Soup's On!

I don't recall the last time I didn't post in a whole week! Truth is, I still have my nose to the grindstone on moving my Etsy store. Good grief, who knew it would be so much work - not me for sure!
In the meantime I have something fun to show. I did pick up a few things last weekend, including some old Needlecraft magazines.
This ad is from one dated 1930. When I took a close look it cracked me up. When is the last time you saw OX Tail or Mock Turtle or Mulligatawny soup on the shelf at your local market? Luckily there is a description on the right side since I didn't even know what some of them are. Click the image a couple times to enlarge it so you can read it for yourself. Printanier - apparently an aspic right in a can. Who knew!

Cozy is Shouldering In

As much as I loath letting go of our oh so short Summer the signs of Autumn are getting too obvious to ignore. Its getting dark earlier, the drapes are closing and the lights are coming on. A sure sign the cozy season is shouldering in!
I'm linking up with Show and Tell Friday over at My Romantic Home so be sure and pop over for a generous dose of eye candy.
Be cozy!

Necklace Mannequin

Just another Sunday afternoon in the art room... I have been making some necklaces that I plan to list in my NEW Etsy store (more on that later) and I have been trying to figure out how to photograph them. I don't have a dress mannequin, nor do I have space for one. I tried putting it on myself and taking a picture in the mirror. Well let me just say THAT did not work out. I kept thinking about a wicker torso mannequin my MIL had in her yarn shop and still has stored in her home studio. Sadly, that is 800 miles away so no help at the moment.
I was wandering through the VofA today, as usual, and happened on a wicker table lamp. It is about 9" wide x 14" high. I brought it home, removed all the electricals, gave it a good wash with the hose and added an old glass doorknob as a finial at the top. WaaLaa - necklace mannequin!

And Now for Something I Really Do Collect

This is my collection of vintage aluminum "baskets". I say baskets because they all have handles. I don't have a lot of room in my house so I store and display them hanging from cup hooks above the washer and dryer in my laundry room. When I accidentally hit them with the laundry basket they make a lovely clang - bonus!
I met so many nice people last week that I am linking up again with "Show and Tell Friday" over at My Romantic Home. Be sure to check it out, you won't be sorry!

I Don't Collect These Either!

Honestly, I don't collect boxes. When I go junking with my friend she teases me because I just have to OPEN every box I come across. Maybe I have some kind of Pandora fixation because I simply cannot resist a vintage box.
Wooden ones...

Leather (or something that resembles leather!) ones...

Yes, I actually keep things in them. And then can't find my stuff because it's out of sight, out of mind!

Vintage plastic ones...

Tin ones...

Velvet ones... I don't know why this picture came out a little blurry. Love the way this one kind of "puddles" at the bottom. It is actually designed that way.

Satin ones...

Cardboard ones covered in old paper and more "leather"...

And even jewelry boxes. Well okay, I KIND OF collect the old jewelry boxes. There, I said it. But I didn't start out that way. It just happened. I think I mentioned a jewelry box in my last post about what I don't collect. It isn't pictured below but it is similar to the white ones.

So there you have it, boxes, boxes, everywhere! I didn't even include all the cigar boxes and the smaller boxes. They DO help me keep things organized but it seems like I'm always unstacking to get to the things I want. Once I remember which box I put them in!

One Sweet Little Beach Treasure

We did wander through several antique malls while we were at the coast but I only picked up a couple things. The prices were pretty high, in part because there were a lot of really nice things. One place had things I have only seen in books and I felt like I was in a museum! Very fun to look at but I'm more of a junk rescue kinda gal - you know?
I do want to show you this one little piece because it's just so darned cute! This little crochet pincushion measures about 3" across. There is a button on each side and when you open it up it is a little mending kit complete with a pink plastic thimble in the center. How cute is that! The top has a nicely finished felt layer on the inside to give it some added heft so you can use it as a pin cushion.

These pictures were taken using my new "McGiver" light box. Well, more of a light wall, really. I taped together two pieces of foamcore so they would stand up and then put another piece underneath. I used all the room lights and then pointed in two task lights. Obviously I have some work to do. There are still a lot of shadows and I tried to adjust with the auto-levels in PS and it turned the background blue so I had to revert back to the way it came from the camera. I think I need to use that camera feature where you show the camera what white is. Ahem. Lots of room for improvement in the photography department!

Show and Tell Friday - First Time!

I just recently discovered My Romantic Home where Cindy hosts a weekly blog party called "Show and Tell Friday". I am simply amazed at all the creativity shared there. Click the link and see what I mean! I am probably a little late with my post but thought I'd go ahead and link up since I haven't done it before. That's me - late to the party - LOL!

This perfectly chippy blue porcelain enamel teapot was a recent thrift store find. It is missing it's lid but was just too cute to leave behind. I went out this morning and cut a late summer bouquet of dahlias and sweet alyssum. A little spot of sunshine on a gray Portland morning!

Art?? Wear

We just got back this afternoon from a couple of days goofing off at the beach. Since I haven't posted in a few days I thought I'd do a quick one and show you something I was working on before we left.
I have been wanting to try adding flannel fringe to a garment for a while now. I even cut the flannel strips and took them along when we went camping in July, thinking I might hand stitch them. When I finished the lace organization project I was determined to try this before I started anything else.

I used three different flannel prints and cut them into strips about 1/2"x6". I just folded them in half and stitched them along the bottom hem of the blouse then ran it through the washer and dryer. This is how it looks after one wash cycle. I think the flannel will continue to fray and fluff with more washing but I'm happy enough with the way the experiment turned out that I will do it again.

Since this was an experiment I used an old blouse that is a little too big and pretty worn out already. The only thing I will change for next time is using a better blouse - although it will probably still be an up-cycle since that's part of the fun!

Tenacious Junking

Man, I had a hard time spending any money this weekend - LOL! I wasn't really expecting too much since it's Labor Day weekend. I figured a lot of people would just hold off, thinking they wouldn't get a good turnout because so many people would be out of town. I went ahead and checked the listings and didn't see anything that looked interesting for Friday. I was a little bummed since I had the day off and almost never get to hit them on the first day.

I found one listed for Saturday that was inside my driving navigation bubble. I didn't have much cash in my pocketbook so I stopped at the ATM on my way and apparently jinxed it. It was a complete waste of time and I left empty handed. It was one of those sales where they say "no junk, all good stuff". Well ya. If I want some brand spanking new stuff I'll go get some at the store. Show me the crap!

I was so bummed that I stopped at the VofA a whole day ahead of schedule and couldn't even find anything there.
Junking sadness....8+(

Not ready to admit defeat, I checked the listings again this morning and found one right around the corner that was Sunday and Monday only. Huh? Sunday and Monday? That means today is the first day - WooHoo! Like a junking do-over.

When I got there I was immediately discouraged when I realized that nothing was priced. I frequently turn around and leave at that kind of sale. You know how uncomfortable it is. "So what will you take for this?". "Oh, I don't know, make me an offer." Well great. I want it to be 25 cents, who doesn't? But you don't want to offend them. I usually just look around and leave. Then I spotted a little vintage train case under a table. Big sigh. Gotta have it.

I bought the little cutie plus this full-size vintage suitcase. If I ever learn to be a better photographer you could see the lovely teal-blue color and the leather trim on the sides and handle. Love it! Instead of the usual satin lining it is lined with brown plaid flannel. I have no clue where I am going to put it but if I could set it up on a table so it was open my newly "respected" lace would look beautiful it it! I got an old service bell - you know, the kind you ding when you need some help. I might have to ding it once in awhile just to bug the husband! For the first time ever, I found an Infant of Prague. I know there are people who collect them. Mary Randolph Carter, one of my idols, comes to mind. Unfortunately, when I got it home and washed it I realized it's poor little head had been snapped off and glued back on. That's okay. He is in a kinder, gentler art room now. I got a boatload of vintage greeting cards, old envelopes, assorted ephemera and old stationary boxes. This Dennison Handy Book is my favorite!

It looks like a book when it's closed. When you open it up there are little compartments of labels with some of the original contents still included. Love it!

In junking as in life, perseverance paid off!

The Lace is Respected

FINALLY! I have finished the lace organization project. Well, okay, I still haven't found a better storage solution but at least every.single.piece. is untangled and wrapped around it's own little card. All 170 of them. That's a whole lotta cardboard and wallpaper!
Don't they look pretty, though? It is so nice to be able to see what I have without digging.

I was surprised at how many different colors there were once I got it all sorted out.

I briefly entertained the notion of doing the same thing with all the loose ribbon and then I came to my senses. Not now. NO. I am ready to work on something new!

They are not pictured but I even saved the scraps that were less than 12 inches. I wrapped some of them around wooden spools, some around embroidery floss holders and some just left loose in the cute wicker sewing basket I showed you in this post.

Free at last!

Slim Pickings

Sorry I'm so tardy posting my Sunday finds this week! The pickings were pretty slim at the VofA and the single estate sale I went to. I did manage to pick up these vintage books. I love the covers! They are pretty scuffed but that suits me just fine. The large one on the bottom is an old geography textbook that is very worse for wear. It has some interesting pictures and maps and the cover says "a new world lies before us". I wish I could spot a copyright date so I could tell what generation was looking ahead at this "new world" we are living.

The reason I am so late with this post is because I have been keeping my nose firmly pressed to the grindstone on the lace organization project. I am highly motivated to get it finished up and my work table cleaned off! Starting this Friday I will be on vacation for TEN days and I'm looking forward to starting some new projects. Having old projects finished and the art room tidied up is like a fresh canvas.

Off now to give the employer a little more of my evening so I can leave those projects nicely packaged up until my return as well....