Saturday, January 26, 2013

Unwelcome House Guest

Hi Friends,
 
Well, I guess it's my turn for a visit from the Cold/Flu Bug.
 
 Woke up with it's arrival on Thursday and it's been a battle ever since.
 
You know the visitor~~
 
The one who arrives and brings,
 
 ~chills~
 
~Fever~
 
~Aches~
 
~Headache~
 
~Cough~

~Extreme Sore Throat~
 
Not a fun visitor to have around the house.
 
Time to doctor up,

 
 
 
Put the kettle on for hot tea,
Make a pot of chicken soup,
And cozy up!
 
 This one is a dozy!
 
I have not had a cold visitor for maybe 10 years like this.
 
  I know many of you had this house guest too.
 
Not good, they say, this one likes to linger!!
 
See you when I can hold my head up again.
 
Have a wonderful weekend.
 
Stay well.
 
Hugs,
 
Celestina Marie
 
p.s. sorry for the blurry pics, not too steady!

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

French Inspired Keepsake Boxes

Welcome all week long to visit Etsy Cottage Style Blog and the many creative happenings from participants studios called
 

I've also had some fun finishing altered art keepsake boxes with a little French inspiration.
 
 Each has a bit of Paris chic style with Eiffel Tower, crown, Fleur Di Li's and French postage.
 
 All are accented with my pink cottage roses.
Made from wood and 4" square,
 
 they have glass like knobs on the lid and perfect to hold
 
sweet little treasures,
 
jewelry or a special gift.
Each a bit different
 
with accents in aqua,
 
soft gray and chic black.
And, of course, pink roses!
 
This vintage treasure was so much fun to redesign
 
I shared it last week, created when it was snowing.
 
 What a difference a week makes.
 
We are now warmed up and tomorrow predicted to be in the
 
upper 70's.
 
All these little pretties are now filling the shelves in my etsy shoppe.
 
Thank you for stopping by,
 
 and while your browsing,
 
 stop by ECS to see what else is coming from the cottage craft room.
See you soon.
 
Have a blessed day.
 
Celestina Marie

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Friday, January 18, 2013

Making Friends and Grow Your Blog!

Welcome friends to Grow Your Blog, hosted by Vicki from 2 Bags Full

This days focus is to introduce who we are, why we love to blog and making friendships across blogland.
 
What it is like to keep a blog going and the joys of the journey?
 
For those friends I haven't met yet,
 Hello and welcome to my blog.
 My name is Celestina Marie.
 I love to blog, create, paint, go junkin, decorate, manage my shoppe and have made so many wonderful friends across the world because of blogging.
Some of my dearest friends call me Celeste or just Celestina.
 
 I was named after my grandmother who was from Naples, Italy.
 I adapted our name to my blog to honor her.
 
 I always sign my comments that way too, but refer to myself as Celeste off the blogs.
 I never think about this, it just comes easy.
Did you know I first started blogging many moons ago called Toletalk Treasures, then La Rea Rose?
 
 Yes, it was my first attempt learning my way around.
 
 I shared my love of the decorative arts and tole painting.
 
Those blogs are long gone and forgotten, but I still share my world of swinging paint brushes and interior design which is my great love.
I have been decorative painting for over 30 years and my journey has taken me in many directions.
 
Too many to share here in this post, but you can read more HERE  or my blog profile if you care to know more.
 
Blogging brings us all great support and encouragement.
 
 We share our life and creations in pics.
 
Join me for a cup of tea as we talk about what grows our blogs.
We share ideas and the unusual, recipes, roses and music.

Our gardens and nature,

families and joys!
We do the happy dance when our friends are featured in a publication or article.
When we find a good read, we share that book with others knowing they would want to know.
Or share our collections, just because that's what we do.
Post about Paris and those creations we love because we all are a little French inspired these days.
Come home running when we find a wonderful treasure and so anxious to share it with  our friends.
Sending hugs and support when we have sad and difficult times.
Lifting our prayers and sharing our faith for our friends across the world.
So the journey continues, posting our loves, creations and stories.
 
 Making new friendships and growing our blogs.
 
Sharing our dreams and always learning.

Yes, it takes time,
I find moments here and there
and schedule most of my posts ahead.

But I find the fun and the friendships give us wings to keep going.

The encouragement and inspiration guide us through blogland.
Thank you for joining the fun and stopping by the first of this linked party event.
 
Not only do we all love to grow our blogs, but as bloggers, we grow in our journey blogging.

Now for some added fun,

 I'm having a Grow Your Blog Giveaway for this basket heart.

All you have to do is enter when you comment on this post and that's all.

We want everyone to know, they are appreciated in the blogland world.

I'll post the name drawn on Feb.1st 2013.



 
 
 
Friendships are special and this darling ornament, a gift to me from my dear friend Sue, says it best.
 
 
Sharing Smiles and Blessings,
 
Celestina Marie  XO

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White Hutch Treasure

Since I have been sharing about hutches this week, I thought I would feature this treasure, which is not only useful in my family room/library, but a keepsake too.
 
It first belonged to my mother for many years.
 She passed it on to me nearly 30 years ago and I have enjoyed it throughout my home and locations we have lived.
 
Of course the white is not original, but it was given a new life when I painted it about 6 years ago.
On the top, I display a few white treasures along with a birdcage and an old cherished figurine of a white dove with a pink rose.
The doors have permanent glass insets with sealed grids.
 
 I love the arched tops.
The vintage hardware is original.
Let's look inside.
The lower cabinet holds lots of storage.
Isn't it special to live with an old piece that you know was loved by your family?
 As this hutch was loved by my mother?
 
 I think she would have loved it in white, because in her home, she also painted many pieces white over the years, before that was even in vogue.
 
 I think she knows!
 
Thanks Mom~
Thank you for stopping by and your welcome visits.
 
Today and all weekend, I am joining Country Whites Weekend,
 
 hosted by Cindy and Dru from Old Time Farmhouse and The Country Farm Home.
 
 
Smiles,
 
Celestina Marie

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Waking to White, Creates a Glove Box Design

Happy Winter here!!
 
Yes, this is Texas,
 
 but we woke up yesterday

 to a beautiful wintry mix of light snow and very cold temps.
 

I just had to share a few pics with you.
 
 Growing up in Michigan,
 
I am not new to snow and ice,

 but living here, it is very rare.
 
 
Pretty white snow on the Palm Tree!
 

The rose arch looks so pretty glittering with light snow.

Almost like it is in full bloom!
 
 Today makes for the perfect day
 
 for creating.
 
 I finished a vintage glove box with paint,
 
 lace, trims and crocheted flowers.
These are easy and fun to redesign.
 
You might remember the tutorial I shared HERE.
By the time I finished this post and glove box,
 
 the snow was gone and only a memory now.
 
The cold is still here and our weather people say,
 
Thursday may bring more of the same.
 
  More creating on the way.
 
Stay warm!
 
Happy Winter's Day!
 
Celestina Marie

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