Junk and Inspiration

 First stop on my Saturday junking was the Plucky Maidens Junk Fest.  On my way there I saw a sign for an estate sale so I made a stop there on my way back and then swung in to Division Street Antiques to see if they had any Christmas out yet.

 Plucky Maidens is all about inspiration, for me.  I visited Magpie Ethel for the pink reflector flower which I am planning to use on the top of my tree this year and a couple of pink bottle brush trees to spruce (he he) up my little deer collection for the holidays.  I also found two tiny bottle brush trees for a project I am working on.  My indulgence was the empty watch case.  I want to do some kind of vignette inside it but it has to "steep" on my desk for a while until I figure out just what to do.

 The estate sale looked like a bust when I got there but I managed to scrounge up a shoebox full of fun little bits and pieces.  I was especially happy to find all those old-style Altoids tin.  The ones that start out with paint on them always seem to patina better than the reproduction ones.

 The flower globe, postcard and doily are from Nina and Joe's Division Street Antiques.  They did not have Christmas out yet but Nina said they would be working on it today and tomorrow.

Some fun little vintage office supplies and I am always delighted to find original Dennison.  90 for 30¢, those were the days!

My favorite part of Plucky Maidens is all the vintage inspiration!  I saw one of these at the show and remembered I had seen one at Nina's so headed straight for it when I got there.  I had one years ago but seem to recall that it was plastic and not as big as this one.  The flower frog in the bottom unscrews and comes out. It is a project in progress on my work table.  I'm sure it isn't a big mystery to those of you who know me but I will show it in my next post.

Well. Hmm. Now what?

 I adore the embellished denim jackets that Carol at The Polka Dot Closet creates and was inspired to make one myself.  Last weekend I found a jacket that suited me at the VOA so game on.  Sorry I neglected to take a "before" picture!  The jacket is Chicos with all-over embroidery and it has the boxy shape I like.  I am all about comfort and don't like my clothes to touch me too much.  My finished jacket is nothing like hers but that is how inspiration works.

 I added ruffles that I harvested off some curtains I bought at The Bins...

... and some tapestry trim from my stash.  I like how it turned out but, but...  I don't know if I will have the nerve to wear it out in public.  Sheesh!

A Velveteen Woman

I'm tired tonight so I've just been goofing around in the art room and finished up this piece that has been partially done for months.  I love this photo.  It is poet Leonie Adams and it was taken by Hans Namuth.  I ran across it in a 1960 copy of Horizon magazine.  The first thing that popped in my head was she looked like a velveteen woman.  You all know the story of the velveteen rabbit, so shabby from love that it became real.  She looks real that way.
It's pretty hard to read the quote at the top.  It says "it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are", by ee cummings. 
This will hang in my art room to remind me of all these things.