Sweet Mermaids

I have a small collection of aquarium mermaids and bathing beauties. They sit on a vintage buffet with a marble top, along with my collection of vintage sand pails. I have tried to give my little cottage a soft summer look by using these items as well as scattering shells on as many tabletops as I can. I include a small book on shells and a magnifying glass for my granddaughter, so she can further inspect the shells, when she comes for a visit.
Now go make something beautiful.
Laraine

The Last Frontier

While browsing on one of my favorite blogs.....dust jacket attic....I came across a photo shoot in Australia by Graham Shearer called " The Last Frontier "
The clothing is just to die for....
now go have a beautiful day !
Laraine

For the Love of the Rose of Sharon

When Dearest Jim bought this house for me, it had an old Rose of Sharon bush next to the patio. We tried to kill it many times...chopped it down, ran over it with the lawn mower. Eventually we gave up and now it is taller than me and loaded with the most beautiful purple blooms. This remarkable plant thrives in heat, humidity, drought and poor soil.

I have included a photo of my shih-tzu Tibadeaux just because he is so darn cute

For the Love of Etsy Treasury's

I have been a member of etsy since 2008. For the first time two pieces of my art are featured in a two different Treasury's . I am so pleased to be recognized by my fellow artists. ........now go make something beautiful.
Laraine

For the Love of all things French Inspired

I just finished making two lovely French inspired locket charm necklaces for my granddaughters Jenna and Brianna. The lockets hang from vintage seam binding and look very dainty. I will package them up today for their journey "back east". Now go make something beautiful.
Laraine

For the Love of the Canna

I am blessed with hundreds of canna that grow along my back fence. Here is some interesting information about the canna.

The canna rhizome is rich in starch, and it has many uses in agriculture. All of the plant has commercial value, rhizomes for starch (consumption by humans and livestock), stems and foliage for animal fodder, young shoots as a vegetable and young seeds as an addition to tortillas.
The seeds are used as beads in jewelry.[12]
The seeds are used as the mobile elements of the kayamb, a musical instrument from Réunion, as well as the hosho, a gourd rattle from Zimbabwe, where the seeds are known as "hota" seeds.
In more remote regions of India, cannas are fermented to produce alcohol.[13]
The plant yields a fibre - from the stem - it is used as a jute substitute.[14]
A fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making paper. The leaves are harvested in late summer after the plant has flowered, they are scraped to remove the outer skin and are then soaked in water for 2 hours prior to cooking. The fibres are cooked for 24 hours with lye and then beaten in a blender. They make a light tan brown paper.[14]
A purple dye is obtained from the seed.[14]
Smoke from the burning leaves is said to be insecticidal.[14]
Cannas are used to extract many undesirable pollutants in a wetland environment as they have a high tolerance to contaminants.[15][16]

For the love of a etsy Treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c1e181ab6136d915ef635ba/carmen

My collage on canvas " The Road less Traveled " has been featured on a etsy treasury. I have included several of the other items that make up the treasury. Aren't the wonderful ? I am so pleased to be in such good company. This has really made my day !!!!

Now go make something beautiful !
Laraine

For the Love of Shabby Chic

I have this very large and dark buffet in my living room. I can't help but think it would look more in keeping with my shabby chic theme if I refinished it in a shabby, chippy off white. Karla at Karlascottage.typepad.com says "go for it!" and I respect her opinion. The very bottom photo is my dream room with the white pickled floor. I could be very happy in that room. have a great day...and go do something beautiful.
Laraine

The Day After

What do you do the day after receiving beautiful seam binding from mattiecakes.......well.......I made some very pretty collage glass charm necklaces and put them up for sale in my etsy store for only $18.00 each. free shipping !!

For the Love of Vintage Seambinding

Who doesn't like to receive a package.......I love getting a package from mattiecakes.etsy.com. She has the very best vintage seam binding and manila shipping tags. I love to coffee stain the tags, sprinkling them with ground cinnamon and cloves until the whole kitchen smells wonderful. Now....go make something beautiful.
Laraine

For the Love of a Splash Park

When I was a young frugal mother, I always loved finding something fun and free to do with the kids. My boys would have loved the splash park, newly built in Corpus Christi TX about 20 miles away from my house. Since my children are all grown, I have to wait for a grandchild to visit. I have lived in Texas since 1990 and have observed the city trying to enter the 20th century without losing that quaint small town feeling. They are going slow and being very careful to make the right decisions.

For Love of the Perfect Kitchen

This is my dream kitchen....how Lucky for me, it is also my kitchen. One of the best parts of getting a room ready for a photo shoot is the fact that you have to really declutter it. I love the way the room looks and wish it always looked so neat. The kitchen was completely gutted and everything from the floor up has been replaced. I lived for several years with only plywood as a counter top. I am so very happy with the end result I have to share it with you. Now go make something beautiful.

For the Love of all things French

I am in the mood to make some tags today using images with a French flair. feel free to use this vintage image...now go make something beautiful.
Laraine

My Mothers Mother

This is a photo of my mothers mother. She died before I was born so I never got to know her. My interest in the family tree was sparked by a question from my granddaughter in regards to our family history. I am so sorry to say....I don't remember her name.....I remember her story, but not her name and there is no one left alive who remembers. I plan to search for wedding records and perhaps I'll get lucky. By the way......I look amazingly like her.....so this is what I will look like in my old age.......

UPDATE.........An afternoon on the computer and I now know that she was "Marie" She and my grandfather "Oscar" had 5 children Herbert, Alice, Edna, Edith and Laura...my mother.

For the Love of the Morning Glory

I brought some cutting of a purple morning glory back from Lousiana many years ago. My darling Jim said "It's just a weed." I guess I have a green thumb with weeds because the purple morning glory is doing well in the front yard. The blue and fucia morning glory's were planted from seed by me this spring and are doing very well in my back yard.

For the love of Passion Flower Vine

Much to my surprise....my passion flower vine has come back with a vengeance. The aroma from the flower is intoxicating and much loved by both the bee's and hummingbirds. Today is a good day.....now go make something beautiful.
Laraine

For the Love of Zombies

I have loved zombie movies since I first saw " Night of the Living Dead "
The "Resident Evil" series is my new favorite. I love "Alice" with her take no prisioners style. While searching eBay for no special reason, I came across a listing for a "Alice" costume. Oh to be young enough and slim enough to get away with a costume like this for Holloween.

For the love of old suitcases

I have a long standing love of old suitcases. I have a beautiful blue suitcase with dusty pink lining in my studio filled with all my trim and sewing supplies. I have seen them used as display cases in upscale designer shops. They never fail to look chic.