Mail Love!

I am so happy to be a participant in the Speckled Egg nest swap! I strayed out of my normal artistic territory and did my first shabby chic piece. I think it turned out just darling! Love the expression on the little bird and all the egg-laden branches woven into the nest.
My swap partner for the nest swap was Karla! Here is the queenly bejeweled bird she sent me. Isn't she beautiful perched in her teacup "nest"? And surrounding the base is the stunning "amour" banner I won from Bristol at Honey Bend. This is SO gorgeous and the photo doesn't do it justice at all. Even the back is completely and meticulously finished with a great toile. Thank you Karla and Bristol!
What do you know? I won something in the One World One Heart Giveaway! I won this delicate beaded heart pin from Bev at Big Black Dog Studio. This is so lovely and I have already worn it several times around town, receiving many compliments on it. I love how it has the little flower embellishment too - perfect for spring!

Thank you to everyone who sent good luck wishes to banish my weird steak of bad luck - looks like it worked! The whole family decided to get out of town and go to the coast last week just to get away from it all, and nothing horrible has happened since we got back (knock on wood!). I hope to have some pictures of our trip to share soon. It was our youngest's first time seeing the ocean and it was just so enchanting to see it through his eyes. And .. nothing makes you feel better than a little retail therapy. Japanese crackers, an awesome new Japanese craft book (these are a great source of innovative and fresh craft trends - even if you can't read them), and dreamy yarn that looks like 18thc. French ball gowns -- ahh! Feeling better!!
I even squeaked in a little studio time after getting back from the coast to make several sets of dreamy Italian paper magnets (at Etsy). LOVE this paper - it's making my run-of-the-mill fridge look very elegant and upscale :) I love displaying artwork made by my two little guys, so our fridge is usually covered in construction paper artistic masterpieces. It takes a strong magnet to cope with all that art, but there's no reason strength and beauty can't go together, right? :)