Winter Wonderland

As a birthday treat to myself Tuesday, I took a class at My Heart's Fancy.  Lisa Bruno taught a Winter Wonderland box class - so cute, and in turquoise and green, which are our Christmas colors this year.  Yes, that is a lighted lantern inside, from Tim Holtz. The photo definitely doesn't do this piece justice.  It's very glittery and magical and will be a new favorite for sure.

I've been working on some embellished burlap hearts commissioned by a friend and will show those soon, along with the Twelve Days of Christmas matchbox ornament swap.  Thanks for stopping by!

Thanksgiving and Fall Decor

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!  We celebrated last Sunday with my family, and hosted the DH's family this year on Thanksgiving Day - twenty-seven of us in all, including two beautiful baby girls born just this month! This is nephew Ryan on the left with wife Laura and baby Sarah Elizabeth, and niece Kimberly on the right with husband Robert and baby Autumn Jocelyn.  Cute couples and cute babies!

I wanted something fun for the mantel since we were having guests, so I used my new Cricut Ribbons and Rosette's cartridge to make a garland.  It's a bit annoying that you have to make four pieces for each rosette and glue them together, and it's annoying that you can't make just a very plain rosette.  But the number of amazingly cute rosettes and borders you are able to create makes up for both of those little issues.  Add to that the fact that I got it for less than half price at Michael's with a rare sale/coupon combo opportunity, and what's not to love about that?

I sewed burlap to cardboard to make four pennants, and then made four rosettes with the Cricut. I cut out little doily-like pieces for the centers, and added buttons and leaves.

I intended to put FALL on the pennants, but I liked the rosettes so much I changed my mind!

While I had all my fall paper out I decided to make a few tags.  The little turkey was a recent estate sale find.

I think the tag below is my favorite, because of all the handwork. I love combination of rick rack and crochet in the edging, along with the tiny tatted lace and doily. None of the handwork is mine, of course - it's all from estate sales.

Now to pack all this away until next year, and haul out the Christmas decorations! 

Buttons

I planned to skip the estate sales and stay home last Friday to work on my Etsy shop and prepare for Thanksgiving. Apparently my resolve wasn't strong because I couldn't resist checking Craigslist. There was a sale listed with a photo showing a table full of vintage Christmas lights, ornaments, and other goodies, so off I went. It was only 30 miles away - only.

I'll share more later - I bought quite a bit on Friday and the DH and I went back on Saturday - but for now I wanted to share the buttons. There was an old Tupperware canister about three-quarters full of buttons, but it was priced higher than I'd ever paid for a jar of buttons.  I could see a few in the container that were vintage, so I asked and got the lot for almost half price.  There were quite a few basic shirt buttons and newer buttons, and lots of those little envelopes and plastic bags that come attached to clothing and contain the extra buttons. When I started going through the jar, there was so much more than I had thought. Most of these were hidden by all those other things.

Aren't all the colors wonderful?  These are all high quality buttons, and probably from the 1950s to 1970s. The woman who had lived in the home was a seamstress, and had nice fabrics and trims also.

I'm sure I'll be listing some of the buttons on Etsy as I can't keep all of them - I already have about ten jars - but I plan to keep some and gift some. 

Leslie, if you see this, thank you again!  You put on a great first sale, and were working hard for the person who hired you, but also to make it a good sale for the shoppers.

For the Love of Horses

My wonderful friend Terry LOVES horses.  She even had an opportunity to spend a week in France with daily horseback riding sessions, so when I spotted a vintage hankie appliqued with a beautiful horse head I immediately snatched it up with her in mind.  At first I intended to just give her the hankie, but hankies tend to get placed in a drawer and are seldom displayed (I know this from personal experience, of course!), so I tried to think of something else.  After the Creative Wings prize ribbon swap (see here and here) I knew just what I wanted to do.  I found some nice blue ribbon and other bits of trim, and came up with something I thought she might be happy to display in her studio.

The detail of the applique is rather amazing.

This blue isn't a color I create with often (strange, because blue is my favorite) so while I had things out, I made Terry a couple of tags with some vintage photos and wallpaper, and added a tag with some vintage trim I found recently.  Sorry for the poor quality photo. I finished up late one night and wanted to get it packed up to mail the next morning.

All of this was sent as her birthday gift (late, as usual.)  She received it today - and loves it - so it's safe to show.

I'll have a swap to share soon, and more estate sale finds.

Gotta Love Fall, Ya'll!

Fall is my favorite season, by far, and this one has been particularly nice. I love the leaves, the pumpkins, even the outdated country-style wreath on our porch. I love that the dogs get frisky, and the geese are honking overhead.

We've had lots of beautiful warm days with bright blue skies, and evenings just cool enough to let you know winter is most likely on the way. It's usually much cooler here by November, but it could stay this way year round and I'd be happy.

Our Bradford Pear tree was damaged during an ice storm several years ago, but it's still hanging in there and putting on a show every fall.

I've had the windows open and music playing, and there has been crafting going on.  I'll have a few things to show, as soon as they reach their intended recipients.

Hope you're having a beautiful fall wherever you are!

Estate Sale Finds

After several months of disappointing estate sales, we've found a few good ones the last couple of weekends.  Two sales on Saturday yielded a few items to sell and a few things to keep.  I bought a bag of buttons that included about forty cards of 1960s to 1980s era buttons, plus what you see in the tray below.  I also picked up the baby shoes and two little dresses from the 1940s.

There are some of the tiniest buttons I've seen, along with a few rhinestones and wool-covered buttons. The LaMode buttons are fairly old, based on the price, and there are a few glass buttons.  I especially like the metal button with the pair of birds, and there were six of the little enamel Santa faces. They're not very old - probably 1980s or 1990s - but cute just the same.

At one sale I entered an upstairs closet and found a stack of 1950s turquoise glass ornaments in their original boxes.  These will be going on Etsy as I have more glass ornaments than I know what to do with, but they're vintagey and a bit shabby and it's oh-so-tempting to keep them!

The second sale of the day was at a very nice newer home. The interior was painted pink - very feminine and lovely. On first glance I thought there would be only newer items for sale, but I found some gloves and hankies. Then in the study I found treasure - this wonderful scrapbook/photo album from the 1920s!

I'm not sure why other people's memories make me so happy, but my heart started beating a bit faster when I saw this.  I'll probably keep it to enjoy for a while, but will eventually list some of the items and probably the cover on Etsy. Here are a few pages for you to enjoy.

I've been told there's a sale next weekend and the homeowner is 100.  She's just now moving into a "retirement" community, and the home she's moving from belonged to her mother before her.  I'm planning to be there!

Breakfast at Tiffany's Fabric Book Swap

A couple of months ago Laurie Jackson of Indulge Your Shelf invited several friends to participate in a Breakfast at Tiffany's fabric book swap.  Six of us made pages, sent them to Laurie, and she bound them together with her page and covers into a fabulous and beautiful book for each of us.  We were all so excited to receive our books this week, and I know some of you have been waiting to see.  I'll provide links below for Laurie and the others with blogs so you can visit and see their photos, too.  Click on any of my photos to see a larger view.

When I opened my package, this is what I saw - pretty wrapping with an A for Audrey.

Laurie made the front and back covers, plus another page.  I love the fabrics and trims she used. She also sent each of us a pretty coordinating bookmark and a little book with interesting tidbits about the film.

The inside front cover features a typewriter with a removable "page" that includes the contributor names and information - genius on Laurie's part, I think.  Check out that tiny tassel trim at the top of the page.  The opposite is the front of my page.  The background has the lyrics to "Moon River."  The dress is velvet with tiny "pearls" and a rhinestone button sewn at the neck.  The pleated ruffle at the hem isn't a part of the dress as it appeared in the film, but I had just found a vintage slip and couldn't wait to use the ruffled trim so I exercised artistic liberty!

Next is the back of my page, and the front of Lisa Stanton's page. Laurie kept the two Okie's together! My page is a black velvet handbag with a rhinestone clasp and a string of pearls.  The little card is a claim check for the engraving of Holly's Cracker Jack ring.  Lisa's page is very plush black velvet with blue satin ruffles, rhinestones and pearls.  Beautiful! 

The back of Lisa's page is black satin with white satin bows - so Tiffany!  Opposite is Tamatha Kaplan's page titled "Holly's Crazy Apartment," and featuring a collage of photos from the film crazy-quilted with sumptuous fabrics and trims.

Up next is the back of Tamatha's page titled "Shopping With Audrey." It has nine "shop windows" on satin trimmed with tulle, ribbon and rhinestones.  Opposite is Suzanne Wingfield's beautiful Tiffany-blue satin "box" tied with their signature white ribbon.

The back of Suzanne's page shows Audrey as seen from inside Tiffany's. It's on white satin and trimmed with net, lace, velvet ribbon and pearls, and accented with a rhinestone and pink jeweled pin.  Opposite is Laurie's "Little Pink Dress" page sewn on beautiful striped pink satin accented with a vintage doily, beaded trim and and ruffled silk ribbon.

The back of Laurie's page includes a hand silhouette holding a vintage earring. Underneath is the line from the movie, "You can always tell what kind of person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you."  This page is accented with sequins, brocade trim, lace and vintage black glass buttons.  Opposite is Linda McMillin's page with a beaded New York City skyline, a silhouette of Audrey's dress from the opening scenes and beaded with pearls and a rhinestone button, a silhouette of Cat, a ribbon and a tuxedo button.  Along the edge is glitter ribbon and roses.

The back of Linda's page shows several iconic images from the film. Linda added stamps, flowers and rhinestones.  Opposite is Tami Hacker's lovely page with an image of Audrey sewn to beautiful fabric and accented with rhinestones, tulle, ribbon, a little doily and pompom trim.  Very pretty!

The back of Tami's page includes the lyrics to "Moon River", a pretty organdy flower with a rhinestone button center, and more ribbon.  Laurie found cute NYC brownstone fabric for the inside back cover and added a blue moon and Cat.

The back cover, also by Laurie, shows a silhouette of Audrey overlaid with tulle and accented with lacy ribbon trim, buttons and Tiffany blue seam binding.

If you have a chance to see one of the books in person, you should.  Each page is truly lovely and together they are an amazing collaboration.  I'm honored and proud that I was able to be a part of this project, and so appreciate the work Laurie and the others put into the book.  Please click on the highlighted names above to go to the other blogs and see additional photos and information.  You'll be glad you did!

I sent Laurie a few little "swap hostess" gifts, mostly not in the Tiffany theme but things I thought she would like.

September Finds

There have been lots of estate sales this month, but I haven't found much to buy.  I actually left one sale without buying one thing - a first!  We got a later-than-our-usual-late start one Saturday earlier this month, causing us to almost skip one sale, but I'm so glad we decided to go.  It was actually a garage sale, but in their Craigslist ad I spotted some old photos.  Not only were the photos still there - at almost 3pm - but there was a bag of very old lace and a beautiful but tattered hanky. I bought a few other things, too, but have already sold some of them in my Etsy shop.  The lace will probably be staying with me.

Click on any of the photos to see larger versions with more detail.

There are quite a few more photos but these are some of my favorites. The lace behind the first photos was found at a Purcell antique store last weekend.

On the way to Purcell we stopped at a shop in Noble where I found this lamp.  It needs to be disassembled, the wood sanded and painted, and all the electrical parts replaced.  It was only $5, though, so it will be well worth it.  I would have paid that for the globes alone. I love the beaded, quilted pattern of the milk glass.  

That's it for now. I hope to have more finds to show after this weekend.  My next swap isn't due until the end of October, but I'll be sure to share when it's done.

A Highly Prized Ribbon

Well, I've made you wait long enough. It's time to unveil the Prize Ribbon that Tabitha made for me.  Isn't it beautiful? I love the fabric-covered center with the crown, the millinery flowers, the pearly earring, the lace and buttons - love it all! If you haven't already jumped over to Tabitha's blog to see her photos of the ribbons, you can click here to see.  She's also swapping ribbons with several others, so you might want to check her blog again later to see more.

After I received it I told her that I was hooked as soon as I opened the package and saw a waxed kraft bag with lace and flowers sewn along the edge!  I love that little bag, and it was filled with lots of pretties.



The #10 on the flash card was appropriate, as I'd rate this swap a 10 for sure!  Thanks so much, Tabitha!

Under the Big Top

The last installment of the Paper Cowgirl Summer Travel Postcard Swap was circus-themed. I'm not a big fan of the circus, particularly clowns, but when we received the assignment I immediately knew the artwork I wanted to use. The image is from a Chesterfield cigarette ad on the back cover of a 1931 Literary Digest magazine. The painting is by William Meade Prince and as far as I've been able to determine, it was created specifically for the ad.  I then found some great circus graphics from GalleryCat on Etsy, added a little foof, and here's my postcard!

Front



Back

I made three cards and switched out the "posters" on the back.  The little "Laugh" tag contains all the pertinent credits on the artwork since I didn't have room for that on the card when I was finished.

I'll be sure to share when I receive my card from my swap partner, and I'll be sharing my prize ribbon from Tabitha in the next day or two - as soon as I take photos. It's lovely!