Something cheerful and colorful this time of year to celebrate the lovey-dovey holiday in February: Valentines Day.
Using my favorite: mixed media

Nice bright colors
vintage finds:

• printed papers
• game-pieces
  
• sheet-music
• flashcards
• measuring tape

For Valentines Day I decided to focus on the love that exists at home between family members:  the safe haven for kids and adults alike.
Taking titles and phrases from kids songs that center around loving families,
I made three pieces:

• Love at Home
• Love is Spoken Here
• Home is Where the Heart Is
  

It was so fun to select three different types of vintage flashcards: 

• the traditional math flashcard: addition
• the "teaching shapes" flashcard: triangle
• the unusual ACT studying card: vocabulary

Making these pieces was like a happy mini-vacation for me in the middle of the cold-snowy month of January...
Boy has it been super cold around here this year...

So sock-monkey and I are excited....
Here's to a bright and shiny new year: full of promise to be a wonderful and happy.
Especially on Valentines Day!

Well, that's about it for new decoration for Valentines Day around here....
What fun new decor items have you come up with?

Linking to a number of these bloggy friends.... as well as to the Charm of Home, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, The Shabby Nest, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

Well, I am such a lucky girl,
because the publishers of (apron∙ology) magazine
thought they would publish my apron in their newest issue!
YAY!

Apronology is a fun magazine with all kinds of super cute hand-made apron ideas in it: 
and this issue also has one of my creations featured...  :)
Oh my....

I made the Lisa Apron when my friend Lisa moved away.  She was moving from around the corner to all the way in Montana!  And I would miss her!
It's been a while now since she and her family moved, and I still miss her; but I'm happy to report that we did go visit them this summer and had a great time...! A super-great time!

I'm also happy to report that I am working on writing up a free sewing pattern for the Lisa Apron, so all of you who would like to can make one of your own....
I will post it here on the blog shortly.

I am just amazed every time other people think my creations are worthwhile....
And honored....!
How did I get to be so lucky...???

Yay!  I finished this fleece and denim rag quilt for my son.  He loves it! 
It is nice and warm, and looks great in his room. 

These are a few tips to keep in mind before you start your jeans and fleece rag quilt:

• Make sure your sewing machine can handle several layers of denim.  Not all machines can.
• No need for batting: denim and fleece are both very warm.

• Special rag-quilt scissors are available at your local sewing store.  They are well-worth your investment.  (Use a coupon!)
• Though this quilt is easy to make, it does take a lot of time, so be ready for that.
  
• There are pockets on both the front and back of this quilt, which I did on purpose.  However, as it turns out, my son did not like that:  he thought they should appear on the front only.  Just something to think about before your start sewing.
• I like the looks of this quilt, but if I was to make it again, I would use two solid colors of fleece, rather than one solid and one print.  It would have given a more ageless feel in my opinion.  
• Hitting your finger with a hammer really hurts!  And will hurt for several weeks, so be careful! (Yes, that is experience speaking...! ) (Find out how hammers are related to quilt-making in the slideshow below....)

Go through the slideshow below to see step-by step direction on how to make your own denim and fleece rag quilt.

I link up to a number of these bloggy friends.... as well as to the Charm of Home, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, The Shabby Nest, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

Organize your new year in STYLE!
I'm excited to announce that there is an awesome giveaway taking place right now.
Several of us bloggy friends are getting together to help you start the new year with some new and exciting organization in your home.
Enter NOW for your chance to win

Ta-DA!  Here is the newest addition to the laundry room:  
a new "chandelier" made from a vintage pot-rack and some old-old silverware... 
I am so excited!

After collecting real silver flatware at estate sales and thrift stores for a few months, I finally had enough to finish the vision I had for my vintage pot-rack (purchased years ago).  I drilled holes along the outer-edge of the pot-rack, drilled holes in the silver utensils; and got to work with a bit of wire. 

I used mostly forks and spoons and just a couple of regular knives, because the knives were not silver throughout but silver-plated, and the metal underneath was too hard for my poor drill-bits...  (I went through quite a few drill-bits making this chandelier....  ).  The butter knives were fabulous though, plus I really like having the variety in shapes. 
I also have a few sugar spoons hanging around...  I love 'em all.......

It sounds so pretty too.  My son thinks this new "chandelier" makes a beautiful wind-chime.
And he's right!  It does!  Sounds just like one when you gently "plunk" it, and the silver utensils jingle....   It's like Christmas all over again!

In stead of wiring a light into the pot-rack, I opted for a simpler method of lighting the pot-rack chandelier at night:  a magnetized battery-powered light I found at Harbor Freight Tools for just a few dollars.  It sticks securely to the top of the metal chandelier, shines nice and bright, and I don't have to worry about hiding the wires and such...  :)

It looks enchanting at night....