Gabrielle Messina Just a Girl

Walt Disney World Magic

It was a week spent in the most magical of places, a escape from reality and everything that mid-winter brings. There was no cooking or cleaning, no responsibility of the shop, meetings to attend or paper work needing attention. We silenced all telephones and agreed that we would not check emails. There was nothing that was going to take our attention away from moments like these.... Live an in Techcnicolor meetings with characters we've only seen on screen or read about in books.

Pure enchantment... All smiles as they posed for photos and and waited for autograph books to be signed. There was sheer joy as my big girls experienced their first big roller-coaster!! To my delight, they loved every second of the high- speed thrills.One of our favorite rides is the "Mad Hatter's Tea Party". I love the whimsical "paper" lanterns and giant teacup. My little Alice ready to spin!  Outside of the ride, another favorite spot with cups, saucers, and teapots in the colors of taffy amidst topiaries of equally colorful characters from the story of Alice in Wonderland. Disney never disappoints when it comes to detail, and like a glass of lemonade on a summer's day, I take in every last drop of it.  Daddy with his lovely little troop. (I suggested the girls get fanny packs... Yes, I did. They are big collectors of the tiniest of mementos; sugar packets, pressed pennies, park maps and tiny sticks.... Apparently, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree.)  Casted as an extra in a **Big Screen** production on the streets of old time Hollywood.  A pair of regular movie stars, they are!  We jet- setted to Venice for the day. By way of EPCOT, of course.   This was taken the day we arrived. How I wish I could go back to that day and do the whole thing over again... The time goes by so fast. Of course, vacations always do, though. 

Jack the Nutcracker

Well hello sweet girls! I hope you enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with your loved ones! We had a great one this year! We just got done having leftovers for lunch... I love having a little Thanksgiving in the days that follow! 

I've been working on a rather large project, on and off(more off) for much longer than I'd care to admit. This is Jack. Jack's our five and a half foot nutcracker. That's right, he's taller than me!! Jack wasn't always a part of our holiday home, I must admit. He was next door at my mom's house for a year or two and my girls were in awe of him and is giant stature!! Finally, my mom told mt girls they could have Jack for their house. Of course, they were ecstatic; I on the other hand, wasn't so excited....I guess, because Jack looked like this before his dramatic makeover. He was in classic Christmas colors and as pretty as he might have been in someone else's holiday home, he didn't quite fit in with all the pastel and muted colors in our house. Here's his head in the process.... And because my neighbors don't think I'm odd downright weird enough, I dragged this huge, headless nutcracker to my side yard to give him a few hefty coats of cream spray paint. After he was dry, I tugged him back into the house and got started on the fun part of making him a one of a kind nutcracker. I should add, my husband thinks I took away every last ounce of Jack's manhood with his makeover. LOL   I started by making some hundreds of baking cup flowers then added glass glitter for a more festive touch! 
He was foofed and primped, decked and spruced.....Detail on Jack's shoulder... an old rhinestone bit, scraps of tulle and velvet leaves in pink and aqua. A fancy collar of paper flowers and Christmas baubles in the perfect pink! For his torso, I used some of the most beautiful embossed vintage wallpaper Lori  gave to me last year at Silver Bella. I was saving it for a special project and I think this one fit the bill. I trimmed it with velvet ribbon....  and some old rhinestone buttons completed the look.   Even Jack's little friend had a makeover too! I think he's looking much happier now than before....  Do you think so too?  I don't know why it was so hard to get a good shot of him in his entirety, but here he is....
I gold leafed his shoes and dusted with mica then topped with another bauble and I covered the base in cotton batting and sprinkled more mica on top of that!   I saved his crown for the very last. I was a bit perplexed on what to do, but I decided to just remove the velvet jester's hat he was wearing originally. I filled his crown with old glass and velvet millinery berries, and flowers and sprigs of silver pine. I think it has this wintry nest look and that a little bird would find his crown a welcome place in the cold.  I guess that about sums up his makeover. My mom asked for him back now that he's been upgraded... she was totally kidding, but did remind me that she gave it to the girls so, when the time comes for them to one day move out, Jack goes with them. {{I laughed}}

 

I See London...

 So, I've been contemplating doing a post on "London and France" for sometime now. Thought it might be a little too risqué for my online diary, though....   But,  when I found this bustier a few months ago, in the most perfect of shades with foof in all the right places, I knew I had to do that post....  My husband thinks I'm cuckoo for doing it a post on my unmentionables. I assured him he's probably right, but, not only because of this....  The back is so pretty with the deep pink satin....{{Sigh}}  I always enjoy speaking to the antique dealers when I make a purchase. It's a good way to find out where your things came from and even if they can't tell you, I've found that they are often rather interesting people. I bought this pretty one from an older couple years ago at the flea market and struck up a conversation with the gentleman. He warned me (with a grin on his face) that "wearing something like this could result in children"  and that he and his "bride" had quite a few that way! Thought I'd share that funny tidbit with you too. Your welcome. I love that he still referred to her as his bride even after all the children and so many years had come and gone. I should have gotten a better picture of the yellow one up there. It's very 60's- ish and I adore the rosettes and color.  These hang in our armoire, right in front of the bed sheets in our bedroom, there's a few more hanging on the back of the bathroom door too... I like keeping them in places people who may happen to visit our room wouldn't necessarily see. I'll often open the door for a peek. It's like a little treat just for me.... Some are vintage, some not.  I add little sachets of lavender to my drawers, armoires, baskets and closets. It's always nice to pull out linens and clothing that smells so wonderful! I grow lavender in our garden outside, but there's never enough of it so make the numerous sachets that I like to use in drawers and cabinets. You can buy it by the pound from Save on Crafts for a very reasonable price and then refreshen the sachet with a few drops of lavender essential oil when needed. The little favor bags that craft stores sell, usually in the wedding area work very well as the smaller sized sachets. Add pretty millinery and ribbons to make opening a drawer special. On a side note, my husband's sock drawer sachets don't have millinery or velvet ribbons hanging from them... On another side note, he may not like that I just told you he has sachets in his drawers..... So, what do you think, girls? Was this all TMI for you? Hopefully your laughing and not thinking why is she showing me her underwear? 

 
 

Greetings from Christmas Town, U.S.A.

 I've been here in Christmas Town for a while now. The folks here, are the sweetest around, the cookies, always warm, the snow, always glistening! Yes, I am contemplating taking up permanent residence here. I think it may have been the cookies that did it!  I've been crafting these sweet little wintry cottages on and off for a little while now. I suppose, I got a little carried away up there! Lots and lots of painting and glittering. I've been decorating petite bottle brush trees and wreaths with vintage pearl "ornaments". I've been adding "lace curtains"to most homes in Christmas town... really just doilies. Adding a dusting of snow is the final touch. This pink one, the largest of all the cottages, will be a gift for my grandmother this year! I know she will adore this gift. She and I have very similar tastes. The metallic silver lace curtains are so "her". And as I type this, I realized that this color, pink is the perfect color for her Christmas cottage.... her home is pink! No joke! I love my grandma!  I made this one for our home this year. I have a few Cody Foster houses and this one fits right in with the rest of them on my buffet.  This small church was the simplest of all the cottages. But, just as sweet. Right now, it's on the buffet with the rest of the homes. Most likely, I will give this one to my mother-in-law. The glittery one at the very top, that one goes to my mom. That's it for tonight... I should say morning. I'll be back soon with, yet another wreath post. I still have to show you guys the finished pine cone wreath that I shared a few looksies of  a while back.... Gosh, I hope you girls aren't getting sick of seeing wreaths yet! And, Vintage Christmas Monday's right around the corner isn't it! I have so many posts to share with you. Some more Silver Bella ones, even. I still haven't showed you the beautiful gifts I received and the goodies that came home with me! I still need to blog the surprise that awaited my return from Silver Bella that my dear husband had waiting for me and a few birthday gifts to share as well. This post is getting awfully long and I may start talking crazy... way too late! Thanks for listing to my all my ramblings!   I should have been in bed a long time ago! So, good night. Sleep tight! 
 
 
 
 
 

9th Street Italian Market

   On Sunday, my husband and I headed to Philadelphia with the kids in tow. The trip was not a trip to do a little clothing shopping on Walnut Street, not to do some shopping for housewares on Chestnut, nope, none of the above today. The sole purpose was for a visit to the 9th Street Italian Market, to stock up on some authentic, not what your going to find at your local grocery store food. Now, I wish I could tell you I come often, and that I have memories of coming as a child, but, no, we don't come nearly enough and I have no memories of coming as a child. My husband, on the other hand is the son of Sicilian immigrants. He's the one that came to the market every Monday as a child with his mom and dad. The above picture, to me, is synonymous with the Italian Market. It's a very prominent sign on one of the street corners. 

That's some fresh produce right there. And the prices can not be touched. Look at the size of those beets! I have never seen any quite that big. Why would I want to buy at the grocery store if I could buy produce that's grown in my backyard?

 And, then there's Claudio's....((Sigh)) If you love cheese, this is heaven for you. But, what I come for is the fig vinegar. Never in my life.... oh, it's just really great vinegar. Lots of other speciality foods too. 

Window display of sausage. My husband was drooling...

Upon entering the store, you're greeted by some big cheese.

The gallons of olive oil... every type you could imagine... And, there's more too.An inviting corner shop filled with....(see window) The aroma inside is intoxicating. The best Italian pastry shop. And believe me, I've been to a lot. Nothing fancy inside, just really good, Italian sweets made my sweet, old Italian ladies. Unfortunately they are closed the months on July and August. A tradition born from necessity. Before there were refrigerators, and air conditioning, the cakes and pastries would not hold up in the summer heat. The bakeries were forced to closed, now they spend the down time with their families and enjoy their little hiatus, until September comes.

We worked up a little appetite. For us, Geno's is always on the menu when we head to Philly. We got there, the line wasn't too awfully bad. By the time we ate our cheese steaks, the line was out the street and wrapped around the building..... hundreds deep. 

Oh, the man can still melt my heart. I love you, honey! Thank you for always waiting in line for me... Even the lines at stores, so I can continue to shop while you secure a spot. 

  Geno's competition was equally as busy... I realize there are no people in this picture now, but trust me, they were there.Of course, after the steak, we needed something sweet. No worries, Capogiro has the most delicious gelato this side of the pond. Flavors like Thai coconut milk, sea salt, Italian Basil and the usual fruit and nut... all tasty. Makes for a tough decision. I had watermelon, basil and blueberry. To die for.

  

Impromptu Hats...{{Sigh}}

   Today I headed to our downtown to make some copies of my grandparents wedding photos. I have been meaning to make them for a long time. I know I could have taken them to Wal-Mart or Walgreen's, but, they don't have the same customer service the little old camera shop does. Yes, I end up paying a little more for my copies here. But, I didn't have to fight ridiculous crowds,I had friendly service, and it's just nice to support the "little guys". Plus, the shop's been in business for 50 years. There's something to be said about that. At least I think so. My family has been in the pizza business since 1958. I appreciate my dear customers that support myself and my family. Without our customers continued support, we would not be here. 

 Now, you may be wondering what all this has to do with the pretty hats on this page. Well, the camera shop happens to be located a few doors away from one of my favorite antique shops ever. I can always find beautiful hats. Sometimes they can be a little pricier, but they are the best around. When I parked(conveniently, directly in front of the antique shop, they were closed...) To my surprise, when I came out from making the copies, they were open! Hooray! I had a few moments to pop in and see what was buried(the shop has to be a fire hazard, there is so much stuff crammed into this tiny shop, with a narrow pathway in the middle) in the shop

Needless to say, I found some hats. This beauty is covered in huge, floppy blossoms. All just waiting to fall off. 

Strawberries and cream... Yup, that's what I'm thinking of here.

The splurge of the day! I could not walk away from this gorgeous hat. I just could not leave it sit there all lonesome on that shelf collecting dust. Velvet leaves...{{Sigh}} Dainty flowers just dripping...{{Sigh}} Beautiful Pink Roses....

{{Sigh}} Perfection. Love it so much, I even made it my new banner. 

True love... That's what I have with this hat.

This simple little number was a steal. I adore, adore this shade of yellow. 

A classic pillbox. A wonderful mix of soft pinks. How lovely! 

Pearly pink stamens, soft tattered flowers. Only time can produce such beauty.

  

I don't know about you, but I always seem to find the best treasures when I don't plan to. An impromptu trip, a quick "pop" into the shop usually results in some great finds, and me being tickled to death! 

Caffine Infused Pom Poms

I thought I might have been in a state of creative absence. There has been a lack of it lately. Until last night, I decided to jump on the coffee filter bandwagon! I don't see myself getting off to soon either. The possibilities are endless! I made some pretty pom poms to hang on my armoire door.

Simply took plain white coffee filters from the store, dropped half of them in a dye bath of pink Rit dye. The other half went into what else...a coffee bath! After the pink ones dried(in the dryer) they joined the others in the coffee bath. Then in the dryer.They came out looking like big, beautiful, round flower petals. Each one unique.

I placed four filters on a small pile, bunched them up and secured with floral tape. I did five of these individual pom poms to make one big one. Secure all five this same way. These pom poms are 'one- sided" so they could lay flat on a door. 

Tie some seam binding around the back end. Hang it wherever it would tickle your fancy!

 My doors look perkier already!

Have a wonderful weekend! xoxo

My Big Girl's Bakery Bedroom

So, not straying too far from the my girls, birthdays and yummy sweet treats, here's my oldest daughters bedroom. One of my very favorite rooms in the entire house. This room was inspired by a room I saw in a magazine(I forget the publication, sorry!) several years ago. The pale pink chenille bedspread was custom made by a wonderfully talented woman who has been making my family's custom draperies for moons.  Above the bed is a collage I created for her room. It was in the above post also. I used it as a party decoration! Why fill up the landfills and waste money on throw away party decorations when I can use what I already have.

There are twelve of these cupcakes, some with piped "frosting", some with individual "non perils" sewed on, and others with "sugar flowers". And each in a striped liner with ric rac on top! See now why I brought in a professional? Way beyond this seamstress' skills, not to mention patience.

Her dresser filled with some vintage, some new but all pink accessories!

One of my very favorite things in here a vintage Ensco little girlie with a cupcake hat and the sweetest little dress I've seen. Of course the oh so popular suitcases with a knitted cupcake on top and a little pink glass jar to hold jewelry and other what nots.

A cute little cake on a depression glass cake stand. Yummy! And here's a favorite lamp, found at Urban Outfitters from my pre baby days! I have a passion for lamps and chandeliers... sure to do a post about them one of these days! 

The very miniature cakes were purchased by my brother for me. Did I mention he was about 5 and I was about 7 when he made the purchase! How adorable is that? They have been one of my very favorite treasures to this day.

Here's her bakery case. With freshly knitted baked goods on display, some of these were a gift from my brother. The little cat in the very top right is handmade. I have had it since I was little. The case itself was all gold and I smeared pink paint on it.(with my fingers shhh...) I have a hard time leaving well enough alone. You will soon come to find that out. And simply strung some glittery letters on some vintage ric rac.

The most adorable pink retro stove...I'd love to have a real one like this! I'm sure I'm not alone on that thought with all the pink loving girls out there! Her sis and her bake up yummy pretend treats on this!

 

A shot of the bakery's awning. Custom made by my favorite seamstress!

Her armoire, with a vintage collection of Steiff animals, some vintage inspired tins, a ceramic cupcake her daddy a I painted while dating and her piggy bank.

Forgot to mention the GIGANTIC, HUGE, COLOSSAL, teacup too!

Some of Jenny and Aaron's  work from Everyday is a Holiday. There is more too but I did have to limit the pictures. 

 

A friendly little spot for a spot of tea with a favorite dolly! The table was mine when I was little. My hubby had it powder coated, I spray painted it prior, but It didn't take the abuse.

A favorite sweater of her's and mine alike! And this is unrelated to the sweater, but my very patient husband painted the walls. The stripes are a little more than halfway up the walls then he scalloped them! Love that man!

This picture is making me sleepy... I have been on the computer long enough. Time to take a little walk before giving the kiddos a bath! This room will be featured onThe Baby Gardner Bloggie. Be sure to check out Deanna's blog and store. It's filled with all kinds of cute vintage inspired baby goods!

Two Very Happy Little Girls & A Party!

Last week we celebrated my two little girls' birthdays. There was plenty of fun to be had if you were 3 or 5 or any age for that matter!

There were festive decorations!

 

  

The framed collage above usually hangs over my big girls bed. I made it a couple years ago after stumbling upon a vintage card at an antique store.Since then I have found the same image on 2 different styles of cards in another antique shop. They must have been popular, I can see why. Aren't they darling? 

  

A closer look along with the loving cup favors I embellished. For good little girls of course!

  

A little wand nestled in a basket of other pretties. 

A vintage urn filled with sewing pattern flowers and some sweet little girls tucked inside adds a festive touch.

Cupcakes. Papered, glittered and swinging from a chandelier! (Found the cupcakes on clearance at Target 3 for $.25 I covered them in pretty paper and frosted with clear glass glitter.)

Still more loving cups. We had lots of good little girls!

Waiting ever so patiently for presents.

Is that a look of envy I see?

A huge cupcake I made for the celebration!

And these little ditties here I baked. My girls have a sweet tooth(who am I kidding I have one too!), in fact the entire guest list had a sweet tooth I believe. I made dozens of these and they were all gone!! Who could pass up a cupcake? Not I. I assure you.

We lit the candles, we sang "Happy Birthday" and then this happened...   

The poor little thing was frightened by the candles!

It was nothing her big sis(wearing her favorite Birthday gift already!) couldn't fix!

And a new Minnie Mouse toy couldn't hurt either!!

Although I did make both girls a party hat and totally forgot to put it on them during the party...not even one picture of them wearing it!

Oh well, they loved their party and that's what counts.

A Wonderful party for two wonderful girls!