New "Beaded Blessings" in our Etsy Shop!

Hey guys!  I just listed 3 brand new "Beaded Blessings" in our Just Bee 'n Me Boutique Etsy shop! After selling numerous "Inspiration Kits" filled with yummy vintage trims, fabrics, buttons and jewelry, I decided to actually use some of those wonderful materials and make some little hanging fabric collage greetings to share with you...

This "Beaded Blessing" features a little wire dress form that I fashioned by hand, vintage hot pink and off white silk upholstery fabric, a dress made from vintage black and white dotted swiss...

...a hanger made from vintage beads from an old necklace, and an encouragement to "dare to dance"! Perfect sweet little greeting for a friend or to keep to bring a little inspiration to you...

Here's another one I made using some cool retro fabric in browns and golds, vintage ribbons, ric-rac and laces, vintage buttons...

...a vintage piece of tatting...

...a glass bead hanger, and a Scripture verse from Colossians 3:14 - "clothe yourselves with...kindness"

Finally, I made one featuring one of the names of God - "Jehovah Rapha" which means "Lord our Healer". I was inspired to make this one on the day we received some miraculous healing news about a young family member of mine who was facing a second heart surgery, only to find out that the issue requiring surgery had reversed itself, and the surgery was no longer needed! So, I wanted to honor God for His faithfulness and healing mercy...plus remind us that if His eye is indeed upon the tiny sparrow, how much more so will it be on us, His beloved children...

This "Beaded Blessing" features a cute little vintage embroidered birdie that I cut from a vintage linen piece...

...plus a sweet crochet flower from a vintage doily with a black rhinestone button center...

...and a background piece of vintage upholstery fabric in cool shades of lime green and turquoise, topped with a pretty glass beaded hanger...

I am looking forward to making many more of these little fabric collages - it has been so fun to dig in and really use the awesome vintage supplies I have been collecting all these years along with encouraging, inspiring Scriptures and quotes...and I hope they will be a blessing and bring a smile or two...

Garage Sale Heaven!

On Wednesday, my Mom and I drove to Beaumont to preview and help out at the Wesley United Methodist Church annual garage sale. My aunt and her daughter, my cousin, are volunteers in charge of this amazing garage sale, and they work on it off and on all year, sorting and hand pricing every single item! (they have lots of help though when it comes to transport and set up time for the actual sale)  We were able to do a bit of pre-shopping on the day before the garage sale started, then we got to work helping out with the massive job of set up...it was sheer garage sale heaven! Here's just a taste of the amazing selection...

My aunt and cousin are amazing merchandisers - they work table by table grouping the merchandise by type, and color-coordinating the selections wherever possible...

They also like to make special displays throughout the floor like these vintage toys all grouped together in a vintage bassinet...

My mom and I got to get in to the merchandising fun when we set up the "boutique" area of the sale...here's just a little taste of that...

I couldn't possibly capture the amazing breadth of the sale - there was a whole room, the fellowship hall, completely filled with clothes and shoes, and so many tables and tables and tables of everything from vintage office supplies to tools, from vintage cookbooks to framed art, and more pieces of furniture than you can count...and all at great prices! Garage Sale Heaven indeed!

In case you live in the Beaumont, TX area, the sale started today 5/23 and goes through Saturday 5/25 - here's a link to the location: http://events.beaumontenterprise.com/beaumont_tx/events/show/326649043-church-wide-garage-sale

My mom talked to my aunt today - they had a fabulous turnout, and they continued to receive new merchandise all throughout the day...sounds like another long night of sorting and pricing! (wish we could be there...sounds like crazy fun!)

Oh, I almost forgot...yes, I did buy some goodies...I didn't go crazy, but I got some fun stuff that will be heading to the Etsy shop soon...

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

3 John 1:4

Wishing all of you Moms that I love and admire a wonderful Mother's Day weekend, filled with sweet blessings, simple joys and much love! Thank you for all you've done and continue to do to shape and influence the lives of all of us with your Godly wisdom and generous love!

And a particular thank you to my sweet Mom - my best friend. Your love, compassion, guidance, and grace mean more to me than you will ever know!!

Hey May!

Goodness gracious - the entire month of April zoomed past me without me putting so much as a sentence here on the old blog - what a slacker! Well, I just had to flip the calendar so to speak and greet you and the month of May and let you know I'm still here...

Thanks for still being my friend despite my slacker ways!

I've actually done quite a few updates on my Just Bee 'n Me page on Facebook...c'mon over and see me there if you want a few more updates than once a month. And yes, I will surely try to post more here too. I just completed a large body of artwork that I submitted to a company for possible licensing today, and with that complete, I now have a bit more time for some upcoming DIY decorating projects that I can't wait to share with you... Thanks for understanding!

Gotta run and work a private party at the painting studio tonight - but it sure was good to take a moment to say hey. Have a lovely weekend my dear friends...

Way Back When-sday - Easter Memories!

I decided to bring back a blog feature that used to be so much fun - Way Back When-sday! That's where I take a particular year or even an era or a day from my past and post about it on Wednesday along with photos and images from that time. Since today is my Birthday, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring back the feature and do a little reminiscing...and since it's almost Easter, I thought I would concentrate on Easters/Bunnies from my past... (I've shared some of these before but it's been several years so I thought it was OK to share again...)

Here I am with my very well-worn loved bunny that I had since I was a baby - since my Birthday often falls near Easter, I always received bunny stuff as gifts...so I've always had a thing for bunnies going way back...

Here I am acting silly with my shiny new replacement-bunny...I eventually wore it out too. (dig that stylin' black and silver couch we're sitting on...so mid-century!)

An Easter classic - scratchy, stiff new dress, white hat, white shoes, huge chocolate bunny, huge basket full of goodies!

 And here's the whole family that year - very groovy, 1969...  My Mom was pregnant with my little brother who was due in May...

And here we are the next year (or maybe the next) when my little brother was a baby...and I was still sporting a scratchy dress and white shoes. We were standing in front of the Wyatt's Cafeteria in Pasadena Texas after church - we rarely ate out when I was a kid, but we went there occasionally on Sundays and special occasions...

Bunny Montage - from my bunnies past and present...

Eastertime Bunny illustration from 1995...

OK fast forward...a LOT. I got engaged to my sweet Hubby John on Easter Day - he put my engagement ring inside a plastic Easter egg along with a sweet note - so adorable...

Thanks for indulging my little bit of reminiscing. I love this sweet Spring time of the year - it's so lovely and full of promise...what are some of your favorite Easter memories??

I hope you enjoy every bit of this amazing celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ! May He bless you with His unfailing love and unending joy!!

Introducing "Farm Friends"!!

The "Farm Friends" Collection by Unique (and me!!)

Yesterday was a very exciting day around here - I finally got my awesome "Farm Friends" samples from my art licensing contract with Unique Industries, Inc., a wonderful partyware company that I am so proud to have partnered with!! I met with a product developer from Unique at my booth at the Craft & Hobby Association Winter Show in Anaheim in January of 2012, and a couple of months later I signed a contract with them for the Farm Friends images...and it's take this long to see the finished product or to even talk about it much...so this was a big deal for me and my sweet hubby and family!

So yesterday when I came home from the grocery store, I saw two big boxes on my porch and I knew immediately that they must be from Unique because I was expecting them soon, but I was amazed that the boxes were so big...when I created the designs, I did layouts for plates and napkins, so that's what I was expecting. I had no idea that Unique was going to do an entire huge party collection with my Farm Friends...what an amazing surprise! I knew it was possible that they would do more with the images, but I just didn't know to what extent they might take it. So here's an overview of the cute party goodies they created... 

Plates...

Cups and Straws...

Napkins...

Hats and "Blowouts"

Banners and Balloons...

Cute Party Game...

Invitations, Stickers and "Loot" Bags...

Tablecloths and Cutouts...

And even a Piñata!!

 Wow - I am still blown away! I can't wait to see them in a store (please let me know if you see them in your neck of the woods - I'd love to know where they're selling!) The product developer that I work with at Unique said they are excited about the line and that they have been well received - so that sounds promising...!!

I wanted to send some encouragement to my artist friends who are slogging away at art licensing just like me...there are wonderful things awaiting us just around the corner - don't give up as I have been tempted to do on many occasions...just keep creating art that you love and invite folks to love it too, and they will...

Thank You LORD for blessing me with such a sweet surprise and for the opportunity to share the gift you graciously gave me...all glory to you!

I'm thinking a GIVEAWAY may be in order, for one of everything in the Farm Friends group...sound like fun?  I'll let you know the details very soon...

Hugs & Blessings to you all!