Quelle Surprise!!

I've had some wonderful surprises this last week and I'd love to share them!

Starting with the sisterhood award from my dear friend and cyber sister Ann from LIFEATANNSPLACE/

A sweeter kinder more loving person I've yet to meet! So if you haven't visited her blog.....You really should! Thank you so much Ann! This means the world coming from you!

Here are the rules for this award:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

So my choices for this award go to:

1. Chari at Happy To Design

2.Mary Ellen at megardengal

3.Laura Lu at Hidden Promise

4. Gloria at Happy To Be

5.Linda at royaltouch

6.Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict

7. Michelle at Chocolate and Marmalade Tea

8. Kathysue who doesn't have a blog yet (but should! Lol!) and is another wonderful cyber sister!

9. Chrissy at The Apothacary Shop

10. Marty at A Stroll Thru Life

And then........I came home 3 days ago and found a large parcel on my front porch. It was a very special package from my dear friend Mary Ellen at megardengal.

Ya see I was visiting her blog as I often do, when I spied her new and fabulous header picture! HERE Well my heart skipped a beat while looking at her wonderful vignette featuring the neatest old wire cloche! And she shared with us that she had another if anyone would be interested? As well as a couple of crowns. Well I jumped on that cloche faster than you could say "SOLD!" But alas I was not quite fast enough to claim any of the wonderful crowns *sighs* So I did what any blogger in her WRONG mind would do....I cried "WAAAAHHHHH........I moped.......I begged Mary Ellen to find me another one.......We're talkin' crowns here after all! And anyone who's read my blog for any length of time KNOWZES I LOVEZES THEMS!!! Must HAVEZ THEMS!!!........ NEEDZES THEMS NOW!!

Well Mary Ellen, God bless her heart, found a couple more and sent them to me along with the fabu wire cloche!

So I'd already started to open the box when I realized...Hey!....This is the stuff that blogs are made of!! So I quickly grabbed my trusty camera and snapped away *winks*

This was what greeted my eyes....And what could it be?? I mean, I know I asked for two crowns and a cloche...But this doesn't look like either of those......

you can click on any of the pictures to enlarge em!

And look at how charmingly it's wrapped! In old music pages and gold angel thread!

It's the most darling little picture holder made from a piece of vintage silverplate! And not just ANY silverplate, but a fork belonging to one of Marys dear friends Millicent. Mary made it herself! Mary I love it sooo much! Thank you!

Look at how perfectly it works for this small painting!


Digging back in the box I spied this.....Now I know what this is!

It's my new (old) wire cloche!! So now I can create a vignette just like Marys! Yippee!! Hooray!!
Ummmm how did she do that again?
OK lets see....I need a little birds nest (with bird and eggs).......some old ribbon and lace......A charming 19th century drawing of some sort...... Moss.......A silver tray........Pedestal cake stand.....Yikes! It never dawned on me when I saw her fabulous vignette that I didn't really HAVE any of that stuff!

Well I'll just put that on the back burner for now and move on to the crowns! Yeppers! That's what I'll do! And maybe I'll find some inspiration......somewhere....

Here is crown #1. I did happen to find a birds nest and even a 19th century french Jesus.....But since I used em for the crown I still didn't have anything for the cloche....

Here's crown #2. Very regal dont'cha think? Reminds me of those old Imperial Margarine commercials lol! Remember them? Da da da da!! And a crown pops on their head after taking a bite of YUMMY margarine!Lol!

So's I had to scramble for somethin'...anything! To place under the cloche. I finally gathered a few of my vantines incense burners, another moss ball and a little column stand from the Goodwill and VOILA!......OK it doesn't look remotely as cool as Marys *winks* But after all she's a vignette queen and this stuff just doesn't come easily for me! I'll just have to keep finding inspiration from y'all! After all imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Right?....... Ummmm OK?....... Come on naw????! .......Well I'm gonna COPY Y'ALL AND THAT'S THAT! Lol!!*winks*

So here's my composition all together! The cherub is a recent ebay find. I just love him!

Isn't he just the cutest little gipper?!! Love those chubby little legs!*winks*

And not that you probably want to see another shot of my mess....But for those crazy friends of mine who do...Here's my vignette at a distance hehe!

I also received my very first blog prize!! Some sweet gift tags from even sweeter Crystal over at Olive Rue! If you haven't visited her blog, you MUST!! She's a photographer and takes the most beautiful dreamy romantic shots! Just enchanting! She also sells a variety of these tags if you are interested. Here are a few she selected for me. Aren't they cute?!! Well of course they are!! They have cherubs on em!! *winks*

Thank you so much Crystal! And thanks y'all for stopping by my attempt at vignetting! Lol!! (Yes I know it's not a word! But when has that ever stopped me?!!) *winks*

And last but definitely not least, Mary gave me this small jar filled with her homemade candied lemon peel as a little treat. Yummy-O-Ramma!! I had the hardest time NOT eating all the candied peel before I took the shot! Needless to say, there had been twice as much when I received the little bugger...And now that my shoot is finished, it's GONE BABY GONE!! You can get Marys recipe HERE if you're interested in making some yourself....And please send some more to me!! *winks* Vanna