DIY Lint Roller Holder...

If you have one (or more) of these...

 (photo edited in PicMonkey)

...then you probably have a dozen (or more) of these!

A couple of months ago the incredibly talented Brenda from Cozy Little House came up with a GENIUS solution for storing these sticky little lint rollers (click the link above to see her post). She used a tin can with the label removed to house her lint roller! Now why didn't I think of that? Mine is always stuck in the bottom junk drawer, adhered to everything surrounding it!

I used Brenda's idea as a jumping off point to make my own Baby fur remover... I mean lint roller holder!  I used brown scrapbook paper to make this for one of my girls to keep at her new apartment.

 Then I picked out a couple of more scrapbook papers to make some for myself.

 I couldn't resist adding Baby's picture to the green striped one. It picks up the green in her eyes!

Although Baby was originally a little miffed at the insinuation that it is mostly her fur around the house and on everyone's clothing (which it is), she has had a change of heart and enjoys seeing her pretty face on the new lint roller holder that sits out on the counter. 

Easy instructions follow if you'd like to make one of your own! I know a LOT of you are pet lovers out there and this is a stylish way to always have a lint roller handy and unstuck!!

(click / double click to see instructions full sized)

Have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

(And Happy Birthday to my beautiful mom, who would have been 86 today. I love you, Mom!)

I'm linking to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.

Donna

Do you ever feel like you're being watched?

Across the room from my painting desk and computer is a shelving unit that houses, among other things, a television, photos, sunglasses, readers, necklaces, items the girls made in school, etc. 

And sometimes when I'm at my desk ...

I feel like I'm being watched.

Move over Waldo. It's more like "Where's Baby" in our house.

Baby likes to sleep on top of my little CD player next to the TV 

(yeah, I'm still old school when it comes to music).

From her perch she can watch me painting - or transcribing - or blogging :)

And when she gets bored with me, she can watch what's going on outside the window.

Those eyes never miss a thing.
(In a cat's eyes, all things belong to cats. Old English Proverb)

 Something outside has caught her attention.

(A lovely shabby chic style Crucifix, a gift from one of the girls when they were younger)

I'm joining Show & Tell Friday this week.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Donna

White on white on white

Today I'm sharing some of the white decorations...

scattered throughout the house...

These two LARGE white cats are made of different materials.

They were found at different thrift stores, at different times,

but they've clearly bonded.

Birds can be spotted everywhere...

There's a lot of white on the mantel...

And as you may have noticed...

...buttons are a recurring theme.

 Creamy white fringe...

...on white lamps...

...and white battenburg lace runners or valances cover tables.

A flea market kitty.

One of the above birds was a gift (thank you, Jill!) and one was purchased. 

Everything else came from thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets and the like.

Now this kitty, my favorite find of all, didn't come from any of those places.

No.... with her little tufted toes...

 "Like a graceful vase, a cat - even when motionless - seems to flow."

George F. Will

... she was found in a little animal shelter cage, 

the BEST place to shop if you're looking for a sweet ball of fur 

to grace every inch of your home and heart!

 "I love cats because I enjoy my home; 

and little by little, they become its visible soul." 

(Jean Cocteau)

Please feel free to check out the many adoption sites on my sidebar

where you'll find a multitude of animals,

all waiting for their guardian angel (you!) to rescue them

and give them the love and home that they so deserve

Have a beautiful week!

I'm joining White Wednesday at Faded Charm  and Show and Tell Friday this week. Please stop by!

Have a wonderful week!

Donna

Swan Song...

The vintage swan Paint-by-Number that hangs in our dining room is now
 framed within a frame.

 It wasn't always. Although the decorations in the bay window and the table &
hutch vignettes are always changing...

... the swan painting remains a constant.

(Same photo using PicMonkey!)

I'm not sure if I'll leave it like this forever, but for now I'm liking the extra chippy detailing.

My photo software's (contrast) Levels AutoFix really emphasizes the dimension and crackling.

Lots of worn wood underneath the chippy paint...

... and an amazing scrolly medallion on top.

Joining Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!!

Donna

Vintage Religious Needlework

Our Father Who Art in Heaven...

One day while thrifting for our ETSY shop, my daughter and I came across the most amazing vintage stitchery of The Lord's Prayer.

The prayer, doves, flower basket and border are stitched on a pink satin/silk material that's oh-so-slightly faded and stained around the edges.

The old gold frame is quite chippy, adding to the charm of this piece.

I was so taken with this piece that my daughter bought it for me on the spot and told me it was for my birthday!!

It definitely shows signs of its age which again, in my eyes, adds to the beauty of this piece.

The piece is not signed or dated, so there's no way to know for certain when it was stitched or by whom. I don't know if it was a young girl or an older woman who lovingly stitched this prayer, but it was certainly a labor of love as this is quite a large piece, about 16" x 20."

And since I work from home either transcribing, painting, or managing my ETSY shops, I'm able to enjoy it every single day as it hangs in my office/studio.

I'm linking up to How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Have a lovely weekend!

Donna

The Jelly Cupboard Still Life...

... isn't quite so still all the time.

 

Almost any surface in our house would be more comfortable than the top of the little jelly cupboard that sits in the corner of our dining area, but it is one of Baby's favorite spots.

This was how the little pine cupboard looked back in the early 90's.
At that point, the little mirrored cabinet I bought as a finishing touch was resting upside down on top while the cupboard beneath waited for its makeover.

It's amazing how a few appliques, a glass knob, and some white paint can transform a piece.

 Baby precariously perches on the outermost corner, always taking care not to disturb the aqua Franciscan platter and my thrift store St. Therese and St. Jude planters.

 From this spot, she can easily keep an eye on the screen feeder
attached to the dining room window.

She's also able to watch over the kitchen, dining area, living room, and entryway of our little split level, as well as the family room behind if she looks over her shoulder.

 And as we all know...

...those beautiful eyes don't want to miss a trick.

I think she just spotted a bird out on the screen feeder.

So while Baby watched over her world from the corner of the dining area...

...I headed to my office to play with PicMonkey! 

Oh-my-gosh, I am just loving how my photos look after a bit of tweaking!

I'm linking to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend, everyone. It may hit 80 degrees here in New England this weekend!

Such crazy weather!

Donna