Best Chocolate Cake Ever

This cake was soooo good! I just took a devils food cake mix-bundted it up and then made a to-die-for chocolate ganache..and as if that wasn't rich enough, I toasted chopped pecans in butter and drizzled them over the top! Mmmm....it came out looking so AMAZING I just had to take a picture and share it with all of you!

Vintage Easter Finds and SUNSHINE

What a beautiful Saturday! Cold and windy~ but the sun is shining! I felt like I couldn't waste it, so we hopped in the van for a ride! Even though our windows were up, the sunshine was coming in and warming us up~ if the trees weren't so bare it almost looked like summer(I was trying hard to convince myself of this).
We took a drive over to one of my favorite neighborhoods~ I think a lot of women have these~ the neighborhood with the neat old houses and all the people do super-cute things to their houses for the holidays~ well, that is this neighborhood- and it has more than a few streets that are old brick-love it! I adore taking drives thru there, eating an icecream cone and oohing and ahhing at the fun holiday decor and front yard vignettes going like 5 mph.
Well, we were driving along and happened upon our county fairgrounds~ which is on the other side of "my favorite neighborhood" where they just happened to be having an antique show this weekend! Of course I pulled right in!!! This was like a finding a buried treasure!!! I got so many fun Easter finds- and it wasn't that expensive~ we only had $12 between the two of us~ we are debit card people- anyhow- I am SOOO Anticipating Spring with Open Arms and this was such a treat~ sunshine, pretty houses, and fun vintage Easter finds!!!

Valentine's Day and Easter Crafts

2 Spring chick Boxes for my etsy shop that I made this weekend!

I just adore these pictures, the hydrangea on the left, I picked up at one of my favorite local stores 55 west(their blog is listed under my Favorite PLaces) and the silohouette I picked up at a local antique mall- I am loving these silohouette pictures right now!!!

This is one of my mom's NEW felted purses, now available on my etsy shop!
I can't believe how talented and PATIENT she is to knit these by hand! I tried to knit a scarf once and I couldn't stand how long it took to get the final result! These purses are like 2 to 3 times this size beofre she felts them~ AMAZING!

I HEART ROMANTIC HOMES magazine.
SO many beautiful and inspirational photos~ I had my whole house redecorated by the time I finished my first issue!

This is the Valentine's Day box I made "for the love of supplies" swap.
The swap was hosted by artsymama.
I tried to capture a vintage Valentine's Day feel since my partner~ like me~ loves all things vintage and cute!

The inside was filled with goodies for making Valentine's Day crafts!

This is the BUNCH of stuff that Michelle sent me, she was an AMAZING swap partner!!! She really spoiled me!!! So many NEAT vintage pieces! I was in awe of how much great stuff she sent to me~ what a sweetheart! I really ADORE doing swaps, they really get my mind going with NEW craft ideas. Right now I am searching for a Easter swap...if you hear of any~ leave me a comment with info!

New Easter and Spring themed wands for my etsy shop! I just LOVe these old images of ducks and bunnies! I got some really pretty pale pink tinsel ribbon at my local craft store~ I tried experimenting with it on the bunny wand~ The possibilies are endless~!

New on My ETSY Shop

Easter Boxes!

Isn't this the cutest???

Easter Wands!

Valentine's Day Wands!!!

I finally got around to filling up my ETSY shop with fun NEW things for SPRING! I had the best time crafting yesterday and this morning, making all these pretty, cheery crafts! I saw these little chicks and bunnies at the craft store and just had to bring them all home! They look so cute sitting on their pretty boxes with their party hats on! I started making the wands for myself~ I just love the way they look on my favorite shelf!! I ordered some CD's of vintage Valentine and Easter images on ebay~ and I am loving them!!! I wish they still made cute little cards like that! I had so much crafting, I gotta admit I haven't been feeling very "crafty" since Christmas ~ and then all it once my craft room calls! It also might have something to do with the fact that my husband and I spent a whole day cleaning and reorganizing my craft room~ it was overrun with Christmas stuff, things with no home, and ALOT of crafting supplies! I was scared to go in there...but now I can make a mess and actually see my way to straighten it up when I'm done! It is finally a breathable space.
Well, I am off to do laundry...that on the other hand NEVER calls my name, LOL!

I can't wait to get the mail!

LOVE CL magazine!

LOVe the decorating tips...

I find Romantic Country at my local grocery store every couple months and I LOVE it- Does anyone know how I can subscribe to this??? I have looked online but haven't found a way to do it yet!!!

The cream of the crop!

Last night I was browsing through my fresh new stack of magazines that came over the last week and I was so excited~ my mind was racing with new decorating and craft ideas! I just Love magazines, always have. I remember when I was in middle school and my mom got me my first subscription to TEEN magazine...I thought I was so cool. That started my love affair with magazines. Sometimes when I am really down I go to Borders for magazine therapy. I'll just go through and pick up any magazines that make me happy~ sometimes I just browse them- sometimes I buy em', but they take my mind off of the sad things and I get whisked away into the pages of romantic country homes or a beautiful travel magazine.
Last week tragedy struck when I decided to go through some of my old Country Livings~ because you know I keep them-ALL. Anyhow, I had some of my favorite issues from years past that I often like to browse through in my living room. I keep them stacked in this beautiful galvanized wash-bin, set under my sideboard. Anyhoo- I was heart broken to see- and smell- that one of my kitties has been using this beautiful old bin full of my favorite CL issues- as a litter box! Sadly(and as fast as I could while holding my nose) I picked through the ones that weren't "used" by my kitty and tore out my favorite pages- but sadly- they all went into a big black garbage bag...and in the trash, beautiful bin and all.
I am a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason"- but my magazines??? Really???
I am so bummed~ but with this fresh new batch of beauties that my mailman delivered to me this week I am rejuvenated...out with the old, in with the new...
My husband- knowing my love for all things CL, is determined to buy me every back issue we ever see at antique malls and flea markets, he's the best like that.
SO heres to my 2003-2006 Country Living magazine's...you will be missed.

Fun new stuff!

Pretty Ballerinas!!!

Isn't the packaging so beautiful on this pack of antique ledger paper???

Putting all the Christmas stuff away!!!

Over the holidays I kind of went a little etsy crazy and bought a bunch of stuff that I had been eyeing for awhile. I started with some of those little ballerinas everyone is so crazy about~ I have no plan for them but I really LOVE the way that they look and sooner or later I will come up with something. For now they will be dancing around on the top of my bulletin board in my studio. Next I saw a cute idea where someone lined an old window with antique ledger paper and hung a wreath on the front of it~ and let me tell you~ I have a garage full of old widows, I can't resist them~ I can spot one in a trash pile a mile away! Some of them are so beautiful! So I just had to buy this giant pack of ledger paper from Art-e-ology to make a great display for the bedroom wall~ I bought an antique reproduction light-blue- aqua-ish bottle brush wreath last year that I am going to hang from a satin ribbon over the top of the window~ so pretty!
And of course, I did get some clip art CD's for Easter and Valentine crafting as well as a print from the Black Apple shop for the dining room! I just love her stuff!
My husband and I are getting some minor "house" rearranging done these days. He is re-organizing and I am re-decorating. We are having a great time picking out some new wall colors and carpet~I am really excited about it! I love restyling and making things look fresh and fun with old, rustic pretty elements~ it really makes me feel happy.

Valentine's Day Supplies Swap

Photo from www.artsymama.blogspot.com

I am so excited to be a part of this new swap sponsored by artsy mama~ I have been a huge fan of her blog and artwork for so long~ and I just loved her write-ups about Silverbella(every paper and glitter fanatic's dream weekend away) Anyhow, these little chocolate boxes filled with crafting goodies just made me smile~ I had to join up! The weather here has been so grey and cold- which I love but I am finding I am yearning for a little color! I have been coming up with some AMAZing creative craftiness for Valentine's Day and Easter~ I am busy gathering all of my supplies to make some neat little treasures~ I am so excited to work with some new supplies from this swap!