Michelle Thibodeaux from M Design Photography sent me these adorable pictures from a recent sitting at her studio. Sooo…what do you think? Huh?–huh?
Aside from the gorgeous baby and the amazing photography skills, do you notice anything…else? Hmmmm?
Need a hint?
Check out the sweet little flapper hat.
Looks pretty darn familiar to me, I’ll tell you. Heh, heh, heh…because it’s FROM MY SHOP!!
Oh…was I yelling? Sorry, I can’t help myself. It’s just so exciting.
{sigh}
Famous at last.
Well, at least the hat is.
So, to celebrate this new found fame–of sorts–let’s have a giveaway!
Click HERE, to see my shop. Look around, then tell me in the comments below which hat you’d choose if you were to win one. Simple as that. The winner will receive their choice of hats from my shop.
Now scurry along…and come back.
I’ll announce the winner on Monday September 27, 2010 at 10 am sharp.
Saw these pretty little things at a holiday bazaar last year and wondered just how hard they could possibly be to make. As it turns out–they are delightfully simple…
and just look how adorable they turn out. I swear, I’m going to end up with 20 different bracelets because there are just so many bead combinations that work. If I was really clever…I’d give these pretty things away to all my friends. Think about that for a second. I could make a serious dent in the Christmas gift budget…I could.
But they’re so pretty.
Still, I should be thoughtful…
kind…
generous.
Nawww….
Here’s how to make the beads yourself.
First, start with a paper ad or pages from a magazine. I’ve seen the beads made from comics but the glossies were more my style…and not as messy as newsprint.
Cut the paper into shard shaped strips–about 4-5 inches long.
Curl the wide end with a pair of scissors–to get the roll started.
Next, just start rolling the strips up–pulling gently on the smaller end to tighten the roll as you go.
When you are nearly at the end of the strip, dab Mod Podge on the last inch or so and finish rolling. Smear the Mod Podge all over the bead and set it on wax paper or a plate to dry.
Scoot them around a bit as they dry to keep them from sticking. Adding several coats of Mod Podge will smooth out the paper lines so that they look more subtle. The beads on the right have only one coat and the ones on the left have two.
String the beads onto Clear Stretch Cord, alternating with whatever glass or metal beads you’d like. Tie ends together with a square knot. Hide the knot by gently pulling it inside one of the beads. Guard your Mosiac Paper Bead bracelet from getting wet–after all–it’s still paper at heart!
And there you have it. Gorgeous Mosiac Paper Beads that whip up in no time and come together with endless color combination possibilities.
Maybe you’ll be brave enough to give them away…instead of hording them all.
Click on it and it will take you to the Gracious Rain “home” page. Just like that. Nice and easy. So if you want this pretty little thing on YOUR blog just follow the instructions below the button on the right and it can be yours!
Is that what it takes to keep these darn things alive? I used to think so, but in honor of National Poinsettia Day–today–I’ve been doing a bit of research. Apparently, it’s not as hard as I thought. In fact, it is positively possible to keep this little baby alive clear until next Christmas. No lie.
What? You’re a non-believer? Well from what I’ve read–it’s not a bit hard. You just have to know what you’re doing.
In the November/December 2003 issue of Country Woman Magazine a reader writes:
Q. “I have the most beautiful poinsettia. Is there a way I can keep it alive and thriving for next Christmas?”
A. “You certainly can! And you’re not alone in wanting to do so. We and many others like to keep the plants blooming as long as possible, too.
To be honest, it really isn’t all that difficult to take care of a poinsettia. Place the plant near a bright window but out of direct sunlight and make sure the temperature indoors isn’t too high. The flowers prefer cool conditions.
Most importantly, never let your poinsettia dry out. Water it daily–but don’t let the soil get too soggy or leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
Around the beginning of January, add some all purpose houseplant fertilizer. if you notice that it’s starting to look a bit leggy by the middle of February, cut it back to about 5 inches high.
When spring arrives, remove leaves and branches as they start to fade of dry out. You can add more soil if the level looks low in the pot and continue to keep it in a bright location.
In early summer, trim off 2-3 inches to promote a fuller look and repot the poinsettia in a larger container. Once the weather is consistently warm, move it outside where it will get lots of sun, then water and fertilize regularly.
Starting on or near the first day of fall, you’ll want to bring the plant inside and put it in a closet or in the basement at night to ensure it gets 13 hours of uninterrupted darkness. During the day, it should receive about 11 hours of light.
By the end of November, you can stop the short day/long night routine, place the poinsettia in a sunny spot…and watch it turn colorful once again!”
I’m up for the challenge–I’ll let you know how it goes.
