My Downton Abbey Fix

OH Canada!!

No...... this is not a post about one of my favorite bloggers!

It isn't even a post about our little visitor this week. Please read to understand my craziness.

It has been a week long journey for our little Canadian friend.

As I told you, last week my daughter's friend from Canada visited for the first time.

She is from London, no not England, Canada. She drove to Detroit and took a plane from there. When she arrived we wanted to take her somewhere to eat that was "country". We chose Cracker Barrel. Where else can you get homemade biscuits and gravy, grits and breakfast for lunch! (besides my own home) She loved it.

We took her to many places but one place stood out!

She loves doing historical things so we took her to the Belle MeadeMansion. I knew she would love it but I didn't realize that when I stepped into the barn I was feeling a little weepy. I miss Downton Abbey!! WAAAAAAHHHHH There I said it!

The whole time I watched the seasons I never wrote a post about it till now!

Being in the place where the horse drawn carriages and cars were parked made me think of my favorite show.
I wondered about Tom and wondered what he felt like when he went from being a "mechanic" to being in the "family".

When I saw this dollhouse I wondered if Lord Grantham would get Henry to build one for poor Sybil and Tom's baby or even for Mary and William's baby, George.

I thought about poor Matthew. What will they do without him?

With Bates out of jail will he take over more duties at the mansion? Will he be in charge of more important things?

When I walked the grounds and came across this building with its gorgeous texture, I wondered if Bates and Anna would be happy in their new home.

or would Thomas and O'Brien the evil maid, keep coming up with schemes behind closed doors

(When we walked in the mansion and took the tour we weren't allowed to take pictures so I found this online.)

source

Then there was the parlor.....would Countess Violet come up with new sarcastic remarks in the new season?.....will Lady Cora entertain more hopefuls for Lady Edith with a party there?

All these questions and we have to wait so long to see next season.

I know this is a far cry from Highclere Castle but it did it for me! It gave me a little fix while I await   my questions being answered.

So Julian Fellowes better keep writing some great stuff so I can obsess more and write crazy posts about things that remind me of this TV show that takes away more of my time!

So I say goodbye on that note! And we say goodbye to our Canadian friend! Hope she liked Nashville!!

Duck Egg Table

Duck Egg table or should I say bunny table.....

Sometimes you make things and wind up NEEDING what you make.

Now that spring is here I wanted to paint something cheery

I love duck egg and purchased this new little table. I just replaced the knob with a little bling and I was in love.

When I completed it I knew it would be the perfect place to display my little bunny for Easter.

I placed it my breakfast nook. It matched my china cabinet that I painted last summer. If you were here you might remember that was a project.

It looks like spring now.

It is a far cry from the before....

I love the shape and the lines of the table. It has a drawer and shelf below which is useful.

My favorite thing about painting furniture is being able to keep pieces till I tire of them.

Sometimes the bad thing about painting furniture is finding places in your house to put them till you are

This place works. Till Easter anyway. My bunny has a place to sit to make this area feel a little more like spring.

Duck egg in springtime.....and a bunny with a new home

I love my new little piece of furniture.

linking to

Miss Mustard Seed
Craftberry Bush
Jennifer Rizzo
Life We Live 4

Marie Antoinette Faux Pocket Watch

I like to make hand made embellishments for the work I create. Some are things I would wear and others are just part of the art of the piece.

I consider this the latter.

The beginning of the week I showed you one of my wire dress forms. I used paper, and lace and although it is a dress, it is done in a whimsical artsy way. It is not fully complete and that's ok.

So this piece is not a "real" piece of jewelry. It's an embellishment.

I added this embellishment to the waist of the form. It was just the right thing to give it some color and add to the uniqueness of it.

I started with an old pocket watch back.

Then I ruffled some vintage pink crepe paper and glued it around the inside of the piece.

I downloaded my image from the Graphics Fairy and cut to fit the inside

I wanted a raised look to it so I used a clear flat glass vase filler.

Glued it and placed it to the inside.

I then glued my paper image to the top and added some pearls

I then attached a loop of pearls to the back to be the chain and attached it to the dress form.

Here is the finished product!

The perfect touch!

I wanted to show you this so you can think of ways to create things with pocket watch pieces that can be an embellishment. There is so much to do with them.

Hope you enjoyed!

Vintage Dressform with Marie Antoinette

Pearls, lace, paper, and wire.....bringing vintage back

Some call it shabby chic

I love all of those things coming together and creating a look like no other.

I have created these before for a wedding show and gave you a mini tutorial HERE

I don't buy my forms, I make them myself.

There are so many ways to have fun with these. I even made some for a barn show and sold them there.

One had silver spoons hanging around the waist. You can get as creative as you want with these by adding fun items.

This one I added a Marie Antoinette piece.

It is filled with tulle and vintage doilies. I ruffled vintage music sheets and added it to the wire.

Leaving it somewhat whimsical by not filling every space. I added some pearls and a paper flower.

I then created a Marie Antoinette faux pocket watch  to dangle at the waste.

I downloaded this picture from The Graphics Fairy to help create it

It is just what the form needed. It added a little color with the vintage aged pink crepe paper.

....................and she adds to the artsy look....just an embellishment

Tutorial HERE

She will look adorable in a store window or in a brides room.

For now she sits in my corner.......waiting to be named so she can go to the ball

What would you name her?

UPDATE: There has been many wonderful suggestions but I have chosen one...

Doileen.....thanks Julia

Have a great week!

linking to these parties
Savvy Southern Style

Spring Mantel Idea

Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's, so that sings spring to me!

We have a visitor coming here from Canada, so I want her to feel spring when she enters my home.

What does spring mean to you?

For me it is fresh beautiful flowers getting ready to bloom with the smell radiating in the air...

I started to create my spring mantel with the ideas of what spring means to me! Something I can share with with everyone...



Fresh green....that baby green color of the first little leaves...of moss growing in the cracks of the pavement

birds chirping in the trees announcing the coming of their new little chick

guarding their nests like protective moms

eggs representing new life.........rebirth....

These are all ideas I want to incorporate in my mantel.......

.......and what is spring without little bunnies?

bunnies hopping in the yard

being mischievous in the garden......

pulling out all the carrots.....

beautiful blooming gardens....that what will be on my mantel this year....

and if you visit you will get a glimpse of all the blessings that is ....spring

and as I rearrange and primp my makeshift garden mantel....


I will thank God for all the beauty of this glorious season

and I will hope I captured something that can be shared for our guests and for my family
The dog seems to love it! I added my window fireplace screen from last year too!

It is always hard to capture anything in my living room because I have no light but I hope you feel sun when you look at the pictures

Time to enjoy the season........and now I have to get to the airport! Hope you enjoyed it!

How To Make Bunny Napkin Rings {tutorial}

This is a complete tutorial about how to make my burlap bunnies napkin rings.

 It is another Pier 1 knock-off that came out adorable and easy. I have knocked off Pier 1 before with my  Pier 1 Pumpkins. This project was just as fun.  I am so glad to be sharing it with you!

This project didn't cost me a dime since I used scraps that I had.

I started with a cardboard roll from wrapping paper. You can use a toilet paper roll but this was sturdier.

I measured 2" on the tube for each napkin ring and cut it

Don't worry about perfect edges because this will be covered

Cut strips of burlap around 21/2" wide and measure around the tube you are using

glue down seam....I used hot glue

Take scissors and cut slits around burlap and stop at cardboard tube

This will allow you to wrap burlap to inside and glue

It should look like this

Cut 2 ear shapes out of burlap to desired height 

Mine was 21/2" long ..You can always adjust it if it is too long

Now pinch the bottom of burlap and glue to the front side of burlap covered tube

The burlap is stiff enough to stand the ears straight up. You can adjust when dry.

Cut frayed ends of fabric and glue the rest down with the ears

Note: Make sure both ears are glued center and the roll sits with out rolling over. You want it balanced.

Now make the rest of them to complete your tablescape

Told you it was easy!

Want to see the knock off go here!



Linking here