Everyday Beauty

Decorating the Ceiling

When there's no more room on the floor, on the walls or on the shelves....look up! The ceiling holds endless possibilities for creative decorating. This is a view of part of my craft room ceiling. As you can see, I'm still loving sewing patterns. A month or so ago, I made these pom poms from a pattern similar to these here. And I think they're basically the same thing as the kits in Martha's line. Same general idea, just different sizes and papers. They're hanging with fishing line and cup hooks. Lots and lots of cups hooks in my ceiling. I'm sure the next owners of this house will NOT thank me for that.

I also have an old ruffled crinoline hanging up there along with some Japanese paper lanterns. Just today I found an old parasol I'm going to somehow rig and hang upside down as well. Eek! I was so excited when I spotted it! I'll post pictures when I get it hung. 

The now-tarnished glittered letters {that spell WISH} are from Wendy Addison. And as for the honeycomb bells, I had the wild idea last spring that I would sell them in my shop. Well, I just never got around to photographing and listing them, and ended up giving a bunch to friends and hung several in my craft room. 

Then I saw some on Pam's blog and also on my friend Gabrielle's new blog. {Gabrielle made pretty sewing pattern pom poms too.} Pretty bells are ringing everywhere!

Well, if you want dangling tissue paper things hanging from the sky of your house, you can get every tissue paper decoration you heart desires right here. Bells, balls, fringe, garlands, giant eggs, ice cream sundaes, hot air balloons {and yes, I have them all, but then again.....I'm nuts} and more! Fun stuff. Happy festooning!

Not Quite Hatched

I'm in the process of making some Fancy Ostrich Eggs, similar to the ones I made last year and sold in my shop. {new name...wanted something different, and even though ostrich eggs are roughly the size of a cantaloupe and these are not, I still like the name!}

This is what my desk looks like at the moment.

A very messy crafter I am. Gotta lay it all out on the table to see what I've got to work with, and then I've suddenly lost my project in the mess.

 

Velvet ribbons scraps always come in handy.

 

I'm not sure when I'll have these in the shop, but I will let you know as soon as I do. I'm so glad Easter falls in April this year. Easter in March always seems too early, a little too cold still. I remember in 1984, Easter fell on my birthday and I recall feeling SO special, as if the whole day was just for me. I remember it vividly for some reason.

Anyway...eggs....coming soon!

Oh, and yes that really is my new banner up there. No, it's not a joke or a mistake. LOL... {Sorry to disappoint those of you who have written to tell me you like the old one better.} I just wanted something different, fresh, and simple. Those are peonies from my garden last year, and I desaturated the image in Photoshop, added some subtle sepia and doodled the words {this part took me dozens of tries and that was the best I could do!} and the scallops. I like it. I've been making {literally making} another new banner since November. I need to finish it one of these days. It will be nice, I hope, when it's all complete.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Corked Vials

 

After a recent post where I showed these vials, I got lots of emails from inquiring crafters wanting to know where I got them. So, here ya go!

 

You can find them at Specialty Bottle, along with several other sizes and all sorts of bottles and jars. Aren't they great? Cork is a much prettier alternative to a plastic cap.

They're great for storing all sorts of "smalls" like beads, sequins, glitter, findings and the like.

Being a visual creature, I tend to like to see my things, rather than have them hidden in boxes, so these work perfectly. I also use lots of trays and open baskets as storage solutions, so I've got a good view of my supplies when inspiration strikes. I'm afraid I wouldn't get much done if I had to open a bunch of boxes and dig through to find hidden supplies. {Although, there is something to be said for rediscovering forgotten treasures!}

 

As part of my goody bag contribution for Silver Bella last year, I filled these same corked bottles full of silver glass glitter for each attendee. Then I briefly considered selling them in these vials as a color sampler set....but quickly decided I was sick of glass glitter trails all over my house! Ah well....and so it goes.

Anyway, that's the scoop on the vials!

Broken, Tarnished, Rusted, Frayed, Corroded, Dingy and Lovely

 

I know you guys share my love of old things, right? There's a just a certain something about them that draws us in. These are some bits and pieces of less-than-perfect details around my house. Corrosion produces the best shade of aqua!

 

A favorite old Venetian box from a flea market trip a few years ago. The chipped paint makes it all the better.

 

Frayed, pleated flowers on a hat.

Pretty chipped pearls.

A dingy old cube of pins. I like that some are missing.

I have no problem loving old rusted bits or jewelry with stones missing. I don't generally incorporate them in to the pieces I sell, but once in a while I do. I like the look.

Love this antique pendant with the Opal heart stone, even though it's lost most of it's other stones.

 

This is a new {but made to look old} sconce I have on the wall in the hallway. Pretty rusty flowers!

 

A good dingy shade of pink velvet, with a ripped veil.

 

We can never have enough old laces and trims. The more dingy the better. If it's too white for me, into my leftover cup of coffee or tea it goes! George always asks, "should I dump the rest of this coffee or do you want to dye something?"  ha ha...

 

Old doll shoes to be used in an upcoming project with some friends. I love the frayed edges!

 

A 1940's wedding cake topper with discolored flowers.

Well, I can hear that Sam's just woken up from his morning nap, so I'll sign off now. Time to go be Mama! :)

My Sewing Basket

 

I apologize, I couldn't think of a more original title than that, but I really couldn't. And I should be in bed right now, but I wanted to share these pictures with you. Days seem to pass and I have a hard time finding even a half hour to write a blog post!

 

There is something inherently beautiful and mundane about sewing baskets, don't you think?

Maybe it's just that they contain such simple elements {needles, thread, buttons} that can create incredibly beautiful garments, art and other elaborate {or simple} sewn projects. And they've been a part of womens' lives for centuries.

 

Here is my basket. It's an old one, and needs to be handled gingerly. But I'd rather have it that way. Makes you slow down, ya know?

 

Pink tufted satin, you are a lovely thing! Here I added some old details to the inside of the lid, like the ivory rings and the vintage button cards. The scissors are ancient but still work great.

 

The inside is fun and colorful with all of the threads and embroidery floss piled in there.

 

I will say, it's bit of a mess, but it works out ok. I have a method to my madness, I guess.

This old satin pouch is filled with emery, to sharpen needles and pins.

 

Pins, pin, pins.

 

More inside stuff.

   

And this is a rather odd angle, but have you ever tried to photograph an open sewing basket? So awkward!

 

Well, I think it's time to head up to bed. I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open. I've spent all night {the past 5 hours} reorganizing my craft room. It's looking much better than it has the past year or so. I'm getting there, slowly but surely....

Holiday Wrapture

 

Oh goodness! It is Thursday already? Ack! We leave on Saturday for Ohio, where we'll be spending the week with my parents and all of my extended family. Seriously cannot wait. Shopping is done, baking is done {what little I did this year}, and now it's time to wrap it all up and load up the car for the trip.

One thing about owning my shop is that I never have to look very far to find gift wrapping materials. Although, can I say that it pains me to see good ribbon go into the giant Christmas trash bag along with all of the wrapping paper shreds on Christmas morning. I know I'm preaching to the choir here. You guys are like me, we can spot a good ribbon at 20 paces, and we snatch it right up out of that trash bag and tuck it into our purses, don't we?

The embossed foil paper {above} is a wonderful thing I thought I'd mention here. It's sold at bakery supply shops, and is used to cover cake boards. Makes a great gift wrap {and sharpens your scissors as you cut!}. It's available in many colors and has been a staple for me for a few years now, ever since I took the Wilton cake decorating classes and the teacher told us all about it. And it's cheap too!

 

Pretty crepe rolls are fun to use. I like to sometimes wrap smaller sized gifts in this.

And sewing patterns always make interesting tissue paper, in poofs coming out of a gift bag or tucked inside a box. Great graphics and neutral colors.

  

I dug through some millinery-filled baskets to find some pretty gift toppers.

 

Most people on my shopping list probably couldn't care less about a millinery flower, but a few of my friends will appreciate them. I always use them on my mom's gifts, and then she gives them back to me to use again. So funny.

 

Well, I'd better get wrapping I suppose. 24 hours from now we'll be loading the car {and George will once again ask me why I need 5 pairs of shoes and  4 different purses}. Mark my words, that will be the conversation as he packs the back of the car.

Happy wrapping, my friends!

Adorned Cuff Bracelet

Project #1 from Silver Bella.......finished! Clearly, I'm just as slow as molasses when it comes to crafting. Sometimes, I think about it too much. And then I rearrange.... and then think some more. But eventually, I do finish.

I took this class with Rebecca Sower. What a joy she is! She was a great instructor, and she showed us several embroidery stitches and techniques. Lucky students we were when she generously shared her stash of vintage fabrics and embellishments with the class. I think all of us loved her class!

 

Of course I had to use old jewelry on my cuff. For me, some old rhinestones and pearls can magically take a project from I like this to Oh, I love this!

 

Don't look too closely at my stitches. {they're not the straightest.....lol}

 

The frayed fabric is one of things I love so much about this bracelet. It adds texture and interest just by being itself. The back is lined with a beige velvet so it's nice and soft against my wrist.

I was so inspired by this class and realized how much I love working with fabric. I don't play with it nearly enough. But I just bought a couple of new embroidery books, so we'll see where it takes me. I know I want to make more of these, and who knows what else.....

Trinket Treasures

 

Hello Jewelry Junkies! As you can see from this picture of my desk, I've been busy assembling more Vintage Trinket Jewelry and should have it listed in the shop sometime on Monday. I wish I had time to make one for each person who has emailed or called with a bracelet request, but unfortunately I just don't. Hopefully, some of the pieces I've been working on will tickle your fancy.

 

Have a lovely weekend!

Things I Accomplish When the Shop is Closed

 

This mini shop break I'm taking has been quite productive! Boy, did I ever need this time to regroup and recharge. I've been puttering around creating little vignettes in my home and studio. {something I could easily get carried away doing all day long if certain sweet little boys didn't keep me on track.}

It's been fun gathering trinkets to use in my Silver Bella workshops.

And I even baked Natalea's Chocolate Sheet Cake. {and unwisely ate 50% of the pan myself. It's so delicious, although not so good for the waistline...oh well! Yum is an understatement, girls.}

Been photographing lots of new items for One Hundred Wishes. Like this sneak peek below {which is my new favorite thing and I can't wait to show you!}:

And this:

And this:

And I've even been making jewelry. I know! It's been a while, huh?

And I crafted a couple little paper projects too.

 

There is still so much more to do this week, so I guess I'd better get busy!

Meet Stella Pearl

I have always wanted a vintage dress form. I majored in Fashion Merchandising and was surrounded by them at college, but I could never find one that I loved at the right price, so I kept searching. Well, on Mother's Day, George surprised me big time when I came downstairs to find one standing in the family room! I was shocked and so excited. He knew how long I'd been wishing for one, and had heard me talk about must-have details like the "cage" at the bottom and cast iron feet on casters. He figured I wanted a beige one (I did), but couldn't find one in excellent condition, so he bought a black one, hoping that some beige paint would fix her right up. The thought of him heading to The Old Luckett's Antique Store on his lunch hour and searching for a dress form for me is about the sweetest thing I can think of, a gift in and of itself!

I took the old girl outside and sprayed her with an entire can of primer. I followed Heather Bullard's faux painting instructions, and painted and antiqued Miss Stella until she was to my liking. I am so happy with the way she turned out!

Next, it was time for the fun part.....draping her in all manner of fun and pretty embellishments. Seriously, if I'd spend half this much time getting myself ready in the morning, I'd look like a million bucks!

First I draped my mom's old cloth tape measure around her shoulders. It was the one my mom used in her high school sewing class, and I've always thought it needed to be displayed on a dress form.

I added lots of old pearls and baubles around her neck. The star seemed appropriate since Stella means star in Italian. I continued (someone, stop me!) with some old lace and this very favorite pink -flowered Bakelite necklace that my friend Dana gave to me. (I spied it in her craft room, and went nuts over it. She, being the generous soul that she is, insisted that I take it home. Thank you Dana!)

Then, I made a velvet ribbon belt and fitted it with a vintage rhinestone buckle.

I added some vintage chandelier crystals to her "skirt". I thought she needed some pink garter clips, too.

Here's a picture of her feet.

It's hard to see the details on the iron, but they are so pretty. I've been wheeling her around trying to figure out where to put her. It looks like the nook in the foyer is the place. I'd rather have her in my studio/office/shop warehouse, but there is just no room at the moment. Time for another round of cleaning and reorganizing, I think....

Here she is before and after her makeover. Isn't it amazing what a little paint will do?

Stella Pearl Singarella in all her finery! My favorite Mother's Day gift ever.