Monday, March 31, 2008

A Few Examples of J. Rae's Shabby Cottage Designs Special Order Pillows



























This is just a small sampling of the many special orders I have done for pillows over the last year. I have a lot of prints available from fantastic Victorian era artists such as Maud Humphrey, Harrison Fisher, Bessie Pease Gutmann, and Kewpie artist 'O'Neill.
I will be adding more prints to the right side to choose from. I even have prints available if you are decorating a little boys room and want more masculine style prints. The pillows range in price from $18.50 to $28.50 depending on the embellishments you would like added to them. I will add a few more of the choices to the right bottom of this page soon!!!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

My Latest Creation: Shabby Cottage Hanging Heart Sachet Pillow

This is my latest creation. I made a long heart shaped pillow from Rachel Ashwell's Simply Shabby Chic line, and added a battenberg lace heart shaped doily to the center. I used adorable little colorized vintage prints of 2 little girls and framed then in varying pink satin ribbon roses and sparkling pink rhinestones.






I used a vintage rhinestone brooch in pinks and clear sparkling stones at the top center of this gorgeous sachet.

This sweet fragrant Shabby Cottage treasure is one of a kind and available on ebaY. I have many more treasures there as well. Simply go to ebaY & in advanced search go to "specific sellers" click on that and type in jaysgirl1964 and it will bring up all the items I have up for auction,
or click on the link to the right that says my ebaY items











I also used lots of rhinestones, pearly glass beads and buttons to embellish this Lavender Vanilla scented sachet pillow. I trimmed it in an awesome antique hand crocheted lace that is nearly 100 years old. I found this amazing lace in an antique store in Kennett Missouri.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Just HAVE To Share This With You From All Bliss Be Thine






















I found this stunning creation when I was looking at some other blogs. I could not resist sharing it with you!!! This is one of the most gorgeous works of art I have ever seen. Isn't she just amazing?

The blog is called All Bliss Be Thine, and I have included a link to this blog at the right. Beautiful things there! Go and Enjoy!!! If you click on the images you can get a larger view!!!

New Stacking Sachet Sets With 3 Mini Pillowettes



I just love love love these stacking sachet sets. They turn out so pretty every time. They are fun to make too! This is what they look like all stacked up and tied with a ribbon.
They are filled with high quality polyester filling and REAL French lavender buds that I further enhance with 100% PURE essential oils. This set had lavender and vanilla essentials added to it for a wonderful fragrance.





This is what they look like separately when you untie the ribbon. I give each little mini pillowette it's own personality.
They measure 3", 4", & 5" in size.
They look lovely displayed together in the stack and tied with a ribbon, or separate them and put them in a pretty bowl or basket. They are small enough that you can put them just about anywhere for just the perfect shabby cottage touch!

A Few New Items In My ebaY Store and Etsy Shop


This Sweet Pillow and Sachet set features a gorgeous print by Victorian era artist Maud Humphrey. It has a pretty little baby and lots of lovely pink roses.
I used a Barefoot Roses fabric with soft green background and big pink roses. Trimmed it in Victorian inspired white Venice lace and white cotton eyelet fabric.
I added lots of pretty satin ribbon roses and other frilly embellishments, and scented the hanging sachet pillowette with REAL French lavender buds & 100% PURE lavender and vanilla
essential oils.




Did you know that if you click on any of my pictures in my blog you can view it larger??? So you can see the details in each of my Shabby Cottage creations








This pillow and sachet set is much like the one above, but since most of my pillows are one of a kind (unless someone requests 2 alike) I changed it slightly by using the soft Pink background Barefoot Roses fabric and used slightly different laces and embellishments. Plus making the sachet longer and narrower. This set is available on ebaY right now. There is a link to the right. It is such a pretty set. Pictures never do them justice.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Jay-n-Julie on Their Wedding Day


You'll have to excuse this photo, it was taken from a scrapbook page from our wedding album. This is me and my gorgeous hubby on November 9th, 2002 when we got married.
We had an "old hippie" wedding...which I just loved!!! I put on our invitations for everyone to come wearing blue jeans! It was a great!!!
We have both since cut our long hair and changed our Hippie ways...LOL. Jay is still stuck in the 70's as far as modern technology is concerned. He hates cell phones, and the only thing he can do on the computer is play his hunting game.
His hair was so long it fell down past the middle of his waist, and it was just gorgeous with blond ringlets cascading down... I could only dream of having hair that pretty. He cut it the first summer after we moved to Arkansas because the heat and humidity with that long hair was pretty unbearable. His hair was so pretty that I literally cried the day he cut it. We were friends for 18 years before we ever even dated. My uncles were his older brothers best friends from when they were kids 'til now. So our families have been friends since the 60's. Now we have a love & friendship that will last forever!!!

My Hubby Jay & Bobby-Bobtail


This is my sweet and sometimes ornery husband Jay, with our precious little bob-tailed kitten "BOB". Jay works at a big factory that makes railcars and this kitten, 7 other babies and the mother cat were living there. He rescued the mama and her 8 babies the day after the kittens were born.
So now we have all these adorable kittens running around....and little Bobby Bob-Tail is one of our favorites. He's a keeper!!!
Each kitten has a distinct personality and we love them all!!! Bob loved playing in the snow..he ran and jumped and pushed the snow around with his paws....It was the cutest thing ever!!! He is a tree climber too. He goes up so high in the trees that we fear he won't be able to get back down, but he always does!!! Out of the 8 kittens, 2 of them had bobbed tails, 2 had little crimped tails with "J's" on the end and 4 had perfectly normal tails. I had never seen such a large litter of kittens or with such a unique mix of tails. Our kitties are outdoor pets they have a heated pen outside for when it is cold and DO NOT come into contact with any of the materials I use for creating my pretties.

Friday, March 7, 2008

!!!~ I'm Having a Sale In My ETSY Shop ~!!!















I am having a sale in my Etsy Shop, JRaesShabbyCottage!!!
These lovely shabby cottage style items and more treasures have been discounted for a short time only!!!! Please get in on these special deals while they are still available!!!
Plus any special order pillow, sachet or chenille cake from this blog will be discounted $5 !!!! Lotions are not included in this special sale!
Come and check out my awesome deals now at my Etsy shop. There is a convenient link to the right !

Monday, March 3, 2008

My Newest Creation: Victorian Style Shabby Cottage Tussie Mussie




Such a lovely Tussie Mussie...and ohhh so much fun to make. I used the prettiest soft pink Barefoot Roses fabric, white Venice lace, pink beaded trim, and satin ribbon roses to embellish this gorgeous Tussie Mussie.


I made the sweetest little sachet that tucks just inside and is filled with a mix of high quality polyester filling and REAL French lavender buds that have been enhanced with 100% PURE lavender and vanilla essential oils. I just love that Lavender Vanilla scent. I use a generous amount of the buds and essential oils for optimum fragrance.

They look so pretty hanging in various places, I like to hang them from a dresser drawer, door knob, peg shelf, bedpost...or even from a curtain tieback. Tussie Mussies are just the perfect touch for that shabby cottage decor. This one is extra special because it also smells wonderful with that little sachet tucked inside.

This stunning Tussie Mussie and sachet set is featured in my Etsy Shop, JRaesShabbyCottage.
Please click on the links to the right to see all of my offerings in my Etsy Shop and also my eBay Store, J.Rae's Shabby Cottage Designs.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

YUMMY!!! Scented Chenille Cakes








Here a few of my sweet scented vintage chenille cakes. I love these cakes when they are displayed on a vintage or antique cake pedestal. I fill them with polyester filling and REAL French lavender buds that I enhance with various 100% PURE essential oils such as orange, vanilla, lavender, etc. The fragrance is amazing. A few others that make these cakes use styrofoam forms, but I like to be able to scent mine so I make them more like a pillow. That also makes them the size of a real cake. Not a miniature version.
These scrumptious cakes are embellished with beautiful Victorian inspired Venice laces, various trims and satin ribbon roses. I am more than happy to do special orders on these in your choice of colors and fragrances. Occasionally I list one I've made on eBay or Etsy.
The price for these cakes is $26.50 and shipping is a flat rate of $8.50 Priority Mail Shipping via US Postal Service. To special order one of these awesome J.Rae's Originals Shabby Cottage Designs chenille cakes just email me at: jraeburk@gmail.com..
please include your color preference, scent preference email address and shipping address with your request.



All base chenille colors will be white, blue, off white or pink...you choose.
The filling color in the middle is also you choice from those listed above.


All laces are white or off white.
Ribbon Roses will be in your choice of color including, pinks, reds, whites, blues, lavender/purples or yellow. Some of the flowers will have to be special ordered so it will take a little longer for me to complete those orders.




Scents available will have a lavender or rose base of your choice including any combination of these together.
Lavender
Rose
Vanilla
Sweet Orange
Jasmine
Bergamot
Neroli
Patchouli
Sandalwood
































I recommend these scents:
Lavender, Lavender Vanilla
Orange Vanilla,
Lavender Rose, Vanilla Rose
Lavender Vanilla Jasmine

If you would like it scented with something I don't have, I can probably accommodate your request for an additional fee to get the essential oils.

Contact me at:

My eBay store, my Etsy Shop, or email me at:
jraeburk@gmail.com

Links to my stores are at the top right of this page.

The Joys Of Springtime in Our Garden

What a joy springtime is....and I am so blessed to have God's beautiful creation surrounding me every spring. We plant what we love. We don't follow any special guidelines of what looks good with what or where it may look best..we simply plant what we love...and I think the results are amazing!!! I love the informal gardens the best of all.
I knew nothing about gardening, and my sweet hubby taught me so much!!! Every year we add new annuals and perennials to our gardens. I have a dream of natural stone walkways leading to each separate garden area with flowers planted along the path...and I just know it will get there some day.
The sweet dogwood tree was here when we bought this place and it is also one of the first to bloom in spring. It's arms reach down across the yard where one of those pathways will someday be. We planted the beautiful nectarine tree with the lovely pink blossoms about 2 years ago. We have yet to taste of it's sweet fruits because deer from a wooded area across the road like to come and dine on them at night as we sleep.
The beautiful white wisteria was here among some brambles along a fence row and we cleared around it so it could flourish and it has become one of my favorites with it's draping blossoms. The columbine is such a beautiful delicate flower I look forward to it coming back every single year. What joy a garden brings....a closeness and deep love and respect for our creator....he created so many amazing things. Thank You Lord for Springtime!!!