Lush Embellishments

Those of us who sell, whether it be online or in an actual brick and mortar shop, know the value of presentation. 

It's an art, really, and it can make or break your reputation as a merchant.

When I began selling on ETSY last year, I quickly learned that to be successful when sending out orders, you need to do more than just slap some bubble wrap around your trinkets and toss some tissue paper in randomly.
I mean, that would be serviceable enough, but would it be memorable? Would it motivate a customer to not only leave you glowing FEEDBACK, but also to be a repeat buyer?

You see, I'm not only a seller, but I too am frequently a customer! And believe you me, I take note when a seller goes that extra mile to make sure that their orders are sent out not only quickly and safely, but also with a bit of flair as well.

Meet Kelli from
Seasonal Delights on Etsy.

 

Pink Toile Eiffel Tower Gift Tags
from
Seasonal Delights 
Vintage Inspired Paper Goods

Aren't these just lovely?
Wouldn't they add that extra oomph to your vintage pretties?
I sure do think so, which is why I've become a HUGE fan of Kelli's Etsy Shop of late.

She not only has a huge assortment of gift tags, but stickers, gift bags, bookmarks, greeting cards, ribbon trim and gift tag sets, adorned journals, muslin favor bags, stationery sets, garland banners, scrapbook embellishment kits, and much, much more!

I've begun sending my Etsy Orders out with Kelli's beautiful tags and stickers attached, and the response has been incredible.
Enough talking, here's a peek at what you can find in the
Seasonal Delights Etsy Shop.

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

  

  

  

  

And just in time for Easter...

Pretty nifty stuff, huh?
Pay Kelli a visit at her ETSY Shop soon, I'm sure you'll be able to find something you just can't live without!

Kelli also has a wonderful blog,
There Is No Place Like Home .
Head on over and say hi!

Next post, breaking news on my booth situation! It's good!

Have a great weekend!

White Wednesday with Frosty and Co.

I'm back for White Wednesday, and I've brought some friends
with me!

 
Y'all already know Mr. Twig and Havok and Belle.
But who's the studly cowboy over there on the left, you might be askin' yourself?

He's slowly melting out in the back 40 this afternoon, but he was the life of the party yesterday during our 24-hour visit by The Freezemeister!

 

I don't know how many times Mr. Twig had to stop Havok from hiking a leg on our snowy friend!

Gotta get the nose just right. Puppies are always helpful in these situations.

Mr. Twig's hat and my scarf...voila!

Meanwhile, later that evening...

 

Winnie's like "Snow? What snow? I just be chillaxin' inside the warm house!"

Be sure to visit Kathleen at Faded Charm for the complete list of all the

White Wednesday participants.

Stay warm!

This and That. And This.

And some more of that.

It's another everything but the kitchen sink post from yours truly!

First up, what's that white stuff in my St. Francis birdbath?

It's SNOW!!!

Yep, 60 some-odd miles NW of San Antonio, and we're under a
WINTER STORM WARNING with snowfall accumulations of up to 2-4 inches expected!
I mean, we get snow down here, it just rarely sticks. This stuff is stickin'!

 

  

  That's almost an inch right there on the deck railing! That a HUGE whoop for this part of Texas!

Mr. Twig and the Huskies.

Awww look, Belle (on the right) has her puppy tongue out, so as to catch snowflakes!

Str-e-e-e-e-e-t-c-h, Havok! It's only snow, it's not gonna hurt you!

Next up, one of my items was prominently featured on 

Etsy's blog, The Storque this past weekend!

If you click right HERE and scroll about a third of the way down, you'll find my Fall Splendor Oil Painting very prominently featured on the left-hand side, grouped with other "like" themed objects.

 

Fall Splendor Oil on Canvas from Fiona and Twig

It was featured on the front page of Etsy's blog Sunday, and also went out in the e-mails they send out to all the gajillion members daily.

 

  I didn't even know about it, as I hadn't received the e-mail featuring me yet...a most kind blog friend congratulated me on the honor and tipped me off, and it was later confirmed by yet another Etsy selling friend that that was a pretty big deal and I should be proud. It's a tremendous amount of exposure, so yeah, I am a little psyched!  I'm even happier that the oil on canvas sold as a direct result of this unexpected publicity, so bonus!

Thirdly, I know that I posted the winner on my sidebar, but for those who didn't look there,
the winner of my Flea Market Style Magazine Giveaway
is Beth of Gypsy Fish Journal.
Congrats, Beth!

There's a good chance I'll have yet ANOTHER copy to include in my impending giveaway, so be sure to check back!

In other news, there's a new blogger I'd like to tell y'all about....

 

 

 

Ooooo...

  

 

La......

 

.... La!

Beautiful images from the beautiful Sandi at

A Cottage Muse-Dreaming in Vintage Whites.

She's only been blogging for a couple of weeks now, so please head on over and make her feel welcome, just like y'all always do.

Oh, and some of these ethereal images are from her dreamy ETSY SHOP, so be sure to pop on over to discover something you just can't live without!

Now.....off to make snow angels!

Have a beautiful Tuesday!

Headed For The Promised Land

Where's that, you ask?

Why, that would be Bar W Field in Warrenton, Texas.

What? Where? Huh???

  Yeah, that.
First and foremost, it's FUN!

For the uninitiated, let me give y'all the skinny on just what the fuss is all about: Bar W is just one of many fields, halls, barns and venues located in the very heart of Fayette County, Texas. Twice a year, Spring and Fall, these sleepy little (and I do mean LITTLE!) farming communities become home to what is known as Antique Weekend.

This is an event of truly biblical proportions...it is a huge gathering of antique and collectible vendors from across the USA and even abroad. Tens upon tens of thousands of folks descend upon about a half-dozen tiny Texas towns at a point roughtly halfway betwixt Austin and Houston. Most of the shows are to be found along Hwy 237 in the towns of Round Top, Warrenton and Carmine, but there's much to be seen in the surrounding areas as well.

I've been rounding up treasures to take with me next month, as I will be there helping my good friend Effie set up and sell up her fab vintage wares. I wanted to give all of you a little sneak peek at several treasures making the trip...

 

 It's the 

"Satin Mesh MINUTE FACIAL!

With sterilized cotton for applying Satin Mesh! 

Freshen Up!"

 

  

 

From the  old-timey, poofy-skirted lady, to the killer baby pink color, all the way down to the "tested and approved" seal from the Good Housekeeping Institute below the words "Freshen Up", I am soooo in love with this vintage vending machine! If you love it too, come see me in Warrenton, I think we can make a deal.

Procured only yesterday, I stumbled upon this...

 

On my lunch break from my ACLS re-certification, 

(Oh yeah, I passed! Got 100% on the written exam, woo hoo!), I snuck over to the local estate sale, 

which is where I unearthed this industrial piece.

Estate Sale employee and all-around awesome dude Jason told me that he thought it had been a water wheel in the garden. I don't know about you, but I see industrial art / side table written all over this beauty, how about you?

But back to the fun.

 

It was day two of the sale, everything was winding down, and junker Annie wasn't about to waste time huddled 'round the jewelry case with some burly dude with halitosis breathing down my neck to ogle the pocket watches. 

Nope, I followed my usual MO and headed outside, where it was as though the heavens had opened up and shone a light down upon all of these...

*cue celestial choirs*

  

 

 

 Rusty, crusty metal letters!

What do y'all think,  ETSY SHOP or Warrenton?

If any of you folks out there see a way cool letter that you simply can't live without, I might just go ahead and list it in my shop, otherwise, these babies will be making the trip to Antique Week with me.

That's all for now!

I'll be drawing the name of the lucky winner of my 

Flea Market Style Magazine Giveaway

tonight just before midnight CST, so there's still time to enter, just be sure to leave a comment on the post below this one.

It's wonderful, you really don't want to miss out!

I'll post the winner on the top of my sidebar to the right.
Check back later to see if YOU are the lucky winner!

And don't forget, bigger, better  
500+ FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY
coming soon!!! 

Flea Market Style Magazine Giveaway!

Yippee!

Like y'all don't already know, the long-awaited

Flea Market Style

magazine is finally here!

 

It's every bit as good as we had all hoped it would be, and I was greedy lucky enough to snatch up an extra copy at my newsstand today, so.....

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

I would absolutely love to send a brand, spanking new copy of this fab magazine to one lucky follower, so here's your chance to get this baby in your hot little hands!

All of you have to do is

Be a follower or become a follower

and leave me a comment on this post. 

Be sure to let me know you're a follower, too!

Only comments on this post will be entered in the drawing, which will take place Sunday night, February 21st.

I'm calling this Part One of my big 

500th FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY...

I'm planning a bigger, better giveaway in just a little over a week to REALLY celebrate, so be sure to check back.

  Wishing everyone a very happy weekend!

  

Sweetie...and a Sweet Giveaway

 

In a word, that describes my blogger buddy Donna of

Brynwood Needleworks!

She sent me this gorgeous handmade Valentine this past week, and it doubles as an ATC (Artist Trading Card)...my very first one! Thank you Donna, I love it!

 

There's big stuff going on over in Donna's corner of the blogosphere...

She recently celebrated her 300th Post, and is having a GIVEAWAY to mark this milestone event!

 

       Per Donna's blog, here's what she's offering:

• A magnetized metal tray in a silver-tone finish

• A handmade linen pincushion

• Four wooden decor seashells

• A chippy wooden plaque, which you can leave as is, or transform as you wish

• A sweet pincushion/needlework box which looks like a vintage hatbox 

• A complete pattern for a Renaissance gown

• Donna also teases that she'll be adding little goodies to the box, too

But that's not all! 

That's just the main giveaway package. 

There's more!!!

     She's added a SECOND giveaway package which includes:

• A framed J for "Joy" watercolor

• A soft blue coffee mug with an embossed sea turtle and coral on it

• A festive little pincushion made by Donna 

• A pretty white plate

• A beautiful seashell 

• An angel pin made by Donna

But there's MORE!!! ( I feel like an infomercial huckster!)

To find out what other surprises she has up her knitted sleeve, you're simply going to have to head on over to Donna's BLOG to find out what all the fuss is about! 

Become a follower, keep up with Donna and Handsome and Kes, and all their above average kin! 

Tell her Annie sent ya!

Back to the books, have a wonderful Friday!