Vintage Fabrics

Hello Folks, as I'm starting to get excited here (it's really warming up outside!) I always take some time to clean up my closet and I found some nice vintage Scandinavian fabrics, crochet bed cover my mother-in-law gave me on my 30Th birthday, and some quilts shams I like it a lot and would like to show here. I never understood until I came to Canada what a spring clean up really meant (and also a closet clean up!). Yes, where I used to live before we don't do this because we can do this anytime, in any season. But here, it is a big deal and it feels soooooo good to do that anyway. today I spent some time doing that, looking for things we don't need anymore and taking some time thinking what can I do with a few things before I give them away.
Well, I'm quite excited too because next week will be even warmer and I'll start painting some furniture that are sitting in the garage for ages! I hope I can keep with my promise, since a few things can come up unexpectedly. But I really hope I can find some time to do that. I am missing painting... I also have this book that teaches in a very easy way how to do different types of cushions. It's lovely and again this book was a nice find and it will help me a lot with some projects I want to do in the future.

Au Revoir,
:-) Li

Passion

Passion for white has a long story. But to make the long story short, I kind of worked more with whites with myself over the past few years, from clothes, duvets and sheets for the beds. The furniture itself came little by little, starting from the kids crib (It was one for all the kids; they are 3 years apart!) beds, dressers, frames...then came our own bedroom. The Bed of my dreams. I waited for over 10 years and on our 13th anniversary Nick (the hubby) surprised me with the bed. It is a Canopy bed from Pier1 Imports, a beautiful store, but doesn't have much white things there, just a few pieces. The bed was one of them. Anyway, I think I'm making the story long now. Going back to my childhood, I always loved white, since a kid. White blouses, dresses, skirts. My uniform was pretty much jeans, white t-shirt and a Converse. I remember every New Year's Eve, the preparation for all of us in the family dressing white. It is a tradition in Brazil, and It is something I'll carry on with me to the end, because it is a beautiful way to start the new year, bringing PEACE to your soul. I love that tradition.
So, the passion for white, then came blue, light colors, baby blue, baby pink. They all mix so beautifully with white and every time I come home I can feel the peace, the smell of the incense, not to mention the fresh flowers Nick always brings home from the market. I can see myself picking my own flowers from our garden, the herbs, the eggs from our chickens... how wonderful it is to dream. And I really want mine to happen, so I don't stop dreaming.
These shirts I have for over 10 years and as everything has their time here in the Planet, I think I'm going to transform them into a nice, cozy, lavender pillows for Annikki's and our bedroom. What do you think? I might be sewing today. It looks pretty damp outside and nothing like having a warm, cozy place to hang out with your family and enjoy something you like to do, like sewing for me.
I'm listening right now to Aretha Franklin. Just love her!!! Her voice, the emotion she puts when she is singing it's absolutely fantastic. I wish I could be sharing this song with you all...
I'll see you soon...

:-) Li

Tic-toc, tic-toc around the world

I feel so blessed to have friends around the world, and now meeting even more people from blogging. But to keep in touch with them and not making a mistake of waking them up in the middle of the night or to early in the morning, I thought it would be a good idea to have clocks on the wall with the current time of the countries I usually phone. So here is a little and simple project if you need to be in contact with your friends and don't want to make the same mistake I used to do. I got three clocks @ IKEA for $9 each and got letter stickers. You can find them at any stationary store. Just find the type of letter of your preference. I think it looks cute.

I'll see you guys soon,

Tchau,

:-) Li

Candles, insence and music

Happy Monday every one! Maybe I should say Happy Tuesday for some of you around the globe?
Anyway, here are three things I usually don't let run out of it here at Creamy White: candles, incense and music.I don't watch the news, prefer music though and they always make me happy.
With all the windows closed for many months of the year and with all the cooking inside the house, incenses are just perfect to give every room a new fresh smell and bringing a calm and relaxing feeling, as well as candles and a nice music. I pretty much listen to may different kinds of music, don't have a specific type, but I really like music form the 80's, 70's, nice rock, sometimes classic, etc. I could go on and on about this topic...but gets to personal, right?
I'm finishing a photography course this Thursday, so here are some pics for the last class. I hope the teacher likes them.

Enjoy the week,

:-)Li

Art Work

Many people spend thousands and thousands in Art Work. I really wish I could though, but at the moment the Art Work I collect are from my kids. And it is also a nice support for them continuing painting, drawing, creating! So, why not make a nice display of these Pieces of Art?

Remember the bathroom I'm about to finish? Well, I still have a little touch ups to do, but right now I'm playing with the decoration, and I want to share this little Art our daughter made for Father's Day last year. The other pieces from the kids I'll post soon, 'cause today it is the kind of "lazy"day we are going to do some craft, painting and pretty soon they be ready for our own private Art Galley under our own roof!

Thanks for visiting Creamy White.

:-) Li

Old shirts? New pillow covers!

I can't think at the moment of anything easier then making these pillow covers. I made them a couple of years ago, when I would never think about having my own Blog. But now that I have one, you will see how easy it is to make them. I usually donate clothes we don't use it anymore, but these I couldn't resist, since I like plaid, floral, white and strips. So get some shirts (for example, those shirts your husband/kids/you don't want anymore) and you can create a fast and easy project to decorate any room you want in your house. You will need:

a shirt, sewing machine, and square pillows. Mine are 40x40cm, so for the cover, add an extra 2cm for each side for sewing. The good thing about this project is you won't need to add buttons and not even do the button hole!. It is already there. You will only be sewing a square and Pronto.

Have Fun sewing! Until next time,

:-) Li

An Almost a Grown Up Girl Room

The butterfly mobile was made with lavender ribon,a cross-stich hoop and 5 butterflies I got at a dollar store and nylon tread to attach them on the hoop.

Hello Folks, I really like our daughter bedroom and I thought it will be interesting to share it with you guys. It is a tiny place, but filled with little treasures that means a lot to her. Since she chose the color of the walls (a Light Lavender) we added a few things that we made ourselves, like the "butterfly mobile" and the tie-dye pillow in lavender. We also painted the letter "A" in white (I really like monograms), and we got the picture frames in natural color, so we sprayed them in white as well. I upholster the old chair with a fabric I had and with the rest of the fabric I made a little pillow embroidered (the embroidery was made at a store for $6 dollars)with her name.

Annikki also helped paint the walls! She had so much fun doing it and did it pretty well actually, so she'll have good memories from our first house, in her kind of grown up girl room. All pictures taken on this post are from me! Thanks again for visiting Creamy White!

Until next time,

:-) Li

Happy Valentine's and a Board to Remember

Number 5 is for our Family: hubby, myself, and 3 kids, and then 2 more members arrived last summer to our family! Jasper& Alice, our cute Westies!

This board used to have a cork background, so to make it more Chic, I bought a nice wool fabric, stappled at the back and Voilá, a new board is born!

The numbers are from Home Depot(very inexpensive) and I used a black pin to attach the numbers on the board. I also used pictures corners so I can change the photos easily without damaging them.

Dear Blogger, I wish a Happy Valentine's Day to all! Even though some places doesn't celebrate this holiday, it is a nice way always to remember your friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend, your kids, whom ever is important to you!
I had a very calm day with our 3 kids + 2 puppies! Very relaxing, and tomorrow here in Edmonton we have another holiday: Family Day!!!!! We are in the only Province in Canada that celebrate this date and we also celebrate ourselves here because this holiday, 12 years ago, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, Annikki, now 11! Wow! Time really flies...So, let's celebrate, be thankful for our lives, for being healthy, happy! I wish you all a wonderful valentine's and if you don't celebrate, it doesn't matter, just receive my love now.

XoXo, Li

White Vintage Curtains

Which one should I pick?

I have been dreaming for a while of renovate the bathroom in our house, but in a very small budget. So, I have a few plans to start:

• instead of removing the floor, I'll paint it in white (still I have to shop about how to) because I have no idea what kind of paint to use over a Linoleum.It's not a shinny one, so I believe I'll find something;
• I will add a few accessories to lift up and make it more enjoyable. I love handmade, unique things and that will be the focus point in the tiny bathroom we have in the basement.
• For the bathroom upstairs, I'll only put a new coat of "White", which will make the place much bigger and would love to change the bath curtains. But the ones I really loved are a bit to much of what I can pay, so I'm planing to make myself a curtain for the bathroom. These two curtains are simply lovely, aren't they? Well, wish me luck on my project!
• The curtains shown in the pictures are from Anthropologie.

From you lovely blogger, Li

Beach Vintage

As I live a few miles away from the beach, it doesn't mean I can't bring a bit of the atmosphere to our home. Actually, our home is very much a beach, vintage, cottage, Scandinavian style. As we don't have a warm sand and nice blue sea water, at least we have the color I like so much: White. So, bringing the warmth of the beach here is a big deal, since I have to travel a lot to get to the real one! But nothing like being wrapped on the cozy blanket, having a warm place waiting for you! The white brings such Peace and I have a feeling that the whole house is giving me a hug like a warm cashemere sweater. I've been playing with colors for a while but as I always focus on white I did the kids rooms first in white furniture and add accessories in neutral tones. Now I have the time to continue my projects around the house. I'm having so much fun planning, dreaming, enjoying writing here. Is like I've been seen from people all over the world. Even if I'm just talking with myself, I'm happy anyway!

My next step is to purchase a Compressor. I talk with a guy today and he suggested me to have one, so I can paint the furniture in half of a time if I was using a brush only and I'm really thinking about that. I'm planing to buy a used one, just in case I don't like it.

Sometimes what is good for ones can't be for others.

Here are a nice blog I saw today. It's simple, fresh, just wonderful. I hope you all like it!

Thanks for visiting with Creamy White!

See ya,

Li

Beach Vintage

Working with Photography

Hey Folks, how are you doing? I'm in the middle of my photography course (three more weeks to go)and the homework is always taking pictures, of course. For this week the teacher asked us to take some from our bedrooms. I have no excuse, since the bedroom is so close to me, as I am seating in the kitchen table having my first cup of coffee today. So, let's get to work, Li!

I took a few shots and didn't like them very much, but we always learn from our mistakes, and the good part is we improve for the next ones to come. So, here are some of my week homework that I'll be presenting tomorrow night. Light is very important for a nice picture like this and I think I've missed that..

Olá Pessoal, estou exatamente no meio do meu curso de fotografia, apenas mais 3 semanas e é claro, a tarefa de casa é sempre fotografar, de preferência, não no automático, e sim, manual, o que temos que praticar realmente o uso de tantos botões que a máquina tem. Bem, aqui segue algumas fotografias que tirei apra a aula de amanhã, onde o professor nos pediu que fotografásse-mos nosso quarto de dormir. Não achei as fotos muito boas, até porque a luz não foi o suficiente para iluminar bem a foto, mas vamos lá, estou aprendendo, e com os erros que vamos melhorando, não é mesmo?

Dêem uma olhadinha e vejam o que acham.

Beijos, Li

Yep Dudes, I hope I'll have at least a little compliment tomorrow night! And I'm really thinking about painting in white those Antique Side Tables!

Toddles,

:-) Li

New Treasures!

Hello everyone! After a few days off, here I am back to work. I went last weekend for a little 3 hours trip with my little son to visit a friend I haven't seen for almost a year and as the weather wasn't so bad for February, I've decided to go on this kind of boring/driving trip. While he was entertaining himself watching a nice movie I had to be alert and also entertain myself too, since the road has no curves and the scenery doesn't change much( I'm talking about driving in the Prairies cover with snow!). That's when an iPod works so well and a can of coca-cola!
Well, we all had such a good time there and that what really matters. But one of the nicest things that happened while I was there (of course, friendscome first!) was that I found online a few items for free (Yes, for FREE!)and others I got at a Thrifty Store where my friend and I went on Saturday afternoon for our day-to-find treasures!

Take a look at the beauties I found there:

With a nice coat of paint and new fabric to reupholster the chairs and the little bench, they'll be brand new!

See you guys soon,

Li

Pão de Queijo/Cheese Bread

Hello everyone! It seams not long ago I've just post something here and here I am again. I am in the basement and can't hear the phone ringing, so if someone leave me a message, fine, but If it doesn't...
Well, I had to go upstairs and I saw the light of the answering machine flashing. Yes, a very good friend of mine phoned and left me a message reminding me that I forgot to post a recipe she's been waiting for a few days(to be honest, since last Saturday!!!) But I understand why the "rush"...
Here my friend, this recipe is for you and for the others who have been asking me and waiting that long.
The delicious, healthy and easy to make:

Pão de Queijo or Brazilian Cheese Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 of a package of Tapioca flower or tapioca starch(gluten free)
3 eggs
1 cup of milk or water
1 or 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

300gr of grated cheese (mozzarella, Parmesan or Friulano)
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven 375C. In a pan, add milk, oil and salt and take it to boil.
In a mixing bowl, put tapioca flower and add the boiling mixture of milk/oil. Leave for a few minutes, about 2. Add eggs, cheese and mix them all together until they are all consistent.
You can bake right away or put in the fridge for an hour, so the mixture will be more firm and you can make little balls.
Either way will work anyway!
As I can't wait that long, you can fill a muffin pan (don't fill to the top, otherwise it will spill!) and bring it to bake for approximately 25 minutes. They will be golden color when it's ready.
Voilá, it is ready to eat! Or quite... Careful to not burn your mouth, but believe me, it is delicious when is hot, or I should say, warm? Don't forget to make a nice cup of coffee or tea and invite some friends over to try this delicious recipe! I'm going to make myself some tonight so I can later on I'll add some pictures to this post. Now, I have to rush to make some for myself!

Bon Appetit!

:-) Li

Being Conscious

Hello Folks! I hope you all are having a very productive and inspiring week. I got this message today through my email from Anthropologie and would like to share with you. Enjoy and think about it!

The Article says: "Fifty billion plastic bottle were consumed in the U.S. alone last year - 38 billion of which ended up in landfills. Science tells us that these bottles will not biodegrade until the next millennium." by Anthorplogie.

Here is a nice way to bring some flowers and color into your home, office, birthday party, etc, and also being conscious with the Planet Earth. Just use your imagination! Here are an example of some flowers made of a plastic bottle. I'll make some with the kids on our craft time sometime this week!

Have a blossom day!

Love,

:-) Li