At the Lake

Happy Independance Day to All!

The Potting Bench

An old door, a window screen, and antique porch posts have been re-purposed into this "just the right height" potting bench. My hubby put this together for me a few years ago. I used it in my antique shop for display, now it has a permanent spot in the yard for me to work on. We had to drill holes in certain spots on the door for drainage. I love the fact that it doesn't matter how dirty things get when I'm potting up my plants, the rain just washes it away!

Apricot Roses

Several blooms and many buds on my little rose bush...pleas ignore the creeping charlie eeking into my garden bed! I have not had time to weed yet!

Mother's Day Gift

This dainty salmon colored rose was a gift from my son Cale for a Mother's Day Past. The blooms begin with a very deep salmon orangy color and change to lighter shades to yellow and they almost white. They bloom profusely as you can see all the buds ready to pop open. The scent is a sweet apricot spice...I just love it! I dry the petals and store them in an airtight jar. Onced opened the wonderful scent is still fresh and strong.

What's Up with Peonies Anyway?

Peonies are the most gorgeous of all flowers, they are so full of satiny petals and a beautiful yellow delicate center, BUT they have to be propped up, the big head of the peony is not supported by it's too thin stem...and they are so short lived! But, it's worth it to see these top heavy beauties every early summer.

jackmanii clematis

The jackmanii vine certainly makes a statement! I planted this one right next to my bittersweet vine which is very aggressive. I'm hoping he will climb the bittersweet, which is over 10ft. tall, and provide some color until the fall when the vine produces brilliant orange and burnt red berries.

Antique Ruffled Pansies

Pansies are just a pleasure to see...they are so whimsical and just seem to dance around in the pot. This delicate, rich colored flower peeks out as a bud and pops open with a little face that seems to look right at you! Oh, the joy of flowers!

Antique Ruffled Pansies

Pansies just seem to peeking out from the foliage and then pop out with this whimsical face that seems to be looking right at you...oh the joy of flowers!

Cardinal Daddy Looking for Baby

I had the kitchen door open yesterday...it was the perfect summer day...I heard the frantic chirping of the male and female cardinals(I thought for sure some cat was after the nest of newborns) so I went out to investigate. I noticed the male kept hopping around the rock wall and sure enough there was the baby bird. He still had some downy feathers and was struggling to flap his wings. He didn't look anything like a cardinal except for a faint pinkish color in his wings. The images are a little blurry, it wasn't easy to get close enough for a good photo, but had to capture the protection of the little one. The baby was trying to get up on the wall and when he finally did it wore him out, he stopped chirping and the parents couldn't find him for quite awhile, he was sitting under the hosta leaves regaining his strength! The chattering and chirping went on all day, I left them alone and don't really know if they found each other again, but I assume they never gave up with all the noise going on.

Cracker Jack Prizes

Cracker jacks charms...horse, saw, gun in holster.

Odds and Ends

A sugar mold holding fake herbs, a plaster doll head, my leather journal, one of my hand soldered pendants with a leaf under glass on a tiny wooden easel, handpainted box with metalic paints (holding more hand soldered charms) a paper weight, sewing make-do. The rhinestone "Letter P" is vintage and in memory of my mom Patricia. They sit on and old painted cupboard where I store my scrapbook and stamp supplies.

Hand Made Crepe Papier Flowers

I made these flowers from vintage crepe papier I found on ebay.
The stems are hickory branches.
I hand colored some of the papers with water color paints.

Old Metal Cupboard

This old metal cupboard with chippy paint is one of my favorite pieces I found at a flea market. I paid $25 for two, sold the other one for $265.00, what a find! It has glass doors...great for display. It holds vintage tootsie toy cars and trucks, my handpainted papier mache boxes, plastic farm animals, vintage dice and dominoes. 2 firemen, one is missing his arm(I found him in the basement of my antique shop. The other came in a box of miscellaneous items from an auction. The black framed picture is a needlepunch rug depicting a man carrying a freshly backed pie and a giant mushroom. Vintage boxes of watercolor pencils and chalks, old wooden checkers and more. The larger cupboard holds mason jars filled with ribbons and tins with old buttons, childrens school books from the 30's-50's. I enjoy having these collections surrounding me, they inspire me to be creative. The old tin containers hold my hand soldered pendants and charms that I have for sale in my Etsy Shop, www.guidoneetsy.etsy.com

Stuff in My Studio/Workroom

Strings, Threads, and Things

Things I have in my studio, you never know when you will need strings and things!

Alphabet Stitchery

Alphabet stitchery with hand painted wooden balls .

Angels from Debbee Thibault Collection

The angels on the old wood shelf with tiny antique brackets are Debbee Thibault collectibles. A hand painted game board, a vintage stuffed "Americana Doll", vintage school learners. I handpainted the papier mache boxes. The pine cones are from Crystal Falls Upper Michigan from Evergreen Cemetery where my mom and dad rest in peace. I bring back one every time I visit. Muslin stuffed needlepunch heart pillow by me.

Vignette on Olde Trunk

One of my most favorite things...a childs red chair with original paint and very faint stenciling. The lambs ear table throw made by me with wool felt. A sewing make-do is the striped shoe, a needlepunch rug framed on the wall. A doll trunk which has lost it's paper, but still has the lift out tray in side. The little trunk is dated by the child's original owner ca. 1915. A basket filled with antique clay marbles. Set of old jacks sitting on the chair with a tiny wooden red ball. Folk art hand painted parcheese game board.

Lori Baker Rabbit and Panda, real mohair and plenty of personality, small bear is Sugar Bear. Sitting on an olde painted hickery chair.

Collections, Handmade Stuff & Vignettes

A stitchery I made several years ago...I usually sell everything I make, couldn't part with this one. Ribbon work and embroidery crazy quilt stitching throughout on scraps of fabrics.

My Brick Cottage

This is my Brick Cottage, built in 1925. We are only the 2nd owners, purchased in 1986. I have just finished painting the front door and flower box. I have been trying to find the right color for years. They have been stripped to the natural wood (which I had to sand and re-varnish every year) then painted brown, white, and blue over the years. I think I have finally found the right colors! Finished just in time, it has been raining for days and many communities have been flooded and homes lost. I am so thankful we in Rock co. have been lucky so far. Many tornadoe touch downs today, at least 15 in the surrounding counties. I have forgotten what the blue sky looks like. The rain has brought forth blooms at least. The roses are "Betty Boop" tiny yellow are sedum and the pot is filled with cheerful mini zinnias. Wishing for the Sun in Wisconsin!

The Altered Book

The Altered Book

A shelf in my studio (my son's old room) my antique miniature bibles that soldiers would take to war and read for comfort. A jar filled with cotton velvet pincushions that I made and embroidered. A papier mache bunny body I found in a box of junk I bid on at an auction. He used to hold candy, he was headless so I made a bunny head out of paper clay and he's as good as new. Embellished with vintage crepe paper and tinsel around his neck and wearing a brass coin that says imagine. He's a keeper. An old compass, a bakelite pencil sharpener, a box of Bulldog shoe thread, a box filled with cotton embroidered Name-Tapes with the letters A and R in red on white cotton tape. These tapes were attached to a handsewn item. A collage in a box that I made and some vintage tools for leather, crochet etc. The whole cupboard is full of this and that. Will post more at a later dated. Must get some shut eye. Tomorrow I have an order to finish from my Etsy Shop, www.guidoneetsy.etsy.com stop by and take a look.

Pages from One of My Altered Books

This is one of the first altered books I made and I don't think I could ever part with it. I had so much fun making it, using an old child's reader from the 30's. Each page is just a collection of some things I had on hand or the use of some of my many images that I have been clipping for years. I have so many folders of clippings...I love to use my scissors and snip-snip. I think it stems from getting all those paper dolls when I was a child. We would spend hours cutting out all the clothes and shoes, then pretended to give the paper doll a make believe world.

An Altered Book