Gathering Dust

BothersMe

Yesterday, I sent off my page for Sandra's book to Lisa for the round robin swap we're doing with Karla.

 
My page has a cross stitch (and other stuff) sampler.  When I look at the picture of it, I realize....I'm NOT a very good seamstress.  The sampler really isn't straight on the page- so I pinned a bow in the corner to try to distract from it.

My mother is an excellent seamtress and master quilt maker- everything she makes  has perfect seams and meets up exactly.  She says if she has a mistake it bothers her until she fixes it.  She has some early projects with tiny imperfections that she didn't fix and whenever she looks at them, all she sees is the mistake.  She calls them "bothermes".

So the rule she follows is "If it bothers me now, it will bother me later".  I also subscribe to this rule- but not nearly as much bothers me as bothers my Mom.

 
Thank goodness these little art quilts don't have to be perfect- if I make a mistake, I just cover it with a bow, a button, a stitch or a patch.

 
I was going to make the back really simple- just a doily with a bit of stitching, but once I started, I just kept going.

 
The printed sampler has a finger signing alphabet as well as three other fonts.

Not perfect, but it doesn't have any "bothersme".

Quick Close Ups from the Antique Mall

 
I remembered to grab my camera last week when I restocked at the antique mall.  I don't have any pictures of the whole booth- on the whole, it's not very photogenic- it's too busy with too many little displays.

But hopefully all those little displays make shoppers think "there has to be something in this booth I must buy".

None of the merchandise in this picture is likely to make you think "I must have this"- but I like the fallish look.  The trim on the cards is old store stock- i think its either for making hats or upholstery trim- it seems too stiff to be on clothes.  The "Panorama" envelope is full of postcards from Belguim.

 
Almost anytime I can buy a group of similiar items that have any decorative value, I'll snap them up.  Even the strangest things can look awesome when you have a lot of them.  A group of clocks is a pretty standard display...but I've also done displays of metal advertising thermometers, yardsticks and rulers, gavels, and big scissors and tin snips.

 
This is a group of old glass magnifying glasses accented with a pewter rattle and a couple of buckles and buttons that pick up the pewter color.

 
A different rattle, nestled in a length of flapper bead trim.

 
Green is not always an easy color to sell- but  I really liked this tole painted dresser box, and green looks nice with the long cream and green celluloid photo album.

That's about 2 % of my inventory, but are you intrigued enough that you want to step into my booth and look around at the rest of it?  (I hope so.)

Estate Sale Friday Sherwood Forest version

 
I went to a fun estate sale this morning- the sale was in an older subdivision called Sherwood Forest on a  street called Robinhood Lane. 

The house looked like nothing had been changed since 1970- I might think that no one had been in it since then except I did see a George Foreman grill. And it had a lot of cool gear.

I scored three pieces of head gear- but the floral hat is so big that it dwarfs the other pieces.

 
I probably should have put something next to it for size comparision, but it's as big as a small wedding cake.

 
And I found neck gear- some fun bandanas including this hunting themed bandana with a 1961 date on it.

  
(The dog hair didn't come with the bandana, I found that at home.)

 
Eye gear...or disguise gear?

 
Sewing gear- a blue tomato pin cushion and a darling handmade sewing kit.

 
Look at how cute it is when you open it up- if I was a really smart girl, I'd take a good look at this and figure out how to make one....guess, I'll add that to the "to do" list.

 
And...for when I decide to start my own school, I've got letterman gear.

Kind of an odd collection of gear...but I'm happy I went to Sherwood Forest.

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

 
(Top to Bottom: Button, Aggie, Twinkle)

Yesterday, while I was crafting at Karla's, I tried to get a "family picture" of Button (my dog); Button's sister, Agnes Rose (Karla's dog); and Aggie & Button's mother, Twinkle (Karla's dog).

 
(Twinkle and Aggie looking darling, Button- looking at his toes)

It is not easy to get three dogs all looking in the same direction at one time- but in the words of my teen age idol, Meatloaf: " Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."

 
(Button and Aggie being kissy and sweet.)

 
(Aggie says "ooooh, that Button has DOG breath".)

 
(Twinkle and Aggie smiling for the camera; Button with his nose in a pillow)

 
(Button and Twinkle smiling for the camera; Aggie, ready to jump the bench and end this photo session)

  
Aggie was right- it really was too nice a day to spend inside taking pictures.

More Stitching Stuff

 
When I have a needle and fabric in my hand and a stash of embroidery floss next to me, I feel like I'm an artist with paint brush in hand in front of a blank canvas....unlimited possibilities. 

I can't always guarantee the results are worthy of being called a work of art- but heck, if it makes me feel good, I'm going to keep stitching.
This is a little canvas I stitched from an old huck tea towel and then sewed to a small zipper bag I got at Michaels.  I did something similiar, only I used bright colors and less of a "sampler" pattern to make this purse.   A very handy size to use when buying or selling at a flea market.

When I have several of them made, I'll probably debut my collection at Fashion Week in New York City,  offer them for sale in my Etsy shop. 

I've watched enough Project Runway to know how important it is to have a full cohesive collection with a point of view and top notch construction skills. 

 
I know I've shown parts of this free style stitching sampler on my blog, but I don't know if I've shown it since its been finished.

If you have seen it, and I'm repeating myself...well, it won't be the first time.

 
Lots of lazy daisies, French knots  and split stitches.

 
I got a book at an estate sale called 100 embroidery stitches- hopefully I can expand my repertoire. 
Speaking of crafts, last year at this time, Karla and I were decorating with things we had made for our Romantic Gothic Ghosts e-zine. 

 
The e-zine has craft tips, decorating ideas and projects.  You can check out the details here.  We'd love to have you join the class. The cost is only $25 and you get downloads, images, videos and lots of inspiration.

Karla has added a new project- this darling more cute than spooky witches hat.

 
If you signed up for the class last year, but can't find the link to get in or don't remember the password- send me an email at [email protected] and I'll get you the information.

But I Forgot to Bring My Camera

 
Other than the sinus headache I get when it rains, or the seasons change, or the humidity changes or my nose just gets ornery, I had a great weekend.

 
Estate sales that were good enough that I went back for half price on Saturday- but I forgot to bring my camera.

 
 I redid my booth at the antique mall for Halloween- a black and white display full of old leather books and clocks set to the witching hour- but I forgot to take my camera.

 
These images came from a great auction I went to last week.  If you want to save the images, click on a picture and it will open in a new window.

 I've priced and packed most of my treasures- again,sorry, no pictures because I forgot my camera.

 
If you'd like to check out some great pictures, do you know about Pinterest?  It's a huge collection of virtual bulletin boards put together by users. 

Do you ever see a picture on the internet and want to be able to find it later, so you bookmark it,  but sorting through all those bookmarks gets to be overwhelming?  Pinterest lets you save pictures in boards that you create. 

For example, I have boards for craft ideas, collections, sewing notions, decorating (and more).  You can find my Pinterest boards here.

But the best part about Pinterest- following OTHER people's boards.  I don't have the patience to look all over the internet for inspiration- but I follow some great boards on Pinterest curated by other users- I let them do the looking and the pinning and I try to take a peek at those boards every few days. 

Some of my favorite boards:

Printable Downloads

Kana's Hearts

Sharon's A Stitch in Time

Julie's Boards

Pamela's Vintage Sewing board- The Selvedge Edge

...and that doesn't even scratch the surface.

One thing I did remember my camera for was Etsy- I've added some new pretties to my Etsy Shop- SugarPinkMoon.

 

 

Let's Go Antique Shopping

 
The only shopping I did at the Old Summit Antique Show was with my camera.  Usually, when I sell at a show, I buy myself a "treat"- but I think I'm still in a purge and de-stash mood, so I just took pictures of things that caught my eye.

Like the "Road Men" paper label on this crate.

 
Sweet garden vignette.

 
Folk art memory jar- I'm guessing it's from the 1930's- I love these, but they are so hard to find- and so expensive when you do find them.  These were being sold as a pair- $375 for the pair.

 
Old, worn, stained, faded- but beautiful.

 
Folk art- outsider art-a school made from corrugated cardboard.

 
Great collection of red and white crocheted pot holders- these made me think of my blog friend Barbara of Oodles and Oodles.  I'm guessing she could probably put together a similiar collection.

 
Fall table top decorations.

 
Remember these Halloween treat bags?  I'm old enough to say I do.

 
Back to school display.

 
I don't  know if it was intentional, but these boots seem to be propped together in a kind of shy demure angle.

 
More old shoes- these are children's.

 
A bike ready packed with a blanket for a fall picnic.

 
 
This is from my booth- it's a tattered pillow made of old award ribbons- the one that's easiest to read says 1892.

 
A well used pin cushion.

 
Cameo jewelry- jewelry was NOT a big seller - these will be in my Etsy Shop just as soon as I get a free moment --- and can find them in the tubs I packed up from the show.

 
Bridge tally pads with dogs- cute!

 
A beautiful fall vignette full of fresh cut bittersweet vine.

So, did you see anything we need to go back and buy?

Halloween Cabinet Card & Old Summit Country Antique Show

 
 
 
A couple of weeks ago when I was selling at the Flea Market, the gentleman next to me was selling cabinet cards.  He had boxes and boxes- I thumbed through them, but I only looked at the backs- if it had an interesting graphic, I bought it.

I think this one would be great to use in a Halloween themed project- but I have to wonder what made the photographer choose this design to advertise his studio...

I think if you look closely at it, there are faces in those vines and scrolls....

If you click on it, it will open in a new window and you can save it to your computer.

  
If you're in the Kansas City area this weekend, I'll be selling at the Old Summit Country Antique Show.  I'll be set up right in front of the stage, come out and say "Hi".  

What I Saw at the Antique Show- Pictures from Bottoms Up

 
Cubby Love

 
Locker basket full of erasers

 
Can't get enough of those vintage office supplies.

 
Basket full of paper and feathers- French wallpaper in the back of the cabinet.

 
Sunflower vignette.

 
Prison/Tramp Art- made from Camel cigarette packages.

 
Great mini column

 
Harvest Table

 
Pretty spools of ribbon (My So Called Junky Life)

 
Altered Art Supplies.

 
Ironstone.

 
More ironstone.

 
Same ironstone, different view.

 
Yeah, I've kind of got a thing for ironstone....

Bottoms Up Antique Show-the other side of the tracks

 
Bottom's Up is a First Friday of the month antique show.  I've mentioned it on my blog before because I set up and sold there a lot last year.  Since then, they've moved to a new location- it's only a couple of blocks from the old place- over the railroad tracks, or under the overpass- but the "new" old building is a world away.

 
(entrance to the building)

 During the late 1800's and early 1900's, the West Bottom's area of Kansas City was a hub of industry.  The railroad and steamships converged there, and it became the second largest stockyards in the United States.

Unfortunately, the "bottoms" part of West Bottoms meant it was low ground, and prone to flooding.  Because of changes to the cattle industry and several floods over the years, businesses left the Bottoms- but they left behind some beautiful buildings. 

 

Bottoms Up is located in the Stowe Hardware Building.  When you step inside the door, you'll know exactly where you are- don't you love the old subway tile? 

 
Unlike a lot of neighborhoods of old buildings, these haven't been "modernized" and the details that made them so special are still there- like this wall of peeling paint.

I know peeling paint isn't everyone's taste, but every one of those layers tells a story- I don't have any idea what the story is- it's enough just to know that there IS a story.

 

 Right inside the front door is a wire cage elevator- it's not a working elevator, but it just adds to the mood.  This picture was taken from the stairs behind the elevator.

 
(Floral wreath medallion over the elevator cage)

 

As I walking back to my car, I couldn't help but notice some of the details on other buildings- like this little second floor cupola.

 
Or this frieze on the side of the Dil Pull Tractor Company.

I don't know why these little details of old building make me happy- but they do. 

Speaking of happy-the very first picture in the post- of the sunflowers in the window- is from Melinda Dennis's booth.  I told her how much I like the display and she apologized that some of the sunflowers were dying.  I told her I thought they were perfect- and she said "they just make me happy".  That's how I feel about seeing these great old brick buildings with their wreath topped elevators and peeling paint.

 
The inside of the building has as much character as the outside, and the dealers have embraced this and come up with great displays.  I took lots of pictures inside, too- I'll post them later in the week.

(When researching this post- because you know, I always thoroughly research anything I put on my blog- she said in a not quite believable voice- I came across a Flickr photo set.  Check it out if you'd like to see some more interesting old buildings.)