Love, Family and Gratitude

Last night I sat at the computer with the hubbs - we do that a lot just to plan new adventures or drool over new tools we find and stuff. We feel better doing that than sitting in front of the TV!

Anyway, I searched for awesome shabby chic labels and patterns that I could decoupage onto some of the mini items I'm making, and also searched for cute flower seed packets etc. I found some really fun stuff!

The first order of business this morning was to cut everything out and get them affixed to said objects. That was fun! I love that the colors from the printed patterns become more vibrant with Mod Podge!

The next little project is very dear to my heart. My grandma was one of the kindest, funniest, most caring people I've ever known. In spite of having seven kids and many grandkids, she always found a way to single me out and make me feel very important to her. She passed in 1998, and there is never a day that goes by when I don't think of her. As a matter of fact, I have her dining room set and a pair of peacock metal art sculptures she had in her dining room while I was growing up. I even painted my dining room blue just like hers was. This helps me feel that she, in some way, is still here with me.

My auntie Jackie, who this project is for, was grandmas first child. I know Jackie misses grandma very much also. I wanted to put a piece of grandma in the potting shed for Jackie, so here it is...

When I was a child grandma made quilts for every member of the family. It was always great to look at everyone's because it was like going back in time. She'd take pieces from someone's favorite old shirt or dance costumes or Halloween costumes she's made and we grew out of. The quilts were like a tribute to our family's history. 

Mine is well loved and well worn after nearly 40 years, but it is still so special to me. I took a sacrifice square of my quilt to make a miniature apron for the potting shed.

I know when I tell Jackie about the apron she'll be just as moved as I am to have made it from a part of grandma Ellie.

After tears of gratitude for having had someone so special shaping my life were wiped away, I moved on to drilling holes to install the lighting.

I so love that this entire project is all about love, family, and especially gratitude.

To Do - Ta Da!

Today was a fun and productive day! I still have many things on my "to do" list, and it seems like for every task I cross off I add a couple more, but I am on a creativity high and am having awesome and giddy moments!

I made, painted and sealed some flower crates and the window box. I painted the rain barrel. I added the sealer to yesterday's painted items. I added a couple coat hooks to an old drawer front floating around in the mini junk drawer (it's actually a large plastic unit with several drawers, some better organized than others). I finished a couple bird houses, a floral arrangement in a pitcher and used a decal from a Chrysnbon stove kit to adorn some canisters.  

Just putting the items in front of the little shed makes me happy, and I'm excited for the next projects on the list!

More tomorrow!

Abracadabra

The word Abracadabra is mostly associated with magic tricks, but historically it was also believed to have healing powers when inscribed on an amulet. Well, working on miniatures is most definitely healing for me, and I'm going to imbue that same healing power into Auntie Jackie's Potting Shed for her!

Abracadabra was also appropriate today in that all of these little items were transformed...

Into these little treasures...

When the day finally comes that I am ready to decorate and adorn this little potting shed, that will truly also be magic!

Tonight after dinner I hope to turn my attention to more wood crafting. I need to make a bench, a birdhouse or two, an "electric box" to house the 9 volt battery for the lights, lattice, flower box, and flower flats.

It will be a nice break from so much painting!