. ~ digital collage above by filigree moon ~ .

November 28, 2009

~Just Charming~

Charming ~
  the art of creating charms for Etsy and for Cottage Panache.
These seasonal charms are created with a rustic look.
"Imperfections" impart a timeworn, vintage appeal.


Colorful birds perch upon a snowladen branch.

Dapper Santa with freshly harvested tree.

Santa, just before Christmas, readies for the
 magical sleigh ride.

Santa motors about the North Pole,
gathering toys
for good girls and boys.

Santa travels by starlight
through the sky of Christmas Eve night.

These charms can be worn
~ or used to adorn ~
tree, wreath, cabinet or drawer;
 gift, lampshade, mirror or door.

Crafted of sterling silver content solder
 over flat or beveled glass tiles.
Sure to bring happiness,
 sure to bring smiles.

~ And oh, so fun to create! ~

November 21, 2009

Fairies in the Pumpkin Patch

After a brisk walk through newly fallen leaves,
past the rough hewn gate, lies a field of glorious gourds.
  Trekking through the pumpkin patch,
 looking for just the right pumpkin for Thanksgiving day, resulted in a
 magical encounter.
The search for the perfect pumpkin was not a daunting task at all,
as ripened, pearly white pumpkins glistened in the last light of the setting sun.

  At first, a copper sparkle caught my attention.
Perhaps this is the one.
  As I walked closer, a flutter, ever so subtle,
beckoned me to look for a butterfly.
  Upon closer inspection, a dreamy glow revealed  a
winged creature not at all reminiscent of a butterfly, not even the wings.
  No ~ these wings were golden yellow,
curiously shaped like the Fall leaves that had
scattered the earthen floor just days before.
Only these leaves fluttered mightily, propelling a curious little...
 ~ could it be ~
fairy...

A closer look revealed a
most dainty, beautiful fairy, dressed in the
 colors of the autumnal season.

Closer, just a bit closer.

Wee little fairy eyes looked my direction, a bit surprised perhaps,
as the fairy began to flit away.

I stepped back.

As she swirled around me
the tiny fairy came ever so close,
winked and flew away.

Perplexed, I marveled at the vast array of pumpkins,
and the liliputian creature,
 when a delightful golden shine
garnered a glance.

Moving closer, I spied a tiny
gold-dusted tutu and golden ballerina shoes.

Closer, closer.  Now clearer.

Indeed!
A second leaf-winged fairy!

Her wings were emblazened in a glorious coppery hue.

Alas, beauty, presented before my eyes,
as never before seen,
in the blink of an eye,
disappeared  with
 the settled sun.

By moonlight, with a pumpkin of pure perfection,
 I began my journey back to the farmhouse,
guided by the dreamlike vision of Fall fairies
and the gift that is the beauty of nature.

May your Thanksgiving be enlightened and blessed.

November 14, 2009

Welcome to Cottage Panache!

Today marked the first Open House for
 Cottage Panache Antiques.
  It was a lovely, sunny day, with a steady stream of visitors.

I was able to photograph some of the beautiful
changes that owner, Maureen, has made at the cottage.

She has diligently worked to complete another room,
where Christmas decor was debuted.

A flea market also took place outside on the grounds at
Cottage Panache.  No photos were taken outside, as
 conversing with new friends took precedence.
We had a grand time outdoors and indoors and
 wish Maureen success with the new shop.
We welcome you to stop by and say hello and
 marvel at the beauty that is
Cottage Panache.

November 11, 2009

~Flea Market ~ Grand Reopening ~ Door Prize~

 grand reopening this weekend and an
 outdoor flea market as well!

Be sure to register for the door prize,
a Cottage Panache gift certificate.


Owner, Maureen, has been hard at work readying her
 new location for its grand reopening.

Entire store inventory will be discounted 20%
 and multiple vendors will be outdoors with a variety of merchandise
 for sale at the first flea market at the new location.

Indoor sale and outdoor flea will begin
Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Indoor sale will continue
Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Outdoor flea on Sunday will continue, weather permitting.


Please come help us celebrate the grand reopening of

7277 Glenview Drive
Richland Hills, Texas
817~595~4040

If you are interested in selling at the outdoor flea market,
please contact Maureen for setup cost and information.

Hope to see you there!

November 8, 2009

Time Travel ~ A Sepia Journey

 
Do you ever wonder about
the people represented in found photos?
  What their journey must have been
up to the point of the captured image?

Which earthly possessions held special significance?
And why?

Who were their family members?  Who were their friends?

How did they spend their leisure time?

What stories lie behind their sentimentality?

Whom did they treasure?
WHO was their guiding light?

Today I dabbled with vignettes in my home and
 tweaked a vintage group photo, using Paint Shop Pro.
  The commonality of these images evolved through use of
modern technology, traveling via a sepia journey,
unifying images captured at
 vastly different moments in time.

November 3, 2009

Enchanted Pumpkins ~ Glittered

Pumpkins and gourds
swirled with glitter

sure to enchant
Fall through Winter.

A yearly Fall and Winter activity is happening this week ~
enchanting of the gourds.
These are fairly simple to do ~
 metallic or irridescent paint, glitter and glue.

A bit of patience helps as well,
 as there are multiple layers of paints,
the swirling designs require concentration
 and a tad of finesse.
The results are magical and sure to impress.
Give it a try!
Or visit my Etsy site.  My very first listing is the
 wee, sweet green pumpkin

 These pumpkins are entered  in the
 Handmade Holidays contest on
 Winners are chosen based on the idea and ratings.
  So, if you have a spare moment, and care to,
please visit their website and rate your favorite.
  Projects can be rated from 1 to 5 stars.
Thank you for sharing my gourdy delight.