Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Vintage Bottle Cap Creations

Happy Tuesday everyone! 

 I hope that your spring is off to a great start
and if you celebrate Easter, that it was 
filled with joy.

Ours was a full day with singing, playing outdoors
a lovely picnic and ending with the family
gathered around in prayer. 
A blessed and beautiful day.

(I had some fun preparing for the picnic that we had 
down at our gypsy camp in progress.
I was able to get some photos that I will share later.)
*************
Today, I'd like to share a little project
that I made from some vintage bottle caps.
I found this box at a flea market for $1.
I just loved the look of the box. Sometimes I just buy things
for the vintage look and they are used to add color or charm
to my creative space. Do you like to do that, too?

 I also thought that I might be able to use bottle caps 
in mixed-media art or something.
Many of you probably have your own ideas 
about how you would use them.
Isn't creating so much fun?!

 My first project, was to re-purpose
them into keychains with hand-stamped sayings
and flat-backed cabachons and strings for bows.

I used the Pittsburgh 36 piece set.
It's an upper case set, reasonably priced that has been a 
good beginner set for me.
You can find the stamping set that I used here.
And I purchased the bronze keyring pieces here.

The process required me to flatten the lip of the cap.
Each cap was set on a metal plate and then 
I used a small hammer to gently tap on the sides
and this curled the outside edge up. 
It almost looks like a little flower.
After I decided on the sayings that I wanted to
stamp, I began the stamping. I have a tack hammer that 
I used. it took a little practice, but if you have a bit
of an eye for centering, it doesn't take too long!
Some of them turned out a little rough but I guess
that can add to the charming imperfection.
After doing the stamping, I used a q-tip
wet with black ink to smear over the words. Then I just 
wiped off the excess.
The little design above the word here was actually
 a leather punch that I decided to try.
I don't have a photo of the back. But they are cork.
In the stamping process, some of the cork broke away.
I just covered the backs with circles cut from pretty papers.
Do you like the lovely coloring of vintage packaging?
It's what so many artists try to re-create with
the distressing and tea-staining techniques.
And they do an amazing job of making it look authentic!
I love the look of the authentic AND re-created.
This was a fun project. My first attempt at metal stamping.
To attach the chain to the cap, I used a nail to hammer a hole
and then added a bronze jump ring to attach them together.

I hope you enjoyed this little project!
Are you working on something today?
If so.. may it bring you joy and clarity about who you are. 
Where you've been and where you're going.
Bringing you a few steps closer to dreams realized
and peace in your heart.

I was hoping to start transplanting some herbs today but
our spring winds have arrived and they are a fierce
60 mph! shiver...
It's enough to rattle the house!
So... I've been staying cozy inside and
 working on memorizing the chords
 to John Denver's Rocky Mountain High.

(I love to sing and play!
Along with God, 
it's one of the things that helps keep me 
centered and grounded. 
It delights my heart and sometimes the words from songs
help me to express what I'm about.
Is there something like that for you?)

His music has always been some of my favorite.
He was such a poet and so often wrote about nature. 

"The shadows from the starlight are softer than a lullaby."

If you'd like to listen to the song, you can find it here.

Wishing you a beautiful day and thank you for coming by.

Tamara XO

I'm joining the party at









Monday, March 21, 2016

Springtime Thoughts in the Mountains and Wildflowers in the Pines~

Happy Spring to you!
And blossoming hopes for the coming months.
Are you busy about your dreams and plans? 
It's good to dream!
I hope you're holding tight to those
  that have been in your heart.

I'm making plans for my garden. I want to fill it 
up with lovely things1
And we will plant and sow good things for our table.

Today, I'm not sharing images of my own gardens but of
those that grow in the nearby mountain meadows,
near the lakes and beneath the tall pines.
 "Every spring is the only spring. A perpetual astonishment."
Ellis Peters
 glittery grasses and sunshine yellow at the end of feather wands~
 A fairy ring perhaps? 
 The day the Lord created hope, was probably the same 
day that He created spring ~
Bernard Williams
 Wild lilies
I call this God's garden.
It's perfect and beautiful.
 I'm so happy that 
He shares it with me~
**********************
_________________________________________________

Jeff and I had a wonderful getaway.
We learned some local history
had some very good talks,
ate delicious food and took a beautiful walk.
There was live music to enjoy
and a VERY large cookies and cream waffle cone!


We always have to do some thrifting and we brought 
home some real treasures! 
A gorgeous, in amazing condition, 
vintage 70's, classical guitar for almost nothing.
We tuned it up and have already been playing it.
That was special and lovely. 

I hope that your days are already filled with the
wonder of new life. Have a wonderful week
enjoying the next thing in your life that you
will celebrate!
Family... friendship...health...beauty...
accomplishment...
Or the gift of being alive.
We will celebrate one of my beautiful daughter's
birthdays and our risen Saviour! 


There's always someone or something to
celebrate, isn't there?
It's always a pleasure to have you come by and say hello.
Thank you for visiting and for your comments.

Tamara XO




Thursday, March 17, 2016

Images of Green in the Garden and An Irish Blessing~



Hello..
It's wonderful to have you come by today!
Has it been a busy day for you?

It has been for me. 
Jeff and I are getting ready go on a short rendezvous!
 Doesn't it always seem like there's so much to do
when you have plans to escape for a few days?

Our youngest daughter will be here so she will keep 
the fire going and gather the eggs.
The chickens are actually her "particular friends."
She talks to them and they respond with happy clucking.

I know it's St Patrick's Day and I hope that yours has been
fun and that you've not gotten pinched! 

The other day, I was out enjoying some sunshine and
fresh breezes. (I was also pushing away dead leaves, cutting dry stalks and doing a little pruning.)  

Here are some of the sweet little startings of this year's
herb garden and a few other treasures 
that I have about in the garden.
 Comfrey 
 A little color gathered in Arkansas.
Sedum
Garlic
Common Chives

this sweet little girl is holding up her dress to feed 
her little friend
See who's waiting for spring to come after a long winter's nap?
  The chickens get a treat.. the grass dug up from the garden
and it's time to gather the eggs!

Please don't be shocked by the next picture!
It's my herb garden right now.
Spring time here in the AZ mountains 
looks very bleak.
But I have come to see it as an 
opportunity to hunt for hidden beauty and to 
find the "special" in the seemingly common.
A big thing for an Ohio country girl.
But this, my sweet friends, is what I have to look forward to!
It doesn't seem like much but
I love my little herb garden.
It's a work in progress just like myself.
But it refreshes me and brings me great 
joy in the hot, dry months!
I look forward to it's blooms and life. 
Gardening here is a big challenge.
The sun burns and the cold freezes. 
The zone is difficult because of the heat and
the high elevation. But I work at it and learn more each year!
And there are several praying mantis that come
 often to pray here! ;)

Happy gardening to you!
Spring truly is just around the corner.
I look forward to seeing all of 
your lovely, happy gardens.

Thank you for coming by..
And since I'm Irish, I'd like to share
an Irish Blessing with you.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Thank you for coming by and have wonderful
rest of the week.

Tamara xo


Tuesday, March 15, 2016

of feathers..lace and French sheet music


Happy greetings from the Az. mountains!
The weather has been sunny and so warm.
I have been secretly wishing and praying for snow but I'm getting past that point.
It may still come. 
The mountains are like that. 
We are just in such desperate need of moisture.

But these days have been beautiful and I've been getting outside more. As so many of you have, I've been working on getting my flower beds and herb garden cleaned up. Since we have the possibility of getting very cold
weather again, I try not to clean too deeply. 
The plants still need warmth and protection.
***
Here's some little pieces that I'm very fond of
 and so I put them together for our table centerpiece.
My favorite way to create a focal point is by 
using what I have. These are usually
 found and thrifted treasures.
I found this lovely piece at a thrift store. 
The shape, tones and details caught my eye.
I turned it over and this was on the bottom.
I covered some plastic eggs with some French sheet music..
Part of the joy is letting some of the beautiful details show.
I'm fairly obsessed with and inspired by
 many kinds of music. I collect as many of the lovely aged books and sheets of it as I can.

{Here's "la musique" 
that my daughter is working at on the piano..
It's written by Patrick Doyle and 
is from the movie Sense and Sensibility.
It's very beautiful and listening
 to her play delights my heart.}
Sweet found feathers~

He will cover you with His feathers and His
faithfulness will be your shield~
Psalm 91:4
Let me be as a feather.
Strong of purpose but light at heart~
ABLE to bend.
~Anita Sams~ 


Best wishes for enjoying whatever season is 
knocking at your door. 
 And may your cup be filled to overflowing 
with hope and inspiration.

Thank you so much for coming by!
I appreciate you. 

Tamara xo

Linking up at 
Simply Neutrals











Thursday, March 10, 2016

Sweet Girl Rosette, Birthday Banner

The making of a birthday banner to
delight a little girl's heart.


acrylic paint
glitter
 card stock rosettes of various sizes
crepe paper streamers
rubber stamps
vintage jewelry
cabochons 
trims and ribbons
torn strips of fabric
strings of beads
cut out stars
1 1/2" mini clothes pins
 A pile of sparkles....
 Glitter on paint...
 Playing with paint and glitter...
 Using stamps in acrylic paint
Once Upon a Time...
there lived a little princess ~
"You are sweeter than sugar and more
precious than any pearl!"
She loved...
Pinks   blues   creams   whites
and 
ALL
things
SPARKLY... 
For the Beautiful, Birthday Princess~
My you feel priceless and cherished!  
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Wishing you all a day filled with dreams come true.
Thank you so much for coming by.

Tamara xo

Linking up