Bejweled Bookmarks Inspired by Somerset Life & Pinterest

I am looking forward to tomorrow's show, Spring Sugar Plum Bazaar :

 

As usual, I had more new items I wanted to create for the show but simply did not have enough time.  However, one of the items I was able to create just in time for the show are the bejeweled bookmarks.    I loved the picture of the bejeweled bookmarks on the cover of the Oct/Dec 2009 issue of Somerset Life.    Andrea Singarella created these bejeweled bookmarks published by Somerset Life.

Just like the Lavender Scented Vintage Lace Sachets, I already had most of the items I needed to make them.   I have been collecting vintage earrings and pins for about a year.  Most, I found at estate sales, but a few I got on Ebay and Etsy.  I have used the earrings as centers for my felted wool flowers.  For this show, I originally planned on making rings but when I was jumping from board to board on Pinterest (which I love) I found the bejeweled bookmarks (which had been published by Somerset Life).  I knew then, my collection of vintage earrings and pins would not become rings ...instead they would become Bejeweled Bookmarks.

I will have them available at Spring Sugar Plum. 

Lavender Scented Vintage Lace Sachets

The upcoming Spring Sugar Plum Bazaar has motivated me to create new items. 

It's interesting how things sometimes just come together.  I recently took another on-line course, just for fun...for inspiration.  The e-course was a joint class by Christy Tomlinson and A Gilded Life.  The course was

One of the course descriptions was we would learn how to make a "gorgeous soft wool felt "sachet", strung with pink rosary chain. This can be fashioned completely from the scraps in your sewing basket."    So with great anticipation I watched the course video and was totally inspired to create many of these sachets!

Thanks to the many estate sales I have acquired a great stash of vintage lace, trims, crochet doilies, rhinestone buttons and other vintage findings.  Although I have found bags of lace at bargain prices, I have invested many hours in carefully washing the lace and even, yes....ironing the lace.  The washing machine and the dryer really wrinkle the lace to the point where it's not very attractive.  The iron (on a low setting) brings new life to this vintage lace.  When I purchased the lace and crochet doilies, I purchased them because I just like them (and a great bargain).  I did not have any tangible plans for them.  I assumed I would make something with them but at the time, honestly I had no idea of what that would be.

Then....I watched the video on how to make these heart sachets and I knew.  I already had most of the supplies....I had an awesome collection ready to be transformed.  I just purchased the felt and fabric glue from JoAnn's and got to work.  And, just like many things I create, this took a life of it's own...again!

I just made lots and lots of lavender scented sachets!  My work area was a complete mess for a week. My work area is usually somewhat messy because I always have something in progress, but this was messy beyond words.  Thank goodness I have my own studio to make a huge mess that does not affect the rest of my house.  There was lace everywhere...on the work table, on the floor...everywhere!  These heart pillows were definitely fun to create.  So here they are...

Larger size

Smaller size

Up-cycled Vintage Embroidered Linen Birds

I just finished making a new batch of up-cycled vintage linen birds!  After months of going to estate sales and finding just the right vintage embroidered linens I was ready to create more birds just in time for Sugar Plum Bazaar. 

Sugar Plum Bazaar will be held on March 10 & 11th from 10-5 p.m. at the Parkside Mansion at 1859 York Street, Denver. There will will plenty of parking 1 block away at East High School. 

 It is still very cold here in Littleton but I decided to take photos of the birds outside...hoping for Spring to show up!

All the birds have a strong magnet on the bottom so they can just sit on a bird house.

Recently, while sorting  my stash of vintage lace and crochet doilies, I realized I have acquired a large collection after shopping at estate sales for the past year.   Whenever I acquire too much of something, I feel compelled to do something creative with it.  I am currently working on these....Lavender scented sachet hearts...here is a preview:

Up-Cycled Vintage Linen and Tart Tins Pin Cushions

With the Spring Sugar Plum Bazaar just around the corner -- March 10th & 11th at the Parkside Mansion on 1859 York Street, Denver ... I have been working on creating more small pin cushions.  Last year, most of the small pin cushions I made using vintage embroidered linens had a small ceramic bowl as the base.  I created a few more using the white ceramic base like these:

In the last few months, I have been lucky to find a great assortment of vintage tart tins and jello molds at various estate sales.  So, for the Spring Sugar Plum Bazaar I have created many small pin cushions using the vintage tart tins as the base.  I am happy with the results:

 The last group are larger pin cushions.  These ceramic bases were not purchased at estate sales but at one of my favorite stores, Anthropologie.  I have not decided if I will sell these, or keep them for myself or give them away as gifts. 

I am looking forward to the Spring Sugar Plum Bazaar.  To get more information, you can check it out on Facebook here.

Happy Valentines Day!

My favorite color is purple.  My second favorite color is RED.  Creating a project with lots of red is always fun for me.  Thanks to inspiration and lessons taught by Margie Romney-Aslett  and her class Spark the Event, Love, Love Love

I created one of the many wonderful projects taught in her class.  She creates many of her projects with paper doilies, text papers, music notes papers, vintage elements and of course...Glitter!   All have become a favorite of mine.  This project gave me a good excuse to uncover little treasures I have stashed away in my studio.  Best of all, it is a great home decor project I personalized with items that have special meaning.  I love ladybugs...reminds me of so many painting friends from my years as a member of the Houston Ladybug Chapter of Decorative Painters.  Love butterflies...reminds me of my mom. The red fabric measuring tape also reminds me of my mom (wedding dress seamstress) and my age (46 going on 47).   Our family has 4 members - my family is my world.  Love them all!

 My project grew a little.  Also taught in the Spark the Event, Love, Love, Love class was how to make  large paper flowers.  I found these old "ugly" frames at an estate sale for $1.  I have now re-purposed them by adding the text paper and music notes.