Testing, testing...it's here

Today my new computer came!!!  Whoo hoo!!  I'm so excited but also scared to death, because I am NOT very technology savvy!  I've managed to get my Wi-Fi up and running and open and make my provider my home page for Internet!

 

 









I've downloaded all the new programs that I purchased with the computer including Adobe Photoshop Elements 11...I'm soooooo excited about this one, maybe I can learn to fake make my photo's look better, I need all the help I can get!  I am very disappointed that my new laptop does NOT contain the drive that my camera card will fit into, so I will still need to keep my BIG home computer in the studio for my photo's.  I am contacting the people I ordered it from because it does have a drive but a little teeny tiny opening, not nearly big enough for my camera card...I checked on this with them before purchasing and they said it would fit!  I just hope we can get this corrected, so the BIG home computer can go too! 



Of course no instructions or manuals or even pictures with no words are included so I'm kinda winging it here! 

 

 

If anyone has any suggestions, tips or words of wisdom I would love to hear them!

                                                     Hugs,

                                                              Pendra

p.s. I can tell all ready, something's changed... I cannot "Preview" my post before publishing it.  So if this is all funky, HELP, any ideas?
 

Sweet Dreams

Another old project turned into a "Sweet Dream"...

 This old frame has a place for 2 photo's and a mirror in the middle, a small shelf and pegs for hanging.

 I started off with some sweet papers from Anna Griffin... a pastel colored "Toile", my favorite!  Satin flowers and lots of lace and lovely buttons, paper doilies and my Big Shot and Paper Trey Ink Die Cuts.

 Cut to fill the openings for the photos, I played with my goodies until I liked the design and then glued!

I took the mirror out and used the backing board to paint with homemade chalkboard paint.  I mixed Plaster of Paris with a little hot water and my choice of acrylic paint, Folk Art's, "Strawberry Parfait"...doesn't that sound yummy?   After it was really dry, I primed it using a stick of chalk on it's side, rub the entire surface lightly and then dry wipe it off.  I hand wrote my own design on paper and using graphite paper and a stylus, lightly transferred it to the chalkboard and then just drew it all in with white chalk! 

I put all the pieces back together in the frame and it looks very pretty together, love the soft pastels!  I'm happy with my first attempt ever at chalkboard art!

 Next I took an old bottle I had with a wood top... that I didn't like at all.  So I painted it with the same strawberry acrylic paint, when dry I applied some crackle medium and when that was tacky and almost dry, brushed on a cream colored paint.  It crackled beautifully!  The bottle has a light blue green tint and I found a pearlized button almost the same color and tied it with ribbon around the neck with a strand of fine cream colored pearls.  Next I found a sweet rose graphic from Karen at The Graphic Fairy and Mod Podged it onto the bottle.

 

 I think it turned out so pretty and is perfect for the new Guest Bedroom, just inside the door.

 

 I hung a tin roofed birdhouse hanger with lovely glass knobs right underneath for guest's to hang there coats or robes on.  I put this right inside the door so it is the first thing you see when you enter the room.

And here's the wall as you enter the room, see the empty space beneath it... I'm working on a small quilt rack to go below it and fill in the space and to have a place to put extra quilts or towels for my guests.   I have a few more projects to share and then hopefully the room can come together and I can do a full reveal.

Until then... Sweet Dreams!

                                         Hugs,

                                                Pendra

Sharing at:

                       Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

                       Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

                       The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
                       Tuesdays at Our Home at Our Home Away From Home
                       Be Inspired at Common Ground
                       Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo
                       Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
                       Blog Hop at La Belle Epoque Home
                      

All Happiness...

             

My hope for you this Easter is love and happiness

 with your families, friends and loved ones!

I'm sorry for my absence lately, my computer and health have not been cooperative!  A new computer has been ordered and set to be delivered April 5th.  My health...that's a different story, but I see the Dr. on Tuesday, so hopefully that will be "fixed" as well.

                                          Love and Peace,

                                                                  Pendra

Treasures For A Song

I was here in Blogland one day visiting with my friend Kris from Junk Chic Cottage (you have to go see her gorgeous "bright, white and sunny" home) and she was sharing her day thrifting at the Goodwill.  I had been anxiously awaiting our trip out thrifting all week.  I thought we were going to the Goodwill, but upon getting there it was an ARC Value Village.  It's all the same...  treasures for a song.

Here's what I found:

These 2 pieces have the softest shade of pink.  The little basket with the handle will go right into the guest room.  And the other is a candy dish, that I will use as a cupcake stand... love the soft hint of color in both of them...so sweet!

I love this sweet little bunny and it will make a beautiful vignette paired with a some cute little Easter eggs.   My favorite piece is the Hen sitting on her eggs... a soup tureen that will find itself housed in my French Farmhouse kitchen shelves!

The large bell jar has a slight hint of grey, and I have it sitting on top of another grey tinted cake stand, they looked so perfect together.  Sitting next to the large bell jar is the cover to a cheese ball set, I like it because it is all clear and  paired with the right size glass plate will make another beautiful cloche.  Sitting in front to the right is a teeny, tiny bell jar, that will also make a very sweet little teeny, tiny cloche.

My little bunny and mother hen are real hams...  I found this cute little silver dish, maybe a sugar dish?  And a white glazed handled urn.

This sweet little silver sugar dish is just perfect to make a pin cushion.  I have seen a few of these out there on Pinterest and they are so beautiful.  Adding some lace, buttons, ribbons and pearls, it will be lovely!

This white glazed urn will be getting a makeover too.  I've already ordered a 6" moss covered ball to sit on top.  I think it will be very pretty and add some color and height to a Spring vignette I've been thinking about!

I just had to show you again, the teeny, tiny little bell jar that I am going to make into a sweet little teeny, tiny cloche!  It may be teeny, tiny but it is so cute!

My grey tinted bell jar and cake stand had to make another appearance... it is just so BIG with attitude!

You can't see my glass plates too well in this photo... they are etched with Iris's and the long slender leaves.  The edges of the plates are ruffled and follow the outline of the flowers and leaves.  There was 6 large plates and 8 small, but I only wanted the one set and as they were sold separately I could do that...but I still felt bad breaking up the set.  I thought they would be very pretty with some dollar store candlesticks  or vases added to make a 2 tier stand... I've got to keep an eye out for them.

And lastly you can see the grapevine wreath covered in colored Easter eggs.  The wreath is in need of a little repair and has that well loved look, but the color of the eggs are so pretty, soft robin eggs blue, mint green and a few colors in between...they even have the little brown specks!  I haven't decided if I'll fix up the wreath and tie on a BIG burlap bow, or if I'll remove the eggs and make a few little nests for vignettes.

It's always fun to find things on my list, to save items and re-make them into beautiful decor for my home!  I had a very good "Thrifting" day... Mr. P. didn't fair too good, but next time it could be him finding treasures,
treasures for a song...

Have a GREAT Weekend!

                                              Hugs,

                                                        Pendra

 Sharing at:
                    Feathered Nest Fridays at French Country Cottage
                    Open House Party at No Minimalist Here   
                    Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo 
                     Be Inspired at Common Ground 
                    Junkin Joe's at The Cottage Market 
                    Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage 

A Day at the Spa

A beautiful little spa in Inver Grove Heights, rolling hills and a beautiful stream running out back... doesn't that even sound quaint?  Inside, shampoo's of oatmeal to make your skin silky smooth in this dry weather.  A new hair cut and style, getting your nails done as well, all that a girl could ask for... right? 

The Before:

Well, this girl would rather have her hair tied in knots that you cannot get a brush through, nails that could scratch the paint right off the walls (which in the right circumstances could be useful), she hates going to the Spa!   And the smell...

Those paws look like bear paws...

 The After:

Hannah hasn't actually left the couch and her fur blanket since!

She is FREEZING... so my friend Holly at Down To Earth Style  (you have to go visit her and Mazi) suggested I go and get her a little coat.  Then I remembered I had bought her a "Pink" girly, girl camo coat earlier this winter...

 

Isn't she chic in her "Girly Girl" coat and her new Do?  Hannah won''t look at the camera, or me... she's embarrassed (and mad) and says it's a little like being undressed and buck naked & ON CAMERA...

oh NO!

When is it my turn to go to the Spa for a day???

I could scratch paint right off the wall... although that could be useful!

                                           Hugs,

                                                    Pendra

Knee Deep & Foot High...

Spring has Sprung...

And we are knee deep and foot high in snow here in Minnesota!  We got over 12" of snow here where we are and it took almost a whole day to dig out.  Poor little Hannah, the snow was deeper than she is tall, the neighbors probably think we are nuts (and it's probably true), we were out walking, plowing and shoveling paths for the little honey to get around the yard.  She loves to do a perimeter check every morning and night, so tonight we will go out and finish the rest of the path around this big old yard.  OKAY, so off task...

Today, I decided it was time for a little Spring here at Pendra's Place, so I started with an old cheese ball plate and cover that was a wedding gift 36 years ago...where did the time go?  I glued on one of the Dollar Store candlesticks with E6000 Glue, this stuff works!  And presto...I have my one and only coveted cloche's, and I love it!

This is a little wall between my living room and my kitchen, some day I want to remove it!!  It is about the center of my main living area, so it seemed a perfect spot for Spring to begin...

This is an old dry sink, the kind that they used to put the old pitcher and bowl on.  I use it as a small dresser to hold my silver and my wine glasses.  Perfect!

 

I added a little birds nest...

                                               with Mama and baby...so sweet!

I thought I'd share another photo of my "Lady Bug" Aerogarden, I planted with Petunia's.  The last time I shared it with you it was probably 1/2 the size... love her sweet little face!

It still doesn't have any blooms, probably shouldn't have planted her so close to a window where she can see Winter outside...she may be a little confused!

                   Spring has sprung at Pendra's Place...
                            even if we're knee deep and foot high... in snow!

                                                Hugs,
                                                         Pendra


Sharing with:
                       

Fabulousy Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo

Bits & Pieces / I Was Featured

I'm sorry that I've been absent for a while, just wanted to let you know that I'm still here...  I'm getting closer to putting my guest room together, here's some bits and pieces I've been working on...

I've never had a proper guest room so I'm starting from scratch with a very small budget... basically what I've got is, what I've got!  This wood cabinet is a blanket chest that my dear sweet Dad made, as well as the wood frame in the background.  He loved to make primitive furniture and now that he is gone, we will treasure them forever!!

Anyway, I'm still here, checking out more sites, finding more inspiration and gathering more idea's...I don't think it'll ever be done, let's just say it evolves as I think all good rooms do, just like life!

Sorry for the dark shot of my sweet lace curtains, this room is so sunshiney, I just could not get a good photo!  See my little candelabra...I need to spray paint it, but don't think I'll wait for Spring, so I guess it's back into the snow bank for me!

I joined my very first Link Party...and I was Featured!  I joined Brag Monday over at The Graphics Fairy and my French Fringed Pillow was Featured...you can check it out here. 

Thanks Karen, it was a lot of fun...and good for my soul!

Hope you all have a great weekend, get some rest...and do something FUN!  I have craft day tomorrow with my Cousin and my Sister... I better go pack!

                                  Hugs,

                                            Pendra

 

Just A Little Guest Room Love...

Another project for the B&B guest room.  I am just plugging away on projects for this room, as I have never had a room designated just for a guest room.  I have shared a guest room with my craft room, but with the new house I have a real guest room and a real craft room.  So today's project is just a little guest room love...

I started with a left over piece of a beautiful flour sack I purchased in a pack from Fleet Farm, they are inexpensive and beautiful!  I hand cut out 2 hearts and on one piece I sewed on 4 different pieces of lace... I LOVE lace! Then added a few buttons in the colors of the new quilt for the bed.  Putting right sides together I sewed around the heart, leaving a small opening for turning and stuffing.  I then snipped small cuts around the heart before turning it right side out, also remember to snip the point off, but be careful not to cut into the thread.  She has a beautiful point on her, but the pictures don't show it very good... wished I would have seen that earlier!  And then I stuffed it, and hand stitched the edge closed.

 I tied a bow made with silk ribbon I received on a present some time ago...I never throw anything beautiful away!  I added a small strand of white pearls under the bow and then sewed them onto the heart.  My heart is about 8" wide by about 7" high.  And she is beautiful!  One more project done for the new room and it will be making it's reveal soon...

Just wanted to share how much my Aero Garden (this one is petunia's) has grown from a week or so back when I first showed it to you.  I have had to raise the top almost to the top height...as the plant grows you don't want the light too close and burn the plants.  I think I'll be seeing some buds soon...

                                      Hugs,

                                           Pendra

Sharing on Feathered Nest Friday

 

A Family Affair

I finally finished my chair...

The chair is a chair that came from my Aunt (my Father's Sister), who was an antique's dealer in South Dakota.  My Mother re-finished the chair and another Aunt (Father's Sister-in-law) had caned the seat, it had seen better years, so I didn't feel bad covering it over.  It was gifted to me by my Father shortly before his death and was in need of a makeover.  I used a mixture of fabrics and patterns to complete it, in toile and checks, the cutest graphic, black and creams and fringe and buttons...all my favorites!

For the seat, I cut a piece of plywood and used a piece of foam, I covered it in batting and stapled a fabric that was from a slipcover I purchased from Target, years ago.  The fabric is very heavy duty and will stand up to normal wear and tear, as it was barely used, why not recycle!  The pillow in the front was made with 2 layers of  the softest muslin and fringe and stuffing that I purchased from JoAnn Fabric's and the sweetest vintage buttons that came from my Mother and Grandmother.  The pillow in the back was also made from recyled curtains in a toile print from Waverly... this is my favorite print and I just can't seem to part with it.  I again used muslin for the front and the same fringe and a pillow form from JoAnn's.  And to top it off I also used some of my sweet vintage buttons... 

I gathered the sides all up...I think they call that rusching, and made an envelope back also using the toile fabric.  The graphic came from The Graphic's Fairy and you can find her site here.  If you haven't been to her site I highly recommend it!  She has the greatest graphics, images, blog headers and projects... all free! 

And finally it is done, this chair feels like it has been a family affair and I couldn't love it more!  I just had to get one little shot of one of my favorite Valentine Day gifts from my dear sweet hubby.  I left the room and came back to this, placed in front of my favorite spot.  I have a REAL sweet tooth and he knows how to spoil me... love that man!

 Hope you all have a great week and do something creative...

                                    Hugs,
                                        Pendra