Happy New Year!

Wishing each of you a very
happy and healthy

New Year!

A Thank You And A Winner

Before I announce the winner of the fourth and final give-away in the December of Give-Aways I want to take a moment to thank all of you who take the time to visit my little blog, leave comments and make my life richer in so many ways.  I feel blessed to have found blogland and to have met so many delightful friends who share similar passions for junk, art, collecting and making something out of nothing.  Thank you all!

Without further ado, the winner of Give-Away #4, Due or Die, is Betsy at My Salvaged Treasures.  Congratulations Betsy!

Junkalanche

 Oh yes, I found plenty of time for junking during my Christmas holiday.  A Junky Christmas?? These first pictures are a trip to The Bins early in the week.  I slid right into a junking coma and three hours slipped away before I even noticed.  I walked outside and discovered it had gotten dark - oops!

 Lots of embroidered cutters and a couple of books I picked up just for the wonderful covers.

 A big stack of nine vintage curtain panels in cream, yellow and gold.  That Search and Find in the background is unused and will be fun to play with the Granddaughter.

 A big star paper punch, hot iron transfers, Santa cupcake picks (for you, Ethel) and who doesn't need two miss-matched drum sticks?  Those white things with the crochet edges are hands-down the BEST jar openers I have run across.  They still had their original tags and I think someone must have made them for a craft bazaar.  Great idea (Heather)!

 A sweet plastic rosary and some nut picks.  The pretty multi-color doiley is in great condition and not a cutter.

 Beautiful old hankies, wooden beads, a vintage beater that twists up and down, a pile of single Barbie shoes (I wonder why?), someones advertising pencil collection, cookie cutters...  You just never know what those bins will yield.

 These pictures are from the VOA.  I have no idea where I'm going to put this hamper but for $8 it was coming home with me!

 A sweet German tin, a set of German vocabulary cards, a Treasure Hunt game from 1940 and a Fenton milkglass candlestick.

 I couldn't resist this birdie candle stand.  It isn't TOO Christmas-y so I might just keep this out for a while.  I go weak in the knees for the birdies.  I spotted a Red-Breasted Sap Sucker in my backyard the other day!

 I have had my eye out for a shorter tree-topper and love this little Santa.  I think he could use some sparkle but for now he is sitting on top of my tree as found.  Notice those rubber bands on the apothocary?  The VOA has stopped using tape.  You heard me right.  VOA - YOU ROCK!

I explored a couple antique shops I hadn't visited before and got a few goodies there, as well.  One shop had all their Christmas on half-price and I couldn't believe that Santa and sleigh were still there, like they were waiting for me to come get them!
There is still time to enter my final December Give-Away so don't miss out, just leave a comment on this post!

Celebrating Christmas

 I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas!  This is a picture of the miniature tree on my kitchen table.  I added two new ornaments this year - A teeny, tiny vintage indent and a sweet little tart tiny.

 Laurie at Indulge Your Shelf surprised me with the tart tin.  The packaging was delightful!

 I treated myself to this beautiful ornament made by Betsy at My Salvaged Treasures.  She knows how I love buttons so she included a wonderful metal buttons that has been added to my accumulation of keepers.  This ornament is made from a flatware knife handle and a flattened ornament top.  This woman has the most amazing ideas.  I think I have a permanent bruise on my forehead from smacking myself and saying why didn't I think of that!

 I BAKED the rolls for our Christmas Eve dinner at our son's house.  When I was in my earth-mother phase I baked all of our bread so did it twice a week and didn't even need the recipe.  I really wondered if I could pull it off 20 years later.

 So far, so good.  That is my mother's flower bin.  I painted it for her "back in the day".

WaLa! Fresh rolls for Christmas Eve dinner.  Now those margarita balls were a whole other story.  The whole kitchen smelled like tequila and burnt marshmallows....
Tomorrow the fun is done and it is back to the real world.  Don't forget, there is still time to enter the final December give-away.  Just leave a comment on this post.

Christmas Wishes

Wishing You All A Bright And Merry Christmas!

A December of Give-Aways: #4 Due or Die

 The final book in my December of Give-Aways is #4: "Due or Die" by Jenn McKinlay.  The bookmark is made from the spine from a vintage copy of Elsie Dinsmore.  The go-withs include a box of vintage bookplates and a handmade folder that contains vintage book pages in a variety of languages for your altered art projects..

This December of give-aways has been so much fun!  I do try to reply to each comment and a few new friends have even asked questions.  Please be aware that I cannot reply when you comment with the "no reply" email address and consider including your real email address in your profile.

The winner of give-away #3 is Heather at Vintage Grey.  Congratulations Heather!

Good luck everyone!

Sugar Frosted

 I am clearly behind on posting but wanted to show you the brief  "sugar frosting" we had on Tuesday morning.  It only lasted a very short while but so cozy and wintry to watch it fall!  These pictures are what I could take from the patio, still in my robe and slippers.

You can still see the Hydrangeas' Autumn colors peeking through the snow.  I would enjoy a little more of this if only it knew to stay in the gardens and off the streets!
I am doing plenty of junking this week and it is going by way too fast, like time off always does.  Stay tuned for the junk-alanche and don't forget there is still time to enter this weeks give-away, "Dire Threads".  Just leave a comment on this post.

Puttering

 Yes, puttering was the word of the day on Sunday.  I finished up a couple of new pages in the altered quote book and made a visit to the VOA.
The picture on the right and the rose on the left are both done with colored pencils.  I made a resolution to practice some new techniques by picking inspiration pieces from my many back issues of Stampington magazines.  The stained glass was inspired by an article by Lynne Perrella in the Nov/Dec Somerset Studio. 
It didn't go quite as planned.  I had intended to use watercolor pencils and then spray it when I was finished so the colors would bleed together.  Well, I finished up the coloring and spread out my wax paper and then sprayed it with water.  And stood there with my head cocked to one side while I watched the water bead up.  I went back over to my desk and turned over the pencil tin and sure enough - I had grabbed the wrong one!  My father taught me that a good carpenter could always hide his mistakes.

I grabbed the right things at the VOA and scored this little handful of goodness.  I love the little tea ball shaped like a tiny house.  The round black piece is a vintage button that someone has glued a pin back on.  I am hoping I can pop that off because I love the button just the way it is.
The broach is missing a few rhinestones.  I sometimes repair them when I have the right size but I am thinking I would like to try something different.  Maybe resin with glitter in it in a contrasting color.  Has anyone tried something different?
Don't forget, there is still time to enter this week's giveaway.  Just leave a comment on this post.
Good luck!

A December Of Give-Aways: #3 Dire Threads

December Give-Away #3 is "Dire Threads" by Janet Bolin.  The bookmark is made from an un-finished embroidery project.  The go-with-it goodies are two unopened packets of Aunt Martha's hot-iron transfers, a couple of partially used transfer packets, a few skeins of vintage rayon embroidery floss and it is all packed up in a little bag I made from an embroidered cutter.

 The winner of give-away #2 is Renee at My Vintage Mending. Congratulations, Renee!

Good luck, everyone!

Peace On Earth

My heart is aching tonight.  No post, just a prayer: 
Peace on Earth. Please.

A Little Button Trivia and Some New Buttons

 Laurie very kindly gave my latest give-away a shout-out on the Button Floozies blog today so I thought I would share a little button trivia and some new buttons to welcome the new followers.
This page is from a 1931 Montgomery Wards catalog.  Click it larger so you can read the descriptions and prices.  Vegetable ivory for 23¢ a dozen, mirror-backs for 10¢ a dozen, rhinestones 7¢ a dozen.  The prices sound remarkable until you remember the average wage was 25¢ an hour.  New buttons are actually MUCH less expensive now!  They had to have been quite a luxury during the Great Depression and consequently women saved them in those button boxes we are so thrilled to find today.  Think about how a card of new buttons today relates to your hourly wage.

 So, speaking of buttons, I blogged about these wonderful walnut slices last Fall.  I found these whole-walnut and two half-walnut buttons on line.  The seller said she didn't think they were real walnuts.

 I disagree and think they are real, indeed.  I think they are Black Walnuts, not the larger English Walnuts we typically use for baking and snacking.

If you look closely at the cut side it does look like the inside of a walnut shell that has been filled in with some other material.  I grew up on a farm where we had many Black Walnut trees.  The nuts are smaller, extremely hard and nearly impossible to crack.  I can remember sitting outside whacking them with a hammer, trying to harvest enough meats for my mother's Black Walnut Pie.
Thank you, Laurie, and welcome to my new followers.  If you haven't already done so, there is still time to enter this week's give-away!

Painting The Leaf Castings

Last week I finally made some space and painted the concrete leaf castings I told you about in this post.  I started out with the smallest one to get the "lay of the land", so to speak.  I didn't use exterior house paint like Roberta uses.  I used acrylic craft paint, keeping in mind the color pallet I told you about in this post.
 
I painted the back sides first.  Note to self: try a little harder to smooth those out the next time!  The Bears Breeches leaf (upper right) was the most fun to paint.  The Hosta (upper left) was the hardest because the striations went in both directions.  I started out thinking it was going to have a lot of turquoise and, um, not sure exactly where that went.  The trick is dry brushing and just keep going until you like the look.
 
I finished them with a brush-on satin polyurethane.  It gave them a little more gloss that I would have liked so next time I will go with matte.  Since they will be outdoors they will be exposed to the elements and I'm sure they will dull up a bit with time.
 
Painting these was SO FUN.  I'm looking forward to making more.  Must buy a Bears Breeches plant!
There is still time to leave a comment and enter December Give-away #2 so don't miss out!

A December of Give-Aways: #2 Hot Button

 Give-away #2 is "Hot Button" by Kylie Logan.  The go-with-it goodies are a bookmark, a vintage Bingo card filled with MOP buttons, three tiny glass vials filled with antique glove/shoe buttons and an old button hook.  You can read a description below.  This book is actually the second in the series.  I just ordered the first one, "Button Holed" and can't wait for it to arrive.

Congratulations to Marie, comment #13.  You are the winner of "A Deadly Grind"!  I will contact you for your address and get your little package of Christmas relaxation in the mail.
Good luck everybody!

Meet Mona

 Meet Mona!  She was a gift from my lovely MIL, Lisa.  (Get it?)

 I pulled out a few of my pretties and treasures so they could show each other off.  You might remember the beautiful blue garter from this post.  It looks every bit as pretty adorning Mona's neck.

 A soldered necklace I made several years ago paired with a mermaid I picked up at the thrift.

 This wonderful belt is from the 1950s and belonged to my mother.

I am not brave enough to wear vintage slips and bed jackets as artwear so I will live vicariously through Mona!
Don't forget about my weekly give-away.  There is still time to enter.  A winner will be announced and the next give-away will be posted this weekend.

Time For One

 I had time for just one quick junking stop this weekend.  The VOA didn't fail me.  I didn't get a lot but what I got was good.  Two boxes of BIG pink ornaments.  They are 3-1/2" diameter.  The box on top is all Shiny Brite.  The box below is also filled with big pink ornaments but they are a mix of Shiny Brite, West Germany and one that just says Made In USA.  I love pink ornaments but these are a little big for my tree so they are already listed over in my Etsy.

 These three will be added to my tree this year.  One Shiny Brite, one Poland and one USA.

 Plus THIS pretty girl. A beautiful vintage dressing jacket. I love the lace detail and the pale blue ribbon on the front.  It has a tag that says By Iris so I don't think it is handmade but I do think it is vintage.  I love things like this.  It reminds of Magnolia Pearl or Free People. This will be headed to my Etsy, too.

Speaking of Etsy, if you are looking for Christmas gifts for those oh-so-hard-to-buy-for guys, The Husband has finished moving all of his roller-ball pens from his website to his Etsy shop.  The ones in this picture are not for sale, they are mine, but he has a huge selection of colors and styles to choose from.  He also makes pepper and salt grinders, bottle openers, game calls and a whole lot more.  It's not too late to Christmas shop!

A December of Give-Aways: #1 A Deadly Grind

 You probably all know by now that I'm just a little high-strung. (Ya think!)  I discovered a book genre some call "cozy" mysteries.  They all have a hook into something that interests me, like junk, buttons, crafts, etc. I enjoyed these books so much I decided to pass that relaxation along.  We could all use a little relaxation during the holidays!  I will be announcing a winner  and posting a new book give-away each weekend from now until Christmas. 
Each book give-away includes a handmade bookmark plus a few goodies that go along with the theme of the book.  A Deadly Grind includes a vintage 1/4 cup measuring scoop and 8-1/2' vintage shelf paper.
The give-aways are open to anyone in the continental United States.  All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post - that's it!  If the book doesn't suit your taste then please spread the word to your friends who might like it.

In case you are wondering what A Deadly Grind is about, click this picture bigger and you can read the back cover.  Don't you wonder who done it?  I'll never tell!