5 Years!

 In January of 2012, I posted my first blog post with this pic as the header.

I've been looking back at blog posts over the last 5 years - boy have I learned a lot.

The quality of my photos has improved just a bit from the first pic I posted -

lighting is crucial!

The sofa is the same except for new slipcovers,

but gone are the yellow walls.

I do miss the checkerboard floor in the entry although it was difficult to keep clean.

This cupboard with the top and bottom reunited is a much more practical piece for the entry.

This was the top of the cupboard before I fell in love (through blogging) with white.

The bottom portion had been with my daughter, but she returned it and now the cupboard is an important piece for storage.

I do love red, but it can overwhelm a space

so now red is merely an accent color.

The pie safe in the earlier entry pic is still in use - after 3 different paint colors!

The garden has definitely changed over the years

and that is all due to retirement - TIME to play!

My color palette has softened over the years,

but color still abounds.

So what's next for Art and Sand?

There will be changes on this wall in the dining room - the plans are with the handyman!

I will continue to drive Steve nuts with constant changes

both in the house and the garden.

I am doing less and less crafts

although I have a few more stenciling projects lined up.

Lately, my creative energy is used in trying to improve my photography.

And I will continue to learn from all my blogging friends.

And to those of you who have been with me since the beginning, thank you for following on the journey.

Comparing and early mantel pic with a recent winter mantel makes me question why anyone  kept reading!

Thanks for stopping in to see what's happening at our "little cottage by the sea".

Beading Frenzy

I've been on a purging and organizing kick for months now (almost finished) and I came across 2 boxes of colorful wooden beads.

I don't even remember why I bought them, but I decided to use them for a garland for the guest room bed.

As you can see, they didn't end up on the headboard - metal stars won out!

After the garland, I still had lots of beads left so I went a little crazy stringing more - I see them on IG and they seem to be labeled as "jewelry for your home".

This is all I have left after stringing up 6 pieces of "jewelry" and the garland.

2 have been mailed off to friends, 1 is claimed and I have no idea what I'm going to do with the rest.

I was having such fun stringing beads while we watched movies at night (I have to do something with my hands or I fall asleep) so I ordered large wooden beads to go along with small beads I already had.

This is the end result.

Now I was really on a roll using up any beads I could find in my craft space - who knew I had so many!

No, they are not all on display in the house at the same time,

but I had fun taking pictures and now I have things to grab when I want to add just a little touch to vignettes.

These beads were all from a French General Notions Kit my sister bought me years ago (they have been in several different locations since then) and this garland has been mailed off to a friend.

This string of beads will probably be draped over various items from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Beads like these were my original inspiration and I had everything on hand to create them.

I love these blue and white beads and need to find more to make a longer strand.

These are my favorite - you saw "Little Man" in my last post, but now the vignette is finished off with fun wooden and clay beads.

I didn't make the beaded heart on wire, but I might have to create my own.

I haven't strung beads for at least 20 years when I found these fun block beads and spelled out my teaching nickname (you can find me on Words With Friends as Mscookie16), but it's relaxing, easy and doesn't bother my hands.

I guess the "beading frenzy" will continue - when I looked up the name of the French General kit, I came across this fun outing and I'm signing up for it - anyone want to join me?

If you read this post earlier, I told people to let me know if they were interested in the colorful beaded "jewelry", but I had to delete that sentence because they were quickly snapped up and will be headed soon to new homes.

Just to show you that I haven't gone completely nuts with beads,

these are my last 3 posts on Instagram and there isn't a bead in sight!

So, what has you in a frenzy these days?

Animal House

In my last post, I talked about using flowers and greenery in my vignettes.

When I brought home this little rocking bird from an after Christmas sale, I noticed that I frequently use animals too.

After I put the rocking bird on the mantel, 

I went looking to see if I could find any more birds - the aqua bird was hanging outside on a vintage window

and the birdbath was tucked into the garden.

As I stood back and looked at the mantel, I wondered what other animals I would find in my vignettes.

A whale watches over the living room 

and a horse stands guard in the guest room.

Pigs greet visitors in the entry

as does a felted "Little Lulu" my sister gave me for Christmas.

I was surprised to find that the most common animal to be seen in the house was a bird -

on a candleholder in the living room,

on a shelf in the kitchen

 holding twine in the guest room

and watching over linens in the hallway.

And then there is the most important animal in the house.

Lulu is a little sad because her curly locks were cut off last week.

It might seem silly to others, but I enjoy our little "animal house".

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