Happy New Year

(Country Living ~ January 2000)

Wishing you all a New Year filled with magic and everything you could imagine.

May 2011 bring you love, happiness and good health. 

Avec Amour, 

~*~Michelle~*~ 

White Wednesday

The last White Wednesday post of the year and i'm running late!

 I woke up thinking it was Tuesday. Oh my....

so i am sharing some quick photos i just took from around my studio.........

The angel that watches over me as I blog...

....my chalk cherub and her new crown...

...some "inspiration" from beloved friends...

...destash...

...serenity...

...loveliness...

...adoration...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And some unfinished projects from 2010....

...a lavender sachet that needs to be filled 

and a French Pouche that needs some embellishing...

...an altered matchbox that needs some tweaking...

....a paper wreath that won't be ready to hang until NEXT Christmas...

...and a chandy that i brought in from the garden that needs a little spray paint.

Happy Last White Wednesday of 2010 mes amies!

I'm going on over to Kathleen's Faded Charm Cottage to have a look at all the white lovelies!

Avec Amour,

~*~Michelle~*~

Gifts From The Heart

When my son was just 5 years old, he lamented about not having money of his own to buy me a "special" gift for xmas. I explained to him that he didn't need money to buy "special" gifts ...... he could make them with his hands and his heart...

That xmas , i had been making clay ornaments and so i gave him a chunk of the clay and told him that he could make me a gift with that. 

He looked  a bit perplexed but then he took it, asked for a few more things and went up to his room.....

...he spent several hours in there and when he was done, he covered my gift with a blanket and put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on his bedroom door.....

...I could hardly wait until Xmas morning to see what his little hands created.....

....it was one of these.....

And the first of many.....

because a tradition was born....

Each year he would ask for clay and each year he would spend hours in his room with the sign on the door making me some thing "special"...

 ....up until he was 18 years old and a senior in high school!

 He would always say "Oh Mom...you can't be asking me to make something for you out of clay again THIS year! I'm 15 years old"....or "i'm 16 years old"...and then "i'm almost 18!" But each year my answer was the same.....

I cherish these sweet clay angels, santas and snowmen more than any gift i've ever received. And , now, i cherish the memories of a boy who spent so many christmases making me something "special" with his hands and his heart.

Joyeux Noel mes amies!

I cherish our friendships.

Avec Amour,

~*~Michelle~*~

Wonderful Winter White Wednesday

My decorating is NEVER finished. Like all of my projects, it is always a "work in progress." I come across something that "speaks to me" and then i simply need to find a place for it. 

Here i've added my sweet handmade mitten from my recent mitten swap to my Christmas stocking hanger. I've also added one of my french scapulars.

....here i've added a french vocabulary card with the words: 

"le roi"..."the king"....

...and can anyone ever have enough angels watching over them?

..."la fete"...."feast or celebration"....

Here's a glimpse going up my stairway to the third floor. 

I am ALL about family photos and these are up all year long. 

At xmas...i have pictures of childhood Christmases for me and Mr. PML and xmas's past of our one-and-only and all of my nieces and nephews....

...a few more beloved family photos from around our home..

Our "guy", when he was just 2, telling Santa what was on his wish list....

(he asked for a pencil, a hat and chapstick! I'm NOT kidding!)

....pretending to be the Christmas Tree...

Wishing you all a wonderful winter white Wednesday mes amies and many happy memories of your Christmases' past!

I'm linking up with 

Kathleen's Faded Charm Cottage 

for more wonderful white inspiration.

Avec Amour,

~*~Michelle~*~

Trimming The Tree

I love transforming everyday items into christmas ornaments. The idea is nothing new and i am certainly not taking credit for some of these but wanted to share with you my "take" on the idea....

Some old keys, medals and prisms... 

 can turn into these.... 

 ...with a little glitter....

 ...and some sparkle.

Some old tart tins and chains....

 ...can turn into these....

 ... with some beads....

 ....bottlecaps...

 ...mica...

 ...glitter...

 ...and beloved sacred images.

Dollar Store ornaments....

...can turn into these....

 ... with some scalloped cut out images...

 ...vintage music pages...

 ...and bottle caps...

Some canning jar lids....

 ...can turn into these....

 ...with just a little spray paint, stamps and glitter.

An old cookie cutter can turn into this...

 An old keyhole plate can say "Let It Snow"....

 A vintage buckle can say "Joyeux Noel"....

A silver spoon can say : "It's Christmas Time!"

And some vintage buttons can add nostalgia to any tree.

Here's to "trimming the tree."

Oh Happy Day!

Avec Amour,

~*~Michelle~*~