You know the old trick…take a glass candle holder, glue it to a vase and poof, you have a cheap apothecary.  Well, I’ve never followed in those creative footsteps, but the general idea came to mind when I was working on things for the barn sale and the shop.  About eight people wanted to buy these glass cloches on silver pedestals.  I bought them at a thrift store, so I couldn’t get any more.  I recently found some glass cloches, but no pedestals.  Today, I was digging through my to-do/to-price shelf and found a small silver plate.  Wouldn’t you know that it was a perfect fit for one of the small cloches.  I found a silver candlestick and glued it onto the bottom of the plate. I love how it turned out, but you’ll have to wait to see the “grand reveal” until I can snap a picture during the

My latest lamp makeover (well, re-makeover) is a great reminder that I have to love what I make.  When I first got this lamp, it looked like a hunk of butcher block that was turned into a lamp.  It was well made, but just sort of weird. When my business was dubbed as a” decorative painting and mural business”, I felt like I had to paint everything and add decorative painting to everything, which meant that I forced a lot of decorative painting where it just didn’t work.    So, I painted this lamp white and then painted circles in different colors along the front side of it.  It sat unsold  in the shop for over a year and I wasn’t proud of it.  It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t me and I would never have it in my own home.  I knew this lamp had potential, so I took it home and

Doesn’t it seem like I’m announcing exciting things every day?  Well, that’s because exciting things keep happening in my little business.  It is truly living up to its name.  A tiny little mustard seed is growing into something huge!  Here are the latest… I am so thrilled to announce that my very first HGTV.com project is posted!  We’ll, it’s not a full-blown tutorial, but my tips are a part of an article showing 20 handmade holiday ideas.  Click here to check out my ideas (and some other great ones from Holly Mathis, Melissa Michaels, and Janell Beals.  Wow, I’m in good company!)  If you’d like step-by-step instructions on making “grain sack” bar stool cushions, a hand painted grocery sign, no-sew roman shades and a sink skirt…just wait.  They’re in the works! The second thing I want to share is about my newest retail space.  Lynette, the proprietress of Wild Rose

First of all, I am excited to announce Wild Rose and Co. Marketplace’s very first workshop!  When? Saturday, October 23 from 11 am – 2 pm Where? Walkersville, Md – in the church fellowship hall next door to Wild Rose What? I will be teaching a workshop on how to make my German Glass Glitter Letters and some of my fellow vendors from the shop will show some clever ideas on how to use them.  We will all enjoy a lunch catered by The Corner Bakery and yummy desserts by Snikety Snacks.  In addition, some items from the store will be put up on the “silent auction” block and we’ll have several giveaways! How much? The cost is $30 per person, which covers the materials (you get to take home the glittered letters you make), lunch, and the use of the space.  RSVP Space is limited, so please send me an e-mail

I made a trip down to the Walkersville, MD shop today with a van load of stuff I finished and found this week.  My booth was pretty cleared out from the grand opening (and a sweet lady who drove from Delaware to buy my crib and a couple of pillows) and I had a blast shopping and painting and sewing and gluing and glittering to fill it up again.  Having my own little corner is so fun. Really, I am exhilarated! So, here’s what it looks like now. This sheet music wreath sold just after I snapped this picture and I have an order for two more! I found this galvanized two-tiered bin, glass cloche and glass bug trap when I was out and about yesterday.  I have had this wooden tote for years.  My husband had actually been using it for tools!  The nerve!  Antique tool caddies are not for tools,

As always, I’ve been busy working on a little bit of everything.  Mainly, I’ve been working on projects for my space at Wild Rose.  I’m delivering a van and a truck load of all sorts of things tomorrow…signs, accessories, a really cool antique dolly, a china cabinet, a huge sheet music wreath and more.  Here’s a look at some of the new goodies… I made a hanging “treats” bin out of a chicken feeder.  I cleaned it, sprayed it with satin poly and it’s ready to fill with wrapped candy and sheet music cones.  (Obviously, this is not food safe, so it shouldn’t be used for loose candy).  The letters are magnetic, so you can make it anything you want it to be.  I made a bunch of vintage sheet music cones that can be filled with candy for the holidays.  A yard sale bird is nestled in vintage book pages that were

…my starting a business series?  Well, I kinda got busy running my business that I just had to abandon it.  Lately, I have received so many awesome e-mails from ladies who have been inspired to start their own business by my blog and my story.  I can’t tell all of you how encouraging that is to me.  I’ve shared many times that I never saw myself as a business owner, designer, writer, or artist.  Now, I fill all of those roles.  I don’t have a degree in any of it.  I wasn’t trained in any of it.  I don’t have any initials or credentials after my name.  I started my business by painting wooden ornaments over my kitchen counter with a toddler and an infant at my ankles.  If I can do this, you can do this. In a recent e-mail I received, I was asked how I would spend $2000