FRENCH farmgirl???



Hold onto your hats!  French Cupboard is hosting a weekly French Inspiration blog hop/party!!
Finally, finally we get to share all that French stuff we love!
I'm excited to explore my French Farmgirl side.  And to see all the French inspired goodies that you'll share.  Come on over on Thursday to see the French side of this Blessing Farmhouse. 

I hope you'll play along with each week and show us your French side.  Click HERE to learn more about how you can link up and show off your French inspired blog posts.

Nada Spring!

 I can't believe we are gearing up for the Spring NaDa Farm Sale
I'm so excited to be part of this great show.  And it IS a show!  The displays are right up there with Marburger and the vendors this season are amazing.   


I'm STUNNED that I am counted among them!  And beyond delighted that the theme for Spring is  romantic, bohemian, gypsy, farmgirl!!  We have moved to the BIG barn this season so there will be even more to browse.

If you are in the Chicago area, mark your calendar and plan to come by and visit us.  If you are coming from out of town, there are affordable accomodations nearby (just email myself or Anne-Marie at NaDa).   Pack a fun bohemian outfit for the Boho Ball on Friday night.  And join us the next morning for a full day of shopping and getting to know fellow bloggers. 


Bring your copy of Fifi's Romantic Prairie Style because FIFI WILL BE THERE for a book signing!

 And lastly, the one thing that you don't want to forget that weekend is your camera (and maybe some mad money)! 

Play Date

I'm so honored to have my pictures selected for a color inspiration over at The Play Date Cafe this week.  If you aren't familiar with Julie's blog, you should stop over and take a peek around.  There is a challenge every week.  Loads of wonderful artists link up all week long, sharing their projects based on a particular color scheme.  And there's prizes involved.  It's not too late to enter your own art...

Paper Rosebud Tutorial

 Making these paper roses has become a tradition around Valentines Day at our house.  They go on top of presents (my son's birthday is Valentines Day), get sent along as thank-you gifts with orders, and are a table decoration for parties.  Since it's a few days before Valentines, I thought I'd share this super easy project...

 Usually I have the kids gather up sticks from the yard to use as the stems.  This year, with all the snow, I am fortunate that I had some left over in my bag of supplies.  Generally, I try to find sticks that have the same diameter as a stem and then break them down to about 12" or less, depending on the vase they will live in.

 You'll also need some paper twist in green & the rose color of your choice and about a 6" length of string or twine.  I like to add some lace too.

Cut appx 6" of the green paper twist and 12" of your rose color.  Then untwist the full length.

 I put a glob of glue stick type glue on the end of the "stem" and then begin wrapping the rose color twist around the stem.  Folding it a bit as you go will help create an unopened bud effect. (pardon my messy work area... and old lady hands)

You'll have a short end of the rose color twist left.  Glue that down with glue stick and then wrap the green, leaving the ends hanging out. 


I lay out the twine with about 4" of lace on top of it, then lay the rose down on top of the two, pulling the twine up and tying everything nice and tight.

I print my Valentine message, using the Old Rubber Stamp font and then tear them close to the words.  Short messages work best.  Then just glue them onto your stem.

It's a super inexpensive, handmade gift.  And no matter if you give one or a dozen, your message of love won't wilt.

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.(Isaiah 54:10)

Heart Photography

I saw a photo like this on Etsy yesterday titled "love story".  I thought I'd try my own arrangement using an old Bible.  This is my original photo above.


In this photo I lightened the shadows and increased the contrast.

  This one has the gritty effect from picnik.  I haven't quite mastered it in photoshop and it's so much easier to just use picnik.

 And this one has increased saturation on top of the gritty effect.

I heart playing with my camera and all the different effects in photoshop.  In fact, I love it so much that I've actually started laying claim to some of my photos.  You may have noticed that I can't seem to setttle on a "signature".  Sometimes they're signed "Counting Your Blessings".  Sometimes "Blessing Farmhouse" and sometimes they are even signed with my tag line "Romantic Farmstyle".  It seems kinda conceited to sign them with my name but I know that lots of people do that too.  HOW can such a small thing occupy so much of my confused thoughts?!  There really should be a book of names for things like this.  You know, like those baby name books!  I wasn't able to find one of those books so I thought perhaps you would help sway my decision...  Plllleeease!  You can enter your own idea or select from one of mine...   

White Wednesday

 While the logical thing to post about for White Wednesday this week would be the BLIZZARD outside my window, I'm taking a crafting day so I thought I'd show you some of the little projects.   I can only handle going so long without creating so a few snow days is just what I need!  I want to make myself a new handbag but I thought I'd do some warm-up crafting first... crafting calisthenics. 

I picked up a bunch of these metal stars at the dollar store a couple months ago and they have been calling out for a good re-do. They were covered with snowmen and santas so I had to do a couple coats of hammered metal spray paint before adding the pretty stuff but it was a fun stretching exercise (and the stars are finally off my dinning room table!).  I think I'm going to hang some in the studio from the ceiling.

Hope your White Wednesday is filled with blessings and delightful moments of crafting calisthenics!

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