Inspired by a Beautiful Planner

Hello, sweet friends, I hope you are enjoying 

your week!
I've been very busy lately - babysitting
for my little 6 mos. old grandson two days a week,
(and sometimes on the weekend for either of my grandsons),
trying to get the gardens tended in between the rain showers,
and also doing a bit of spring cleaning and organizing
in between.

Clearly, I need a plan, and like magic,
help has arrived!  

I recently won a beautiful planner 

in a generous give-away from Gina,
who writes one of my favorite blogs,
 With Twigs and Branches!

I was so excited!

The planner came with all these delightful goodies
and a lovely hand-made card from sweet Gina.

There was washi-tape, stickers, lots of printed cards,
stamps, to-do lists, a separate blank journal
and a decal for the front of the planner.

I was immediately inspired!

The planner was divided by month with
blank monthly, weekly and daily organizing pages.

There were pockets on the inside for stashing
notes, and bits of decorative 'scrap',
and slots for notepads and the little journal.

The name of the company that produces this line
is called, 'Carpe Diem' - Seize the Day!
I did a search and found some wonderful inspiration
using this product line, which I posted on my Pinterest
board under 'Planner and Scrapbook Ideas'.
You can find the link on my side-bar.

I've never tried scrapbooking,
but now I am smitten!

The first thing I did was apply the decal to the planner.

Of course I needed a place to keep my new planner,
so I converted my enamel-top farm table
into my planning desk.

My vintage photo holder keeps the pretty card 'scraps' handy.

Aren't they so cute?

I cleaned out the little drawer, lined it with
pretty paper and stashed my new supplies,
along with some things I had on hand.

Then I filled up the pockets and slots in the
binder with all my new pretties.

The blank journal slides under the pocket flap.
The pockets are fun places to hold cute graphics.

Love the 'messy hair...don't care' quote :)

A 'To Do' notepad with binder holes
comes in handy!

It fits perfectly in the top slot.
I had the little flowers on hand
that I saved from some gift wrapping.

Do you save pretty little things, just 'because'?

Sheets of little stickers fit nicely in the flap.
These are used to decorate the calendar pages.

Gina also included a pretty tote!
Weenie Baby approves!

It's the perfect size for sheets of scrapbook paper
ready for snipping.

I had so much fun setting up my little space.

I even made a cushion for my vintage folding chair!

A gal's gotta have a comfy seat when she is
setting down to plan her life!

I simply used a linen dish towel, folded and cut to size,
and sewn on two sides.
I inserted 3 layers of quilt batting......

I then sewed the open side shut and used a button to anchor
the batting on both sides.

I had the dishtowel left over from
 making my banner a few years ago.
The fabric is heavy and substantial, without being bulky.

Kai loves to look through the glass.
(I've pulled the curtain over his pet door
and he waits to come inside :)

Now I have a sweet little space to organize my life!

Whitey Bear rests on his dog bed.

My three little companions always keep me company :)

 When I did my grocery shopping this week,
I stopped at my local craft store (Ben Franklin),
to see if they carried the Carpe Diem line and guess what -
they did! I found these adorable page clips and flags.

I had these blank tags on hand,
and wanted to 'dress them up',
so I brushed on some watercolors......

I then stamped them with my new stamp from Gina.

Ta-da!

Want to see my first decorated pages?

I started with the calendar for May.
I had so much fun......
I put all the page clips on the last page of the planner
to keep them handy.

I can't wait to start my daily and weekly pages!
I will be sure to share them with you regularly.
xoxo
Do any of you keep a planner or a scrapbook?
xoxo
Thank-you, Gina for your wonderful give-away!
I'm having lots of fun with it!

Be sure to visit Gina's sweet blog,
With Twigs and Branches, dear friends.
I know you will love her.

xoxo

A Sweet Surprise and Some Spring Decorating

Recently, I was the fortunate winner of a Blog Give-Away at
 Lin's blog @ A Tiny Cottage In The Woods

This delightful package was almost too pretty to open,

but I carefully unwrapped it to reveal....

The Sweetest Surprise! How darling is this?

A lovely cross stitch in the softest hues of spring.

Thank you, Lin!

Lin is a very talented craftswoman and artist, and has the sweetest blog where she shares her beautiful designs, decorating and gardening, along with thoughts on living in her charming, tiny cottage in the woods.

Her lovely gift was the inspiration
 for some spring decorating of my own!

Her sweet wrappings were saved
and put to use to decorate this little basket of eggs.

These special treasures make me smile
and brighten my day.

I am hosting Easter Brunch for my family this year, 

and I know they will enjoy these little treasures as much as I do. 

Now that I have your undivided attention :), 

Come along and I will show you some of my spring decorating

 inspired by Lin's gift. 

My Kitchen Queen is host 

for some of my Dear Mother's wedding gifts. 

This pretty egg platter will be put to good use on Easter, 

filled with deviled eggs from her own recipe. 

The crystal egg is a recent vintage find. 

The cut branches are from my garden and are very fragrant.

I've draped this vintage dresser scarf over the cupboard door.

There is an identical basket on the other side.

I thought this was perfect for Easter.

I like to think about the sweet person who stitched this, many years ago.

My daffodils are putting on a show in the garden,
so I have gathered a few to brighten the table.

A tiny basket of glass eggs* share the hand thrown, 

blue glazed platter that I found for a song 

at my favorite vintage shop. 

My eldest daughter, Heather, buys me sweet eggs and gifts every Easter. As we go along, I will indicate her gifts with an asterisk *.  These little gifts are very precious to me. 

A decoupage wooden egg* nests in a blue berry basket. 

It came gifted in this sweet vintage style box. 

My sitting area gets a little spring decorating, also. 

Some sweet pansies keep a hand painted rock bunny company.

Floppy carries a basket of flowers and wears a rose and ribbon Easter bonnet.

This vintage bunny with pink glass eyes is from my childhood. 

I painted this handcrafted hutch many years ago. 

It once graced a tiny rental cottage we lived in when I was a young Mother. 

When we moved, the owner gave it to us as a gift

 for all the work we did on the little cottage when we lived there. 

A framed handmade card * on the hutch holds a dear sentiment. 

I fashioned the egg tree from branches and silk blossoms. 

It displays fragile glass and hand blown painted eggs*
gifted over time.

My flea market tool caddy 

holds a collection of Italian bottles vases. 

This vintage, scalloped doily, 

also has an embroidered basket design. 

 I've spruced up my 1961 Hotpoint
with some favorite blue collectibles for spring.

(Can you tell I love blue?)

Egg and custard cups, along with Franciscan Ware.

My potholder collection hangs below a tole tray.

A favorite gray enamel tray hides behind.

Embroidered dish towels* -
a gift for my birthday last fall.

My dish shelf gets a nod to Easter
with a carton of blue egg candles.

The framed handmade card*
perfectly captures my kitchen.

I hope you have enjoyed the tour of my kitchen decorating
 inspired by my lovely gift from Lin.

Next time I will show you my spring mantel and living room.
Can you tell I had fun decorating?

Thank you for your sweet visits, Dear Friends, and welcome to all new followers.
xoxo


Friendship is a word the very sight of which in print makes the heart warm.

-Augustine Birrell-