I have "cloche" envy....

I've been lurking around the blog world the last few days and have been seeing these incredible cloches. There are so many talented people out there and I am so seriously jealous...So decided I would purchase one and try it myself...guess what..those little bell shaped boogers are "spensive"....so, I looked around the house and found a few things that I thought I could make work, (I had actually been to the thrift store last week and found alot of glass vases that I thought I could use for a candy buffet, I bought 10 of them for under $5)....I used one of the vases a and tealight holder...hmmm...I could stack this on that and it looked pretty cute....




I then thought to myself that it need something on top...well my pack-ratism paid off...At Christmas I had purchased some fragrance reeds and the bottles were really neat, but I especially loved the tops and I saved them in case I ever had a need...woohoo...check this out....











I used my favorite E-6000 glue and put it all together...by the way, I had to use canned air to make the glue dry a little to make it stiff enough to hold the top finial...







At Wally World they had clearanced these nests and eggs, they were each $1....and I put it inside...it's so cute. But once I got started I couldn't stop...I had some vases from Christmas...I stacked one on top of the other and I liked it too...I added one of my McCarty bunnies underneath and a candle on top...tied a yellow ribbon. I loved it. I played with the Easter grass...first blue, then green...I think I'm sticking with the green...It brings out the green in my Gail Pittman rabbits. I think I have finally settled on vase on top of vase and handmade cloche standing alone.






I couldn't decide if I should put the new handmade cloche on top of the inverted vase...it was really cute that way too..








What do you think..The total project cost me $3...I love it...It might be a little much, but I tend to go overboard with everything. I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...






The end result...The 2010 Gundlach Easter Mantel!!!! Streaky mirror and all!!!

Here comes Peter Cottontail!!!

Can you believe Easter is right around the corner...I'm telling you, I had no idea it was so early this year. I don't know why this surprises me, I am Catholic. I know when Lent starts you have approximately 40 days to go before Easter...All I can say is my brain is hiatus!!! Anyway, I decided today would be a great day to start decorating my front porch for the upcoming holiday. The little one and I went to Big Lots, which I have to tell you is one of my favorite places to shop for holiday crafts. I decided not to use the mesh ribbon I have used for the last couple of holidays, mainly because I don't have time to order it, but, I also wanted something different. I found some of the most precious baskets. They were slanted and a fun fuschia color. I think they might be for periodicals or magazines or something, but I loved the color and they didn't have a handle, which is what I was looking for. They (Big Lots) had some fake tulips in a pot wrapped in bright yellow paper. They aren't the best looking faux flowers I have seen, but they will work for $4...I bought two pots..oh..and the baskets were also $4...I purchased one bunch of unpotted pink tulips for $4, then cut them and planted them into the pot with the yellow flowers. Then $1 for green basket grass and some precious little pin wheels to put in the back of the arrangement....I did have to cut the wooden dowel on the pinwheels to shorten them up a bit, but after I did that, they were perfect. I picked up a very cute kitchen mat for $5, however, I will use it for a front door mat. Phew!!!My work for the day is finally done....I really love the way it turned out. As soon as the weather cooperates, I will find some nice ferns or something to put around the porch and maybe some pink and yellow throw pillows for the white wicker chairs and couch to add some color...I LOVE SPRING!!! It can't come soon enough, well maybe a few more weeks of winter so I can take some of this weight off before boating season...but that's another story...enjoy my pics and let me know what you think.



Precious welcome mat $5





Basket with tulip pot, added pink tulips, grass filler and pinwheel..$13












Total for all decorations from Big Lots....$30