Friday, January 31, 2014

Been Busy Creating

I've been ever so busy lately! Here are a few thing that I've gotten done for the shop~~~

Sign me up~~~





















These are the drawer blanks that I told you about on my last post "A Few Recent Finds". Used my "French" stencils~~~

Time for a map~~~


I've had this clock forever, the original finish had faded to an ugly color on about half of it.  So I re-faced it with a French map that I antiqued, just Mod Podged it on~~~ 

Hang on what do we have here?


 This is a project that I also want to do for my closet.  I'm in line behind the shop!!!


 This applique was a hollow resin ornament~~~


This is a vintage hanger from the Hotel Mark Hopkins on Nob Hill in San Francisco.  I had initially set this one aside but accidentally painted the back side first, usually don't paint the advertisement hangers~~~

 Fluer de Lis~~~

Crown with bling~~~
Daisy with big bling~~~
 These are wooden appliques I picked up at Michael's a couple of years ago. I've just about used all of them up~~~

Let the light sing~~~

 Wrapped the candles in layers of aged and torn music sheets, burlap, lace, and ribbon. The little hearts are metal buttons! Just tied them on with a thread of burlap~~~




 The crystal candlesticks and glass coasters (these had a fluer de lis in the middle) are just epoxied together with E-6000. I've seen several examples of these on Pinterest. I like them because you can use the chunkier candles in them!!!

A fancy little shabby shade~~~

A fabric flower with an earring center~~~

Row of pearls~~~


 This was a plain ecru colored, 7", bell shade. The collar at the top is actually a lace collar off a blouse, I also used part of the blouse for the flower along with a scrap of lace and an old clip earring that had no mate. The pearls took three tries to finally get them attached the way I wanted. They were just a continuous string that I hand sewed on. The first time I didn't like the placement, the second time they were too short and the last time I didn't cut to length until I was absolutely sure that is where I wanted them.~~~ 

Spaghetti forks?


 No, these aren't spaghetti forks! But I did bend them~~~


 Even stamped them~~~












 And added some vintage photo's~~~

 

 I did a few of these up for Christmas to sale in the shop and never got to show you. First off I stamped them with my 1/4" metal punches, then moved on to forming the stand. These can be a bit difficult to bend, you need to use an old cloth or something to protect them from the pliers and so you don't scar them all up (and you know how I know this). I had to sand mine lightly to remove the little dents. You have to be patient it takes a bit to get the tines all level, some tines are longer so you have to form differently. I also put a slight backward bend right under the last stamped letter. It catches the light and makes your lettering stand out better. I've already sold the ones I stamped with LOVE and STORY.  STORY was suppose to be SISTER, but I laid my punches out incorrectly and I stamped ST, which became STORY~~~


Sharing with;

Thank you for stopping by~~~Happy Hunting and Gathering!!!















Saturday, January 25, 2014

A Few Recent Finds

Haven't had much time for junking lately. Stopped by a couple of places on Thursday when I went to the market.


This was my first find, 7 Bliss Victoria Magazines (all of them are over 10 years old, but age does not matter with these).  I'm going to sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy reading the articles and drooling over the pictures, one magazine at a time!
 
A beautiful white wicker basket (I'm thinking Easter here) to carry the magazines home in!!!

 Volume XI titled Masterpieces ~ The World War  & volume XII titled Five Hundred Best Ancedotes of Modern Eloquence, Published 1923, back when there had only been the Great World War to End all World Wars. Both for the shop.

A beautiful Dictionnaire printed at 6 Rue Des Saints-Peres, 
Paris in 1955. This was apparently stored near pipe tobacco for it has that wonderful spicy-wood scent. This one's for me!!!

A solid brass number 7 and A Hollywood Regency style metal outlet cover.

And this cloudy old bottle with the beautiful neck and top...going to transform this one into an apothecary bottle for Halloween. There sitting on solid maple drawer fronts...I see signs in the future.

Two perfume bottles the Carnation smells wonderful and has made "IN FRANCE" embossed on the bottom. I liked the detail on the other one, sort of looks like a gown draped in folds from the shoulder. This one was empty but still retains a lovely scent.

And finally some odds and end pieces for future projects, everything is sitting on a cabinet door...again, another sign.  The frame, numbers 3, 1, and the upside down 6 (potion #9) are earmarked for future Halloween projects. I think the metal bow (once painted) would look great on a larger piece of furniture. A nice little haul for stopping only at two places very quickly!!!



Thanks for stopping by~~~
Happy Hunting and Gathering!!!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Hutch Improvement

Picked up this two piece hutch and buffet combo to re-do for the shop. No before pics...it  had been used in a laundry room...I mean really used!!! I don't know what detergent they had - but it was an excellent varnish stripper (in spots)...

Here it is now~~~of course I painted it white, my own mix on chalk paint. The drawer fronts and underneath shelf edging I did in a soft version of Valspar's English Meadows that I chalked up. More or less just dry brushed on a light coat of the green. Added the appliques at the very bottom---sanded and painted them first---so much easier that way.  Then gave the whole piece a bit of sanding.  Applied dark wax. Painted the four brass pulls white and added six new crystal knobs.

 Voila!!!



And of course you're not done till it's over done~~~While working on this I found a roll of wall paper while out junking.   MaKenna, my granddaughter and assistant on such matters, thought it would work wonderfully well~~~and so it does!!! Railroaded the wall paper to prevent vertical seams.
 





 


I couldn't resist seeing how it would look when dressed! I'm sure you'll recognize some of my ironstone collection from this post.  Logan, my grandson and also an assistant (turned 11 on Dec. 28th) helped me move it to my store.
 I have strong and knowledgeable assistants~~~


 




 Thank you for stopping by today~~~
Happy Hunting and Gathering!!!



Thursday, January 16, 2014

Downton Abbey



 Season Four                     
                     Sunday                 
                                  January 5th, 2014 




UPSTAIRS AND DOWN



BEAUTIFUL BABIES AND BLUE EYES




LOOK WHOSE COMING FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER


I've spent Sunday evenings this last summer and fall re-watching the first three seasons of Downton Abbey.  I am ready to see what Julian Fellowes has in store for the new season. Drama? Of course! Wonderful period costumes? Most certainly!! Snappy dialogue from Lady Violet? Without a doubt!!!.....


 Happy Hunting and Gathering 
and Enjoying~~~~~Downton Abbey

Grey to White Bust

 I found this dark charcoal grey bust with a slight white wash at Ross. Loved the size (11 1/2" x 8") and the price $9.99, the color - not so much. I know, I know, grey's are in...but this dark?

 
 I've been wanting to try using gesso on a piece and I thought the process would work really nice on this bust.


Her PRETTY FACE!!! Not exactly Grecian...more Country French Farm Girl, oui?


 I like the results, I tamed the intense white of the gesso with an application of dark wax.  It aged it a bit, toned it down and really added to the overall detail. Waxing also gave the bust a soft sheen, gesso tends to be flat looking.  And I achieved a more creamier white, which I prefer.




 When ever I buy a piece that features a face, that's what has to draw me in first. But, quite truthfully it's the braid in the hair that attracted me to this piece. Along with a pretty face!








I've had this pretty lady statue for several years (she's normally in the house but went out for a special photo shoot, she looks really great outdoors in all that natural light - even with her broken neck (found her that way when I was out junking). I've been tempted to tie a scrap of silk or lace around her neck to hide the traumatic injury!!!  She's also resin, but fairly heavy, and tall at 15".

And again she has that Country French farmhouse girl look, oui?  I'm thinking she should go under the brush also - what do you think?
  







Thanks for stopping in ~~~ 
Happy Hunting and Gathering!!!