cute stuff inside

C IS FOR COOKIE

2012-02-14T10:50:00.005-05:00

When I went to bed last night, this plate was piled high with felt cookies, but somehow they disappeared while I was getting ready this morning. They had been tucked into Valentines and sealed with heart stickers, so there was no way they would be photographed. This is all that was left - a linzer heart, a black & white, and a not quite finished mini chocolate frosted doughnut with sprinkles. You don't get to see the sugar cookies with pink frosting and pink sprinkles, the sugar cookies with white frosting and red & white sprinkles, the hearts with chocolate ganache and pink bead trim, and so on.

Sadly, the children at Frannie's school will not be devouring any of these:

You see, a year ago, the superintendent banned all treats and snacks of any kind at the elementary level. That means no Halloween candy, no Christmas goodies, no Valentine sweets, and most upsetting of all, no birthday cupcakes to celebrate their special day. We were told that it was to promote a healthier student, to fight obesity and increase productivity. Well, dear, "sweet" superintendent, it has been a year since this ruling was put into effect, and personally, I have not seen one leaner, meaner learning machine walk down your halls because of cupcake prohibition. If students learn more and weigh less, it's because of the parents, teachers and physical eduction. The only thing you succeeded in was producing the sad face on a child when you have to explain why they can't bring in a cupcake for their birthday. Why don't you take away the chocolate milk and sugared cereal from the cafeteria instead.

Happy Valentine's Day

S.W.A.K.

WOOLY BULLY

2012-01-27T20:15:00.002-05:00

So where does the time go? Anyhow, a while back, a good while back, I won a contest. The Woolie Ewe had asked contestants to name their little lamb, and I won. I suggested her name be "Woolamina". Get it? Wool-amina. Not only did a I win a $100 gift certificate to their store, they also sent me a Woolie Ewe mug and travel mug. I love them both and they get used everyday. Now, it took me a while to cash in on this gift certificate, not because their online shop didn't have a nice selection - au contraire, they have the most wonderful online selection you every did see! And that was my dilemma - I couldn't decide what to get. As you can see, I finally made some choices and this is what I received. The most yummy, scrumptiously delicious yarn you ever did sink your hands into. The Woolie Ewe has a brick and mortar store in Plano, TX, in case you're in the area, and if not, you can view their on-line selection here. Their staff is extremely pleasant and knowledgeable. Tell them Woolamina sent you.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - I think they're having a big sale right now.

PACHABEL CANON IN D

2011-12-22T17:54:00.003-05:00

Christmas Concert

Frannie is first violin this year. She can really "make her violin sing"! Her Dorothy shoes look so cute with this dress.

S.W.A.K.

VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS... (Part Deux)

2011-12-18T10:20:00.010-05:00

Speaking of sugarplums, I thought you'd like a see little slide show. Each year Frannie and I put up a second tree - this one is just for us. It stands only 3 feet tall. We put multi-color lights and gumdrop garland on it. The ornaments are either food related or pink or both. We call it our "Sweet Tree". On with the show!

This year's addition. I found her at an estate sale. In a basement. In a crumpled up bag. She's been returned to her place of honor and is happy in her new home. She's very fragile, but oh, so sweet!

Sometimes you find very nice ornaments where you'd least expect it. The red and white stripe candy ornament came from Walmart a few years back. It is glass and quite lovely.

Mmmm... Donuts

I've made quite a few of these birdhouses in different colors. The pink one goes on the Sweet Tree.

Another ornament from Walmart.

The clay cupcake ornament came from Frannie's holiday shop at school. It was a Christmas gift. She knows what I like.

Mmmm... More Donuts

When I was on my own and put up my very first Christmas tree, I purchased a whole bunch of these little red apples at Green's Five and Ten (I believe that is what you would now refer to as a Dollarama). I still use them every year, even though a few have cracked and crackled a bit.

S.W.A.K.

WHILE VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS...

2011-12-16T20:15:00.002-05:00

Okay, so these aren't sugarplums, but I am having visions of them dancing in my head. They are simply super fudgy brownies dipped in chocolate ganache and made festive with some red and white sprinkles. Let me show you how my family likes to eat brownies:

Husband likes the ganache part best, so I save him this.

Son likes his unadulterated, so he doesn't mind enjoying the scraps from the cut out shapes. Sometimes he even gets an entire square in the mix. Can you see how fudgy they are?

Now Frannie is a girl after my own heart. She likes hers refined with a big cup (and I do mean big - this one measures 5-1/2" diameter) of ice cold milk served up holiday style with appropriate reading material on the side. As for the selection, I like to think of Frannie as being well-rounded.

BOTTOMS UP!

SING WE JOYOUS, ALL TOGETHER

2011-12-14T11:15:00.005-05:00

Simple banner made from vintage French music sheets and gold beads, glitter, chipboard, card stock, pearl beads and star trimmings.

Close-Up. I even made a little pearl loop on each side for hanging.

FA LA LA, LA LA LA, LA LA LA

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DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL

2011-12-10T20:42:00.004-05:00

Dress ornament made from various papers, glitter, tulle, vintage ribbon and sparkly things.

FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA

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MATTHEW MEAD HOLIDAY - GIVEAWAY

2011-12-01T17:17:00.002-05:00

Matthew Mead Holiday is having a $100 Visa Gift Card giveaway (2 winners), but you'd better hurry - ends tonight.

S.W.A.K.

MAKING WHOOPIE

2011-11-16T11:11:00.003-05:00

Yep, that's what I've been up to, making whoopie - well, pumpkin whoopie pies to be exact - pumpkin whoopie pies with a fluffy cream cheese filling. I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website from guest baker Matt Lewis, of Brooklyn's Baked bakery (they even have a video). Let me tell you, they are the moistest, yummiest, finger lickin' whoopie pies I ever did taste. I wanted mine to be smaller, so I portioned the batter out with a 1-1/2" diameter ice cream scoop and baked exactly 14 minutes. I also changed the filling recipe just a tad - instead of 3 cups of 10x sugar, I used 2 cups and 1 cup of marshmallow fluff. This recipe made approximately 48 (2-3 bite) sandwiches. You know a recipe is really good when a group of 10 year old girl scouts beg for seconds! You can get the recipe here. I'm thinking chocolate and peppermint for Christmas - hope I can find a recipe that is just as moist.

By the way, the teacup and saucer in the photo - that is a vintage thrift store find.

S.W.A.K.

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LIONS & TIGERS & BEARS, Oh! MY

2011-11-01T22:40:00.002-04:00

On occasion, I have been known to frequent a thrift store or two. I know, a few of you are probably feeling your skin crawl right about now. I'm not one to go looking through racks of used clothing, hey, I don't even like to look through racks of new clothing - I admit that I really don't like to shop at all. On the other hand, if I drive by a thrift store, Goodwill, flea market or estate sale, you'll hear my brakes squeal! It's so much FUN! I usually head straight for the glassware department because my favorite finds are vintage tea cups, and I have found quite a few beauties in the past. But on this one particular day, the sight of my all-time favorite color, robin's egg blue, caught the corner of my eye and when I turned, I did a little gasp because what I spotted was a beautiful pair of brand-spanking new designer shoes in just my size. I quick grabbed those beauties before anyone else could get their hands on them. I slipped one foot in and felt like Cinderella because it fit like a glove. I turned over the other shoe to see the price and lo and behold only a mere $8.00! Woohoo! Sold!

If you like vintage, wait until you see what I found at an estate sale this past weekend.

S.W.A.K.

WALK THIS WAY

2011-10-21T20:00:00.004-04:00

Someone couldn't wait until Halloween to show off her new shoes. And this is all it took to make them:

A pair of cast off shoes found at our local thrift shop. These had a pretty good shape and a just right heel. They were brown suede, but I wasn't too worried about that. Frannie's not wearing adult shoes just yet, but these were only a size 5-1/2 - Perfect!

These other supplies I already had on hand. Mod Podge (my very favorite tool - next to the glue gun, of course), red glitter, Folk Art Cardinal Red paint, some sparkly crystal-like things, some vintage red sequins (doesn't everyone have some of those laying around the house?), and an old paintbrush. Oh, yes, I almost forgot about the cardboard. From what Frannie tells me, the original ruby slippers had bows made out of cardboard. So, if it's good enough for MGM, then it's good enough for me.

Frannie wanted to make sure you could see the bow detail.

So let's see - shoes from the thrift shop - $5
Supplies from around the house - $0
The look on Frannie's face when she saw the finished ruby slippers - Priceless!

So, are you a good witch or a bad witch?

S.W.A.K.

GO GRANNY, GO GRANNY, GO GRANNY, GO!

2011-08-15T23:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, so it isn't exactly a granny square, but you get the idea. I had a few tidbits of Tahki Cotton Classic leftover and it was just enough to make this scarf (I use this yarn every chance I get - it has such a nice sheen and a great color palette too). I still need to do a little blocking, but we couldn't wait to show off our new fashion accessory (Frannie's 10 and just about to start 5th grade, so we're really into fashion these days).

I just love this. What I mean is that I just love the way the scarf folds up into a nice little package. That's what happens when you join as you go. That's another thing I just love - joining as I go.

I could crochet these blocks forever and ever.

Meow.

S.W.A.K.

RAZZLE DAZZLE

2011-08-14T15:15:00.004-04:00

I treated myself this weekend. It was a splurge, but, ohhhhh, worthy every penny. If you could only feel how soft and luxurious it is.

Isn't it dreamy?!!!

I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but it is a soft yellow with teeny-tiny silver beads and the tiniest of sequins.This is the pattern. I made my purchase at Westport Yarns. They had a sample made up in a charcoal gray. It was stunning, but I just couldn't draw myself away from the yellow. Oh, how I love yellow. And robin's egg blue. And baby pink. And apple green.

Frannie and I have been lucky this summer. We won giveaways from two blogs.

The first was from Pam Kitty Morning. She is launching a new line of fabric. I love it and you will too! If you like to make potholders, here is the link to a great PKM tutorial.

But the prize was for this - an autographed copy of Cotton Floss from Cinderberry Stitches. This is Natalie Lymer's fist book. It's filled with all kinds of projects and stitchery designs in the fun and colorful Cinderberry style. Thank you Pam Kitty Morning and Natalie. Frannie and I love it!

Our second giveaway prize was received from Pat Sloan.
It is an Aurifil Kit Art - a box filled with 12 spools of 50 wt. Italian cotton in Pat's 12 favorite basic colors. Perfect for machine quilting and applique.
Can you say Mmmmmmmm... two luxuries in one weekend. Thank you Pat.

Oh, what the heck!!! (Do people still say that?) Let's go all out this weekend.

Frannie had her nails done.

Dazzling!

S.W.A.K.

BLACK HORSE AND THE CHERRY TREE

2011-08-05T22:05:00.001-04:00

Each year at PF Camp (Personal Fulfillment), Frannie participates in PF Idol. This year's final performance was a dance choreographed to Black Horse And The Cherry Tree. That's Frannie, second on the right side.

Hey, girls - watch how it's done!

During the summer, Frannie has also performed with a violin solo, singing solo and various other dance performances. She's a real entertainer!

Frannie and Cassie
(PF camp friends)

S.W.A.K.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS

2011-08-01T22:40:00.003-04:00

Picked this basketful of hydrangeas today.

I found this plant stand at our local Goodwill - $4. Another woman was eying it and she said to me, "if you don't buy it, I will." End of story.

Outside my front door.

This song, and album, "The Secret Life Of Plants" reminds me of the time my husband and I went to see Stevie Wonder perform at Lincoln Center (NYC). I think it was January 1980, and it was especially cold that evening. We had dinner at a restaurant called Suspenders - at the time, it was located on 42nd or 43rd street - just around the corner from Grand Central. I only remember that we had some piping hot French onion soup, and it was delicious. The concert was great too!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - My husband has the green thumb.

STAY

2011-07-04T22:17:00.004-04:00

Rollover!

Sit!

Stay!

Good Puppy!

You can make one too.

We got our copy at Jennifer Paginelli's home show. We're lucky. We're just a 10 minute drive from all that creativity and inspiration.

You can get yours here.

S.W.A.K.

KNOCK ON WOOD

2011-06-29T12:52:00.004-04:00

Stacey

Rosey

Something to do while you're waiting for camp to begin. You can find a tutorial at Going Sew Crazy.

S.W.A.K.

SWEET EMOTION

2011-06-24T00:58:00.001-04:00

End of school year teacher gifts. They're magnets.
And soooo much fun to make.

Frannie made this one for herself.

S.W.A.K.

Ooh BABY BABY

2011-05-17T19:28:00.004-04:00

A friend was hosting a baby shower. I made these topiary centerpieces for the occasion (actually, there were seven altogether, another pink and yellow that are not in the photo).

This photo gives you a better idea as to the size - that's Frannie hiding behind the blossom.

S.W.A.K.

THE PARTY'S OVER (AKA The Princess And The Peep BirthdayTea Party)

2011-04-10T23:49:00.009-04:00

This is what was left

Along with plenty of these

And plenty of thoseThis

Had become thisThis

Had become thatThis

Had become thisAnd these

Had become those
(Frannie made the three top cupcakes on the left and the pink donut with chocolate swirl)

Of course, there were plenty of these

And plenty of those

And lots of this

And more of that

And everyone went home with lot of this

And some of those.S.W.A.K.

PUPPY LOVE

2011-02-13T23:21:00.007-05:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

S.W.A.K.

CHERRY BOMB

2010-12-07T17:17:00.005-05:00

Taking the time to squeeze in a post. Donut pincushions - felt, beads, wooden balls, floral wires, crepe paper ruffles, cupcake liners, mini pedestals, teacups, magnets, and a little glitter. Time's up!

S.W.A.K.

ROLO-VER BEETHOVEN

2010-10-18T11:12:00.003-04:00

Can you say ROLO? It's even smaller than a Reeses cupcake topper! I used it for the caramel drizzled cupcake - bottom photo - bottom right. (Note to Thimbleanna - I'm taking my cue from you!)

This is Frannie's sewing box (ME of course). Not much happening in there at the moment. I did make those two pincushions for her.

Another day, another box of cupcakes. (Sigh)

I'd like more ideas for "foodie" cupcake toppers - won't you please share?

S.W.A.K.

HERE

2010-09-29T23:58:00.008-04:00

I was sorting through some needlework bins today and came across a few old projects that are finished, but not quite finished. Here's what I found:

A Mary Engelbreit counted cross stitch design. Love the colors. I think I made this back in 1992. It needs to be made into a pillow or picture or something.

This is a small counted cross stitch hatbox - maybe 3" square. This needs to be made into something too - I was thinking a pin cushion.

How about this redwork girl in a bonnet that I did in pink - the stitching is all done. Maybe she would make a nice pillow.

Here's an embroidered square that has been stitched and quilted - but that's as far as it got. Look at those tiny quilting stitches! All by hand - no machine here!

And last, but not least, one of my first quilts. That's me holding up the quilt. :) I must have made this one in the early 1980's. The quilting fabric selection was not very good at that time. All of these dresden plates were stitched and appliqued by hand. I even stitched all the squares together by hand. Take a close at the back.

Not bad, if I do say so myself. I love hand sewing - it's so much more relaxing.

This is the design I had planned to quilt on the blank squares. I know why I never finished this quilt - Y-U-K!

S.W.A.K.

STICKY FINGERS

2010-09-22T16:45:00.002-04:00

Top row from left to right: Yellow Cake/Chocolate Buttercream - Chocolate Cake/Peanut Butter Fluff Filling*/Peanut Butter Buttercream* - Cookies & Cream Cake*/Cookies & Cream Buttercream*. Middle row: Squiggles - Chocolate Cake/Buttercream. *My own creations.

Yep, that's what I've got, after making dozens of these. And I'll bet you thought you had it rough.

This Reeses Miniature Peanut Butter Cupcake is sitting on the base of a cordial glass - that's how tiny it is. I stole, I mean borrowed, this idea from Confessions Of A Cookbook Queen. You can steal, I mean borrow it too.

S.W.A.K.

MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK

2010-09-18T12:55:00.000-04:00

I was asked to make cupcakes for a birthday luau and here's what I came up with: Deep dark chocolate cake with a pink and white buttercream Hawaiian flower nestled in a grass skirt cupcake holder.

The cupcake holders are super easy to make. I used a roll of green crepe paper streamer with matching thread and gathered 1/4" from one edge with a basting stitch and a tight tension using the sewing machine. (One roll will make about 15 cupcake holders.) Next, I hot glued the now ruffled streamer two times around the edge of a paper party/nut cup (I like the fullness). Then I cut vertical snips (all the way up to the glue line and all the way around) each layer of crepe paper. Finally, I tied a piece of raffia around what would be the waistline of the skirt. Here's a little tip, I cut a 1" diameter opening in the bottom of each party/nut cup so that you can gently push out your cupcake without getting your fingers in the frosting (unless, of course, you like doing that).

Here's what a bakery box full of these cupcakes looks like and here's a great video tutorial if you want to learn how to make these flowers yourself - really easy too - if I can do it, so can you!

S.W.A.K.

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL

2010-09-02T16:53:00.005-04:00

Well, it's that time of year again. Yesterday, Frannie began 4th Grade. Do you remember these photos from last year?

Well, I have some sad news to report. After four years, we are saying Goodbye to Hello Kitty. Sniff. Sniff.

This year it is Vera Bradley.

Frannie has chosen the "Very Berry" pattern for her messenger style tote and "Loves Me" as her lunch bag. Yes, it is very nice and stylish, but I miss Hello Kitty already.

That isn't the only change. We have gone from this very cute girlish braid...

...To this very sophisticated French braid:

I guess my little girl isn't so little anymore. (At least she still wears the hair buttons I made for her.)

S.W.A.K.

MOUSTACHE, BARREL, AND GORILLA

2010-08-29T01:30:00.001-04:00

My son, David, has just completed his first original video arcade game restoration. It's "Donkey Kong" - remember that? It first appeared about 30 years ago. Of course, there aren't any "before" photos, because who has time to do that when you can't wait to dive right in and get your hands dirty. Trust me - he did a SUPERB job! He took everything apart - I mean every nut, bolt, screw, washer, e-clip, etc. Each and every screw and carriage bolt were soaked in lemon juice to remove rust, all the metal fittings like the door you see here were cleaned and spray painted. Every bit of dirt, dust and years of cigarette grime were scraped and sanded away.

Even the monitor and computer board were rebuilt. David also made a new base for the cabinet and the whole unit was sanded, scratches and dents were filled with a spackling compound and then the whole thing was painted the original blue - or as close as he could get to it. David took an original piece of paint from the cabinet and had it computer matched. This paint color is now officially called "Donkey Kong Blue".

The parts that had to be replaced new were the T-molding, side art, control panel and coin-op overlays (there was just no saving those cigarette burned artwork pieces). I had forgotten how much fun these games were to play. So, if anyone out there knows where Dave can get his hands on a Mario Brothers cabinet - you be sure to let us know!

S.W.A.K.

FLY ME TO THE MOON

2010-08-09T23:45:00.001-04:00

Do you by any chance remember this? It's my "I can't believe I actually made a placemat purse." (I've also posted about here). Well, it was quite a while ago, but I had entered this in a contest or something at Martha Stewart. And, although I haven't actually heard anything about the entry, I just found out that this purse has been selected as one of thirteen favorite bags and purses (that's out of 700 entries). You can see it here. What a nice surprise.

S.W.A.K.

EXPRESS YOURSELF

2010-07-27T01:30:00.004-04:00

I was going to title this blog post "Counting Flowers On The Wall", but after writing, I've changed my mind.

You may recall, a while back, I showed you a couple of my window box ideas. Well, this year it was time for a new one and also for some new words of wisdom. My husband built this one for me and I painted it. I always make a pattern up on the computer of what I want to do. My preference - Illustrator. I print it out and tape it together. I paint on my base coat, and then on the back of my pattern I use the old pencil transfer technique. Just in case you're not familiar with that, it means I scribble with a pencil over the printed lines that are visible through the paper, then I tape my pattern onto my painted surface, and using a pencil or pen, I trace over my pattern, and voila! - the design magically appears. I chose a nice bright green (Folkart Spring Green). My house is a pretty neutral color - blueish gray or grayish blue - whatever you want to call it - with black shutters. So I like to "kick it up a notch" with splashes of bold, bright colors. For example, my front door is a very sunny yellow, and I like to add bits of red here and there. My terra cotta pots have all been painted, each in a different color, but I tie them altogether by painting each one with a black rim and white polka dots. I often wonder what the neighbors think, but as I drive around and look at other houses, I notice that most people "play it safe" - plain white doors, etc. Why not go out on a limb? Be a little daring. Go ahead - express yourself.

S.W.A.K.

BABY YOU CAN DRIVE MY CAR

2010-07-12T16:46:00.007-04:00

FESTIVAL ITALIANO 2010 - WESTPORT, CT
beep beep'm beep beep yeah
(Hello Kitty - Don't Leave Home Without Her)

S.W.A.K.

MY LITTLE CHINA GIRL

2010-07-08T16:10:00.004-04:00

Hello Kitty - Never Leave Home Without Her
She turns up in the most amazing places!

It may be 105 degrees in the shade and humid as all get out, but that doesn't mean we can't still look cute!

S.W.A.K.

I'M NOT YOUR STEPPING STONE

2010-07-06T11:19:00.005-04:00

I painted these stepping stones years ago, and considering all the shoes that have stepped on them, they're still in pretty good shape. You can probably tell that these are Mary Engelbreit designs, although not actual patterns. When I find a drawing I like, I simply enlarge it and use it for whatever purpose I have in mind. I'm pretty sure the paints I used for this were Folkart Outdoor Opaque by Plaid. The cement pavers were first covered with a primer suitable for concrete and then I traced on my design using graphite paper. Next, I simply painted in the outlines using the coloring book technique. There is no need for a sealer when using this type of paint. I added a little number three to the house because that is the number of our address although the rest of the design bears no other similarity.

S.W.A.K.

AIN'T THAT AMERICA

2010-07-04T09:11:00.002-04:00

HAPPY 4th!

S.W.A.K.

SUNFLOWER

2010-06-30T15:07:00.004-04:00

When I arrived home yesterday, this beautiful bouquet was there to greet me. Such a lovely and thoughtful surprise!

S.W.A.K.

POETRY IN MOTION

2010-06-19T12:10:00.008-04:00

Frannie's class had a poetry tea party. Here she is reciting two of her own poems.

(Frannie loves a microphone)

We made cookies to share at the tea party.

Here's the before.

Here's the after.

My very favorite filled Viennese Shortbread. I have been making these cookies since I was Frannie's age. Of course there were sprinkles!

Viennese Shortbread (adapted from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book)
1 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla (I use 1 Tsp.)
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
Mocha Filling (Below)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Blend flour and baking powder; stir into butter mixture. You can use a cookie press if you feel like tormenting yourself. I prefer a pastry bag with a large star tip (Wilton #909). Press out cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet - about 1 inch apart. (If dough does not come through smoothly, add 1 to 2 tsp. cream). Bake about 7 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. Cool. Put two cookies together with filling of your choice. Makes about 2 dozen double cookies.

Mocha Filling

Mix 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp. butter, and 1 tsp. instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp. boiling water until fluffy. If too dry, add a few drops of water.

You can use any kind of filling you like. In the photo above I used chocolate ganache, which I had left over from a previous cupcake. You could also use Nutella or your favorite preserves, like strawberry or apricot. Maybe you'd just like to leave out the coffee part. Go ahead - the filling will still be delicious. If you don't have any instant coffee, you could also use left over morning coffee or espresso - just don't add any extra water.

These taste particularly good the next day.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.

ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART

2010-06-18T16:57:00.006-04:00

Spring Concert May 2010

(I have no idea who that man is)
Hello Kitty - Never Leave Home Without Her
(She's there, you just can't see her on the necklace)

I made bouquets for two special violinists

Zing went the strings of my heart.

On a lighter note... :)

S.W.A.K.

LET ME SLEEP ON IT

2010-06-17T16:46:00.003-04:00

Here's another one, but this does not have a contrasting pocket inside. I used a variegated cotton and crocheted a wider, more lacey edge. Of course, I hand-stitched a precisely measured blanket hem all the way around first - that's just the way I am. Fabric by Tanya Whelan.

S.W.A.K.

Oh yeah, there are more, I just haven't photographed them yet.

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

2010-06-16T12:12:00.008-04:00

A while back I participated in the "On The Edge... Pillowcase Crochet Along". If you're interested, the tutorial is still available here. Now, I didn't follow the directions exactly, because that's just the way I am, but I think they turned out pretty darn cute! Thanks for the inspiration Cassie.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - I didn't stop with just these two, oh no, not me.

GOING TO THE CHAPEL OF LOVE

2010-06-08T12:30:00.005-04:00

Not me - this purse!

This purse is on its way to merry old England, London to be exact, for a bride who is soon to be married. It was knitted with thousands of teeny-tiny off-white pearl seed beads. The interior has a silk lining and vintage gold braid trim. Hope she loves it!

S.W.A.K.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE SUMMER?

2010-05-29T13:15:00.002-04:00

If you were looking for me yesterday, this is where I would have been found.

I was manning the syrup station at the Sno-Kone bar. Another volunteer was doing the ice crushing - it's a two-(wo)man job.

Yep, every year I take on the challenge of serving up sugary, sticky, finger-staining Sno-Kone treats at Frannie's elementary school field day event.

Most of the students love rainbow, which means I have to pump a squirt of each flavor onto a single scoop of crushed ice. The pumps on these jugs are not designed all that well, meaning, you never know which way the syrup is going to shoot out. This year, I was prepared, I wore an apron and latex gloves. :)

It's a grueling job, but someone has to do it!

Cheers!
(Hello Kitty - Never Leave Home Without Her)

S.W.A.K.

SWING IT

2010-05-27T16:38:00.001-04:00

Annual Spring Brownie/Jr. Girl Scout Dance

S.W.A.K.

YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL

2010-05-11T11:58:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day - 2010

I drove by her and just had to stop.

S.W.A.K.

NEVER ON A SUNDAE

2010-05-10T11:31:00.004-04:00

Oh my gosh - there's ganache!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Thank you, Rachel, for posting my bead-knitting tutorial on One Pretty Thing.

EVERYDAY (FOOD)

2010-05-03T17:21:00.004-04:00

Frannie met up with Martha again this past Thursday during a book signing at the Norwalk Costco. Frannie chose the Everyday Food book - Great Food Fast. She's working up a collection of autographed recipe books. I'm trying to include a photo of Frannie with each author so they can be put inside the front cover of each of her books. Frannie chose to wear her French bulldog shirt because Martha has two of them, and one of them is named Francesca (that's Frannie's real name). If you check out The Martha Blog, you'll see a photo of the two of them. Several others were taken of Frannie by Martha's photographer. (It seems as though a purse I was carrying, and had made, attracted a little attention and they took photos of it while Frannie held it.)

Of course, we couldn't go empty-handed, so Martha was given a copy of Frannie's Favorite Recipes as well as some handmade knitting needles.

S.W.A.K.

CRAZY (GOOD)

2010-04-24T21:50:00.007-04:00

I've been told these cupcakes are "crazy good". I have to second that motion. (You know what's inside, don't you?)

S.W.A.K.

DAISY

2010-03-31T11:19:00.004-04:00

More cupcakes.

S.W.A.K.

Oh yeah, the do have a cream center (like Hostess).

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

2010-03-23T10:21:00.018-04:00

And I Think To Myself, What A Wonderful World!

(Hello Kitty - Never Leave Home Without Her)

Just in case you're wondering, I did make all of the above. And one other thing, you're all wrong - I'm the lucky one.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Any "How To" questions - just ask.

ENGLISH TEA

2010-02-26T17:03:00.002-05:00

With all the bead-knitted purses I've made, you can probably imagine that I have quite a stash of leftover beads, and I do, but not enough to make another purse out of any one particular color. So, what to do, what to do... How about embellishing? Can you guess what I'm making?

S.W.A.K.

WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN?

2010-02-25T20:30:00.000-05:00

I don't think Georgie is too happy about this make-shift rain coat, but it's been raining cats and dogs here! :) We should consider ourselves lucky because just to the west of us it is all snow! The weather reports say we've got anywhere between 4-8" of rain - imagine that in the white stuff!!!!! They also tell us this rain is supposed to switch over to snow late this evening - let's just hope they're wrong.

So, how do you recycle your plastic bags? I don't think this is quite what Stew Leonard's had in mind.

S.W.A.K.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

2010-02-24T20:25:00.001-05:00

Inspiration

I could use a little help from my blogger friends. Frannie is having a birthday soon - she will be turning nine - did I say that? Nine - holy cow! She will be having a "Learn To Knit" party and is inviting her Brownie/Jr. Girl Scout troop (the girls range in age from 8-11). A friend of mine has graciously offered her place of business to hold the party, and I have graciously accepted. She owns a stationery store called Paper Dolls and has the perfect room for our event - it has two large tables and plenty of chairs. The funny thing is, before she offered her store, I had already planned on having a "Paper Doll" theme (I guess it's just meant to be), along with a "Learn To Knit" activity. Here's what we have planned so far - I am making invitations using the large paper doll fabric. I have copied them onto card stock and I am cutting out the dolls. Each doll will hold a pair of knitting needles - I made them out of toothpicks with sparkly bead toppers for ends and put 5 yarn stitches on each pair - cute, if I do say so myself. Each girl in attendance will receive a pair of knitting needles (made by me - I'll tell you about that later) with twelve stitches already cast on, and a ball of yarn. The girls will only learn how to do the knit stitch. They will also receive a Girl Scout knitting badge for their sashes. I plan to make cupcake holders out of the pink paper doll fabric (again, copied onto card stock), and I'm thinking of using the light blue doll fabric as cupcake toppers as well as making some faux balls of yarn with thin strips of fondant or shoelace red licorice. I also thought that a reading of Knitting Nell by Julie Jersild Roth would be fun.

Knitting Nell

So this is where your advice comes in - what ideas can you think of for this kind of theme party? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

S.W.A.K.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE

2010-02-18T16:49:00.006-05:00

WINTER OLYMPICS - 2010
FIGURE SKATING

SPEED
SCORE: 1.0

ROUTINE
SCORE: 1.0

OUTFIT
SCORE: 10.0

FRIENDSHIP
SCORE: 10.0

FUN
SCORE: 10.0

Yesterday was Brown/Girl Scout Day at the local ice skating rink.

Girl Scouts - It's A Good Thing!

S.W.A.K.

LUCK BE A LADY

2010-02-15T01:08:00.004-05:00

1,521

That's the number. I had no idea there were that many Conversation Hearts in the jar. I usually purchase one or two bags each year and add them to the collection. After the holiday, they all go into a Ziplock bag and get stored in the freezer until the following year. We never eat them - just like to look at them. So, if I have checked the comments correctly, the winner is La Tea Dah of Gracious Hospitality who guessed 1,486 - only off by 35 hearts. Congratulations!

Now remember, I've already had a few bead-knitted purse giveaways and I plan to do more, so be sure to check back often. Spring is right around the corner and I just love the color blue (hint, hint).

S.W.A.K.

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?

2010-02-14T12:00:00.002-05:00

Okay, time's up. Frannie and I are in the counting room counting our money, I mean Conversation Hearts. We'll be back a little later to give you the tally. While you're waiting, here are a couple of Valentine pillowcases I've made. I'm another one of those who loves the aqua and red combo.

Be back soon.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

S.W.A.K.

CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE

2010-02-10T17:11:00.005-05:00

This may be coming soon to a mailbox near you! Pink pearl bead-knitted purse and a chocolate bar charm to boot! Here's all you have to do to enter:

Guess how many small conversation hearts are in the jar - yep - that's it. Make a comment and put in your lucky number.

Feeling like you could use a little extra luck? Then paste the conversation heart giveaway image on your blog with a link back here. Come on back and tell me you did it and then go ahead and make another guess.

If you can't figure out how to post the icon, just go ahead and blog about it with a link to my site and let me know, and you can take another guess that way too.

Now you don't have to have a blog to enter, but leave a way for me to contact you should you have the correct entry.

Since it's hard to tell the exact size of the jar, I'll give you a little info - it measures approximately 10" from top to bottom, including the lid, and the circumference is about 20". The jar is about two-thirds full.

Contest closes Sunday, February 14th, Noon EST. Winner to be announced sometime before the close of Valentine's Day. Closest guess wins.

So what are you waiting for? GUESS!

S.W.A.K.

MARTHA MY DEAR

2010-01-28T16:40:00.009-05:00

I can hardly contain my excitement! I just found out that two of my Valentine ideas are listed on Martha Stewart's website under Your Best Valentines - Yes, that's right - I said TWO - Woohoo! And the best part is that there are only 13 (actually 12) picked as the best ones - so that makes it even better - I've got 2 out of 12 listed! Wait, wait - there's even a link to my blog in the bead-knitted purse description!

Here are the two links to her site where my Valentine ideas are - Valentine Heart Lollipop Flower Basket and Have A Heart Bead-Knitted Purse.

Thanks for listening - I just had to tell someone!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - I'm going to be having a Valentine giveaway - so check back soon and I'll let you know what it is going to be.

P.P.S. - Last year Frannie presented this bead-knitted purse to Martha when she visited Stew Leonard's in Norwalk, CT for a book signing.

GIRLFRIEND

2010-01-25T17:00:00.001-05:00

Cupcakes and play date. What more could two girls ask for? You do know they planned those outfits. What you can't see are the identical pink corduroy jeans and pink jackets. Remember how much fun it was to dress just like your best friend? The shirts read: "Everything's Better With Sprinkles". How true!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Hello Kitty - Never leave home without her.

MASHED POTATO TIME

2010-01-22T11:15:00.002-05:00

Last evening was the Science Fair at Frannie's school. Third grade is the first year that you actually make your own experiment. Frannie's was an experiment using potatoes. It had to do with OSMOSIS. If it's been a long time since you've been in third grade, click on the photo and you can refresh your memory regarding that topic. Anyway, here she is at her desk explaining the experiment. Mommy helped her glue on the letters, but the rest of the poster is all hers - too bad you can't see the drawings on the bottom. Those third graders are so smart!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Notice the doily? Frannie and I believe that even a science experiment should be presented tastefully. :)

I'VE GOT MY LOVE (AND MY SCARF) TO KEEP ME WARM

2010-01-21T10:15:00.002-05:00

Just finished knitting this scrumptious yellow scarf for myself (I love yellow) and it's ready for blocking. It's a pattern called "Susan's Simply Sensational Lace Shawl & Scarf in Multiple Gauges" by Lynn Wilson Designs and it was a pleasure to knit. I purchased mine at Knitting Central. I knit this scarf with Plymouth Yarn, Encore, Knitting Worsted Weight, Gauge 5 sts = 1" on a US #8/Yardage 200 yds, 75% Acrylic and 25% Wool, Yellow #215, machine wash gentle cycle tumble dry. My scarf is 60" long and I used about 1-1/2 skeins. Very soft and cozy.

Here's a close-up of the pattern:

Basically, it's worked over a multiple of four stitches - knit 2, yo, k2tog - but it has a nice border on each end (which didn't make it into the photo). Her instructions include a multi-gauge chart for a scarf or a shawl. This would be lovely in almost any yarn you choose.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - It's funny, but when I find a song, no matter how many versions there are of it, I almost always go with Frankie.

BAUBLES, BANGLES AND BEADS

2010-01-17T19:00:00.001-05:00

And yet, another bead-knitted change purse - this time in aqua with a silver-tone frame and butterfly charm.

Speaking of beads...

Look what I found today - these gorgeous pink silver-lined seed beads! I was at Braswell Galleries today (it's a gigantic warehouse and they have all kinds of vintage - you name it, they've got it) and there they were, just waiting for me. There is just enough to make another change purse. I'm thinking Valentine.

S.W.A.K.

CHEZ PARIS

2010-01-10T19:45:00.003-05:00

Almost forgot to show you this one...

A Party Prevails
Bon Soir

S.W.A.K.

SUGAR TOWN

2010-01-08T21:30:00.000-05:00

This cupcake assortment was the gift for teachers this Christmas. Frannie presented each one with their very own box so there was no need to share. There was gingerbread with cream cheese frosting topped with a gingerbread man, yellow with chocolate butter cream topped with a candy Santa, deep dark chocolate with vanilla butter cream topped with a red sour candy and a spearmint jelly leaf, deep dark chocolate topped with peppermint butter cream topped with chocolate sprinkles and a mini candy cane, and finally, the ever popular red velvet with cream cheese frosting topped with red/pink/white nonpareils. Of course, the plain old white bakery box was jazzed up a bit as well with a 2" wide, white ribbon with glittered aqua snowflakes and a red and white candy cane tucked inside the bow.

S.W.A.K.

NEEDLES AND PINS

2010-01-06T18:45:00.001-05:00

Here's a teacup pincushion I made as one of my Christmas gifts. The cushion part is covered in bits of an old lace curtain. It is surrounded in a bed of ruffled crepe paper and nestled in a teacup. After gluing the cup and saucer together, I embellished the dish with a crepe paper rose, button heart, and beaded strawberry. I also adorned the top of the cushion with some decorated pins. One is a vintage pink button with rhinestones, the second one is a vintage mother-of-pearl button with an initial attached, and the third is simply a pearl-headed pin with an alphabet bead sandwiched between two pink beads and inserted into the handle of a silver-tone teacup charm. There are also a few pearl-headed pins randomly inserted into the lace.

Tea Anyone?

S.W.A.K.

WALKIN' THE DOG

2010-01-05T19:55:00.003-05:00

Someone is learning to knit.

You'd learn to knit too if you had needles like these.

WOOF!

BTW - I couldn't decide which version of "Walkin' The Dog" I liked best, so I uploaded all my favorites.

I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU

2009-12-31T17:30:00.012-05:00

On Christmas day, Frannie had a happy surprise. She went here...

(went home with one of these)and here...
(Rockefeller Center)
and here...
(St. Patrick's Cathedral)
and here...
(New York Library)
and here...
(Lord & Taylor Windows)
...and finally, here.
(Grand Central Station)

(Laser Light Show With Music On Ceiling of Grand Central)

S.W.A.K.

Happy New Year
from Frannie And Me
May it be filled with lots of Happy Surprises!

SANTA BABY

2009-12-24T07:45:00.003-05:00

Been An Awful Good Girl
Santa Baby
So Hurry Down The Chimney Tonight

MAY YOUR CHRISTMAS BE FILLED WITH
SUGAR & SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

FRANNIE AND I WISH YOU PEACE AND LOVE

S.W.A.K.

CAROLING CAROLING

2009-12-19T21:40:00.006-05:00

Brownies Caroling At Stew Leonards
With Santa, Mrs. Claus & Stew Jr.

Ding Dong, Ding Dong

Christmas Bells Are Ringing

S.W.A.K.

MY CHERI AMOUR

2009-12-19T21:15:00.021-05:00

Snowball Cupcake With A Cherry On Top

S.W.A.K.

CHRISTMAS CANON

2009-12-16T07:33:00.001-05:00

Frannie's first violin concert. Here she is with her BFF. They've only been taking lessons since September. She loves it!

S.W.A.K.

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-13T22:15:00.003-05:00

...AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This vintage-inspired, bead-knitted change purse is hand-knitted with size 11/0 seed beads and size 8 pearl cotton thread. I call the color of these beads "vintage pearl". The purse is attached to a brass-tone kiss-lock frame with additional pearl seed beads. I have also added a brass colored pocketbook charm to one side of the frame. The change purse is not lined, but coins do not fall through the knitting. Purse is finished off very nicely on the inside as well. Click on the photo for a close-up.

S.W.A.K.

CHERRY CHERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-13T00:50:00.003-05:00

Have A Merry Cherry Cherry Christmas

Tonight I'm going to show off this sparkly lime-green purse. The purse is attached to a silver-tone kiss-lock frame. I have also added a charm with two pink cherries and green leaves that match the bead-knitting. The change purse is not lined, but coins do not fall through the knitting. Purse is finished off very nicely on the inside as well. Click on the photo for a close-up.

Check back tonight for another bead-knitted change purse - a vintage pearly color.

S.W.A.K.

BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT

2009-12-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

Here is one of the Christmas decorations I have been working on this year. She's almost ready for Noël à Paris. All she has to do is adjust her chapeau.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - There are more to come.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

2009-12-06T20:45:00.005-05:00

SLIDE SHOW

So tell me, where does the time go? One minute you've written a blog entry and then before you know it, two weeks have passed and you haven't posted a thing!

Well, here is something I have been working on over the past week, although this is not exactly what I was referring to in my last post - I'll be showing you those soon, and I promise, not another two weeks to see.

Back to the business at hand - do you remember those wedding party favors I made last spring? Well, I had a few empty cones left over, and I thought, hey, maybe those would be good for Christmas. So out comes my handy-dandy glue gun, pipe cleaners, glitter, bells, and crepe paper ruffles and the next thing you know, voila! Christmas candy cones! And what do you think they're filled with? Here's a hint - S.W.A.K. - Hershey kisses, of course!

I also made some, what I call, "candy crackers". I've been saving empty Reynolds foil tubes - they are really the perfect size - not too wide in diameter. I cut the tube into 4" lengths (3 pieces per tube). I wrap each tube in a piece of decorative paper (I've used more Paris map and Sonata music sheet paper) , dip each end in glitter, fill with kisses, then wrap again in clear cellophane and tie each end with ribbon. Very festive. By the way, all the ribbons used here are vintage - a gift from my husband's great aunt. I just love them and I have a lot of different reels in a variety of scrumptuous colors!

I'll let you in on another little secret - did you notice the tier stand that the cones and crackers are displayed on? Have you any idea what that is? Well, several years ago, this was a Starbucks Christmas display - you may have seen it. It had all kinds of wooden figures glued to it. I admit it, I rescued it from a terrible fate - it was sitting next to a dumpster. I took it home and gave it TLC. First I removed all the wooden ornaments from each tiered tray (and yes, I did save them - I'm sure they'll turn up in a later post), then I took each tray and gave it fresh paint and glitter so they sparkle like snow and ice. Finally it was time for re-assembly. Each tray was turned upside down so they are no longer trays, but shelves. It makes a great display piece. You never know what you'll find!

Did you notice a theme going on here?

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - It's comforting to know that there are others out there who are up all night we me!

IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS

2009-11-22T00:15:00.001-05:00

Shhhhhh... everyone's asleep... except me, but this is when I do some of my best work. I'm almost ready to show you what I've been creating for the upcoming Christmas season. Here's a hint... Très Jolie.

S.W.A.K.

RASPBERRY BERET

2009-11-11T16:39:00.003-05:00

No school today. Went to Target. Came home with two things. Teacup Fur Real puppy - cute. Raspberry Beret - cuter still.

S.W.A.K.

RED VELVET

2009-11-09T19:45:00.006-05:00

Over the last couple of weeks, I feel as if I have been doing nothing but baking red velvet cupcakes. Between all the recent school functions - Brownies, tag sale, Halloween party, Halloween dance and finally ending with the annual Election Day bake sale, it's been nothing but, bake, bake, bake around here! Okay, I do this every year, but this year was different - somehow (and I don't even know how it happened) I was elected co-chair (with another mother) to be in charge of the Election Day bake sale at school. It was a lot of work, but worth it. All of the money goes to the children for special events. We did very well. Frannie was a real trooper - she made all the table tents and worked the bake sale just as long as I did (it ran from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM) - we did have a break in the afternoon - but Frannie is a great sales person! All the baked goods were pre-wrapped because we wanted everything to look appetizing and sanitary. I even placed each cupcake into a clear plastic tumbler and covered the top with plastic wrap - this not only keeps the food safe from germs, but it also makes it easier to transport the cupcakes home. I did bake other items for the sale as well (some chocolate chip muffins and also fresh banana muffins with a cream cheese filling and a drizzle of chocolate ganache on top), but for some reason, people keep coming back for those RV's! One gentleman came over to us about 6:30 in the evening. He said that his wife had sent him back to purchase some more red velvet cupcakes - she purchased some earlier in the day - and she wanted more - but he was too late - they were all gone (I think I had baked about 60 of them for this event). And, yes, they did have cream cheese frosting. :)~

S.W.A.K.

THE ELUSIVE BUTTERFLY

2009-11-07T20:15:00.003-05:00

Frannie stuck in her thumb and pulled out a plum and said, "it's Sharon - Sharon won!" Good guesses from all and thank you for entering.

This book, "Barbie Mariposa", was the inspiration.

How did we do?

Very Poofy!

Layers and layers of pink tulle in two different colors - 9 yards total.

Very Sparkly!

Oodles and oodles of glitter - 3 different shades of pink. Not to mention all the pink sequins that outlined the wings on both sides.

Getting Ready To Take Flight!

The wings were made out of black foam core - they actually had movement. I made hinges out of paper and tape. Frannie has worn them four times and they are still in one piece. I also made shoulder straps out of very wide black elastic and attached them to the foam core with long pearlized pins.

Here's a close-up of the headpiece modeled by Mr. Pumpkin.

Frannie said Mariposa needed a wand, so I made one to match her headpiece.

I started with a styrofoam ball and a dowel painted green. Hot glued on some of my crepe paper roses along with other floral petals and leaves, attached some butterflies and then tied on some pink glittered ribbon streamers. Voila!

S.W.A.K.

SPOOKY

2009-10-28T21:45:00.000-04:00

Long time, no blog.

We're back with our 2nd Annual Halloween Contest. This time, anyone who enters gets a chance to win a fabulous prize :) (U.S. and Canadian residents only). So here's what Frannie has been in the past:

SNOW WHITE - 2005

CINDERELLA - 2006

SLEEPING BEAUTY - 2007

GLINDA - 2008

Now, I didn't take a photo of the supplies I used to make this year's costume, but what I will tell you is that I did not have a pattern - I had to "wing" it. Frannie showed me the cover of one of her books and said, "this is what I want to be". It involved oodles and oodles of pink tulle, globs of glitter, another one of my headpieces and a matching wand (the wand was Frannie's idea).

Here's what you could win:

A "Giant" sized Hershey Bar specially wrapped by me. The ghost placement under the "Treat" is not included. How to enter: Just leave a comment telling us what you think Frannie's costume is for 2009. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you. Everyone who enters gets a chance to win. If you guess correctly, you get a second entry. If you need another clue, take a peek at Miss Punkie Pie. I'll say no more. We'll probably announce the winner late Saturday or Sunday. You can enter up until then. If you'd like to spread the word about the giveaway, I would appreciate that. Feel free to use my "2nd Annual Halloween Contest" icon.

S.W.A.K.

KICK IT INTO GEAR

2009-09-08T21:40:00.002-04:00

That's what I needed to do - Kick It Into Gear. Ever go through one of those slumps, nothin' seems to "get your motor running"? It think my "lightbulb" has been on energy saver lately; maybe it was the summer heat - made me feel sluggish. But summer's over now, right? And you know what that means - I have to put away my straw purses - who made up that rule anyway?! But rules are rules, so off they go - and that's what motivated me. You see, I wanted a new purse, and I've been looking around, but I haven't found anything that said "buy me!" Everything looks so heavy and dark, and let's face it, winter is a long season. I want to carry something that's cheerful, happy and sparkly. I figured the only way I would get all that in one purse was to make it myself. So I did. It started out with, you guessed it, two placemats (I can't believe I actually made a placemat purse), but hey, don't knock it unless you've tried it, right? Well, I've had these two placements for months, maybe even a couple of years, I forget, but I always thought they were so pretty - and I had never used them. (Lightbulb gets a little brighter.) Hmmmm... hey, I've got some vintage purse handles (I've always wanted to put a new purse on those) - (brighter still). Oooo,! Oooo! - I've got some super jumbo rick rack (brighter, brighter). Eureka! - leftover sparkly beads and a vintage button with rhinestones to boot! (Put on those sunglasses!) Ready for the reveal?

Now, I don't know the exact age of these purse handles, but I think they have to be at least 75 years old. They belonged to Ethel Pekar, who was a very lovely woman. She worked for many years as the secretary to the President of the Frisbie Pie Company*. There was a fabric purse attached to the handles, but too old to use, so I gently removed it and carefully packed it away. Ethel must have owned this purse before she was married because the label she attached to the inside handle has her maiden name typed on it. I would never dream of removing this. I will think of Ethel every time I look inside.

You know, I was almost tempted to leave out the polka-dots, but I just couldn't help myself.

So what gets your motor running?

Before I forget, Frannie wants you to see her "gear":

Backpack

Lunch Box

Frannie has just started the third grade, so that means we have been purchasing a new backpack and lunch box for four years now (if you saw what they looked like at the end of a school year and then five weeks of day camp, you'd understand why we have to replace them each year). Well, each year we purchase a Hello Kitty backpack and lunch box - never any other character - not to mention HK pencils, folders, note pads, etc. We also have (had) HK purses, shirts, shorts, dresses, hats, gloves, sneakers, shoes, socks, jewelry, hair ornaments, unmentionables, toys - did I forget anything? One year we even had a HK birthday party.

Hello Kitty - don't leave home without her!

S.W.A.K.

*The Frisbie Pie Company was founded in 1871 by William Russell Frisbie in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when he bought and renamed a branch of the Olds Baking Company. It supplied pies to Connecticut retailers and restaurants, including the Yale University campus. Yale students discovered that the pie tins, inverted, had an airfoil shape which enabled them to be thrown in various trajectories by a skilled person. This eventually evolved into the Frisbee trademarked flying disc and many imitators. (Wikipedia)

HOE DOWN THROW DOWN AND THE TOP 3 REASONS WHY FRANNIE LOVES SUMMER

2009-08-21T21:00:00.006-04:00

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

REASON #3

REASON #2

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY
FRANNIE LOVES SUMMER

I'm teaching Frannie everything I know, starting with purses!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Frannie also loves Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus - hence the song for the post. Now, if only Hello Kitty could sing.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT

2009-08-18T22:45:00.002-04:00

SEND OUT A 911

WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME FUN...

Mmmmmmm...... ITALIAN PASTRIES

SLIPPIN' AND A SLIDIN'

Mmmmmmm...... PIZZA FRITTA

YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY!

Mmmmmmm...... ZEPPOLES

LET'S GO, G.N.O.
LET'S GO, G.N.O.
LET'S GO, G.N.O.

'CAUSE IT'S A GIRLS NIGHT!

Frannie and her BFF - Festival Italiano 2009 - Westport, CT

S.W.A.K.

WOODSTOCK

2009-08-14T00:15:00.009-04:00

Here's something I'll bet you didn't know about me, and if you did, you probably still wouldn't believe it. At least that's the look I get from most people when they find out that I was at Woodstock. Yes, the original 1969 version of Woodstock. Of course, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, that I'd be part of history in the making, but on August 15, 1969, my sister, her friend Donna, and I set off for Bethel, NY.

Now you might think, groovy, three girls on their way to a rock concert, but I have to tell you that I was only 12 years old, that's right, twelve. My sister was 16, and her friend, Donna, probably 17. After a sleepover the night before at Donna's, we set out bright and early Friday morning. We caught the MetroNorth train from South Norwalk into Grand Central. We were old pros at going to the city. I think I was about eight when I started to go on shopping trips, having lunch and riding the subway or bus with just my sister and her friend. We'd lunch at Orbach's, or Macy's luncheonette, or maybe the Automat, and we'd spend the day shopping. I remember purchases of a floppy hat one trip and some Mary Quant eye make-up crayons on another excursion. Never thought anything of it. But I digress. After arriving in New York, we found our way over to the Port of Authority and caught a bus to Bethel, NY. Now you've got to remember that this was a long time ago and I was pretty young, so my memory of this event is a little fuzzy. Anyway, later that day, we ended up in Bethel and walked on up to Yasgur's farm. I guess we arrived early because we did not get stuck in a traffic jam on our way to the event and there weren't crowds of people sitting in front of the stage yet, but just wait. We even had actual tickets that no one collected. I think we traveled pretty light. I believe we were under the impression that we would be able to get those little pup tents to sleep in or something - WRONG! I don't really remember how or where we slept, just that there were lots and lots of people all over, some with tents, sleeping bags or just blankets. I do remember standing in long lines for food and water and to use the portable restrooms (that's putting it nicely). I did not see any naked people - that I would remember! Oh, yes, the rain. Maybe that's why we didn't stay for the whole event, maybe we were running low on money, or maybe it was just too much. So we left sometime during the second day. But there was no getting a bus back, at least not for about twenty miles or so, you see, there was a huge traffic jam in every direction. So we walked and walked, and it was hot, and my feet hurt! If you're about my age, you might remember when "clogs" first made the fashion scene. Well, mine were white perforated ones with wooden soles and they were my first pair and they were brand spanking new! Ouch! But hey, who cares, my feet were cute! Eventually someone offered us a ride (I'm pretty sure it was a guy and he had a convertible and I think we sat on top of the car - actually it was more like a slow boat to China because of all the cars. Finally, we reached a bus station that had a bus going back into the city. I remember trying to clean up in the rest room of the bus station. I think we might have been a little muddy, not to mention smelly. And here I am today, blogging about it. Who would have thought.

I wish I had photos to share with you, but I don't so you'll have to settle for another song. One of my most vivid memories of the whole event was Richie Havens singing "Freedom". I'm sure we're in one of those shots somewhere. If you're looking out from the stage, we'd be about one-third of the way up and a little to the right. I'm the one with long brown hair, wearing the blue skort and white shirt (don't forget about the clogs!).

PEACE

Before I forget, I want to tell you who won the "Blogiversary" giveaway. I'm very sorry it took me so long to post this, but, hey, you know. So, without further adieu, Mary Grace McNamara of Hooked On Needles, come on down!

ICE CREAM FREEZE

2009-07-28T20:00:00.000-04:00

It's my first "Blogiversary" which means PARTY! and you're all invited. And if you're going to have a party, you've got to serve ice cream and give a present. So, I've got the best of both worlds all rolled into one just for you!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

Just look at this fabulous prize, and it could be headed your way! The winner will receive ice cream cone table weights (4), Cute Brutes ice cream spoons (4), a Jelly Belly ice cream cone filled with jelly beans in ice cream flavors, a miniature cone with pink ice cream filled with bubbles, ceramic ice cream cone sprinkle shakers (2), a jar of Carnival sprinkles, 2 fat quarters of ice cream fabric, and last, but not least, a picture of an ice cream cone done by Frannie! How's that for a present?!! Sorry ladies, the basket and cloth napkins are NOT included (for display purposes only).

Here's how you can enter:

Make a comment telling Frannie and Me what your favorite ice cream treat is (ice cream flavor, sundae, banana split, shake, float, etc., etc. - Frannie's personal favorite is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough in a dish with no extras) This will get you one entry.

Do you want twice the chance? Then link my "I Scream" icon onto your blog, and you'll get a second entry.

Be sure I have a way to contact you. Then on Sunday, August 2nd, sometime in the early evening, Frannie will announce the winner.

Good Luck and Pass It On!

S.W.A.K.

HOT, HOT, HOT!

2009-07-27T16:10:00.003-04:00

THE #1 REASON WHY I LOVE SUMMER IS...

HOT, HOT, HOT!

I remember telling you that I hadn't found a basket purse to add to my collection this year, but I never told you I didn't find shoes with wicker heels and a gingham lining to boot (no pun intended)! :) Now I can carry a basket on my arm and walk around in a pair both at the same time! These shoes are Etienne Aigner and came from the new Marshall's Mega Shoe Store - clearance rack - last pair, in my size no less. I think they were waiting for me. Hey Sharon - this song's for you!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Don't forget that tomorrow is my "Blogiversary" and I'm going to have a fun giveaway (hope I get it posted by then), so check back and be sure to enter!

SUMMER MEANS FUN

2009-07-25T22:35:00.003-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

REASON #2

SUMMER FUN!

Don't you just love those green handles? What about that shape? This wicker purse came from Banana Republic. I added her to my collection about 7 or 8 years ago and she's still lookin' pretty good!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Don't forget "Blogiversary" giveaway coming soon!

IN THE SUMMERTIME

2009-07-23T20:05:00.002-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

REASON #3

Front View

Another wicker purse, this one, again, from The Loft - maybe three years ago. It has a really nice shape, and is quite roomy!

Side View

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Don't forget about my upcoming Blogiversary! I'm thinking something "cool" for the giveaway!

SUMMER BREEZE

2009-07-22T17:45:00.003-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

REASON #4

How do you feel about pink wicker? No, I didn't paint it - that's how it came. It's a Maxx New York wicker handbag. It's been part of my collection for about five years. I'm still searching for this year's addition to the straw purse collection, but so far zilch, zip, nada, nothing.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - I have my first blogiversary coming up on July 28th. I guess that means there should be some sort of giveaway. Hmmmm, wonder what it should be?

BLUEBERRY HILL

2009-07-20T19:35:00.002-04:00

Just a quick break from my top ten list to show you what Frannie's been up to. She's learning how to cook, and this is what she made Sunday morning, with adult supervision, of course. She even garnished it, and look at the cute plate she chose to serve it on! Frannie chose the pink ice cream cone dish for herself, daddy got blue, and I got yellow. After all, you eat with your eyes first, although these pancakes didn't need any assistance. They were yummy!

And just because I can't help myself, I'm going to show you another straw purse anyway. I selected this one because it has a blue gingham lining and thought it coordinated well with the blueberry pancakes. ;)

S.W.A.K.

SUMMER WIND

2009-07-18T22:45:00.003-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

I've been a little behind in my posting, so I thought I share three reasons why I love summer with you today.

REASON #7

Nantucket basket style purse. Okay, this isn't the real thing - just a replica. Look at the top - there's no carving on it, but I love it just the same. This has been in my collection for about ten years.

REASON #6

Another favorite is this mini picnic basket purse. I believe this one came from Basketville. This is really cute, and someday I'm going to decoupage the lid. I've probably had this one about eight or nine years.

REASON #5

My Longaberger. As you can see, this one is well worn, and rightfully so because it's been used more than any of the others over the last twelve summers. They do make quality baskets. What s nice about this one is that it has an adjustable shoulder strap, and peek inside - look at all those compartments! It's signed and dated 1997.

S.W.A.K.

SUMMER IN THE CITY

2009-07-12T14:30:00.004-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

REASON #8

Dressing So Fine, Looking So Pretty

How do you like this cool little number? Small white wicker clutch. This was last year's addition to the straw purse collection. I found this at Marshall's, in the clearance bin! Can you believe that no one wanted this? Come to mama! Perfect for a night on the town, in the summer, in the city...

S.W.A.K.

WILL IT GO ROUND IN CIRCLES

2009-07-10T17:00:00.003-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

REASON #9

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!

I added this purse to my collection many moons ago (it must be at least 18-20 years old by now). It came from Pier 1. Actually, it was a replacement for one I had previously purchased - and I was so happy when I found it again. You see, as adorable as it is, the handle is just not that strong. So, this cutie only gets used once in a while - wouldn't want to lose the handle on this one too! The rest of the time I just spend admiring it.

S.W.A.K.

SUMMERTIME BLUES

2009-07-09T23:50:00.006-04:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SUMMER

REASON #10

There Ain't No Cure For The Summertime Blues

To know me is to know that I love straw, wicker and basket purses. I'm always on the look-out for a unique shape. The one shown above was a gift from my sister in 2008. It came from The Loft. Not only is it a straw purse, it has a navy blue with white polka-dot bow tied around it. What more could I ask for?!!

Next Post - Reason #9

(This version of Summertime Blues is performed by Eddie Cochran)

S.W.A.K.

PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ

2009-06-27T00:30:00.002-04:00

Classic Grace & Elegance

And yet another bead-knitted purse. This is my version of Classic Grace & Elegance from Bead Knitted Handbags 2. Size 11/0 seed beads, size 8 crochet cotton thread and size 0000 knitting needles. Lined in a satiny black fabric with some teardrop beads added to the bottom. Perfect for a night on the town!

S.W.A.K.

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER

2009-06-24T21:44:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is the last day of Frannie's second grade school year. This is what we made to say thank you for her teacher. The idea for the cupcake flowerpot came from I Heart Cuppycakes. I decided to paint my terracotta pot a nice green with a black band and, of course, some giant polka dots. This way the teacher will know it is from us. I also used my own recipe for deep, dark chocolate cupcakes and real buttercream frosting. The icing is actually a darker pink than in the photo, but that's what happens when you're in a hurry to take a picture. Frannie made a recipe booklet to go along with it. Like the title says, it contains a lot of Frannie's favorite recipes. We made the booklet on the computer and Frannie did all the decorating herself. Her teacher is going to love it! Now, if I can only figure out how I'm going to get the cupcake flowerpot to school...

S.W.A.K.