YOU TAKE A PAPIER MACHE DRESS FORM.......

....DECOUPAGE THE BODICE WITH BITS OF OLD LEDGER PAPER, (IN THIS CASE FROM 1843) TAKE ONE VERY VINTAGE, DELICATE, SILK , FRENCH COLLAR TO DRAPE OVER THE DRESS FORM, ADD TINY VINTAGE PAPER FLOWERS AND AN OLD RHINESTONE CHAIN FOR THE WAIST, A PIECE OF VINTAGE SATIN RIBBON AND RHINESTONE BUCKLE FOR THE NECK, AN OLD FADED PIECE OF CRINOLINE FOR THE UNDERSKIRT WHICH HAS BEEN TRIMMED WITH PLEATED RIBBON, AND............IT BECOMES A THING OF BEAUTY. NOW, GO TO YOUR SCRAP BASKET LADIES, AND SEE WHAT YOU COME UP WITH. SERIOUSLY, WOULDN'T IT BE FUN TO SEE WHAT COULD BE CREATED OUT OF JUST BITS OF THINGS FROM YOUR SCRAPS? ( MY HUSBAND JUST SAID IF YOU REMOVE THE S'S FROM SCRAPS IS WHAT YOU'R E REALLY LEFT WITH. HONESTLY, HE WILL JUST NEVER GET IT!!!!) I WOULD REALLY BE INTERESTED TO SEE OTHER'S DRESS FORM FUN. (JANICE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?)

THESE RIBBONS, ROSEBUDS AND SEQUINS ARE VERY TINY AND DELICATE.

A VIEW OF THE BACK OF DRESS FORM

IT'LL JUST HAVE TO DO!

THERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL PILLOWS AND CUSHIONS OUT THERE USING VINTAGE GRAIN SACKS FROM FRANCE ETC. ACCORDING TO MY FRIEND JANICE, THEY ARE THE LATEST CRAZE AND EVERYONE WANTS THEM, INCLUDING ME! WHILE THEY ARE GORGEOUS, THEY ALSO COST THE EARTH, SO I MADE MY OWN VERSION FROM A GARAGE SALE FIND THAT CONSISTED OF SEVERAL OF THESE OLD CANVAS MONEY SACKS. I EVEN PUT A LITTLE POCKET ON THE BACK OF ONE OF THEM SO THAT ONE COULD HIDE (I MEAN STORE) A FEW BITS OF CHOCOLATE, CROSSWORD PUZZLES, OR WHAT HAVE YOU! I DO THINK THEY'RE KIND OF FUN! TALK ABOUT SHABBY!!!!!!!

FUN JEWELRY

THE DICE AND LETTERS ARE MADE OF VINTAGE GAME PIECES AND DIFFERENT LENGTHS OF OLD CHAIN. THE BRACELET IS A VERY SMALL ANCIENT LOCK FOUND IN LONDON WITH IT'S ORIGINAL KEY. SOME CRYSTAL BEADS WERE ADDED FOR A FUN JUXTO.

...AND SOME BUTTON JEWELRY

A FEW BUTTON JEWELRY NECKLACES I MADE THE OTHER DAY. I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH MY STASH OF VINTAGE METAL AND GLASS BUTTONS AND PAIRING THEM WITH PARTS OF BROKEN JEWELRY AND CHAINS.

FUN JUNK, OR WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?

WHAT THE HECK THIS IS, IS A CLEAVER JUXTO OF OLD , RUSTY, CAST IRON STOVE FEET AND PRESSED GLASS CHANDLIER SHADES. SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS FIRST SEEN LAST YEAR AT A FLEA MARKET IN THE BOOTH OF RHUBARB REIGN. LAST FALL, WHILE AT AN ANTQUE SHOW, I FOUND 4 OF THESE ROLLING FEET SO I MADE A VERSION OF MY OWN. THESE FEET ARE HARD TO FIND AROUND HERE AND WHAT THEY WERE MADE FOR WAS TO USE UNDER THE FEET OF IRON WOOD BURNING STOVES SO THAT THEY COULD BE MOVED FOR SPRING AND FALL CLEANING. I ALSO LIKE THE WAY THEY LOOK WITH A FERN OR BLOOMING PLANT AND ARE EQUALLY INTERESTING WITH A BURNING CANDLE INSIDE. I HAVE A FEW AT MY SHOP THAT ARE FITTED WITH OLD RUSTY WIRE CALF MUZZLES FROM FRANCE, BUT I WILL HAVE TO SHOW THESE ANOTHER TIME.

DON'T FORGET....

........TO LEAVE A COMMENT WHEN YOU VISIT THIS BLOG TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DRAWING FOR THIS ALTERED PHOTO HOLDER. SEE PREVIOUS BLOG FOR DETAILS.

BABY ALICE'S FIRST MODELING JOB

TODAY WAS BABY ALICE'S FIRST MODELING JOB FOR HER NANA. I THINK SHE'S A NATURAL AND DESTINED FOR GREAT THINGS. THE ABOVE PHOTO WAS TAKEN WHILE WE WERE NEGOTIATING WAGES. SHE SETTLED FOR A NEW JUMPIN JACK SEAT AND A MILLION KISSES. THE FOLLOWING PICS ARE BEFORE THE BACKGROUNDS WERE TOUCHED UP AND SHOW HER WEARING A FEW OF THE HATS HER NANA MAKES.

SCRUMBLE AND..........

IF ANYONE IN BLOG LAND IS INTERESTED, GOOGLE THE WORD "SCRUMBLE "AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN SEE. THERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL, ARTSY, EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH SMALL PIECES OF LEFTOVER YARNS. AS YOU CAN SEE, ANYTHING GOES! THIS IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT A SCRUMBLE SCARF, (I STILL NEED TO DEAL WITH THE KNOTTED ENDS) KNIT, CROCHET, WEAVE, FELT, ETC., IT ALL WORKS AND YOU ARE FREE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. FUNKY, CRAZY, AND THERAPUTIC!

AND YO-YOS

THESE ARE ONLY A TINY PORTION OF A HUGE BAG OF HAND CROCHET YO-YO PIECES THAT I PURCHASED AT AN ESTATE SALE. I IMAGINE THAT THEY WERE DESTINED TO BECOME A THROW SOMEDAY. CAN YOU IMAGINE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO MAKING THESE? THEY ARE PERFECTLY DONE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO WITH THEM YET, BUT I JUST HAD TO HAVE THEM.

BAD HAIR DAY?

THIS IS BABY ALICE AT TWO MONTHS OLD AND THIS IS HER EVERYDAY HAIR. NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. IT'S A HOOT AND SUITES HER PERSONALITY! SHE IS NOW SIX MONTHS OLD AND I WILL UPDATE HER PICS SOON, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I JUST HAD TO SHARE THIS. THIS IS A PHOTO OF A PHOTO, SO ITS NOT VERY CRISP AND DOES NOT DO THIS LITTLE BABE JUSTICE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANNY

TODAY IS MY SON'S 29TH BIRTHDAY. HE IS CELEBRATING WITH HIS OLDER SISTER ROBIN. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN! YOUR FAMILY LOVES YOU!

BEDROOM WINDOW GARDEN

THIS LITTLE WINDOW GARDEN IS IN MY BEDROOM AND ITS THE FIRST THING I SEE IN THE MORNING. NOT A BAD WAY TO START THE DAY!

MORE LITTLE ALTERED CANVASES

LACE AND CROCHET

INFANT HAT CROCHET AROUND DELICATE DOILY AND LENGTHS OF LACE

SECTIONS OF LARGE DOILY WITH CROCHET EDGES DESIGNED TO BECOME A SCARF.

DOILY CLOCHE HAT

FANCY DOILY TOPKNOT, CHIC HELMET STYLE

CLOCHE STYLE HAT WHICH WAS CROCHET AROUND VINTAGE LACE DOILY . I LOVE MAKING THESE HATS AND SCARVES USING BEAUTIFUL, VINTAGE DOILIES AND LACE WHICH IS STILL STRONG AND IN GOOD REPAIR. THESE ARE VERY POPULAR AS THEY CAN ALMOST BE WORN YEAR ROUND.