A BIG Button Fix

 My pity-party of Internet button shopping continues.  Did you know you can win auctions on your smart phone?  Probably.  I am not so sure that was a good thing for me to learn!
Love, love these GIANT two-piece buttons.  I didn't even realize they were this big when I bid on them.  Wowza!  That is a quarter in the center of the circle and they are in perfect condition.  I need to find a coat I can put these on. 

This is the rest of the new pile.  As soon as I get them sorted out (I love that part!) and cleaned I will show you the treasures.
So, you know how people talk about what they would do if they won the lottery?  Some say they would buy a big house or a new car or jewelry.  I have never really had any big wishes so I always laughed that I would probably just go to K-Mart and buy everything I wanted and it wouldn't even dawn on me that I didn't have to shop at K-Mart any more - LOL!  Well, I know now what I would do.  I would win every single button auction on eBay.  Every.Single.One.  Yes, I will hog all of the buttons so I can live out my days as a reclusive button sorter.  8+)

New Quotes

Right before the flu caught me I had pulled together a pile of this and that for some new pages in the altered quote book project.  I am continuing my effort to take my inspiration from my stash of old Somerset magazines.  These pages were inspired by the work of Judy Bidwell featured in the Summer 2010 issue of SEW Somerset. 
"Ride the horse in the direction it is going." by Werner Erhard is one of my favorite quotes and it is especially meaningful to me on a couple of levels lately.  One of those is the source for the red fringe on the left-hand page.  I had a satin "mother" pillow in my Etsy shop for over a year and I could not GIVE that thing away.  I rode the horse in the direction it was going and cut it up to use in artwork. The first cut is the hardest!  The rose in the lower left was also cut from that pillow.
"Happy trails to you" by Roy Rogers.  Not much I can add to those well wishes.

A Little Button Fix

 The button overlords have not been smiling on me lately so I finally resorted to buying some online to get a "fix".  Those of you who love buttons will understand.  I bought this little pile of bling from Etsy seller Converged Commodities.  All are metal except the black one, which is plastic.  The square one is my favorite.  I think it is the oldest one and the rhinestones are set in some sort of pot metal.

 I scored this vintage Kusnadi New York top on my last trip to The Bins.  It doesn't fit me but who could resist it at the prices at The Bins and with those buttons!

I don't usually gravitate to designer and studio buttons but I love these.  They look to be made of MOP or bone and they are carved.  I will save the sweet brocade fabric from the sleeves, as well. 
Do you ever buy used clothing for the buttons?

My Contribution To The Postcard Project

 This is my little contribution to the postcard project to save the Rupert VT post office.  That place needs saved! 
Jane said the Post Mistress is a quilter so I went with a patchwork theme.  Imagine how fun it is for her to watch these come in.  I glued down the papers, ribbons and embellishments then machine stitched them in place.  I didn't add anything too dimensional since I figured it wouldn't help the cause if it broke one of the USPS sorting machines on the way there.

I hand stitched around the outside edge with a blanket stitch, something I apparently have little talent for - LOL!  The heart is cut from an advertisement selling stamps for collectors.  Over 600 postcards have been received so far and she is offering a give-away based on cards received February 22 - 27.  I am accidentally just in time since I dropped mine in the mail on the way to work this morning.  Fingers crossed!

A Good Deed and Some Fun

(source: Collage Journeys)

Good morning, friends!  Sorry I have been absent for nearly a week.  I had an unexpected visit from Mr. Flu.  I won't tempt fate by saying I am on the mend but my temperature is normal this morning with no ibuprofen since 8:00pm so that's a good sign.
Enough about that.  Now, on to the good deed and the fun!  Isn't that the most adorable little post office EVER??  It is in Rupert, Vermont and it is in danger of becoming a victim of the USPS cut-backs.  Jane Davies of Jane Davies Studios owns the little post office and she is trying to increase the volume of mail that is processed there to ensure the future of the little post office and the post mistress's job. 
Here is where you come in.  Jane has has put out a call for mail art.  She will post pictures of all the post cards on her blog and has graciously offered to respond to the first 200 with a card, made by her, in return.  How fun is that, make some art, make a new friend, and all for a good cause!  The address is: Jane Davies, PO Box 45, Rupert, VT 05768.  You can read more about it here, plus there is a great little video about the chickens at the post office.  That link goes to the post about her call for mail art.  Be sure to check out the more recent posts because she is already starting to show the results coming in.
Thanks to Cathy at ma vie trouvee for the heads-up about this!

Sweet {{Heart}} Day!

 Happy Valentine's Day dear friends!

 This sweet vintage Valentine was a gift to me a couple of years ago from dear Annette at So Many Memories.  I do love that verse!  Be sure to pop in and visit her because she just started a second blog and you might like to follow along.

This is what I'm fooling around with tonight.  We'll see if it turns out to be something!  8+)

Or Something Similar...

I think I mentioned a while back that I was looking for a piece of chicken wire to use to display my collection of needle books.  Well, I never got around to going to search out a hardware store where I could buy a small piece.  When I was digging at The Bins last week I found these wire grids and decided they might work just as well.  I think they are for one of those cube storage solutions.
I'm sorry about the poor picture.  This is a really hard spot to photograph and it really isn't as crooked as it looks!
I bought 4 of them but it turned out I only had enough room to use two.  I just tied the two together with lengths of seam binding ribbon and then used a longer piece as a hanger.  I had that black flower laying around and it kind of tied things together.
I tried the mini craft clothespins to attached the cards but they were too small.  I am not happy with the full-sized clothespins because they take up too much room.  I think binder clips will be my eventual choice but have to get to the store and buy some.
Little time for junking this weekend but will be making a quick swing through the VOA in a little while.  I'm sure craving some buttons!

Once Was Not Enough

I don't know about you but when I have a good day junking, the very next thing I want is more junk!  So, of course, I still had two more days in my weekend and didn't care to waste them.  This much more tidy pile came from the VOA and Monticello antique mall. 
The cloche and the art-deco style vase are from VOA.  That is the first cloche I have EVER found.  I'm certain it isn't vintage but I love it just the same and it will be staying with me.  The vase is plastic but it has such a neat look to it.  That will be heading to Etsy along with the vintage patterns.  I don't have to tell you I will be keeping the satin boxes.  My custom cabinet is almost full!
A gentle reminder to my new friends....
I just love getting comments and I try to respond back to each one because that is how we get to know each other.  When you leave a comment with the "no-reply" email address, I have no way to reply back to you.  Please consider sharing your email address in your profile.  It will be fun!

The Junk-Fast Is Over

 I finally un-grounded myself from junking yesterday.  I hit one estate sale, The Bins and stopped in a thrift store I hadn't noticed before.  As usual, these pictures are the "raw" junk.  Once I start sorting I will forget what all I bought and not show pictures so I just dumped it all on the table and started clicking.

 You can see the pile is so big there are layers of junk so some things will have to wait until they get to Etsy for their 15 minutes of fame.  All of the needlework supplies and buttons were from the estate sale.  I bought an entire sewing box that was filled with all sorts of fun odds and ends in addition to buttons.  With all this pearl cotton I didn't find a single crochet hook, which was surprising.

 The neat carved mirror is from The Bins and will be staying with me.  I loaned my son the mirror from the spare bedroom when he bought his house about 3 years ago.  It hasn't come back and I am not anxious for it to come back so this will take it's place. 

 I am not a doll person by any stretch of the imagination but these two had a creepy look that just had to come home with me.  There were a couple of needle books and that is a wooden darning egg at the bottom of the picture.

 I found a nice stack of doll clothes patterns at Sam's Attic.  For you local gals, it is at 8123 SE 17th Street (corner of 17th and Tacoma).  It is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  It is a charity store that benefits educating student in Uganda.  It is very clean, resonably priced and everything is beautifully displayed.

Most of the fabric pieces are from The Bins.  I was trying to pick pieces I can add to crazy quilt inspiration kits but one doily did slip in there...

 This picture washed out but that blinding white thing is a pillowcase with a sweet crochet border.

 A lacy white hankie perched on top of the mountain of crochet thread.  There is so much crochet thread I haven't even counted them.  Many are unopened and will be headed to my Etsy.  I crochet but never got the hang of doing it with pearl cotton, other than some crochet necklaces.  I do use the thread for my Etsy bookmarks I showed you here.  I should learn how to make tassles.  Goodness knows I have plenty of thread!

 A huge spool of lace from Sam's Attic.  It is coming off the spool and I can't find the end so I may have to re-roll the whole thing - egads!!  Maybe something to keep my hands busy while I watch the Super Bowl game.

 Off topic but I got my first not-positive feedback in my Etsy yesterday.  I felt pretty disappointed since I have a full-disclosure policy and the things she was unhappy about were clearly stated in the listing.  At least she left a neutral and not a negative.  I told her she can send it back and I will refund her money.  I hope I don't have a hassle about the shipping!

This lace was also from Sam's Attic.  I will be putting that place on my route since it is on the way to The Bins! 
I better finish this up and get moving.  A trip to the VOA is in order before it is time to sit down for some football.  It is good to be un-grounded!  8+)