Flea Market Finds.

After a fairly crappy week, I have finally emerged from my codeine/ibuprofen induced fog - I was suffering from what turned out to be to be a tooth abscess. Hence, I managed to have just one visit to the op-shop after I had some dental treatment and before the reality of the bill for that treatment set in!

I have just discovered the joys of cutting up pewter - it is a really easy metal to work with. I have been fastidious though about collecting lead-free pewter - seems many years ago lead was a big component and truly I need to hang onto all of my currently functioning brain cells, so why risk poisoning them? Hunting up this material was my main objective for going to the op-shop but since I was there and pain free ...

This A3 size book is chocka-block full of Ansel magic. I plan to give it to a photographer mate - after I have had a good peruse!

Just imagine - no Photoshop - just hours of waiting to get the best light etc - what a talent.

Whilst in the "book department", I also found this book on origami and bought it for the sole purpose of learning how to make these ...

I love these cicadas! I s'pose I could have found the instructions on the Net but hey, you can never have too many reference books!

I am not sure why I purchased this card except that it reminded me of every piece of stationary I ever owned as a young teen. I was mad for those letter sets - y'know - notelets with matching envelopes in a special matching folder thingy? Loved, loved, loved them and this was the prevailing style in the late 70's. Guess I was feeling nostalgic!

This next item was purchased before the "dental horror" but I decided to include it because I can show you an "after" shot!

This pure wool jumper was in the dog blanket box - such a warm garment - never underestimate the joys of the dog blanket pile! To be fair it had been slightly shrunk and had fallen foul of the Pilling Fairy. Oh and does anyone remember when we thought mustard was a good fashion colour choice - yeah - blame the 80's I think - 'cos the body of this beauty is oh so MUSTARD! All of these factors must be why it ended up in the doggie blanket pile! Good luck for me, bad luck for any cold dogs out there 'cos at just 50 cents it was definitely coming home with me! And here is what it became ...

I felted some of it into  nice plump beads. The red discs are re-purposed from another necklace and I cut the 'beadcaps' from a brass planter - then I stamped, patinaed and domed them. Actually, I roped my son into stamping some of them and oh joy oh bliss, he is a natural with a hammer, which may come in very handy! It is a longer style of necklace and I am happy with how it turned out. The felting was a bit hard on my hands though so next time I plan to revise my methods! Hope you all had a nice, fossicky week. Head to Sophie's to join in Flea Market Finds or to just check out what goodies others have found this week.