Finished Brooches

I finally finished these brooches.  I had wanted to play with transfer paper and have been very pleased with the results.

The images are from vintage cards and things that I own that were edited some via Picmonkey, printed off on transfer paper, ironed onto felt pieces, then stitched onto other felt pieces.  The embellishing is the fun part to me.

 The images turned out crisp and full of color.  Hopefully I'll be able to work on some ornaments soon...but you know how time gets away sometimes.  Hope you like these.

Something Purple...

...for the Embracing Cottage Style Vintage Purple Party.

Here is a pendant collage of lavender/purple vintage jewelry pieces that have been glued onto a setting and put on a chain made of vintage elements.  I thought this would be a pretty, light color for spring. It is in my Etsy shop.  Check out the blog party at Embracing Cottage Style for other pretty vintage purple items.

Playing with Buttons

I've decided to share some of my button stash...literally share it...but making up some pretties for my Etsy shop.  Why hoard all of these gorgeous buttons when they can be made up into something pretty for others to use and enjoy?  I think buttons like these are like little jewels...and what do we do with little jewels?  Make jewelry, of course!

I hand-tied these onto metal filigree components.  Each little glass button is different and beautiful, and I think they made an exquisite bracelet.  There will be more to come in time.  Hope you like these.

Flea Markets and Barn Sales...Oh, and an Upcoming Sale!

One thing I just love about the warmer weather is getting out to sales...yard sales, garage sales, flea markets, and barn sales. 

Thanks to CTheWritingOnTheWall  for their fabulous "Flea Market" sign.  Check out their Esty shop HERE. 

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This past weekend Mom and I went to two flea markets and three barn sales.  *whew*  We were really tired out, and, yes, I spent all of my money I had to spend (and then a little bit more).  Some of the sales were pathetic or too expensive, but a few (especially one) were fantastic.  I could have spent hundreds of dollars.  At one barn sale there was a lady taking pictures on her I-phone...sending them to a friend...and getting answers back from the friend to buy things for her.  The lady had a huge pile of stuff she was buying (and this was on the second day of the sale!).  It was all great fun. 

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I'm eager to take pictures and list the many goodies that were found.  First of all, the weather needs to cooperate so that my pictures will come out looking nice, AND I need to list things that I've already taken pictures of and just haven't gotten listed yet.  I'm in the process of doing that now.  I'm going to have a big, big sale on July 4th...okay, since you've read down this far I'll tell you what the sale will be.  It is going to be 40%...yes, that's 40% off everything in my Etsy store on July 4th.  This sale will be for one day only.  Come back at the end of the week for a blog post on the specs and for the discount coupon code. 

Embroidery on Paper

If I see something super neat, I like to see if it can be done on a small scale.  Things on a small scale are just so much more interesting!  I saw a large piece of paper that was stitched on on Pinterest and thought it looked so pretty.  Sometime a while ago I found a wee vintage dictionary with its back cover missing as well as a few pages...and, well, the two ideas just went together in my mind.  It took some trial and error, but here is the little brooch that is the end result...

 

What do you think? 

New Stitching Project

I just love embroidery and needlework...it is so relaxing and I love the look.  It is just fun to create, as many of you will agree.  I tried an experiment and designed this pendant this past week.  It is a little "Shabby Chic" and a little "Modern Victorian". 

It is a mixed media pendant with both new and vintage bits on it--new charm and beads, vintage pearls, lace, and buttons.  It has been listed in my Etsy shop, but I thought I'd share it here to see what you think. 

Vintage Red Heart Buttons

 

I recently bought an old sewing machine at a thrift store.  There's more to that which I'll leave for a different post.  The two draws were full of notions (what put me over the edge to buy the machine). Some things were bobbins and other items for the sewing machine.  Some things were old and junky.  Then there were a few treasures...including buttons--most not that great but a few nice ones!  These two heart buttons were in it.  I love them!  They need to be on a project, but it will be a while before I'll be able to part with them. 

 

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Perfume Bottle Necklace

Well, I had had this perfume bottle on my craft table for quite awhile now.  It was completely intact except for the embellishment that was on the very front.  It dawned on me to PUT an embellishment on the front that would complement the bottle (plus some extra pearls and rhinestones).  After seeing my mother's Stampington magazine, I then decided to make it into a necklace. 

 

The bail and chain can be taken off without any problem if someone just wanted the pretty little bottle for their boudoir table.  I personally prefer it as just the bottle, but it's nice that this piece is versatile enough to be used as a necklace as well. 

Pretty Button Cards and New Felt Pin

Mom and I went to a large antique mall this past weekend down around the southern boarder of the state.  It was our annual trek down there for a "girl's day".  It was loads of fun...and relaxing too.  I found some pretty button cards.

 

The card itself is pretty on this one not to mention the buttons.  I'm pretty sure the buttons are glass, but sometimes it is so hard to tell.

 

This little girl one is sweet along with the simple pink buttons.

 

This one is gorgeous.  Don't you just love that wedding dress?? 

 

Also, I completed another felt pin.  This is a depiction of a vintage Mason or Ball jar with fireflies in it.  Can you tell summer was on my mind while making this?  The ends and flight paths of the fireflies are in glow in the dark thread for extra fun.  I'll be listing this in my Etsy shop soon. 

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Button Card Ornaments

I really love vintage button cards and enjoy looking at them on Pinterest.  Some are just exquisite.  I remember an estate sale that I went to that had many...wish I had purchased more of them.  Anyway, while these button cards aren't over the top exquisite, they ARE pretty.  Of course, you know I like to embellish things with vintage jewelry...so these were a natural combination. 

I bought some pretty paper and worked these up.  I tried to make them look pretty on the front and back. 

They are in my Etsy shop and can be hung around the home as home décor all year round. 

Hope you like them too. 

Time to Blog

To be honest with you...I'm finding it difficult to find time to blog!  I'm sure many others are having the same problem.  There is my Etsy shop to constantly work on including networking there, Pinterest to peek at, emails to catch up with...then of course, housework, kids, homeschooling, and creating for my shop.  Ugh!  It seems like I set there at the end of a day all the time and wonder just where exactly time went. 

I have been putting on the screws as far as creating goes.  I have been working on some new ideas...some things are done and others are still in the works.  Mom and I had a "craft day" last Saturday while Hubby worked.  It was fun, and we got a lot done.  We are actually going to be in a craft show this year.  She has been in them for years...and years.  This will be my first, so I'm glad we will be in this one together.  I'm going to put some of my bigger and hard to ship things to see if they go.  It is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so at least I have a little bit of time to work some more things up. 

One thing I've started doing is embellishing beautiful keys.  The key first of all has to have design and be pretty.  They have been fun to do.  Of course, you know me and embellishing--can't help myself.  A few have sold (the one above is one of my favorites but hasn't sold yet). 

Also, Mom found at a thrift shop out West a box full of these tiny pink plastic figures--figures from cereal promos in the 1950's.  There are some that I won't use, but the pretty ladies/dancers inspired me to make little shadowbox ornaments.  I tried to make little embellished--true to size, the hard part--scenes.  I made them in colors of ornaments that can be used year round as home décor.  Of course they have lots of glitter.  They are pretty small since they are made out of small cardboard jewelry boxes. 

I had some other little vintage bits that I made into shadowboxes/dioramas...this little winter scene dog is probably my favorite. 
I'll blog about the other "new things" I'm working on, but those probably won't be done until the end of the week or so. 

Vintage Crown Buttons

Mom and I were at the local antique mall last week, and I purchased a bag of vintage buttons for $2.  I got the bag because of these three crown buttons....

...aren't they darling?  I hope to put them into a wearable craft. 

However inside there were plenty of other beautiful buttons---many are glass.  While there aren't very many others where there is more than one of a kind (though those red glass triangle ones are a lovely find!), I'm delighted with the purchase.  Buttons are so fun.

Catching Up

It HAS been awhile since I blogged last.  Life has gotten busy.  There is only so much time in a day to get things done.  My little blog has suffered.  I can't possibly go back to when I blogged last and catch up on everything.  But I shall try....

In a nutshell:  We finished school at the end of May.  The kids did well this past year, and I'm very pleased with their work.  They are taking a break from violin for the summer but are still working on their piano lessons.  Our daughter is taking swimming lessons to get a little more confident in the water than she is.  We are still doing those lessons, and I certainly see improvement in just this short time.  They are also taking art lessons this summer. 

We went camping for two nights already.  It was fun to get away, and we hope to do some more in a few weeks.  No big vacation is planned this year--just short camping trips around the state.  We really would like to get up to Door County this summer.  I see the newest issue of Victoria magazine has a nice article on Door County.  They are well deserving of the publicity.  It really is pretty and relaxing up there in the "thumb" of Wisconsin.

There have been plenty of parties we've been going to:  graduation, birthday, etc.  My mother-in-law's 70th is on July 4th, and we are helping with a big celebration for her. 

I've been working on many projects.  Unfortunately sales have been a little low, but that is to be expected this time of year when there is so much going on and people are putting their money toward vacations and family get-togethers.  I've been working on some felt projects (I really do enjoy making felt things) and, of course, my vintage jewelry embellishment projects. 

 

Mom and I are thinking of trying a craft show this fall.  She has been in many; I haven't been in any.  We're waiting approval.  I'm not very good at "production", but if we are approved to be in it, I will need to work on that until November. 

Well, I'll try to be more faithful at writing in the days ahead.  Happy summer day to you.

Pretty Dishes for a Song

I found these two dishes this past Friday at a thrift shop.  I've been looking around for a pretty serving dish (like for mashed potatoes) but haven't wanted to spend much.  Well, these two dishes were only around $3.50--for both of them--so they were definitely worth the money.  The shapes, gold accents, cut work, and floral patterns are beautiful.   Hope you like them too!

 

Vintage Button Card Jewelry

Well, I've had some amazing inspiration for this, my newest project--Button Card Jewelry. 

I have made pendants and pins that look like vintage button cards--complete with little buttons (some of them very tiny).  

Using the digital tools available today and vintage cards and things, I've made pieces that look like vintage button cards and sewn on buttons (many of them vintage) turning them into brooches and pendants.  They have been a lot of hard work but great fun. 

Of course, much inspiration has come from following Button Floozies, a blog that I adore.  Pinterest has been another source of inspiration with photos such as this:

Then, there was the article in the March 2013 issue of Romantic Homes.  I just LOVED the picture in it and was drawn to the colors on this page. 

I haven't copied any button cards actually but rather have created my own and coordinated buttons to go with them.  Hope you like them!  They are listed in my Etsy shop.

Adele and Josette at the Dress Form Ball

This little lady had been out shopping (in Paris, of course!) all day but still wanted to go to the Dress Form Ball at The Polka Dot Closet.  Adele is, oh, so tiny at only 3-1/4" tall, but, alas, was the only dress form around who was able to participate! 

She wore her finest vintage creme doily dress...the one with the rhinestone sash and bow.  She was pleased with the fleur-de-lis brooch she purchased while in Paris and put it on right away. 

Though she was already cumbered with her purse and packages, she couldn't resist purchasing a bouquet of roses from a street vendor to bring to our hostess of the second annual ball.

 
Little Josette who goes with her everywhere was wearing her typical rhinestone collar and leash. 

Many thanks to our hostess, Carol. 

Be sure to go to her blog, The Polka Dot Closet, to enjoy the ball and the many lovely guests who are also attending!

The Lamp....Again

I really was content with the lamp I found at the thrift store a few weeks back.  I truly was content.  THEN...we went to a thrift/charity shop yesterday, and I found the **perfect** lamp for a song. 

It is the exact style I was looking for, only I think this is prettier than I imagined.  The glass shade looks like a flower.  The brushed brass goes with our living room rug.  It is the right size--small but with a good, strong light.  I'm thrilled!!

On the way out of the store with lamp in hand, and a few other ladies were commenting on it wishing they had seen it first!  Yes, I'm very pleased and feel like I will be doing my needlework in the evenings in style.

Also, this tin was at the same store.  I have a few of these (in red, blue, and green), only not in this color (brown) nor large size.  It's about 6" tall.  It was only 25 cents.  What a deal!

Thrift Shop Finds

Today was a discount day at the thrift shop in town.  I just love discount days...but I so rarely actually make it to them...busy with school and such, you know.  However, I was able to go today and snagged some pretty and useful things for a song.

This is a wreath with beautiful plastic leaves on it.  I'm sure I'll have a purpose for this come fall.  It could use a good cleaning, but each of these leaves are on wire and will be very useful in the future, I'm sure.

Then there are these pretty, old spoons.  I have been looking for more to make some ornaments with, and these have a nice pattern on the ends and a pretty worn patina.

This is two strips of gold trim--one thinner and decorative and one with tassels.  Trim is expensive to buy outright, and I will certainly find uses for these pieces.  I may have enough to do a chair that desperately needs to be recovered and re-trimmed (yes, the chair I am sitting on!). 

This last thing is a dish that I do not need...but I love it.  It is perfect for pickles or sugar cubes or some other little bits. 

The cobalt and roses are so pretty together as well as the gold accents and scalloped shape of the dish.