Well.. it's over! Thank God! In all His mercy and goodness the taxes are done!! The monkey is finally off my back.. all is well.. according to the accountant we don't owe anything for this year.. this is totally amazing seeing as for the past 5 years we have owed..and owed... and owed..
I just feel so bad because it seems sales have slumped since Dec. for Bella Colle and so have blog visitors.. I would so love to just sit and visit and be on the web...but.. family commitments come first though, and I just pray I can catch a breath now.
just to get my mind off things I visited the fab Anthropologie...I can only window shop for now because everything is a bit too much... wonderful Spring cuties to be found.. thoughts rise above the horrible thunderstorms we are having here in the WI. to Spring and Summer days where one can walk outside without a jacket..boots..gloves...smelling the wonderful flowers and air..
How about day dreaming for Home... Potterybarn has wonderful fresh inspirations..Okay Okay your looking for something original, how about this? Use these wonderful sites for inspiration... take something from there and tweak it... twirl it... fluff it.. go find equally beautiful items else where and turn it into your own. I know I do... for less.
Happy Monday everyone! Hope everyone is safe through these horrible storms.
XO

yay! BBQ...other nonsense...

Well..we just had our first BBQ of the 2008 season.. yummm..A very much needed distraction from the chaotic life that has become mine. I don't know what happened, things were truckin' along smoothly till what? Till we said we were going to put our house on the market...?
And now, I haven't been able to catch my breath! Painting, sanding... school work..appointments.. And now TAX time...
DH and I have another business that we are responsible for and tax time is apon us. I have spent the last few days making sure receipt after receipt has been tallied and have one more day to compile Bella Colle receipts and get the agony over with! I love being self employed the majority of the year...but this time of year I really hate! Tax time...sorry! So we took a bit to have a BBQ (even though it was only 4o degrees F. )
I have been soo out of the loop with Bella Colle and it is killin' me!! I miss visiting such lovely folks and lingering and learning so much about everyone....I hope after this Monday.. (They should be all done) I can get back in the saddle again!!
Happy Sat. everyone. Miss ya!
XO

wonderful ellebee

Boy! busy busy day... whew! One thing to brighten up the day I received a little prize from the talented Lindsey of ellebee!

You really should visit this wonderful blog
and there is even an etsy shop you can find lots of treasures in!!!

These are pretty hand made coasters with a lovely stitched pattern on them... everything is beautiful and delicate!! Thank you Lindsey.

Happy Friday everyone! Thank goodness it's the weekend, maybe now I can catch up on some much needed blogging and creating.

XO

Hangin' Up Spring Time Swap

I just received my "Hangin' Up Spring Time Swap" from GypsyMermaidLife and I think they are soo fun!! I just wish I took abit more time on my items... These Items are from 6 different talented ladies.

These gloves are from Kecia

This fun butterfly is from Sandy

Gosh, look at these bloomers!! They are from Kelley

This cute dress is from Tammi

This fun bird is from Leslie and a hat not pictured (oops sorry!) from Lori

I put this fun garland on my head board to my bed... Yay for Spring! I'm gonna have to find some more swaps to join. This was really fun.

Happy Wed. everyone! XO

Oh what fun...

PSST!! Guess what came today in the mail?...Can you find me in there?
XO BellaColle

Thank you..

Hi! Hope your Easter Sunday was blessed..Thank you to everyone.. no more posts please..you lovely folks who have posted for my digi giveaway You ALL WON.....all4..I will contact soon...

If I can't contact you..I will leave a post here for you to get in touch.

XO

Easter Wishes

John 3 :16 "For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son, that who so ever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
Happiest of Easter to all..
Peace to everyone...
Amen.

New digi collage...

I found some new stuff for making 'digi' collages... Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Spring!!
You know.. I would love to make a blog banner for someone.. or a blog button.. logo... I want to eventually incorporate this service into BellaColle my dream is to offer web design services as well.
I have a few on my EtsyStore of some Etsy banners for sale... simple... but fun.
Hey, how about this.. a little give away.. post here and tell me why you are so excited for Spring and I will pick one on Easter Sunday for a free blog banner or button. Something you might have been wanting to spruce up. Hey, I'd be honored if you'd let me try. Free of charge!
Hope your week has been going well.
XO

It is coming!! It is coming!!

Can ya see it?!! Look real close... grass!! Yup! That's right ladies and gentlemen..Spring is coming slowly but surely to the WI.. Tomorrow marks the official seasonal change here into Spring.. you can't really tell with the snow still here but it is finally starting to melt. Unfortunately we are seeing some flooding in areas. (This is my back yard)

Here is the view from the front door. More grass visible and you can even see the road! I promise you that for the whole month of Dec..Jan.. and Feb..we could not tell where the road was. If the rabbits haven't done too much damage, things will start blooming soon. The Hydrangeas look like withered sticks, but they will soon blossom into wonderful snowballs of Spring and Summer beauty.

Well, unlike my family down South..Where you can walk out on your way to church on Easter Sunday and enjoy the beautiful flowers all around.. we have to enjoy wonderful bulbs here for Easter forced in pots...That's okay...Ahhh... they smell so wonderful...

How is Spring looking in your neck of the woods?

Happy Wed. everyone!

XO

Finally some new charms...

Yay! I was actually able to get some charms made today!! The two charms on the right are 1/2" inch. beveled glass and the one on top is a bigger 1"inch beveled glass and the glass button on the bottom is 1/2".

This charm has a vintage stamp of Queen Elizabeth on the opposite side.

This is a piece of wonderful Cavallini & Co. paper... gotta love it.. all their papers and items are so eclectic and vintage inspired.

This is the opposite of the little blue flower...

And a lovely for Mom..

This is the larger 1" inch charm... Kinda looks like a superhero emblem..lol

New items for the store BellaColle

Happy Monday everyone!

XO

My Saturday...

This is how I spent my Saturday... spackling and painting and sanding and some more painting. I haven't been able to sit down and create for awhile.... I am longing to do so. Some folks have probably grown quite bored, I am so sorry... but this is my life... and I think it is beautiful. We are readying our home to sell and take the next big step God has for us..He only knows and that is okay.

It is amazing all the little holes and cracks I have found today! lol! One wall in particular was kinda hard to paint over.... it is the wall that we measured the boys every so often on. We would measure them and write a little something important by the date.."#1 almost as tall as dad"..."#2 first time riding a bike"... "#3... potty trained..." So many more entries on that wall... we all took a moment today remembering each time.. 7 years seem to have slipped by in an instant gazing up at the wall...But you know, it's okay. The paint may be able to cover it up on the wall, but it will never cover up the wonderful memories we have had here.

We are looking forward to the next step..the new place God has for us. Dh has actually finished quite a few classes and is doing well in college.. School for the boys will be ending in a few months.. Spring is coming.. I was able to look out as I was painting the hall window today and saw some grass!! lol... not a big patch.. but it's there and as each day I can see more and more of it, I will embrace the wonderful rebirth.. of the land and our family.

Happy Saturday.

Xo

Freshning up!

Well I'll be!! Would you just look at the beautiful header and 'tag' Cathy of
Avalon Rose Web design created for me!!
I just love it! With the ad about to make it's 'debut' I wanted to spruce the store up... Cathy helped me do it. Cathy is so nice and patient, I'm so glad that I was able to have her help me.

This is the home page..each page has the beautiful header and tag on it... it's freshened up for Spring. I also would like to change the 'favicon' for it... I was able to create one all by myself for my typepad blog, let's see if I can do it for blogger and the store.
Never heard of 'Favicon'?.. they are the fun icons in the address bar that are a picture identifying the site... what do you think of my typepad one?
I think when the ad finally appears.. I will have my first evers sale! 10% off for my blog land friends.. I'll have to work out the details for that.
Happy Friday..
XO

Spring Fun

I joined this fun swap over at GypsyMermaidLife
a bit ago and was finally able to complete my contributions... sorry soo slow...
This is a fun swap where you mail your items in and then they get sent to some one else... I like that because it's a surprise as to who winds up with what...


The theme was garden/tea....

And you had to include a pretty bird and a butterfly... my butterfly is funky, the body looks like a big cigar or something..but in all... fun stuff!

Can't wait to receive my swap items in the mail!! They will be strung on a garland or ribbon and I will be able to hang them up and add some fun Spring freshness to our abode... goodness knows we have Spring fever bad here!!lol!

Happy Wed. everyone.

XO

Fun Spring Necklace

Fun Spring necklace here! I used vintage elements like the pendant and the large crystal on the back pendant... Some is silver plated some is sterling... there are crystal Swarovski crystals.. Rose quartz and the Bali silver head pins...

Didn't the back pendant turn out cool? And I used a unique heart clasp... You know the fun thing is.. I can keep adding or taking away as the inspiration hits! I will eventually list this in the store as well...I think I need to find some rhinestone buttons and add them some how..!!

I can't wait for time in the studio to solder!! Its been 'burnin' in my brain' to do some..unfortunately I haven't had a chance.. I have an idea to solder a larger charm for Bennie's great-granddaughter that was born just a week before Bennie passed... Some little something that her dad & mom can hang in her nursery.

I also have an idea for a unique 'bridal party' gift.. some kind of charm to commemorate the date.

I have a realtor coming tomorrow to start the process of listing the house.. I'm really nervous but then again I'm not. Kind of interesting turn of events everyone... DH and I just recently (as in the past 4 days..) received job offers in of all places... Idaho!! Don't get me wrong... luv ya Esther Sunday! but talk about a curve ball. This is just soo out of the blue.

But...but... we all wanted to move to Texas.. and the warmth..and the sunshine...and the warmth... lol...secretly I have always wanted to live in Texas...But a few Summers ago I was able to visit Idaho and it was beautiful....

Here's the thing, I would only have to work 3 to 4 hrs. a day and work at home via a company laptop!! I would be a safety officer of a growing trucking company... DH would actually with his job offer work only two weeks a month and make the same amount he slaves for being gone soo much.. The boys are only getting older and quite frankly they need their dad to keep them in line... it's something about when dad's deep voice says 'knock it off'..

We are soo torn up with confusion right now... not sorrow..just confusion. I mean, is this some way to throw us off target? I did check..and there aren't as many flea markets in the area of Idaho we would move as Texas..but there are sooooooo many more than here..(we have 2..both seasonal )LOL.. Some Bible believing churches.. And shopping!! So it wouldn't be bad there..in Idaho, just cold like here in the winters. That is the huge thing about us moving, we can not afford to keep wasting money on trying to stay warm!! I know that we would not have near as large of utilities in Texas as here or Idaho.. I don't know..I'm just really confused now.

Sorry for such a long winded post.. Can anyone tell me a little more about Idaho?!!

Hope your Monday went well.

XO

It's a Family Birthday!

Yay!! Happiest of Birthdays my baby!!! You are our peace maker... our love.. you are always there to help and to give a hug!! All of 9 years old...hmmm..sometimes I think you are wise beyond your young years.... Your family looooves you!! So thankful for you..
I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday... the cord would have killed ya... you came just at the right time.... our beloved son and brother... Happy Birthday to you!! May you be blessed with many more years.

Marshmallow can be yummy!

During our travels today... I stumbled on these yummy teeny pink and yellow ducklings.. Oh my gosh! They are yummy. I've never been a big fan of marshmallows... too sticky too sweet...well #3 is a big fan of marshmallows and since it's his birthday tomorrow I figured I would indulge him. We arrived home and let me tell you, these amazing confections are delicious.

I found these babies at well... can you guess? Okay..okay.. I'll tell ya... Williams Sonoma! Can you guess I looove this place? It actually wasn't my idea to go in there tonight, it was DH.

I found a scrumptious sounding recipe that I will have to try. It is from The French Laundry Cook book

INGREDIENTS:
3 envelopes of unflavored Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dredging
PREPARATION: In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 minutes. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. Add vanilla and incorporate into mixture. Scrape into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly. (Note: Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper). After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, take another piece of plastic wrap and press mixture into the pan.

Let mixture sit for a few hours. Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners' sugar and cut into 12 equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef's knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners' sugar. Yield: 12 large marshmallows

Recipe Source: French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller

Enjoy! and Happy Spring!

XO

old stuff

Well, I was cleaning out the studio and found these two older collages I've done.... look familiar?
Gosh... I can't believe I have soooooo much stuff stashed places. The studio was the children's play room...and class room ( I used to home school when they were smaller) till I kicked 'em out and made it mine..ALL MINE !Muaw hauaw haw!!! LOL! just kidding... seriously, I can't believe what pack rat I am!! It's amazing what you can accumulate over 7 years.

This one I really like! Seein' I have boys and all... I made this one into a larger soldered charm and was able to sell it at Assemblage Studio. This cleaning out is really time consuming, but I know if we put some effort into it.. the house will fare well and we will be able to sell in a reasonable time. I think it's going to be funny at all the things we find that were 'mysteriously' lost over the years! Like the first T.V remote ( had to buy a universal one.. ) Those all important Star Wars pieces that because they are lost... Obi One's ship wont fly! Hey maybe the galaxy will be saved after all..LOL

Thank goodness it's almost the weekend! Hey.. #3...my youngest..my baby will be turning 9!! Yay...

Happy Thursday..XO

Fruits of the Spirit

Well, busy busy here... who's not right? I so wanted to get into the studio and create but I have been trying to get things into storage and 'de cluttering' as folks have suggested. I have been trying to get to figure out what needs to be painted and I'm concerned about if I need paint over some of the things I've done on the walls..
One thing I love, and I think I will leave is this stencil I did at the top of our living room. It's a 'Tree of Life' and I painted the 'Fruits of the Spirit' under every other one... Anyone know them?
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is...
love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.


I just really want to thank every body who has been visiting my blogs lately and leaving comments! You have really been making my day!
Anyone ever feel 'scattered' in a million places? I do.. So much so that it is starting to affect my health...and I am so glad I just took the night to go to a Bible study with DH... So sorry for not coming to visit today.. I will try and stop in tomorrow and say "Hi"..
Happy Wed...
XO

Fun stuff!

Fun stuff today! I went to the one and only antiques mall here... and found some fun things..This is my favorite! It's just a white statue of fruit..but is soo reminds me of Carmen Miranda!! Cha Cha Cha!!LOL
This will be going in the store, I just have to figure out a price. There is a tiny leaf broken off, I couldn't really tell till I REALLY looked for it.. I think it only adds to the Shabbyesque of it

Vintage Fire King!! It is so funny how you can be combing booth after booth..it seems that folks would try and keep tabs on what their 'neighbor' booth prices are and stay competitive with them. Maybe they are smart and pricing things lower to keep things moving in their booth..

My point is that I was able to pick it up at a wonderful price and will be putting it in the store. I love Ironstone more for my kitchen....

And lastly.. Estate silver plate! I finally found some knives. I'm on the hunt for some trophies!! What do you guys think of Estate silver? I think it adds a lovely touch to everyday meals.

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!! P.s.. Thank you for your well wishes about moving.. this is actually the first house we have ever owned and now it will be the first house we have ever tried to sell.. any pointers?

XO