Dress Form decorated

I had one more little metal dress form to decorate, and I had saved a sweet little dress from a broken porcelain doll from the 80's (so I guess you could call it Vintage)  The sweet little girl doll was meant to look like the early 19th century England.  It has always reminded me of a child that would have come out of a Jane Austen novel.
At the bottom of the form, is the stand and so I took the cap and undid the gathers and made a cover for the round bottom.  I undid the flowered trim that was on the cap and put it on the dress too, to decorate the dress.

Here is the back view

Something has to be put in the card holding part, so I had a vision of certain kind of images that I wanted for the top, and I had such a hard time finding what I wanted on the internet.  Then I remembered that I had a large rubber stamp with a Toile image of a adult with a child and I always have imagined that it is from the Early 19th century.

 I stamped it, went over it with a fine marker and chalked in the color.

I then had some foil frames, that I framed the images with and backed it with some

brown bazzill paper and rubbed an white stamp pad on the edges.  It isn't perfectly what

I had wanted, but I do like how they look.  It turned out nice I think and looks cute in my studio.

And please visit the wonderful Susan at Shabby and Frills as she is giving away 5 yards of vintage fabric.

And she would like to generate some more followers.  check it out,  I know I would love to have 5  1 yard pieces of fabric any day.  thanks Susan

The coming of the 4th

The 4th is coming.  It will be here soon,  I made this a couple of years ago, and was sure that I had posted it, but could not find it anywhere in the back pages of my blog.  So here it is.  I put it on this easel when it is getting close to the 4th.  

And to really get you in the mood, how about a cake for the holiday.  It is a jello cake, you know the ones you poke the holes in and pour dissovlved jello thoroughout.  Then it is topped with Cool whip, blueberries and strawberries.

Very yummy, and make sure you put it in the fridge!  Happy Independence Day next week!

Eye-candy workspace filebox

This weekend project has been re-organizing and cleaning out my studio.  I wanted a way to have at my fingertips, some of my most favorite embellishments that are not 3 dimensional.  I took a wood box that sits in my studio, holding some favorites from other bloggers and put those things elsewhere and made 5 chipboard and paper index file dividers.  Here is a peek at them.

I used up some old stickers and vintage embellishments that I had.  Love using those stickers on something!

A little envelope filled with vintage stamps is attached with a paperclip

I have so much vintage and vintage look ephemera, but I got tired of looking thtough it all in different places.

This came to my by a blogging friend on one of my many matchbox swaps.

Here is is altoghether.

Here is the lovely wood box that it all sits in.  Just more eye candy for one of my work spaces.

Another view.  but you will have to wait and see how it looks in the room, for the 3rd annual Where Women Create, coming in July.  If you are interested in that, look at the top of my sidebar and click.
It is great fun for all!
And also check out some of these beautiful German Dresden embossed foils

. . . and the intricate little silhouette here is so delicate.  It is also from Germany I believe.

The Wait is over! ANNOUNCEMENT of a New Swap

I am finally getting to the announcing of a new Vintage swap for summer.  I have been gone for this past week and was behind anyway.  So here it is and it is slightly more challenging than our last 'petite jar swap.'  I am calling it, "THE VINTAGE SUMMER HATBOX SWAP.   (Sorry gals, but you must have a blog to participate in this one)

1.   Begin with one approx. 7 to 8 inch diameter or bigger hatbox or shakerbox and decorate the outside.
(the box can be either round, oval or heart shaped)
2.   Fill it with vintage and or handmade goodies.  Must be mostly vintage, but please include at least 1 thing that is handmade.
      suggestions:     Doilies, Handkerchiefs, Teacups, trinket boxes, antique linens, Jewelry, old silverware, perfume bottles, salt shakers, and other vintage goodies, scrapbook supplies that go with your look.  It is up to you!
3.  Pay attn. to your partner's blog and send stuff you think she would love.  And always make it something you would just be so tickled to receive.
4.  The cost of shipping is so high internationally, that you must either live in US or Canada.
5.  The ship date will be July Monday, July 16, 2012
6.  The cut off date for signing up will be June 27th and partner's will be assigned June 30th.  Please email me at ask@comnett.net and put in the subject line summer hatbox swap!
7.  PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP IF YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH.

so find those goodies and get to those hatboxes.  The following works well, but I found my hatbox at a yard sale.  

So gather up your wares and get to decorating a hat box.  Make sure it is at least 7" in diameter.  Thanks

Michele

3 ways to enjoy thrift store shopping

I was able to get to one thrift store on Saturday June 2nd for some quick thrifting.  While there I
decided there are 3 things I love most about thrift store shopping.  I am always on the lookout for vintage or vintage look stuff, that doesn't have antique mall prices.  This day I got very lucky. . .

1)  On the hunt, down every aisle, carefully looking over every little piece.  (This was quite a large
      thrift store)
2)  Finding the special items that you hope no one else is looking at.  YES, you got it in your basket.
3)  Deciding whether or not you will paint it or just what it will become once you get it home.

My first find was the most exciting of the trip.  (Keep in mind that my husband is waiting in the car)
so I am a little bit hurried!

These all were bundled together.

This little frame was laying by the other bundle.  I looked around and tried 

not to act excited.  

Thought this piece looked so intriguing!

                                            I am always needing these easels, but
                                        never have I only paid .50 for one.  Yippy!

And the grand total for all of this was  $9.00  I have big plans for this stuff!

Mercedes was my recipient

 Mercedes Scott was the person that I sent to in the Partner's Choice matchbox swap.  Her likes are
my likes, so this was just a matter of making a matchbox that I would love to receive.

I made a mini tussie mussie for the top and used german glass glitter to adorn the edges.
I wanted it to look like something you would see on a French bedroom's vanity.  Lots of
fun went into doing this one and then inside I put lots of goodies. . . . . .

and inside the little round jar was all of these tiny treasures. . . . .

Hope you have a great day!