You Know You're a Junker When...

You buy this at a flea market while on vacation, have to bring it back in your carry on and having to explain it to the TSA seems like "no big deal" to you:

Totally worth it, IMHO.  I know a few of you are nodding in agreement!

I also wanted to let everyone know I have cornered the market on tassels.  No nasty comments.... I have big plans.  Big plans I tell you!

I would love to hear any and all ideas besides bookmarks that you come up with to use these.  These particular tassels are the small-ish (about 4") size.  I saw a few ideas I would like to share.

 I could simply display them

have a tassel dinner party

 

the obvious

 

never know when you might need a footstool!

 

or use them to make even bigger and better tassels??

 

I'll keep you posted ;-)

Newfangled New Year

I'm back.  Mostly.  I have the majority of my programs loaded and working well on my (fantastic!) new laptop.  I can find all of my files (bonus points).  There is a cool feature on Windows 7 I found where if you right-click on a program that was designed for an older system, it allows you to run it with a previous version of Windows.  Yep.  I am a computer genius (patting myself on the back). 

I seem to start the year with reorganizing.  I volunteer at a local Thrift Shop and have gotten my fair share of deals.  I concentrate on wool, silk, leather and suede garments and I never have a problem coming up with a few prime pieces.  I have found that if I deconstruct the garments and wash them prior to storage it takes less room to store the items, and they are ready to go when the mood strikes.

I plan to spend more time this year on mixed media work.  I am obsessed with image transfer and seem to be leaning toward tags and small book making.  I was blessed to get a Darice spiral bookbinding machine for Christmas that I haven't had a chance to play with, as well as a small kiln for glass fusion and Precious Metal Clay.  I have 220 running out to the shop building, but I need a dedicated outlet and area set up for the kiln.  As busy as my husband is at work right now, I'm guessing May or June before that will get accomplished.

Not to worry.  I have plenty to keep me busy until then.  :)  This Mid-Century bookcase is one of the teak pieces I got at auction last year and had every intention of selling until I just fell in love with it.  

I removed the glass and cleaned and oiled the whole thing and put the glass doors back.  I decided that it looked good in my entry with my crafting/art books inside.  I am still adding books and organizing but I am happy I decided to just keep it.  

Good news is that I am back on track, have my scanner working with this new laptop, and I will be scanning in dozens of dressmakers pattern sleeves from the 40's, 50's and 60's that I recently picked up.  I plan to use them in mixed media collage, but will make the files available for everyone to use as they want!

Scarf Project

Scarf Project, originally uploaded by ticklish_moose.

Okay.....about a week and a new laptop later at least I can get my picture posted. Hoping to have the photo edits done for a tutorial soon, but I may just move on at this point, ya know??

Thrifty Tiny Trees

Just taking a little break from the holiday madness to show you a little tree display I whipped up a week or so back.  I saw these expensive mini potted trees in a catalog that shall remain nameless (hint- rhymes with bundt cake).

You are reading it right- just under $100.  I wonder if they will throw in some free shipping??  

I spotted a group of mini trees at Hobby Lobby this season for 50% off of $3 each.  Now you're talkin'.....

I used a few cans I had cleaned and saved- a soup can, a large size bean can, and an International Coffee can.  I covered them with black and white damask wrapping paper and finished them off with some ribbon I liked.  I did have red velvet ribbon and the crystal buckles but for my vignette I decided on something a little different.  

It took less than an hour and total cost was conservatively less than $10.

I think they turned out cute!  

Merry Christmas!

Vintage Rocking Horse Redo

vintage rocking horse, originally uploaded by ticklish_moose.

Latest upcycle- this vintage rocking horse was found in pieces in a barn set for demolition. Since I found all of the pieces the owner let me have her!

My husband put it back together for me, and I refinished it using Annie Sloan chalk paints and chipping creme. It was my first experience using the chalk paint and I have to say I'm sold!! Currently for sale in my space @ The Antique Gallery.