*a bit of serendipity*

La Petite Maison Blanc ~ The Swaps

All I can say about the swaps I was in, is WOW!  Everyone went all out and created some absolutely beautiful pieces.  I'll first show you the things I received.

One of the swaps was the Key to My Heart Swap hosted by Joanna.  Everyone was to decorate a small canvas using whites, ivories and creams, and we had to include a skeleton key somewhere on the canvas.  This is the gorgeous canvas I received from Cheryl Stoneham.

Thank you so much Cheryl, I ADORE it!  And the saying you chose is SO perfect.  I have this up in my bedroom and I love it there.

Another swap was Miss Jessi's Petite Canvas Altered House Swap.  We were to start with a very small canvas...approx. 3x3 or 4x4, and collage it with an altered house.  This adorably sweet canvas was made by Rebecca Gawryl.  The colors she chose are so pretty ~ the flowers out front, the picket fence, love love love it.

Rebecca, thank you very much...every time I look at it, it makes me happy.

The next swap was the Spring Maiden Crown Swap hosted by Bryanna.  This is the amazing crown I received from Jody Bradshaw (I don't think she has a blog).

Jody, you did such an amazing job with this.  I know my photo isn't capturing the incredible beauty of it, but it really is so beautiful, thank you so very much!

The last swap I was in was the Parisian Shadowbox Swap hosted by Jenny Morgan (I don't think Jenny has a blog either). This shadowbox was made by Bryanna.  I'm going to post a few photos of this spectacular shadowbox because it's so unusual that one photo couldn't show you all of it.  As you will see from the photos, it is just that...spectacular.  Les Follies Bergere.  She made the shadowbox out of a coffee can.  The door to the inside was cut in the shape of a key hole.

Bryanna, I can't thank you enough.  I know how much time, effort and creativity went into this, and I hope you know I appreciate every bit of it, and I absolutely LOVE it.  Thank you!

Here are photos of the swap items I made.

The Spring Maiden Crown swap.

 

The Petite House Swap.

The Key to My Heart Swap.

    

And the Parisian Shadowbox Swap.

Thanks again to all of my partners, and a final thank you to Kim ~ a fabulous hostess!

La Petite Maison Blanc ~ The Workshops

Just a heads up that all of my workshop projects from Kim's event are still a work in progress.  I'll post some pictures now, and more when they are finished.

The first workshop was Pam Garrison's garland.  I loved the class and loved the idea.  And Pam is so unbelievably nice. 

There's so many variations you can do with this garland.  A pastel colored one for Easter or maybe a red, white and blue one for the 4th of July...etc.

About three sections in, I realized I really wanted to use some papers I had at home...specifically a polka dot paper by Jenni Bowlin that I love.   So, I just made a few sections and saved the rest for home.

This is what I have so far ~ I will show more when it's finished.

The next workshop was Amy Hanna's canvas.  I hadn't taken a workshop with her before and she is adorable.  Once again, I didn't finish the project (noticing a trend?).  And it had nothing to do with the length of the class, many people finished some absolutely gorgeous projects during the class.  No, it's all me. 

On this project, I spent waaaay too much time painting the surface of the canvas.  I know you're looking at the background and thinking hmmmm, not much there...but it didn't start out being that soft light color...is was first a dark brown, and then a light brown, and then a medium brown and then this.   Yeah,  I was having a problem making up my mind.

This is as far as I got on that day.

The girls at my table were asking me where I got the beautiful necklace I used.  Funny enough it was at a tiny flea market I love, only a few minutes from where the event was held (Melrose and Fairfax).  Again, I will post more photos when I'm finished.

The last workshop was with the fabulous Teresa McFayden ~ making one of her beautiful milagros.  Mine isn't picture ready yet, but soon.

All of the teachers are absolutely amazing ~ they are all so talented and creative, and incredibly warm and kind.  If you haven't had a chance to take a workshop with any of them yet...it's so worth it!