New pretties

Well now that all the festivities are over for another year I have a nice little quite break to reflect on some new projects. I love the colours associated with Valentines Day shades of pinks reds and fancy pretty ladies. Here is a little sneak peek at some charms I am working on this week with those pretty colours in mind. I searched high and low for beautiful images to share with you, the french 18 th century ladies are difficult to come by. Well Happy New Years to all my reader friends! I plan to stay in and order take out and put my feet up!

Yule Blessings

On December 21 many of us celebrate Yuletide, it is a custom from the old religion that falls on the first day of winter. The celebration is really the change of seasons from the dying of the old year that falls on Halloween to the rebirth of the new year symbolized by the deep sleep through winter, to the birth of a new season in spring. This is the religion of nature.
I took a few pictures of my tree and mantel decorated for Christmas, my cat Patches is in the window waiting for Santa! I also noticed a few missing ornaments from the bottom of my tree, maybe the innocent rag doll took them, or the snow fairy.
Bright Blessings to you and yours!

Cat in a Basket

I have heard of "chicken in a basket" but well here is a new one Cat in a basket, and a really small basket at that! I have a little basket on my kitchen counter for napkins and my little guy Ming found his way up there, he will spend his whole day roaming around looking for a warm spot, I guess he was getting some heat from the nightlight I left on. It kinda startled me when I went to the sink and out of the corner of my eye I saw movement! Siamese cats are such great fun they get into all sorts of predicaments, my guy has been locked in numerous cupboards drawers gymbags ect, to name a few, but he will sure let you know when he needs out! They have a distinct vocal ability, sometimes at 3 in the morning. Some people mistake them for a baby crying! He has been having fun with his first Christmas tree, most of the lower half of my tree is stripped and he will start a hockey game in the living room usually at 3 in the morning!

Let It Snow

Well it snowed all day yesterday, nice pretty falling snow with now winds. It reminded me of the movie Narina while Lucy walked through the wardrobe into the winter wonderland of snow swirling around the lamp post. I worked in the studio today filling some last pre Christmas orders, had some time to take a peek at this wonderful site www.greengate.dk lots of yummy things to drool over. Like this picture at the front of the magazine, love those candle holders.
Well back to work, I will be listing some pretty new lady journals and glass charms over the Christmas break, these will be a bit Valentine looking so watch for them.

Across the Pond

Here is a few pictures I was so happy to see on Mary's blog Across The Pond. She purchased a few of my garlands and one of my favourite charms. I love the way she has them displayed in her home, so nice to see my work enjoyed by others. Thanks Mary, and you must visit her blog it is wonderful!

Pretty Things

It is so nice to get a little package in the mail. Yesterday I received this little envelope of treasures from Marilyn Healey, she does art collage work and uses the sweetest pictures, papers and soft pink colours that are so yummy! I hope to get back to her shop for more pretty things. I still have a real softness in my heart for the colour pink, now I am in love with baby pink. I have been busy in the evenings while the Christmas cartoons are on, sewing a few little hearts. I just love the ones I have seen on different blogs and set out to try a few of my own. These ones are made from tea dyed fabrics with lace pieces and old brooches, one has little angel wings and a cross on it, my fave. Well finishing up my decorations for the season, hung a few garlands about the house and will do my tree this weekend. Happy Christmas Advent!

Holiday decor

Here is some pictures from a beautiful magazine Vakre Hjem Norwegian Homes I believe it means correct me if I am wrong. I love the simple styles they show in themes of white.

Well i think I will put up my tree today or tomorrow, I have put up garlands of plain pine and my daughters favourite Christmas village. Boy this month flies better get cracking. We had a early snowstorm on Sunday at least a foot of snow, so everyone is heading out to the stores to shop now they see the white stuff. I have 4 birthdays this week including mine to get things done for, one 5 year old for tonight, off to a play land for cake and pizza. Hope to get to Ikea sometime this week I love the cookies and Christmas decor, last year I bought the cutest gingerbread ornaments. Happy Tuesday.

Cones and Charms

In a festive mood this weekend must be the little sprinkling of snow on the ground. Although we spent most of the weekend do house chores raking, and putting up some lights on the outside, shopping for ingredients for a Chili to simmer while we work. I did a few little cones, and a couple of sparkling Christmas Charms too. I was happy to receive my order of little paper boxes for my charms so each one will come wrapped in a lovely way.

An Award For The Best Christmas Magazine Cover

There is simply no debate on this one:0)

Christmas Paper Bundle

If you are in need of a little help with your yule gifting and making cards I have put together a bundle of my favourite Christmas images in this little set. I love the way the silver glitter doves turned out, I plan to make some more for my garlands and tree. The colours in this set are soft cremes and light blues very muted and pretty combinations for vintage pieces.

Noel Garland

Here is a couple of new paper goodies made just for the holidays. Two garlands made from vintage sheet music simple and sweet.

New Pretties

I have made some more charms and here is a few pretties on the pillow. I just love how they look around the house, I have them tied around pillar candles, hanging from a vase of flowers and even on my doll. These charms are listed in my shop.

Antique Samplers

I came across some wonderful images of 19th century Samplers that I had to share with you. These are some pricey pieces are from a antique dealer in New England and would be bought by a serious collector. But what good is that to have such works of homespun lovely needlework hidden away and enjoyed by one person only? I ask myself. A work of such detail and meaning carefully crafted by a lady or young girl whiling away the hours by the fire lit hearth on a dark November evening in the families Salt Box house. I love the pictorial images of the New England houses featured on these works. I can just imagine the Salt Box house standing tall against the elements of nature around them, winds whipping through the surrounding farm fields, sleet and snow weathering the paint and wood. Our ancestors were hardy people.

All Hallow's Eve

Bright Blessings to all on Halloween Night! I have my pumpkin ready to carve and my treats set up to give all the little goblins and fairies that knock on my door. Enjoy the magic of Halloween Night, light a candle for those who have passed over and wish them well as the veil between two worlds parts on the one night of the year.

Charms for the Holidays

I have been busy this week doing up a couple of wholesale orders for some small shops. Thanks you very much for your business and supporting my little Nest. I try to do new designs for each order, a little surprise. All of my charms are of 19th century papers, photos and text from books done in muted tones of sepia browns, grey, and ivory with black. I made a few duplicates of the ones I really like and will offer them for sale here on my blog. This little charm of a sweet little girl, she may be dressed in her holiday best, I have added the text Noel and a few ivory buttons to the top. The second charm shown here is of an vintage image of a doll with some sparkle of silver glitter added to the wings. I will offer they 2 charms for sale through my blog only, each one is $20.00 plus shipping please email kelly@nas.net me if you would like to purchase one.

Birds and Buttons

With so many artists in the business of making collage arts and paper crafts it is a challenge to keep abreast on what is new and what has been done by another artist. I tend to work by using colours and images of my personal taste and not just follow the latest trend, and if I do something of the latest trend I will add my own spin to it. I am working towards developing my own style and that will take time to evolve through experimentation in different mediums, I do find that when I really like something I have made maybe 6 months after I make it then I know that is me and my true style. I have had my shop The Dove's Nest open now for a year and I still enjoy the items of paper and ribbons that I have made so this is where I shall roost, in my nest, I love cutting pasting, ribboning, and adding glitter, making little packages, printing and graphic desinging items on the comupter, looking through old books and finding a forgotten image, that would look so beautiful on something, maybe a card, notebook, encased in a glass charm. When I set out to make something I think about where it would look nice, hung on a wall or draped on a mirror, then pick out colours, mostly soft neutral colours are appealing to me right now, with snippets of nature added to each piece, maybe a bird, nest, or something of fairies. This little paper garland is one of those pieces, made with four stamped bird images printed on ivory cardstock papers then hung on a ivory seam binding with little buttons added to the ribbon. I like the first bird image it is of a old book plate with calligraphy script. I have added this garland to the shop today. Before the season of angels and silver glitter falls upon us I will be taking a little break and working with colours and inspirations of nature.

Basket of Inspiration

This is one of my baskets that I sometimes carry around when working on putting together ideas for a piece. I like to stock it with glue sticks tags some old books some printed pages, ribbons and other oddments, this works well when you are trying to do collage pieces you can play around with a few things and leave them to look at them later. Working on a few new collage pieces for the shop in bird and flowers theme of course, garlands and charms.

New Charm

A new style charm made from vintage papers featuring a pretty 19 th century lady with wings on one side and a toile country scene on the back. This is a beveled glass charm size 2 inch by 2 inch and hung from a black ribbon. I made one featuring a little blue lady as well, and just put them in the shop today.

Harvest Feast

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are in Canada! I call ours a Harvest Feast well because of the fall harvest and my daughters favourite cartoon/book Little Bear. We decided to cook a turkey even though it it 30 degrees out, this global warming is frightening, we have never had that kind of weather this time of year. We did go for a warm fall walk in the morning and collected some pretty coloured leaves for our table, I like the Oak leaves and the Maples some with 4 colours on them. While the turkey cooked we decorated our table, had some Forest Berry tea and read a few Autumn stories, some of favourites Tasha Tudor's Time To Keep and some Halloween books, I love the illustrations of them.

Baby Witches

Getting a little closer to All Hallows Eve. Hope to get out over this Thanksgiving weekend to a farm to scare up a pumpkin and some apple cider and look at the pretty Autumn leaves. I enjoy taking my basket full of papers and a large cup of tea, spread things out on the table in front of my little black stove and fiddle around with collage ideas, my daughter likes to help she cuts and pastes things up while I am working she wants to be just like Mommy. So here is a set of my tags I came up with Baby Witches.

Glitter Charms

Here is a few new pictures of some charms I have made, this time I added some pretty silver glitter to each. Feeling much better this week. Started to echinachia every day now and strong vitamin C.

Nest Charm

This is my favourite little charm out of the ones that I have made so far. I just love how it looks hanging there from my little washboard near my desk. Well once I get over my illness, my cold has turned to some kind of throat infection, and my poor daughter has now a rash on her face. We are off to the Dr. this morning. I really do think I will send her to school wearing rubber gloves and a mask from now on. Since she has started school she has been off now 4 days ill. I know they say it is supposed to get there immune systems strong by being exposed to all these bugs, but will our poor little bodies make it through the first year. That reminds me I need to ask the Dr. about the Meningitis vaccine. My daughter was born into a word of scary viruses, I even gave birth to her during the SARS outbreak in our city, the hospital was under lock down, I could only have one visitor allowed in and they had to be checked and screened at the door. I always have good talks about these medical/virus subjects with my Mom, she trained and worked as a Lab Tech in the hospital so she knows more then most doctors, and tells me what to ask for when I do go, they just give me the look like how do you know lady.

New Fall Winter Catalogue

I have worked together a nice little catalogue for featuring my goods for Fall/Winter. If you would like a copy emailed to you please add you email to my mailing list or if you would like one mailed to you email me and I will send you printed copy. Lots of sweet items for the holidays, glittery wish candle boxes, glass charms, paper bundles, house garlands, and hand papered journals tied up with lace. Well off to the Vets this morning my cat Ming has a cold, I am keeping my daughter home from school because she still has a lingering cold. I see myself playing nurse maid to the family today.

Fall, Colds, Soup and Blankets

That it is the flavour of the past week around here. My daughter started her first week at JK, she had a great time, but brought home the cold to visit us. I remember last spring when she was in preschool, she would start off great on Monday and by Friday sniff sniff, with a pale face and sore throat, and of course I have the same non-existent immune system as her so I can count on ac hey sniff sniff too, then it takes the weekend for us to re-coup and well wait till Friday again to roll out the blankets on the couch and fill up the pantry with Campbell's soups.....grrrr. I am doing laundry this morning, Chloe likes to drag every blanket out of the cupboards and build a nest in the couch with the dog and the cats, so I have the dryer going full tilt so by the time she gets back from school she will want the blankets again, have to kill the germs. Well I took some neo cirtin this morning so feeling a little light headed. Hope to list some new pics and glass charms this week. Well going to stir up some Tomato Rice soup and Grilled Cheese sandwiches for lunch, then snug up for a nap in the fresh blankets....on the couch. Move over dog.