Saturday, April 12, 2014

Weekend Vintage Booty


 Hi guys! No ..not THAT kind of vintage booty, although I DO have one of those too! I hit several sales this weekend and boy did I have fun!  I want to share some of the stuff I got. These things will be going to Etsy, Ebay, my local booth and to the Knoxville Trade Days show the end of this month (and some to my supply hoarde...err stash!)

 Vintage millinery flowers..they need a steam and fluff.

Gobs of antique and vintage lace..


 Vintage hard plastic dollies...


 Vintage doll clothes hangers and clothespins..I love the colors of old plastic toys!


 Sparkly vintage jewelry bits for upcycling..


 I got sucked in by baggies of vintage toy bits...sooo fun!


Vintage Christmas was a bit higher priced but I did get a few things.


 Child sized  potato mashers and egg beaters..little girls(or boys) today do not have these cool things!


Bags of vintage crepe paper for projects and a bag of vintage paper hats to use for patterns!


 Ed got this cool art deco sconce. It had possibly one of the worst cords EVER but is very cool. I think maybe a flower pot or vase goes in the ring at the bottom!


Ed got me these because he knows how I am and he loves me! LOL..old rusty chair springs to upcycle.


 An old metal flower basket in the perfect green, extending lamp, tart tins, enamel bin, old weights, cool dominos and a plastic snowman..didn't notice the chip in his hat brim, but still cute!


 48 star flag, paper dolls, more large ornaments and an old cash ledger book.

This is what I spent the most on..a large piece of vintage barkcloth yardage in a amazing print. Not roses but this will make faboo totes or pillows!


 A cute vintage doggie mail holder and an adorable doll purse!


 There were not many hankies that were to my taste, but I got a couple. Underneath is old wool felt that I will dye further.


2 "letter" card games to upcycle, text-y dice game, poker chips, dominos, mini tart tins, lampbase..these blocks were still in their original packaging!I love things I can use to spell other things.

 A very cool game tin..alas some rust on the back but still very cool..and empty. I thought my chemistry major daughter might like this.


Nemadgi pottery vase.


This was a box Ed bought because I use the reflectors in my pieces..also had a cute bunny and other toy bits.


A drum I think I can fix with new cardboard and a trashed pair of vintage Salvatore Ferragamo  suede shoes! The crepe soles have gone a bit odd and the suede is dirty..too bad, I think if they had been stored inside instead of in a shed they would have still been nice!


A cute pillow sham. a pink satin hanky box and 2 vintage pincushions..one in pink velvet! Plus a pair of 60's-70's enameled flower earrings in green and pink.


An old crate and tons of vintage swimming ribbons.


 Apparently I can never have enough red white and blue vintage scarves..this one is Italian. (I may already have one!)


 I got 3 old atlases this weekend. I love them for the old maps I use in my work.


 Vintage tablecloth..



Vintage Hawaiian shirt.


A few McCoy flower pots and flower frogs.


 I think this is an apple picker..it goes on a stick to get high up apples. Ed wants to make it into a light fixture!


 One totally cool and unusual quilt square..there were no others which is odd.It is a bulleye pattern with stars and is large and will make a great pillow front or framed piece..I need to see if I have a frame this size i n the shed!


 Vintage fabric...


 More flower frogs!!! Yay!!


 Old wooden hotel hangers..

This one has my maiden name of Hardie..a sign that I needed to buy!! LOL I have more things to take pix of and will be sharing more later. I had a great day, the weather was beautiful and I hope you have a great weekend too! Stop again! Julia 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

More new projects French painted sign Union Jack pillow and Handpainted rooster pillow



 Hi guys! These are a couple more projects I have been working on. This is a sign I painted on a primitive small door. I think it may have covered a shed or barn window at one time..maybe a chicken coop door. I gave it a light wash of greige paint. I got the graphics from The Graphics Fairy (www.thegraphicsfairy.com). I printed them out in print shop ( a $20 program..I got mine at Staples a couple years ago). I use the banner program as it allows for larger fonts. I actually printed this off in 4 pieces..the left side of the top 2 lines and then the right (then taped them together) and did the same thing for the bottom line. I covered the back with pencil lead as I didn't have any carbon paper and traced it on the door. I then darkened it a bit with pencil and then painted with acrylic craft paint. I sanded it a bit to distress it, antiqued it (a darker browny grey watered down wash wiped off immediately with babywipes) and speckled it with water thinned dark brown paint. I just use a stiff stencil brush dipped int the paint and run my thumb over it to flick paint speckles..an old toothbrush would work too. I usually wax things to finish, but couldn't find my paste wax so I gave it a spritz of satin spray varnish.


 I think this loosely means Colonial produce Coffee and the proprietor's name. The has 2 cleats on the back so besides a sign, it would also work as a "tray". I like painting and need to do more..I used to paint a lot!


 This is a pillow I made from new burlap and vintage damask cotton tablecloth fabric. I dyed some grey and left some white. I added vintage cloth "stripes" If I do this again, I think I will add vintage lace to the white stripes. DIY SECRET...I stuff these with new poly fiberfill..I have found the cheapest source is to buy new pillows from Walmart or the dollar store..Usually you can get them standard size for $3 and it will make 2 fairly large square pillows. The bag of fiberfill in the craft department is usually twice that!


 I made this from a painted piece of muslin I had laying about. I painted several of these a few years ago and made them into pillows for my former shop. This one was just left behind for no apparent reason so...pillow time! I added a border of red and white gingham and the reverse is vintage blue and white pillow ticking. I am running low on my vintage ticking..need to keep my eyes peeled and fingers crossed for a new stash! Walmart has some new for about $7 or so a yard but I like using the vintage when I can!


 When I painted this I just painted a square of muslin..no prep other than doing a wash for the background. I looked at an old chicken ordering catalog I had, drew a rough sketch in pencil and painted away! I added details with permanent markers. I doubt this is machine washable, but just keep it clean! I made a couple more pillows of vintage floral barkcloth and vintage ticking also..but they missed the photo session! I will probably list the pillows in my Etsy shop and take them to the show at the end of the month. I've got more things to make and not enough time! Have a great week! Til next time. Julia

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Coffee filter peonies, scrapbook flowers, singed roses, upcycled silk tie rosette bracelets..new projects!


Hi guys! I wanted to share what I have been working on the last couple weeks. These are paper peonies I make from coffee filters.


 I love how these turned out. I have a hard time cutting back to a few possible color combinations! I have figured out some new techniques on these.


 They are going to make my flea market booth "Springy" at the end of this month.


 These are more scrapbook paper flowers..definitely faux!


 The centers are a bit of French text and buttons...I held back from glittering these which is difficult for me to do!


I have fun picking my favorite prints. I have been dreaming of plaid flowers for a long time..finally found some cute plaid  paper!


 I use the double sided paper for these so they look good from all directions.


 These look good even as a single or small group of 3 plunked in an old antique bottle.


 These are singed satin and organza roses. I usually do beaded centers but came up with a different style center that I really like.


 These are clips, but if you wanted a pinback you could just put a safety pin wherever and clip this to the pin. I feel they are more versatile that way.


 Some of these may end up in my Etsy shop. I feel singed roses have been "done", but they are just so pretty! I am constantly torn between girlie girl pink uber feminine and colorful wowsy..so I do both!


 These are some bracelets I am working on. The rosettes are vintage silk tie fabric and the band is vintage cloth measuring tape. I am not really a jewelry maker, but my "things" can never stay in any one category!


 I think I may attach these to leather bands for more stability and I just think that would look cool! (Plus I have a ton of leather from an estate auction out in the shed)


The centers are sparkly glass beads. I have more painted items and some pillows to share also so stop back! Have a great week! Julia