Outdoors with my camera

On my way home this afternoon from Merchant Square, I found these beautiful flower displays.  Just had to stop and take some pictures to share with you.

Yellow pansies and deep purple petunias . . . .

Pink bloom on a cactus . . .

Yellow daisy-like flowers on a bush . . .

I love this time of year here in the desert.  Pleasant temps and loads of beautiful flowering plants.

Do you know???

I recently bought this white glass (milk glass?) pedestal cake plate.  Great shape, great condition. 

Can you tell me why it has this depression/hole in the top?

This cut glass pedestal cake plate has one, too.

I have a couple of personal pedestal cake plates that don't have this depression/hole in them, but I notice that the bases are "glued" on and not part of the whole cake plate.

Can anyone out there help me out with this??  I would sure appreciate an explanation.  Thanks!

Erin Go Bragh!

Top of the morning to you!! 

HAVE A HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! 

From a real Irish gal!! 

Don't forget to wear the green!!

Colorful!!

When I saw this jewelry set, all I could think of was "Carmen Miranda".  Looks like something she would wear, only not quite so big!  Reminds me of the Carribean, Hawaii, Mexico -- anywhere there is lots of color and fun!

A three piece set -- necklace, bracelet and earrings.

What fun!  How colorful!  Get out the maracas and dance!

Bitty baby shoes

Found recently in the garage while rummaging for something else.  Forgot they were there!

These are old and precious!  The little design is all French knots!  Tiny and in the middle of the circle they are a pale pink.  Precious!  Someone probably decorated these tiny shoes by hand for a precious baby.

Satin baby shoes.  I added the bits of bling.  Think they are precious with the little ruffles.  Someone long ago has replaced the ribbon ties on these dainty shoes.

It's a work in progress!

Am in the process of changing the blog background again.  Like this one.  The only thing I want to change now is the header.  Will be working on that later today.

Found this little red velvet covered book with the gold metal clasp yesterday at a yard sale.  Couldn't pass it up!!  Take a peek inside!

It actually holds a deck of cards.  The cards slip inside that metal clasp in the middle.  I think I see a tiny altered book coming along!!

Little Birdies

Painted and dolled up!

Dress form

I bought this dress form in September of last year.  It is the dress form of my dreams.  She has been in my booth since then.  I always thought I would bring her home if I decided to quit having a booth.  Well, shoot!  I decided I wanted her at home now.  So here she is in my bedroom.

She is decorated with a vintage slip, apron and lace collars.  She will become a display for jewelry that I have either made or found.

Right now there are only purchased pieces on her.  But I will change that.  Also think I will be changing out the apron.  Pretty sure a long vintage apron is in the garage, stashed somewhere.  I just have to find it.  Looked for it yesterday, but couldn't find it.  Will continue the search.

Fabric finds yesterday

I was looking for some birdies yesterday.  Finally found what I wanted, but also stopped in a thrift store and scored these wonderful fabrics:

Every piece in this picture is Waverly except the blue ticking.  I was so excited to find these pieces.  The one on the top left is actually a pair of curtains made by Waverly.  They are tattered and faded -- all the better!  The top right piece has the prettiest little roses on it.  Great piece for covering a bench or for a pillow.  The piece in the center has large handwriting in French.  There were several strips of this fabric in the bag along with one large square.  I have seen this fabric on pillows that cost a small fortune!  Think I will be making one for moi!  The cowboy themed fabric is something I am always on the lookout for -- Kim, we can share some of this!  And the ticking is always appropriate for cowboy/cowgirl collages or altered books.

Here's my little flock of birdies.  Way cute!  Should I paint them a nice light ivory?  Think I will do that to a couple of them and see how I like it.

Spring has come to my booth . . .

As many of you already know, I have an antiques/collectables booth at Merchant Square in Chandler, AZ.  I was up there rearranging yesterday and putting out more spring items.  Here are some pics I took yesterday after I finished up.

Time for pink dresses and girlie things.  I love the little garden cart for flowers and plants on the patio!  It is definitely shabby but would look great loaded with herbs or flowering plants in pots.

I love this lamp!  The base is an 1800's whale oil lamp made from leaded glass.  It has been wired for electricity recently and works perfectly.  And it is heavy!  Leaded glass is heavy!  See that pretty picture?  The frame is metal and probably from the 50's.  On the dresser tray is a fancy shaped glass jar full of a dozen of the quail eggs mentioned in yesterday's blog.

Here are some items in the white china cabinet.  Have to lock the small stuff up or it walks!  See the butterfly necklace?  I put that together with a shabby (i.e. missing some stones) rhinestone butterfly pin, a rhinestone bracelet and necklace.  It went together really quickly and I think it is neat!  I recently found the pair of mother-of-pearl opera glasses made in Paris (lower left).

I love this large picture of the pretty lady with her fancy hat.  It is a print on canvas in a really nice frame.  There are enough different colors in that print to go in any room.

Here is a pretty pink and white vanity with chair.  This piece is so girlie -- perfect for a little girl or teenager!  The pink glass lamps are vintage and both of them work.  I love doing this!  Can you tell???!!!

Here's something you may not know.  I have very little of this in my own home!  I prefer the western/Arizona/cowboy look in my great room area.  My bedroom has some girlie stuff, but not a lot.  I prefer the cottage look -- comfortable and pretty.  I will show you my most recent redo in there in a day or two!

The weekend finds . . .

I can tell that spring is approaching here in the Sonoran Desert.  The temps have been in the mid-70's, it has rained more than usual (thanks El Nino!), and now my lavender is in bloom.  The bees are also busy getting pollen from the blooms.  I need to pick some of this and dry it!

Last week I met some friends in Mesa for coffee and conversation.  Afterwards we wandered down to Domestic Bliss to see what goodies they had on sale.  Domestic Bliss is rearranging their store and getting rid of some old items at great prices.  Check out their blog here for the latest news and items.  Here is one of my purchases:

Speckled eggs!  And these are real eggs.  The insides have been removed -- remember how you used to blow out eggs for Easter dyeing??  I do!  I think they may be quail eggs, but am not sure.

I found this tiny wood cage several weeks ago and decided to add a small nest, some of the speckled eggs and tiny roses trim.  Cute spring display!

Here's a peak inside to see the eggs I tucked in there.  This little display piece will be on sale in Merchant Square in a day or two.

A giveaway to visit

I so WANT to win this giveaway!

What a pretty giveaway!  A reliquary pendant.  I just found this while reading Dorthe's Den Lille Lade blog.  She was featuring this giveaway on the Prairie Thistle blog.  I have done the necessaries to be eligible to win this giveaway.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

Last shade to share

This is the last shade I have made.  I plan to do one more, but I think you get the idea.  When I get started on another, larger shade, I will share that, too.

I covered the sections with lace trim, netting, and tulle.  This is a vintage flower spray tied with rayon ribbon.  The crystals are from a string of old crystals.

Here you can see some of the laces and tulle.

I got the tutorial from Karen Valentine's blog My Desert Cottage.  The tutorial is an earlier blog and you can find it here.  Karen has good pictures and instructions for you in the tutorial.  I love to read her blog and see all the wonderful things she creates and how she decorates her home.  Be sure to visit!!

For some other blog to visit, check out these!

Recycled Rita -- she hunts for the same type of stuff I like!

Primrose Design -- I think she is still snowed in!  But she does offer a nice variety of things for you.

Country Wings in Phoenix -- glitz I wish I knew how to get my hands on as well as lovely creations.

Two finished lampshades

These are two of the small shades.  I finished them up yesterday.  They are actually for a chandelier or tiny lamp that takes a flame bulb with a small base.  I need to make two more to go on a chandelier I have for sale in my booth at Merchant Square.

Fun to do!  Here is the first one I did . . .

It had six sections.  Three I covered with a cut up doily.  I overstitched the pieces to the wire frame.  This particular section in the middle is covered with a piece of lacey ribbon wrapped around the frame and pinned.  The bow is from a piece of tulle fabric that has pink felt polka dots on it.

This side is wrapped with another piece of lace and has a white feather glued to it.

This section has tiny rick rack wrapped from top to bottom.  An old photo was cut out and glued to coffee dyed cheese cloth and a piece of pink fabric.  It is pinned to the wire frame with safety pins.  I also glued on the ribbon roses and then put old shoe buttons, crystals, a diary key and some pearls on the bottom.

Here I covered the entire shade with an old piece of lacey fabric from an old dress.  I overstitched it at the top and bottom of the frame.  I had this old vintage bouquet of pink flowers and I tied a piece of rayon ribbon on it.  Once again I put old pearls from vintage and new jewelry around the bottom.

You can tell I spent more time on the first one.  It was a learning piece.  The second one was easier because I used one piece of lace to cover the entire shade and whipstitched it in place.  I may have to make changes since I don't know how much light they will filter once they are on the chandelier. 

I plan to do a couple more and will post them when finished.  I have to hunt through the thrift stores to see if I can find two more small shades OR some small lamps that take clip on flame bulbs.  :-))