Pearls and Lace Thursday #121 Tray of Pearls!

Blessings just keep pouring in from all parts of the world....
that is from YOU my followers and readers of my blog!  You ladies are the most wonderful!!!
Thank you so much for taking time to contact me and leave comments.  You just make my whole day better!

I told y'all last week that I had been remiss at sharing PEARLS with you for Pearls and Lace Thursday for much too long.  I will be making up for that today!!

What do you think??

This is the tray from that old raggedy trunk that I thought I'd try to beautify.  The trunk has been relegated to the garage, but the tray is a permanent fixture for my craft space.

Some of my newest pearl pieces are now part of the collection, including that sweet heart shaped pendant below.  My friend Paula whom I've told you about before and her co-worker worked their fingers to the bone for me finding some lovelies to purchase...long distance!!  Paula owns a delightful antique shop, Somewhere in Time Antiques, on the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  You can read about our delightful trip to Missouri and Paula's shop HERE.   Each year I have been delighted to call her up and ask her to get me a bunch of items together that she thinks I will like.  I have NEVER been disappointed!! 

Thank you again Paula for a delightful box of goodies!

And I have added a few pictures of the craft room which is STILL in progress.  It seems it will be in a state of non-perfectness for a while...possibly until July!! 

So ladies, did I do a good job catching up on the Pearls??  It's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!!

Add your url code for your post to the link below and be sure and visit the others attending the party.  Last week was a blast!  Such beautiful and artistic items were shared!  I was so excited to have you all join me!!

Blessings to you!

Doni

I will also be attending some parties.  Please check them out!

Mosiac Monday at

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Make it Pretty Monday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/

Today's Thrifty Treasures at

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at

http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/

Cowgirl Up Party Monday

http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/

Just Something I Whipped Up

http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

Knick of Time Tuesday

http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

Open House Party

http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Cottage Garden Party

http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/

Hope in Every Season
http://www.hopeineveryseason.com/

Blissful White Wednesday

http://www.timewashed.com/

Adorned From Above

http://www.adornedfromabove.com/

What's It Wednesday

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Whatever You Want Wednesday

http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/

Grace at Home

http://www.impartinggrace.com/

Time Travel Thursday
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Vintage Thingie Thursday

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Minute for Me Thursday

http://marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Feathered Nest Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

It's a Hodgepodge Friday

http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/

Frugalicious Friday

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

A Crafty Soiree

http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

Thrifty Things Friday

http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Simple and Sweet Fridays

http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Shabbylicious Friday

http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com/

Potpourrie Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

Flaunt It Friday

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

Pink Saturday

http://www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Sew Darn Crafty

http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Pearls and Lace #120 Craft Room Progress

Today's post for Pearls and Lace Thursday is going to be a jumble of different things.
First, a few shots of my new craft room to catch you up on the progress.
All of the large pieces have been moved in and put in their proper places. It's the small stuff now that I'm trying to work on. But it takes time to figure it all out!

Second, my friend Melanie over at French Blue and Peach Pink and I are having a swap, and we've been working on it for over a month now.  With the holidays, we decided to wait until now to get it in the mail, thus, more time to add to the box.  That's one project I've been working on this last month.

Now Melanie is a sweet lady, hard working, and is working on her Florist license.  She has put together some of the most lovely creations I've ever seen.  Oh if only I could smell them!

But she has a little mean streak!!  I mean, who would be so mean as to post pictures on her blog of only a SNEAK PEAK of what's coming to me???  Seriously...I'm just dying over here!  And now I have to wait, because today, the packages go in the mail.  If you hear a huge scream of excitement one day when you're just sitting there, you'll know it was me getting my lovely package of goodies from Melanie.

So Melanie....this pic is for you!!!

Nanny nanny booboo!!

One thing though.  Melanie was shopping and found something SO ADORABLE that she took a picture of it and has it on her blog this week.  You can see the post here.

And third and finally, it's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!  So sorry about not having some lovely pictures to share with you today.  I will be able to spend lots more time to working on a lovely vignette for you for next week.  I have decided to focus on PEARLS next week.....and I hope it will make up for this week.

Feel free to add your URL code to the link below and join us.  Share your pretties with us, and don't forget to visit some of the participants! 

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Doni

Pearls and Lace Thursday #119 Bobbin Lace

Bobbin Lace Making is a skill that I have never attempted, although it looks very interesting, and the outcome is fabulous.  For a quick history of Bobbin Lace, here is the link to the Wikipedia site where its history is given.

As a lover of lace, I would have been sorely lacking if I neglected to own some of the items that go into the making of this lovely lace trim.  (That's my excuse anyway...).  I have looked for some examples of bobbin lace to show you, and I THINK the pieces shown are bobbin made.  If anyone knows otherwise please clue me in!

The wooden bobbins I've acquired are of two styles.  The pillow that the work is actually made on is a bit worse for wear, but oh the stories it could tell!! (probably all in French!).

The graphics on the pin holder are so cool.  And the instruction booklet is just fascinating!  If they would just make boxes and packaging with lovely colors and graphics today, I'd buy them just for that sake!!

The cardboard pieces that are used for the pattern are pinned on a wheel inside the pillow form, and the threads are wound around the pins to form the pattern. 

I was delighted that a small scrap of handmade lace was included in the box of items I received.  The handwriting in French, the lace piece delicate and fragile...

I have a Pinterest board dedicated to Bobbin Lace if you'd like to see some excellent pictures of the artform.

You can find it HERE.

I recently began a huge transformation in my home.

It's a real biggie...and it involved my craft room.  Can you guess what I'm doing?

It's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!

Feel free to share your post of anything lovely that you'd like us to see. Just paste the copy of your url code from your post to the link below.
I'd also like to welcome my newest followers! Howdy to each of you!
May you each have a blessed week,
Doni

I will be joining a few parties myself this week!

Mosiac Monday at

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Make it Pretty Monday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/

Today's Thrifty Treasures at

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at

http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/

Cowgirl Up Party Monday

http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/

Just Something I Whipped Up

http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

Knick of Time Tuesday

http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

Open House Party

http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Cottage Garden Party

http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/

Hope in Every Season

http://www.hopeineveryseason.com/

Blissful White Wednesday

http://www.timewashed.com/

Adorned From Above

http://www.adornedfromabove.com/

What's It Wednesday

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Whatever You Want Wednesday

http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/

Grace at Home

http://www.impartinggrace.com/

Time Travel Thursday

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Vintage Thingie Thursday

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Minute for Me Thursday

http://marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Feathered Nest Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

It's a Hodgepodge Friday

http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/

Frugalicious Friday

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

A Crafty Soiree

http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

Thrifty Things Friday

http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Simple and Sweet Fridays

http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Shabbylicious Friday

http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com/

Potpourrie Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

Flaunt It Friday

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

Pink Saturday

http://www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Sew Darn Crafty

http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Pearls and Lace Thursday #118 Redwork Sampler and New Year's Resolutions

Did you make a New Year's Resolution?

I did.

Mine is to NOT make a New Year's Resolution because there's no way I'd finish it!

That's what happened last year, and here's the proof!

My resolution last year?  To finish at least ONE big project without starting another one.
I don't know what I was thinking.  After all, this was a HUGE project with about a billion stitches!

I do love the reds though.  I've used DMC floss # 115 to work it with one thread on 28 count cloth.

It was so tiny (to me) that I had to use 3.0 readers glasses to see it! 

I'm on the last of it now, and hopefully will get it finished soon.  No promises on when that will be...
but I've been busy!

We've had so many days of rain (praise the LORD!), that it's been cloudy.  The morning I took these pictures I did them in shifts as the sun came up.  I can't get over how different the lighting is over the span of just a few minutes!!

Maybe I'll finish by the end of January??

It's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!  I usually try to post on Wednesdays so be on the lookout for it weekly.  Just add the url code from your blog post to the link below to join!

I couldn't believe it when I had a look at my blog over the holidays....there were so many new followers that I was just so excited!  Welcome to each of you!

May you have a blessed week,

Doni

I'll be joining soem of these parties!!
Mosiac Monday at
http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/
Make it Pretty Monday
http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/
Today's Thrifty Treasures at
http://southernhospitalityblog.com/
Show Off Your Cottage Monday at
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/
Cowgirl Up Party Monday
http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/
Just Something I Whipped Up
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/
Knick of Time Tuesday
http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/
Open House Party
http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/
Cottage Garden Party
http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/
Hope in Every Season
http://www.hopeineveryseason.com/
Blissful White Wednesday
http://www.timewashed.com/
Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/
What's It Wednesday
http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
Whatever You Want Wednesday
http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/
Grace at Home
http://www.impartinggrace.com/
Time Travel Thursday
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
Vintage Thingie Thursday
http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/
Minute for Me Thursday
http://marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Feathered Nest Friday
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Show and Tell Friday
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
It's a Hodgepodge Friday
http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/
Frugalicious Friday
http://decormamma.blogspot.com/
A Crafty Soiree
http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/
Vintage Inspiration Friday
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
Thrifty Things Friday
http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/
Simple and Sweet Fridays
http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/
Shabbylicious Friday
http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com/
Potpourrie Friday
http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Flaunt It Friday
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/
Pink Saturday
http://www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com/
Sew Darn Crafty
http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Year's End and a Happy New Year to You All!

Happy New Year to You All!

I pray you will each have a safe and happy New Year, full of love, happiness, good health, and blessings.
Pearls and Lace Thursday will be back next week!

The above picture collage is from the highest viewed post from last year!

Thank you so much for making blogging so much fun!  I have been so blessed by new friends and by your sweet comments.  I look forward to this new year and sharing more pretties!

Blessings,

Doni