Today's playing around

Took a few of the items I have been creating up to my booth at Merchant Square today.  Check it out.

Please don't let the size of these mannequins fool you.  They are both tiny and all the clothes are pinned behind them in order to make them look better.  There's my newly recovered bench as well!

These two necklaces are made from vintage lamp crystals and an old pocket watch.  Several other necklaces are on the glass between the two display forms.  Hard to see.

Here's the torso mannequin that I purchased from Karen Lackey of Starshine Salon.  I love the jewelry draped on it.  Wonderful display piece!

Here's the corner filled with wonderful girlie clothes items.  Come for a visit at Merchant Square soon!

More projects finished

I worked on black slip dress and it is now finished.  Am happy with the end result and it will find it's way to my booth, dress form and all, this week.

Here is a close up of the top of the slip and a necklace I created.

I used a piece of vintage lace trim, dyed roses and corsage petals for the large corsage and tiny ones at the top.  The necklace was created using bits and pieces I have in my stash. 

Have also been working on necklaces made out of old keys, an old watch, and some Tim Holtz bits.  The earrings at the top of the form are out of my stash.  Click on the pictures to get a larger view in order to see detail of the slip dress and the necklaces.

This mannequin was made by Karen Lackey of Starshine Salon.  If you like this mannequin, you can find several for sale in her booth at Merchant Square.  The torso mannequins are well made and weighted so they stand up.  Check them out!

Recovered bench

This bench has been in my booth at Merchant Square for some time.  People remarked that is was nice, but no one seemed to like it enough to take it home.  So I decided to give it a new, updated look.

It was covered with a nice floral fabric.  When I took the floral fabric off, the top of the bench piece was covered with muslin.  Perfect!!  I didn't have to line it to finish it.

Here's the finished bench.  I covered it with ivory burlap and gave it a cotton ruffled edge.  The ruffled edge was from a skirt I found at a thrift store.  Bought that skirt because I have plans to use all the ruffles on in.  I would have loved to stamp a fleur de lis on this burlap, but it is too coarse to take a good imprint.  Anyway, now it will fit in anyone's decor.  It's neutral and up-to-date.

Second lamp and lampshade redo

I bought two of these lamps at a flea market last year.  Of course, they are the typical 1950's lamps with the wonderful glass bases and your mother's plastic frilly shades.  Bleck!  Here is one that I bought (actually bought two of the same):

As you can see, the base is two shades of blue and the plastic shade is beginning to deteriorate, as they all do.  It's 50+ years old!

This is not the original shade form.  I actually covered a small lampshade (thrift store find) with the skirt of a child's vintage petticoat.  It wasn't quite long enough to reach to the bottom of the shade so I added a row of white ruffled cotton cutwork trim.  At the top I added pink gathered trim and the original tiny rose from the petticoat.

I painted the blue parts of the base with two coats of light antique white.  And this is the finished lamp ready to go into a special boudoir or child's room.  One of a kind!  The second lamp base may have a black base with another ruffled shade.  ;-D

Lampshade redo

I had found two old lampshades earlier this year at a yard sale.  Still covered with plastic wrap (don't people take that stuff off?) and the silk was in tatters.  It has wonderful wire bones.  Thought I could cover it with burlap.

Taking off the fabric and then the tape took the most time.  But I got it done.

Next I covered it with wide burlap ribbon.  Gives it added direction and texture.

Finished shade on my lamp!  I think I am very happy with this!  Next I have to find a kit in order to turn the second lampshade covered in burlap ribbon (yet to do) into a hanging lamp.

The weekend adventure

My friend, Gail, and I attended the grand opening of Sweet Salvage on 7th in Phoenix.  It was wonderful!  Kim and her bevy of wonderful and talented helpers and organizers did a great job.  Everyone was raving about it.  Kim and Katie were on TV to talk about it.  In all it was a great success.  Here are some highlights of our trip to Sweet Salvage:

Believe it or not, Gail and I did not plan to wear black and white tops on Thursday!

This was at the entrance to the shop.  Love the glass topped table, pillows, cherub and crystal chandelier.

Loved this bed!  See the curtains behind it and the great torn strip valence!  I bought two of the curtain panels for my bedroom bay window.  Can't wait to get them up!  Note the tumbleweed in the iron pot next to the bed.  Got to get a tumbleweed!  When it gets cooler!

I love this lamp shade and that great tiered display piece!  Wonderful old dresser, too.

There were several peacocks around in the shop.  And the aqua/peacock blue color was abundant.  Also a lot of peacock feathers.  Love that cupboard!

Some seashore collections and more aqua blue.  Cute, cute chair!

This looks like a summer collection from the seashore.  I love these huge glass containers!  I have several in my booth at Merchant Square and they hold tags, rolled music pages, and pearls.  More will be coming to my booth soon.  Pictures to come later!

Another wonderful display of white cups and saucers and ironstone pitchers.  Small vintage price cards were everywhere along with school word cards in English and French!  See the old shoe brush on top of the suitcase?  I have several that will appear in my booth soon.  They make great picture holders.

This was a great experience and a very successful one!  Thanks Kim and ladies!  Can't wait to see you next month -- Sept. 15-18!!  Gail and I will be there!

If I stay home . . . .

It's amazing what I can get done -- and quickly!  Here are some of my latest creations.

I dyed the tags, stamped the fabric, sewed the stamped sections down to red and white ticking, wrapped the tags with vintage laces.  Yes, I know that Stampington & Co. sells these fabric tags, but they are easy to replicate.  Especially if you have the Bonjour Cavallini stamp set.  Short story on that Bonjour stamp set:  I had bought a duplicate set several years ago.  Listed it on Etsy and it sold immediately.  Since then I have had three inquiries from Etsy people wanting to know if I had any more sets. Hmm!  Cavallini doesn't make that stamp set anymore.

I have a roll of wonderful vintage wallpaper that is white with a heavy flocked pattern.  I created a fancy envelope sometime back and posted it on my blog.  Well, I was wondering what to do with a small left over bit of the wallpaper.  Here is what I did first:

I made another envelope and decorated it.

On both sides.  This is front since the flap is on the other side.

Then I decided to cover a composition notebook with the same wallpaper and this beautiful Paper Whimsy image.  Now, I have a question for you artists.  The glove is an orphan and even though it is made of thin nylon, it is still a bit bulky in order to glue down the image.  Any suggestions on what to do?  I am afraid that since the image sits above the surface of the notebook that it would catch on things and eventually be torn off.  Should I cut the glove up and expose only the fingers and the ruffled cuff?  Should I mount the image on bits of chipboard so that it sits above the glove?  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Visiting Paris Montana

Kelly and I had a ball today visiting the Grand Re-Opening of Paris Montana today.  This is such a wonderful shop full of beautiful things.   You can see Heidi between the middle jewelry model and the Eiffel Tower.

 Lots of great jewelry!  Lots of wonderful clothing!  This place is a must see if you are in Scottsdale!

 Here's Kelly and me between two of the lovely models with the killer blond wigs!  Love those wigs!

 Lots of great jewelry -- some made by Heidi and some made by other artists.

Love this tank top!  Can't wait for a larger size to come in so I can get one for me!  Kelly and I had a great day today.

My stars!

Started working again early this morning in order to finish these stars.  There are 5 in all, but I am just going to feature these two.

One again my inspiration came from Nancy Maxwell James and the images are from Paper Whimsy.  The stars were recently unearthed in my attempts to clean up my workspace.  I have had these stars for years.  They came in dark brown tin already perforated.  I thought they would sell as Christmas decorations, but they didn't.  So when I saw Nancy's stars on the Paper Whimsy website a year ago, I decided to paint the recently discovered stars and decorate them similar to hers. 

They turned out better than expected.  Once again, thanks to Nancy and Gale for the inspiration!!

My latest creation

I had one more clipboard to basecoat and finish.  And Paper Whimsy's newest digi collage download spoke to me.  See what I did!

I thought this young lady was so pretty and so elegant.  I had a ball creating this latest clipboard.

Nancy Maxwell James of Sugar Lump Studios was the artist who got me interested in an online tutorial she was offering and I signed up.  Thanks to Nancy and to Gale Blair who is the force behind Paper Whimsy.

The Shopping Extravaganza at Art Unraveled 2011

Had a ball today at the Shopping Extravaganza!  Met a Facebook friend in person -- Jen Cushman.  Saw all the friends I set out to see:  Jack and Cat Curio, Tricia Samsal, Shirley the Artsy Fartsy Fairy, and Jennifer and Wendy of Mystic Paper.

Lesley, me and Mike.  Haven't seen them in ages!  Was so good to see them and catch up!

This is Thomas Ashman of New Mexico.  I loved his dollies!  He calls them Dollies de Los Muertos.  Frankly, I think they are a vast improvement on Catrina who is a favorite of celebrants of Dia de Los Muertos.

He told me they were Goodwill finds he decorated!  Loved them!

Loved this Magnolia Pearl outfit.  She was so busy talking that I didn't have a chance to talk to her myself.  She makes beautiful scarves to go with slip dresses.  Of course, I LOVED the Magnolia Pearl outfit.

Longest stretch Hummer limo I have ever seen!  You could get lost in there!

My only purchase!  I bought this from Karen Lackey of Starshine Salon.  Karen is a fellow dealer in Merchant Square.  I had no idea she was into the artsy stuff.  This form is going into my booth as a display piece.  She is covered with white burlap and weighted at the bottom so she won't fall over.  I see jewelry on her.  I see decorated corsets on her -- although she may be too small for that.  We shall see and I promise to share!

Redid some displays in my booth.

Here are some pics of the new displays and items I put in my booth at Merchant Square today.  Those of you who live locally and do scrapbooking might like to know I am putting my rubber stamp collection out for sale.  A few at a time, but I hope to sell most of it at great prices for you!  Check it out!

I love this shabby white ladder, little green potting table and the shabby frame.

Love music pages rolled and contained in this big glass container.  Great way to display the music.

Plenty of pretty things:  tags, decorated book, rhinestone bling, vintage handmade picture of a dancing lady.

Pearls and . . 

more pearls!!

Plenty of vintage sewing notions, vintage sewing box, old tiny sewing machine that is an antique, pin cushions, etc.!

A bowl full of rubber stamps.  All in very good condition and many unused!  At screamin' deal prices!

I love this old picture.  It is hand tinted and hand painted.  I have never seen one done so well, let alone tinted.  Beautiful piece!!

A lovely lace dress that is in beautiful condition.  Label says Scott McClintock -- I can always pick out clothes designed by the McClintock's!!

If you live in the area, please stop by Merchant Square and check out my booth, C-6, and all of the many other wonderful booths in there.  You can even have lunch at Pittsburgh Willie's!  He has a restaurant in there now that has the best hot dogs as well as an expanded menu.  Plenty of tables and there will be outdoor seating when the weather finally cools off!!  Come for a visit!

Restocking my booth again.

Besides neglecting this blog, I have also been neglecting my booth at Merchant Square.  Once I got back in town I was out shopping for items to put in my booth.  I also got back to doing some artwork.  Take a look!

Put these tags together to display and sell the vintage hat pins I found.  I covered the ends of the pins with the old photos of ladies with hats on.  The photos come from one of Tim Holtz' papers.

Some "Haute Couture" tags I made.  I had made a few about a month ago and they sold out right away.  So I have replenished my stock.  More projects are in the pipe line to get finished this week.  Also working on some repurposed clothing.  That should be interesting!  ((smile))

Was lucky enough to find a lot of pearl necklaces last week.  Great bargain, too, since they were on sale.  So I will be replenishing the pearls in the booth.  Haven't found any bargains in pearls until last Thursday.

I found this pretty plate one day as well as the glass candle holder.  I turned the candle cup/holder upside down, glued (don't you love E6000 glue??!!) a small porcelain knob on top of it, and voila!  A small cloche to protect a favorite trinket or keepsake you have!

This is the plate.  It is marked Germany and has pretty pink flowers and lovely raspberries on it.  So pretty!

It's time to destash my stamp collection so I pulled these out, priced them and they will be in my booth tomorrow.  They are clean and most have never been used.  I am a collector -- can you tell??!!  There will be more stamps coming to my booth in the days to come.

Something else I found recently.  These are heavy gauge wire light bulb covers to put over unprotected light bulbs.  I have seen them painted and used like a cloche to cover small items in a display.  I like the mini plant inside the one on the plate.

If you live close to Merchant Square in Chandler, be sure to check out my booth -- C-6.