Happy Day!

I ordered a packet of beautiful vintage wrapping paper from Terri at The Junque Seeker last week and it was waiting for me when I got home from work tonight.  She follows my blog and knows I collect needle books so she surprised me with three new ones for my collection.  Love, love love them and can't wait to hang them up with the rest of my collection!  You can find her Etsy shop here.  Oh my goodness, we are kindred spirits!
Thank you Terri!

Good Words

I took some play time over the weekend and added a new page to the altered quote book project.  The page on the left is new and the one of the right was made a long time ago.  Quotes are one of my favorite things on Pinterest.  I have more accumulated on my "Good Words" board than I might ever have time!

Leaving LasVegas

 I returned from LasVegas early yesterday morning and got home mid-afternoon.  After two afternoon naps and a good night's sleep in my own bed I was ready for some junking this morning.  My first stop was Nina & Joe's Division Street Antiques because they always have something new to see.

 I picked up two beautiful pieces of barkcloth, some hangers and many bits and pieces for art-making.

 The phone, wire basket and the awesome enamelware bin are from the VOA.  That phone is just begging for a vintage rose in the center of the dial.  I talked myself out of the wire basket and set it back on the shelf no less than three times before I finally came to my senses that it was $3.99 and, if I decided I couldn't find a place for it, I could always donate it back.  Sometimes I'm too cheap for my own good.
I don't know what the blue bin was intended for but it was clearly used for flour since there is still some left in the bottom.  The hinged lid is perforated for ventilation.

 I have been researching the mark but so far I have come up empty.  If any of you are collectors or know of a good resource, please let me know!  It seems awfully big to ship so it will be staying with me for the time being.

This shows the other two marks on the bottom.  I am guessing the 30 stands for quarts or liters.

No Time For Junk

 Well, here I am with another week behind me and what a sad title that is!  I had little to NO time for junking last weekend and seriously didn't even realize I had lost a whole week since my last post.  I did make my Sunday pilgrimage to the VOA and came out with this little pile. A darning egg to add to my collection, two cool slide-along magnifying glasses and some metal odds and ends.  I have no clue what I will ever do with the Cowboy Donald Duck but he was in the poke sack.

 I love this perfectly patinaed buffalo emblem!

 The camera didn't want to co-operate but this is how it looks through one of the magnifying glasses.  I bought those thinking they would be cool for steampunkery but they are so handy I might just keep them!

 This is what I have been playing with in my precious spare time - another shadow box.

 Remember those tiny golden shoes?

My younger son is a geologist.  He works for a company that does a lot of government environmental work.  He is trained (and trains others) to run in front of the first responders to determine if it safe to go in.  His company was decommissioning these 1980s haz-mat masks so he texted me to see if I wanted them.  HECK YES!
I am heading out very early tomorrow morning on a business trip so I will check in as time allows.  Dang it Z, I will be in Vegas and would totally have meeting up with you in person at the top of my list if I thought I could get a moment of un-choreographed time!

A Hat For Harmony

 Every now and then I mention my art room companions, Harmony and Calliope.  They are no where near the big reveal but I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at the hat I made for Harmony.  She is the voice of reason that follows her adventurous sister, Calliope, around and tries to keep her out of trouble so she needed something appropriately sturdy to protect her little melon.

 A wire jar strainer encircled with steamer petals and vintage rhinestones.  Her goggles are made from a tea ball with a little gold paint.  A bundle of black millinery flowers because every girl wants pretty things.

And a chain dangling down so she can open the hatch and let her little birdie friend fly in front to warn them of danger ahead.

There Are Smalls And Then There Are Tinys

 I always buy smalls due to my limited space but yesterday I aimed at the really smalls.  I was specifically looking for things I could use in making more shadowboxes, although The Husband is cautioning me to wait and see if anyone will buy one before I make very many more.  I am going to use these cheese boxes and make a couple of smaller ones.  Yes, I just typed "small" for the third time.
Those iced tea spoons with the twisty handles are "talls".  HeHe!  They appear to match but they are really two different patterns and one of them says Coin Silver, but I think it is just plated.  Shadow box fodder.

 I got a poke sack that had a bunch of picture hangers I wanted and the wood switch plates and wet sandpaper were along for the ride.  It was marked $1.99 which is a good price for about 50 new picture hangers.  When I got to the checkout the clerk said they had a new policy that if their sorting crew didn't remove or cover all the old garage sale or Goodwill price tags they were obligated to sell it for that price.  One of the items inside was clearly marked 25¢.  Score!

 Most of this loot came from Nina and Joe's.  They are back from their buying trip but don't have the new merchandise in the shop yet.  The dolls are from the VOA.  The little girl above has already lost her head, as often happens to pretty girls.

 The postcard is Princess Victoria Luise of Prussia.  She kept her head and lived until 1980.  I adore the handwriting on the back!

There are days when I feel just exactly like this.

Autumn Hydrangeas And Other Unexpected Colors

 The hydrangeas know just what to do when the days get shorter and the morning air is crisp.  The bright blue and lavender slowly grow deeper and take on a dusty hue.

 The colors blend like a watercolor.

 And there are a few holdouts mixed in that haven't heard the news.

 When a hard frost holds off they sometimes reach a deep maroon before they are done for another season.  Every bit as pretty to watch as the turning leaves on the trees!

 And speaking of unexpected colors, here are some unexpected RESULTS.  I am working on outfits for my little steampunk art room companions.  These dresses and bonnet all started out white.  I wanted more of a sepia tone and I had a bottle of tan Rit dye on hand so decided to give it a go.  The little dress and bonnet appeared to be cotton but the bonnet must have been a blend considering how different the colors turned out.  I knew the flower girl dress was a crap shoot since it was clearly nylon, taffeta and various man-made fibers.  I thought it might not take the dye at all but was quite surprised when it turned GREEN.  The satin ribbon on the bottom of the skirt turned bright GOLD.

This photo doesn't show it very well but the lining and ribbon around the waist turned GRAY.  It wasn't what I was hoping for but all three pieces are being altered so I'm rolling with it.
This project has been rattling around in my head for a long time and won't likely get finished all at once but I will keep you posted on the progress.
I hope you are enjoying the colors of autumn!

Just A Little Bit

 I was exhausted from the week so the only junking I ventured out for was the old, reliable VOA.  Okay, I went twice, but who's counting...  On the first trip I came home with the Faberge hankies in original box and the little padded picture in the plastic frame.  That will go into the pile of fodder for future wunderkammers.

 I passed on the glass ball and the metal purse on the first pass.  The little purse was $7.99 but I don't think it is very old so I waffled on it. On the way home I stopped at the library to pick up my stack of picture books that came in on hold.  I got 4 Steampunk books.  When I quickly flipped through them I realized I NEEDED to own that glass ball and the little purse.  Just in case I might NEED them, you know?  I was glad I went back because the green ball vase had magically appeared.  I gave a DIL the two blue one I had last weekend because she said she wanted to collect colored glass.  Well, now she has three and you know what that means.

I am positive this crackly glass ball can be the start of something remarkable.  Or at least cool.

Quote Book Pages

I haven't worked in the altered quote book in a while so I took a time-out tonight to finish up a coupe of pages that have been languishing. I'm down to just 10 more to have the book finished - WooHoo!  Do not, I repeat, DO NOT start with a book with so many pages!
I was raised that you don't talk about religion or politics in polite company but #dearcongress.  Just sayin'.