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driftwood whale love

March 24, 2023

my driftwood whale

I have been wanting an Andy Teran whale for quite some time.  What is an Andy Teran whale?  A whale made by Andy Teran from driftwood collected from Connecticut shores!

Recently, I found myself near Andy’s Clinton, CT workshop and, of course, had to stop by!  The fabulous thing about Andy’s creations – besides being created from driftwood found on Connecticut shores – is that they can be made in any size!  I told Andy the exact size I wanted for my whale and he created it!  Because I had a particular spot in mind near my back entrance to hang my creation, I had an exact measurement I wanted for my whale…and, I got it!

workshop 2

The piece of driftwood my piece was created from came from Branford – Stony Creek.

driftwood whale front

driftwood whale back

You can see by my photos of Andy’s workshop that he has many whales already created and he is constantly creating more.  He harvests driftwood all year long!

workshop 1

I was excited to finally get my own piece and my guy will be hanging outside soon – once my Easter wreath comes down!

workshop 3

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into Andy’s workshop!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend.  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S.  If you want to see more of Andy’s designs, check out his Instagram @andy.teran8

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diy floral egg cups

March 10, 2023

diy flower egg cup

Using egg cups as part of your spring décor is super simple.  Egg cups are very easy to come by this time of year and are very inexpensive.  I think most of mine came from the bargain bin at Target, but I have found vintage ones at thrift stores as well.  Sometimes I add my own embellishments – like the white egg cup in these photos where I added a painted gold metallic rim.

daffodil egg cup

In addition to displaying painted or decorated eggs in egg cups, they also come in handy as vessels for flowers.  Adding fresh flowers to an egg cup is an easy DIY and can serve as a wonderful addition to any Easter table!

diy pussy willow egg cup

To make a floral egg cup; first, cut a piece of floral foam to fit into the chosen egg cup.  (If working with fresh flowers, be sure to use an egg cup that can hold water!)  Decide on the flowers you will be using and bundle them together. Pick a flower with a stiff stem and use a small piece of floral wire to tie the stems together.  The wire will also be helpful when sticking the flowers into the floral foam – making it easier to push the stems into the foam.  Add water if you are using fresh flowers.  Finish your arrangement with some moss to cover the floral foam.

collage diy egg cupsAren’t these sweet?  Make a bunch to use as place cards on your Easter table and/or as a cute takeaway for each guest.  If you have snowdrops blooming in your yard, they would be perfect to use for this project.  If not, you can find small fresh flowers in plants from your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s.  (I was able to make 4 egg cups from one $3.99 plant from the grocery store.)

diy spring egg cup

I hope I have inspired you to create some egg cup floral arrangements!

daffodil diy egg cup

pussywillow egg cup

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

 

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boycotting egg painting

March 4, 2023

Wow!   This is my first post of 2023!  Since I started this blog in 2012, never before have I had such a lapse in posts!  It is very sad to think I haven’t been using my creative side in quite some time!

The good news is that I have been busy organizing myself in finances, work, and wellness and making great progress!

I’m happy to say, I do now, have a couple projects in the works!

One is a coffee table and the second is the transformation of a coat closet into a pantry. (More on these projects as they develop!)

Normally, at this time of year, I would already be working on Easter eggs…coming up with a theme and painting them appropriately.  This year, in a kind of personal protest against grocery prices, I decided not to paint eggs.  I don’t normally buy eggs, except at Easter time, and I decided I am not going to purchase them to paint this year.

For the purposes of this post, I am including photos of one of my favorite past Easter egg themes – topiary.  (Cactus, picnic, and constellation were also some of my most favorite themes).

topiary easter egg handpainted

I enjoy having some of the topiary eggs out in a bowl – I don’t think skipping a year of painting eggs will bother me!  I did put out a little bit of Easter/Spring décor – have you?  Remember to bring in some cut branches (magnolia, forsythia, etc.) – it’s the perfect time to force blooming!

fireplace decor easter

I’m counting down the days when the clocks will change because I really dislike leaving for work in the dark and coming home from work in the dark!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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