Sweet Marie


Alas my Sweet Marie Digital Kit is finally finished!
a perfect reflection of my sweet sugary side


Aren't these sugar sculptures just stunning?!

Here is a breakdown of what you will find in the kit


The perfect kit for a wedding scrapbook!


I was rather surprised by the lack of information on-line
regarding the Lady Elizabeth Compton
in-fact I could not even recover this same portrait
but I was so taken by her beauty that I had to share


In researching for this Kit
I also came across many detailed fashion drawings
in my Libraries clipping files
(for those of you new to my blog... the clipping files are collections of images from books and such that have fallen apart. The sad thing is that they don't document the sources. But it is a great recourse for the local art community of Portland. )




I also wanted to share my small collection of photographs
from my trip to Europe in 2004.
I was so ignorant at the time of what I was really experiencing
it is so unreal now to look back on these snapshots and realize
the history that was played out in Versailles
and that I was able to walk among it's great rooms
and wonder around the paths of the gardens
and in away... see the world through Marie Antoinette eyes.











There is much more I want to show you
but we have had no sun
well I should say - no sun after I am off work
or on the weekends
so as soon as I can I will take some pictures of the Sweet Marie kit as it looks printed
and also I have finished my own wedding scrapbook
and once I figure out how to get it onto my blog I will share that as-well

Have a lovely weekend!

~ Chelsea Ann

She's HERE!!!!!


To play as a child
is to allow ourselves to disconnect
and explore our deepest of imagination
their are no true rules to play
only the interference of "mature" thought


My sweet Marianne arrived just the other day!
She is my very first fashion doll
I have been pining for one for what seemed like an infinity
and now that I have her
I know what it is like
to be so infatuated
with a doll!


It truly was love at first sight
I had been browsing the web for a Blythe Doll
but when I gazed upon my screen at Marianne my heart took a flutter
I knew instantly that she was to be mine


I knew from the get go that I would need to get her new locks
her royal due - just would not do
I was however ignorant that her beautiful masterpiece a top her head
would be glued!
and so without thought I started to yank it off!
My husband (already irritated at her sticker price)
could not possible understand my reasoning
and promptly ordered me to research the subject
but as it turns out
I was right!


Sadly, however, her hair is still in transit for the Eastern World
So she is quite au natural at the moment
I do plan on taking proper pictures of her in her original outfit and hair
but I have two special places in mind
and so she and I will have to be patient.

I was thinking of changing her name to China
as my first thought when I opened her
was that she looked just like one of the dolls
in my grandmothers China hutch
so perfect and delicate
but I have decided I will leave her name
just as it is
My Sweet ~ Marianne


LOL Speaking of someone else who is very sweet!
I love my Miller dog.
Although as I have started to order a few outfits and things for my doll
I am TERRIFIED of him eating them
before I am able to pick the mail off the ground
Whom ever came up with the idea of having the mail slot in the door
obviously did not have a dog
we have a box just by the door for packages
but no matter how often I try to reason with our mail carrier
she just doesn't seem to get that my Miller baby
loves anything that has some padding to it
no matter how small it may be


It's hard to find the time to sit down
and write a post as often as I would like
so given I have some how settled in-front of this one
I think it best I continue with some other items I would like to share

Thank You Chelsea Ling
also a happy little reminder
that I contribute to this wonderful blog every Monday


Have you by any chance been here as of late?
This is my shop doncha know
yet you might be confused right -
because I am an etsy seller right?
well I actually was an etsy seller
then I left etsy and joined Lollishops
when it just first launched
I lived out all the tweaks and glitches of this new venue
for I truly believed it was a splendid idea
to capture all things cute, frou fou, pink and kitschy all in one place
yet as all new things do - it had it's downsides
and I did so start to miss the convinces and such
of etsy land
so NO ONE was more excited
when Lollishops changed gears and became a referral site
now I have the best of both worlds!

If you click on my Shop icon on the right side of my blog
you will first be directed to my Lollishops
I simple adore how my shop looks
once your interest is sparked you just click on
"Add to Cart" or the etsy mini below
and you are redirected to my etsy site
easy peasy!


I had always assumed that most of my shops traffic
would come from etsy itself
but I was WRONG!
The majority of my numbers come from either my blog or Lolli-shoppers!


I know these numbers are small to read
but generally my numbers are much higher in Lollishops
especially after a duration of time
when my items get lost in the etsy labyrinth
I still need a LOT of growth in numbers
to really be where I want to be
but every little thing helps


Also I love Lollishops because every once in a while
you find yourself on the front page :)


These are just the ones I spotted
in just the last two weeks

Well I've got to go make lunch for my man
Hope you are having a lovely weekend
~ Chelsea Ann

the ittybittybirdy TV Guide


It's always nice to find something useful for your hands to do
while watching the old boob tube with my love.
I gave crocheting a go once but finally gave up
after time and time again my scarf turned into a triangle
while watching my brother make hates and such in no time at all
so yoyo making is my new favorite no brainer pass time


I have a few ideas about what to do with the GIANT bowl I have
but my favorite thing to make is headbands
and so I have a pretty good feeling you will see my little shop
full to the brim with these in no time at all
~ side note ~
for some reason nothing else ever really sales at my craft shows
so I'm also working at replenishing after the big Crafty Wonderland sale
where I just about sold out of them
funny thing is to watch the moms and little girls
It always goes a little something like this
Mother and child love the same one
little girl starts trying them on
mom says only one
little girl tries on more
wants more than one
mom says no
little girl never goes home
with the one mom loved
it's priceless!
So amazing how early style and taste start
I had no idea that a toddler could be so opinionated
about what she will and will not wear


So back to sitting in front of the tv:
we are about to ixnay our cable
money is tight and it seems like the most reasonable thing to cut back on
given a lot of what we watch can be seen for free on-line
I really wish se could get Verizon's FIOS
that way we could have internet, cable and a phone line
for the price we pay for just our internet now
but our "old" neighborhood isn't set up for fiber optic this or that
I don't quite understand the technical mumbo jumbo


Bad timing this no tv thing because
Project Runway just started again
and this season looks to have a much more eclectic group
I personally thought last season was a bit of a snore


I'm also a total cheez ball
it really is a drama fest put on by mediocre actors
but something about it has me eager for each new episode
Hubby and I also like Greek
it takes us back to college life
and were we met


Other shows we like and love
*unbeknown to me after 3 years of dating my husband
I found out he is a total trekkie
soon as we got married
took some persuading but I've become a bit of one too
Like - Mad Men
*Use to love but it was a tad too dark and depressing last season
hoping it will lighten up a bit come next season

Shows I miss and can watch rerun after retrun
and Alf

I know I have strange taste in entertainment :)
anywho~ Headbands shown are now available in the shop
Have a great week ~
Chelsea Ann





An On Going Saga


I for some reason get stuck on the subject of my hair a lot!
If you type "hair" into finder for my blog
you will find so many posts related to the subject
from my dream hair to my never ending saga
of wanting long hair yet being a pixie cut kind of gal at heart


at present my hair is as long as it has ever been
the length in the front is a whopping 3" past my shoulders
the more it grows the more I bond with it
but then I see a picture of me in a bob
and my heart starts to flutter
I'm so close to having long hair for the first time
that I dare not give up now but
oh how I dream of my easy stylish bob
and no more curlers
so in hopes of keeping my eye on the prize
I've been surrounding myself with great hair
kind of like how when people want to get thin
they might post pictures of models in the fridge
to remind themselves that cookie dough
is very very bad :0
Oh what do they know!
LOL

I recently subscribed to this blog
this gals hair is REALLY long but I really love
the historical hairstyles that she recreates step by step
~
So it's no surprise that I am having a bit of an issue
deciding on my first wig for my Pullip
YES she is in the mail as of yesterday!
I can't wait to play with her
but as her wig is VERY elaborate
I think it will be necessary to purchase her a wig asap

I've narrowed it down to two wigs
of coarse they are widely different
at first I was really really into the red
but now the 60's style blond wig
is kind of pulling in front
and then yet?
OH gosh would you mind letting me know which is your favorite?

both wigs are from etsy seller


"Why Do You Blog?"


Do you ever just feel really really small?
With the way the world is today
I hardly feel like I have a voice
I'm just one more person pushing through the sludge


People always ask me
why do you blog?
and they almost always ask if
i'm looking for my 15 minutes of fame
well my first answer is "yes i am"
who doesn't want to be just a little bit loved by the world?
Sure fame is appealing
but really
truly
I just want to have a voice in this world
a connection with others who share the same interest
and more importantly
the good and ugly realities of life
I strive to not be fake
for so much of life is that way
full of false hopes and misleading ideals


If anything blogging is a way to bridge reality with the dream
it's how you wish to be seen
and how neighbors should be
it's a place full of hopes and dreams
tears and words of encouragement

what does blogging mean to you?

Make Life Sweet


What makes the world go round?
What makes life sweet
when every-time you gasp for air
the world only seems bitter and
cold and full of despair
you prepare for the worse with insurance
and good solid investments
for the ground is like ice
the bottom always in sight
but you skate above
cautiously
but sometimes you are brave
and you glide along free and graceful


I don't want to be afraid of life
but things are tuff
they are not always as sweet as they seem


and yet...
life is also wonderful is it not
we have so much to me grateful for
so many blessings amongst the sorrows


When life gets hard their is nothing to do I suspect
but to be as brave as you can be
and face your problems with a strong heart and mind


AND MAKE LIFE SWEET!


I hope you all have a wonderful new year
full of blessings, and good fortune
but if things are not quite as you dreamed
don't ever think you are alone
you are amongst friends here


Shop Update!
Cupcake Jewelry boxes
now available :)