Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Mixed Media Moon Face Art Brooches

Just a quick little post for today everyone!  It's been a cloudy, dreary day here.  I've playing with polymer clay, doing laundry, straightening up....ya'll know what it's like, trying to squeeze in fun stuff between the chores!

Anyway, I finished up these brooches the other day:

Moon Brooches

These little brooches are fun to make!  It's a great way to use bits of yarn, sequins, beads and anything else that's laying around!

Oh, another thing I did was to rework my little black kitty Avatar:

New Kitty & Me Kitty

I've been trying to remember everywhere I use this little guy online so I can change it!  What do you all think?  After using the black and white version, I thought it was time to give him some color!

Monday, June 07, 2010

Teacup Tragedy

About 4 weeks ago, I was awaken at about 9:00 pm to the sound of a loud crash and glass breaking.  I flew out of bed, having no idea what happened and ran into the living room where the sound came from.  Bubba (Scott - I call him Bubba), was sitting on the sofa, looking up at the wall, almost in a daze.  He was looking at the wall where my quilt shelf hangs.  This is what it used to look like:

Floral Crazy Quilt Finished 1

The shelf had fallen from the wall, bringing my teacups, my anniversary clock and my peacocks from Galena, Illinois (our special little get-away place) to nothing but shards.

I asked Bubba what happened and he said it was like slow motion.  It had been there for years.

Somehow, probably by the grace of God, it spared my prize treasure, my green vintage Fenton lamp that I bought at a garage sale years ago for only $3.00.  And it spared my 2 little white kitties with the roses on them.  I just found those at a flea market back in October.  And my sweet little music box with the doves which my mom had on top of our wedding cake.  Thank goodness that survived!

But my teacups...one had belonged to my grandmother.  I remember it sitting in her curio cabinet when I was little.  My sister and I loved to look at the treasures in grandma's curio cabinet.  Sometimes grandma would sit on the floor with us and one by one, take things out and let us hold them.  She would tell us where they came from and the stories that went with them.  Well, that one is just plain gone.

Then there was the one that I bought with the little flowers on it.  I just thought it was pretty.  Nothing special really, but pretty. 

I did have one survive but not without a reminder of what happened.  There's a chip in the saucer now but it's not visible sitting on the shelf.  It's one my mom bought me at an antique shop. 

Teacups
I like it because it's unusual.

And then there's this one:

Teacups

This is not the original. This is a replacement.  My sister bought me this for my birthday years ago, maybe the first or second year that Scott and I were married.  My long time readers know that I don't care much for Christmas but I always thought this was so pretty.  It's the Royal Dalton December cup & saucer. 

I don't know why, but I felt the worst over losing this one.  I think because I've had it longest or because my sister gave it to me.

Well, my sister was here for coffee the day after it happened and she felt really bad about it.  Two days later, I get a package in the mail.  She hunted one down online and replaced it for me.

Anyway, this is what it looks like now:

Teacups

I have three new teacups now.  My photo of this one didn't come out but here's the saucer:

Teacups

Isn't it pretty?  Kathi found this one for me.  She knows I love anything "cottage"!

And Bubba bought this one for me:

Teacups

I love the unusual shape of it!

And then I picked this one up:

Teacups

This one has an unusual shape as well.

Apparently, what we think happened, is that first, Scott didn't have strong enough anchors in the wall to hold it up.  We had an earthquake a few months back and we think it was strong enough to loosen things up.  Time took care of the rest.

So now I have some new teacups.  I'm still looking for another anniversary clock.  My parents bought us the one we had for our 1st anniversary.  Hard to believe that Scott & I will be married 23 years in September!

So, that's my teacup tragedy.  It's all but bolted to the outside of the house so it isn't going anywhere now!

I'll leave you with some photos of Kathi's Fuzzy, Funky, Fun, Crocheted Flip-flops:

Pink Flip Flops

Yellow Flip Flops

Blue Flip Flops

My Crocheted Flip Flops

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Ding Dong! Avon Lady Calling!

Avon Case 1

Does anyone remember this?  If you were or knew an Avon lady back in the 70's, you should know that this was the Avon Lady's Sample case!  My mom sold Avon in the 70's and this was her case.  She was thinking of getting rid of it.  I was like, devastated!  How could mom even think about parting with something that had such happy memories attached to it?

Mom had 3 territories for awhile and my sister Kathi and I would help mom unpack her order shipments, package them up and deliver them to her customers.  Honestly, I don't know why those are such happy memories for me but they are.  It was fun to unpack the shipments and see all those wonderful, colorful and good smelling items sitting out on the kitchen table.

Well, since mom was contemplating getting rid of her Avon "suitcase", I asked her if I could have it and she said yes!  So guess what I use it for now:

Avon Case 2

It's my new little Art & Craft supply case!  I have some supplies that I like to have here and at mom's.  I was using a totebag to carry them back and forth but I feel like this is a little neater and definitely more fun since I've always loved mom's Avon suitcase!

I thought you'd enjoy seeing that!

Now, some of you may want to go and grab some paper towels because I know you'll be drooling all over your keyboards!  Scott and I went to a flea market this morning and look what I found:

Vintage Millinery Flowers

2 shoe-boxes filled to the brim with vintage, "made in Japan" millinery flowers!  I was blown away!  I only paid $10.00 for the lot!  They are so beautiful, I almost hate to use them!  Of course, what good is having them if I don't use them!  But I will just enjoy looking at them for a little while before I use them!

That was my deal of the day!  I found a few other cool craft supplies but nothing you've never seen before.  It was the vintage flowers that I thought you would enjoy.

In other news, I had to turn the Comment Moderation option on.  I was getting so much spam and no one needed to read some of that, esp. since I like my blog to be a happy place for all of us.  I hope no one minds and I hope it doesn't discourage anyone from leaving me comments.  I love hearing from my readers.  I just want it all to be pleasant.

I also wanted to ask ya'll a question.  How do you feel about "Guest Bloggers"?  I was reading an article somewhere about bloggers inviting other bloggers to blog on their blog.  Say that a few times in a row!  I thought it might be fun maybe every other week to invite one of my favorite bloggers to write an article for mine.  What do you think of that idea?  Would you find it interesting?  I have so many blogs that I just love and I think it would be nice for me to introduce some of them to my readers.  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Oh, I promised you I'd fill you in on what my new Dr. had to say.  I saw her last week and I really like her!  And she did indeed let me drop my medication to 75 mgs.  It's been a week now and on one hand, I feel a little better and on the other hand, I don't.  I have to say, this has been the most difficult thing to describe to anyone!  Can some please remind me again that the day will eventually come when I wake up and say, "oh my gosh, I think it's gone!"  I really need to hear that again!

Finally for today, I'll leave with you a few new pretties!  Kitty earrings & one of my Crazy Quilt Cat Dolls!

Kathi Cat Earrings 1

Pam Pink Cat Doll 1

Have a good night everyone!

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Fiber Art Brooches And More!

I have been trying to get to blogging since Friday!  I feel like I'm in slow motion and can't seem to get to anything.  It was a rather crazy week but I think things are starting to settle down.  I had to have the power supply replaced in my big computer yesterday.  That's the one I do everything on.  This laptop is my fun computer.  I really only use to look around online, read my blogs and so on.

Anyway, enough of that.  I'll share a few things that mom, Kathi & have been making lately.

First, are some more of Kathi's sweet little needle felted kitties:

Kathi's Needle Felted Kitties

I just love these little sweeties!  They are so precious and each has a personality of it's own.  Just like real kitties!

Mom has made some pretty pillows to sit or hang.  The first is with Strawberries:

Embroidered Strawberry Pillow

This one is with violets:

Embroidered Violets Pillow

I have a ton of these little pillows with the ribbons sewn into top.  I have them hanging on doorknobs and on my antique dresser.  I like to change them with the seasons & holidays but I do have some "anytime" ones.  They're a nice little homey touch!

I finished up my Marie Antoinette Brooches:

Marie Antoinette Brooches

The little faces are done with Polymer Clay and a push mold.  Once baked, I painted them.  The background is a heart shaped Yo-Yo made of Brocade and behind that, some gathered tulle.  Of course I embellished as I always do!  Porcelain flowers and vintage rhinestones that I took out of some broken old jewelry are attached the feather.

I've been playing with Polymer Clay quite a bit lately.  I'm working my pieces into some interesting art jewelry.  Will have photos of those soon.  In the meantime, here are my Fiber Art Brooches:

Autumn Splendor Fiber Art Brooch

Copperfield Fiber Art Brooch

Ocean Blue Fiber Art Brooch

Cool Peppermint Fiber Art Brooch

I can't  throw even the tiniest of scraps away!  I save everything!  So that's what these are all about.  Using some of my little bits and pieces.  I love fuzzy yarn and worked some of that into these pieces and added some vintage Mother Of Pearl Buttons to each brooch.  I think they're really interesting!

Well, I picked up the new Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine and the new Sew Somerset.  Beautiful things to see in these issues.  I haven't read through them yet, just looked at the photos.  I will enjoy paging through them after dinner.  Taco Salad tonight!

Quick question:  Does anyone else read their magazines from the back to the front?  I noticed today that I do that and was wondering if I'm the only one!  I do a lot of things backwards but so I guess I never noticed before!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Busy As A Bumble Bee This Week!

I was planning on getting Part 2 of my Art Quilting 101 Tutorial up this week but it's been rather crazy here so that will be delayed until sometime next week.  I know that several of my readers are enjoying it so please don't worry, it is on it's way!

Well, I have DSL now and all I can say is WOW!  I can actually read my favorite blogs now instead of waiting for pages to load.  It's great!  My email program still isn't working but Kathi will get it figured out as soon as she can.  I can do email via the web but I am just a twinge behind.  If you're waiting to hear from me, not worry.  I'll be caught up over the weekend.

I took some photos yesterday of my garden, which is a bit of a mess because I wasn't able to do anything out there last year and this year, I'm honestly not into it much either.  But I do have some pretties to share with you:

Irises

Iris

Peony

Yellow Flowers

I have no idea what those yellow flowers are.  I just can't remember.  I planted them years ago and I love them!

In other news, here are few more of mom's vintage hankie hanging pillows:

Vintage Hankie Yellow Doorhanger

Vintage Hankie Heart Doorhanger Blue

I've never used my vintage hankies in this way but it sure is a lovely way to enjoy them!  Mom added beads, charms and ribbons.  Amazing for someone with limited vision!

And then, I thought you'd enjoy seeing my sister's needle-felted kitties:

Purple Needlefelted Kitty

Yellow Needlefelted Kitty

These are absolutely precious!  They're tiny!  Only about 2 inches high X 4 inches long from the front paws to the tip of the tails.  I don't know how she does anything so tiny!  Of course, I've never done needle felting and I don't intend to try one more thing! 

I do have 2 of these for myself.  She made me one and then made one for the shop but I mooched it.  And Kath, if you're reading this, I love the violet kitty!!!!

Ok, so what else am I doing?  Hmmmm....oh, I finished up my Marie Antoinette Brooches.  I'll have that photo for you tomorrow.  I made some Art Brooches and again, photos coming tomorrow.  And now I'm working on some whimsical brooches with polymer clay faces:

Whimsical Brooches

I made the poly clay faces a few years back.  I thought it would be fun to make brooches with fancy yarns, silk ribbon, beads and sequins.  You know, I gotta pile on the glitter!  I have another ready to stitch on.  I probably won't get that started until the morning.  I have laundry to fold and salad to put together and my Nightmare is telling me that it's time for his medication. 

I'm off to take care of those things!  Tomorrow I see my new Dr.  I'm looking forward to that.  I really think I'd feel better if I drop this medication just a twinge.  I'll keep you posted.

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