Vintage Inspiration

I have had a very fruitful month this June! I attribute it to being released from the daily grind when school was let out on June 9th, and to the fact that my dear husband (who-when he is home- demands my constant attention) was gone for two weeks doing mission work in the Phillippines. I have been dedicated to spending at least a couple of whole days every week locked in our comfortable and cozy cottage, (apartment) chained to my work table working and reworking until I have produced some worthy pieces. (Of course I have had The Sound of Music and the BBC mini-series version of Emma playing int he background to keep me jolly.) Please check them out and let me know what you think! (I would also be much obliged if you fancy any one of them in particular, that you 'share' the pictures with all your dear friends.)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76019535/blue-pearl-antique-chic-necklace?ref=pr_shop

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76626309/chocolate-and-lace-vintage-chic-necklace?ref=v1_other_2

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76020585/pink-pearl-antique-chic-necklace

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76021988/citrus-and-spice-bobble-necklace-and?ref=v1_other_1

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76022791/feathers-from-my-nest-necklace?ref=v1_other_1

Mothers Day at Last!

      Yes, I am very aware that  Mother's Day was last Sunday and that I am a few days late in paying tribute, but I needed to wait for my Mother's Day care packages to make their journey from Mill Valley, CA to Oklahoma and Nebraska before I could post pictures of their contents. (and if you've read my previous posting, you know that they didn't get sent till the Friday prior to Mother's Day)
      This year my husband and I purchased both of our Mother's a wonderful little book by Martha Peace called The Excellent Wife.  It is a book that was given to me by a dear friend as a wedding gift last June, and it encouraged and challenged me so much that I was dying to have a chance to share it! John and I are both blessed to have "Excellent Wife" mother's, but we still wanted to encourage them with this book.
      One thing that I feel should accompany a good book is a cute and unique journal in which to keep a record of ones thoughts. SO.... of course my creative Mother's Day venture was to transform composition notebooks into personalized journals for our Moms! I have been making these personalized journals for a few years now. They started off as New Year's journals for my best friend, Kara, and me to write down all our hopes, prayers and New Years resolutions in. For our Mom's, I used vintage clip art from http://www.thegraphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ and collected memories and quotes from all our siblings to be included on the inside of the covers. I also included a special poem called the "The Builder" for my Mother. This poem is special because it is a poem that my mom assigned my older sister and me to memorize when we were homeschooled. It is about how many people pour their lives into building things that ultimately have no eternal value, but that a mother pours herself into building "a childs immortal soul".....Thank you Marmy for pouring your life and God's love into your four wild children! It is my life's goal to be like you!

Me, Manoah, Misty and Marmy (2007)

The Mother's Day journals

Marmy's journal

Inside front: "The Builder" poem & Mom quote
"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."



I printed vintage postcards and pasted the messages from my siblings on the backs.



The little pocket holds the postcards perfectly!

The back

The journal for my Mother-in-law, Beth

Inside front: John's favorite mom quote "Remember who you belong to"

Postcards with memories and favorite moments

I made simple but sweet  cards that match their journals

What can you make for your cowboy Father?... I have an idea...

   It seems like all the ideas I have for "cute little gifts", turn out to be crafting monstrousities that envelope the half of our teeny tiny apartment that isn't occupied by my husbands theology books. This has been especially true while preparing gifts for this Mother's Day. Well my plans to get them shipped off in a timely manner have obviously failed seeing that I have just only finished them and it is 9:00 on the Thursday night before MOTHERS DAY! Ok, I'm done venting.....

   While I can't share pictures of these amazing Mother's Day projects, (I would like my Momma and Mother-in-law to see them in person before they hit the blog) I have a couple of little projects that have been finished, shipped to their recipients and are ready to be shared!

    My Daddy's birthday was this month and I used a cute vintage image from http://www.thegraphicsfairy.blogspot.com/  that happened to have "Sinclair" (my maiden name) and.... wait for it.... a HORSE on it as well! I struck gold with the Graphics Fairy once again  AND for anyone who knows my dad, those are two elements that are sure to please!

The finished product: What is it? Well I think it's a pencil holder for the office desk

Daddy's Birthday card

Some of the supplies

The label from The Graphics Fairy

I was always a daddy's girl



 

 







"In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it..."

        Not-so-interesting fact about Olivia #1:  I am a huge classic movie fan! It didn't take long for my siblings and me to discover the OETA movie club on Friday and Saturday nights on PBS. We seriously looked forward to it every week!  (Sure, we were nerds) I remember, as a second grade school girl, falling in love with Gene Kelly in "Anchors Aweigh!"

        One of our family favorites is the 1948 MGM musical "Easter Parade" starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. (Judge me how you may, but I JUST LOVE JUDY!)

        In honor of this film, I made a declaration to have a newly furnished "Easter bonnet" for every forth-coming Easter Sunday.... I mean a celebration of our Lord's resurrection from the grave warrants the wearing of AT LEAST a remade thrift store bonnet, right?  I whole heartedly agree!

$2.99 plain straw thrift store hat + Pottery Barn gift wrap ribbon and flowers=

NEW EASTER BONNET!



The Armstrong's first Easter together!

4 year old Olivia Pearl Easter outfit

Sinclair Kids: Misty, Manoah, C.J and Olivia Easter 1992



       

My latest expressions of inspiration....

  This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Living in the shadows of Mt. Tamalpias with redwood trees towering everywhere, and the cool breeze blowing in from the bay... it's just absolutely breathtaking. (and I hate to sound bragadocious, as if I had anything to do with this place being so stinking amazing!) It's difficult to feel like a "poor seminary wife" with so much of God's beautiful creation surrounding me constantly (and the most wonderful husband in the world). He is such an inspiring Creator! I've been able to get several pieces of jewelry made so far this spring and am so excited to share them! Many of them were overdue gifts made for friends and family, but a few of them will be on my Etsy.com site that will (hopefully) be up and running soon!

  Red and black rose necklace

Matching black and red earrings

                                       

Black with turquoise and coral

Matching earrings... I made these for my dearest friend but really wanted to keep them for myself :)

Purple necklace with Heart pendant for mom

Matching  purple earrings

Vintage inspired asymetrical pearl and gold necklace

Matching vintage earrings... simple and elegant!

Silver hand-made heart pendant. This is the frist heart pendant I've ever made and really love this on a long silver chain.

This Time Last Year...

This time last year I was running around like a headless chicken trying to get all the last minute details lined up for my June 2010 wedding. I was so blessed to have the most amazing Mother, bridesmaids and wedding planner to help me accomplish my vision for a "Vintage Country Garden" themed wedding. I didn't have an abundance of money, but what I lacked in funds I think we made up for in creativity. It was the wedding of my dreams, right down to the theme song from "Anne of Green Gables" playing as I walked down the isle holding tightly to my daddy's arm. Thanks to my awesome wedding photographer, Kreia Arie (http://www.artbykreia.com/) we have an amazing collection of photo's to remember that blessed day! Hope you enjoy....

The Brides Special Chair

My Aunt Cathy helped my mom and me make homemade jellies, and of course we had to come up corny but cute sayings to put on the labels. (Also thanks to Jacquie and Nicole for helping them look SO CUTE!)

The backdrop from the ceremony was more beautiful than I could have hoped for. I love the curly willow branches.

This old hutch was in my Grandpa's shed and my mom fixed it and cleaned it up to help us showcase the wedding pics of our relatives who couldn't be with us.

June in Oklahoma, the fan programs I ordered off of Etsy.com helped provide a light breeze.

I carried a hankie my Granny Joyce gave me as a keepsake several years ago

Daddy's cowboy hat

Spencer and Anna Beth. 

I made this pillow and bought a plain white Easter basket from Micheal's to create my own unique, matching  ring pillow and flower-girl basket. I used burlap and crocheted lace.

A view of a country wedding from the back

One of my favorite pictures

I was determined to have AMAZING shoes. I stand 5'9" tall, but my Groom was 6' 5", so I was able to wear these 4" heels that I purchased from www.zappos.com!  I ordered 4 different pairs of shoes and was able to return the other 3 free. Gotta love Zappos!

I found these little burlap handbags at Hobby Lobby and added my own little little flair to give the bridesmaids matching bags.

I made the jewelry for the bridesmaids and flower girls... I will say, it was really challenging. I'm the most picky costomer I've ever had! But I think it worked.

Anne (with and "e") and Gilbert

The whole theme was very much inspired by this movie series. I had wanted to be Anne of Green Gables  since the 2nd grade...

The Bridesmaids

The Groomsmen