Bella Lucille's Blog

What Inspires You?

2011-12-22T08:29:00.000-08:00

I took up running in February of 2011, and decided I wanted a pretty way to display my race bibs. I keep them in my bedroom on a wall I frequently face, and they serve as inspiration to me. I have completed two half marathons, which is what the 13.1 sticker stands for (the number of miles) and I plan to run a full marathon (26.2) sometime in 2012. I put that on there to push myself and to visualize myself doing the full marathon.

Finsihed Inspirational Memo Board

Here's how I made this on a budget. The ornate frame was originally gold and had a picture of my grandfather in it. It was collecting dust in my basement. I took it apart, cleaned it up, and primed it and hand painted it my own mixed shade of a creamy white. Next I took a thick foam core poster board and cut it to size the back of the open frame. I used spray adhesive and applied cork from a roll I bought online (these are available at office supply stores). Then I ironed a piece of fabric I liked, and used spray adhesive to attach that to the top of the cork. It was that simple! Then I flipped the frame over, used a heavy duty staple gun and attached the backing to the frame. I also added a saw tooth hanger so I can hang it on the wall.

Jeweled Pushpins

The last step was to take thumb tacks and a glue gun and attach old earrings, buttons and cabochons onto the thumb tacks. Then I put all of my bibs, stickers of the mileage and an inspirational saying on the board using my jeweled tacks. This was super easy and I love the outcome!

Shabby Cottage Shops: Our Christmas Shoppe is Open!!!

2011-10-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

Shabby Cottage Shops: Our Christmas Shoppe is Open!!!: It's official our Christmas Shoppe is now open at at Shabby Cottage Shops! We hope you stop by and enter our Christmas Tree Hunt Contest, it started today when The Pinkalicious Christmas Shoppe Opened. Meet today's featured boutique below:

Today's Featured Boutique is...

Mary's Cottage Treasures!

Visit Mary's Cottage Treasures Christmas Shoppe!

This lovely shop features Vintage Linens, Antique Collectible Textiles, vintage hand embroidered linens, aprons, antique tablecloths and more! Take a peek below, it's just a sampling of what you'll find here!

Please stop by everyday, we'll be featuring another wonderful tomorrow evening in The Christmas Shoppe at Shabby Cottage Shops, it honestly is...where the finest boutiques gather! We have 30 shops who are participating in this year's events and a huge giveaway, The Pink Present starting on November 6. Come see what's inside "The Pink Box" on November 6 at Shabby Cottage Shops! Don't forget to enter our Christmas Tree Hunt Contest, it's started!! You could win one of six $25 Gift Certificates to be given away! The contest ends December 1 and the winners will be announced on December 2.

Jeweled Halloween & Pink Christmas Collages

2011-08-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

I am loving summer here in beautiful Newport Beach, CA, and yet I am also getting really excited for the approaching holidays. I have been working on some fun new collages. Please take a peek and let me know what you think. They are available for sale on my website.

One of a Kind Jeweled Patriotic Collage

2011-06-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

This is a one of a kind altered art collage on a red 8" x 8" square canvas. Victorian Ephemera altered art is carefully placed throughout the artist canvas that is embellished with red sequins, vintage jewelry, red and blue star buttons and white buttons with silver stars atop. This is an original by Bella Lucille artist & owner, Jennifer Balalis. $45 with FREE SHIPPING! Available at http://www.bellalucille.com/

French Charmed

2011-04-06T19:23:00.001-07:00

Blog Contest/Pink Wine Stop Give Away

2011-03-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, my friend Anna sent me this post on Facebook: Hey Jennifer- I have a question I think you could probably answer... Ava's beloved "blankie" is (more than) ready to be "retired"... it is a knit blanket a friend made her 6 years ago and I need some way to "memorialize" it so that we don't just throw it out... do you know of any way to frame it? Keep it? Display it? Something that does NOT include "using" it :) It is frayed and has been "refurbished" too many times... time to say Good Night to blankie... but what do I do with it!?!?!!

Here are pictures of Ava's blanket. Anna may be interested in having the winner turn Ava's blanket into their winning idea!

I decided it would be great fun to have a contest. Please comment with your ideas on what Anna should do with Ava's blanket. Please be sure to leave your email address too along with your comment. Anna will pick the idea she likes best, and the person who submitted the winning idea will win one of my pink antique wine stops like the one pictured below! I will contact the winner by email and collect your information to send you the wine stop. Contest ends April 2, 2011.

Door Wreath

2011-02-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

I purchased this wreath in the clearance aisle of Target in September. It is made of carved wood and it was just a light wood color. I don't think it had any stain to it. I hung it as it was, and soon Halloween was approaching. At the time, our front door was white. I decided to paint the wreath a glossy black for Halloween and I just loved it! As Christmas approached, I painted it a glossy red. For New Years, I painted it a rich, dark gold. Now that Valentine's Day is here, and my favorite color is pink, I painted the wreath a glossy pink and for more contrast I painted our front door a glossy black. I used pink sheer fabric that I had and sewed some new curtains for the door. The door required 2 coats of paint and was completed in a few hours. This wreath can be repurposed over and over again, depending on the occassion, although I plan to keep it pink for a long time! I love furniture and decor repurposing, which I always saw in a darling store which closed its doors recently called Paris to the Moon. They had these hanging cherubs that dangled from the ceiling on ribbon and they were always different colors. I pleaded numerous times with Paul to sell them to me, but even when the store was closing, he said the cherubs were going with him. I certainly cannot blame him, they were to die for! A helpful tip if you do paint a piece numerous times like my wreath and Paul's cherubs is to use a good primer before adding the new color. I used a thick white spray primer from Home Depot that covered really well with one coat, and then used 2 coats of glossy pink paint over it. I chose to spray the paint because of the intricate detail work in the wooden flowers. I do prefer to hand paint with a paint brush for less involved projects. Whether you hand paint or use a sprayer, primer is always a good idea. I didn't use a sealer because I used exterior paint, but sealer is a good idea too. Just remember that if you use a matte paint to pick a matte sealer or glossy sealer if you use a glossy paint. I would love to see pictures of items you have repurposed. Please send them to me at bellalucilleprettyinpink@gmail.com and I will post them!

One of a Kind Vintage Jeweled Floral Bridal Bouquet

2011-01-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

One of a kind custom vintage jewelry, made by the wonderfully talented artist, Kelly Eckles. This amazing piece is going to make for one stunning bridal arrangement! This is dripping with flower jewels, and customized with an initial. Want to use a family heirloom? These can be customized with your special piece of jewelry! This bouquet covers something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Real flower arrangements cost $300 and up, then they brown and dry out. Use this one of a kind jeweled bouquet at your wedding and treasure your gorgeous bouquet forever!

Junk Mail & Other Clutter

2011-01-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

Some of you that know me will likely laugh at me for posting about a clean house. I have four children (3 are boys) and as an artist, I create at home, and have my office at home as well. Translation: my home is sometimes organized chaos. Recently however, I have been tackling a room at a time. I have lost weight and went through my closet and donated 20 bags of clothes, shoes, purses, belts and hangers to the Goodwill. All my thinner clothes were out of style and I decided to treat myself to some new items. My closet is very bare but since I am still losing weight I am waiting to buy more new pieces. I have since moved on to other rooms in our house and am working really hard at clearing out the clutter. I had my children donate old toys, games and stuffed animals that they no longer use.

When I went to my mailbox today, I had a ton of junk mail. I wanted to share this little tip with you because this is a habit worth thinking about adopting. Up until a few years ago I would always bring everything inside from the mailbox and the junk mail would either sit on my table, my counter top or I’d throw it away in my kitchen trash can eventually. Well one day I decided why not sort my mail outside, next to my outdoor garbage can, before bringing it inside. Today I threw away probably 15 newspaper ads, junk mailers and free catalogues. I ended up with only one financial document, and I walked it right up to my office shredder and got rid of it after reviewing it. I know you don’t all have the luxury of living in California where the weather is good, but even if you grabbed your mail, sat in your car for a minute to sort it, and tossed the junk mail right away, I think you’ll find this is a small but helpful way to reduce your household clutter.

Another tip is to plan a party. I volunteered to host a baby shower in February and I am very motivated to get my house party ready. I donated an old stereo, the speakers and 5 disk player to the Goodwill because I never use it anymore. I also went through all my books and donated the ones I no longer read to our local library. My kids have outgrown a lot of their old DVD’s so I donated those to our local children’s hospital. I still have more areas in our home that I am working on, and it feels great. My shabby chic cabinet has so much more room for family pictures and cottage pretties with the stereo and books cleared out.

I’d love to hear what you are doing to clear your spaces!

Easy Starfish Ornaments

2010-12-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

I am helping in my 3rd grade son's class tomorrow with the children's holiday craft. I really wanted the children to make something easy and stay on a tight budget. On a recent walk around Balboa Island (in Newport Beach, CA) with my friend Gail, we saw this adorable wooden tree with seashell and starfish ornaments inside a local store called Hersey's Market. The starfish were very simple; bleached white stars with glitter and a plain white piece of yarn glued to the back for hanging. The idea was so simple and so elegant at the same time. I ran the idea by another mom from our class and my son's teacher and we agreed this would compliment the other crafts nicely. My version for the class varies just slightly from the one I saw on my walk. Here's what we are using:

* White Starfish ~ purchased in bulk on ebay to save money. I believe I searched under "lot white starfish" I was able to buy 25 for $16.00 I decided to buy 2 sets because these starfish measure 2" which is nice but not that big. I also thought that if any of the children needed a gift for mom's house and another for dad's or for grandma, etc. that having an extra one to share would be nice.
* I found a wonderful spool of Christmas ribbon at a local wholesale store called Shinoda. The ribbon is gold, red and green. My son went with me and he said "mommy this is perfect!" Its a huge spool that I got for about $4.00. Tonight I discovered the really great thing about this ribbon: its wired! It makes bending it so easy!
*Sparkle Modge Podge available at Michael's Arts & Crafts and other places I am sure, but strangely, not at our local Joann's Fabrics. Modge Podge also makes Glitter Modge Podge in Silver and Gold but I opted for Sparkle because I've used it before and I just love the way it looks! The large jar was around $6.00 and will be enough for the entire class plus I'll have left overs.
* Sponge brushes for appying the modge podge
* Hot glue gun & glue sticks for adding the ribbon. This requires just a small amount of glue on the back and dries immediately.
*This step is optional but I used a small piece of recycled foil to let my starfish dry on so it didn't stick to a paper surface. I didn't want to risk breaking one of the delicate legs off the starfish trying to peel it off paper.

The only step that takes a few minutes is letting the modge podge dry. Other than that, this is an extremely quick and easy craft. I cut all of the ribbon pieces ahead of time tonight so tomorrow it will be very easy to attach them. I recommend attaching the ribbon after the modge podge dries so the ribbon remains nice and clean. I'm sure this goes without saying, but I will be operating the glue gun for the children. Have you ever burned yourself on a high temperature glue gun? The worst for me was a burn on my thumb that lasted a month last year when I was making a Christmas Seashell Tree for my mom and dad. Ouch is all I can really add! So rest assured, the children will not be operating the hot glue gun ;)

If you try this craft, I'd love to hear your feedback and post any pictures you have to share. Another thought is that these would look adorable as an embellishment to a gift bag or tied onto a package. My friend Gail gave me a birthday present recently and she took a plain white claim shell, wrote on it with black pen and drilled a small hole into it and hung rafia ribbon through it and hung it off the handle of my gift bag. It was unique and very cleaver and pretty! Here's a picture of how my sample starfish looks on our Christmas tree. Enjoy!

Thankful For You Sale!

2010-11-24T16:03:00.000-08:00

We are having a big sale as a thank you to all of you for making our holiday season so wonderful!

Pink Candylights 7-Watt Pink Bulbs

The Queen one of a Kind Jeweled Bits & Pieces Altered Art Collage

Madonna With Child Altered Art One of a Kind Collage

Paris Pillows Hand Printed

One of a Kind Jeweled Seashell Urn

One of a Kind Pink Wine Stops made from vintage door knobs

Pink Glassware Sugar/Cheese Shaker and Syrup Pitcher. Solid, heavy glass made in the USA.

Pink Present Giveaway

2010-11-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Shabby Cottage Shops is having a Pink Present Giveaway! I have donated a one of a kind, hand painted pink starfish, lightly dusted with utra fine glitter and topped with a vintage earring. Be sure to enter to win!

Pinkalicious Christmas

2010-10-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.shabbycottageshops.com/pages/TheChristmasShoppe.htm

Please visit all chic boutiques and discover the treasures you'll

find for this year's Holiday gift giving season at

Shabby Cottage Shops, its where the finest boutiques gather!

Shabby Lane Shops Pumpkin Decorating Contest I need your votes!

2010-10-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

Please Vote For Bella Lucille!

Team Bella Lucille walks for the American Lung Association

2010-09-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

My 4 children and I are walking on October 2, 2010 to raise money and awareness for the American Lung Association. We will be driving more than an hour from our home to participate in this walk. One of my sons has asthma so this is a cause very close to our hearts. From now until Oct 1, 2010, anyone who makes a donation to team Bella Lucille of $10 or more will receive 15% off your next Bella Lucille order, please email me for the sale link after making your donation. Thank you for your consideration! The link to our team page is here: http://bit.ly/bbZY6r

Update: We surpassed our fundraising goal and we are thrilled! A HUGE thank you to those of you who donated so generously to our team! Some of our donors are: Shabby Cottage Shops, The Nurani Family, The Fuller Family, The Fairborn Family, The Balalis Family, DustyOak Ornaments, and several anonymous donors too. We had a great time and the weather was perfect! Above is our team picture before the walk.

Enter to win my darling ruffled apron today!

2010-07-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

http://www12daysofchristmasinjuly.blogspot.com/p/todays-featured-boutique.html

Christmas in July Giveaway

2010-07-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

http://shabbycottageshops.blogspot.com/2010/07/enter-our-christmas-in-july-giveaway-at.html

12 Days of Giveaways and Christmas in July

2010-07-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

12 Days of Giveaways and Christmas in July starts on Tuesday, July 13, that's just two days away! We'll be starting this shopping extravaganza off with our 1st daily giveaway from one of our shops! Make sure to stop by and enter for a chance to win one of our giveaways, there will be 12 of them, some will have more than one giveaway from the featured boutique or boutiques for each day! We will be posting a list along with pictures of each item and the featured boutique or boutiques and Giveaway of the day, on Tuesday July 13! There is no purchase necessary to participate and the giveaways are fabulous! The daily winner will be announced here on the blog, just look at the category "lucky winners" to see if you were chosen. We will also announce it on facebook, twitter and at Shabby Cottage Shops everyday, so be sure to check back and see if you are one of the lucky winners!

Pretty in Pink Glassware

2010-03-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

Pink Valentines With Victorian Ephemera Scrap

2010-02-12T17:20:00.000-08:00

I made a few of these as gifts for friends, and then brought in the supplies today to help 32 6th graders make their Valentines. I have 2 pictures below. These are so pretty and easy to make.

You need:

An 8" wooden heart, available at Michael's and Woodworks Ltd. www.craftparts.com They are less expensive at $.99 each at Woodworks, compared to Michael's at $1.29 each. Not a big deal but I bought enough for the class so the savings was nice with Woodworks Ltd.

Plain Modge Podge
Glitter Modge Podge
Sponge brushes
Victorian Scrap printed on card stock and cut out
Paint
Drill
Ribbon

Directions:

I began by painting all the hearts pink. I only needed one nice coat of interior flat paint. After it dried, I drilled 2 small holes near the top but carefully and slowly so I didn't split the wood because its thin. Then I took some pretty cream colored ribbon and tied it through the holes Next I lay out the Victorian scrap designs I liked and began gluing with the plain modge podge using a sponge brush. You will need to be generous with the glue and press the cardstock down to make sure all the edges are in place. I saw a few kids put the glue on the wood instead of the paper today, but to really get the paper to stay down, I recommend putting the glue directly to the back of the cardstock. Lastly, I took a clean spongebrush and generously applied the glitter modge podge top to bottom, left to right all over the entire design. Let it dry and hang it up and Enjoy! They look much more sparkley in person with the glitter modge podge. I had a little trouble capturing the true sheen with my camera, but hopefully you can get a glimpse into how pretty they are. These were very affordable to make and no two are exactly the same. Oh and don't be afraid to layer the images and angle them in different directions! Let me know if you make any as I'd love to share your pictures too!

A Story By My Son Harrison, Age 8

2009-12-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

If I was there on Christmas day when baby Jesus was born, I would be so nice to him and his family and I would be so happy if I saw him smile. I wish I could see Jesus in person. He is such a good person he would be so nice to me. I would be so nice to him. I would let him play with me and he would let me play with him. We would be bestfriends and play all day. Jesus is a very, very, very, very good person. I love Jesus and God. If I was there I also wish my family was there because even though I am mean to my brothers and sister and they are mean to me, they love me and I love them more. I love Jesus, God, Mommy, Sydney, Matthew, David, Ralph our cat, Grandma Syd, Grandpa Paul and their cats Prince and Grace. I can't wait to celebrate Jesus's birthday! By Harrison

Shabby Chic On A Budget

2009-12-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, when my friend Abby called and said her neighbor had a wooden headboard for sale, and the price was $3.00, I knew Abby had struck gold for me! She didn't even wait for me to say if I wanted it, she bought it up and shoved it in her car, 2 kids and all, and delivered it to me. Abby rocks! The headboard is a double size and has carved roses and large knobs at the top. It was exactly like the headboard used in a bench I just sold. It has lots of dings and scratches, my personal favorite type of wood because I feel it has so much charm. It was unfinished wood and had so much potential!

My daughter is 12 years old, and we agreed that for Christmas I would fix up the headboard and buy her a double bed since she outgrew her twin daybed. On a little side note, the sweetest couple came and purchased her daybed last night. They too have 3 sons and a daughter. She told me their ages: 20, 18, 18 and 12. I asked if they have twins like me, and she said "no we are a blended family." I really enjoyed hearing that because I have been a single mom for 8 years now, and I really hope to be a blended family some day. I know in God's time, the right man will come to me. Okay, so back to the headboard :)

The headboard was painted Linen White in exterior flat and it looks amazing! I normally hand paint most pieces, but this was done with a spray gun and is not distressed on the edges. It looks really sweet and perfect for my daughter. I can always distress it later but like the way it is for now.

Her new mattress, boxspring and frame will be delivered tomorrow so I have been getting her room cleaned up today. I used a Rachel Ashwell Simply Shabby Chic pink "silk" curtain panel that is lined and heavy for her window. They come 84" long and I had already used the other half in my kitchen window so all I had to do was add a 1" seam for the curtain rod. The panel is $24.95 at Target (www.target.com)

I used one of my $35 chandeliers in pink and white and hung that from the ceiling and covered the cord in my pink organza cord cover, which I have in my store for $8.00. Then I went with my son to IKEA (www.ikea.com) and planned on buying a white ceiling canopy ($19.95). However, when we got there, I saw that they also come in green, blue and are you ready for this...PINK!!! The pink was only $17.00 so I bought that and came home to assemble it. All you have to do is tie the ties onto the metal frame and it hangs from a center loop. I had some different shades of faux pink roses I had used for display at the Rose Bowl and easily took them apart and glue gunned the roses onto the top of the frame where the ties meet the metal on the outside of the frame. I will add pictures with the bed, but wanted to share tonight because my daughter is on cloud 9, and therefore, so am I!

Oh, and all her bedding is also from Target in the Rachel Ashwell Simply Shabby Chic collection and are extremely well priced. I can see that these pictures aren't great. I will update better ones tomorrow for the final reveal.

Pink Starfish

2009-12-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

Last night, I worked on these pink starfish over a bottle of wine, with Abby, a friend I've known since I was 5. Today I am 38. I love that Abby worked on her Christmas cards while I painted, glued, & glittered my starfish. Our children played while we laughed and got lost in our projects. It was a lovely way to spend our Saturday night.

Of The Sea

2009-12-05T15:35:00.000-08:00

Its no secret, I love pink. Every so often though, I am pulled towards shades of blue. I love robin’s egg, French and Tiffany blues. So when I sat down to work on jeweled starfish, I didn’t flinch when I reached for the blue paint. My son Matthew came over as I painted the first starfish and exclaimed, “thank you Mommy!” I said, “thank you for what?” He smiled his contagious smile at me and said, “Mommy I love the blue!”

I made three, and then felt the pull to my pink paint. I am waiting for the paint to dry on 9 pink starfish. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the blue. If you have a chance, please take a peek at Bella Lucille later because I will be adding the pink ones when they are finished.

~Jennifer

Pink Ice Skates

2009-11-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

Like so many people, I opened last December's Romantic Homes with great enthusiasm. I love to see all of the beautiful holiday pages. When I came to Cathy Scalise's hand painted pink ice skates, they took my breath away. What a clever and creative idea! I absolutely loved them. I never thought to work on a pair myself. It seemed somehow out of my league.

A year passed, and I opened the December 2009 Romantic Homes and saw pink skates, this time made by a reader named Rosanne, who had received her inspiration from Cathy Scalise.

Feeling more confident in my craft, I bought a pair of white ice skates and went to work. I hand painted mine pink, and painted the black heels white. I also painted the blades white and added a thick dusting of ulta fine white glitter. I included some pink rick rack where the heel meets the leather. At the top I added some white marabou trim. Lastly, I added 13 pink ribbon roses for trim near the laces.

I like the way mine came out, although I admit I still think Cathy's are the prettiest I have seen. If not for Cathy's skates, I never would have thought of making a pair, so I am grateful to her for the inspiration.

To read more about Cathy and to see her amazing creations, please go to http://www.eleganceandwhimsy.com

2009-11-17T14:17:00.001-08:00

I have added the most adorable tooth fairy pillows, made out of the prettiest vintage reproduction fabrics and trimmed with pink lace. At $12.95, these are affordable and make lovely gifts. And by popular demand, coming in the next few weeks I will be adding tooth fairy pillows in boy colors so please look for them.

Vintage Treasures

2009-09-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hand painted vintage table lamp. This belonged to my grandmother and my mom is 65 and grandma had the lamp before she was born so we know it is old, but not exactly sure how old. The body is ceramic and the roses and flower colors on it are vibrant and there do not appear to be any flaws. I have listed it on ebay (with mom's blessing) and hope to find out more about it from someone with more knowledge on antique lamps.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160362767118&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp4712.m38.l1313%26_nkw%3D160362767118%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

World's Best Pancakes

2009-08-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

My kids will eat these for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and they are so good, they will even eat them plain! Here's the recipe, since I have made them 3 times this week.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients together

2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter

Heat the milk and butter together until the butter is melted

3 eggs, separated

Mix the yolks into the heated milk and butter, then use an electric mixer to mix this with the flour ingredients.

Rinse off the beaters and beat the whites until almost stiff. Gently fold them into the batter. Heat a skillet and use butter in the pan, not oil! Butter makes all the difference in taste!

Make small silver dollar size or larger, your preference. My kids like them small. Butter the skillet in between each batch, just a small amount, to keep the pancakes from sticking. These taste like the lightest crepes and are always a huge hit when family and friends come over. They are a little more work than other recipes, but they are always worth it. I'd love for you to try them and post your comments here. I have used nutella on them before, syrup and jam, but I still love them best plain. Enjoy!

Bits & Pieces Collages

2009-08-29T09:34:00.001-07:00

Pink Christmas Bits & Pieces Collage

Halloween Bits & Pieces Collage

Paris Apartment Bits & Pieces Collage

Love For Tommy

2009-08-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

Frankie Smith, who helped organize the "Love for Tommy" benefit, enjoys the sun with Tommy Conforti outside his family's house in Newport Beach on Monday, August 17, 2009.

Tommy, summer 2009
Tommy, center with "the buzz boys," his friends from school
(and younger sister in the back), Dec. 2008

Matthew, Tommy and my two sons, Matthew and David, Dec. 2008

http://lovefortommy.com/

Tommy is raising money for his charity CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. There is a link on the site http://lovefortommy.com/ if you would like to donate. Thank you for allowing me to share these stories with you!

More Plaques ~ New Sayings!

2009-07-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

I have restocked more of your favorite plaques, and added some great new sayings as well. Each plaque is just $12.00 for handpainted roses!!! Please come take a closer look at http://www.bellalucille.com/

Grandma's Birthday

2009-07-25T15:27:00.001-07:00

My mom just turned 66. What better way to celebrate than with a surprise party with her grandchildren! We had balloons, a cupcake pinata (pull string) and Susie Cakes cupcakes that are absolutely delicious! We got 4 flavors: coconut, chocolate, strawberry and lemon. If you live in an area where they have a bakery, they are so worth ordering from and they carry many other flavors! http://www.susiecakesla.com/

I made my mom's favorite spinach salad:

1 bag of baby spinach

fresh strawberries, cut and sliced

fresh blueberries

crumbled gorganzola cheese

candied pecans

raspberry balsamic dressing (I like Annie's brand, available at most health food stores)

Toss and serve cold. Pepper to taste, if desired

New & Improved Pink Christmas Signs

2009-07-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

This year we are offering thicker, larger handpainted signs that read: "I'm Dreaming Of A Pink Christmas." They measure 36" long by 7" wide by 1/2" thick. They are nice and solid. The background is a distressed pale pink, and the lettering is done in script with dark pink letters. These look really nice, and are for sale now for $36.00 each.

Baby Shower Pictures and Ideas

2009-07-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

Recently, I hosted a baby shower for my only sibling, my older sister. Thankfully she is having a girl, since I specialize in pink! We had 16 confirmed guests, so I went to Old Towne Orange and went into an Antique store where I had remembered seeing a large variety of Limoges dishes. I thought it would be really fun to buy 16 different plates, each one with pink roses on it but in different patterns. The plates were anywhere from $9 and up to $95, so I opted to buy lunch sized plates, which are smaller than dinner plates, but a little larger than dessert plates and I spent about $230 for 16 plates and 1 serving bowl. I lucked out because the plates and bowl were all 20% when I went in! I would have tried to negociate a discount if they hadn't been on sale. I have found most antique stores will entertain reasonable offers. I also mixed in white milk glass servers that have holes on the edges, and wove them with pink ribbon. I brought a chippy old bistro table inside for added seating and used a pretty table cloth and added some pink organza fabric over the cushions that I tied into bows. I repainted my dining set white, and decided to use 3 coordinating fabrics for the cushions. The tablecloth was my grandmothers white cut lace tablecloth and I added a diaper cake for the center piece. For a fun touch, I framed the shower invitation and had it on the entry table. My sister loves seashells so I put some pretty polished white shells into a silverplated dish that I found at our local goodwill for $.99!

Everything looked really pretty and the shower was a wonderful party. My sister is due in about 2 weeks and I cannot wait to be an auntie!

One of a Kind Pink Seashell Mirror

2009-07-01T18:29:00.001-07:00

http://www.bellalucille.com/item_455/One-of-a-Kind-All-Pink-Seashell-Mirror.htm

I had so much fun making this mirror! The shells and pearls are dyed pink, and I glued them all by hand, one piece at a time. The base is wooden, and the overall frame measures approximately 9" x 11". It is really pretty in person. Please click to enlarge!

First Sale of the Summer!

2009-06-22T15:57:00.001-07:00

We are having our first sale of the summer ~ 20% off, valid 6/22/09 - 6/30/09

Please come see our pretty new items!
http://www.bellalucille.com/?code=June09

2009-06-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

I am excited to have added lots of pretty handpainted signs, like the one shown. Ruth did a beautiful job making the signs up for me! Thank you Ruth!

I have joined Nashville Boutiques, a wonderful sister site to Shabby Lane Shops

2009-06-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

Fun new items at Bella Lucille!

2009-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

We have some pretty new pillows for sale! We also have some fun purse key finders in 2 styles: pink cz heart and clear cz crown. Come see what else is new at http://www.bellalucille.com

10% off sale now through April 30, 2009

2009-04-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Please use the following sale link to save 10% off all items at Bella Lucille, going on now through April 30, 2009. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

http://www.bellalucille.com/?code=BLSALE10

30% off one day sale!!!

2009-04-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

I am having a one day only sale on April 15, 2009 ~ Save 30% off all items on my website! Please email me for the sale link! bella.lucille@yahoo.com

2009-04-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market!

2009-03-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, we have a ton of darling items ready to go tomorrow! We will be in the ORANGE section at space EE03 and we'd love for you to come say hello. I will get some pictures up probably Monday. Please keep us in your prayers/good thoughts for a great first show. Thanks!

Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market!

2009-02-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I am both excited and terrified at the same time. I've never worked a show before, and you know the expression, "go big, or go home?" Well in California I'm pretty certain the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market is as big as it gets. I have so many cute things that don't always translate that well online, so I'm taking some of those items, along with some hand painted Shabby Chic furniture and other one of a kind items I've made, and I'm going for it! I will be accompanied by my boyfriend Nick, who makes the most amazing seashell art. I have some of his pieces on my website. The seashell art on my blog are all pieces I have made :)

I don't know which space I have yet, but I do know the date is Sunday March 8, and we have to be there very early! I would love advice that any of you can share with me on how to display, what to expect, anything at all that you'd like to share including pictures of shows you may have done so I can have a better idea on how to set up!

2009-01-27T23:33:00.000-08:00

1 of a Kind Seashell Valentine Heart

2009-01-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

This is one of a kind, completely handcrafted by me :)

I hope you enjoy it! For sale at www.bellalucille.com

We now offer Christie Repasy canvas prints for sale!

2009-01-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to announce we now carry Christie Repasy canvas prints. Ms. Repasy's beautiful paintings are highly sought after. Her work has been featured in Romantic Homes Magazine. Look for more of her pieces on Bella Lucille coming soon! http://www.bellalucille.com/category_30/Christie-Repasy-Canvas-Prints.htm

I Antique Online

2009-01-15T20:46:00.000-08:00

I have joined a wonderful website that I feel you may enjoy too, called I Antique Online. My page link follows: http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/profile/BellaLucille

The main link to the site is: http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/

I Antique Online is a free webite and is "A community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles & art." I hope you take a look. Let me know what you think of it :)

25% off sale

2009-01-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

Hi there! Bella Lucille is offering 25% off all purchases going on January 7, 2009 - January 15, 2009. By using the link provided, 25% will automatically be deducted from your purchases.

http://www.bellalucille.com/?code=BLVIP109

Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or sales.

Seashell Trees

2008-12-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

Ralph and the Seashell Tree

2008-11-28T14:38:00.000-08:00

Meet Ralph, the world's sweetest cat. We adopted him 2 yrs ago from the local pound and he has been our gift from God. That being said, curious little Ralph decided to rub all over the 36" seashell Christmas tree I made for my sister and brother in law, and he knocked it over. Luckily, only the starfish and 5 shells came off and all was not lost. It was an easy fix, and I learned to keep the tree locked away from Ralphie until Thanksgiving evening. Pictured above is my sister, just after I told her that the centerpiece is an early Christmas gift for her take home last night. She and her husband have 2 cats and a dog, and told me it is safely on display in their home on their mantle.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T14:21:00.000-08:00

I have four children myself, so this picture makes me smile. If you click on it, it should enlarge so you can read the saying a little easier. Anyway, I hope you have a blessed holiday with warmth in your heart, surrounded by loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving!

Sale Link

2008-11-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

We here at Bella Lucille feel blessed and thankful to have such a wonderfully loyal clientele! We appreciate each of you, and invite you to use this link

http://www.bellalucille.com/?code=Thanks

to save 25% off all purchases, valid through November 30, 2008. You are welcome to share this link with friends and family to pass the savings on to them as well. We have added some beautiful new items to our site, and updated quantities on some handmade favorites! Thank you for choosing Bella Lucille for your place to shop. We look forward to making your shopping experience memorable!

~Bella Lucille, Pretty in Pink Unique Home Decor

Seashell Christmas Tree

2008-11-19T12:52:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun making this! It measures 36" tall, and is really heavy! I used a beautiful variety of shells and put faux pearl accents sparingly throughout. The starfish topper is adorned with Swarovski Crystals. Its just gorgeous in person! This one is going to be a surprise Christmas gift for my sister and her husband, but I can make more if anyone is interested. The large ones sell for $250 because of the materials and work involved in hand making them, and there are smaller ones available for less money. Please contact me if you are interested. bella.lucille@yahoo.com

Cottage Charm Bucket Lamps with Crystal Prisms are back!!!

2008-11-16T14:08:00.001-08:00

These are so much fun to make! Each one is hand painted, and hand wired with all new lamp parts. They plug into an outlet, or can be hard wired by the buyer for a ceiling mount. Right now we have them in pale pink and linen white, but we can make other colors by request. They are $50.00 plus shipping.

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

2008-10-27T22:28:00.000-07:00

Sale going on now through November 30, 2008. Please go to

http://www.bellalucille.com/?code=PinkChristmas

and save 10% off all purchases!

Christmas is coming!

2008-10-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peak of our cupcake ornaments, online now. They are just adorable! More Christmas and holiday items will be added soon.

New Baby Boys Hangers!

2008-09-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

We still offer the pink ballet dancers and the Eiffel Towers, and now we also have boys vintage toys. Each hanger is primed, painted with two coats of paint, given a water slide decal and sealed with a clear matte finish. They sell for $5.25 each

Bella Lucille SALE!!!

2008-09-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

Use the link provided to automatically SAVE 15% off your purchases, valid now thru October 15, 2008 http://www.bellalucille.com/?code=1008

Wastebasket Ruffled Embellishments

2008-09-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

These are so cute! Every home needs one!!! They are machine sewn, one at a time by Barbara, and have elastic in them to expand to fit your trashcan. They serve double duty as they hold the bag in place, and also add a pretty touch to an otherwise not so pretty necessity. They are $14.00 each, with shipping included in the price. Special orders are welcome, so if you don't see the fabric you want, let us know and we'll work with you to get you what you want.

Halloween Plaques

2008-09-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

We have some darling new Halloween plaques for sale on our website. Each one is handmade. They measure 5" x 7" and have vintage images. They hang from black ribbon and are completed with a dusting of ultrafine black glitter.