Ticking and Toile

~locker love & storage ideas~

2012-01-25T13:03:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!!

How is everyone doing today???

I'm doing good.....got a kiddo here sick

but we're doing fine :)

I swear they just get tired of

going to school.....and the "illness" starts

from there....she really does not feel

good but sometimes I wonder how much

could be self induced...ya know?

my parents moved us in the middle of my

8th grade year & I remember wanting to

get sick soooo bad so I didn't have to go....

then wham-o a major flu bug...

not fun...I remember it like yesterday!

self induced perhaps?

who knows...but how about some

storage ideas?

seems like this time of year is perfect for

streamlining things.....

so, ya like the lockers??? yes...

and the bench??? yes...

love, love, love the look of old lockers...

but probably not the most practical

maybe? maybe not?

this "mudroom" below is awesome...

tons of room for all the stuff the kiddos

need but I personally do not have

room for this sort of contraption....

and not much character....right?

but it's almost worth it to be so

o r g a n i z e d....

I am loving this idea....

we just happen to have dead space like this

under our stairs....wonder if Mr T & T

would feel like ripping the wall apart???

**cricket**cricket**

hee hee ;)

this one is 2die4!!!

love it!!

need room...

big room...

need farmhouse....

big farmhouse....

fun to dream but now it's

time to get back to work!!

Hope your week is going great!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images via}

~chair makeovers~

2012-01-17T09:49:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends!!

Happy Tuesday to you!

It's snowing here in the northwest....

crazy!! we really haven't gotten too

much but they got 6 inches in Seattle!!

but the kiddos are bummed since they've missed

no school yet.....

here's what I've been working on....

{I played with Picasa for different tones

of sepia & black and white}

I've been working on

~chair rehab~

that's what's been happenin' here

while I've had time off from the

Linen Shoppe

you may recall a few hundred years ago

my crazy chair extravaganza via craigslist??

no?

well read here for the full scoop....

I was actually relieved to see it has only

been a little over a year since I bought them....

phew....wouldn't want to be seen as a

procrastinator or anything like that....

I have a reputation to uphold ya know....

here is my dining room filled with all chairs

and no table a year ago....

see now you may be intrigued....no table?

what did she do with it???

read here to recollect my craziness

well since I had some time off from sewing

& such ~ thought it'd be a good time

to finally tackle these guys....

so here's the before!

a big part of the problem is the

gaping hole in the seats...

ya see it there? he he he

I really wasn't quite sure how to fix it

(only 2 needed the holes "filled" thankfully!)

but I did figure it out~

since the chairs (6 of them) all came with

these lovely & fashionable seat cushions

so purdy.....;)

we cut a piece of plywood & secured

it to the seats ~ no one will e v e r know....

I decided to try a homemade chalk paint

recipe since I didn't want to spend much

$$ for the Annie Sloan chalk paint...

{although I really do want to try hers soon}

I can't take credit for the homemade stuff ~

definitely not that smart....

It was Joy over at Savvy City Farmer

who posted on it awhile back...

you mix about a third of plaster of paris

{available for about $3 or 4 or 5? can't quite remember! at Lowe's or Home Depot}

with regular paint & start painting!

so I mixed some white (on hand) with

some beige (on hand) with a little grey

(yep on hand as well....) along with

some artist tints I had laying around...

came up with a nice creamy grey tone...

then I went over it with an antiquing glaze from

Lowe's....{American Tradition Antique Glaze ~ about $8}

I did 2 coats of paint & then the glaze...

& then used a dry and a wet rag to take

off the glaze ~ you just have to play with it...

I have to apologize for my picture quality...

my camera is officially broken & I'm looking

into what to buy....meanwhile it's the.........

shhhhhhh don't tell....

cell phone camera....

yikes.

well I had to show you something right??? :)

here's a couple shots in b & w

wow way to stage a shot with

no props....whoops!

sepia....gotta love picasa!

glazing works best (in my humble

non-professional opinion....)

when there are grooves & such

in the furniture....

it gets in those little cracks & crevices & stays...

gives it a nice aged look...

so next is the cushion recovering....

I've gone back & forth with the idea

of using my antique grainsacks....

or a yummy french linen sheet...

or painter's dropcloth...

the grainsack is so beautiful but very

thick.....and the chair cushions have piping

so I'm not so sure it'll work....

thoughts????

anyone ever tried to make piping out of that amazing

luscious fabric??

so there ya have it!

the chairs are painted & ready for seat cushions....

yay!!

next the dining table gets an overhaul as well....

here's a sneak peek at what we have in there

now.....

{don't mind that beautifully upholstered chair there! I know you all

love green upholstery but no I'm not selling it!!}

so it's just a queen anne style table that I picked up

at goodwill.....{spent like $10 and you'll recall if you went back and read my insane post we had n.o.t.h.i.n.g. in there! what a mom I am!}

I'd really like to build a farmhouse

table like I've seen around but for now ~ I'm thinking

just doing the same paint treatment on the legs &

maybe a natural bare wood finish on top ~

ya??

I'll be sure to update you on my cushion progress...

it's on the agenda this week!

oh, and a little sidenote....

the Ticking and Toile Linen Shoppe is

open again

so take a look if you like!

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

xoxo,

Shellagh

~inspiration love~

2012-01-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

It's almost Friday.....

and you know what that means???

oh you don't?

hee hee :)....it means ~

it's my favorite day of the week!!

I really look forward to Fridays....

and the hope of ~~what projects Mr. T & T will get done~~

what the weekend will bring!

now you all don't think I'm that laser focused do you??

well, ok ~ yes you're right, you know me so well.......I am.....but I do try to

restrain myself......ok not really little....he he he...

no seriously...I do try....;)

I've been hitting the inspiration

jackpot lately....and officially

addicted to Pinterest

in fact maybe you can relate?

or my personal favorite...

because it happens to me

all. the. time.

oh my goodness ~ if it wasn't for

all the amazing plethora

of yummy pictures...

it's like thumbing through

your favorite magazines anytime ~

and they never end.

so funny....but definitely

a potential time waster *ahem*

just possibly.

here are a couple more pics I was

so excited about I just had to show you

right now.....

k, now do you love these stairs

as much as I do???

so perfect! yes?

what could be better than grainsack stairs??

and here I am back in love with this

bedroom.....I have posted on this house

before because I am seriously in love with it.

seriously.

and another all time favorite...

this room just makes me happy...

another true love...

and perfect island / floor chippy-ness

yumyumyumyum...

ok officially ~ Mr. T & T

wants his laptop back...boo!

I wasn't done showing ya stuff!

but allegedly he has to "work"

sheesh! ;)

I'll leave you with one more yummy

place to soak your tired bones...

and I'm off to dreamland....

g'night all!

xoxoxo,

Shellagh

{all images found here}

~what's on the "LIST"

2012-01-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone!!

How was your weekend?

Mine was great!

~ with the small ittty bitty

exception of....

the worst migraine of my life

so yes, lucky me suffered through this from 4:40am

to 12:30pm yesterday morning....goodness me,

wouldn't wish it on anyone.

but!

I am feeling great today! yay!!!

I'm waiting for the fog to clear....

and the sun to show up and I'll be heading out

for a run.....

I wanted to share with you my list and what's on it......

for me 2012 is all about finishing....

yep....finishing our house....

it's long

it's scary

it's overwhelming

but it's reality....

and I'm ready!

I'm not going to make you all tired

by giving you the whole thing

cuz it is just Monday

and you need to feel uplifted & inspired

not exhausted & disturbed by my long as

humanly imagineable list!!

but here's what's on top of it:

1) replace doors upstairs

we have many antique doors sitting in the garage,

taking up valuable man-cave space,

waiting for us to install

{well strip, and re-finish and fit

to our door jams}

up until now....it was too

overwhelming

to me to even think about

but not now...

now is the time....

to finish....

****please excuse this interruption***

where we'll be testing Mrs. Ticking & Toile's

good mood & patience today....

the toilet has just overflowed, there's an inch of water

in the bathroom, it has gone into the

hallway, onto her beautiful plank floors, and under the refrigerator....

and Mrs. T & T will (while attempting to soak up

the water) spill melted red wax all down the wall

and onto her cute shabby table, onto the floor & down the

hallway.....

~*~

where was I?

yes, what you read is true....

um...how's my mood?

well, slightly dampened...

s l i g h t l y...

it's all good. problem fixed~

water cleaned up, waxed cleaned

up ~ just a minor diversion~

;)

sheesh.

ok...

we were talking about doors.....

I'm thinking with the "replacing the doors"

portion of my list~ I'd really like to strip

them & go for the natural, worn, slightist

bit of paint left over look~ like these....

don't you love this?

here's another example

I love how the worn doors look against crisp

white door frames...yes?

you like??

lots of prep work to do...

a little resizing to do...

door knobs to find & buy

{anyone got any they'd like to sell?????;) }

etc... etc...

wish me luck!!

Got anything on your list??

got a major focus for this year??

do tell! :)

Have a wonderful day!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images found here}

~too early to wish for spring?~

2012-01-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hello guys!

Yes, I suppose it is to early....

to wish for spring...but we can dream...

I came across some beautiful photos

that really got me dreaming of spring....

this picture pretty much captures everything

yummy we love ~ chippy paint, vintage books,

faded roses, and drippy chandys

don't ya think??

they are by the amazing & talented artist

Jo-Anne Coletti

of Vintage Rose Collection

her work is so beautiful...jump over

and take a look!

here is just a small sample of some

of her gorgeous photography~

oh, is there anything sweeter than

roses in ironstone?

nope...don't think so...

mmmmm, can almost smell them from here....

can you imagine if we didn't have beautiful

art or pictures to remind us of spring & summer?????

hop over & say hi!

and

have a wonderful day!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images Vintage Rose Collection}

~what not running will do for you~

2012-01-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends!!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a safe & wonderful

weekend :)

Well with the New Year comes the

"new pounds" hee hee ~ oh the fun

of eating too much fudge & any other

kind of sweet lurking about.....

veggies? huh?? what are those??

sound familiar?

well I knew it would all come screeching to a halt

this week....I knew the days of decadence and laziness (so to speak...more about that later!) would be out the window come today....

yep...today is the day....

I have to say, I am grateful for the warm, mild air

this morning with the tiny peek of sunshine~

I happened to notice when I was sleepily doing one of my "usually annoyed at"

morning chores....... feeding the cats....it requires going out

on our back patio, shuffling to the big cedar box (wow what a whiner I am!!) & feeding the always starving (?) cats...

but had I not done this terrible rotten chore, I would not

have noticed the fresh & mild morning air....and

probably wouldn't have noticed the little ray of sunshine,

seemingly urging me on~ prodding me to just do it.

to just go..

get on your stuff...

get on your shoes...

and go for a run...

oh so true....it's that first step....

~all I could really think about this morning.....was how long it's been....since I last went ~3 weeks to be exact... (yep an excuse!)

and that: it's gonna be hard, it's gonna

be cold, my feet will hurt, I won't be able to go

very far, I won't be able to go very fast, I've lost

so much momentum...........................!

sound familiar?

but yes, I am chasing a goal.....

of being a "runner"

and I worked my way up to 4 miles ~

and I'm not about to give up

because of a little time off!!!

and a little (ok a lot.hee hee..) of fudge & goodies

and inactivity.....

so to answer my own question of

what not running will do for you??

here's the answer....

when you do begin again......

it will....prove to you that you can re-start!

help you notice the wee little bit of sunshine

in the midst of winter

notice the birds chirping & make you think of spring...

notice the seagulls against the blue sky & remember

warm beaches....

notice your thigh muscles with every step

and visualize the lean legs you are building....

and lastly, realize you don't have to give up!!!

I can tell you this......I feel good now....:)

have you been feeling a little sluggish too??

are you dreading "getting back into it??"

do you need a little push?

here's your push!

go on now ~ go do it....

whatever it is....

a walk, a run, or even a little bike ride....

go get some fresh air...

move around & breathe....even sweat...

oh yeah...feels amazing!!

xoxoxo,

Shellagh

{all images via pinterest}

~what to do what to do!~

2011-12-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas

and are enjoying this week!

I've definitely been enjoying some

much needed down time......

in fact ~ I stayed in my new fuzzy

bathrobe all day yesterday!!

well ~ I did change out of it for about 2 hours....

just long enough to go to dinner with my

family.....;)

then I was back in....snug & warm....

& settled in for movie....

I'm thinking I might be ready to do something

tomorrow......something productive....

but let's not rush things....hee hee

will it be working out????

possibly....

{not that I need it or anything after

living on fudge and chocolate covered

pretzels for um well 2 weeks....}

will it be cleaning something???

highly recommended since I have

company coming this weekend.....

yikes.

or......... will it be redoing something??

like....say.....ripping out the bathroom

vanity & putting in an old dresser???

tempting...tempting...

why yes...the dresser is sitting out in the garage....

oh to twist Mr. T & T's arm....

alas...he's so much more

r.a.t.i.o.n.a.l.

and r.e.a.s.o.n.a.b.l.e.

then me.....

hee hee

I'm just glad that the urge to

do something

is beginning to return....

have to admit ~ I was getting a little

worried at my majorly lazy self....

I think I needed this little staycation.....

What are you up to??

Where are you at???

ready to jump back in to projects?

or ready to jump back into bed?? :)

love to hear from you!

xoxoxoxo!!

Shellagh

all images found here

~need a little getaway?~

2011-12-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday my friends!

yep, it is definitely my favorite day

of the week.....love my Fridays....

and guess what? the sun is peeking out

from the fog....it's gonna be sunny today!!

yay!! :)

well, we're winding down here at the Linen Shoppe...

only a few more orders to finish & then it's

r*e*l*a*x*

and I think that's why I'm so drawn to this

today....this escape....

~*~

because....

~we've had a lot of Christmas....yes?

~we've seen a lot of crafts....yes?

~we've got our lists written, shopping

done ~~(what?? I do?),~~ been crafting away,

decorating away, baking & fluffing,

wrapping & stuffing....and now....

....we need a little break....

we need a little nap....

right here....

with the window open...

and the soft breeze drifting in...

with the faint smell of lavender....

ahhhh......

and maybe a little bubble bath?

and a little toe painting?

those always go hand & hand with me...

bubble baths & toe painting....

oh wow....take a look at those travertine floors

up there.....oh my....I cannot get enough

travertine!!!

ok...can you be in love with a sink?

because I seriously am....{and there we have more

travertine too...ahhh....}

shall we make a 'fresh from the garden' salad?

because it's the middle of summer ya know?

add a little fresh herbs?

we can sit in here....or

here

or here...I'm thinking we better go out here....

and soak up a little sun.....

when we're done eating our lunch & sipping

on lemon water....

maybe we'll feel like reading a great book...

or thumbing through several hundred

magazines....

or pinning a few pins...hee hee

{now, I'm trying to keep the techy stuff

outta here on this little getaway ~ so

I'm thinking we're unplugged...all the way...}

I know scary...

but who needs to be pinning when we can

soak up this view??

and breathe the fresh air?

I'm thinking a little walk would be perfect about right now...

maybe there's a cute little market down

the road....where we can pick up yummy stuff

for dinner?

some fresh bread?

and cheese & fruit?

{I could be perfectly content eating baguettes,

cheese & fruit...forever...period.}

maybe there's a darling little hole in the wall

antique place....to browse about....

and when we're all tuckered out...

and ready to come back...

we'll make some dinner here....

and then relax by the fire....

ahhhh......

I don't want to wake you up.....

I'll just quietly sneak away~

and wish you a wonderful weekend....

xoxo,

Shellagh

{images}

~the best of the best Christmas crafts~

2011-12-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

Hello hello!!

It's Wednesday a.l.r.e.a.d.y.....

crazy how the time is speeding by!

I have pinned & pinned & pinned

a bizillion Christmas craft ideas...

I'm hoping to have time s o o n to

play & create....

here's a few that made the A list....

cute angel wings....

wouldn't these be sweet hanging on the tree?

I couldn't find a template for the wings....

but I think you could almost trace gently over

your computer screen, no?

probably a big no-no for sure....

otherwise maybe free hand it?

sticking with the book pages, newsprint theme

how about this darling little birdie ornament??

I love the little doily & button...

so cute!

here's a similar bird template you can

print & trace....

you can also go here to get it:

what I really really reeeaaallllyyy

want to make are these little bird ornaments....

this is from Lulu's tree

at Dusty Lu's blog

they are just precious ~ but I'm thinking they

would be quite time consuming & I need

a lot. of. them....

but who knows? maybe the urge will

strike & I'll give it a whirl....:)

so what else is super cute, you ask??

I love this wax paper garland!!

so easy & looks dreamy on a tree

don't ya think?!

and how about wax paper garland

mixed with little paper birds??

ok...actually think that is button garland (down below)

but either way...cute!

ya got a lot of buttons in a jar somewhere?

I know you do....:)

this is the sweetest little button star....

I have no clue how they made this one, but

I'm thinking....cut a star out of super

sturdy cardboard....spray paint cream

if you like...and hot glue the buttons on!?

wouldn't this make a nice gift as well?

love all the different vintage buttons...

are you still with me??

are you bored yet??

ok then ~ just checking....:)

who has made these clay tags?

definitely want to try...

and can't forget about my cones....

so easy & darling...

AND cute to hang

a.n.y.w.h.e.r.e.

ok I lied...now just a couple more!

got little ones??

I thought these were too cute!

and lastly cute little candy cane hearts.....

wanna make these too...

my goodness....too much to look at & make huh?

well I'm off to take my daughter Madi

to Drivers Ed...yikes...yep she's got

her permit now & is practicing

practicing....:}

~*~

hope this inspires you to get crafting!

head on over to here

and here

to get instructions &

such!

Happy crafting & creating....

xoxo,

Shellagh

~a glimpse of Christmas at home~

2011-12-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

Happy Monday to you :)

I had fun decorating a little

over the weekend......

we've had our tree up & decorated for a week

now but not too much else......

but I finally had some time to "play" and

it was so much fun!

I really didn't want to "think" too much ~
just wanted to let it flow....

so I opened all my bins &

grabbed a little here & there

and started playing around....

robbed the Linen Shoppe of a display

stocking....thought "hey, I know where

some cute stockings are ~ might as well

use them!"

climbed & tugged on branches from our

cedar tree for some nice greens to play with....

and mixed it up w/ a little glitter here & there

I started with my front entry table....once I got

it done, I was motivated to keep going....

I actually did a lot on my front porch, but

will have to show you pictures another

day ~ because my camera is really acting up!!

I got this cute bundle of books from

Michelle at Petite Michelle Louise

I replaced the floral ribbon with

the red plaid for Christmas

she has the cutest little Etsy store~

head over if you haven't been there...

you won't be disappointed!

I actually had this old enamelware bowl

in the goodwill pile not too long ago....

{I know a moment of sheer insanity...}

Mr. T & T snagged it out & gave me a tongue

lashing!! ha ha not really but he did snatch it out of

the box!

I swapped out the antique blue striped

grainsack, on my sofa, for a red striped one....

I love the touch of red this year!

I made up this little "believe" pillow ~

thought it so fitting for our girls...

those who don't "believe" don't get any presents

from Santa...right?

I remember my mom never would admit

the possibility of "no Santa" to me...

n.e.v.e.r.....

I've never admitted it to my kiddos either ~

they've pretty much cornered me & said

"Mom, we know..."

"know what???" I say...

they just laugh & go on with their day! hee hee

I just remember how depressing it felt when

I knew for sure.....

it definitely put a bit of a damper on the season

for me....but that only lasted until I had my own

children.....and what a joy...to have Christmas with

little ones!! :)

my little Allie....still wonders about Santa....

although I think this will be the last year

for her....it's kinda hard for a kiddo to believe

when all the kids on the school bus tell them

"it's your parents!!!"

argh!!! I wish they'd stop!!

my camera completely pooped out after this

shot....so this is just a snippet of our tree....

it's pretty simple along with the rest of our decor

this year....a little red, a little white & cream

a lot of homemade ornaments of the kids'....

little school pictures glued onto construction

paper & such...

I love it!

almost forgot to show you this darling

little postcard I picked up last week....

the little "frog" is so teeny & adorable!!

it's probably less than an inch wide!

I was sold instantly, although I'm sure

I paid too much.... ;)

I hope you're all doing fantastic &

merrily going about getting ready

for Christmas!

xoxo,

Shellagh

~simple swedish decor~

2011-12-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Hello there!!

I didn't make it for my Monday post....

I was buried in linen & grainsacks....

my life is a little i.n.s.a.n.e. right now

filling orders in the Linen Shoppe

we are a "2 man" show but even with my

super ninja sewing girl......I have been swamped with

cutting, image transfers, & everything else that

goes with running a business....

I do feel very grateful for my little business though,

and thank you all for your support :)

due to my current state of craziness,

I think I'm leaning towards a more simple

look for Christmas this year....

I really like this home ~ and it's simple

touches of Christmas here & there...

I have to tell you though ~

the notion of decorating my kid's rooms

flew right out the window when my little Allie

(well not so little...age 11)

was so excited to show me the lights she

put up in her room......

she was begging me to come look....

uh oh...I'm thinking in my blogging brain....

.....and here's what my little sweets came up with....

oh, you like the JB poster???

no, it's not for sale....don't even think about it!! lol...

so I walk in & she's got a very nice string

of lights starting from her doorway ~

across her closet....

to the top of her dresser~

and bed....to the JB poster & beyond....

and the best part??

the special fashion in which she attached

them to the walls....

yep, that would be priority mail tape...

.....such a nice touch....;)

hee hee....

what to do ... what to do....

I kissed her on the forehead & tucked her into

bed and told her it was beautiful....

walked out of the room and thought

okie dokie.....

guess I won't be showing that on the ol'

decorating blog...hee hee hee

these are the moments to remember huh?

would you like a little more eye candy?

{and not the 11 year old variety!)

I love these yummy drapes....

with the simple wreaths tied w/ ribbon...

and the look on this kitty's face is so funny!

like...what are you doing????

love this little chandy....

that would probably be easy to make huh?

well sorta....ok, not so much but I bet

there's some amazing blogger girls

who could whip it up in an hour or so!

btw...where do these very cooperative

kiddos come from?

you know the ones who don't put up

JB posters?

or green strings of Christmas lights?

oh I'm only kidding.....I love love love

my kiddos & their amazing decorating

talent.....;)

Hope you're having a great week!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{images via skona hem}

~holiday inspiration & hopes for the weekend!~

2011-12-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!!!!

Partially clear skies here in the NW ~

after a beautiful clear & cold day yesterday....

oh how I love a little blue sky in the midst of all the rain....

Mr. T & T has been out of town all week....

but gets back tonight & our schedules are

*miraculously* clear for tomorrow's...

"tree cuttin' down & lights puttin up, bins haulin'

down & decorations puttin up....."

{really not a redneck...but just sound that way...hahahahaha}

aaaaaannnnnndddd......what if the weather

was actually NICE for the day???

woo-hoo! amazing for sure!!?? :)

so my hope is that we'll get

a little Christmas around here tomorrow.....

this mantle is just beautiful isn't it??

love the pomegranate....

we've got tons of fir, cedar, spruce & every other

kind of evergreen around here....

{we are the "evergreen" state ya know...}

so part of our Christmas decorating

tradition is to head down to an old road

and trim all kinds of greenery

~~from some random yard~~ of course not!!

from the side of the old run down barn that

nobody cares about....he he he

at least that's my story & I'm stickin' to it....

then, we use the greens all through the house

~it's so fun & makes the house smell so

wonderful...

still needin' to find me some saplings....

{as opposed to "baby trees" as previously mentioned}

I really LOVE the way that looks....

and how fun to find a vintage drum &

bugle like this??

have you ever been over to visit

Susanne at The Old School

or the swedish name

den gam laskolan??

these cabinet pictures

and the sapling pics are from her blog

~ it is just full of the most beautiful

inspiration.....

her home is so darling....I could totally

move right in. If you haven't gone to see her

run right over & be prepared to stay awhile

because it is one amazing picture after another....

you see what I mean???

the very talented Susanne.....

now, back to tomorrow....

I'm sitting here wondering about

crazy "Clark Griswold" expectations

for all my Saturday plans...

after all, aren't Fridays just full of hope??

"you know how you can get these things all

built up in your mind, Sparky?"

{From the movie Christmas Vacation...if you don't recognize it...not

that I've already watched it 2x this year...no I definitely don't have time

for that kinda thing....}

I'm gonna try not to do that....try not

to s-q-u-e-e-z-e too much in....

any of you ever do that??

like all the time???

that would be me....

oh, cute little boxwoods....

never go out of style...

always love them...

well I'm out the door guys.....off to pick up

some fabric & might get a little peak at

this show....since I'll be driving right by

practically....

Have a great weekend!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images can be found here, come follow along!}

~a few thoughts on decorating for Christmas~

2011-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday friends!!

oh was it rugged.....draggin' everyone

out of bed at 6 am.....after a week long

vacation & par-tay....;)

it's hard getting everyone out of their warm &

cozy beds.....and out the door into the

chilly, damp and foggy morning....

before

the sun is up....

but they're all up & gone....

it's just me & the pooch here at home....

{this isn't her...but looks just like her!

hmmm....maybe I'll try for a similar shot!}

did you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving??

we really did.....so much fun spending time

with my brother & his family

stayed up late every night....played games

and hung out....did not step foot into a store~

with the exception of buying this & that

for cooking.....

{absolutely insane game.....my kids could not

get enough of it! hence the staying up late each

night!!}

well the only bummer about being gone all

weekend was coming home

to all our neighbors having their

outdoor lights & decorations up.....

ruh-roh....the pressure builds.....

time to get started......yesterday....;)

isn't this the cutest little Christmas cone?

love it!

so easy to make & stuff with little goodies....

I know one element I'll be adding to my

Christmas decor......

and that is....sheepskin....

around the house

and maybe under the tree?

I started noticing this last year but at

that time it was a little late to add it in ~

but not this year!

doesn't it look great under a cute tree?

I absolutely love how our nordic friends

decorate for the holidays.....

how they use sheepskin

how they throw little baby trees into jars of water .....

hmmmm....where to find a little spruce I

can pull out by the roots????

Mr. T & T is out of town this week so

if stuff is gonna be hauled out of the attic

it's gotta be hauled out tonight.....

....cuz I need my stuff....

like my little sleds.....

I usually set them out on the front porch ~

but would love to use one inside....

anyone else do this?

am I like way slow on this?

do you all do this already?

love this little vignette on a coffee table too....

the mercury glass with the pinecones

is perfect together....

pinecones are so fun to decorate with....

it's so easy to change up things

by adding a few pinecones & greens...

pinecones, greens, a little lace & silver....

add in some ironstone....

love it.....

did you all get started on decorations

this weekend?

or ~gasp~ finish decorating?

{fyi...please don't tell me yes on that one.....

I need my sanity this week....hee hee.....}

oh the pressure we put on ourselves huh? ;)

Hope you are all happy & content

and

feeling un-pressured

and un-hurried

and

can enjoy the beginning of this

Christmas season.....!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images can be found here}

~Happy Thanksgiving & a winner!~

2011-11-24T11:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We are having a wonderful time

visiting family in the Seattle

area!

Spending time with my "little"

brother.....so fun!

{he's got a death grip on my hand to stop the tickling :)....}

we'v'e been baking, laughing, cooking,

giggling, playing games, and

looking through very old pictures

of family....

and *bonus*

he loves to cook!!

kinda nice break for me!

So the winner of the

2 stockings & a 20%

discount on stuff from

the Ticking and Toile Linen Shoppe

by random number generator.....

which selected #84

the lucky girl is............

Andrea (AndeM1) !!!!

I'm so excited ~ because Andrea was

one of my very first customers way back

when my store first opened!!

and the sweetie girl already ordered a stocking

for her close friend! Now you get your

own 2 stockings for free, Andrea! :)

Thanks so much everyone for following

my blog & supporting my store :)

I feel like I have a big group of friends

out there that I can pour my heart out to

anytime......I am grateful for you all &

for your friendships!

Hope you have a wonderful

Thanksgiving!!!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

~ruffle stocking tutorial~

2011-11-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!!

sheesh ~ we are having major rain and wind

today......lovely little storm to welcome in

the holidays....:}

lucky for me I don't have to go out in it too much...

I mean, certainly wouldn't want to head to the gym

or anything crazy like that......

and even though I have rain gear....I certainly won't be running outside in

this....I mean, if I did that, I might accidentally burn a few calories.....

so I'm excited to show you this tutorial on

making ruffled stockings....seems everyone

was pretty excited to give it a try ~ so

here we go!!

If you need a stocking pattern you can find one

here

once you have your pattern cut out

you can cut out your stocking pieces

*you'll be cutting:

2 stocking pieces in white linen

2 lining pieces in white muslin

one piece of linen for the ruffle

one piece of linen for the hang tab

~side note: you'll need approx. 1/2 yard of each

fabric~

~*~

first, pin and then sew together

the muslin stocking pieces &

the linen stocking pieces.

but....leave a 3 inch opening in the muslin

piece~ about half way down between the top

of the stocking & the heal of the stocking.

now set those aside & let's work on the ruffle!

for this pattern, the stocking opening

is about 17 inches around (8.5 inches wide at the top)

so cut approximately one yard

of linen 3.5 inches wide

(for this ruffle as shown, I used about

2x the fabric for gathering)

first: hem the strip if you want a hem,

(just fold over 1/2 inch, iron & fold over 1/2 again and iron for a nice hem)

leave it and pull 4 or 5 "rows" of threads

if you want the frayed ruffle

second: gather the fabric

here is a good video tutorial on gathering

if you would like to see a neat technique I use!

except I use quilting thread not dental floss :)

third: fold the ruffle over (right sides together)

to form a loop ~ measure it to make sure you

have the right size to match the opening of

the stocking, for this pattern it will be approx. 8.5 inches across, for a total

of 17 inches around

and leave yourself a 1/2 inch for

seam allowance. Now sew the little seam to

form a loop.

next, you're going to pin the ruffle to the linen

stocking piece that has been sewn together and

is now right side out

pin the raw edges together, with the ruffle

also right side out

(I know it seams weird to do it that way, but trust me...hee hee ;} )

now go ahead a sew the ruffle on to the top, using

a 1/2 inch seam allowance, or so......making sure

you line up the seams of the ruffle piece & the stocking piece...

{just looks better that way}

next you need to make your little hanging tab....

just cut a piece of linen approx. 8x2 inches and

fold the edges over 1/2 inch (both long edges)

iron, then fold over again, so there's no raw edges...

then stitch down the side

you'll end up with a nice finished tab like this.....

now pin that piece onto the ruffle (raw edges together)

and make sure it's on the heal side of the stocking!!!

{not that I did that wrong once or twice....argh....Mr. T & T was like well,

it looks fine that way....ahahahahahah....I'm like, no honey, you can't hang

stockings like that....hee hee....what a cutie}

if I were you, I would quickly stitch that little

guy on, cuz that little tab is known to aggravate & terrorize

certain linen shoppe owners by slipping out while

stitching the whole piece together....ahem....

and one more thing.....make sure you line up the tab

with the ruffle seam & stocking seam....

ok next the fun & magical part....:)

tuck the whole linen piece into the muslin piece....

the linen piece will be right side out, tucked into

the muslin piece which is inside out

like sooooo..........

next you're going to pin all the raw edges together

and sew around the whole thing.....

now for the a.m.a.z.i.n.g. part.....

remember the little 3 inch section you remembered

to leave unstitched...

oh you forgot?

yup....so did I....only every single time though....

for you smarties out there who didn't forget,

good job! for the rest of us....get out your seam ripper

and open up the muslin seam about 3 inches...hahahaha

now reach in there & start pulling the stocking out

through the opening...

keep pulling it through.....see how cool this is?

voila!!!!

a lined ruffle stocking!!

just like magic :)

you did it!!

now after you admire your amazing work ~ you

can pull out the lining and stitch down the little opening...

I just top stitch over it right along the edge....

there ya have it!

any questions??

send 'em over to me & I'll see if I know the answer :)

Remember there's still time to enter

the 2 stocking giveaway!!

click here to enter

the winner will be announced Thanksgiving morning....

Have a wonderful day or 2 of baking, and

enjoying time with family & friends!

xoxoxo,

Shellagh

~stocking giveaway!~

2011-11-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday friends!!!

My favorite day of the week :)

well, my post yesterday got me in

the mood for creating....and

I decided to make up some stockings!

natural hopsack linen frayed ruffle stocking

and I had sooooo much fun!!

it's so fun to create & see what you can come

up with!

and I've been really wanting to add some

to my Etsy shoppe but just haven't really

had the time up until now....

so now I have some! yay!!!

now I don't have to feel so LAME!!

yay!!!! hee hee hee :)

white linen ruffle stocking

I have so much fabric.....I mean ~

so much fabric

that it was just fun so pull stuff out

and see what I could do.....

I made some in white, natural, and

flax linen, and distressed cotton with

graphics.....just played....

flax linen frayed ruffle stocking

some with ruffles, without, frayed edge, finished edge....

vintage look grainsack stocking

my sweet friend came over last

night & we just played around

with different graphics

vintage look grainsack stocking

so what do ya think??

this one below has a bigger ruffle...

of course everythings gotta have ruffles....;)

white linen ruffle stocking

next week I'll post the step by step tutorial

on making a ruffle stocking....

just in case you're interested in giving it

a whirl.....

I really have the best followers.....

you guys are so fabulous

~ your comments keep me going and

always put a smile on my face!!

so I'd love to giveaway.....

2 stockings of your choice!!

plus.....

a 20% discount on your

Ticking and Toile Linen Shoppe

purchase*

All ya gotta do is....

for each entry:

1) follow me......

2) like me on facebook

3) like my Etsy linen shoppe

4) post my giveaway on

your blog, facebook, pinterest,

or twitter....

5) tell me what new stocking you like best!!

Giveaway ends Nov. 23rd

Have a fabulous weekend!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

*now for the fine print.....20% discount applies

to everything but the Annabelle Dust Ruffle....

because there is just not that much margin in there!!!

~cold weather crafts~

2011-11-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

How is blogland doing today?

it's Thursday, which means almost

Friday.....yay!!!

we have been a bit stormy & cold here

lately....

brrrrrr....

.....cold.....wet.....windy.....

which has got me thinking....

~cozy~

need warm blankets...

fireplace...

hot cocoa....

errr....dare I say need hibernation?

hee hee....if only.....right?!

if only kiddos didn't need driven around

and groceries didn't need to be bought

and people didn't need to go places....

I would hibernate....

I'm afraid....

but alas.....we can't do that sort of thing....

it wouldn't be socially acceptable...would it?

{uh, excuse me....I'll be back in April...well ok May when the sun

comes back....just carry on without me....I'll just be here in my

blanky with my book, next to my imaginary fireplace, drinking my

hot cocoa & watching a Jane Austen movie or 2 or 3 or 4 or ??}

no can do....

no such thing...

life carries on....wet rainy cold or not!!

so gotta make the best of it.....{I'm afraid

I'll be saying that a lot for the next 6 months!

ha ha ha :)}

so let's be like Martha & make some stuff!

that always makes the wintery cold

months go by faster.....

aren't these blanket stockings fun??

I've seen so many blanket & sweater stockings around...

got an old chenille blanket around that's

too tattered for using??

...perfect for a stocking....

these are just too cute....think of all those old

sweaters you've got that are too dated, too worn out,

too big, too small, etc...etc...

go grab ya one....and start cutting....

yes, and sewing will be required! :)

but shouldn't be too tough....

here's a great link for instructions and a free pattern!

our Christmas stockings are seriously in need

of upgrading....if I can convince my very

sentimental kiddos of it!

I'm definitely going to be making some new ones

here in the next little while....

I'd love to try felting wool & making some

out of that....

anyone else done that yet?

~*~

so what are you working on?

are you squeezing some "crafting"

in while "hibernating"

in your little nest?

in between all the running around &

crazy holiday preparations??

hope so!! :)

xoxo,

Shellagh

{images found here}

update!!

just found this darling stocking

craft made of fringed scarves.....

cute huh??

click here for tutorial :)

~Christmas in the kitchen~

2011-11-14T12:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!

How is everyone doing today???

I'm good....

can you even believe Thanksgiving is a little

more than a week away???

yikes...and that means Christmas

is coming up real quick like...

like...time to drag out decorations...

{now that didn't sound very positive did it?? hee hee}

but doesn't it just seem like the end of summer still?

ok, not really....let's go with the end of October?

I think 2 full months of October would suit me fine....

just need a bit more time to get ready for the

holidays......

but I do believe they are "upon" us....

it's time.....yep....

the 24/7 Christmas music has begun....

{my 11 year old daughter was gleeful over this!! }

and since

we'll be spending a lot of time in our

kitchens this next week or so,

I thought it'd be nice to look at some pretty

kitchens.....all dressed up & ready for the

holidays....maybe it'll rub off & get me ~~Mr. T & T~~

all jazzed up to crawl into the attic & haul

down 10 tubs of Christmas.....

now, who wouldn't want to do that?

what fun it'll be!

hee hee hee

these pics are very inspiring...

aren't they???

see now....it's working...

getting those creative juices going....

oh bulbs.....bulbs in containers...

bulbs in cups....bulbs in teapots...

I need bulbs...

I mean how can any self respecting blogger

decorator professional pinner person

go on without forcing bulbs???

so totally beautiful....

love them!!

I've got the cutest little containers

that I do believe I'll be forcing some bulbs

in this Christmas.....

{now if that wasn't the longest run-on sentence of all time....}

sorry, got a little off track there.....

the bulbs sucked me in & got me all crazy like...

where was I?

oh yes....

talking about cute kitchens, getting ready

for the holidays....sending Mr. T & T up into the attic

to drag down Christmas tubs, & wanting 2 Octobers

each year.....

how could I lose that train of thought???

{....s.c.a.r.y.....}

where are you "at"?

are you feeling ready to go?

ready to decorate?

ready for Thanksgiving?

ready for fudge, turkey, cookies, ham, treat plates,

candy canes, stuffing, cranberries, pine needles,

bulbs, trees, wreaths, pine cones, ribbon, packaging,

and s.h.o.p.p.i.n.g.?

am I making you tired?

share your thoughts!

Have a great day!!

xoxo,

Shellagh

{all images with links can be found here}

~gratitude~

2011-11-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday night!

I don't think I've ever posted

on a Friday night....but.....

I've been feeling so grateful for our

wonderful veterans all day...

and then

came across this picture....

makes me cry....

each time I look at it....

I can't imagine the emotions she's feeling....

finally holding her daughter....

I can't imagine how brave she was ~ to leave

her little one........and head overseas.....

to serve our great country....

my heart felt thanks....

to this sweet mom &

all our vets past & present.....

xoxo,

Shellagh

~burlap, lace & baby's breath tablesetting~

2011-11-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

Well hello my friends!

How is everyone doing today?

I'm great!

and the sun is shining~

and I'm eating sushi for lunch...

woo-hoo!

shaping into a pretty good day,

wouldn't you say??

I came across some very fun

table setting ideas.....and thought I would

share them with you!

isn't this the cutest idea for silverwear?

I haven't seen this before & love it!

and of course the shabby little flower

just stole my heart.....

looks so darling with the burlap!

{here's an awesome video tutorial for making a shabby

flower, if you need one!}

how about this idea~

wrapping the menu in burlap....

and securing it with sheath of wheat!

p.e.r.f.e.c.t. for Thanksgiving!

and if you want to get ultra fancy~

you can even make up these cute little

place cards....

love the wheat next to the mercury glass

votives....

I bet those would be easy to make with the

mercury glass spray paint you can buy!

love the little bit of bling on them!

all the components together....

glass, burlap, lace, mercury glass,

baby's breath, moss & wood......

lovely....

easy....

inexpensive....

am I gettin' your creative juices going?

so go get out some burlap....& your scraps

of lace.....your votives.....and your white plates &

mason jars....

{that I know all you neutral lovin' girls own!!;)}

and start playing with your table settings

for Thanksgiving!

you still have time to order this:

it's only $11 for 30 yards of burlap....

I ordered some & got it in 2 days!

Have a fabulous day!!

xoxoxo,

Shellagh

{images via and save-on crafts}