Lacy Inspiration

In case you didn't know, I simply love vintage and antique lace.  It's so delicate, so feminine, so beautiful, and so inspiring!  I found this lace at an antique mall for next to nothing.  I couldn't pass it up not only for the price but because I have nothing like it.  I have lots of project ideas but I'm a little bit afraid of using it.  What if I ruin it and then it's gone!?  I have to get past this fear because my muse is whispering in my ear.  If I ignore her, she might leave again!

This beautiful lace came from one of my favorite Etsy shops, Strange Notions.  Kathy, the shop owner, also included some vintage hankies, buttons, and a book of sweet embroidery transfers.  Talk about happy mail!

I'm really hoping to start on a project this week.  It's time. :)

Tickle Me Tuesday

These three books are really tickling my fancy lately!  They are packed full of gorgeous pictures of projects with step by step instructions and tons of inspiration.  

From layered, tattered & stitched by Ruth Rae

From delight in the details by Lisa M. Pace

From Crafting Vintage Style by Christina Strutt

What's tickling you today?

I'm joining Yes, Teacher! for Tickle Me Tuesday

I Couldn't Resist Any Longer

If you were to come visit me, you would see that I have many collections.  One of the more recent collections I started is teacups.  I love the delicate china and the beautiful roses and flowers that adorn so many of the cups.  I resisted buying them for many years because I just didn't need something else to keep up with.  If you collect anything at all, you know what I'm talking about.  When I came across this one, I couldn't resist any longer!  It really was calling out to me!

Those little feet and the stunning roses were irresistible.  I decided if I was going to start this collection, I would only buy unusual ones that truly gave me pleasure to look at.  Some are old that were found in antique shops, and some are new.  But each and every one of them truly make me happy!

Are you wondering about this one?  It's not my style and I wouldn't have chosen it myself, but I find it very inspiring!  My daughter gave this one to me for Christmas and I just love it!  

What do you have a hard time resisting?

I'm joining My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

Catching Up

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  I enjoyed having my family together on one day of the weekend and I got to keep my sweet granddaughter for a few days too!  Nothing makes me happier than spending time with this little girl!

When Shylee went to bed each night, I worked on a custom dish towel dress order.   The customer wanted one like the red one in my shop but in a peach color.  She also wanted the same herringbone patterned dish towel.  I found the fabric in orange, sent her a picture and she loved it.  I couldn't find another dish towel but found two napkins in the right color with a weave pattern.  I'm not an orange person but this is a pretty orange and I think it turned out beautifully.

I'm so excited to be going to NYC at the end of the week for a long weekend!  My daughter and I will take the train up and spend the weekend with my sister who is working there temporarily as a consultant.  The first time I went to NYC was at Christmas time and I fell in love with the city.  I'm not a city girl and wouldn't want to live there, but visiting at this time of the year is magical!

I want to let you know that prices in my Etsy shop now includes shipping to the US and Canada.  Everywhere else will be $5.00.

It's not too late to join the color challenge from My Life Under the Bus.  You have to go see another beautiful photo from Lesley Sico that has this challenge focused on tea!

Speaking of My Life Under the Bus, Patty has opened her Etsy shop and it's full of her wonderful and beautiful jewelry creations!  I'll have more on this in a later post, but in the meantime, please visit The Junquerie  and see what she has to offer!

I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!!!

Inspiration Challenge Reveal for Week 11/14

Moulin Rouge by lesleysico

This is the inspiration photo and color palette that Patty from My Life Under the Bus gave us for this week's challenge.  I love that photo...the colors, all the different shapes and details!   

Once again, I had nothing in my stash and had to head to the fabric store.  I picked out my fabric, and just like every challenge before, I had no idea what I was going to make.  While flipping through a quilting book, I spotted some really pretty potholders.  It gave me the idea to make coasters in a quilted fashion!

I'm not particularly happy with how these turned out, but I like the idea of them.  This little project was certainly a learning experience, and I think that with some practice and fabric I like better (!) these could be fun to make.

Go to My Life Under the Bus to see the other projects!

Inspiration Challenge Reveal Week 11/7

Patty, at My Life Under the Bus, gave us a photo and color palette for inspiration to create whatever we wanted to.  Here is this week's inspiration

I immediately thought of a vintage hankie I had but what was I going to do with it?  I love batiks and found one with practically all the colors in it and it was a perfect backdrop for the hankie.  After much thought about what to make, I finally decided on another bag.  I used vintage buttons and put one on each corner of the hankie and a few in the empty spaces.  I made a braid for the handle and I'm really happy with how it turned out, although I would make it longer next time.  The lining I made was the wrong size, so I will finish that part later.  This was another good learning experience for me and I'm honestly loving these challenges!!

Go here to see the other inspired creations. 



What has inspired you lately?

Inspiration Challenge 2

This was the inspiration photo and color palette for this week's challenge from

My Life Under The Bus.

Isn't that just the cutest picture?  And the colors are just gorgeous!  This is what I wrote down as

I looked at the picture:

Halloween

Little girl

Cutesy scary

Keyhole

Pumpkin

Blues

There wasn't anything in my stash that inspired me so I headed for the fabric store.  I was really

drawn to the blues in the palette but I just didn't see any fabric that excited me.  I began focusing on the pumpkin color of the keyhole and before I knew it, I had a fat quarter bundle in my hand that was the closest I could come to the palette.  Not what I really had in mind but it would have to do.

Next step was deciding what to make.  I drew a blank here until

the last minute!  I found instructions for a bag that looked interesting and went with it.  After reading through the instructions and getting the general idea, I got started and made it my own.

First I cut a piece of muslin as the base and then tore one inch strips from each of the fat quarters.

I sewed the strips to the muslin and then added additional fabric strips, old and new lace pieces and vintage buttons.  I had fun going through the buttons and finding the different browns and oranges.  I actually found come really cool buttons I didn't know I had!

I sewed up the sides and added the lining.  The instructions called for cording for the strap, which I went and bought later, after I bought the fabric.  Guess what?...it didn't work with the fabric at all!  I didn't want to spend any more money so I decided to cut more strips, sew them end to end and cover the cording.  The nice thing about it was, I could make the seam on the outside and it was okay because of the frayed seams on the bag!

I wanted to do something with the keyhole but I was just drawing a blank.  So I used orange thread for all the stitching since it was going to show.  In the end, I am pleased with how this bag turned out.  This one won't go in the shop but with some tweaking, I might make one that is shop worthy!  The best thing about these challenges is that I'm learning about my personal creative process.  And I've enjoyed it...that's something!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

The Deer And The Fabric

Michael was on his way home last night when out of nowhere a deer appeared.  There was no time to react and he hit it doing 50 mph.  The damage could have been far worse and I'm just thankful he wasn't hurt. 

On a brighter note, I found the fabric I'm going to use for this weeks challenge

 from My Life Under The Bus.  I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet and time is running out!!!

It's not too late to join in the challenge!  Go here to see the inspiration photo and color palette.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!!

Inspiration Challenge Reveal

I was so excited when Patty at My Life Under The Bus started this challenge.  She gave us this picture and color palette as inspiration to create anything we wanted to! 

I was looking at the picture and took a cue from Patty and wrote down my first thoughts.

Spring

English Garden

Flowers

Sunshine

Strolling

Frames

Victorian

Next, looking at the color palette, I saw fall or autumn more than spring!  Oh no!  Since I had no idea what I was going to make, I started pulling fabric from my stash that worked with the palette.  That's when I found this

It had all the colors plus the flowers and I knew it was the one!  After pulling other fabric to go with it I had to decide what to make.  This is when I realized something new about my creative process.  I tend to use fabric that tells me what it wants to be!   Sometimes I buy it with a particular project in mind but I also buy fabric that I fall in love with.  It will tell me later what it will be!  If you sew, please tell me you know what I'm talking about!!  Anyway, this fabric was saying apron and tote bag.  After going back and forth for half a day, I settled on apron.  I hope you like it!

The upper left corner on the pocket is waiting for a butterfly charm!  The ones I have are too small and the wrong color!  I'm very pleased with how this apron turned out.  Once again I've proved to myself that I CAN be creative given a little inspiration!  Thanks Patty!!!

I think you can find others who completed the challenge on  My Life Under The Bus.