BUSY WORKER BEE GETTING READY FOR VENDOR'S NIGHT AT THE PAPER COWGIRL RETREAT

Meaning, I have no personal life, no time for telephone calls - 3 minute maximum, even my mother, cooking (oh, waaaa), cleaning (bigger waaaaaaaa), but I'm getting so much done.
Oh, wait, what I mean is that I'm getting so much done between telephone marathons with T-Moron (aka, T-Mobile), a laptop that is new but needs to be dumped in the trash. Instead, it's at the shop getting a new hard drive! This is after getting an external mouse because the mouse stopped working, and a CD drive that's never worked. All of that is going to be a future post - I have a lot to say......

Today??? I simply want to show you what I've been working on for vendor's night at Paper Cowgirl.......

These first three photos are pictures of lavender sachets I've made. Are these tags too cool? They are copies of hand-colored engravings, circa 1779, and the originals are the property of artist, Sandra Evertson. And, let's not forget the fabulous fabrics (toile and cottage roses), ribbon and the gold brad.

These photos are of wee bitty pots with precious little bird's nests, teeny eggs, mommy bird and a Paper Whimsy fairy to watch over the nest.

These following photos show you wonderful bird's nests, each seated on vintage lace or, as with the pink bling birdie, a vintage ladies glove. Each nest has ribbon, eggs, flowers, a gorgeous bird resting atop the nest and a tag. They're so wonderful! I simply love them!

I have so, so much more to do to get ready for not only vendor's night, but the class that I'm teaching that there's no time for chit-chat today. My three minutes are up - LOL.

Bless all of my readers - especially those that aren't too shy to leave a comment.

You know the comments make my day feel like my birthday....."show some love, leave a comment." (said with an Italian accent:)

xoxo, Jan

YOU'D THINK I HAVE NOTHING TO DO!

Oh, my gosh, you'd think I have nothing to do! I've spent most of the morning creating a mosaic of some of my work. It's in my photostream on Flickr, it's in the right hand column of my blog and now I'm posting about it.
You'd think I have nothing to do.
No laundry, no crack house, I mean studio, to finish cleaning up, no Easter dinner to prep, no searching my closet for something cute and pastel to wear to church tomorrow....that fits, no packing to do as I prepare to leave for Michigan on Wednesday, no weeds to kill *Round-up is my weapon of choice*, no bird feeders to fill and bird baths to fill, hummer's bottles to fill........well, you get it.
You'd think I have nothing to do!

But, I think it's just really cute!

And, while you're here I thought I'd show you my first Marie Antoinette piece! It's a Marie themed cake banner.

I had made this *the most amazing* carrot cake for a ministry party last Friday and I thought, at the last minute, of course, that it needed a banner! A Marie Antoinette banner!

This is what I came up with....

This is the front:And, this is the back of the banner. . .

I've decided that I like these so much that I'm going to make more of them and will even try some different themes. What do you think???

Well, that's it for today. My hummingbirds are wondering if I'm going to fill their bottles or not so I best get busy!

Thanks for taking the time to read my post - leave a comment if you will:) And, to all of you, Happy Easter and praise our Lord as we celebrate his resurrection!

XOXO,

. . .Jan

JUST ONE MORE POST AND THEN I PROMISE!!!....

Oh, my goodness, now don't get upset with me.
Feel sorry for me.
My computer made me cry today.
Well, it wasn't exactly the computer that made me cry; it was the stupid new software I bought, Photo Explosion Deluxe.
The word "deluxe" should have been a clue.

You see, I had to get a new computer. Frank Two Pies' computer crashed and since his computer skills are *shhhhhh* laughable, I told him that I would get the new computer and he would get mine.
Makes sense, doesn't it?
I have/had Vista on my computer and hated it and was so excited to get a new computer with XP.
Ahhhhhhhh, XP. No more Vista.
Well, no more "I know it like the back of my hand" software program either - it couldn't be transferred because going from Vista to XP is going backwards in the world of Bill Gates.
When you really think about Vista, however, you realize how stupid that sounds.

But, alas, I couldn't take my Microsoft Picture It 9 with me so I had to buy a new program.
An easy program simply for fixing the photos of my art for my shops, that's all I wanted.
I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 (don't ask) but I don't have six weeks to learn it.

I needed a software program that I could use NOW.

So, I wasted all day yesterday trying to find a store online and in San Antonio that had my baby.
Nowhere to be found.
So I buy the new software program thinking to myself, "How hard can it be to learn??? It's only 40.00". And by bedtime last night I was in tears.
And, then this morning found me crying, trying to make it work.
It's a stupid program. Don't buy it.

Then, tonight, my over-used, very decayed, not-all-there, brain kicked in and I remembered,

DER - Picture It 9 is still on Two Pies computer!!
YOU IDIOT.
YOU OLD, OLD WOMAN.

So, I've taken some pictures of what I think would make lovely Easter presents and simply must get them before you as Easter is but a few days away! I need to get them listed in my shops, and I will, but first, my blog.
And then..........................THE NEXT GIVEAWAY! Why, I've already got the post ready to go - just want to give y'all a few days to buy up all of these banners I've made (Just leave your email on your comment telling me which one you want and I'll catch ya later. Don't dally - they're going to go like hot cakes. LOL).

Here ya go - my labors of love...............

A close-up of "R and I" to give you a better idea of what it looks like. Those are glittered eggs hanging between each banner flag - so darling!

And, "N and G".

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OH, MY GOSH!!! Am I seeing this right??? Have I not looked at this picture a hundred times?

Did I not make this banner?

Do I not know how to spell "NEST"??? ROTF!!

It will be fixed tomorrow, I promise!! *still laughing and shaking my head!A couple of close-ups so you can see how the banner would look with just two letters. hahaha

Okay, I'm off to bed. I'm obviously fried.

I love all of you, my sweet readers!! That's the only reason I can post such a mistake! LOL

.

XOXO,

. . .Jan

A SNEAK PREVIEW OF SOME FABULOUS TAGS!

Two previous posts not to miss:

• THERE'S AN ART RETREAT IN TEXAS!!
• "I got AWESOME!!!"

Hi, y'all! I have been trying to get a few things accomplished at my worktable before mom and I load up the car and head for Texas! It seems like I've spent most of my time here working on my computer - necessary, but not the fun part of having two web shops!
These tags and a picture of part of their coordinating envelopes are just to give you a glimpse of what I've been up to besides shopping online. LOL
These first two tags are two of a set of eight that are the same theme, but different looking tags, all with wonderful and different accents - clear as usual, huh!

They'll be listed for sale in my lollishop . . . . .and maybe half of them in my Etsy shop.

This is the front left side of the envelope - I like to do a little something to the envelopes to make the tag and envelope look like a set. *smiley face* Oh, these next tags are so stinkin' cute! There's six of them, they're all different, but they all have a cute little cupcake under the smaller tag on top that can be moved. Isn't that a darling idea? LOL - Okay, I thought it was darling! And, you get a peek of the coordinating envelope that comes with each tag.

These tags, all with wonderful glitter and other great embellishments, will be listed in my Lollishop.

See the "hidden" cupcake on the tag on the left? The cupcake is still hidden on the tag on the right. What a fun surprise!


Well, that was fun! I just love showing you the things I'm working on!
I hope you're having a wonderful moment looking at them...........thanks so much for stopping by!


XOXO,

, , , , ,Jan

MY FIRST BLOG GIVEAWAY...about time, don't 'cha think?

Hi, sweet friends!
I'm having my very first blog giveaway and I'm so excited!
. . .I gotta tell ya, I've never even been tempted to have one before last night!
Last night I was working on this most precious box of treats for my new *more empty than full!* Lollishop and it just hit me, "Der! You should put together some of these fabulous treats for a giveaway!"
The "Der" told me it was from God - so, a giveaway it is!

Now that you've seen the big picture, here's a close-up of part of the treats!
I want you to notice the paints.....I LOVE THEM! They are amazing - the paint goes on translucent with a sheen to it. Light. They're so wonderful - you will love them!
And, there's tickets, ribbons, glitter flower die-cuts and a really cute stick pin.
And, in this next close-up you can see that there's yards of ribbon (single seam binding), a vintage needle folder that is shaped like a rose and comes in a glassine envelope, lace, darling tags, flowers and it all comes presented beautifully to the winner of the giveaway!

Oh, and looking at these pictures I just thought of something else to add! It's fabulous - I'll keep it a surprise!! wooohooo!!

Okay, so here's all you need to do to win!
(Isn't this fun???)
Just post a comment making sure you give me your email address and it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all *giggling* if you signed up to receive my newsletter and signed up to follow my blog (both in the right column)!

I'm going to run this giveaway until, hmmmmmmm, I wanna give everyone in the world time to find it, sooooo, I will run it until Monday, January 26th.
That's three weeks - I think that's long enough, don't you?
I'll be on the road from January 15th 'til January 22nd making my way to my mom's (road trip! "Yes!!"). I'll be in Michigan at mom's when the drawing for the winner takes place so I'll have my mother pick the winner and mail the 'package' from her house!

Thanks for playing! You're the best and I appreciate all of my readers so much!

XOXO,
.

Later this week look for a post about my new shop at Lollishops!