Gathering Dust

What Caught My Eye at the Antique Mall

 
Before the long weekend, I brought a few things into my booth at the antique mall, and then wandered around with my camera and did some "virtual shopping".

The matte white pottery is from my booth- I never pass up a piece of Haeger or McCoy Floraline if its under $5.

I found the starfish at an estate sale and was fascinated by it.  I'm also kind of intrigued by the way shells spiral.  I think there is a formula or pattern for how they get larger, but I'll save the discussion of that for my "Math Topics I Love" blog.

True confessions: My degree is in Math, and I really do think the math of some of these patterns in nature is really cool, but not enough to blog about it.  Geez, I sound like Dr Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds.

 
I love vintage Madonna figurines and statues, too.  This one has been at my booth forever- I guess not everyone likes them as much as I do- but that's ok- I like the idea that she's watching over me.

Italian tole candlestick and box, early 1900's picture frame, 1890's wedding picture, cheap gold color plastic mirror with bows on it.

Moving on to other booths- just can't have too many pieces of white dinnerware and or too chippy a statue.

Here's a little Americana display peeking out from a table in Trish Headley's booth- love the faded and worn little boy's red hat.

More cool from Trish.

Great "sea stuff" in Gwen & Teri's French by Design booth. 

Check out the strips of paper and paper flowers peeking out from the shells in the urns- what a great (and easy) idea. 

French by Design has a Facebook page.  Check it out- great pictures of their displays at Marburger and from the South of France.

Bottoms Up,  an antique show I sell at, also has a Facebook page.  Check it out for some pictures of great old stuff.

One last thing for you to "check out"- my friend Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered is issuing a creative challenge- altering a Pure & Natural Soap Box.  I've got my box, and I've got my idea- we'd love it if you'd play along.

   

What would YOU do with this soap box?

Shall We Dance?

 
Obviously, there are a lot of things I like about estate sales, but one of the most fun is when you find an estate where the owner obviously had hobbies and pasttimes they were passionate about, and it shows in their possesions. 

Some of my favorite sales have lots of old books, or old craft & sewing supplies, while some estate sale customers get excited about boxes of old records or a basement full of tools.

Today, I went to a sale that was full of dance - especially ballet- related items.

 
...including a couple of boxes of crinolines, netting and hoop skirts and lacy Edwardian looking blouses- which I unceremoniously piled on the guest room bed.

 
I also picked up a bunch of these very deco look Dance magazines ca 1930.  I scanned the illustrations at the top of the post from the magazines.  If you'd like to use them in your art work, just click on them and they'll open in a new window and you can save them to your computer.

So, put on your toe slippers or tap shoes, and let's cut a rug.

Finished, Yes I Said Finished, Projects

 
I'm making progress on FINISHING the craft projects that I start.  I'm not going to pretend that I'm always going to finish what I start.

And I'll always have "long term" projects- like the Shades of White afghan that I've been working on since Jan 2009.  But if I put some effort into a project, and like how it's going, I'm going to try and finish it before I loose the parts.

 
I've got two journals in the works- this bird/gardening journal.

 
And this vintage fashion theme journal.

 
This used to be a book used to plan a funeral- it has a great toile background, and I covered the checklists for "hymn choices" and  "flower preferences" with  ledger paper- so it can be used as a journal.

A lot of the images I added came from Green Paper Packages.

And it's FINISHED- and I even got it listed in my Etsy Shop...along with these:

 
The curtain clips and birdhouse are in my Gathering Dust  Etsy shop. 

Speaking of finishing projects, look at the wonderful piece of art I got from Lisa. 

 
It's called Sisterhood, and Lisa made it to represent the sisterhood that so many of feel with our blogging buddies- our online girlfriends who are there to laugh with us, support us and inspire us.

Just look at the beautiful details.

I'm so honored that my "Texas sister" Lisa gave this to me.

A Creative Cottage Weekend and a Farmhouse Lunch

 
After reading all your comments after my last post about unfinished projects, I felt better- at least I'm not alone.  But, when I went to Karla's Creative Cottage getaway, I was determined that I was going to finish something- and I did. We all participated in building this cottage birdhouse neightborhood. My cottage is in the back row on the left and Karla's is next to mine.  Neighbors in the front row are Angie, Deb and Suzanne.

 
Karla had her studio set up for a crafting marathon- we cut, glued and gabbed for about eight hours- not a bad day's work.  I did *start* a couple of projects that didn't quite get finished- but I'm planning on finishing them tomorrow...it's good to have a plan...

 
Besides a birdhouse, Suzanne made this sweet cabinet card journal.

The weather was perfect for dinner outside in the courtyard.

The puppies joined us for dinner- every so often we'd stop chatting and eating and take a "puppy count"  to make make sure we knew where all six were.

Today, Carol invited us to her "new" farmhouse for lunch. We were all blown away by the 1865 house on an acre, tucked away in the middle of the city.  

 
Carol's clean farmhouse style and eye for great antiques were everywhere.   

And her ironstone collection kinda made my knees weak...

 
Especially the brown transferware- my favorite.

 
This is the door to the powder room- a great old  exterier door with a curtain added for restroom room privacy.

Lunch was delicious, and pretty to look at-

and dessert was absolutely decadent.

And the swing on the front porch- perfect for pictures.

 
And laughing with friends.

Fickle Crafting

 
I was going through my craft room, digging high and low,  looking for wrapping paper- and I noticed how many unfinished projects I have... like the (very small) start of a yo-yo quilt.  It occured to me that when I run across a craft project I think might be fun, if the supplies are handy- I tend to just jump right in- and not think about "Will I finish this?" or "What will I do with this when I'm done?"  "Do I even want one of these _______?"  Fill in the blank with crocheted shawl, patchwork afghan, macrame plant hanger etc etc. 

Ok, I've never actually made a macrame plant hanger. . .

I think I have craft fickleness.

A Circus Bird Train that never quite got hooked up.

Supplies for a New York themed book.

Fashion lady collages- I think I was going with a look for each decade.

So how about you?  Do you ever have craft fickleness?

Weekend Junking/Gluebook Leftovers

 
I don't have pictures of the small stuff I bought during this weekend's estate sales....

...because the window seat that I usually use to take pictures was taken over by a DOG with DIRTY feet.

But one of the favorite things I got wouldn't fit on the window seat anyway. Its the gold "french style" chair in the first picture.  I know, the fabric is missing from the arms, and there's a hole in the cushion- but I just fell in love with it.  It's just so ....tattered.

I really like the arms where all you can see is muslin.

...so I took the fabric off the back and the cushion.  I'd like to recover them in feedsack- but I think I'll need more than one 60 lb feed sack.

I'm still playing with my gluebook, too.  I used birds from Mary's Glue Book Class, a cabinet card from Mitzi, and Texas currency from Lori at My Faerie Window. 

 
Would have thought that play money would look so nice in collages?  (You can click on this to enlarge it and save it to your computer.)

More tags- using some Texas money, butterflies and birds from Mary, old magazine pages and patterns and cabinet cards from Mitzi.

 
Don't know where these scraps came from but she sure is purty lady...

...and now, a certain four legged friend and I have a date with a bath tub.

More GlueBook Pages

 
Yesterday, Mary, Marilyn and I had a craft day at Karla's.  We all spent some time playing with the images that  Mary has put together for her gluebook class. 

 
I was trying to keep things simple, but still interesting- most of my pages only have four elements.

 
Technically, gluebook pages are supposed to be made with only glue, scissors and paper- but I have a habit of inking the edges of everything I make, to make the elements "pop" a little more.

One trick that Mary suggested was using a darker color mat under an image to make a "frame"- like the blue border around the House Martin card.  It seems pretty simple, now...but sometimes the best ideas are simple...

Bottoms Up-Scenes from the Show

 
Every month, the Bottoms Up Antique Show gets better than the month before. Back in February, I went to first show as a customer, and dealers were huddled around space heaters, parts of the floor had a layer of sawdust, areas were covered with plastic, and burlap curtains hid storage areas.

But you could tell, the place had unlimited potential...and the dealers were selling GREAT stuff.

 
  
And now, in May, walls have been painted, windows that were boarded up have been opened  and Gwen of French by Design power sanded an 8000 square floor- my bones ache just thinking about it.

And she still had enough energy left to create the displays in the first three pictures.  Check out this tabletop display- the green chair is being used as a giant flower frog.

 
This is part of my booth.

 
Printers blocks and stamps.

 
  
Bottoms Up has filled up one 8,000 sq foot floor with dealers and started on a second floor of dealers, as well as adding a coffee and pastry bar, and live music in the evening.  It's wonderful to see a good idea turn into an EVENT.

More pictures:

 
Elegant tablescape....

 

...in a warehouse- what a great contrast. (Prize Antiques) 
  
Love this mix of tattered and worn- old books, old chair, great marbled books.(Kevin Roberts- Preserved Past)

And my show neighbors- Sarah and Dana of The Pair.  They have a great industrial look- whites, grays, neutrals & metals.  They buy a lot of metal boxes, trays etc and take the paint off.  Sarah likes to say "I've been stripping for twelve years".  (Say it out loud, it's funnier).  They also make cool jewelry. 

If you'd like to see more pictures of Bottom's Up, check out the albums on Bottom's Up Facebook page.

Stitching a Happy Birthday

 
Wednesday was Karla's birthday. It's easy for me to find a present for Karla- because we like the same stuff- and if I end up making a present, it's fun, because I know I can use my "best" stuff, and she'll appreciate it.

(It's not fun when you make a gift using a beautiful vintage millinery flower and the giftee wonders why you couldn't use something NEW).

 
I decided to stitch a sampler, and add personal touches and the "good" stuff.

See the little brown dots by the cupcake- those are the flax seeds that Karla adds to everything she cooks. The dress is for the paper doll dresses we made as one of our first paper crafting projects, the crown was because, well...Karla likes crowns- and has been known to wear them when cleaning house.

 
Some of the squares are just something I made up- but the upper right hand square is suppose to be vintage wallpaper.

 

There's Twinkle and Sugarwings.
 
...and in the upper right hand corner- that's a window in "Karla's Hat Shoppe".

"Bliss" is a cut from a laundry label from a Mr Marvin Bliss.  The charm says Happy Birthday.  The next square is cottage, and then next has Karla's initials.

   
And I remembered to sign and date my work. 

(I've been working on this for so long and wanted to show it to someone- its such a good feeling to finally SHARE it.)

Happy Birthday Karla! 

Glue, Paper, Scissors = Gluebooks

 
Often, when we have a craft day, Mary  works on her gluebooks.  Gluebooks are collage with just paper, glue and scissors.  As you can see from the links, Mary turns out great art with just those three things.

Mary is offering a class- Your Vintage Gluebook Class.  The lessons don't start for another couple weeks, but the images are available now.  I've printed some images and have been playing with them.

 

It's fun working with such great images, and a little bit of a challenge for me, because I'm used to using stamps and inks on the edges of almost everything I do.

 
 
(and I'm not used to working IN a book- I made these pages on cardstock, and I'll glue them into my journal/gluebook).  These go fast, and my next step will be making some pages by adding some of my own images and backgrounds.

If you're interested in the class   click here to view more details