaahhhaaaa, God gave me a wonderful idea (He gives me all my creative ideas)!  Then I got on a roll and started to create a bunch of lace cakes just because I love lace and I love cake.  I'll be posting them on Etsy this week.

Have a Pretty! day,
Laura

~SPRING cleaning IS IN THE AIR~!

Yes, Spring is in the air! Yippee, I love, love, love spring!!! It’s my favourite time of year. Spring to me is a fresh and hopeful new beginning topped with fragrant flowers and a dash of sunshine. I feel so cheery this time of year and incredibly inspired... to create and to clean. Yes, you didn't hear wrong and as much as I dislike cleaning I’ve had an incredible urge to spring clean. I’m also sorting out my temporary studio (sprawled all over my house) preparing to build a brand new studio/shop in my backyard. I’ll be posting pics when it's all prettied up and ready to go. Hope to have it ready in time for my Vintage Pretty Spring Sale.

It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  Mark Twain

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.  Sarah Ban Breathnach

Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's party!  Robin Williams

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.  Bern Williams

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.  Doug Larson

In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish'd dove; In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.  Alfred, Lord Tennyson

In the meantime I've been doing a bit of shopping online and received this fabulous little package with a lovely lollipop surprise from Andrea at one hundred wishes!  I can't wait to be done with all my cleaning done & get back into the studio to create using my new flashcards.

Have a Pretty! spring,
Laura

and the winner is.....

Hi everyone, wasn't that fun! I'm definitely doing this again next year.  I met the most marvelous, creative souls during this time.  I signed up near the end so I only had 5 hours sleep for the last 4 days trying to pop around and see all the lovely blogs.

and the winner is...

Danielle from the Vintage dragonfly

I decided to send out a 2nd giveaway (a surprise) and the winner is...

Kathryn from KV Creative Designs.

A very special thanks to Lisa Oceandreamer at Heart of the Nest for being the creative mastermind behind this exceptional event,  THANKS LISA!!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Let's keep in touch & see you next year!

Have a Pretty! day,
Laura

ONE WORLD ONE HEART ANNUAL GIVEAWAY!!!

Oh happy me...Lisa, of Heart of the Nest is hosting the second annual One World One Heart annual giveaway. This is so exciting for me, a new blogger, and such an amazing event to meet fellow creative bloggers from all over the world.  Wow, I feel a bit giddy about the whole thing and I also am honoured (that’s how we spell it in Canada) to participate by giving away my latest creation. I quite like how it turned out and for a few minutes wanted to keep it but that makes it all the more special now and I’m thrilled to give it away and send it off to another creative soul out there in this big beautiful world.

Just leave me a comment with your name and I’ll pop it in my big flowery hat for the big draw on February 14^th. Since I'm single I won’t be busy that day, so just think, you'll be making a single gal’s Valentine special!  I don’t believe in luck but may God throw a little blessing your way and may you be one of the blessed ones to win such special giveaways. Make sure to visit this wonderful event at One World One Heart to see all the amazing blogs and put your name in for so many lovely gifts.

Here's my pretty package for the winner~!  A restyled vintage bottle with a feather wand picture holder to display your fav pic or postcard! The picture holder is removeable if you want to just use the bottle. A postcard I bought from a cart vendor along the Siene in Paris decoupaged on canvas and my soldered button charm for the bombshell in you!

Have a Pretty! day,

Laura.