Etsy Cottage Style Fall Color Party

This month Etsy Cottage Style Fall Color Party hit on the colors I love best, fall colors -- browns, beige, khaki, chocolate.  A lot of my artwork is done in these shades and colors.  My "cottage" is more of a  "rustic style" with a western theme.  I am going to share with you a lot of things I have that come in these colors.

This was a fabric book I created when I joined KC Willis' Collage Camp.  I had a lot of fun putting this together.  It now is part of KC's personal collection.  She told me it gives her inspiration!

This is the second fabric collage book I created entitled "Prairie Gals".  The entire book was published in the Summer 2010 issue of Sew Somerset.  I still have this book.

A lot of people I talk to while they visit my booth at Merchant Square are surprised to learn that I do not have a lot of shabby chic, white, cottage style items in my home -- only in my booth.  My bedroom is really the only place where I do have the cottage look using whites, creams, black, sage green and pink.  But here is a peek at some items around the rest of my home.

I love the wood box with the brands on it and the handles are horseshoes.  My sister gave this piece to me.  Also love the bottles wrapped with old baskets.

The collage on the left is one of my creations.  Again you can see that recurring theme of the blog party's color theme for this month.

I love the old, well-loved and worn buckaroo boots on top of the great leather box.  Below is an old egg basket with genuine stirrups highlighted against the vintage doily.

In my entry way is my grandmother's kitchen clock.  It used to work, but quit after being moved around the country so many times.  I have paid more in trying to get it running than it is worth.  But I love it.  At least it is right twice a day!!  This gorgeous antique chest and old mirror I picked up in Leesburg, VA when we lived back east.

I love these old jugs and the crock.  The jug on the far right has a cobalt design and my husband found that on a TDY to Massachusetts.  You can see that I am a cowgirl at heart.

And another piece of my artwork done in the coffee dyed fabrics, browns and tans.

Thanks for visiting my blog today and sharing in the fun of the Etsy Cottage Style Fall Color Party.

Desert Living

One of the things I love about living here in the Sonoran Desert is the Gambol's quail.  Check out this quail family.

There are four on the patio looking for food.  See the lookout on top of the fountain?  And there is another one on the low wall between the saguaro and the sage.  Four of the quail were nearly mature babies.  Pop is on the fountain standing guard and will warn of any danger approaching.  Mom is on the patio.  Had to wonder if the one on the low fence is learning how to be a future guard for his own family someday.  Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the quail a little better.

I actually spread out a little bit of bird seed for them last week.  I don't do that very often.  But I do love to watch them scratch around (like chickens) in the rock and also walk around looking for seed.

Finished my Spool Story squares!

This morning I finished up the squares that will become the basic pieces in my Spool Story piece that I created in the Carol Wingert workshop last Saturday.  I am so glad they are all done!  I loved doing these small fabric collages.  Next project is to assemble and finish up the entire spool to share with all of you.

I so love the colors, the variety of fabrics, and the final finishes on these squares.

The square at the upper right is actually a pocket for photos, precious letters or notes, or whatever you want.  The technique for the clock square was new to me and I love it!  Hint:  ribbon and glimmer mist.

Since I love to sew, the top left square is one of my favorites!  All three of these have pockets and the one at the top right has a lacy tag to tuck in the pocket.

The square at the top left has beautiful trims on a small piece of fabric to form a pocket on this page as well. 

Please click on each picture here to get a closer view of the all the squares and the lovely fabrics, trims and techniques used on each. 

My Etsy shop, Vintage Recycled

Am going to be adding several items a day to my Etsy shop, Vintage Recycled.  Today I added some tags and some tin star ornaments.  You can see all the items I listed by clicking on the right sidebar.  I plan to list some vintage items from my booth in the coming days.

Check these out!  Tags and pretty vintage laces.

Spool Story workshop

Last Saturday, was Carol Wingert's "Spool Story" workshop.  Patty Fleming and her husband opened up their beautiful home for 16 of us to participate in this workshop.  Carol always creates wonderful projects.  She fills some kind of large container for each of us and decorates it.  Inside we find a treasure chest of fabric, trinkets, ribbon, trims, and the bits and pieces to complete the entire project.  These workshops are great fun!

Each one of us found our own special box with a lollipop flower on top and a fabric name tag.  Carol always packages up many treasures inside each box for our projects.

There was a burlap bag inside full of French ribbons and trims.  You can see some of my completed pieces on the right.

A bundle of beautiful fabric pieces ranging from canvas, to cottons, to silks!  The parcel contains some rubons, labels and bits of wire for the project.

Here you can see my spool that is awaiting my finished strip of squares.  You also see more trims and stuff that came in those two brown envelopes.

The inside of the box has black and white gingham fabric lining.  You can see the metal top that goes on the spool, makings for a tiny nest, and the strip to attach all the little squares for the story.  In the bag is a pocket watch that we can fill with a small collage and attach to our finished spool.

Late in the afternoon, Patty prepared a selection of desserts for all of us.  She made these cute teacups that held two of the most scrumptious chocolate chip cookies!  Isn't this just the cutest thing?  Patty made enough for every one of us!  How special!  How wonderful!

A wonderful time was had by all!  Thanks to Carol, Vern and Ashley Wingert for all the prep work!  And thanks to Patty and her hubby for opening their beautiful home to all of us, for cooking the most scrumptious foods (the gumbo was fantastic!), and for being such welcoming and delightful hosts!

Yard sale find -- transformed!

I was on my way to Carol Wingert's Spool Story workshop yesterday and found myself being way too early.  So I took a detour to a yard sale and stopped to look around.  I looked in a box that was on the ground and found three icky yellow and brown flower pots full of beautiful fall mums and leaves.  And it struck me!  These could be repurposed from boring to beautiful fall displays.

Here is the end result!

I painted the pots black and what a transformation!  The mustard yellow and brown colors were so blah.  Then I added burlap knotted ribbon.  Twigs, crows and feathers completed the transformation.  BIG difference!  Just sorry I didn't take a "before" picture.

Pictures soon on the Spool Story workshop.  Visit my Facebook page to see a few pictures.  The button is on the right side of the blog page.

Sweet Salvage "Harvest Moon" event

Kim and her talented and creative helpers once again put on a fabulous Sweet Salvage event this month.  The theme was "Harvest Moon" and here are some pics from this wonderful monthly event!

I was very lucky to have been chosen to get in early!  I left a comment on the Sweet Salvage blog.  About 15 minutes before opening time, the door opened a bit and my name (plus two others) was called.  I had correctly identified stuff in the picture on the blog and left a comment.  My name and two others were called to be let in early -- to shop and to take pictures so that you can enjoy a trip through this Harvest Moon treat!  Where were the other two??  Don't know!  They weren't there.  Tsk!

OK!!  Let's go!!

A "bootiful" display of frames, masked and disguised ladies, pumpkins, and other eerie items!

Plenty of creative displays!  So wonderful to see and get ideas for your own displays at home or . . . your haunted house!

I loved this "Ladies Lounge" (see the sign on the mantel?) area!  Plenty of spooky items, purple and black and comfy chairs and a sofa, too (not in the picture).

Or perhaps you would like to outfit your own lab!  Perhaps Dr. Jekyll would join you for a bit of mixing of potions!  Just waiting for the secret ingredients -- spiders, eyeballs, snakes, you know, those special Halloween tidbits that are added to snacks and drinks on All Hallows Eve!

Plenty of wonderful storage for all those secret ingredients that are so important for brews, stews, potions and concoctions!!

Or perhaps you might enjoy something that isn't so scary or icky!!  Love the baskets, pumpkins and fall foliage!  Cute little wagon!

Well, look here!  Floral containers with lovely sunflowers and a bee skep all on this iron display piece!  I love the shade on that lamp in the upper right of the picture!  Big numbers!  Windows!  It was all there!

In all, it was a big success!  Thanks to Kim and her talented designers for putting on another wonderful event!  Can't wait for next month!  Theme:  "French Market"!!  See you then?  October 23!

Halloween is coming!

Are you ready?  If not, I will have plenty of little goodies around my booth for your Halloween delight!  But not until the end of this month.  Here is a peek:

Dug out bottles from the stash.  They have been in the garage for years!  Found a little Halloween song that was in an old music text book published in 1945.

Been making flash cards today as well.  But these are not for the kiddies!  They are for all you collectors, junkers, shoppers and flea market lovers.  These would look great on your fridge, your favorite shelf of stuff, whatever!!  Have fun and post your feelings out there!

I love my new blog background!  Karen Valentine did a fabulous job creating this for me and I am "over the moon" in love with this background!!  There is also a tag on the side bar for you to use to get in touch with her.

Little Pumpkins

I found this idea for these darling little pumpkins made out of rolls of crochet thread on Mamie Jane's blog.  I had several rolls of crochet thread and decided to make up a few.  Quick and easy!!

Aren't these just too cute??  If you click on the link above, you will go directly to Mamie Jane's blog for directions on how to create these little cuties.  Have fun!!  I did!!