Kay Ellen

Celebrate and Remember

I was in the garden early this morning cutting flowers to make a centerpeice... 

Celebrating a dear friend Beverly's fourth blog Birthday HERE

Remembering our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day. Grateful for each one that has served in the military and gave their lives for our freedom.

Brave soldiers you will never be forgotten. 

In celebrating a special Birthday & Remembering Memorial Day please leave a comment for a chance to win this beautiful cast iron pitcher.

God Bless the United States of America!

:Kay Ellen

I will draw a name out of a hat on May 31st!

Design on a Dime

Have you ever watched the TV show... Design on a Dime? I received a call from a client that wanted a design make over for their daughter's bedroom. This was going to be a very quick job because they were leaving on vacation in just a few short days! I needed to help them right away to transform the space while they were gone.

A quick re-do, small budget for a sweet girl turning ten years old. I spent a little time with the birthday girl before she left on her trip and she requested...butterfly's and lots of purple!

Paint and bedding were on the top of the priority list to make a fresh new look. The bed frame and dresser were still in great shape so they were staying in the room... that was a big savings!  

  

Bedding (Amalfi) was purchased from Bed, Bath & Beyond and the fun pillows we purchased their too!

I re-used existing wood drapery rods from the room and spray painted them vintage white. The side panels my client had tucked away in a cabinet from their last home. A good pressing and the panels looked like new! I found the cute little butterfly clips at Micheal's in the dollar bin to dress up the top of the draperies.

The bulletin boards were purchased from Pottery Barn (Tropical Garden Pin Boards) "Teen" section. These boards were a great solution for a collage of photos the ten year old wanted to show off in her room.

The pegboard effect was placed 12 inches down from the ceiling.  The white area above the pegboard helped to break up the lavender paint on all four walls. Currently looking for fun paper lanterns to swag on a few of the pegs. 

The large white butterfly was perfect for this birthday girls room. I had an artist and sweet friend paint it on the back wall... you can see it right away when you walk into the room. Thank you Martina for helping me out on such short notice you are the best!!

A lot of clean up took place, putting away stuffed animals and I just selected a handful of animals to leave out on the dresser. I also purchased a small cabinet for the closet to store toys, hats and jewerly which helped with taking the clutter out of the room.

I joined in the fun of painting up on the ladder..adding shades of lavendar on the smaller dragonflies and butterflies to coordinate the colors in the room.  

A whimsical fun project and I kept the budget low and affordable. 

Design on a Dime!

A little blurry, but you can see that sweet smile on the birthday girls face... Ahhhh she loved her surprise and she was wearing purple for the big reveal...too cute!

:))

:Kay Ellen

Mellow Yellow

I don't why but I have been singing "they call me mellow yellow..." music lyrics all weekend long! Ha-Ha

What's funny is this is such a crazy time right now, exciting and full with so many things to get done before my daughter graduates. I just re-checked my calendar it is less then three weeks away! I am pretty sure I am feeling the opposite of mellow this morning...hoping a little coffee , reading my devotion and making a new to-do list will help.    

With YELLOW still in my head, I decided to share a few photos that I have been posting on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Yellow Barn Love...

Baby Duckings so sweet...

A colorful corner in my shop...

A great deli in Lilac, California

Watering-can envy.... 

My Grandma Ruth's Cookie Jar... all dressed up for a tea party.

Have a great week! Sorry if the song is stuck in your head now. 

:Kay Ellen

Boy asks Girl

Asking a date to the prom has really changed since I was in school! Do you remember your prom invitation? I think mine happened in the school library just sitting at a table reading.  ha-ha The kids really go all out these days when it is time to ask a date to the prom.

My daughter's invitation was very creative and it took several friends to hold up these poster signs to ask the big question...

This all took place during passing period at school...a big crowd gathered to join in the fun.

Oh my goodness, I teared up when my daughter sent me these photos via iphone of the prom proposal. 

Boy asks girl...She said YES!

Seriously, so sweet.

Here are a few photos from my daughters prom...

My daughter tried on several dresses and after all the searching she decided on borrowing my niece's senior prom dress she wore to her prom a few years ago...  

Ah, sentimental and special...

I asked my daughters date if I could make the corsage and boutonniere to help out..my goodness everything is so expensive these days, he said yes:)

Group prom photos happened before the prom, then they all road together in a stretched limo to the Angel Baseball Stadium..what a great venue for a prom! 

Parent paparazzi! ha-ha

Such a fun time, I loved all the gowns... they were just beautiful.

Special memories for my daughter...and a big thank to her for letting me share prom moments in blog-land!

Happy Pink Saturday!

 

:Kay Ellen

 

Altered Couture

Goodmorning, I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I felt very blessed on Mother's Day. My family was so kind to me and did alot of work around the house and garden. A big thank you to each of them... the simple things in life always mean so much to me.  

I am very excited to share an article I wrote in the Summer Issue of Altered Couture Magazine.  I hope you will pick up a copy of this creative magazine, it is filled with artful summer project ideas you can make yourself!

My article and lace vest are featured on page 56-58.

I was a fashion stylist for a large department store for many years before I worked as an interior designer.  I decorated and designed high traffic window displays and dressed alot of manniquins...to many to count! ha-ha

Back then and now when I go shopping I am am attracted to simple pieces to purchase that I can either layer in some way or alter and add my creative flair. 

While shopping one afternoon I spotted this cute lace jacket, it really caught my eye...I decided to purchase it knowing I could really have fun extending the length and altering its appearance. I grabbed my scissors, several pieces of lace and my favorite adhesive...sealah no sew tape for the task! 

I used the sealah taped to add each lace element on the vest and changed my little vest into a shrug! 

Here is a photo of the back of the jacket so you can see the other lace pieces I added.

I purchased the 5 yard variety pack my parents have on their website CLICK HERE to adhere each element on the vest. It is a clear doublesided thin tape that does not yellow, drys in 24 hours and is washable.

I also added vintage hemming taped on the inside of the jacket where the sealah tape was still a little sticky with the open weave areas of the lace and it worked perfect. No sewing!!

Now my lace shrug is a favorite piece and I love how it turned out.

Do you like altering fashion? I have to say it is alot of fun. My daughter and I have a few projects and ideas we are excited to work on over the summer...I will keep you posted on what we create!  

Thank you Stampington & Compay and Beth Livesay for featuring my fashion project.  It is truly a pleasure to encourage others to be artful and creative!

Have a blessed week!

Joining in White Wednesday HERE

:Kay Ellen

Fresh from the Garden

I cut fresh roses from my garden and decorated pretty pink teacups in honor of Mother's Day.

I hope you have a beautiful day filled with sweet smelling fragrances of love and admiration from your family that loves you! 

Happy Mother's Day!

and also Beverly's sweet blogging friends 

Happy Pink Saturday! 

:Kay Ellen

Open the gates and seize the day!

Hello friends! 

What an amazing shopping day this past Saturday in Riverside, California...! Customers were lined up early to come in and shop.

The signs really helped out to find our event location.

Open the gates! 

What a talented group of women we had participating in this event. Each artist did a fantastic job on displaying their beautiful wares and treasures for sale. 

Look at this cutie pie shopper...Hurry, hurry buy this teapot!

A sweet puppy named Darla was taking in the sights...

Our favorite artful Mother & daughter shoppers.

Look at these two little girls...adorable, how much is this?

Oh my goodness, I have alot of photos to share... grab a coffee and come sit awhile...!

Enjoy our artful shopping day.

It was a pleasure to have Beth Livesay join us. I am holding the summer issue of Altered Couture and my lace jacket is published on pages 56-58! Thank you Beth!

Ok, more photos of shopping...

My kids were a hug help on Saturday! They also had fun taking photos.

So sweet, stop and smell the flowers.

Please email me or leave a comment if you see an item you are interested in... I will try my best if it was not SOLD to connect you with correct vendor!

Huge Thank you to Connie Nolan & Diana Pealsey who worked soooo many hours behind the scenes to get the garden ready for this wonderful event...Vintage Panche & Garden Affaire!

It was my extreme pleasure to be apart of the day.

Thank you ladies!!

:Kay Ellen

 

Joining in to share blog gatherings...

Wowzers Wednesday 

White Wednesday 

Charming Garden and Art Sale

The signs have arrived for the sale this Saturday!

The beautiful garden is ready for the talented vendors to set up their lovely treasures to sell.

Here is a sneak peek of a few peices I am bringing...

Come meet the sweet and talented Beth Livesay, managing editor of Stampington & Company. She will be available to greet at our artful shopping day from 9am-11am.

Please bring your current issue of Apron-olgy, Altered Couture, Haute Handbags, Jewelry Affaire & Romantic Home Magazine. Beth would love to sign your magazines for you! 

 

Date & Location:

Saturday, May 5, 2012

9:00am - 3:00pm

4535 University Avenue, Riverside, California

Historical District near the base of Mt. Rubidoux

 

Hope to see you at our Sale...Just in time for Mother's Day! 

Look for the beautiful pink signs to guide you towards the event location...

A big thank you to my husband for designing them for our special day!

:Kay Ellen

 

Wishing all my PINK girlfriends a great day!

Gathering Blooms

My roses are blooming...

Time to gather a bouquet for the first day of May.

I love this old rake in my garden...

I arranged the blooms together in a festoon style bouquet... 

I attached the flowers to my old rusty rake with twine and lacey ribbon...

Fresh blooms for our front door...

Happy May Day!

::Kay Ellen

 

Joining Oppsey Daisy Wowzers Wednesday HERE

Joining in Outdoor Wednesday blog party HERE

Vintage, Romantic & Sentimental

My Mom brought over a very old scrapbook the other day...weathered and worn, and to my surprise it belonged to her Mom and Dad!

Special pages filled with hopes and dreams for an engaged couple in 1935...my Grandparents, Ruth and Dean. 

All the bridesmaids added special notes and magazine cuttings throughout the journal. My understanding is my Grandma recieved this scrapbook as a gift at her bridal shower.

I feel like I just stepped back in time, so precious.

I love these old graphics and the happy couple washing dishes together...and the husband is in the apron?!  

 

What a sentimental memory for my family to have from my grandparents. I wish I could talk to my Grandma and ask her more details about these special pages, quotes and writings.

We miss them both and will treasure this family heirloom from their yesteryears.

I also love knowing that artful clippings and scrapbooks were being created back in 1935.  

Amazing memories in these pages from long ago...

Have a blessed weekend and thank you for stopping by,

:Kay Ellen

 

Joining in Pink Saturday HERE