It's a giveaway!

Hi all,
I have been wanting to post a giveaway for a while now so here we go!! I was going to give a teacup package giveaway when I launched my Traveling Teacups business but that adventure is a bit on hold right now so I thought why not stick with the teacup theme anyway? So that's what I am going to do.
This giveaway is inspired from the press kits I have been making for the Petticoats and Parasols event in Georgia on April 22nd. Sadielouwho from Lollishops sent out a call to her lollis asking if anyone would like to make up press kits for giveaways to the Petticoats and Parasol attendees and of course I said a happy Yes! I put together 11 packets and one of them will go to one of my lovely readers :)
You will receive a teacup crepe paper tag, a pink movie ticket stub tag and one of my petite teapot magnets! And my special winner also will receive a vintage button that is attached to the front of the package on the lace trim.
All you have to do is leave me a comment and I will announce the winner this Friday March 12th.
Talk to you soon,
deborah

French Market

Hi all,
I just joined up on the website The French Cupboard! I have always wanted to be a part of this site but couldn't afford the full membership so I was sooo thrilled when I came across their new section just for us etsy sellers. It's a seasonal membership and I signed up for the spring time slot, which runs from March 1st til May. Here's the etsy shop page called "French barn". If you see an item you like just click on it and it will take you to the etsy shop that sells it. There are many lovely shops on the French Cupboard site and if you are a lover of all things french, vintage and shabby chic then make sure you stroll on by onto the cobblestone pages of this wonderful french village and peruse to your hearts content, you'll be so happy you did.
Here are a few of my favs : The Petite Maison, Noelle Garrett Designs, My Painted Porch, and Counting Your Blessings. Happy shopping :)

talk to you soon,
deborah

My latest french creation.

Hi all,
I have to show you my latest french creation. It's made out of a biodegradable flower pot and then transformed into a french container. Of course I added tulle and natural fabrics, like burlap and linen and then added a bit of pom pom trim and fleur de lis stamped imprints. And last but not least I added a vintage black gorgeous button that was difficult for me to let go of, lol.
Then a bit of tarnished silver glitter to each fleur de lis for a hint of bling.
Enjoy the french vibe,
deborah

I love bloggers!

Hi all,
Just wanted to give a shout out to the blog "bridal gown". Kerrie the author is a real sweetie pie and she showcased my petite tussie mussies on her post the other day. A couple of months back I created a bunch of frilly girly petite paper cones for her daughters 3rd birthday party and she posted pics of them and wrote wonderful words on her blog that made my heart sing with joy. It really inspires me to create even more when someone gives such positive feedback to my creations. Constructive criticism is needed at times too, but the positive works everytime!!! So thank you Kerrie for the lovely words and much success to your bridal blog.
talk to you all soon,
deborah

French shopping and the ocean!

Hi all,
a couple of weeks ago on my way to the bay area for a Dr.appt. I got a chance to visit the ocean for a day. Of course I had to do a bit of shopping on my way to the sea, lol, and much to my surprise I happened upon a little french shop called "The Posh Moon".The owner of the shop, Carol, said it was the first day that the sun had shown for awhile and everyone was in such a happy fun mood everywhere I went. I fell into easy conversation with the owner of the shop, because she also is a lover of all things french. Her little store is just filled with french style clothing and Paris decor. I had to really hold my self back from going on a shopping spree because it was all so beautiful. During our conversation, Carol talked about how she had hosted Paris trips to France with a small group of women in years past and I almost fainted, lol. She said she had recently been wanting to get together another Paris trip and before she could speak anymore I breathlessly asked if she had a sign up list that I could get on! She was so thrilled that I would be interested and took my name and number to add to her french adventure list. One of my dreams is to go to Paris with someone who speaks french and since I don't seem to be grasping the language myself, lol, this would be the perfect opportunity for me to fulfill that dream. So we'll see what happens and I'll start saving my money! Here's a pic of Carol and I in her shop and the quaint little seaside street.

Then on to the Sea! I took a long walk along the ocean cliff and breathed in the sweet sea air with each step. The sun was starting to set through the clouds and the sparkle of the water tickled my eyes with joy and serenity. I feel Gods presence so powerfully when I stare at the waters. No doubt in my mind or soul that He exists and cares for me and each one of us with each wave that crashes onto the sandy shore. Which reminds me of this Bible scripture in Psalms 17 and 18 that says "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand....". And with that thought I will leave you with views of the ocean and hopefully the knowledge of how much he cares for you!
talk to you soon,
deborah

Front page of Etsy!

Hi all,
I got a lovely surprise from Etsy on Monday! My Victorian box was featured in a front page treasury created by the shop Cottageinthesun. For those of you who don't really peruse the etsy site, front page features are really difficult to get, but Miss Cottage persevered and created a group of photos that caught the Etsy gods eye and her lovely treasury became a front page star!!
And to top it all off, someone from Australia saw the feature and snatched my little box right up!
I want to give a big shout out "thank you" to Miss Cottage and also send you over to her shop to
see all her wonderful vintage tin creations. She uses salvaged antique and vintage 1800s to 1900s tin ceiling tiles to create various shapes to fit anyone's style and decor. I actually had her custom make a fleur de lis shape for me last year and it is sooooo beautiful with all it's vintage character. I bought it so I could put it out in my garden but it sits in my Paris room at the moment and may never make it outside :)
So when you get a chance, check out her shop, you'll be happy you did.
Talk to you soon,
deborah

Blogger heaven going on!

Hi all,
There's a blogging event going on right now that will put all of you blog addicts into a tail spin!
It's being hosted by Lisa on her blog A whimsical bohemian. She is actually the creator of this whole blogging event. She started it in 2007 and her whole premise is to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. The event is called "One World, One Heart" and really is an amazing adventure. Every blog that is involved is having a giveaway so make sure you skip on over to her site and check out the list of blogs participating. You'll never be able to get through them all, but the ones you do get to will keep you flying high for days. And who knows maybe you'll be one of the lucky winners of a wonderful giveaway too.
Talk to you soon,
deborah

French box on etsy voter article!

Hi all,
Just had to write about my french box getting in the Etsy storque article today!
I always wonder if this whole online world really is for real, and when something like this happens, it confirms to me that it really is, lol.

talk to you soon,
deborah

This is for you mom!

Hi all,
Hey, I know, it's been awhile since I've blogged but
after reminding myself of the mantra "blogging without obligation" I am proceeding without excuses, lol.
This blog post is for my mom today because lately she has been thinking about butterflies and I remembered that I had taken some photos of this gorgeous creature last summer as it swooped in and out of my garden fluttering and landing on this beautiful lilac flower.
I took a chance by getting up to get my camera to take these pics and sure enough it was still there, almost as if it was waiting for me to photograph it and capture it's beauty with my lens.

Thanks mom for the inspiration, debbie

Paris memories

Hi all,
I'm just in a Paris state of mind today (well, every day really lol).
Thought I'd spread a little eiffel tower vibes your way too.
deborah

It's Christmas time!

Hi all, time for a new background, don't you just love the candy cane colors?
Now all I have to do is get out all the Christmas decorations, set up the tree, hang the outside lights and start shopping, lol.
Here's to getting it all done before Christmas eve!
deborah

NCCS Charity Auction has begun

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that the charity auction for the National Children's Cancer Society is up and running on ebay now.
The date is Nov 15- Nov 22. Here's the ebay link so you can check it out. Jewel of Shabby Boutique has done such a wonderful job of coordinating the event and also has such a touching personal story behind the reason why she has such a sweet place in her heart for NCCS. If you'd like to bid on any of the items, it would be soooo great and would be a wonderful way to start the holiday season of giving :)
Talk to you soon,
deborah

Cloth bags revolution!!!

Hi all, my new mantra is "Where's your cloth bags"!?

I finally have gotten into the routine of using only cloth bags for my shopping trips. And I will even run back to the car to retrieve them in my hurriedness to get into the store.
Really, there's no reason to use plastic anymore! I encourage you all to do the same.
I will admit though that once in a while I do ask for plastic so I can reuse them in my trash cans at home but that is a rare request!
I was reading an article in Body and Soul magazine the other day on the statistics on plastic bag usage etc. and this one line just caught my attention and made me really think about what I am doing by using plastic. It said "on average, we use a plastic bag for 12 minutes; it will persist in the landfill for 1,000 years".
That statement just struck me straight to the heart! and made such an impression on me that I decided then and there to stop using plastic bags. The alternative? Cloth or if the occasion warrants it, carry out the product in my bare hands!!! lol, what a concept!
Of course, my hands can only hold about 2 items at a time so cloth is much more practical.
So, I went searching on etsy for shops that create and sell cloth bags and the list is amazing. If you want practical or pretty or even the two combined then there is a bag out there that is just for you. Here are a few of the shops that I thought were really fun and totally worth the look.
This simple shabby market bag from jlquilts is really cute. It's machine washable and ready to carry all your items in style!
Here's another shop on etsy that is worth the look Mrs. Kwitty's her creations are really feminine and light and perfect for the girly girl in all of us, here's one of my favs in her shop, it's the love bird bag, soooo cute!
and if you want to make a statement then you might like these bags from byorderofthecrown, and last but not least and the bag that I think would totally update my shopping style is this gorgeous bag from Joyanna and it's called the Nichole bag! now that's shopping in style :)


So there you have it , a few links to get you started, hope they bring you inspiration and causes one less plastic bag in the landfill.
talk to you soon,
deborah

Love and hope charity event auction!

Hi all,
A few months back a bit I had posted about a charity event that would benefit NCCS, National Children's Cancer Society. And I wanted to let you know that it will be happening the week of November 15th -22nd on ebay.
Just click on this link "Little angels altered book charity" and it will give you info on how the whole idea came about and how you can bid on the auction if you would like. There's also a slide show on it so you can preview the artists pages. Of course, it is difficult to really see the beauty of the pages online but it will give you an idea of the contents.
I am so humbled to have been included in this altered book and my wish is that it's contents will bring much joy to the soon to be owner and that great things will be done with the proceeds towards finding a cure for all cancers, especially those that effect children.
Talk to you soon,
deborah

Apples and more apples

Hi all,
Just had to show you our apple harvest for the year.
We only have one apple tree but when it produces it does an amazing job! Last year, nothing! but this year a super huge crop and lo and behold the bugs pretty much left the apples alone this year too, so more apples for us!!! My hubby picked all of these yesterday and put them in this metal bin. My garden is in the background and it had just rained so the air was sooooo fresh. Can't you just smell the apples?
Now how to use them, lol. I've made apple pies (more to come) and applesauce and I've given bags full away to relatives but still there are so many left......
Any ideas? Talk to you soon, deborah

Teacup cuties

Hi all,
I just have to show off my latest creations and of course they are tea related :)
Not too long ago I brought home a bag of some vintage poker chips thinking to myself that surely I could come up with something creative to do with them and then the other day I came up with these. Teapot magnets! Don't they remind you of mini tea cakes?
I love the whole idea of recycling or repurposing items and these do just that. Hope you like them too.

Talk to you soon,
deborah

Hi all,
I'm feeling nostalgic for Paris today.
I seem to always go there in Sept. and October so here's a little peek of Paris past.

Just a few of my fav spots in the city of lights, the Louvre, Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, and walking along the Seine.
And there I am waiting for the flight.

Talk to you soon,
deborah

Harmony

Hi all,
I ran across a quote today while I was reading an article titled "life on my terms" in the latest issue of Body + Soul magazine and thought I'd share it with you all.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

I like that way of thinking, because happiness is not something that just floats through the air and once in a while lands on our shoulders, I think it really is something that we create in our lives. How we respond to others and what we choose to do with those responses, really do shape our hearts and minds. I'm not saying it's always easy, but when we do those three things together, think, say and do, in harmony, life can be a whole lot kinder.

talk to you soon,
deborah

Frog in the pond

Hi all,
I was watering my flowers around my small pond the other day and this cute little frog decided he had had enough of the rainstorm that I was imposing onto him so he jumped out onto this rock and I had to quickly get my camera and take a photo.
Isn't he cool looking? I've never really seen a white frog before and wanted to give you all a peek too.


talk to you soon, deborah