And where oh where did November go?

An exchange; a barter.

 

Awhile back a very good and adopted blog friend who calls me Aunt Frannie asked me if I wanted to swap one of my Pigg Dolls for a surprise!! I said for sure!!! Jill is a folk art artist and creates the best altered art!!! She re-did this cool car for me for Halloween and made two felted dolls and a ghost for it!!! I LOVE it!!

 

As I look back I can't believe I didn't blog one time!! But the month sure got away from me!! I went and started out with the flu and bronchitis for the first two weeks!! I was so blasted sick!! And then I had to get myself going and back to playing Cinderella. I had a craft show I did but was still feeling run down. But I did it.

 

Last weekend I did two days up at our Farmers Market. That was kinda cool cuz Sim was there with his birdhouses and my niece and sister in law with their jewelry. I always like doing shows where I know people!!!

 

 

 

 I made up some gift baskets in berry baskets. I use to make gift baskets a lot but they are so expensive to make.

 

 

 I also have been making these LiL Scrappers hand made and designed by me!! The birds and tomatoes on wooden thread spools!!! Oh my goodness I love making them a lot!! I also used a bottle cap to put the moss in. They measure 3 1/2" high. They would make a cool pin keep!! LOVE them!!! That red one is calling my name!!! LOL

 

Here are a couple of my new creations!! "Papa Hoot" SOLD!! He was kinda cool and up cycled from a wool skirt I got at the Salvo. I added a cool mustache to him. A very wise Owl!!!

 



 

A new Snowman doll that I thought looked like a bird with the carrot nose up and down!! So I named her "SNOW BRYD". She is still available in my Etsy Shoppe!!

 

 

 

And you know how I LOVE a challenge. I had someone ask me if I could make this dachshund kinda like one she had seen on Pinterest as she couldn't find anyone who made them. This is not exactly like the one on Pinterest but is my own design. I made three of them!! LOL The one in this pic is my favorite!! I made it from an old vintage coat a friend have given me to use!! I used faux fur for the neck and an old vintage rhinestone button. Old vintage buttons for the eyes. And red cashmere from a sweater for the hat!! Oh I just love it!!! 

 

 

This one I used the same color brown felt like most dachshund's and a little baby Santa bootie for the hat with a gold jingle bell. Gold trim with one of my little grubby tags I make that says "Santa Paws".

 

 

 These little sweeties measure 3 1/2" high x 8". They are all hand sewed. I will be making more of these for sure!! I can see them for Valentine's Day!! I have one more that I need to finish the hat up on!!

Well that is alittle bit of where I have been. I swear time just seems to fly by so darn fast!! I got my surgery date for December 13th for my bladder. I am trying to get everything caught up for that. I have my last craft show this Saturday. AND the most important thing is Kaitlin is coming home the 19th of this month til Jan.6th!!! My Christmas is gonna rock!!! I miss my baby girl so much!!!

I actually think I am excited about Christmas sometimes I am not!!! We are putting up the tree tomorrow. I have missed blogging but have been keeping up on my facebook page!! Stop by and like my page. You can find it on the side of my blog. Come and see what things I can get myself in trouble with!! You know me!! LOL

XOXO Love ya Fran.

 

My Secret Garden!!!!

HELLO BEAUTIFUL!!!

 

 My Clearance Violets from the Grocery Store!!!

 

 

We have been working in the yard and gardens!! 

 

Sim and I finally started working  in the yard!! We cleaned up the porch and I now have a place I am calling my secret garden. I can't wait til flowers are all around me. Every year I have a theme for my yard and this year it is "Americana/Farm House". I put this old quilt on my chair today and got a pillow and my laptop and came out here!! This is where I am blogging from!! I'm thinkin o-no cuz I am gonna be out here a lot and havin coffee in the mornings here too!! But Thank You God!!!

 

 

 Another view of the porch!!

 

 

 This is the view of our wooden fence. I cleaned out the lilies and we added some farm goodies. I put my Mom's rabbit over there too.

 

 

I Love this corner of the wooden fence. One of Sim's "Junque Rustic Birdhouses" and our little rusty kids!! Who mind us very well and love to go fishin!! that is Kaitlin's herb garden she had as a little girl. Now I guess it's mine!!!

We have been so super busy I am exhausted!!

 

 

 I have also made these awesome fun paper dresses for a swap I was in over at my group!! My partner is from Australia and I knew I wanted to make her a dress with her homeland on it. I had an old world atlas from the 1940's. The dress in the middle I made like  a Girl Scout dress and even used my old troop numbers. And the music dress is from an old Hymnal from 1924. I LOVED making these and I used jute and little clothes pins that I coffee dyed to hang them on!!! I had so much fun doing these!! Right now I am working on Mad Hatters oh my gosh they are so darn cute!!
 
I am also working on more of my "Rusty Junque". I have to share this with you. Saturday afternoon Sim and I were in the backyard. Kaitlin came home and came to see us. She sat down and looked over at us and said "Oh my gosh are you guys really trading rusty stuff"? LOL Sim had his bucket out and I had my container and we were trading back n forth!! She told my Mother in Law that she thought she was gonna have to call Nick and Ryan her stepbrothers and tell them that we had gone crazy for sure!! Aw good times!! After I thought about it it is kinda funny!!!
XOXO Love ya
Fran.

 



Valentine's Made In Michigan!!!

 

WOW is all I can say!! Janicehttp://primsbythewater.blogspot.com/ sure blessed me for our swap that Amy hosted. Janice lives in Michigan too. She knew my favorite colors are brown and orange. She made me this primitive awesome doll and I LOVE the colors and pattern she picked. She made the crow and baby cupid too. And a sweet heart that says Hugs on it.

 

 

 

She also included these awesome hearts she made from the material that matches the doll. They are so cool they look like they are frosted. So sweet. I feel like I went to a store and got to pick out these awesome treasures!!!

 

 

Janice likes red white n blue. So I made her a set of my new "Kin Folk" in a cool wool plaid. I sure love making these.

 

I also added these goodies. Janice and I both go to the thumb of Michigan. Me more in the summer and she is blessed by living there. I upcycled a jar from the General store at the museum in Port Sanilac with vintage strawberries. I grubbied up a small year long calender and clipped with a vinatge clothes pin, a wooden heart that I put her and her husbands name on with my vintage typewriter. I got a spoon at the flea market with the name of a city she lives by. The pen is made by Brooke for her workshop. And some coffee and cookies. I LOVED putting this together for Janice!!! Thanks so much Amy for hosting this awesome swap.

 

 

And here is alittle teaser of what I am working on right now. My pattern I've been making and re-making!! LOL The material is from my cuzins husband coat from the inside of it that he could no longer wear. And a baby blanket. Oh my goodness it is turning out so gosh darn cute!! I know I will have it done very soon. I get so excited. LOL You know I will be posting pics real soon!!

Love ya all bunches!!

XOXO Fran. 



  



"LOVE" is in the air!!!

I signed up for a Valentine Swap over at Erica's  http://goldeneggvintage.blogspot.com/. We had to decorate a heart shaped heart box and put goodies in it for our partners. I used an old vintage book I had. I wanted to tell a "LOVE" story on it like you keep your love letters in it.

 

 

I used the chapters that said Unforgotten Years and Harvard. I "LOVE"-D that it made it look like she had kept their love story from their Harvard years!! I found this image online. Perfect may I say!! LOL The yellow rose is coffee dyed and it is so cool on there!! I "LOVE" "LOVE" the way this turned out!! And it turned out true to Fran style!! LOL I was so excited to get it out I forgot to take a pic inside of what I sent Krista. But I filled it with some vintage goodies and some little Valentine gifts. I even put a vintage rain bonnet in there as you can see in the pic it is raining!! She "LOVE"'s vintage earrings and I put a few in there also.

 

 

 



 

And this is what Krista http://theheirloomboutique.blogspot.com/ sent me! I "LOVE" it!! She used some of her own vintage earrings on the front! She put alot of work into and I "LOVE" it!! I also got a garland she made me but I am gonna post that with my Valentine post to show you! She filled it with lot's of goodies!! Krista could use some LOVE n prayers as her Mom passed away last week. I know how it hurts. Thank you.



 

I am working on a top secret project which is almost done for s swap I am in over at Amy's. My partner is Janice http://primsbythewater.blogspot.com/ and she is a Michigander too!! She is amazing. I am so glad we are partners. More on that "LOVE" project later this week. I feel very blessed and "LOVE" paying it forward and being creative!!

Have a "LOVE"-LY day guys.

"LOVE" ya to the Moon n Back!!

XOXO Fran.

May Blissfull ATC Swap!!

Well I went and did it I got hooked on ATC's! Wendy over at http://www.blissfullatcswap.blogspot.com/  has a swap every month with a different theme. She ask me if I wanted to join! And of course I said yes. My friend and adopted niece over at http://www.buckscountyfolkart.blogspot.com/ tried to tell me how addicting they are!! LOL  I was paired up with the sweetest gal Debbie at http://www.iamsimplydebbie.blogspot.com/ . The theme for May was the movies! Debbie found out that I love Nancy Drew and she made this for me!! I love it!

Isn't this so cute, it is alittle booklet with the theme of the swap on the front. It is tied with the coolest ribbon in my favorite color orange. Debbie said the ribbon is from West Germany.

The booklet opens up and has different pages on it. On the last page is a little pocket where she put the ATC!

And this is a cute little note card she made me and tied it around some microwave popcorn!! Her presentation was so great! Thanks so much Debbie I love it all!

And this is the ATC I made Debbie. It is from the movie "Some Where In Time". This movie was made in Michigan up at Mackinac Island at the Grand Hotel with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. It is an awesome movie. The movie was made in 1979 and kinda revolves around a 1979 penny and their love story. So I put a penny on it with a picture of them and used a vintage flower with some tulle and jewels and steam punk paper. I also sent her some Mackinac Island Fudge coffee with it. I really liked doing this swap and I am already signed up for next months swap!! LOL You were right Jill!!

XO Fran.

It's me again!!!

 

Well, I thought I'd share a few pics of another swap I was in this summer! It was Lori's from http://www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com/  "Polka Dot Swap" she has the neatest swaps and I always look forward to them!! My partner was my friend Jessica from http://www.jessicarodarte.blogspot.com/. She herself loves polka dots, and she is so talented. I did hers in colors she loves, aqua, pink and yellow. Let me tell you I had a blast thrifting and antique shopping for her!! She has more pictures on her blog. She loves images of little children so I got her a few books. The dotted swiss material I got from one of my favorite catholic church sales I look forward to every year. I got alot of the vintage items at one of my favorite antique shops in alittle town not to far from here. I had alot of fun putting this together for Jessica. I wanted it to be special, as she is pretty great herself.

Now check out what she sent me and made me!! Can you understand why now I love these colors!! Orange and brown!! She made this awesome pretty pocket organizer with brown dotted fabric and cool orange flowers! She did a swap for these organizers, I was alittle scared to try to make one, but now I know I can and will! I was so excited to get one!! and she makes the covered matchboxes too and put a coffee tag distressing kit together in it! Love it! There was a button jar with orange and brown buttons in it, with a large orange flower on top. One of her empherma kits, and a bingo card wrapped in trims! and can you believe even my favorite candy matches!! I borrowed these pics from Jessica. She posted about our swap on her blog. Check it out, she has more great pics on there. I love Jessica she is a rockstar.

Sim and I went to my nephews wedding on Saturday night. Ok I hate to have my picture taken. Sim's cuzin Denise took this from across the table with her cell phone. It's not to bad. I am my own worse critic, I needed to fix my bangs!! I noticed I am hanging onto his tie. In our wedding picture I am hanging on to his sleeve! lol I don't know why!! It was a beautiful wedding all done in fall colors and decorations. We got to see Caylee our grandaughter!! We even danced alot!!

I am crafting away as much as I can. My first craft show is in two weeks! Oh boy! I am co-chairing it again at my church. I said I wasn't going to but they needed the help! I'll show ya some pictures of my goodies soon!  XO Fran.