A Fanciful Twist

Treasure Hunting + 2 Drawing Winners ♥

It's been a busy week.

But I managed to sneak in a day in town antiquing.

When you're elbow deep in real world paper work, it's soooo goooood to escape.

I came home with many tiny treasures.

Bits and bobs of lace.

Vintage porcelain for tea times.

Little dolls too.

I love how antique stores suck you out of space and time.

It's like you are catapulted through a vortex.

Time stops, old music plays.

And treasures whisper their tales.

Each one trying to go home with you.

Love it.

The days have been glorious too.

What awesome weather.

Rose vines explode with leaves, practically swallowing up the gallery.

While wisteria positions itself to explode with blooms.

Our property is covered with the yearly fairy flowers of cool pre-spring.

They carpet the entire earth.

Tiny little sweeties.

A way to beckon the fairies out of winter hiding me thinks.

I marvel at all the shiny, fresh and tender new rose leaves everywhere.

As the rose arbor comes to life earlier than ever.

It's a curious year.

Spring in February.

Curious indeed.

Some of the arbor roses pop open while I stare in amazement.

They normally turn up in April.

I go through stacks of little dolls I couldn't leave behind.

Nancy Ann storybook dolls.

My mom spotted a red riding hood hidden in a drawer at Christine's.

So, she came home with me too.

If you are ever in Tucson, stop there.

There is even a hidden doll museum filled with his late mom's collections.

It could all be yours if you have $295,000 sitting around.

His mom asked him not to break up the collection and he has not.

If you happen to be gifted a tour of the hidden room (by the owner), you will think you fell into a fairytale of your own making.

It's beyond words, mind blowing.

You can't imagine the doll collection, it's a memory of the heart for sure.

If I won the lottery, I would buy it myself.

It's like stepping into an old attic of your wildest imagination.

But for now...

Lace collars and doll coats are in the budget ;-)

The witches will have to dress up properly during the year, haha!

I bought a handful of bonnets with details enough to make you gasp with delight.

Crazy little week.

Roses in February.

Bonnets a plenty.

Secret dreamy doll museums.

Made tax papers slightly less painful & boring.

 

Alsoooo...

I got my hands on a second Flea Market Decor magazine for the giveaway.

Soooo, the good news is, I drew two folks, instead of one.

And the winners are...

Commenters numbered 64 and 12!!

Girly Geek Chic and Janet!!

Please email me your snail mail addresses and I will pop them in the mail asap.

 

Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun!!!

xoxo

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

T.G.I.F!!

 

 ps:  I found a video of the doll museum for sale at Christine's that I talked about above.

Shows the details up close.

So many dolls, so little time!

It's a big room full, with wall to wall glass shelving, stuffed full.

The story of his mom and her collecting is so touching.

These are serious antiques too.

What you see in person as a whole is amazing.

 

Flea Market Decor Magazine Spring 2015 (& a Giveaway)

I have a little spring fun to share.

The March/April 2015 issue of Flea Market Decor Magazine is out, and...

Guess what?

We're in it!

Well, our last Mad Tea Party is in it, to be exact.

With lots of ideas and tips for having your own tea party.

I spotted it on the eve of Valentine's day in the grocery store.

I didn't know when it would be out or when we'd be in it for sure, so I was wonderfully surprised.

To celebrate I have an extra copy to give away.

All you have to do is leave a comment to enter.

Easy as pie ;-)

I have to say though, this issue was so beautiful.

If you don't win our copy, take a peek if you spot it at the store.

My sister and I both agreed that it's been ages since we've been truly inspire by a magazine.

This one made us excited to clean and decorate our own houses.

I missed that sort of magazine inspiration in print.

This so hits to spot.

With a vast array of styles too.

I am crazy mad about this kitchen.

There's just so much goodness in it.

Here are some more snippets I took to share...

Scrumptious!

Delightful!

Fun and inspiring!

So in love.

There's so much more, but I don't want to ruin it.

What a great magazine.

I feel like all the magazines I loved have really become sort of lack luster.

So, it's extra refreshing for Flea Market Decor to be chock full of goodness.

And not lacking at all, love it!

Yummm!

 

Just leave a comment to enter the giveaway.

I'll promptly send a copy your way if you win.

I'll draw names in a couple of days.

 

It's gorgeous here in the desert.

Such nice warm days.

I'm already tanned from spending my mornings outside in this unusually warm February.

I have truly been enjoying my days so much.

Getting up early, working out and listening to music.

I listen to lots of music and search for new music all the time too.

I'm doing all sorts of projects.

I have been going into town for lunches and dinners and shopping.

Seeing the dentist, who gave me props on teeth cleaning.

I thought I may have had tons of cavities, but none, hooray!

You know, just doing stuff.

Living life.

Enjoying it to pieces.

Getting ready for the gardens and spring.

Painting, lots of painting.

Pieces I just paint for me, for fun.

Loving life.

Being in the moment.

Refueling.

Getting ready for fun new arty things to come.

Cleaning.

Organizing.

Buying new pretty shoes whilst purging oldies.

Is there anything better than a crispy clean house?

LOVE it!!

Okay, I'm rambling now.

 

How are you?

Do you have the spring bug yet?

 

Lots of love, V

 

 

 

 ps: Simply leave a comment to enter magazine giveaway ♥

 

Of Bees & Flowers & Studio {and other tales}

Once upon a time, a long time ago...

There was a university student who made clothes and shoes.

She made all sorts of wonderfully crazy things and wasn't afraid to wear it..

Or paint it.

Or concoct it.

Or try it.

And then proudly display it.

She had a super hearty sense of blind self love and acceptance.

Blind confidence too.

Not necessarily a good thing, but I guess it worked out okay, haha!

She also had low expectations (still does), so she was always happily surprised.

Testing limits, trying everything.

She was so brave and free.

Painting like a mad woman in the middle of the night.

Stitching this and that.

She made lots of shoes, but there was this one pair that she extra loved.

And then, lost.

Poof, gone.

However.

Just the other day, she re-found them.

Those flowery happy shoes she made all those years ago

Hooooray!

They just turned up, sort of like the sprouts of spring that are pushing up through the garden ground.

Sleeping and then awake.

And so she wore her magical shoes for a day.

Poor little tattered things.

She took them on a tour of her life now.

Studio and paint.

Mixing colors.

She did some little repairs.

And just stared at them.

Memories swirling about.

Funny little shoes.

Fuchsia painted sides.

I love memories.

Good nostalgia.

Sooo happy I refound the shoes.

They inspired me to go through piles of old photos and letters.

Spending good gobs of time in the studio.

Working on a garden witch...

Taking breaks in delicious sun rays.

Watching light bounce off of winter as spring seeps in.

And then the sound...

It was coming from the ornamental rosemary, which lives on the other side of the garden from the culinary rosemary.

Faded purple bouquets...

With the sound of...

The bees.

Love love love!

Oh wonderful bees.

If only I could taste their rosemary honey!

As they buzzed about, I sort of was shocked, at how spring really is bursting forth this week.

Hollyhocks grow huge...

Pruned roses, having a wonderful unfurling of fresh new leaves...

Hydrangea leaves peeking out...

Hyacinth everywhere.

And now...

Gerbera daisies.

Yes, it's here.

Spring, you sneaky thing.

It's so early.

I wonder if it's here to stay?

Glorious magical spring.

How I love this time.

When everyone comes out of a deep sleeping beauty slumber.

And poking around the garden is beyond words exciting.

It's wonderful.

Isn't it?

And now I have my snazzy old new shoes to wear.

Although, they are hanging on by a thread.

So, maybe I'll retire them to the shoe case.

And fondly remember that girl who made them.

The me of then, that helped create the me of today.

Funny little hot glued soles.

Haha!!

 

I think we should all make a pair of shoes.

Or up-cycle some oldies.

I'll go through my trunks and find some others I've made or painted.

We should do this as a group project.

Upcycling!

What do you think???

 

Oh come on, say yes ;-)

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely Little Things

What a lovely heart filled weekend it was.

Baking and making galore.

Sharing with friends and even some people I didn't know.

Everyone enjoyed the treats, which made it extra fun to have made them.

I have been making these linzer cookies every year for almost 16 years now.

(here is a recipe I have used that is delicious)

A fun tradition of my very own.

Butter cream yumm.

They look so fancy but really are so easy to assemble.

I use raspberry jam instead of strawberry.

And voila.

Pretty treats to share.

I just love making these.

Warms my heart.

It was such a fun weekend.

Doing all manner of things.

It got very warm so a lot of garden was involved.

A new arbor made by Mister Lovee.

Trimming fruit trees.

I received oooooodles of treats from my parents too.

Fun fun fun!

I love being an adult kid.

It's the best.

I took these to Mister Lovee's Friday night gig.

Beer and treats were eaten like mad.

Neither by me.

What a fuddy duddy, I know.

But I did do some card tricks.

As I was taking pictures a little head photo bombed my pics.

You see, this little sneaky fur (Matty) loves sweets.

Don't worry, he doesn't get them often at all.

But he looooves them.

He loves sweets and fish.

His brother Miles hates sweets and fish and prefers veggies and potatoes.

Which Matty loathes.

Funny little eaters.

They both love chicken and meat.

Even dogs are like little children.

Finicky.

But soooo sweet.

This one stole chocolates as a baby and scared his mama, but he just got hyper in the end.

Then he stole a GIANT cupcake I was using in a photo shoot when he was little too.

So, it seems those things created a sweet tooth.

While I was baking he just stood at the corner of the stove staring into the oven.

Poor little guy, haha!

Now he wants chocolate pink candies.

Maybe he's sweet after all?

He's sweet to me on his own terms at least.

So, I guess that's good?

At least he doesn't eat my dried flowers.

Don't you just love dried flowers?

And after all those treats....

We gobbled up all of our Brussels sprouts from the garden.

A little olive oil, some slivered almonds, craisins, garlic salt and a hearty splash of balsamic.

Delish!

Oh and someone took a bath.

Random tid-bits, I know.

But that is how Valentine's day goes down around here, haha!

CHOMP!

 I took a luxurious bath.

Took 3 hours to get ready.

Did my nails.

Went shopping late at night with ML.

Enjoyed bouquets of balloons.

Ran around the yard with them.

Gave away all the sweets.

Played music really loud.

Watched a scary movie.

Washed all my bedding.

Spent too much time in bed enjoying the coziness.

Danced.

Cried.

Laughed.

Sang.

All the things I like to do on my very me Valentine's day.

A me me me day.

How about you?

Any fun things you did?

 

I requested some love songs at the Friday gig.

I got Only You and Mexican Moon.

It was fab.

 

And then Monday is here again.

It's spring weather, hope it lasts.

So what should we do next?

I've been splashing around paint.

But we need something extra fun, don't you think?

Any ideas?

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

 ps:  Here's a link to that cookie recipe again, in case you missed it in the post but wanted it.