Healing Heartache

To add to the stress of selling our house and trying to find one to buy, we lost our oldest cat about a month ago. She was 13.5 years old. I had her longer than the husband. I received a few cards soon after she died, and I couldn't even read them. A piece of my heart was missing.

Then yesterday, I received a card from Lily Munchkin. Her artwork was so sweet and thoughtful that I had to share it.

You can see my sister's written explanation of this one at the top: Angel dancing on the clouds up in Heaven.
(Do you see how she signs her name with a heart? She noticed me doing that on my projects when she was here at Christmas and she started doing the same :)

This one is Lily, Husband, and me walking our three cats on leashes. Can you tell we have (had) a black cat, gray cat, and white cat?

Lily's card really cheered me and I will treasure it always.
 

Still Breathing

Yes, I'm still here! I'm taking a break from blogging because we have been so busy. We spent months getting our house ready to sell, finally put it on the market, and sold it in a day! Exciting, right? Except, now we have no place to go! We have been looking and looking for just the right place and still haven't found it.

Now we're busy packing and house hunting.

I hope to have photos of "the new house" to share soon! Houses here have been selling so quickly. If you're not in on the first day and get your offer in immediately, you don't have a chance. We did find two we liked, but got out bid on the first one (I think the people were crazy to pay what they did) and didn't even get the chance to make an offer on the second house.We're hoping that an adorable vintage style farmhouse that will be listed next week is as cute inside as it is outside.

I do have a few cards and projects I've made recently that I can share soon - just have to get the photos off of my camera!

I received some more good news - Cards magazine wants to feature me as their "artist of the month." Problem is, I never received the email request and missed the deadline for the September issue. So now they're trying to figure out where to fit me in.

Husband and I will also be celebrating our 10th anniversary next week and are taking a trip to the Steel Magnolias House in Natchitoches, LA. I'm sure I'll have beautiful photos to share from that trip!
 
 

More Junk

Husband and I are looking for a new house. Or an old house. We want some land to raise a couple of babydoll sheep and some hens. The pickings are slim. We ventured down to Waxahachie, TX to take a second look at an old Victorian home and see if we could make a decision. So far, no decision.

But, they were having their city wide resale on the town square, and I was lucky enough to be there at the right time :)

Here is what I came home with.

Vintage linens - embroidered towel and tablecloth and an old pillowcase.

Another old towel and a few handkerchiefs. I also found a couple of postcards and a photo from a children's birthday party, a blingy rhinestone brooch, and an old pocketwatch. I also snatched up the old beaded flowers. I wish they had more!

   
We're still searching for the dream house, while we are busy getting our house ready to sell. It seems that our contractor bailed on us at the very end. Luckily, Husband is able to take over and finish the job.
 
 

New Junk

I spent more than a week with my family in NJ for Easter. I had so much fun with Lily Munchkin. We made Easter cards, dyed eggs, and had a few egg hunts.

Lily made these little bunnies for everyone. She named each one. My bunny is named Ann, and Husband's bunny is named Pop Pop. My dad received one named "Bathroom." I don't know how or why she came with the names she did, but we were quite amused.

I got to spend a little time junking, and here is what I came home with.

I fell in love with the Easter Parades on Holly's Cotton Pickin Fun and Elizabeth's Creative Breathing blogs. They used vintage baby planters to create adorable vignettes. I already have a little lamb planter, and I found these two to add to my collection. I also picked up a vintage pink bottle brush tree, some old Christmas cards, and a sweet old book (in the background).

Christmas carols sheet music, ornaments, and a stack of old ironstone plates. I found these for 50 cents each! Isn't it amazing what some people see no value in at all? I plan to use them to create some altered plates to display around the house.

A vintage needlework kit - I plan to list this in my etsy shop. I've had a lot of luck with old crafting kits.

My sister had a bag full of vintage decorations for me. She got them at her work - they were being discarded and this was the "old junk" that no one else wanted. Can you believe it? Lucky for me, she scooped them up and now they are in my collection! I have a pile of the little chenille stockings. They will be perfect for a banner.

I love being able to visit the flea markets and thrift stores when I'm up north - there is so much old junk that I treasure and can bring back home to Texas. I found two flea markets that I had never heard of before, so they will be on the list for my next visit!

 

Winner!

Thank you for entering my Spring Folk magazine giveaway.

The winner is....

Terri!

Congratulations! I'll get this beautiful magazine out to you this week.

Happy Spring!

Welcome Spring Giveaway

Even though it officially arrived two weeks ago, I know it didn't feel like it for most. I hope the spring weather is finally starting to creep into your part of the world.

To help its arrival, I am giving away a copy of the Spring issue of Folk magazine.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post by midnight ET Sunday, April 7. I'll pick a random winner on Monday, April 8. One way or another, spring will get to you!

 
Good luck!

Happy Easter

I hope you enjoy a peaceful Easter. I'll be sharing mine with Lily Munchkin, so I think peaceful is out of the question.

Here a few Easter images from my stash. Feel free to save and use in your own creations. You can also check out my Pinterest boards for more Easter ideas.