The eensy-weensy spider...(oops)...bumblebee!

Here's my latest matchbox ornament, with a big, glittery bumblebee front and center!

I painted the inside box moss green (big surprise, there!), then covered the outside slider with green & white decorative paper, highlighted with glitter, of course.

Next, I glued a velvet leaf on top, then added a glass glittered bumblebee. I glued a silk ribbon on the top as a hanger and filled it's little drawer with the most silky, gorgeous stuff, called Angelina. It's a wispy fiber that is used in fabrics...or in anything woven that needs some shine. I got it from my glitter company, who also makes it. Feels like bedding for an angel! Sooooo soft.

I glued a piece of white card stock on the back ( it's sort of a base) and stamped "For:" so the giver can write the givee's name or a sweet sentiment. Perfect for a single piece of chocolate! Or, better yet...something REALLY SHINEY!!!! Oooooh!

Later...

I'm a basket case....

I've always been a "basket case", ...er...I mean I am a sucker for baskets.
Any size, material, shape, I'm gonna love it.

An artichoke can make a fine basket.....cabbages make fine baskets...you never know what I'll cobble into a basket for treats or place cards! And I have waaaay too many store-bought baskets around here. I'm extra crazy about nantucket-style baskets and thankfully, The Christmas Tree shop carries tons of them at a very cheeeeep price. I just can't go in there anymore...

But... I'm also crazy for boxes. I especially love small boxes for candies, treats and treasures.

I loved making chick & duckling boxes at Easter...

I made bumble-icious bee & flower boxes this spring

( did a fun workshop on those!) ....

and now I'm working on some sliding boxes. Matchboxes or slider boxes are great to work with...so many sizes and shapes, from the teensiest for the tiniest of treasures, to large, which will hold just enough chocolate! You can buy pre-made blank ones, use a real matchbox (sans matches, of course) or make one out of a box you already have, minus the lid.

I made this one out of a recycled jewelry box and the sliding cover out of card stock, which I stamped with you-know-what...bees, with a few dragonflies for good measure. I added silk ribbon, vintage style velvet leaves, a silk flower and of course, a glittered bumblebee hovering above.

This baby even has its mouth open, just waiting for sombody to put something special in it, hopefully, chocolate...

Will be doing an ornament version for Halloween & Christmas.

A girl's gotta have a place to stash her chocolate, don'tcha know!!!

C-ya

p.s. Can you see a trend here, people??? I'm also nutsy-crazy for moss green and pea green, a few shades lighter. And BUMBLEBEES...I know, there is help...seek it!

Vacation eye candy...(sigh)...

This just in from heaven...

There's something about sunsets. Each one is so different and more glorious than the last!

(sigh)...(double sigh)...Doesn't get better than this, does it?

Sparkling apple-iciousness...

This is one of my favorite glitter fairy products. It's a faux apple, glittered and adorned with a velvet leaf , with a hand-forged wire curli-cue. You can stick your favorite picture in it, post the menu for your dinner party or stick a hand written place card into it. Makes a great gift for your guests to take home after dinner, too. I used a combo of gold ultrafine plastic glitter with antique silver glass glitter, over the apple. A bit of the golden apple color is coming thru.

I usually do these in red glitter for teacher gifts. It's a fun twist on the "apple for the teacher". You can make a small color copy of the class picture, and insert it into the curli-cue for your child's favorite teacher. I'll have some up on my etsy store in time for the holidays.

Yours in glitter...
Laurie

Well, lah-dee-dah...glittered compotes!

It's a known fact that I am an antique cake stand & compote freak. I collect them and hold them very near to my heart. I especially love the clear EAPG bakery style cake stands which are so well worn and full of history. I use them all the time for display at shows and also for foods at parties. It's amazing how elevating cookies or a cake on a glass stand can make them look terriffic.

Sooooooo... I've been working on lots of new ideas for the Fall ...and ....I started fiddling around with candlesticks, tart pans, plates, shells, bugs and of course, glitter, and ......the next thing I knew, these decorative compotes appeared! I have used different types of paints & glitter, too, including glass glitter, which means they must stay out of the way of little fingers!

The compote at the top of this post (first picture) is actually a large scallop shell, the kind you serve fancy seafood dishes in, glued to a small wooden candlestick which is glued to an upside down terra cotta flower pot saucer, with a glass-glittered dragonfly hovering overhead. Am I nuts, or what???!!! These pictures don't do them justice. They really sparkle in the sun.

These are purely decorative and are not meant to be used with food, unless you like eating glitter, but they can hold all kinds of other things. At the holidays, you can pile them high with glittered pumpkins, a candle, glass ornaments, fruit ornaments or other decorative treasures to add a bit of sparkle to your table.

The little bitty ones were made out of mini tart pans glued to small candlesticks, and can be used as place markers if you pile some mini glass balls in them and stick a place card in. I'm sure you guys can think of other ways to use them...

You never know what I'll dream up next!

Would love your thoughts, comments or ideas.

Laurie

My kind of heaven....

Just got back from The Cape and wanted to share one of my favorite moments with you. The bay has such spectacular sunsets and this baby had absolutely amazing colors! We try to stay down at the beach until the last rays dip below the horizon, even though the no-see-ums are doing their best to take up residency in our noses. Can't believe it will be a whole year til we see this sunset again...

Why, oh why, does vacation have to end???!!! ( long sigh...)

I'm gonna print this sucker out and stick it to the wall of my studio, right in front of my face!!! (longer sigh......)