Helooooo friends! I have to ask, what on earth would I do without you? Your kindness fills my heart to bursting and brings a smile to my face. I only hope that I share some of the kindness back with you and induce smiles ;)
I have paint on my palette, trying to finish some treats to stock my shop asap, but I wanted to share an idea + fill you in on a peek inside dates. We are shooting for November 30th. Jen will do her feature, and then I will continue to share inside photos of my little world with you right here (plus other things), throughout the week (with extended pictures). I hope you can come by…
And, for a little love muffin idea on crafting – I want to share with you what I made for a swap, and how you can make your own. You see, I joined in my friend Sarah's ornament swap, and up until the last moment I wasn't sure what to make. That is, until I spied a clothespin…
That's all you need, an old fashioned clothespin and a little imagination, and you too can make elves and angels and fairies and santas and on and on… I am quite certain many you you have made treats with clothespins before. I think I made something where we glued our faces on to them and added a felt outfit in kindergarten, but it might be an invention in my mind 😉
Anywho, that clothespin led to this face below. Which I have to tell you, that little gal won my heart, and I was very sad to send her off 😉
Her and her 9 siblings…
I used regular acrylic craft paint, I didn't even seal the paint because I wanted an old fashioned toy look to mine. I used wool roving for the hair that I glued on with hot glue, same for the hat made out of scrapbook paper…
That's it, fun as eating warm pie. I am so addicted I might make some for my shop. Mister Lovee was so incredibly smitten, he wanted to know when where how, please, when when will I make more ;) Isn't he a funny character? Who would have thought he would love these little guys as such?
So you see, add some wings and paint yours white, and make wee angels for your tree. I think children would adore making these!
Mine (for the ornament swap) are all packaged –
Folks who host swaps need to be crowned for the next year. It is such a huge undertaking, thank you Sarah!!!
Oh and, thank you over the moon for all your ideas and moral support for my gown. If you knew me in person, and knew my level of psychosis, you could only imagine where I have looked. I know where everything I have is, and I am a nut in that way. So for something to walk away that was in the one place I keep my Victorian gowns is strange. But sometimes, winds of change find us, and whether we like change or not, it is time for new things and letting go…
Sometimes, you have to realize material possessions have no meaning when it comes right down to it (hard one, but true). Most of the time, the only option is to just go with the flow (which I do kicking and screaming, but do nonetheless). Believe it or not, I learn bigger lessons from such happenings. Of course, a garment is meaningless, but I am glad for tests and lessons. It shows me that I must learn to let go on a greater level. That change will happen (maybe on huge mind blowing levels), and it all has to be okay. Keeping the faith is key 😉
So, with that, all is wonderful and rosey and happy. And, I have been spending way too much time on this site Recollections, going bonkers. Mammie says I was born in the wrong era 😉 Now I best get working on those painted faces, if I intend to purchase a new frock 😉 (I love the underpinnings section extra much).
Off to paint and bring you pictures very very soon!
Love, V
🖤
ps: 2nd to last photo borrowed from Recollections.Biz
pss: To hang my clothespin ornaments I put a needle with strong thread (you can use floss too) through one side of the hat, and ran it through the other and tied it on top. I took my photos before I did this. But here is a an example I sort of worked up…
Oh! Oh! Those are adorable!! I have to make some even though I have a thousand other things to do.
I hope you find your gown. Maybe a ghost borrowed it?!
Love, love them. How would you hang them though??
The ornaments are ADORABLE!!! We don’t have clothespins like that in Sweden, gah! I mean, not necessarily little character ones but the wooden ones.
I misread the bottom of your post as “painted dresses” for some reason and thought in a split second – wow, she’s going to paint dresses! How wonderful they’ll look! I even saw them in my mind 🙂
You should paint dresses! Yay!
p.s. and by that I meant painting on dresses, not painting them on canvas.
Oh me oh my Vanessa, those are just adorable! I’ve got some old vintage clothespins I have been wandering what to do with…what a great idea! So cute that the Mr. wants you to make more, tee hee.
Jamie 🙂
To hang them, I put a needle with thread through the hat… from side to
side…. and tied it in a loop at the top….
Vanessa
Valencia {A Fanciful Twist}
Website: VanessaValencia.Com
Blog:
A Fanciful Twist {Through the
Secret Keyhole}
In a message dated 11/23/2009 12:45:15 P.M. US Mountain Standard Tim,
Hello Vanessa… your little clothepin ornaments are precious! That is so sweet that your Mister loves them too… sometimes our guys notice the tiniest things after all… I still do so hope your gown turns up somewhere… it is the not knowing that gets to us…I too was born in the wrong era… but I daydream alot and sometimes feel like I am from back then… love to you… Bisous… Julie Marie
Your little girls are precious and happy! Enjoy your day!
Vanessa that blue is so pretty, she looks wonderful already.
A smile on my face, oh much more than that.
You put a smile on my heart.
Love Renee xoxo
How cute are they! You’ve got your own Rockettes going there! ; ) I wish I had just a teeny little bit of your talent, Vanessa. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Oh how delightful!!! You are simply The Queen of all Magical and Adorable! OOooooo I see that my Beloved Renee is visiting you…now that is a match made in Heaven.
**blows kisses** Deb
Those clothespin elves are soooo adorable!
The ornaments are delightful and your “coffee tour” blog was fabulous! Love the hot chocolate recipe! I will definitely give it a try. I love hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Hugging you
Sueann
How fun to find myself back from my forays out into the wild world to these sweet clothespin babies! It also looks as if I have missed a post or two…I’m off to catch up with you
(oh…I think we also got the tooth problem licked…so to speak!)
Absolutely, positively adorable little cuties you’ve made! I don’t know how you work with something so small. But I love them!
Brenda
You know, you don’t even have to hang them – they could just sit on the braches the same way they sit on the clothesline 🙂
They’d also be good on a line to hold holiday cards!
Really cute, sweet little elves with poka-dot feet LOL
I know how you feel about your gown, I can’t find my black silk velvet gown with net rubba sleeves my Gramie Bird use to wear it when she went dancin in the 20’s
Wish I wasn’t so organized
Karey
Lovely little elves! The kids and I will have to make some as gifts for grandma this Christmas!
Those little guys are so sweet!!!
Oh you know my kids and I need to make those sweet ornies! So darling! Hope you have a marvelous Thanksgiving!
Hi Vanessa! The clothespin ornaments are totally adorable. I love their sweet little faces.
Sorry you haven’t found your Victorian gown yet. Maybe it will pop up again when you least expect it to.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving! 🙂 Theresa
Aaah eeee woooo! Those are just soooo cute! I don’t know what it is about them….perhaps their dotted shoe-sies or their sweet lil’ faces…eeeee!! V. you always make the cutest of cute things. I may have to see if I can sneak some clothespins out of my dad’s workshop..he’ll never notice..hee hee hee…although he may notice if they’ve been instantly cute-ified in all their elf-y glory…hehe!! <33
Well, the ornaments are so very cute…on their little pointed feet, all in a row, just so.
x..x
Oh! The little elves are so cute! No wonder Mister wants you to make more!
The Recollection dresses are to die for…thanks for sharing the web site!
Very cute, my daughters will love this project-thanks for sharing!
Oh!! They are the sweetest little ornament elves ever! I love them to bits and bundles, Miss! 🙂 Happy almost Thanksgiving to You!
Everytime I go to your blog the sudden pops of color dazzle me! lol I sooooo share your love of Victorian dresses. I think all the really old style gowns should come back in style. Like some extreme reaction to the Britney Spears/all the other half naked fashionistas that dictate how we wear as little as possible – or even go out in our pjs complete with slippers. Our loss of style and need to dress up is gone. I envy the queens and courtiers of long ago eras, or even recent decades like the fifties where it would be a sin to go out without lipstick and a pretty dress with full skirt and perfectly coifed hair just to go to the grocery store. I too was born in the wrong era. (but then again if I was born in a long ago era I’d be locked in an attic somewhere the family secret, deaf and hunchbacked so that doesn’t quite work, huh?)
It’s always best to watch a costume drama to get a good fix. You actually own a Victorian gown?? I hope to see it someday. Gremlins steal things all the time. It’ll turn up where you least expect it if you leave out a plate of cookies or something to appease them. LOL In our move a few years ago we lost a few very precious items. I’ve been trying to replace some on ebay, but it just isn’t the same and it isn’t MINE – the things I cherished all those years. GOOD LUCK finding what you look for. Now I’m trying to handle some bad stomach bug and taste bud extreme weirdness so I’m not quite looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. Sad. I will be posting at least one old time recipe handed down from generations of Todds – and a really old Betty Crocker cookbook. LOL
V~
What cute little clothespin girlies. I need a few to hang on my tree 🙂
Happy week to you Miss V!!
I have a feeling if I painted a clothespin it wouldn’t be as sweet as yours. They are lovely little elves.
I went right over to Recollections..ah, there clothes are so pretty! My kind of place.
Ooh my beloved Fanciful Friend!!! I’ve been over here so many times drooling and salivating over your darling wee soldier children…you would think they were candy!!! SOOO SWEEEEEEET!!! I think they must remind Mister Lovee of some enchanted childhood memories of happy hours spent lining up toy soldiers and giving them orders ;-). Wouldn’t they be darling holding a Christmas banner!! Do you do Christmas? Do you celebrate Chanukkah? I love that Holiday and all it’s beautiful symbolism.
Ooh! That catalog is to die for too!!! I always thought it would be so romantic to wander about in a bustled gown, but then I am a common girl and sweeping in one certainly would be no fun at all!!!
If I don’t get back to wish you a lovely Thanksgiving…Have a lovely Thanksgiving beloved friend!!!!
xoxo Cori
Oops!! excusez-moi! I called your weence elves soldiers. I do hope I didn’t hurt their tiny little feelings and I do believe that if someone referred to me as a soldier when I am in fact, an elf myself, I too may have my little feelings hurt and felt most misunderstood. Please beg their forgiveness for me ;-).
I love these ornaments! My first thought was ‘the Rockettes!’ 🙂 Their shoes are the best. Hopefully, some might find their way into your shop and into my home.
Thanks for sharing!
Adorable dear! I, too, wear blousy dresses and love everything vintage. My favorite shop is Magnolia Pearl.com Take care. Blessed Thanksgiving to you.
Hi!!! how are you mi linda amiga!!! I love these ornaments!
todo es maravilloso, tu estetica e imaginacion son geniales.
besos de mi Lola Y josefina
cute clothespin ideas. everything looks enchanting
I LOVE the little clothespin ornaments! I have been trying to think of cute little things to make for my loved ones this Christmas, and this might be just the thing!Thanks for sharing 🙂
Vanessa, I love your lovely little ornaments! You are so creative. I hope you and Mr. Lovee have a most wonderful Thanksgiving. Twyla
Adorable!!!
Happy Thanksgiving Vanessa!!
Have a blessed holiday with your family and critters!!
Hugs,
KayEllen
You, my dear, are adorable. Thank you for participating! Happy Thanksgiving, Love!
love love & like like
agneta
WOW, I can’t believe you had time to do a swap for petie’s sake! I feel like a slacker compared to you!
But oh, oh are those too cute for words? I love the sweet little trim of sparkle garland and how they look like tiny dancer(s) (cue Lionel!)en pointe…
But then. Oh my. I clicked on the link to Recollection, and fuggedaboutit. So much to drool over, so little time….
XOXOXOOXOX
Your ornaments are just too cute! I can see why Mr. Lovee is smitten with them.
Your ornaments are soo cute! Love love them!
You inspired me! Check-out my clothespin dolls: http://katydiddys.blogspot.com/2009/12/clothespin-dolls.html
Happy Holidays!