WHAT I WILL BE WORKING ON NEXT

I want to mention that I have a 300th post celebration giveaway going on until this Sunday.  See blog post below this one.

  I will be working on a few projects in the next few weeks.  You know me, I love a good swap.

JoAnne over at Vintage Dragonfly is hosting a Panoramic Easter Matchbox Swap.   We will be filling the inside of a large matchbox with an Easter Panoramic display just like you would find in those large sugar eggs.  If you are interested in joining in on all of this fun (sign-ups end soon, so hurry!!!) for this Panoramic matchbox swap, head on over to JoAnne's blog, tell her I sent you.

Over at An Artful Adventure Cassandra is hosting an   

Easter Treats Egg Carton Swap.  We will be filling two cardboard  half dozen egg cartons with Easter/Spring Vintage goodness for two swap partners.  If you are interested stop on over at Cassandra's blog for all the details (sign-ups end soon, so hurry!!) so you can join in on the fun, be sure to tell her I sent you. 

 Michele at Ask Michele Something Special is hosting a Vintage Petite Spring Jar Swap.  We will be using a 8 oz. canning jar and filling it with spring goodies.  If you are interested in joining in on this fun swap go on over to Michele's blog, sign-ups end soon, so hurry!!.  Tell Michele I sent you.

I am excited to get started on my projects for the swaps.  I will also be making some Easter treats to bring along on my trip to visit my family out in Nevada over the Easter Holiday.  I will post these after I get back, for I do not want to ruin the surprise (don't want you looking yet, Cin!!)
What are you creating for the Easter/Spring holiday??
Thanks for stopping by.
Michele

300TH POST AND A SHABBY RUSTIC GIVEAWAY

Welcome to Nook and Cranny's 300th post and my giveaway.  

 My gosh I can't believe I have posted 300 times..

I must say with 300 posts I sure do love to blog.  I love to follow blogs and I have a large number of favorite blogs that I follow, yes indeed I do.  I mentioned at the beginning of the week I would be offering a giveaway in celebration of this  .  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my followers and all of the warm   and wonderful comments I have received  for 300 posts. 

I would like to offer for this giveaway this very rustic shabby chic black crow.  More on the details of the crow in a second.

I would like to also offer in this giveaway something new I've been working on, "handmade layered ribbon/trims".  This piece of the black crows with pink crowns measures 41".

I stained the vintage eyelet trim with coffee, stamped the crows and the crowns on and added a little pink glitter to the crowns (don't think it shows up very good here though).  Taking a piece of plain muslin I sewed the eyelet trim along with large size pink rick rack and white flowered trim on my sewing machine with pink thread.

 The shabby chic trims would be useful for many things, think of all the possibilities....

 Here is another piece, this one is made the same way using burlap, beige vintage trim and some cotton flowered material (ripped for rough edges).  I have included the rest of this piece (measures 29") this same handmade ribbon/trim was used on the black crow.

The crow is made using black burlap, filled with pillow stuffing and hand sewed using pink thread.  

The tail of the crow has the words "Life is a little Brighter" along with some pink roses.

Notice the ribbon along the bottom of the crow from the piece above.

 These are some pink glass leaf type things I got given to me in a matchbox swap.

 The shabby crow has a blue stick pin for an eye and a blue glass flowered piece of bling on the bow around her neck.

 Now for the details of signing up for my giveaway, there are none....well, one!!!  Please post a comment here making sure I have a way to contact you should you be the winner.  I will draw a winner using some sort of number generated site on March 4th.
I thank you for entering my giveaway and good luck to all.
Thanks for stopping by.
Michele

ONE VERY LARGE ICE CUBE AND AN UPCOMING GIVEAWAY

Mr Nook and I took a beautiful Sunday ride.  The sun was shining, I think I feel spring in the air.

However, in our neighborhood we are surrounded by one very large ice cube.

 We are in Isle La Motte looking across to Alburgh.

 A leaf melting in the ice.

My next post is going to be my 300th post, my gosh this is a lot of posts!!!

I will be offering a giveaway in celebration so stay tuned for that.

Think Spring!

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

A NEW BOOK

My bird and nature book has arrived from Cathee from Art and Soul

A month of so ago Cathee and I decided to do a personal swap together and we chose the theme, nature and birds.

The paper bag album book I created for Cathee can be seen here.

 I will share with you some of the pages created.
This bird is so sweet.  I love the papers Cathee used.

 This is a bird pin (green bird) notice the bling hanging from it.  I so love this.  I will be wearing this to work tomorrow.

 Cathee included some other goodies.  An organza bag filled with paper goodies.  A note pad with a magnet on the back for the fridge and a beautiful card.
I love my bird and nature book and have thanked Cathee a few times so far.

Swapping art  is such a wonderful adventure.  I love creating for others, I love the giving of gifts, I love the challenge of it, I love the collection part of it,  and I love receiving from others their beautiful art work.
One day I will do a post to show you all of my collected treasures, so far (probably will be more than one post ;)
Thanks for stopping by.
Michele

CATCHING UP WITH SOME VALENTINES

 I've been busy creating some Valentine goodies for a few swap partners, two swap hostess and a little Valentine party with our new grand baby, Lil O.

Starting off with two paper mache hearts I purchased at Michael's, I mod podged vintage sheet music on the hearts then proceeded to cover with vintage goodness.  This one is called "pick a bouquet".



This one is called "thoughtfulness"
 If you follow my blog you know I do love a good swap.  I think all hostess's should be thanked as they deserve it for all the work they put into a swap.

 This is a tiny matchbox I created for a blog friend Amy.  Inside are three mini ATC's, these will be a surprise.

 Here is a Valentine hanging I received from Mercedes at All Things Pretty
These are silver heart tins, so sweet...

 A tin heart with a tiny tussie mussie, so darling.

 Some very vintage Valentines, I will cherish!!!  Thanks so much Mercedes.

 A matchbox I found in the mail from Amy at Ruby Moon Art

Thanks so much Amy...

Finishing up with my Valentine creations, gifts and party time, I made some "so yummy" Valentine Trash.
This recipe I found at Cooking with K
this is so easy to make.  Go to the link for the recipe.
The cups and boxes I found at Wal Mart, so cute.
This trash is so good...

Finally, this is our Valentine gift for our little grand baby.  A basket, a pink butterfly for her room, a fun book of course, some clothing from Baby Gap and this adorable chick hat I purchased from Lily Boo Boutique on Etsy.

Happy Valentine's Day to all.  I hope you are creating, receiving and preparing for a party...
Thanks for stopping by.
Michele

BIRDS & NATURE PAPER BAG BOOK

I have created a paper bag book for a special swap partner.  

Using the front and back cover of an antique book I set out for some creating fun.

Each page is actually a brown paper bag, each bag is open on the ends and has fun items tucked inside.

Some of the pages have pockets made with vintage doilies.

The book is themed; nature and birds.

Another pocket here.  Lots of tags were created and tucked into pockets here and there.
Some of the pages are covered with sheet music.  Buttons and paper flowers here and there.

A photograph of a family of Canadian geese from our own EmmaBeanDesigns.

Tucked in a pocket, some envelopes made from vintage wallpaper.

An organza bag for keeping goodies.

A pocket of flower seeds and some punched butterflies.

Thanks for stopping by.
Michele

DRESSED AND READY

We are dressed and ready to go.
I am linking up to SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE at The House in the Roses.

We are all decked out and ready to join in on the fun over at The Polka Dot Closet for a dress form party. Won't you come on over and have a look at all the dress forms in their finest attire.

We are dressed in our finest winter outfit, it's a little cold here on the East Coast...

One perfect yellow hat with feathers of course. A beautiful; off white angora sweater keeps us warm here.

One amazing burlap belt completes this outfit. Our burlap bag from the West Indies. Need something big for shopping.

Finally, a necklace of rusty old antique keys.

We love rusty here at Nook and Cranny.

Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks to Cielo for hosting.

Thanks Polka Dot Closet for hosting a fun party.

Michele

CHILI ANYONE??

HAPPY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY EVERYONE!!

Chili will be simmering in a few minutes.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

BIRDS AND PINK

I created this Valentine creation for my swap partner Mercedes for our Valentine Tin Swap over at Bliss Angels

I wrapped the tin in a vintage dinner napkin, tied with organza ribbon and finished off with a paper flower glittered with some pink glitter goodness.

I included a vintage postcard with a smaller tag that I stained with coffee and stamped with one of my favorite bird stamps.

This tag is kept in the pocket on the back of the tin.

I started off with bird tag I had created.

Here is a vintage brooch with a paper flower glued to the center.

The bird sits upon a white birch stick perch, surrounded by lots of pretty lace and trims and pieces of cut doilies. I just love it when I am able to use small scraps of cut up items that I refuse to throw away. I am brainstorming on how to use up all these little scraps that I have around, baskets and baskets full. I think I have figured something out, I will share if it comes to pass. What do you do with all of your scraps??

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a great weekend.

Michele