Fall, my favorite season!

I was super busy this Fall, so busy I started a post and then never published. Yes, I know you are all much better bloggers (I really do agree). I am not going to write about the beauty this Fall, since it was already Thanksgiving and my Christmas decos are coming out! I will not give tutorials on how to make fabulous things, because that train came and went while I was soothing my burnt glue gun fingertips in water. I won't even indulge in telling you what I'm Thankful for, although if I was it would be family, friends, my faith and an ability to laugh at myself often and hardily. I will instead Dear Reader, show off a couple of pictures of just a little bit of what I did in the way of trying to make my "builders house" look like a home. Hope you enjoy the pictures and I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving!

Free bittersweet from an obliging vine in Ct. while on a road trip! Score!

Paper book page wreath with burlap center, I made this year.

Plain willow wreath I decked out with cheap plastic pumpkins and gourds,,,thrifty!

Nothing exciting here, but I finally finished my dining room! Valspar Tibetan Red! So love it!

Doorway embellished with grapevine, white lights and faux pumpkins that were fluorescent green at the tune of $5 at Hobby Lobby after Halloween! I painted them out and they looked fab!

Entry with dollar store vase, some faux branches and a little burlap and paper wreath I made out of scraps.

My awesome $5 bright green pumpkins from HL at an after Halloween sale!

Pumpkins after my awesome painting, they looked almost real and the ugly green was gone forever!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and check back again for more pictures of what Chatty Cathy is up to!

Until next time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy

Paper Wreaths

I love paper! I've said it before...I'll keep saying it!

Paper is fascinating, whimsical, full of possibilities and for the most part cheap! My second love...well I was going to say cheap stuff, but really it's hand sewing. Okay, I am sharing a couple of photos today of the paper wreaths I've been making for a couple of years now. I first made some 3 years ago for a friend and then my mom did some the next year with old music paper sheets. I really loved those, but they are a little looser in style than my more symmetrical and neat style. I may sound a bit boring, but there you have it. I will agonize an hour over the placement of an embellishment on a handmade card. I have a loose and easy side too, but only on some projects. For the most part I exercise control over making my projects neat. Luckily in the crafting world there is a style for everyone! SO, if you like a more symmetrical style wreath take a peak at the pictures I've placed here and if you are loosey goosey in your wreath style check out my mother's fabulous wreaths here...you'll drool!

My community Thrift store sells old books for $1.25...my husband was near Goodwill and so that's where I ended up with books at a whopping $1.50. I decided I could come to terms with the extra .50 and still be a "happy chappy" (as my grandmother-Mama- says) 

Detail of the center medallion on wreath.

My hubby, ever excited to see what my glue gun (my trusty sidekick) and I will create next, asked how many books my project took. I dearly love this man, as if I know? I mean my theory is, no woman can ever have enough paper! I covet my paper (yes, yes I know it's a sin...God and I are good on this one)and rarely share. It's sad but true, my cabinet is full of future projects in the form of flat, colorful, patterned, beautifully textured sheets of paper. Some people horde canned goods, clothes, shoes, I don't know what! I horde paper...I'm seeking a rehab program for this, but as no one thinks it's worthy of one, I have happily decided it's okay!

Flower wreath with jute center.

Well, I kind of started on a paper wreath making spree and now some of my dear neighbor girlfriends have pretty wreaths in their homes. I'm making each one a wreath as a token of friendship. I plan on making tons more paper items for Christmas and hope you will pop on over here to my Little paper factory and see what I'm up to!

Until next time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy

1st Order

I received an order for my first designed Mosaic Scherenschnitte.  The lady wanted me to re-create it in cream, greens and brown. I happily obliged and here's the final result. In the close up you can see the 2 shades of green.

It turned out very pretty, although you'll have to forgive me about not formating the picture and making it prettier. I was in a rush. I seem to be on the run all the time lately. 

I have also been toying with another design that looks more like a spiderweb and I'm not sure if I like the result.

 It's 2 circles of interwoven lines layered on top of one another. It was a anniversary gift initially and then I decided I wasn't altogether happy. The idea was 2 people, interwoven in love and life....it ended up looking like a nice Halloween decoration? I'll keep it and try some ideas with it, but I decided to cut another one of the German Scherenschnitte by the German artist: Christian Schwizgebel (1957) that I had adapted and changed a bit. My first attempt at it here resulted with a beautiful piece, so I decided to cut it again for my sister in law and her husband as a gift for their 25 wedding anniversary! I'm hoping they will like it.

I'm not really back to blogging, but will post things as I cut them and let you know how my Etsy shop is coming along.

Until Next time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy