PRECIOUS HANDMADE CANDIES AND THE JEWELRY BOX PART II

Precious Handmade Candy 

This past weekend my Tiffany and I decided to finally make our candy.  We wanted to make some roses and leaves to go with them.  We got some candy melts that were white chocolate mint flavor.  While shopping for the melts we found a super cute spoon mold and we had to get it. 

The spoons are great for dipping into hot tea, coffee and hot chocolate.  They would make a great garnish for any dessert as well.  There are so many flavor options as well.  

I love that these candies are so girly and pretty.  

They make a beautiful display for your table.  Great for a dinner party or just a special afternoon with your girl friends. 

Here are 2 of the molds that we used.  

These are very inexpensive and easy to use. You can buy everything you need at just about any craft store.  I got mine at Hobby Lobby but even Wal-Mart carries a small selection of things to make candy.  We plan to use our molds to make sugar roses and leaves for our sugar pot.  Be sure to watch for them in a future blog post.  

Directions

First we melted down the chocolates.  Simply follow the directions on the bag. We used the microwave melts which are super easy to use and melt.  We used red dye in half the chocolate to make it pink.   Then we put the chocolate into icing bags. We now have squeeze bottles as this will work better but we did not have them the day we made these.  Next we simply squeezed the chocolate into the molds.  You have to shake the molds to get the air bubbles out and to even up the candy.  We placed them in the refrigerator and several hours later we popped them right out.  Very simple and fun and the results are so sweet.......  

Great project to do with your children.  

The Jewelry Box
Part II

As promised here is my progress on the jewelry box. After finishing opening the top up, adding hinges and painting it was time for the fun stuff. 

 I went to work on making a lining for the top section.

Lining collage


For the lining I used a canvas fabric.  I printed a collage out on fabric and stitched it to the fabric along with some pretty trim.  

I also printed out a vintage perfume label and hand stamped it to make a small pillow for my bracelets. I used a vintage jewelry box and hand stamped it and stained it for a sweet box to hold my favorite earrings. 

Larger view of bracelet pillow

  
I used a tiny box covered with a vintage piece of crochet given to me by Doni.  This holds all my extra charms for my bracelet.  I used a pretty fabric flower to hold my Princess Diana Tiara Ring and Earrings given to me by my husband. 

I printed out a vintage perfume label on fabric and made a round ring holder out of it.  For my earrings I used a vintage printable made by Doni and more of her fabulous vintage crochet.  

I glued the fabric lining inside the top and added pretty trim with my glue gun.  Then I put everything together inside my jewelry box.  Isn't it all so lovely together? 

Next I went to work on the lining inside the top.  I added a mirror and a smaller vintage Colgate label to the top lining. You may notice in the picture that the trim is not finished on the top.  I ran out and my craft shop is out of it. I am waiting for them to get more in....

And here is my new Jewelry Box!

Now I still have quite a few more things to do to complete my jewelry box.  I plan to decorate the top of it with fabric and stamps.   I also have two more drawers to work on.  The first drawer will hold all my brooches.  Did I tell you that I have a thing for brooches?  I have a ton of them and they need a home. 

 As for that BIG bottom draw...

Well I am still thinking about that one. 

So be sure to visit me next time for Part III of my Jewelry Box Project to see my progress.
This has truly become a labor of love. 

Thifting
Is that a word?

On a visit to one of my favorite little spots here in Texas. 

 I found these goodies.

I added the glass pearls to the little glass jar.
Wait to see what I plan to do with these beauties....

Mother's Day

My new makeup!!!!

This is a small collection of Etude House Princess Etoinette makeup from Korea.  

The owl is their endangered species line of hand creams.  

The White Powder Container holds body powder.  The pink Powder Container holds heart shaped blushes.  There is a tube of beautiful pink lipstick and a compact mirror.  

Happy Mother's Day to me!!!!

Update

I got a new Doctor this week and I have someone to give me my B12 shots.  I have an advocate on my side and she has been wonderful.  Things are starting to look up....

Hope everyone has a wonderful week.

See you next time

Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

DONI BUTTON BRACELET AND OTHER STUFF

Doni Button Bracelet and Other Stuff

Well this week has been over the top strange.  I find myself in the precarious position where I no longer have a Doctor or anyone to give me my weekly shots.  I would not even know where to begin to explain this but suffice it to say this is not a good thing for someone with fibromyalgia and pernicious anemia.  I am praying and working hard on trying to get this issue resolved.  My struggle for proper health care has been going on for tens years.  I know that somehow, someway every little thing is going to be alright. 

Even with all the craziness going on I can usually find things to help me forget and get through it one step at a time.  This week I had a mission on my mind.  My sister, Patti, had asked me to make a handbag for her friend.  She wanted one with the The Lord's Prayer on it.  I felt very compelled to make it and it was of course my pleasure.  My sister's friend is very sick and struggles to make ends meet.  She saw my sister's purse that I had made and she so loved it.  So this week I finished the purse and I mailed it off today.  I am excited that soon my sister's friend will have her purse!!!!

And here it is......

So finishing up my sister's friends purse made me want to craft a little more.  Doni at Faith, Grace and Crafts had sent me the most fabulous pink button collection. Thank you so much Dear Doni.  Well I decided that the buttons were so lovely and I wanted to make something personal out of them.  Also, something that would not damage them and so that they could all stay together.  So I am a bracelet girl.  I have no idea why but I love bracelets.  Matter of fact I can not leave home without a bracelet or two or three....  Ask my husband and my children they will tell you.  So I decided to make a bracelet.  Let me show it to you first and then I will tell you how I made it.  It was so easy. 

Easy DIY Button Bracelet...

I have named my bracelet Doni Button Bracelet to honor my friend and her gift to me. 

The crown button is the only button that I added to the mix.  

My little birdie looks so spiffy wearing my Doni Button Bracelet. 

I love Bunnies!!!

I plan to wear my Doni Button Bracelet a lot when I am out and about.  It is just lovely but most of all it will remind me of my friend Doni.  Again, thank you ever so kindly Doni.  You are a doll.....

Oh almost forgot.  To make the bracelet I simply used stretchy wire and doubled it.  I threaded the wire through the shanks on the buttons in an arrangement that I liked.  I tied the wire and added a jewelry crimp to keep it from coming apart.  Then I added a piece of sheer ribbon and tied it into a bow.  If you have some beautiful buttons, give it a try.  It is super easy and it really does make a nice bracelet. 

Okay so if that wasn't enough.  My son is helping me turn my little chest into a jewelry box!  I am so excited.  Soon I should have a home for my Doni Button Bracelet and all my bracelets.  Here are some pictures. Please excuse the mess....

We started by unscrewing the top and removing it.  Then we sanded it and gave it a few coats of paint.  We had to fill in some tiny holes but that was pretty easy to do.  

Then we added hinges so the top can open. 

Here is a view of the front.  

I think it is starting to look a little like a jewelry box!

I so love to give new life to old things.  

Always consider recycling and reusing. 

  Be sure to come back next week to see our progress.  

I hope to be finished with this project by then.  

Here is a previous photo of my little chest. 

This week was a challenge for me but even in all the craziness I managed, yet again, to get through the storm.  I was able to be creative and to make a gift for someone special.  I also managed to make a few people smile really big.  There is nothing better than that. is there?  To my sister Patti, I love you.  To Doni, thank you for the beautiful buttons and your friendship.  So today I am a happy girl with a smile on my face as well. 

Today May 10,  2013 is 
National Military Souse Appreciation Day!
To all of us who love and support our soldiers..

Till next week.....

Beverly 

Tea Cottage Pretties.

I shared this post on

 

FRIENDS , SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND VINTAGE GOODIES

Friends, Special Occasions and vintage goodies

There are so many wonderful things in life and friends, special occasions and vintage goodies are some of my favorite things.  This past week Doni at Faith, Grace and Crafts sent me the most beautiful box fill (okay stuffed) with the most fabulous vintage goodies.  She sent fabric, ribbon, lace and buttons and MORE!  I so appreciate the goodies you sent Doni and thank you ever so kindly.  I plan to make a couple of things with my new vintages goodies but I am saving that for another post.  Once I complete my projects I will share what I made with all my goodies.  You will just have to come back and see what I do.  Until then I wanted to share some photos of my goodies with everyone.  Again, Doni thank you ever so kindly for the lovely gift and most of all for your friendship. 

Did I tell you that I love buttons?

Buttons

Close Up of some of the buttons

Did I tell that I also love ribbon?

Fabric, Lace and Ribbon!  Did you see the little wooden spool?  I love those as well......

Notice the paper spool hand made by Doni.

Beautiful aren't they?

Also, this past weekend my Tiffany had her Junior Prom.  She decided to go at the last minute and to make a long story short I had 4 days to get her ready for the prom. It was a race to the finish but we managed to pull it all together and she looked so beautiful and she had a great time.  This is the dress we found for her to wear. 

I love that it is so girly with lace and ribbon.  

We were so happy to find just the right dress for her and in her size.  Now her shoes were a different story.  Took us three days to find them.  However, while looking for shoes we manage to find her shawl, evening bag, jewelry and her facinator!  Although I was worn out when we finally got it all together, it was so much fun!  I love spending time with my Tiffany.  She is such a sweetheart. 

We took some photos at home 

of her all dressed and ready to go. 

Here she is before heading out to dinner.  

I made a couple of collages for Tiffany

The first one shows a close up of her shoes and her facinator.  We love facinators here at Tea Cottage Pretties.  

The next one is purple which is Tiffany's favorite color. Isn't she sweet?

Here she is showing off her facinator. 

And last a candid photo right before we walked out the door. 

So this past week was filled with beautiful things.  Friendship, a special occasion, vintage goodies, lace, fabric, ribbon, buttons and more.  

What more could a girl ask for?  

Till next week here's to good friends, special occasions and  vintage goodies.......

Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

MAKING THE BEST OF A VERY BAD WEEK

Making The Best of A Very Bad Week

Did you notice, I did some spring cleaning here at Tea Cottage Pretties.  I now have a new header and a new background.  I made both of them from images of a 100 year old Limoges vanity tray.  

And now for my post...

First I wanted to share  something wonderful that I found this past week.  I do not like to go to Wal-Mart much.  I find almost every visit there to be a "not so good" visit but occasionally I have a good experience.   Well this past week I found the most glorious lace fabric.  The best part was it was only $1.50 a yard.  Yes, always check the clearance fabric in Wal-Mart, you never know what you will find.  Now I want promise you it will be easy finding an employee to cut the fabric for you but if you persevere you will eventually find someone.   So without further ado, check out this fabric. 

Glorious Fabric

Edge Details...

I so see a skirt and a handbag in my future.  That is if I can BRING myself to cut this beautiful fabric. I bought seven yards of this glorious fabric.  I really just want to wrap myself up in it and drink some vanilla tea.....

I love beautiful things as they somehow make me feel all better.  

Okay so now for my story

It was not the best  week for me.  A few weeks ago my Doctor transferred to another position in another state so I currently do not have a Doctor.  They issued me a PA and that is never a good thing for me.  In ten years,  I have had one good Doctor that knew how to treat me and my illness and now he is gone.  I went to get my weekly B12 shot for pernicious anemia and they did not want to give it to me.  It seems the PA I now have is not comfortable with treating me for fibromyalgia and pernicious anemia.  The bad part was the shot I got the week before did not take because they also have a new immunization nurse and she just can't give me my shot correctly. My shot has to go into my muscle for it to work.  Mary was not only my friend you see but she was my nurse that gave me my shot every week.   So not only did I recently loose my Doctor but my friend and my nurse is gone as well.   

I plan to do whatever I have to do to get help and continue the only treatment plan that has ever worked for me.  The most precious thing was that when I told my husband what happened he immediately started working on the problem.  With his help we are hopeful that we will be able to find a solution to this problem.  The unfortunate thing is I not only have to fight fibromyalgia and pernicious anemia everyday but now I have to fight to get treatment.  Fibromyalgia is a very misunderstood disorder and it can at times, in fact most of the time, be difficult to get medical help.  May 12 is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day and as with all things awareness can make a difference.  

Update:
For many reasons I felt the need to come back to this post with an update.  Several weeks after this post I learned that things were not as they seemed.  Life works that way sometimes. My ordeal as it turns out was not due to my new health care provider.  In fact, my problems had more to do with others that had no business in my business.  I was made to believe that my new provider was the problem and this simply was not the truth.  It is unfortunate not only for me but for my provider that other people felt the need to create such a situation.  It caused me much unnecessary stress and turmoil and I would imagine that my provider was not left unscathed either.   So we are starting over and I do feel confident that things will be just fine. 


In the interest of privacy I try to be very careful with my post to ensure that I do not divulge any information that is private and/or confidential. My focus is on my experiences in life and living with fibromyalgia and of course my lessons learned.  We truly are never to old to learn and as with all things, even the not so good things, we can learn and this situation was no exception.  I learned what I should have already known, things are not always what they seem...
  

Here's to hope for those who suffer with fibromyalgia

May 12 is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. 

Spread the word, find a cause and a cure.

FIND HOPE....

I managed to get my shot on Friday and it was remarkable how much of a difference it made for me.  After a week of living through a failed shot I learned all to well how important my shot is, as if I did not already know.  So on Saturday I got up and I actually cleaned our downstairs (the upstairs is still suffering) and the girls and I made hats.  Actually we made hats with cat ears.  We love how they turned out.  Here are my babies showing off their hats. 

First is June Bug (that's what we call her) with her hat.  

Next is Tiffany showing off her hat.  The girls decorated them.  

We liked our hats so much that we would like to share a couple of them.  We would like to donate them to sick children with cancer.  If you know of anyone please email and let me know.  I do recommend that they be 6 years old and up because of the decorations on the hats.  You can email us at  teacottagepretties@satx.rr.com

So in a week filled with unsympathetic health care workers, fibromyalgia and pernicious anemia symptoms, I found some beautiful things.  The most beautiful of all of the things in my week was my girl's smiles and songs of "mom is so great, fabulous and awesome".  I pushed through and I even manage to find that place that makes things seem all better and I made the best of a very bad week. 

Me living with and pushing through my days with fibromyalgia and pernicious anemia. 

Take a peek at what is coming up next week here at Tea Cottage Pretties

To better days,
Beverly 
Tea Cottage Pretties


Note: Spell checks do not even recognize the word fibromyalgia. 

BEAUTIFUL THINGS AND BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

Beautiful Things 
and Beautiful People

I love beautiful things, especially vintage beautiful things.  I recently found the most lovely vintage 14K and seed pearl crown brooch.  I took some photos of it today and I wanted to share them. 

My beautiful brooch
sitting on an early 1900's  Limoges Cuspidor.

Thank you sweetheart!

Here are my vintage bunnies holding my new brooch. 

And here is a close up. 

I have several pieces of tiara and/or crown jewelry.  In fact I have a Princess Dianna Franklin Mint Set with a ring and earrings.  They will go perfect with my new brooch. 

Here is my ring.
This was also a gift from my lovely husband. 

AND
Beautiful People

Mary

Sometimes in life you meet someone and for whatever reason you just click.  Somehow they "get you" and you "get them".  They like the same things you like and they make you laugh and smile.  They champion you and say the most wonderful things to you.  They can see beauty in you and you see the beauty in them.  

My friend Mary has been one of those beautiful people in my life.  We have known each other for a short time but in that time we shared so many laughs and smiles.  She always compliments me and makes me feel so fabulous!  She is good and kind and loving and has such a zest for life.   She is a treasure and such a beautiful person. 

Well my friend is moving far away and I will miss her so much.  We liked to have lunch together during the week and I am so going to miss our lunch dates.  So last night I had a small dinner party for my friend Mary and her hubby Carlos.  

Here is my chalkboard sign!

  We had roast with veggies and au jus.  We also had croissants with honey butter and some other fresh veggies.  For desert we had pound cake with strawberries, vanilla ice cream and covered in white chocolate ganache.  Everything turned out really well and with only a couple of tiny mishaps before they arrived, we had a great time. 

Mary made me feel so good, as she always does, complimenting me on my decor and my craftsmanship.  She paid me the highest compliment when she told me that one day when they have their bed and breakfast, she wants me to decorate it.  Mary always makes me feel good and I am so glad I shared my home with her this week.  We had a  lovely time. 

I am sad because I will miss my friend but I am thankful to have found her and for the time we did have together. Mary I wish you much happiness in your travels and that you and your Carlos enjoy your time abroad. Till we meet again my friend.  You are truly one of the "beautiful people".

Love you, Beverly 

Sharing my home with my friend Mary made me think about sharing some photos here on my blog. 

My very own beautiful spaces!
(at least I think they are)

Living Room and Dining

Sitting area with vintage fireplace mantle

Blue and white striped chaise

Dining Area with vintage table, chairs and china cabinet. 

All these pieces were hand painted by me. 

Family Room

Walls were designed and hand painted by me. 
This is just one little area of our family room.

Now out into the Garden.  Okay maybe not a garden but our little piece of land here in Texas. 

Fence Finished
It's a beautiful thing!

I am delighted to report that we have finally finished our fence repairs.  It took some doing and a bit of learning along the way but it is done and looks quite nice, if I do say so myself.  I love that we were able to repair it and reuse the wood so that we did not have to buy new wood.  We wanted to reuse the wood to save money but also to be green.  I just could not see throwing all that wood away when it can be reused.  I love to recycle and reuse old things when I can.  It is after all Earth friendly and it makes me feel good about the things I own and use.  

And here is is all finished.....

This is a panoramic photo of our fence

Here is a section taken with good light.

And here is a section of the length of the fence. 

We are very proud of our hard work considering we started with this. 

And this...

Again I want to thank my son for his hard work in seeing this project through and doing such a fabulous job.

So this week, here's to beautiful people 
and beautiful things.  
May everyday of your life be filled with both.

I spotted something beautiful.....

Have a beautiful day, 
Beverly
Tea Cottage Pretties