Sadly, Google Reader is going away July 1. If you use Google Reader to follow blogs, you'll need to switch to another reader before July 1. I'm using Bloglovin' and found it very simple to transfer my huge list of blogs to that service. I know people who have switched to Feedly and other readers and found them also simple to navigate.
I hope you'll take a moment to follow my blog on whatever new reader you choose. You may use the Bloglovin' button at the top right of this blog to follow Junque Seeker on Bloglovin', or just click this link and then hit the FOLLOW button.
Thanks, and happy reading!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Lovely Birdsong Swaps
Hard to believe it's been almost two weeks since Birdsong III! I have so much to post about, and have enjoyed reading all the posts from the other attendees. Today I want to show you the wonderful things I received in the swaps. You can see what I created for my swap partners in my last post here.
Mercedes Scott hosted the rosette swap. We were to create a fabric rosette that included a vintage bird brooch and give it in a pretty package. Partners weren't assigned, but Mercedes created beautiful paper and fabric tags - one for each rosette. We then picked a corresponding small card from a bag to determine which rosette we received. I was thrilled to get Mercedes' creation! She covered a box in vintage wallpaper and tied it with vintage insertion eyelet, then topped it with a doily, a bird and a flower - some of my favorite things. The tag she created coordinated beautifully with the box.
The rosette is gorgeous - peach and coral and cream, with lots of lovely handwork and a pretty brooch on the side. It's backed by a doily, and I love the streamers.
She also included a cloth bag made from the cutest fabric and filled with lavender. It was decorated with yet another pretty bird brooch! She wrote a lovely note and tucked it in the box, too.
Thank you so much, Mercedes. I love it all!
Here are all the rosette packages on a bench in Karla's courtyard, followed by all the rosettes in a group. If you'd like to see more photos Mercedes has posted several on her blog here.
Next is the matchbox swap. The matchbox I created went to Grace, and I also received her matchbox. Everyone else gave their matchbox to someone and received a matchbox from a different person. We were the only two who swapped with each other, and I'm glad we did!
Grace worried that her box was too simple, but I love everything about it! It's already on display in my living room, and the goodies she packed inside are all things I'll enjoy using, if I can bear to part with them.
I'm a big fan of those little velvet leaves and the tiny flowers. She also gave me buckles, buttons and bling that are unlike any I have. I use a lot of the little lace pieces and these, too, were unlike any I have. Thank you so much, Grace. I love everything!
Mercedes Scott hosted the rosette swap. We were to create a fabric rosette that included a vintage bird brooch and give it in a pretty package. Partners weren't assigned, but Mercedes created beautiful paper and fabric tags - one for each rosette. We then picked a corresponding small card from a bag to determine which rosette we received. I was thrilled to get Mercedes' creation! She covered a box in vintage wallpaper and tied it with vintage insertion eyelet, then topped it with a doily, a bird and a flower - some of my favorite things. The tag she created coordinated beautifully with the box.
The rosette is gorgeous - peach and coral and cream, with lots of lovely handwork and a pretty brooch on the side. It's backed by a doily, and I love the streamers.
Here are all the rosette packages on a bench in Karla's courtyard, followed by all the rosettes in a group. If you'd like to see more photos Mercedes has posted several on her blog here.
Next is the matchbox swap. The matchbox I created went to Grace, and I also received her matchbox. Everyone else gave their matchbox to someone and received a matchbox from a different person. We were the only two who swapped with each other, and I'm glad we did!
Grace worried that her box was too simple, but I love everything about it! It's already on display in my living room, and the goodies she packed inside are all things I'll enjoy using, if I can bear to part with them.
The last swap was the tag book swap. With seven pretty tags and cover, it needs a post of its own, so watch for that soon.
Click on any photo above to see larger versions.
Click on any photo above to see larger versions.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Birdsong III Overview and My Swap Creations
My first - and I certainly hope not my last - Birdsong has come and gone. It was such an enjoyable weekend. Karla Nathan put on an exceptional event and had obviously worked very hard, along with her family, to pull everything together. Her studio is a wonderland of little vingnettes - journals, tags, an entire buffet filled with flowered vintage hats, and more. I'll have lots of photos over the next few posts, but here's a group photo provided by Karla.
What wonderful people to share a weekend of creating! I am in there - you can barely see my head peeking up with a post in front of my face. Being short, everyone always wants me in front in group photos but I hate being in front so I go to the back. Usually only my head or even the top of my head shows, but I know I'm there.
For today I'm going to share the swap items I made. First up is the tag swap. I used a pretty image from The Graphics Fairy, and used pop dots to layer the bird and basket. I added some Stickles, pleated satin and velvet trim, millinery flowers and ribbon. The back was covered in a neutral rose print with a row of small organdy roses to cover the bottom edge.
Each person in the swap made seven tags and we received a book of seven. I'll show the tags I received in a future post. I love them all!
For the matchbox swap, I found a small plastic "birdcage" at a garage sale that I wanted to incorporate. I added a tiny feathered and sequined bird, placed it inside a silver-plated coaster, and surrounded it with flowers and lace. The box was covered in a taupe polka dot paper and trimmed with pleated trim from a vintage lampshade. I perched the whole thing on top of an ornate metal stand, also found at a garage sale.
The matchbox was filled with lots of lacy and sparkly things for my swap partner, Grace. She doesn't have a blog, but if she did I know you'd enjoy it!
For today I'm going to share the swap items I made. First up is the tag swap. I used a pretty image from The Graphics Fairy, and used pop dots to layer the bird and basket. I added some Stickles, pleated satin and velvet trim, millinery flowers and ribbon. The back was covered in a neutral rose print with a row of small organdy roses to cover the bottom edge.
For the matchbox swap, I found a small plastic "birdcage" at a garage sale that I wanted to incorporate. I added a tiny feathered and sequined bird, placed it inside a silver-plated coaster, and surrounded it with flowers and lace. The box was covered in a taupe polka dot paper and trimmed with pleated trim from a vintage lampshade. I perched the whole thing on top of an ornate metal stand, also found at a garage sale.
The last swap was a rosette that incorporated a vintage bird brooch. This sounds easier than it actually was. I scoured antique malls, estate sales and my own collection with no luck. I finally turned to eBay and found a couple that I liked - one that was a bit steampunk and the other in silver with rhinestones. I made the rosette with layers of vintage lace, then decided the steampunk pin looked the best. One of the swap requirements was to package the rosette prettily, so I made a burlap-look linen bag trimmed with lace. Partners weren't assigned in advance. I'll share more details on this swap in a later post. I promise that you're going to want to see all the beautiful rosettes and pins.
The things I received in return are all lovely. I'll share those in a few days, along with photos of our class projects and Karla's amazing home and studio.
Thanks for stopping by!
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