Gathering Dust

Favorite On the Cheap Craft Supplies

I can spend a LOT of money on craft supplies.  Even if I just run to Michaels or Hobby Lobby for paper or a stamp pad, it's hard for me to get out with spending less than $10.  That doesn't sound like much, when you  do it every other day, it adds up.  It doesn't help that they just opened a Michaels within walking distance of my house- like I would actually walk there, but I could, if I wanted!

Anyway, even with all this excess, some of my favorite craft supplies are cheapies.  Like shipping tags- 100 for $4.00 and glue sticks from Costco- 20 for $5.95. 

And how about these stamps from the $1 section of Michaels.  The stamps were $1, and the acrylic block was another $1- but I can use it for more stamps.  I've used this set a bunch, especially for mail art.

This glitter glue was three bottles for a dollar at the Deals store.  I made one of those "clean-up collages" where you use the scraps on your work table and used it on the edge. It's not exactly the same as the loose glitter, but for the price and ease of use, I can think of a lot of ways to use it.

Of course, one of my favorite ways to get inspiration is sharing goodies with other artists.  I traded mail art with Christy Secora, and look what she sent me.

Mail Art, Tussy Mussies, Karla's Cottage etc etc

My husband is out of town this week, and my assignment while he is gone is to clean out the garage- which I think is going to mean relocating junk from the garage to the basement.  While going through stuff in the garage, I found this little bottle, which was one of the first craft projects Karla of Karla's Cottage and I worked together.  We must have decorated 30 different bottles and then we gave them all names.

Speaking of Karla, I visited her cottage yesterday and took some pictures of a few areas of her studio that I don't think she's shown before.  A pretty centerpiece under a cloche jar and next to it a grouping on a tray that Karla painted---guess what---roses- you can't see them well, but trust me, they are pretty.  Karla also painted the whole table top in shades of green leaves. 

I had to get a picture of sweet little Twinkle on her pink ticking pillow and rose rug.   

Karla and I made Tussy Mussies- she is such a fast crafter that she can out work me 3 to 1!  Later we went to a FABULOUS estate/moving sale where they had STACKS of old paper, catalogs, books, magazines- it was just heaven for girls like us.  I'll show more pictures later, but here's a darling postcard I picked up.  It says:

Situation wanted: By a Little Girl, is willing to take of 5 or more big dolls.

And look what came in the mail today from  Miz Smoochie Lips herself.

How fun is that!

Crafting with Vintage Wallpaper

I'm sure a lot of you are just like me- you HOARD your pretty vintage wallpaper- waiting for a project "WORTHY" of it.  Well, I got up all my courage and cut a few pieces to use for crafts. 

If you read Karla of Karla's Cottage's blog, you know about the fantastic medallion wallpaper she bought at the Goodwill.  She gave me a a few pieces, both decorated and plain- I added one of these wallpaper medallions to the collage on the left. These are FUN to work with- Karla  has decorated medallions for sale   in her Etsy Shop.  I'll be adding these pieces to my Etsy Shop- Sugar Pink Moon in the next day or two.

As I thought, my Mom was slightly amused and a little surprised at the reaction to her Blue Garter Club- I think it was something she took for granted.  She did point out to me that the Blue Garter Club members are sitting in the same places in their reunion picture as in their original college picture, and she pointed out- they are a pretty good looking group of age 70+ women!

The Blue Garter Club

Every couple of years when I was growing up, my mother would get a huge manila envelope in the mail, stuffed full of letters in different sizes, shapes, handwriting and stationary.  It was her college round robin letter.  It was started when she graduated from Concordia College in 1956 with 14 friends.  Each would write a letter, send it to the next member who would  add their letter.  When it made its way back to the first member, they would pull their original letter (probably a couple of years old at that point) and replace it with a current update.  It always seemed slightly exotic to me because it had traveled to so many places before it made its way to our house in North Dakota.

Recently, something reminded me of Mom's round robin (maybe it was all the book round robins I hear about)- and I asked my Mom whatever happened to her round robin. She said it's still going strong and recently celebrated it's 50th anniversary with a reunion of the members.  The Fargo (ND) newspaper had written an article about it, and one of the round robin members had even written a book.  Until I read the newspaper clipping, I didn't realize the round robin had a name- The Blue Garter Club, because all of the members wore the same blue garter for their wedding.

I think its pretty amazing that these fourteen ladies have stayed in touch so long.

Here they are at a reunion in 2006.  

Christmas in July

Yesterday  I worked on my cards for Angelina's Christmas in July Swap.  I've really never used glitter much before, and I feel like glitter (plus dog hair) is EVERYWHERE.  I mean, I just found some on my FORK.  The instructions that come with the glitter mention wearing a mask when you use it- I think I might wear goggles because I feel like I have it in my eyes.  The suffering we go through for our art.......

I have a question for you frequent glitterers- what kind of glue do you use, and do you have any tips for getting neat lettering and words?

This apron cracked me- I found it at an estate sale.  It says " A Stitch in Time" and has a tape measure at the hem.  I'm going to use if for my crafting apron.

Another fun estate sale find- this green metal vase and a big bunch of brass tipped garden stakes.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

The winner of my blogaway giveaway is Natalea of Kandeland.  Head on over to her blog to say congrats and check out some great eye candy.   Thanks so much to everyone that commented- I sure had fun!

Here are some trade card pictures that I picked up over the weekend. I believe they are all precopyright so feel free to download them and add to your own artwork.  

The Perfectly Composed Salad...

....is NOT pictured above- but it's such a good combination that I thought I'd share.

• mixed greens
• roasted almonds
• crumbled feta or blue cheese
• craisens
• whatever vinaigrette or non creamy Italian dressing you have on hand.

Karla (Karla's Cottage) and I went estate sale shopping this morning.  I found a few vintage sewing goodies. We found this bag of great metallic trim and braid to split (but I forgot to give Karla her half- for shame!)    And we bought a vintage nature atlas to share with great pictures of wildflowers, birds, trees  & fish- betcha can't wait to see what we do with those!

I also picked up sterling silver Mexican hors duerves picks- because you can never have enough formal Southwestern canape holders!

Karla and I have both been putting together collage and paper packages- both to sell and to give away on our blogs.  We decided we should do a swap and make a package for each other.  You know how Karla makes everything so nice in her blog- pretty table settings, real roses, nice bows on everything- just nice little extra touches everywhere.  She gave me my collage package in a Target bag! That is so UNLIKE her- but I think it's kind of funny- I keep teasing her that I'm going to come over with my camera and do a picture expose of "The Hidden Corners of Karla's Cottage"!  Like---do you want to know what's REALLY behind that floral screen!  It's ok- she knows I love to kid her.

So ....what was in the bag?  These really cool old documents- look at the letterhead- you just don't see anything like that today.

And then these great handpainted roses on wallpaper that Karla aged- I love these- can you just imagine all the projects you could do with these?  Cards, pictures, boxes- I told her she should put some in her  Etsy Shop.    

Beginner Mail Art

Michelle Ward's Green Pepper Press Street Team's challenge this month is Mail Art- decorating envelopes and packages and sending them via the US Mail. 

I've never done Mail Art, but I have lots of envelopes.  I decided to do QUICK altering using some of the new crafting & stamp supplies I've bought.   Some of the new products I used are  the clear cling stamps, Twinkling H20's, Micron pens and Adirondacks Color Wash spray.  This was a great way to try out and experiment with new stuff- if I didn't like the way an envelope was going- not a lot of time or money invested.

The second part of the challenge is to actually MAIL the envelopes- so if you'd like one, email me your address, or leave a comment and I'll email you for your address.  I might even put something IN the envelope!

Do you ever randomly set a couple of items down on a table or desk, look at them later and think "That looks pretty good like that!".  That's what happened with this lace, an old mirror & mini perfume bottles.

Aging Gracefully

  I bought a wonderful scrapbook full of valentines from the 1940's.  The valentines are in great condition, but the scrapbook is falling apart, so I'm trying to take the valentines out- but whatever they were glued down with is POWERFUL stuff.   When  crafters get together, the talk often turns to glue-what's best for sticking paper to cloth, paper to paper, cloth to wood, metal to paper etc etc.  I was thinking- I should be using this glue- this could be used to mortar bricks- and then I realized, no, no, it isn't archival.

And then I thought- what's the big deal with archival?  Why does everything have to be preserved forever as if it was just made yesterday?  I love the yellowed pages of old books, the chipped paint of an old frame, the alligator texture of an old farm table, the crazing of vintage ironstone.  Isn't that kind of the point of vintage?

I know, its probably a matter of degrees, and we certainly want to preserve our cherished memories, but there's something to be said for aging gracefully.   Here's a cute little card I found in the middle of the valentines.  And don't forget to leave a comment to enter my BlogAway.

Here's my "new" old waste basket for my craft room- I think it's aged gracefully- and it does make me smile!   

Would Someone Please Push My Start Button...

I realized I haven't been very productive lately when I showed my husband these two tags I made, and asked if he was happy that he spent all that time on his hands and knees putting a new floor in my craft room, if he'd known this was all I was going to get done. 

Here's a picture of the paper dolls and clothes in my blog away give away.    Full details HERE.  Just leave a comment on my blog between now and the evening of Thur Jul 19.

I'm off to heat up some leftovers from Pei Wei Asian Dinner.  Pei Wei is the upscale fast food version of the fantastic PF Changs restaurant chain and I HIGHLY recommend them.