The Golden Touch

A trellis.

2010-06-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

Our new project this month, using a few pieces of wood. Just need to be paint and is ready.

This Week flowers...

2010-06-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

This season from the Garden...

2010-06-04T23:12:00.000-07:00

Clematis and some other plants.

2010-05-19T15:27:00.001-07:00

A little Bamboo plant in a blue pot, fresh cut of roses and Clematis growing in my back yard.

This Clematis are from the Group B1 name Dr Ruppel. They are beautiful.

A simple Bottle.

2010-04-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

I visited the market the other days and I saw a few bottles for sale, but the price for those were a little more than what I wanted to pay for an empty bottle. I decided then to recycle all bottles from my own kitchen. This time I did decoupage with Easter motives. I'm still working in a few more but I like this one so far, only need to find something nice for the top, but that will be another topic. Have a happy Easter!!!

More from my Garden this Season....

2010-04-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

New discoverers every day , I'm still planning what else to plant in our garden and trying to find time to do it.

Cada dia descubrimos mas plantas saliendo en el jardin, auque aun estoy planeando que mas sembrar en esta temporada, y tratando de encontrar tiempo para hacerlo. Me encanta el jardin, es como una terapia para relajarse.

They are back this Spring.

2010-04-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

Spring is one of my favorites season, it brings a lot of green and flowers. Today I went around our house to take a few pictures and discovered a lot more than new leaves and flowers, but some squirrels. They were out of control today, we knows that behind that cute fluffy is a bandit ready to attack your plants, so be prepare all around Spring and Summer. Lol.

Easter decor 2010.

2010-03-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

Eggs made in crochet and a few rabbits for Easter.

Dinnerware and plants

2010-03-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

The Square dinnerware offers a modern look that looks great in any table, we got this recently from Pier 1,They have a large selection on imported decorative home furnishings, accesories for the house and gifts.

The plants are more Tulips and lilies ( Hardy Lily Mona Lisa) we got for Easter, something else for the garden.

I hope you have a nice Easter, blessings!!!

Spring 2010 is here!!!!

2010-03-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

Spring is the rebirth and renewal of all trees and plants. The green return and flowers will bloom with intensity. This are the first plants that are starting to emerge in our yard this Season. I'm not sure yet of the changes I will make but I'm just happy to see the narcissus returning as well as the lilacs, tulips, parsley, Hydrangeas, roses, clematis, hyacinth, etc. Just wait and see. This are only a few pictures of what I had found around.

Cats during Winter.

2010-03-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is the closed I was to this cats, I took

the pictures through the window. We were feeding several wild cats during the Winter outside the house, it was fun to see them coming to the portion of food and water that we had to keep changing because it will be icy in no time. We had counted about five of them including one with a collar that probably did not had enough food at home. Another one gray and white didn't have an eye in the right side, I had an encounter with him one night when I had to go out, before I open the door I saw this cat steering at me from the stair, it was when I noticed he only had one eye, I stayed there without moving for a while until he moved and disappear in the night. Since them the girls here have been calling him UNO.

Pillowcases

2010-03-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

It was a nice project to do some pillocases with this pieces of fabric, just added a different print at the borders and that was all. Nice pillowcases for the girls ,to keep the pijamas close to bed.

Dogs by the road.

2010-03-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Last Fall during my walks to the lake I always saw this pair of dogs, they will bark at me but they were tied to the fences, I just talked to them as old friends. I was thinking of them because is about time to start going back to the walks again. Spring is here and we must take all the opportunities to stay healthy.

Bonsai trees

2010-03-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

My Bonsai Trees are doing well since December when I got them as a lovely gift, a Juniper tree, a Ficus tree and a pine tree.

Bonsai trees are becoming more as pieces of indoor decor today. The word Bon mean tray and Sai mean growing or planting. I'm not experienced in this but I hope I can learn in the process, my gift came with a few books that I still trying to find time to read. Do you know about Bonsai? I will appreciate it if you have any advice.

Sunny Day....

2010-03-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

It is a sunny and nice day outside, the trees are starting to recover from the long Winter, the Spring will arrive soon. Its beginning to warm this week and I hope more green will emerge. It's amazing how all change so fast, I love the Spring Season.

An old Dish..

2010-03-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is an old Pfaltzgraff dish I got for only $2.00 and I will use it for a fresh arrangement for my table. Love to find bargains.

Spring is almost here...

2010-03-14T14:54:00.001-07:00

It has been raining all the Weekend, but we had a few nice days last week, it was very sunny, I think enought to help this Tulips to emerge from the ground. We left the maple leafs to protect the bulbs from the snow, and soon will be time to clean all that. Even the forsythias are growing new leafs. I can't wait to see all the progress.

Driving around during Winter

2010-03-13T23:25:00.000-08:00

During this Winter in PA we had significant snowfalls on December and January and mayor snowstorms during last February. The blizzard conditions that have clobbered many states over the past months or so, bringing things to a standstill in many areas, was no surprise. Mother Nature is umpredictable.

A favorite restaurant when travel...

2010-03-13T22:48:00.000-08:00

A Flower Arrangement.

2010-03-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

Back in Cayman Islands....

2010-02-20T04:40:00.000-08:00

More from Valentine's Day

2010-02-19T11:47:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day Celebration

2010-02-17T15:06:00.001-08:00

The Annual Farm Show in PA 2010

2010-02-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

Before I left in my vacation trip I had the opportunity to visited the Farm Show in PA, this was one of the biggest events beginning this year. Here a few pictures of the show. Favorite annual events and sights delighted crowds like the 1,000-pound butter sculpture, Sheep to Shawl contest, Farm Show Detectives and Celebrity Cow Milking Contest. Visitors also enjoyed the many new attractions like the Best Burger Showdown, sticky bun contest and Broadway and puppet shows.
The famed Food Court was offering the best PA-produced products.

Vacation ...

2010-01-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

I want to apologize for not sending any project lately, I'm in vacation until the end of February

Hopefully I'll post some pictures upon my return or if I can before that. Have a blessed month.

The picture was the day I left, at my arrival in Charlotte North Carolina. So many days after I found myself under the Sunshine of the Caribbean, away from the Winter in PA, away from home.

Diapers Cake

2010-01-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

This cake was absolutely fun to do it. It was made for a Baby Shower last Sunday, this time the baby was already there. He is so sweet, and full of energy. just thinking in the old times when my girls were little. Blessings!!!

Squirrel having lunch.

2010-01-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

Not great pictures but still you can see this rodent. Squirrels can be trained to be hand-fed. Because they are able to cache surplus food, they take as much food as is available. Squirrels living in parks and campuses in cities have learned that humans are typically a ready source of food. They have sharp theets and sometimes considered pests because of their propensity to chew on various edible and inedible objects. But in the other hand Squirrels are generally clever and persistent animals, tell me about it, in Summer time they like to dig in the plants we put by the porch and drive me crazy, not to mention the time I planted my Tulips and awake with all of them out of the ground..... This one was having lunch with acorn nuts falling from the tree at the end of the Fall.

Joy to the world... around PA

2010-01-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

There are numerous celebrations during December, but the Holiday Parade start earlier on Nov 17, before Thanksgiving due to the Winter . PA celebrate one of the largest Christmas Shows where You can visit over 500 specialty shoppes selling a wide array of exclusive, unique gifts for family and friends. Driving around is a unique opportunity to see and enjoy the decorations during the Season. Just wanted to share some pictures I took in different places we visited.

Antique Box

2010-01-12T16:05:00.000-08:00

Do you remember my Antique Box? it was perfect to use last season by the entrance.....I love it !!

Bottle of Water...

2010-01-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

My bottle of water during all the Holidays, to keep me going, lol.....is still cold here in PA. The other image is showing some of the houses in a corner, I did not bring out the all village this year, It take time to put them together, hopefully next time.

Last Christmas.

2010-01-12T10:27:00.001-08:00

I love Purple, so last Christmas I chooses Purple and Gold and lots of peacock feathers to decorated the tree and all around the house. I like the trees to reflect some magic all with the Spirit of the season.

The Nativity.

2010-01-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. His birth changed the whole world. When He was born, an angel proclaimed to shepherds in the field "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." I Think it was nice to do it all in crystal and white.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

Where did Christmas go? It passed to fast, I'm thinking in starting early next time so we can enjoy more the festivities. I hope you had a great time.

A small Tree.

2009-12-18T22:22:00.000-08:00

This is a fiber optic tree we are using in this corner, is the second year I decorated, is small but we seems to like this tree and the light changes, it has snowflakes, little boots, ribbons, balls, angels, and more. Is adorable. My other tree is bigger, I will take some more pictures later. Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Cookies and Tea.

2009-12-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

How nice the Christmas season!! At the beginning of December I just pulled out a few pieces like this cookie jar, and the tea pot, and were delighted with what I got last year as gifts from my dear friends, the Christmas Spirit was starting to fill our hearts.

Tranquility.

2009-12-18T21:55:00.000-08:00

A picture made with fabric and paper.
With Chinese writing, i added a gold frame but forget to take the picture before it was sold. I will try another one later.

Vintage

2009-12-18T21:33:00.000-08:00

This Vintage picture was made using an old frame, fabric, two little frames same size. old post cards and poinsettias. They are lovely pictures of Santa and children.

Christmas Sachet.

2009-12-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

A scented hand made sachet, which can be put on a hanger in a closet or anywhere you like it. It has great-smelling, Christmas is in the air...

Christmas Spirit is here.

2009-12-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

A different Christmas tree ...

2009-12-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

Using Potpourri ,shells and old ribbons I came up with this special tree, is different and very aromatic.

Ready for apple pie.

2009-12-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

All this roman apples were used for Apple Pie for the Thanksgiving Celebration with the family, here a picture of them.

A Sweet Fairy.

2009-11-13T23:28:00.000-08:00

Created to fulfill a girls dreams, this Little fairy is made of lace, ribbons and more...

I think is adorable!!!

During The Fall around here

2009-11-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

I did some Quiches and Pumpkin pies last week, a good idea to start the season...

This are leaves from the trees by our house, I have several of them drying to do some arrangement later.

The picture of the house was taken driving around, I always pass through here and admired this style of architecture .

The other picture is an arrangement of our Mantel with candles and pumpkins at home, is always different.

Decor for the Fall....

2009-10-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

Is Halloween yet?

2009-10-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

Our cat Tiger had made his spot in a corner, and there you can see a few cards I got for send in the mail for Halloween, also some nice spiders I'm sure I will use in the decorations.

Do you celebrate Halloween or at least participate with the children around your Neighbourhood?? Sure is fun.

A Picture Box.

2009-10-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

I got this Pictures Box on a sale two weeks ago. I'm looking for ways to transform it and give it that special touch. It is a nice wood box, but not sure if I want to leave it as it is. Just thinking!!!!!

Chrysanthemums

2009-10-10T05:28:00.000-07:00

Showing some of the Chrysanthemums or Mums i got for this season. The Chrysanthemums require good irrigation and can be maintained during the winter by watering them occasionally. I love these flowers, even though mine are still opening. They are plants which give much joy and are very common in this time of year.

Mostrandoles algunas de las plantas que he adquirido para esta temporada. Los Chrysanthemums requieren buen riego y pueden mantenerse durante el invierno si se les riega de vez en cuando. Me encantan estas flores, aunque las mias aun estan abriendose. Son plantas que dan mucha alegria y son muy comunes en esta epoca del ano.

Autumn is here.

2009-09-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

I love the Autumn, when the days are clear and sunny and the nights cool and crisp, provide an almost irresistible lure to those who enjoy the outdoors. This type of weather is also the most favorable for a spectacular show of autumn colors, making this season of the year still more delightful.

My first home decorations for the season, although I have not had enough time to do more. Wanted to show a little of them. Most of these gourds are dried in the sun and still show their natural colors. The largest pumpkin is natural but I also added a bit of decoupage to give a more striking color, some ornaments as well like angels and sun. I like the effect.

Mis primeras decoraciones en casa para la temporada,aunque no he tenido el tiempo suficiente para hacer mas.

Queria mostrarles un poquito de ellas. La mayoria de estas calabazas (Gourds) estan secadas al sol y muestran sus colores naturales. La calabaza mas grande es natural tambien pero le agregue un poco de decoupage para darle un color mas llamativo ademas de colocarles algunos adornos como angeles y soles. Me gusto el efecto.

Salt and Pepper shakers.

2009-09-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Un placer saludarles nuevamente, he estado algo ocupada este mes, entre trabajo, familia y algunos eventos obligados. El fin de semana pasado estuve en Philadelpia y NY fue muy divertido. Pero no les he olvidado al Blog y a ustedes los fans que siguen amablemente el mismo.

Hoy quise mostrarles este pequeno cambio de el salero y pimentero. Los saleros y pimenteros son muy practicos a la hora de servir la comida. En casa tenia estos y hasta ahora se me ocurrio darle un facelift, usando la tecnica decoupage. Bien simple pero definitivamente el cambio valio la pena.

A pleasure to greet you again, I've been a little busy this month, between work, family and some required events, the past weekend I was in Philadelphia and New York it was fun. But I have not forgotten you blog and followers of the same ones. Well today I wanted to show this small change of the salt and pepper shakers. The salt and pepper shakers are very handy when serving food. At home I had these ones and so far I gave it a face lift, using the decoupage technique. Very simple, but it definitely was worth the change.

In the Garden Today

2009-09-14T13:23:00.001-07:00

I thought I can share some beauty with you today!!

Cosmos are herbaceous perennial flowering plants. Spent flowers should be deadheaded regularly, as it keeps cosmos in bloom for many weeks. They just show off this days, not sure but I think we planted they late.

Dried Wreaths made from the branches of the Wisteria. Ready to be decorate it.

Marigolds make nice border plants and mix well in containers. They blend well with yellow and orange daylilies, extending the color between daylilies blooms. This one seems to grow well there, is always full of flowers. Last year our marigold plants just grow so much, this year we change to the standard size, the rest of them just came back from seeds that were in the ground.

Cleome is a nice plant that we usually called spider plant. It is one of the few annuals plants I put in the garden this year, I like the fact that they attract it Hummingbirds.

Cleome tolerates heat and dry weather well, and continue to look good well into the summer. This plants are still looking great because of the rainy days we had, but in a few days more the Summer will be finally over.

Watering cans.

2009-09-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

Watering cans are an enduring tool and symbol for gardeners everywhere, I have a few of them big and small. Here I took pictures of the smallest ones I have. Sometimes I used them to hold potpourri, or just to exhibit them in a corner. This year I bougth two big ones to be able to water the plants in the porch. Whether they are decorative or functional, they are very useful.

Fresh parsley and mint from my garden, I like to have a few branches in my kitchen.

A card for Joshua.

2009-09-11T16:34:00.001-07:00

I took a few minutes to do this card for my Nephew Joshua, it will go to Houston tomorrow. He's only nine years old, already start the new School term. We love you Boy!!

Time for Tulips.

2009-09-11T16:16:00.001-07:00

Tulips require a period of cold while they're dormant and resting . That means you must plant before freezing weather. Normally at the end of September or beginning of October.

The ground should be moist when tulips are planted. Give them two to four weeks to start their roots before watering. Tulips should not have too much moisture before they have made roots; in that condition they are easy victims to rot or other infections. I got some bulbs yesterday, I have the idea to plant them at my entrance, I have a few there and they always came back every Spring. I love Tulips.

We Never Forget!!

2009-09-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today we have to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks of 2001. The memories of those who are lost have not faded.

chrysanthemum

2009-09-07T13:39:00.001-07:00

It seems that The Fall have arrives, this is my first
chrysanthemum of the season.

Garden mums also make great container plants. They're just right for popping into a clay pot. Most garden mums will withstand a light fall frost, but finding the right ones will provide the longest possible amount of pleasure. We still have some of them from last year, I saved indoors and planted in the ground at the beginning of Summer, they are growing healthy and soon are about to bloom again.

Plants and Vegetables.

2009-09-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

After you've harvested vegetables from an area, replant that spot with another crop to get the most production out of your garden. This technique is called succession planting. I have experimented with many varieties this year.

More from the Garden...

2009-09-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

I'm still amazing with how plants are still growing here and giving fruits and flowers.

This is just a few of them, some are in containers and pots to make it easy to save them in the Winter time. We just put them in the basement with artificial light during the hard Winter and wait until the Spring. The Bananas survived that way from last year.

Yesterday we had a salad with cantaloupes, it was delicious!! and not to mention the other herbs we had been using for cooking. Few of them were blooming and probably will have a lot of seeds after. The corn we ate was sweet and crunchy, not bad, the only thing was I just planted a few of the seeds, not wanted to overpower the garden with too tall plants, still have a few of them.

Pot Holder or Cat Coasters Bag....

2009-08-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

I decided to do a pocket to put all the coasters and this bag can be also use as a pot holder if you want, is very tick. is purrr- fect for both things.

Decidi hacer un bolsillo para colocar all the coasters en esta bolsa que puede usarse para colocar los platos calientes en la mesa si asi se desea, es bien gruesa. Asi que es perfecta para ambas tareas.

Cat Coasters

2009-08-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

For each coaster here you will use two 8" squares of fabric plus the inside fabric used for thickness. I cut Cat pattern out of a piece of newspaper and then I cut the fabric following the pattern. Only did 6 coasters, but planning to do a dozen. Coaster are always needed to protect the furniture. To add a bow, just overlap both ends of the ribbon to form a loop, keeping overlapped area in center of loop, bring loop together to form a bow; tack in place. Nothing more puuuuuuur-fect than this cats, you can make them as gifts or for your own table.

Country lifestyle

2009-08-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

This cat is made in metal and the letters in wood, they are all joined with wire, I think is a cute thing to hang with my other signs. A country style touch.

Este gato esta hecho en metal y las letras en madera, todo unidos con alambre, me parecio un lindo detalle para colgar junto a mis otros letreros. Un toque campestre. Esta lindo no??

There are so many of high-quality country crafts, home decor items, gifts and unique accessories around, I think my kitchen can't scape for holding a few of this things in the walls, This particular washboard remind us of old times laundry, we have it so easy now compared to how people used to do their clothes. My Mother used to have one when I was little and we wasn't aloud to play with it.

En espanol le llamamos rayos a estos articulos, este en particular es uno de esos accesorios para adorno, pero recuerdan la epoca pasada, cuando la gente lavaba su ropa de esta forma y pensar que para nosotros es mas facil ahora! . Mi Madre tenia uno cuando yo era chica y recuerdo que no nos dejaban jugar con el.

Postcard from Alaska.

2009-08-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

My friend Carol and her Husband were recently in Alaska for a few days vacation. I got this postcard from them, it was nice to know they were having fun there.

We want to visit Alaska in the near future and takes the lure of seeing a really big mountain up close in a helicopter ride, visiting the Denali National Park, will be awesome.

Until them we have to find out which time will be better to go.

Decorative glass Jar.

2009-08-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yes I know is not Christmas!! But I wanted to use a few napkins I had from past Christmas celebrations , I think they were really cool, and with the motivation in place, you know me. I started to look for options and then came across this empty glass jar, it works perfectly for my project. It took me like half an hour to completed using decoupage. This pepper is part of the few vegetables growing in our garden and it was ready for a salad.

The jar is very decorative, from plain to spectacular, one more ornament for the season to come.

Se que aun no es Navidad, pero queria aprovechar unas servilletas que quedaron de las celebraciones de navidad pasada. Y ya que estaba motivada a hacer alguna manualidad pues ustedes me conocen. Busque opciones y encontre este frasco de vidrio vacio, perfecto para mi projecto. Creo que me tomo como media hora para completar este decoupage. El pimenton que ven es parte de los vegetales que crecen ahora en mi jardin y aqui ya esta listo para la ensalada.

El frasco ahora es muy decorativo paso de ser simple a algo espectacular. Un ornamento mas para las festividades que vendran.

A Garden flag

2009-08-15T14:02:00.001-07:00

I was looking for a flag to put in my garden spot, but unable to find a nice one I decided to created. As you know my passions for horses, I designed a template in paper and then transferred to fabric, after that it was easy to sew and finally I got a nice flag. I'm showing some of the plants that are growing there this year. We had already eat a few of the corn, and green papers as well other herbs for salad. Marvelous.

Estuve buscando una bandera para mi rinconcito en el jardin, pero no encontre algo que me gustara asi que me decidi a crearla yo misma. Como les conte antes me apasionan los caballos, dibuje un molde en papel y lo transferi a la tela. despues fue ya facil coserla y finalmente consegui una linda bandera. Les muestro ademas algunas de las plantas que crecen en el jardin este ano. Ya hemos comido algo de maiz pimentones y otras hierbas para ensaladas. Es maravilloso.

The Wonder of Bird Feathers.

2009-08-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

Walks to the pond sometimes were a unique experience, new people, animals, flowers, the short distance from home, is always exciting. Sometimes I found dry flowers, rocks, in this case feathers from the ducks, and birds that comes around, and I ended bring a few of them home hoping to start some new crafts ideas.

Feathers grow quickly. Once fully developed a feather is a dead matter like your finger nails, Feathers do not last for ever, they become worn and battered and are replaced regularly by the bird once or twice a year depending on species.Birds have good eyesight and colour is important to them. A bird gets its beautiful or cryptic coloration from its feathers.
I covered the feathers with different color threads and add a bead or two, when is ready it can be use for the hair, or as a key chain, or just as a decorative item.

Visiting a Spectacular Garden ...

2009-08-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

Longwood Gardens, 1,050 acres with 20 indoor and 20 outdoor gardens, you’ll find beauty at every turn. We visited this magnificent place last Friday, it was an unforgettable experience. My mind keep going back, and I hope I can repeat the experience another time.

Rabbits in my Kitchen...

2009-08-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is definitely a cute one, I got this to hang in the kitchen, it have happy colors.Is nice to have a little fun with whimsical Farm animals , I have a few vintage finds that I really like, this is one of them.

An Antique Iron.

2009-08-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

There are a near endless variety of different flat or sad iron styles & forms, both American and International. They were made worldwide. Some were very plain and utilitarian, people commonly call those bookends or doorstops.The thing about these irons is that they have been in collections for years. They are not commonly found these days. I was lucky to find this one in a past auction I attended, with a few more things. Not sure yet where I will place it but I took this pictures to show it to all of you. The book Impressionism we bought it at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is a big book with so many pictures of art from that time, is a book that takes you to the world of art in the nineteenth century. Many artist like Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Cezanne and many others are from that Impressionist circle.

I enclosed some art pictures from Mary Cassatt whose critics were uncertain as to whether she was an American or an English . I had the opportunity to see some of her art work in the Museum, and I always like the style as how she captured the images.

The pictures I photographed from the book are "The cup of Tea" and :Five O'clock Tea.(1880)

Hace poco estuve en una de esas ventas que llamamos auction aqui, y fui afortunada al encontrar y poder adquirir esta pieza de hierro que es una antiguedad, son planchas de hierro que usaban antes, actualmente es dificil encontrarlas, hay muchos estilos y son buscadas por los coleccionistas. Mi idea al adquirirla fue recordar un poco mis antepasados, para mi es un tesoro.

Hay algunas personas que las usan para parar las puertas o como sosten de libros, son utiles de ese modo. Aqui les presento la que adquiri y tambien les muestro un libro de arte: Impressionism que adquirimos hace tiempo en una visita al Museo de Arte de Philadelphia. Es un libro que te transporta al siglo diecinueve, donde artistas como Claude Monet, Pierre auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Cezanne entre otros que formaron parte del Circulo del Impresionistas estan presentes a traves de las coloridas imagenes de su arte.

Tambien tome algunas fotos de la obra de Mary Cassatt que como decia sus criticos estan indecisos aun de que si ella era Americana o Inglesa. He aqui dos fotos de su arte: "La taza de Te " y :Te de las cinco" (1880)

Candle holder.

2009-08-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

This candle holder is made of wood, it was a dark finish, I painted it in different colors and then applied a glaze to soft all the colors, sorry I complete forget to take pictures of the transformation, from boring to a nice and colorful piece. But I'm happy with the results.

Malma Mirrors ...

2009-08-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

This are Malma Mirrors from IKEA, the first image as you see were too plain, I painted one long ago with acrylics and rubber gold paint, and just recently I did decoupage in the next one, I'm just thinking in giving an antique finish to both, maybe later I like then like that for now.

Floor Lamp

2009-07-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

I found this lamp in an auction last week, I think it will be a wonderful piece after I put some finishing touches on it. The gold part is all brass and the other parts are wood, it goes from floor to ceiling when is extended to put it on place. I probably recover the lamp shades with a nice fabric. Any other idea? ........

Donkies

2009-07-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

I was so fascinated to discover this miniature donkeys across the Valley in Lewistown, we traveled there on July 5 this year, and have a lot of fun driving around the country side.

Traditionally, the scientific name for the donkey is Equus asinus asinus based on the principle of priority used for scientific names of animals. A male donkey is called a jack, a female is a Jenny,and offspring less than one year old a foal. But the Spanish people will call this animals burros. They bring me memories of Platero the book we studied on the primary school:

"small donkey, a soft, hairy donkey: so soft to the touch that he might be said to be made of cotton, with no bones. Only the jet mirrors of his eyes are hard like two black crystal scarabs."

The little donkey remains a symbol of tenderness, purity and naivety.

A Lantern...

2009-07-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

I just got this lantern a few weeks ago in one of my trips around, I love when is lighted it will make a focal point in the room. Candle lanterns are wonderful accessories and can be use both indoors and outdoors.

The lantern you see was a gift I got last year, the color was all gold, nice but

I wanted something different, perhaps more with the colors I have at home,

then I did the color change and this is how it looks now. I think is a big improvement.

Canopy .... Chic and Cozy .

2009-07-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

I needed to update one of the bedrooms at home.The bedroom is always a place of refuge from stress moments, a place we look forward to come and rest. To light up this room a little more I created a different look , using neutrals hues as my palette. One of the instant ways to transform a bedroom is to invest in new bedding . To me one of the easiest and effective ways to give a warm feeling to a bedroom is definitely using fabrics and textiles. Be sure to hang the drapes close to the ceilings in that way you are giving the illusion of height. The final steps is finishing the room with some accents that give character to the room, a nice area rug since the floors are all wood and accessories to achieve an exotic and romantic feeling. I'll post more pictures when the room is finish, just this ones for now.

Fuxico...

2009-07-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

I came across this technique a while ago and just recall that my Mother did it when I was little. She used to saw this cushions by hand, and somewhere else I saw it in clothes and also to decorate a stage. It seems to me that Fuxico had been around forever. This one it cost me a few practices to be able to do a cushion, it seems easy but is not. The results are amazing. I tried with different fabrics as you can see here, but in general I believe the better will be a light and soft fabric not too heavy so you can achieve better results.

A few treasures I found....

2009-07-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

I went to a State Sale yesterday, so many people came for the occasion , it was a cloudy day, soon after the Auction started we had rain and had to run inside the house. There were a lot of articles and furniture for sale including the house a nice upstairs six bedrooms house with many amenities for entertaining. I wasn't looking for anything special but I saw a few things that I wanted to bit on. I came home with a few things and of course with more homework to do. As you see this things need to be restore and polish to the full glory. I'm taking the challenge! Does anybody have an idea how to best polish silver and preserve it after? I will appreciate if you do.

The trunk is made of pure cedar and will be a great storage solution for a room. It have some water marks that I need to deal with but nothing seriously to restore it. I'm looking forward to start the project.

Recycling, Save the Planet!

2009-07-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

Recycling involves processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste management and is the third component of the reduce, reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy. There are hundreds of recyclable materials glass, paper, metal, plastic, etc. that we can use. This tablecloth was the perfect one for my project, I wanted to buy a few outdoor cushions a while ago but having this tablecloth made me think again and why not? create something special. I used a lot of plastic bags from the supermarket and fill them up.

Now I have some nice cushions to enjoy and don't have to worry to leave them outside. all is waterproof. The red look so nice against the black of the chair.

By the Susqueahanna River

2009-07-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

The Susquehanna River (originally "Sasquesahanough" according to the 1612 John Smith map) is a river located in the northeastern USA. At approximately 444 mi (715 km) long, it is the longest river on the American east Coast, the 16Th longest in the United States, and the longest river in the continental USA without commercial boat traffic. The Susquehanna forms from two main branches.

Many celebrations take place here at City Islands, this pictures are from The Race Unity Day in June, where many religious will come together and celebrate in harmony and is organized every year by the Baha'is of the area. This Year the program was fantastic, they had storytelling, music, drums, flutes, poems, readings, etc, we had a great time.

Rabbits...

2009-07-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

This are part of what you will see every day around here, wild rabbits. This one was in front of our house, they are so accustom to see people around that they don't move unless you walk really close to them. I wanted to share this pictures with all of you. We have two rabbits at home also as pets. They are very playful.

I'm back!!!!!

2009-07-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hi again friends, it has been a while away from my blog, but there were so many things in my agenda including some medical appointments, trips, finishing the garden and more work. But still doing art and taking pictures around. This pictures are from my visits to the lake, I'm trying to go as often as I can to do my walkings and enjoy the view.

This cute boy was having a great time with the family, sorry I was walking too fast to get this picture so it seems to be a little blurry.

An Old Box

2009-07-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

24 years ago this box was a gift from the Grand children to a Grandmother, the occasion was a Christmas Day, the Year was 1985. I found this box in an Antique store, it had an inscription inside the cover, I sanded all except the year, all was with permanent marker. The box is 13 1/2" x 11 1/4" W and 16 3/4" H. The next step was deciding what to do, the blue bird is painted and it came with the box. I had saved some old images from calendars and finally selected a nice one to use inside the cover and see it when open the box. The idea was to do decoupage and sealed but keep the antique look of the box. . At the end I put a plant but the box can be use in other ways. It is a real treasure.

Moroccan Mirror

2009-07-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

I got this exquisitely hand made decorated Mirror, is a Moroccan Style Mirror. It combines metal finely cut to form flowers, a real nice piece and ultimate touch for an exotic decor. I just love it.

वेल्कोमे तो थिस साईट

2009-06-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

वे अरे अल क्रेअतिवे ओने वे और अनोठेर एंड कांस्तान्त्ली लूकिंग फॉर थे नेक्स्ट थिंग तो क्रेअते फॉर थे पुर्पोसे ऑफ़ एम्बेल्लिश ओउर सुर्रौन्दिंग्स. ओउर हाउस इस अ रेफ्लेक्सिओं ऑफ़ वहत वे अरे, एंड इस अन इम्पोर्तंत पार्ट इन ओउर लिवेस. थिस ब्लॉग वास क्रेअतेद फॉर ठोस व्हो, लिखे में अरे लूकिंग फॉर चंगे, एंड फेल्ट थे इम्पुलसे तो इमप्रोवे एंड सी एवेरी डिटेल इन सिंपल थिंग्स, एंड एन्जॉय लाइफ एवेरी डे, एवेरी मोमेंट....

Shadow Box

2009-06-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

Customize a Shadow Box to display your favorite miniatures,curios, collections,anything you want. Is a wonderful pice of art at the end. I got this one as a gift, but it was very simple so I decided to add a few things to make it more interesting. Take a look at all the nice little things inside.

A Mini World. I had done shadow boxes before and is always a nice experience. I'm thinking in a few angels I have around, maybe will be a great topic for another shadow box.

Napkin Rings .

2009-05-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

I have several Napkin Rings but this is the first time I actually created one. I used wire for crafts (but you can use stringing wire too), beads, pipe cleaners in orange color, and some tools to make sure the wire is cut in the desired size. The type of material you need to use will depend in what look you want to create for the table. I really didn't have the time to run a get new material I used what I had on hand. This six napkins rings were made in ten minutes. Easy and elegant. Do You want to try?

Visiting Newport.

2009-05-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Newport is a borough in Perry County, PA, USA. Newport was originally known as Ryder's Ferry as it was the site of an early ferry on the Juniata River. It was later renamed Newport after the canal came through. Is a nice place to visit and find antiques, also there is a Farmer Market with a variety of local products and plants. A great place to go and do kayaking and fishing in the Juniata River. We enjoy every moment there, but is not our first visit. It was here where I discovered the Shoo Fly cake that I like. Little Buffalo State Park is very close so you can go there and stay more close to nature.

Around PA.

2009-05-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

In Pennsylvania some buildings from the earliest day of European settlement have survived. We had passed this castle many times, is part of the Government administration. I love the architecture and English style,reminiscence of old times.

More of the Garden.

2009-05-19T11:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was chilly but I manage to take some pictures of my clematis, daisies and Rhododendrons growing outside, the Clematis was a little more open, and I finally see results with my Daisies. I hope you like to see this every day changes.

Clematis in bloom.

2009-05-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

Clematis name in Greek means "vine." , is a climbing plant, This variety we planted last year is of Group 2 name Dr Rupell. I recently learned that this plant can survive for 25 years or more.They require full sun to grow best. I love the color of this one, is not fully open , I just saw this flower today in my garden, I was waiting for them to open. Now you know the excitement!!!.

Adorable Little Box.

2009-05-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Decoupage is fun. I had a party last February and used a lot of this napkins, I wanted to save this images and do something useful. Depending on what you make, the finished product can be so stunning . By looking at the finished product, you would think decoupage would be complicated, but it isn't.
Decoupage is actually very simple! If you can cut and paste, you already know most of the techniques involved. Basically, you cut out pictures, in this case I used napkins, a little difficult sometimes but if you are patience you can achive better results, when the picture is dry just add some more coats of glue to protect the image and is done.

Follow me. Garden in progress.

2009-05-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

Garden Magic:

This is the garden's magic,

That through the sunny hours The gardener who tends it, Himself outgrows his flowers.

He grows by gift of patience, Since he who sows must know That only in the Lord's good time Does any seedling grow.

He learns from buds unfolding, From each tight leaf unfurled, That his own heart, expanding, Is one with all the world.

He bares his head to sunshine, His bending back a sign Of grace, and every shower becomes His sacramental wine.

And when at last his labors Bring forth the very stuff And substance of all beauty .

This is reward enough.-

By MARIE NETTLETON CARROLL

Just a few pictures of my plants, they are starting to grow and have more flowers every day. We did some improvements adding a few more solar lights, and still waiting for the other seeds to start coming out.

Les presento algunas de las plantas que siguen creciendo y empiezan a dar flores esta temporada. Hicimos algunos arreglos como agregar luces solares y aun espero que germinen las otras semillas para seguir plantando.

A nice Pin Cushion.

2009-05-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

This piece was left alone in my kitchen, I had change all the dinnerware last year, I saw somewhere this idea long ago and with few materials I had, I put together this pin cushion, I like the result. Can be a perfect gift to somebody. Look in your kitchen, you may find a variety of items that you may not use and can be transform in something else. Use your imagination.

Esta pieza la encontre sola en la cocina,ya que cambie la vajilla el ano pasado . En algun lugar vi esta idea hace tiempo,y usando materiales que tenia a mano logre hacer este alfiletero. Me gusta el resultado, puede ser el regalo perfecto para alguien. Busca en tu cocina puedes tener muchas cosas que podrias transformar en algo diferente y util. Usa tu imaginacion.

Browny and Tiger.

2009-05-06T18:10:00.000-07:00

This Rabbit name is Browny, he likes water, just took a bath last week. He's only seven months old.

Tiger is a friendly cat, he love to be in the porch and looks patiently for and opportunity when somebody open the back door, he will fly out. Lol. We welcome him to this place when he showed around and seems to have no other place and nobody else in the neighbourhood was interested in offer him a home.We had rescued two more cats previously , they are all good friends to each other.

A Victorian Box.

2009-05-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

How wonderful working with laces, and soft fabrics,Velvets, Beads, Rosettes, Cherubs, I love the romantic feeling. This box have a Gorgeous Color, it was a nice project from last week, another work of art.

Hydrangea

2009-04-28T20:10:00.001-07:00

I got this Hydrangea from Lowes and it was on sale for $2.00 dollars, it was only two leaves and it was dying all dry. This picture is two weeks later. And the next one is the actual size, a month later. I don't know what color it is either, let's hope it will be a nice blue or white one.

Wisteria and Lilacs.

2009-04-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

Wisteria are vigorous, twining vines with wide landscape usage where space permits and gardeners are committed to keeping them in bounds like I do. Among their attributes are hardiness, vigor, longevity and the ability to climb high. They are greatly valued for their large, pendulous flower clusters that occur in the spring. Flowers are pea-like and may be white, pink, lilac-blue, bluish-purple or purple in color. The plant climbs by means of twining stems and has alternate, pinnately compound leaves. I got this one 3 years ago and is the first time is blooming.

Lilacs are small trees, we have a lot of them growing in the yard also, Aside from Roses, there is no flower as beautiful and aromatic as Lilacs. Of the two, Lilacs have a stronger scent that carries quite a distance. Unfortunately, Lilacs bloom for only a very brief couple weeks in the spring.

Progress in my Garden.

2009-04-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

We planted some Ferns yesterday around the borders of the house, they like plenty water and shade. This is just the beginning, I hope I can keep update with more in the days ahead. Every Spring I try to dedicate a few hours before Sunset to see how I can improve the garden. I love gardening, is an scape to all the stress of work, and an extension of decorating a house. The exterior should be nice too. Give love to your garden and get wonderful results back.

This tree is magical, I can see it through my window, is spectacular now with this other background.

Tulips still blooming, Hyacinths, parsley, rose and a pine bush.

This pansies are happy here, they are in fact all red, but in this picture seems to be orange. There is another Rosemary plant growing along.

I think there is a Lemon Balm plant growing in the middle of this plants, you can also see one of my little mosaics (That was from last year)

The Lilac is all bloom, has an exquisite fragrance.

I love Wisterias, this one is having the first flowers. Never had flowers before.

Driving around Marietta's PA.

2009-04-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

Friday April 24, was a sunny and nice day, we spent the afternoon meeting some friends in this town.Marietta is a Historic Place in Pennsylvania. In colonial days, Marietta was a Susquehanna River crossing known as "Anderson's Ferry". In their beginings many beautiful houses , Federal and Colonial and Victorian Styles were built. Some of them you can visit during the Holydays Candlelight Tour. I love to go on December, but the rest of the year people do all kind of decorations in the town.

In the way there you can admire the river and the 3 miles Islands. There are hiking trails, You can do a tour to the Furnace ruins, Antique places for shopping, lot of fun. We enjoyed buying plants in the way home.

There are a few more pictures, I will be posting them as soon as I can.

Cards made with simple things.

2009-04-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

This cards are like a new adventure to me, I used a few materials I found around like bottoms, raffia, magazines,ribbons, lace, paper, etc. The idea was to do something nice from nothing. I saw a lot of scrapbook material that are rather expensive and I though why not using things you have at hand? I hope you like this ideas.

Finally the candleholders

2009-04-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

If you remember from previous post I had a pair of Italian Candleholders that I wanted to match, I finally did it and here are the results. I add some gold to the borders. Now I have a new pair of candleholders and I like them.

Decorative Box.

2009-04-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

I created this box before Valentine's Day, using few pieces of fabric, ribbons, bottons,pearls, lace.

The base for the box was made in the form of a hearth using pieces of cardboard. The flowers were made of fabric all from nothing.I use a diferent color for the inside of the box and make a cushion in the inside of the cover. I'm using it to put my winter globes. Very practical and decorative.

Build A Box Of Friendship

Into a box of friendshipTo insure that it is strong First a layer of respect On the bottom does belong. Then to the sides attach, In the corners where they meet, Several anchors full of trust, Devoid of all deceit. The height of friendship can be measured By the sides of four, So make them all a larger cut, And the box will hold much more. Now fill it up with courtesy, Honor and esteem, Understanding, sympathy,And passion for a dream. Add to that your honesty,Emotions joy and love,And since they’re so important,Place them up above But leave the box wide open So all can see inside,To learn what makes a friendship work From the box you built with pride.

Poem by Chuck Pool