Christmas is just around the corner!

I was driving through town last week and to my surprise, I saw homes that were already decorated for Christmas! As a designer and shop owner, I've been in Christmas mode for months already, but it still amazes me how quickly Christmas decorations appear after Halloween! So for all of you Christmas early birds, I've got lots of dreamy, shabby chic style Christmas goodies available. It's been difficult to keep my shops filled, but I add new items every week, and I always have auctions going on eBay each week during the holidays. My listings usually begin on Thursday and Sunday evenings, and almost always end on a Sunday night. There are vintage style pastel houses and churches, decorated bottle brush trees and glittery pink and cream Santas. But hurry...this auction ends tonight!!! www.ebay.com (Seller: 22illusiveswan), www.lollishops.com/illusiveswan , http://illusiveswan.etsy.com

http://www.ebay.com/ (Seller: 22illusiveswan)

www.lollishops.com/illusiveswan

http://illusiveswan.etsy.com/

Bottle Brush Tree - Shabby Christmas

I've been busy painting and crafting my shabby Christmas houses and decorations for my Etsy and Lollishops. In the midst of it all, I was inspired by the beautiful Marie Antoinette tags made by so many talented artists on both Lollishops and Etsy. Your lovely work inspired me to make a bottle brush tree with the theme of Marie Antoinette in mind. So I gathered scraps of lace, pearls and lots of vintage jewelry and set to work. I hope you'll enjoy the results...

Sorry but there's only one to go to a very lucky girl...

For sale at: www.lollishops.com/illusiveswan

http://illusiveswan.blogspot.com/

http://www.ebay.com/ (Seller: 22illusiveswan) - more shabby Christmas houses and decorations being listed this Sunday evening!

Mosaic Vanity Bottles

Hello everyone! I've been busy making pretty girly things! I just go crazy for vintage millinery flowers and old rhinestone jewelry. Hope you'll like these too! They'd be so lovely on a vanity or in the guest bedroom or bath. Get 'em while you can. There's only two!

Mermaid Party Tiaras

I am always thinking up new things to create, but last week a lovely woman wrote to me with a special request. She loved a set of gift tags I had made. They had an image of a young mermaid girl sitting upon a rock, holding a rag doll, with the glittery turquoise sea at her feet. They inspired her to have a mermaid themed birthday party for her daughter, and she planned to use my gift tags as the party invitations. Clever woman. So with the mermaid girl in mind, she asked me to create a set of matching tiaras. Her only requests were for me to incorporate the mermaid image into the tiara, and to use the deep rich colors of the sea. I had never made tiaras before, but I was intriqued with the idea. So I gathered bits of unique trims, vintage lace and ribbons and got to work. Boy did I have a ball! Happy Birthday Grace Savannah!

Shabby Sweet Supplies

These are some shabby pastel and girly supplies I added in my Lollishop and Etsy store.

www.lollishops.com/illusiveswan

http://illusiveswan.etsy.com/

Summer's End

Where has the summer gone? It seems I am counting the days for summer to arrive and in a mere blink it is gone. This rainy spring and summer has kept me indoors more than I'd have preferred, so I've missed out on many quiet mornings sipping tea on my deck. It's a time I greatly cherish. From my perch I can look out into my garden and the meadow beyond. I listen to the sweet bird songs, and soak up the sunshine on my face, while I mentally plan my day and what I want to create. Often I'll stroll into my garden to pick tomatoes and beans and stop to inhale the fragrance of a rose along the way. I love the tranquility of morning before the cars start racing down the street and the lawn mowers noisily cut a path through the grass, or the low hum of air conditioners kick in. Everything seems right in that quiet time before, and it gives me time to balance my inner energy before I'm ready to jump into the busyness of life. Now there's a chill in the air which makes for wonderful sleeping. My mind is already transitioning from strawberries and watermelon to sweet potato muffins and apple pie topped with cinnamon cream. As yummy as they may be, I'm going to miss these warm sunny mornings.

New Decorative Vanity Bottles

I've had these glass bottles in my closet for months, not knowing what to do with them. I gathered some pretty beads and vintage ribbons and created pretty labels. Here are some of the results...

Available for sale soon at the Illusive Swan!