Crepe' paper roses

These beauties are made from streamer type crepe' paper. I recently made about 100 of these little paper roses. I made them for a friend's daughter's wedding. They took them and glued them to large styrofoam balls and then hung them from painted twig branches.

Three items of business!

To all of you out there, who might have tried to comment here and could not, I have fixed the problem.  And to all of you who have decided to participate in my Fall Intrigues Basket Swap, the deadline for notifying me will be SEPT. 8th and the shipping date to your partner will be Oct. 7th.  This should give us all plenty of time to think about and collect items for our baskets.  Little bit of a tip:  Keep in light weight! 

Some ideas for your baskets:

1.  candy corn or chocolate is always good!
2.  scrapbook embellishments (this could cover a lot)
3.  halloween paper or
4.  Salt and pepper shakers
5.  Recipes
6.  potpouri or scentsy wax
7.  small scented candles
8.  doilies or other small vintage pieces.
9.  buttons
10. patterns or iron ons
Just some ideas for you.

Did it just for me!

      I wanted to figure out a way I could not only have all the
vintage trimmings and doily's I have found at thrift stores,
antique malls, shops and yard sales this summer,
but display them as well so I can enjoy looking at them.  
I thought I would go and get some of the drawers 
to a antique sewing machine I have in my garage.  
My wonderful sister brought it to me this summer from Arizona.
But I am just not sure what I will do with it yet.  In the mean time
I will use the drawers in my creative space.  I am just so tickled with
the look of all this vintage!

This little heart ceramic pendant  with my name on it, 
was made and given to me 
by my Aunt when I turned seven years old.  It is so dear to me. 
I can't believe I still have it.  It is one of the few things I have
from my childhood.  

                                 Most all of the trims are vintage. I made chipboard cards covered
                               with scrapbook paper, then distressed them, and wrapped them
                                    with the trims and used some of the vintage or vintage look pins
                                   I have found or been given to inhance the look. To me it is worth
                                           the work, to have the eye-candy to look at everyday!

These are all vintage pieces, accept one, which is stamped
cotton and bought on Etsy. The large pin is from Karla
at karlascottage.typepad.com

Announcement! Fall Intrigues Basket Swap!

 

Hi there to all my blog friends. I know it is just the middle of August, and I know you are all busy with other swaps, giveaways and just keeping up with your blog, but I would love to host another little swap for the fall. Why am I doing it? Well, it is just that I am tired of the heat, and yes, I am rushing the fall season, because it is truly my favorite of all the seasons. I live where it is very hot hot, and by golly I am already dreaming of Halloween and Thanksgiving cause I know it is wonderful cool weather then.

Therefore, I am introducing a brand new swap. We will call it the Fall Intrigues Basket Swap. And the only rules are that it needs to be sent in a basket. Let's keep it simple and just put anything into the basket that you wish that has to do with fall. And let's put it all into the basket! So be creative. This is not a vintage persay swap, but you could certainly put in vintage any thing, scrapbook supplies, trinkets, treasures, candy, recipes, or whatever you wish, as long as it has to do with Fall.

When I think of Autumn, I think of bushel baskets of peaches or apples. I think of the changes in the leaves, my granchildren treak-or-treating and I will get plenty of photos of that to scrapbook,gathering of family and being thankful for all of that, and certainly new recipes to try and looking forward to Christmas time. So be creative! Just comment on this post, Email me at this address: ask@comnett.net and put the words fall basket swap in the subject line, and include your NAME MAILING ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS BLOG LINK (most important) If you don't have a blog that is Okay, but it is always helpful getting to know your partner through their blog. Make sure you let me know first through this post. Then I will be checking my emial for you. You will have until September 8th to let me know. I will give the ship date to you all later.

One more thing, could I ask a small favor?  Could you save as. . the collage picture above and post it on your blog somewhere, to advertise this swap.   Thanks a bunch!!!!!

Alice Stuff for a Friend!

I was asked by a blogging friend, Susan from Art of Mine to send her some Alice Ephemera, a couple of months ago. I have been so busy with babies and grandkids, that I kept promising and never got to it. I finally got it done, and this is what I came up with to send to this special friend. I added some fun little embellishments for Alice tags of her own.  And might I add, that Susan is one of those very special sweet sweet people that I am having the priveledge to get to know.  And she is also having a wonderful giveaway over at her blog, and I would encourage all you blogging friends to check it out. Her blog is sjmcdowell.blogspot.com  (Art of Mine) Below is the tag I decided to include which I made for her. I am not even tired of Alice Yet! And I love these pictures from a very old "Alice in Wonderland" book that belonged to my mother when she was little.  It is a very unique Alice book!

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Blackberry Vines pretty packages party

Here is my creatively wrapped gift for the blog party going on from blackberryvine.blogspot.com
I wanted a very 18th century look, sort of like Marie Antuionette fair. I used a glittered decorated paper
medallion from my Etsy shop for this and added some chrystal chandelier drops and doilies underneath.
I first wrapped it in some flocked paper and used big satin sashes for the bow.

It's a Wrap. . . Christmas in July Swap is done!

I patchworked Moda/basic grey squares onto a

purchased kitchen towel from India, and used some

vintage trim before adding the felt applique work and

beads.  Then made a cute vintage tag for this.

 

I just wrapped up the Christmas in july Holiday magic swap that was hosted by Something Special.  I had an amazing partner.  And this is what I  sent to her:  I made a couple of ornaments. For this one I used a foil blue leaf, a glass glittered snowflake, cut from my cricut machine, some silver pipe cleaner, and a medallion from K & Company.  Then glittered up a mini tart mold.  

I made another ornament from a vintage snowman ornament and used vintage silver and gold glass glitter. I made a vintage tag and attached 3 glass santa buttons, made another tag and put some vintage and non-vintage trims on it with old buttons, found a plastic bell ornament from the 40's-50's and then found a blown glass indented ornament.

Then I found a couple of silver frame ornaments. Not vintage, but very cute.

This was the breakable item I was so worried about and I guess it made it okay. This is a teapot from Avon about 10 years old.  Scroll down to see what she sent to me.  I had so much fun with this one.  

My first giveaway win!

I was the winner of the giveaway that Kimberly Laws at artjoystuff.blogspot.com was having when she reached 50 followers.  I never win, but got lucky this time and this is what I received. . . . . This wonderful
little book, that Kimberly is one of the featured artists.  This is her page and design.  Little does she know that this is just the kind of book I would purchase if I found it to inspire my creativity. Thanks so much to Kimberly!

My Christmas in July package came!

   I am absolutely in love with all the wonderful goodies sent me to me by. . . . . . .  

Kimberly Laws of artjoystuff.blogspot.com who made me this beautiful handmade ornament, and put in this lovely blown glass classic Christmas mushroom ornament then also. . . .

Crafted this creative decoration made from wood, trim,
old drawer handle, and Chandelier chrystals.

Then she added in a little kit for making vintage tags,
and this box of vintage pieces and ornaments.

She also added in another vintage ornament, some adorable
vintage package ties and then some "Harry and David"
Dark chocolate.  I love love love dark chocolate. 
And it was all packaged up so wonderfully.
She used old patterns and pattern instructions as wrapping
paper & tied everything with the lace and package ties.
It was an amazing Christmas in July experience.  Thanks so much to
talented Kimberly Laws, one of my best blogging buddies.

Making it a Vintage Trip

While at my daughters for the birth of her baby, I was able to steel away a bit, and visit some antique shops and malls. My daughter lives in a really great location for these types of shops. Here is some of the stuff I found at these malls and shops, while there. I was especially excited about all the vintage trims and laces I was able to find.

I will probably paint the frame, and I collect small white pitchers and mercury glass. The sugar bowl was aquired very cheaply as the lid was not there.

Making it a Vintage Trip cont.

Okay seriously, this has to be the most amazing of all my finds. I found these old button and charm cards (very old) folded up into a little zip lock bag. You could not even see what it was unless you took it out and unfolded it. This was at a thrift shop and no price was attached. Some of these bold buttons are glass and they are all very unique and interesting. The other card with the tree and tiny charms sewn on is so unusual. These tiny charms will be researched a bit more. I don't know how old they are , but i am guessing the 30's on these. but i took it up to the checkout and the girl there did not want to price it , so she called over a superior. I was holding my breath, until he said 50 cents. this was definitely my most amazing vintage find on this last trip.

An old filigree brass finding, the middle one is lead and bends very easily, and the top piece is a little pewter shell from an antique shop.

These tiny charms are just a fraction of an inch. I love to imagine what child so lovingly sewed these on the cards.

More of the good stuff. Doilies, yellow ric rac trim intertwined in this vintage trim. The puffy hearts are German store stock. and the letters shown here are very old also.

This is where I have been! My beautiful sweet daughter Tara and her newborn baby girl Lyla, and below is her older daughter Evelyn, who Grammy has been with for the past week. We went to the park many times, read lots of books and sang many songs. It was hard to leave them, but it was time! I miss that wonderful smell of a newborn baby, and Evelyn calling me Dammy. Tara, no one should look that good in the hospital! Love you all!

Very Vintage Summer Swap-What I sent and received

This is what I sent out for the Very

                                                   Vintage Summer Swap.  I had fun putting this together. 

I put it all in a peanut shaped basket and added

some lovely old doilies.  I love to tag everything. 

There was some antique earbobs as well and the

canning cookbook from the 50's.  Swapping is one

of my favorite things to do lately, and I love the people I am connected with through it all.And below is what I recieved from Karen

These are the things I recieved in the vintage swap hosted by Heidi Devlin over at foxgloves fabric and folly and sent to me by my partner, Karen from Minnesota. She sent me all the things I love to collect. First two of these candle stick in pink mercury glass. I imagine this pink mercury glass is rare, as I have never seen any before.

This toileware plate, and beautiful teacup and saucer.
The Teacup is on 3 pedestals and I have a small collection of these type of teacups.
The doily underneath is something she sent also.

Here is most of what I recieved from Karen.
Thanks so much to her for the vintage patterns,
picture frame, The tin was full of vintage sewing
notions-spools of thread ribbon, etc., and vintage
handkerchief. Also a sweet little package of
decorative tissues.

Bloggerette sorority assignment finally posted

Well here is my piece from the Sorority assignment.
I had to borrow a Camera to get this posted.
Don't know if anyone will see it because this is a four days late of the Rush!

I forgot to take a picture of myself holding it.
Oops, had to return the camera, I am still waiting for new one to come!

I brought out all the most special trims I had pieces of,
and even added feathers, paper roses, ribbon roses,
wired ribbon, braids, and tassels, then finished it with
mica flakes, and glass glitter. Working with mica always
makes me itch and I have to shower after I use the stuff.