Amy Hanna

Hello!!!

I recently did an interview with Lisa Yearwood, for her new blog. One of the questions that she asked me was, what do you like the most about what you do. When I thought about it, I had to say it was the hunt.  I love going to the flea market and searching through boxes and tables for lost treasures.  Yesterday, I went to Long Beach flea market with my friend Pam and found some fun little treasures and thought I would share them. 

I love the Victorian embroidered ribbon with the birds and flowers that I found.   I plan to incorporate them into some bracelets.

Vintage cracker jack charms were also a fun find.

I will need my glasses while using these tiny treasures. 

A small tin loaded with nibs for dip pens.

Miniature saffron tins will make unique beads after I  drill a small hole.  My favorite treasures of the day were these tiny spectacle and scissor charms. The spectacles are missing the glass out of one of the lens but they are still so cool. The tiny scissors open and close. I was also lucky enough to find a pile of Victorian tin types. 

Our House

Before I took Jennifer Mercedes painting class I bought this large wooden canvas at Dick Blick's. I did not end up using it during the class and have spent a lot of time staring at it and painting over it a few dozen times. 

For some reason whenever I paint on a big piece I always find myself wanting to draw a house. This piece of wood was no different, I kept wanting to draw that house outline. 

Years ago I saw a painting hanging in a house that was featured in Mary Engelbreit's magazine, Home Companion.  The painting was of a house with lots of circles with self portraits drawn inside of them. I wish I would have saved the magazine so I could share the picture of the painting. I think a neighbor had made it for somebody when they were moving, to remind them of their neighborhood.  I thought how fun to have all of your friends draw themselves inside of your painting. It takes a lot of pressure off of you to make it perfect.

So that is what inspired me to create this canvas.  I started with an image of a house.  Over the weekend I got my pen out and started having people draw themselves inside of the house.  I first had people draw their image inside of a circle and then I let go of all of the rules and let people draw what they felt compelled do draw.  I can not wait to see how it will look when it is full.  This is a work in progress and it will be wonderful to have this collection of tiny self portraits of my family and friends.

  I have done something similar to this while vacationing.  I always bring a journal with me and I have had everyone draw their hands or a self portrait in the journal.  I love looking back at how little the kids hands were and what they had written was their favorite memory.   I have included a few photos from the journal at the end of this post.

The vacation journal,

Treasures from France from a Treasured friend

I wanted to share the fun that I had today digging through a package from one of my favorite French friends!! She just returned from France and picked up some goodies on her trip she was such a doll to let me do a little shopping.

Nothing beats the patina on the vintage French medal pieces. The beautiful French engraving and the attention to detail.

Stones and Pearls

A New take on a Strawberry Pot??

I recently purchased  this modern version of a strawberry pot at Anthropologie.   Perfect container to hold succulents.  I also found this sweet pair of bird salt and pepper shakers and petrified wood coasters.  Love Anthropologie, you can always find an unnecessary treasure!

 

stress + walk= happy girl instead of crabby stressed out girl

Had to share photos from my lovely beach walk this morning.  I have to pinch myself sometimes because I never get use to the beauty of the ocean.  I was having a very stressful morning and there is no other place that makes me let go of all of my thoughts like the beach. 

The tide was low and I was lucky to find a wonderful variety of heart rocks on the walk.  My friend collects sea glass and we found a handful of that too!!!

They are building the most outrageous houses along the coast .  I am just in love with the house shown below.

The other two shown above are not to shabby either!! Ha, Ha!! 

The picture above and below are of Dana Point Harbor taken from our walk.  It is fun to explore the beauty that God has created and to see what people have built upon it.

Inspired by

I was reading my friend, Heather Bullard's blog yesterday and was so inspired by this blog that she referred to on her post.  I was just blown away by the beautiful arrangement. 

I hit Trader Joe's today after the gym and picked up some blossoming branches (that is what they were called).  They kind of reminded me of the branches used in the post.  I got out my clippers and went to town in my front yard.  All of this crazy weather has made my roses bloom beautifully. I know that this arrangement does not compare to the beautiful  one on the blog but it was so fun getting inspired by it and using my own flowers.

 

 

I also picked up this beautiful orchid at Trader Joe's.  I love to fill the vase that my son made me in art class with orchids.

 

Pam also inspired me with her blog talking about her pictures of her beautiful garden.  She has a journal full of photos from her garden that is out of this world.  I picked up this vase from Anthropologie and placed a five dollar plant inside of it.  My favorite part is the bird which was a gift from Pam that rest inside of it.  Such a perfect match. 

Have fun creating with your garden!!

Hope you had a Happy Easter

My daughters made homemade Confetti Eggs this year.  They started out by hollowing out eggs and then filling them with confetti made by cutting up tissue paper.  After the eggs were filled up they covered the holes by gluing a piece of tissue paper over the hole.

I forgot to pick up dye to decorate Easter eggs, this turned out to be a good thing, since it made my daughters get creative with markers.  I love to see what they come up with when they get creative together.  My favorite egg below is of our dog Oliver.

 

My son had his fun by climbing trees with his buddy and giving me a heart attack!!  Oh, to be young!!

Souvenir

 

I have exciting news to announce, Heather is releasing a new and improved Souvenir issue on the first day of spring, March 20th.  To sign up to receive the on-line magazine go to the Souvenir website: souvenirlifestyle.com and/or  Souvenir Facebook page: facebook.com/SouvenirMagazine. She is changing things up a bit and has a bunch of new exciting contributors.  Nothing better than some awesome eye candy and I highly recommend it!

Hearts, Pearls and Medals