~Pamela Susan~

Oh Timberline, Oh Timberline... Oh How I Love Thee

(Did you sing that title to the song Oh Christmas Tree?  Oh, good.)

Ever visited Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood? I finally did after living in the Pacific Northwest for the last 25 years.  Hot tubbing, scrumptious food, comfy beds, warm fireplaces, and snowboarding provided the perfect getaway for us and our friends.  I already wanna go back.

And can't you tell I'm a pro boarder with my pants like they are?  Thought so.

 

And do you want to see just how easy this sport came to my friend and I?  Be my guest...

 

Can you say biff??

 

Here's Aaron trying to help me stay up.  Tee hee. :)

Luckily for Julie and I, we eventually got the hang of it!  But by the end of the day I was ready to. be. done.  My legs were hatin' me by then, as was my toosh.

   

Unfortunately I left my camera at home, but here's a few snapshots the hubs took on his iphone.

Did I mention the food was scrumptious??

 

Their homemade granola.  Divine.

My first time playing shuffle board.  Sorry for the creepy face.

Yes, I've decided this is the year for me to look Intimidation in the face and smack it away.   Hitting the slopes, coupled with getting off that dang lift, was very intimidating, but was extremely empowering in the end.  Just like sewing dresses from a pattern.  And learning Photoshop (I just finished an online course!). 

So what if I don't do things perfectly the first time?  And who cares if I make a fool of myself while trying to make it down the slopes?  I've realized something about myself--it's very easy for me to continue doing things that are comfortable and effortless and shy away from doing things that are hard to do.  But I can see the good in doing these so-called "hard things".  It's not only empowering, but life renewing.  Does that even make sense?  I'm going to make a list of things I've always wanted to do but haven't yet due to fear of failure or having to put forth extra effort.

What about you?  Would you like to join me?  Let's live a little.  :)

 

xo,

Pamela

 

p.s. I don't think I've mentioned it on the blog yet, but all orders shipped last week!  To heck with the two week turn around time--I loved getting them out within the first couple days!  :)

A DIY Mini Easter Basket Place Card Holder

Okay, I'm back.  So much has transpired over the last last couple weeks I don't even know where to begin!  Jewelry orders...that's where I'll start.  All but one have been shipped and I'll finish the last one tonight--I was waiting for some supplies to arrive and they did yesterday, so all is good business-wise.

My hands have been busy doing other things, too.  Some fun crafts that I think you'll enjoy making!  Things like making gigantic paper hibiscus flowers for a luau, experimenting with handmade fabric pincushions, decorating a trinket box for Miss A's school's fundraiser, and selecting fabric for curtains... all sorts of good stuff.  I'll have to show you pictures next week because today I want to focus on a merry little Easter craft.  A trip to Whole Foods inspired this idea.  While shopping there a couple weeks ago I found the CUTEST little gourmet chocolate bunnies wrapped in clear bags with cute paper tops.  Eight bucks was too much to spend on them so I decided to make my own.  But teeny-tiny size.

To make these, first, go to the store and buy a package of mini Lindt bunnies.

 

Second, remove the foil wrapper (after washing your dirty hands, of course!) and tie a colorful ribbon around its wee little neck.  Plop it in a mini clear bag and decorate the top with scrapbooking paper (I already had a stash of these bags on hand that I purchased long ago--small lollipop bags from Michael's should work, too!)

Place it in a mini Easter basket filled with grass and tiny Easter egg candy.  You can also find flower lip gloss at Michael's like the pink one below.  So pretty.  Don't forget to adhere snazzy fringe to the top of the basket using double-sided tape!

 

Don't like the fringe?  Go ahead and change it.

For the paper flower I implemented the same technique used in making the paper flower balls.  Instead of using a pin for the center I placed a half pearl sticker found in the scrapbooking section. Scalloped scissors provided the pink embellishment on the bottom.  I'm in love with my scalloped scissors.  Use them all the time.

 

Voila... you're done!  You've got yourself the perfect Easter gift for a friend, or perhaps the perfect Place card holder for Easter dinner!!

 

A merry little Easter craft indeed!

 

Happy Weekend!

 

xo,

Pamela

 

p.s. I purchased the mini baskets at Michael's but you can find some at The Dollar Store, too!

p.s.s.  Don't delay--head on over to Sarah's blog ABeachCottage for some beautiful inspiration!!

An Owl and a Cupcake Hat Too Cute for Words

Ahhh, the weekend... I love Fridays.  It has been an eventful, productive, happy week and now I'm going to sit back, kick my feet up and type for a few minutes.

While I do, I want to share with you a necklace design that Beatrice from Etsy Stalker ordered last week. She requested an "I heart Owls" necklace instead of the "I heart Cupcakes".  I loved her idea!  She ordered it for her daughter who is an owl lover who also loves the color green, so I attached a green garnet gem to it.  Here's how it turned out.

Great idea, Beatrice!  I just might have to add that one to the shop.  :)

The orders are going well--I hope to have them all shipped out a couple days before the 2 week turn around time.

And GUESS WHAT?  I received the most adorable gift today from the neatest mom, Andrea, who I've gotten to know through Miss C's ballet class. First I have to highlight the adorable packaging--she decorated a green chinese takeout box by modge-podging it with cutout scrapbook paper.  How creative is that?  Very.  

And it gets even better.  Look at what was inside the box... a handknit cupcake hat for Miss J that Andrea made herself!  I can't get over how cute it is!

And look at the sprinkles!  Cute, cute, cute.

Andrea and I thought it would be fun to put a cherry on top so I needle-felted one.  By the time I sewed it on the hat, Miss J was napping so Miss C became the new model.

(To my friend Jennifer--you need to get a hat like this!!  It would be perfect for you!)

 

Thank you, Andrea!!

 

Well, that's it for tonight!  Have an enjoyable weekend!!

 

xo,

Pamela

A Home for Two Vintage Chairs

Okay, are you getting the hang of the furniture game yet?  Are you ready to give me another guess?  Alright, here we go.  Avey scored a pair of vintage chairs at a garage sale, and I was the lucky recipient of them.  As soon as I saw them I fell in love!  They were unique, fun, and just what I needed for my living room.  Unfortunately, the previous owner's dog had made the habit of sitting on them one too many times and dirtied them up, so I had them reupholstered.  No, I didn't want to tackle that project on my own so a nice local man did it.  (Thanks, Dan!)  

Here is a picture of one BEFORE its fabric treatment...

And AFTER...

I choose a timeless neutral color (though I loved the old one, too!).  If I want to switch up the look I'll just change the pillow(s).

I love the pillows on the red couch--I think they help tie in the rest of the colors in the room.

Okay, how much do you think Avey payed for the chairs??

Whoever guesses first will win either the "Birdsong" necklace (a $32 value) OR...

a set of Songbird magnets!  (a $24 value)  It's your choice!

The winner will be announced Friday, September 24th.  (I'm open to shipping international, too!)

 

Good luck!

xo,

Pamela, a gal who loves a good vintage find

Twenty Buckeroos

Thanks for all your guesses, everyone!  Let's give a big congrats to Marisa, who was the first one to guess correctly!  She guessed 20 bucks and that's exactly what I paid for this dresser.  Actually, it came with a really cool mirror, too, which I think will end up in my bedroom--I'll show pictures when it's painted.  I love a good deal!

So, do you want to know what the dresser looked like before it was painted?  Here it is, with some of the drawers already pulled out...

Not so pretty in my opinion.

Do you have a piece of furniture you want to paint?  I'm sure there are a gazallion ways to do it but this is how I did it.  It's real easy.  This is what you do:

1.  Grab a friend to help you if you really want to crank it out--Avey helped me and we had a grand ol' time!

2.  Remove the hardware

3. Lightly sand the piece of furniture

4.  Wipe it down to remove the sanded particles (we took a leaf blower and blew the dickens out of the dresser--it helped a lot!  I then used tack cloth to remove the finer particles.

5.  Prime, prime, prime.  We used Kilz Primer spray paint--this stuff is awesome!  It covers the wood so incredibly well.  At first I used Krylon primer and it is WEAK compared to Kilz--we had to spray over the same area at least five times to get somewhat decent coverage.  At this point I should also add that I chose to use spray paint because I've been told by various sources that it is much faster/easier than regular paint... I agree.  :)

Kilz leaves a slightly bumpy texture so after it dried, I LIGHTLY sanded it using very fine grit sandpaper until it was smooth--this does not take much effort, so be careful not to remove the primer to the point that the wood shows through.

6.  Spray paint away--be careful not to get too close to the wood!  I used Krylon satin ivory spray paint.  I ended up using about 4 cans for this project.

 

I then used Ralph Lauren Aging Glaze to give it a slightly distressed look--I wiped most of it off with an old washcloth.

I also painted the hardware since I'm not a fan of the brass color, so it went from this...

to this...

Thank goodness for Rust-Oleum Hammered Spray Paint!

In my opinion an old outdated dresser is the perfect project for this.  I love mine. :)

So, once again, here's the BEFORE picture:

And here's the AFTER:

Fun stuff.

Oh, and here is a BEFORE picture of the side table(s)...

And the AFTER:

I like this Guess-how-much-I-payed-for-this-piece-of-furniture-and-you-could-win-a-pair-of-earrings game.  Do you?  How about we do it again on Wednesday!!

 

xo,

Pamela, a gal who's grateful for paint

Random Goodness

Hello everyone!  

Okay, so I have a lot of fun randomness to share with you but first I have to report on the Ray LaMontagne concert.  It was AMAZING!  I wish I had my camera to show you pictures (I did take a few with Aaron's iphone but they didn't turn out so great).  I love his music.  LOVE it.  It is definitely folk rock at its best.  Also, it was surprising how shy Ray was.  He kinda had a hard time looking at the audience and the only time he spoke to us was when he thanked everyone for their applause after his singing.  But you know what?  I was totally fine with that.  His shyness almost makes him more endearing.  He has definitely found his niche.  And luckily the weather was perfect because it was an outside concert at McMennamins in Troutdale, Oregon.  The setting was beautiful.  Absolutely beautiful.

The following day I had the extreme pleasure of taking a few pics of one of my best friend's family.  They are adorable.  Take a gander...

 

Told you they were cute.

Here's the lovely couple, Erica and Brad...

and their three adorable children...

(look at those eyes!)

These next two are twins...so cute!

Thank you, Erica, for letting me play "photographer" with your family!

 

We then visited my dad for the day.  Miss C enjoyed decorating him with flowers...

 

He didn't seem to mind.  :)
    
 

We then strolled through his garden to see if we could find a side-dish for dinner.  And look what we discovered... tomatoes!  This was the first harvest of this particular variety.  Beeeautiful.

 We also picked some delicious corn.  Yum, yum, yum.  Oh, how I love my dad's garden.

Here are a few shots I took of the girls...

Here's Miss A after she realized one of her flowers broke...

And here's Miss C sassin' it up...

 

 Okay--on to more randomness--yesterday I tried out a new cupcake recipe for a baby shower that Avey and I hosted for a friend last night.  If you are looking for a nice basic white cake recipe this is for you.  I also made this buttercream frosting.  I tried this new one out because it calls for butter only-no substitutes.  I don't like to consume hydrogenated oils if I don't have to--not good for the body at all. Let me know if you try out the recipes--I think you'll like them!  

 

(I purchased the pearlized pink balls at Michael's--you gotta love that store!  Here's a * printable 50% off coupon *that is good until 9/18--go use it!)

And have you ever made Martha Stewart's tissue "puff balls"?  Actually, I have no idea what she calls them but "puff balls" works for me.  Avey showed me how to make them a little while ago--I couldn't believe how simple they were to make!  And fast, too.  I made a few for the shower--I think they added a nice playful touch to the room.  Let me know if you want a tutorial on how to make them.

 

 

Ooh!  One more thing.  Look what I scored for the baby shower.  A stack of rectangular glass party plates!  Guess how much I got them for.  Nope, guess lower.  Lower.  Even lower.  You got it--I payed ten cents a plate.  TEN CENTS!  Yes, I love me a good bargain.

 

Have any of you found any great deals lately?  Do tell!  

Well, that's it for today... Happy Wednesday!!

 

xo,

Pamela

A Splendid Tea Party

I have a very cool friend named Carrie.  She is a cool cat, indeed.  She's the type of friend that if we lived closer to one another we'd get together all the time and have fun, fun, fun.  This morning I checked out her blog and just had to highlight her fun ideas/creations for her sister's baby shower.

Check out this cool doily garland she made...

and the beautiful assortment of sweets...I want a bite.

And don't miss out on the darling favors--tea bags with felt flower pins...

 

scrumptious.
  

I love the cheerful-sunny-yellow theme.  This kinda makes me want to host a "Sun Party" in hopes it'll make the rain and gray skies disappear here in the Pacific Northwest.  Or perhaps a Yellow Day will do the job.  I mean, come on weather...it's JUNE ALREADY!!  Get with the program already, will ya?!

Have a fabulous weekend!

xo,

Pamela

A Beautiful Inspiration

I love this video.  Stephanie is a true inspiration.

Miss C was on my lap while I watched it.  After the video was over I noticed I was holding her a little tighter, feeling grateful that I am a mother, that she and her sisters are mine.  This video has inspired me to be more grateful for my life.  It has inspired me to be a little more patient with my children.  A little more loving...to take more time to truly enjoy my time with them.

What perfect timing with Mother's Day right around the corner.

I hope you enjoy it too, and will find inspiration in your own life!

xo,

Pamela

Yummy Homemade Oreos and the Talented Heather Bailey

Since Avery's birthday is in the summer her preschool class celebrated her half birthday today.  The girls decided homemade oreos would be a yummy celebratory dessert.

But why make plain round cookies when you can have flowery ones?!  And of course the filling needed to be pink, not white.  The girls helped make them and did a fantastic job at it.

I made a few open-faced ones.  Wouldn't these be great for a girl themed baby shower?

 

And look what I just came across...the perfect gift I want to make for the girls' birthdays.  I'M IN LOVE, and I know they will be too.

Look at those cute eyelashes!  And "hair accessories"!

 

I'm dying here.  darling. Darling. DARLING.

(images can be found here)

I mean, seriously, have you ever seen anything cuter than these??  I haven't.    And speaking of Heather Bailey and hair accessories, my Trash Ties just arrived in the mail!

 

I tell ya, Heather Bailey is amazing.  AMAZING.  I just found out about her last month (where in the world have I been?  I swear I'm the last person to find out about everything).  I think she is my new hero.  Her creations speak to me.  

xo,

Pamela
 

  

To Make a Fairy Village...

(Post Edit:  To learn how to make wood critters from a pro, go to Amber Dusick's Website to watch this video.  She's the lovely gal that inspired me to create the Fairy Village.  She is fabulous!!)

 

I recently received an email from a reader telling me she wanted to make a Fairy Village for her children for Easter!  She loved the thought of filling their Easter baskets with handmade gifts...I think it is a lovely idea.  She hoped I would be able to send her a few pictures of the little village I made for my girls, so I thought I'd put them on here just in case more of you are interested in doing the same.  Take a gander:

Here's the gang enjoying a cupcake party...

 

I used wood-glue to adhere the separate table pieces (cupcakes are one piece)...

 

A fine wood-burner tip was used to outline the silverware (pic of tip below)...

The tree is made of one piece...

 

whereas this little mushroom house is made of two separate pieces...

 

Don't forget to add a snail on the back of the house!

This is where the fairies baked the cupcakes...

And most importantly, do not forget to sign and date the pieces...this is a must!

 

Yes, a fun time was had by all!  Oh, to be a fairy...

 

Here's a picture of the wood-burner I purchased at Michael's.

These are the two tips I used--the fine tip was used for the silverware.

  
In the interest of time, I've copied and pasted a portion of my response to my reader, Katie, just in case you are interested in learning how to make the village.

********

 

As for tips, I believe we used a scroll saw to cut out the little pieces.  The majority of the pieces were cut from a plank of pine wood, which was relatively cheap!  :)  I used a pencil to draw the outlines of the items and then cut them out with the saw, then sanded the edges.  I then used a pencil to draw the details, woodburned over the pencil marks, then used cheap craft paint from Michael's to color them.  They were SOOO much fun to make!  And how cool would it be to make little bunnies for easter to add to their collection?  I think I'm going to attempt making some for the girls instead of buying plush bunnies for the baskets...they don't need ANYMORE stuffed animals!  lol

Oh!  One more tip--I used a Q-tip and blunted toothpick to help clean the paint out of the woodburnt lines--I'm interested in experimenting with painting BEFORE using the woodburner to eliminate the need of using a Q-tip/toothpick.  

********    

  Alright, that is it!  I hope this will be helpful to those of you who are interested in making these.  

Let me know if you have any questions!

xo,

Pamela

p.s.  If you don't own a wood-burner CLICK HERE for a 40% coupon to Michael's to buy one!