Flaunt Your Red~ Morning Glory Pillow

Thanks for joining me for another
"Flaunt Your Red Party Event"!!
Hosted by
Miss Nancy at Southern Lady.
Please be sure to visit her and her beautiful blog!!
Oh! and don't forget to check out the list of all the other red flaunting participants!!

Today I wanted to share with you some RED pillows that I made.
(and my pretty quilt that I didn't make!)
This Morning Glory (red work) box pillow is one of those projects I started but I didn't finally get around to finishing until yesterday!!

But I'm thrilled to get it finished Yay!!

I believe the white fabric I used is called duckcloth. For the Morning Glory design I used Aunt Martha's iron on transfer. The lettering was inspired from
lettering on this seed packet,

and then transfered onto the material. Then I used a thick cotton type thread to do the embroidery. Finishing it off with some thin red piping around the edges.


I embroidered the pillow with a simple chain stitch.

The rectangular cross stitch pillow (in the photo below on the right) was someone else's unfinished project that they donated to the thrift store.


The cross stitch part was completed on a piece of fabric, but I guess they did'nt know what to do with it after that!


I saw it and loved the vintage look, and said hey that would make a great pillow! So I bought it and added the red fringe trim, and batting and voila!
Cute vintage pillow!

The red and white checked plaid pillow was also a thrifty find. They were just two fringed napkins to begin with. Too easy to make into a pillow, just sew the two together and stuff, I didn't even have to add trim!


When I thrift shop I always try to keep in mind what an item has the potential to become, not just what it is.


Well friends I hope you enjoyed my little red pillow party!!



Thanks again for stopping by.
Have a wonderful day!!

Easy 4th of July Crafts Project~

This is a fun and easy holiday project to do yourself

or with the kids or grandkids!

First you'll need to make your pattern. You can use newspaper or whatever. Remember how we all learned to make a heart shape? Fold the paper in half and cut half the shape of the heart then open up. The size of the heart I made is about 10 1/2 inches tall by 12 1/2 inches wide.

You'll need to make a pattern first because you dont want to have a crease down the center of your finished heart, plus you'll need one to determine where your first horizontal line goes. To do that you'll need to fold down the top of the heart pattern, lining up the center crease to get your first straight line as shown below.

Once you have your pattern made, you'll need some heavy brown paper. I used the type you can buy on a roll for wrapping parcels, but you can also use the unprinted side of a paper grocery bag.

Then trace your heart shape from your pattern onto 2 pieces of the brown paper.

Next with your pattern folded over to the first horizontal line, mark the project heart lightly in pencil ( I used a dark pen so you could see it better) and using a straight edge.

I love using a clear quilters ruler (I think every crafty person should have one) whether you quilt or not!

It makes it sooo easy to measure off your lines on projects!

I made my lines for the stripes 1 inch wide. Measuring from that "first line" in both directions.

Then paint as I did in my example using acrylic paints. I used Liberty blue, Antique White, and Red Iron Oxide (barn red would work too). Once the paint is dry, stencil your stars onto the blue area. Then using an acrylic antiquing medium, lightly antique over the paint.

To antique I use a moist small piece of sponge with just a dab of the antiquing medium worked into to it. Then gently dab and wipe until you reach your desired result.

Then to create a stitched look around the edges use a thin tipped marking pen, drawing little dashes like you see in my example. Then take some white glue and glue the inside edges of the 2 heart shapes, leaving about a 3 inches unglued on the side of each the heart to create an opening.

press the 2 together and let dry.

Then in the opening add some crafters batting to poof it up like a pillow, but not too full. Then seal the opening with more glue. You might need some clothes pins to hold it closed until glue dries.

Oh, and last but not least, poke two small holes at the top of the heart, and use some twine and insert through holes and make a knot.

Now you're ready to hang your patriotic heart anywhere you choose!

Like maybe your front door!

I have mine hanging in my

Americana room on my antique trunk.
Have Fun!

Foodie Friday~ Honey Roasted Almonds!!

Welcome to my first

Foodie Friday, hosted by:

Designs by Gollum.

Stop by and visit her blog,

she's always fixing up something delicious,

and check out the list of other participants too!!

Almonds are so yummy, and good for you too!

This snack goes great with an ice cold one!

***

*Honey Roasted Almonds*

Ingredients:
2 cups of raw almonds roasted at 350 for 10 min.
2Tbls.each- honey and water
2 tsp. canola oil
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp salt

Mix sugar and salt and set aside. Stir together, honey, water, and oil in a pan and bring to a boil. Immediately stir in nuts and continue to cook and stir until liquid is absorbed, about 5 min. Turn off heat and sprinkle in the sugar and salt mixture, and toss until evenly coated. Pour onto sprayed cookie sheet

Note: I recommend sprinkling more salt on the the almonds after spreading onto cookie sheet if you like a more salty taste!

When almonds are cool break up and store in airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Here's a "You Tube" video with the easy instructions.

Thanks!
and
have a delicious day!
Your friendly California Almond Grower!
Sherri:)

Tablescape and Thrifty Thursday~ Silver Trayscape

DOUBLE POST!

Thanks for joining me today for

Tablescape Thursday hosted

by the sweet Miss Susan at
Between naps on the Porch and

Thrifty Thursday
hosted by those sweet thrifty gals,

Susan and Leigh

from Tales From Bloggeritaville.

~***~

This sterling silver tray I had stored away in a trunk.

I decided I would get it out today and polish it up to make this

strawberry sundae desert by candlelight trayscape.

I almost forgot how much I love silver!

I went through a silver collecting phase a few years back, and when the phase ran it's course I thought about selling alot of it.

But since it seems like every time I sell or donate things

"usually back to where they came from" ha!

I usually regret it later on down the line.

So instead I'm constantly trying to keep things organized. I often buy things that will double as storage for all my treasures!

Picnic baskets are great for that, hat boxes, even my Mora grandfather clock has 3 compartments for storage!
Of course I have a tendency to forget where I've stored things and then wonder if I sold it in the last garage sale or donated it!

Anyway, all the goodies here are thrift store treasures, with the exception of the silver vase. I bought it at an antique store. It wasn't exactly a bargain, but I loved it and had to have it!!
The candle holders in the background you might remember from my last thrift store shopping spree!
The floral sachets were also in the trunk, so I added them too the tray to give it a bit of a Victorian look.

Yes that's real desert there folks!!
OMgosh, you wouldn't believe the big beautiful strawberries we bought the other day!
Of course they were so gorgeous I had to take pictures of them!
I just love fresh strawberries on vanilla ice cream.

It was just such a shame to that after I had taken several photos of the tray,

I realized that I had forgotten to light the candles,

and the ice cream was melting fast!

So you know a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
Yep, stop and eat the ice cream and then start over, of course!
Then do it all over again after the second try!

Well, I hope ya'll enjoyed takin a peek at my little Victorian desert tray,
as much as enjoyed putting it together!

May your day be as sweet as that strawberry sundae was!!
Bye for now!!
Sherri

Wordless Wednesday ~ Silly Animals

Thanks Dixie at French Lique, Texas for hosting Wordless Wednesday!
Please visit her blog for a list of the other participants.

Have a wonderful day!!!

Outdoor Wednesday~ Front Entry Etc.

Hi, it's a lovely day for an Outdoor Wednesday event!!

Susan at A Southern Daydreamer is hosting.

After you have a look at what's blooming around my house please visit her, and the other participants that are listed on her blog!

The Indian Bean tree is in bloom and looked so pretty framing the front entry of my home, so I thought I would take a photo of it.

The screen door you see had been thrown out by a neighbor.

It was a very plain wood screen door that was falling apart .

Well of course I had been wanting one of those custom Victorian style screen doors that also come at a custom price tag! So when I saw it I said to my husband hey! I can fix it up and make it into one of those cute screen doors.

He of course gave me one of those looks, and rolled his eyes, but after a little convincing that it wouldn't cost much to fix it up, he gave in!!

I just added some cute corner pieces, spindles, did a little drilling, some wood glue here and there, a coat of fresh paint and voila!

A closer look at the bean tree, soon it will have long beans on it that kinda look like vanilla beans!

It's a beautiful tree, but very messy!

This Calla Lily is usually a darker maroon color...


This Ivy plant is in my breeze way.
It started out as 3 tiny plants and a large tomato cage turned upside down, with the ends wired into a point at the top.
It took a few years for the Ivy to grow enough to cover the whole thing winding it around the cage.
Then of course I had to add a rusty rooster to top it off!



You might remember these from one of my mosaic photos!
This bush of flowers is actually in my neighbors flower bed next to my drive way! I've always loved it, I asked her what it's called. She told me but of course I've already forgotten! But I was pleased at how the photo's turned out, the sun was setting and the light was just right!

Click on these photos, you've just got to see them up close!

The yellow Day Lilies near the pool are blooming!


This Day Lily is trying to get a sniff of the fragrant basil thats coming up!



Yellow Calla lilies too!! Ahh... I love spring!


Well,
thanks for taking the time to stop by and seeing what's blooming around the house!!

Have a wonderful Outdoor Wednesday!!

Sherri:)

Second Time Around Tuesday~Thrift Store Shopping Spree

Hi, and thanks for popping in for

2nd time around Tuesday hosted by Diane at

A Picture is worth a 1000 Words

Please be sure to check out Diane's blog for a list of the other participants and get a peek at their treasures they've found!

*****

Once every month my husband takes me with him to his Dr.'s appt. out of town. We discovered a thrift store nearby the Dr.'s office, and now we go there every time....Well this might have been the last time he wants to take me along, because I kinda went CRAZY this time!

But there so much great stuff there and everything is SO cheap at this store! Almost everything I found was $2.00 a piece or less!

For instance this mantle scarf I have here on the living room mantle I got for a dollar! Can you believe it?! It looks brand new!

Btw, you might remember some of the items now on my mantle from when I used them as a centerpiece for my last tablescape! I thought they looked cute together, and I have alot of green in my

LV room.

I also thought this was a good place in the LV room to put this cute little white ceramic hen, and decorative plate and stand I bought there!


Look at all this great stuff !

These cute pair of framed prints was $2.oo a piece! A yellow polka dot planter! it even matched some ribbon I already had too!

I had hoped to find a cute teapot, and I did, but it turned out to be on a nite light! Oh well, I love cute nite lights!

The burgundy picture frame with roses on it... is like new, but the backing had come unglued, that was an easy fix!

Couldn't pass up the cute butterfly wind chime either!

These red fruit and berry wreaths will come in handy at Christmas!

Love this metal parasol with scroll design, I even found 2 silk greenery bouquets and one floral one. I've already put it in the parasol, hmm now where to hang it??

Oh, I went crazy for this vintage Princess House glass cake stand too! I even have a glass cover from another cake that's a perfect fit!

The little crystal vase they threw in for free, it's a little etched with water stain at the top. Do any of you know how to remove that??Well even if it doesn't come off I don't think it won't be noticeable with flowers in it!

Cute little decorative plate for x-mas, a pair of sweet crystal candle holders, paper doilies, and a roll of some sheer wide ribbon? with silver dots on it....

But my favorite find was the miniature highboy musical jewelry box, it was a little more expensive than the other stuff but still a REAL bargain!! and in perfect condition!

*****

Well I hope you had fun going on my thrifty shopping spree with me! It was fun to treat myself a little.

I haven't in so long!!

Have a great week everyone, and thanks for stopping by !!