Designing Cottage Style - presently getting a remake

thank you for your patients while the site is going through a total remodel,

I have only jumbled it along the way up till now; no sense even having one with-out really heartfelt writing and content.

I have received my new replacement camera, so I will be taking pictures to post again, yay!
You will see more diy tutorials,
(the WorldWideWeb just can't have enough of these,) ha

Fun holiday stuff with the kids & grand-kids, and my re-doing & decorating my cape cod.
Along with decorating, sewing, gardening, and lots of things girly!!
and more links, favorites of course, these are helpful, fun & right here so I can get to them quick,
and you can too.

Savings, coupons, reusing, and ways to earn some extra money from home;
and a linking to my Pinterest - we love that site! no?

and, all being done on my new Asus pc. my old Dell studio motherboard decided not to work anymore.
I am so excited how modern this new computer is! wow
Thank-You Fingerhut! I love Fingerhut  :)

hope to see you soon, Robin xox

My Newest Rag Quilt

I LOVE making these rag quilts! Here's my latest:

42 x 42 flannel rag quilt for baby/toddler with teal, orange & green

I just love the fabric & colors in this one! (ah-that's what I always say)

in process

To the left the picture shows the fabric strips front & back stitched with just a straight stitch down the center. A zigzag or other decorative stitch would be an interesting touch as well as trying contrasting threads.
And -with this quilt I'll be using the extra fabric to make a matching bib.

I've collected several brand new baby spoons, I like them b/c they are well crafted from Germany. Add a ribbon to keep the spoon & bib bound, then a lager one or a basket makes a nice one of a kind gift.

What to do with Vintage Doilies

doily xmas tree decor

I came across two beautiful ways to recycle all those collected doilies! I will be picking up a Styrofoam cone next time I am at the craft store, I have everything else. I will update this post with a picture of how mine will come out. 

This one is so pretty! 

link to tree tutorial ~ http://thepolkadotcloset.blogspot.com/2010/11/starched-doily-christmas-tree.html

vintage doily table runner

Also while considering stitching them together randomly as a table runner I found another awesome blog post!  

 link with tutorial  ~ http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2009/12/16/diy-doily-table-runner/

vintage doily dream catcher

link ~ http://www.etsy.com/listing/154769334/custom-crochet-doilylace-dream-catcher

doily dream catcher

This is one I made awhile back. It has a green lamp-work glass heart (earring) in the upper part.

The beads I used to glue the feathers in are green tones of Murano glass Euro style.

I covered the hoop with green ribbon using the same ribbon for the white feathers & loop to hang.

Has anyone else made something from their doily collection? 

Christmas Lights in America!

working the lights in the jar 

Some say the American Christmas light tradition began from the medieval tradition of Yule. Yule is a tradition believed to have been started in Germany wherein people will celebrate the winter solstice and the short dark days of winter by burning the "Yule Log." 

The electric light bulb had been invented and Thomas Edison and his partner Edward Johnson introduced the first electric Christmas lights to the public in 1882.

Today it is estimated that more than 150 million light sets are sold in America each year with more than 80 million homes decorated with holiday lights. 

lights in a glass jar

Our local and national holiday displays and Christmas trees provide a forum for community gathering and socialization. 


To define the significance or meaning of the American tradition of decorating for the winter holidays regardless if we call them Christmas lights, holiday lights, ferry lights, twinkle lights or any other term this great tradition which as evolved over thousands of years, across multiple cultures, nationalities, and religions has a meaning and significance that is much more complex than a single word. - 


I bought my first strand of lights this year...usually, for me, these would be hung outdoors on the eaves of the house or on an evergreen tree. However, I have had a large mead making bottle & thought how nice it would be to have lights year round. I found a reasonable way to do that. Easy to do, find a pretty jar or bottle with an opening large enough to fit the end plug though. gently work the strand into the jar. I kept the light on while doing this in case I messed on up I knew which one. ha! but alls well. The pictures don't do it justice, it looks pretty. 

Next-lights outside :)

See more at: http://www.holidayleds.com/articles/history_and_meaning_christmas_lights_america#sthash.NjFcQ4Mt.dpuf

A Sale with Style

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Glammed Up DIY Picture Frame

Good evening! Well today I stopped in a second hand shop that I haven't been in for ages. I just needed one more piece for this project... That and I I like "window shopping" too. ~ the bed warmers, depression glass & old phone desks (also known as gossip chair) were what I admired the most.

I had found the old picture frame out in my shop, my mom gave me a few pieces old jewelry she was hanging on to. The small pearl beaded necklace in the upper left was broken already was my grandmothers, the earrings my mom wore to my first wedding and the pin in the lower corner I believe is an Avon pin. So that's nice having the memories. The other odds & ends I had about the house. The loose pearl beads were left over from some stretch bracelets I made in the past. 

If you would like to make one for yourself- (easy)




Materials Needed:

1.) a picture frame, I used a 4 x 6 that was silver colored 

2.) glue gun & sticks of glue 

3.) lots of beads & baubles! 

4.) a picture to display in the finished product 

To get started: 

Lay a piece of cardboard or newspaper under your work area. 

Plug in your glue gun, get hot. keep your beads in a bowl, pendants nearby.  

Next "dry fit" some beads to get an area to start. Also I placed the lager pieces around the frame early on to have those balance out the finished piece. 

Start gluing on your beads & baubles until the entire work area is covered.

Insert picture and sit back and admire your new piece of art! 

use hot glue gun to add pearls & pins to give new life to an old picture frame

decorated picture frame 

Check out yard-sales, thrift shops, even ask friends or relatives if they have old broken jewelry; earrings, necklaces, pins, pendants, bracelets. You will need to break the backs off the earrings & pins for sure. You can purchase the pearl beads for crafts at Walmart and of course check what you have, you may surprise yourself at what you find!

sitting on mantle 

Happy Fall Y'all

What wonderful weather this week here in North Carolina! 

Hope everyone is enjoying the change in the season as much as I am!

Well, its not much of a project but I have this smaller grapevine wreath that had seen its better days until I replaced the faded spring eggs with some clean and bright fall colors.

I found 2 bunches of mum flowers at Family dollar. I cut the stems apart with wire cutters and just weaved them in. No glue or any type of adhesive needed. 

Definitely adds a pop of color hanging up by the front door. 

 Here is a picture taken the same day with my oldest daughter, my grand-daughter & me. 

My youngest daughter was taking the picture. "girl time!" Yay!. 

 My grand-daughter, my 2 daughters (my oldest shown) and  me = Girl Time!