Christmas Tree.. Gillyweed Style

One of these days I will scrounge up enough dough to purchase a large driftwood Christmas tree from my friend Michelle at Resurrect Antiques in Opelika, AL.  I absolutely love her gorgeous trees!  However, yesterday I found this cute little DIY from 52 Mantels and knew that a mini tree would hold me over until I get the big daddy.  The original DIY used vintage mini glass ornaments for the tree shape and

thread for the base.  I adapted the design for my Gillyweed store using small driftwood pieces that the kids and I picked up last time we were at the beach.  Mini ornaments were added next and of course no tree would be complete without a star.

 

To see other fabulous Coastal Ideas, follow this link to Sally Lee by the Sea's... Coastal Christmas Holiday Link Party.

Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

I have a new found love for the chevron pattern.. maybe because it is a series of the letter "V" or maybe because it reminds me of making friendship bracelets when I was younger.  Either way, the chevron has inspired me to create some new jewelry for Gillyweed and has helped me tweak my logo by adding colorful accents... Suncoast Style!  I found this blog helpful for creating the chevron pattern.. maybe it will inspire you too.

working on some new jewelry pieces

new logo.. seen all over my new earring cards.

new scarves with chevron pattern coming in next week to the Gillyweed booth

And for Mosaic Monday.. here are some of my favorite Chevrons found on Pinterest!

For more wonderful Mosaics Monday postings, go to the Little Red House .

Enjoy!!

Who's Your Elf?

Last night my son Brice, age 10, asked me where our Elves were since the school Elf has now officially been seen in his classroom.  Seems Mr. Elf has been taking names on who is naughty and who is nice.. "Our Elves?" I asked, "I think they are still packed away with the ornaments".  After promising to unearth them this weekend I started thinking if this would be the last year he believes.  When my daughter turned 10, she figured the whole thing out from Santa to Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny to Leprechauns in one fell swoop.  My son, on the other hand, is holding on like a tooth tangling from one stringy root.  He found out about the Tooth Fairy a few months ago after a serious mishap from my husband.  Sweet hubby forgot to check if my angel was in fact sleeping before slipping the money under the pillow.  Twenty minutes later we hear a noise outside our bedroom door and when we went to check it out, we found said money on the ground.  We found him crying in his bedroom and had to explain the Tooth Fairy to him.  I thought that's it, he will figure it all out now.  But then our Elves came up in conversation last night at the dinner table.  Note to self.. You have one more shot to make magical memories!

We don't have the "Elf On The Shelf" book or doll.  However, we do have two vintage elves, like the ones pictured above, that remind me of my childhood Christmas holidays.  I always forget to move them around the house so I tell my children that they are too old.  This year will be different thanks to this blog posting I found... 101 Elf On The Shelf Ideas.

My favorites would have to include:

• Hang child’s unmentionables on the Christmas tree
•  Type /write an amazing letter of all the wonderful qualities your Elf has witnessed of your child!!!!!!!!
•  Elf writes his own X-mas list – Elf clothes, Mrs. Elf, candy, etc.

And I am sure I can come up with a few more to make this, possibly the last year of Believing, more special.

Enjoy!!

Sweet Poppies... goodbye for now

“The poppy opens her scarlet purse of dreams.” -Scharmel Iris

I found that quote earlier this morning before I headed off for my final Poppies Encaustic class.. what a wonderful way to finish this great series!!  I had my second Mother & Daughter team in this class today.  Niki (pictured standing below) and her mother Renee (not pictured) were so dang cute.  This class was an earlier birthday present for Renee so Happy Birthday!!  I hope you two had fun.  Janice (pictured sitting) was my first scaredy cat in all three classes.  She didn't want to use the blow torch.. she was perfectly content using the heat gun only. 

pictured below is Janice's work in progress.. I love how the red pops off the blue background.

Niki's masterpiece is below.. she opted not to add leaves.  I love how all the paintings were so unique.

 

And Renee's painting is pictured below.  I love how she had a bud as one of her flowers.  I want to just pluck them out of her painting and stick them into a vase.

 

Overall I think I added 3 more happy campers to my list!!  Niki and I counted all the poppy paintings that I have assisted with over the past 3 classes... 18!!!  So as you can imagine, I am done with these beauties and look forward to the Birds next week.

Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

Recently I had a friend ask me "what do you collect?" and I spouted off my ever expanding collections of Mercury Glass, Ironstone Platters, Wooden Angel Santos, French Santons de Provence (Kitchen Witch), and Folk Pan Faces.  It wasn't until later when I got home and started cleaning out the lint, receipts, and overall trash from my purse that I found a few of my most precious of collections... my pressed pennies!

According to the PennyCollector, the elongated coin is believed to be first made during the 1892-1893 World's Columbian Exposition that was held in Chicago, Illinois to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America. There were four different designs utilized during that event.

An elongated coin is made by a coin, token, medal or metal blank being forced between two steel rollers. An engraving is on one or both of the rollers and as the coin passes through the rollers it is squeezed or elongated under tremendous pressure from the original round shape to one of an oval and the engraved design impressed into the coin at the same time.

The pressed penny has been a family tradition since my kids were young.. we try to get one everywhere we go to remind us of how much fun we had together!  Here are the 3 new ones that we picked up this past Thanksgiving break... Jaws, Simpsons, and Florida Birds. 

 

And what a fantastic time to get me started on Mosaic Mondays!!  I'm trying to be more active in my blogging and the group from Little Red Door has really got me inspired.  Here are some of my copper hued favorites.. including the hair!  One day I am going to try that!!

images above were found on Pinterest

Enjoy!

It's not to late to bling out your Thanksgiving Day outfit!!  New sparkly jewels are now available at the Gillyweed booth inside The Vintage-Flea. 

We are off to Florida this week to spend quality time with Family and Friends. (Well first a little quality time with Universal Studios but then the family.)  I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!! 

Enjoy!

Encaustic Class for December...

So I finally got these little Cutie Pies made up as samples for my next Encaustic Class at the Corner Arts Gallery in Downtown, Newnan and I am grinning ear to ear!  They are so adorable... and easy to make.  Seriously!!  This class will focus on the transfer technique were I show you how you can take literally ANY photocopy and embed it into the wax.  Then we will add some color here and there.. and Viola!!

These each took me about 1 hour to make!

You will be hooked!!  I am structuring this class a bit different since they are UBER easy to make.  Each 8x8 panel will cost $25 so you are welcome to make 1 bird, 2 birds, 3 birds.. as many as you want.  I will provide all materials this go around, I just ask that you bring one roll of paper towels with you to class.  I will also bring an assortment of bird images but please feel free to bring your own too.  Just remember they must be images that have been photocopied as inkjet printers will not work with this technique.

Two classes are scheduled for December so make sure you reserve your spot soon.

December 8th 10am-12noon

or

December 10th 10am-12noon

Call Corner Arts Gallery to sign up.. 678-633-5705.  Hope to see you there!!