Okay so I concede that there is nothing new about a bunting necklace. They are probably all over the Net. However, I have never made one so that at least, is new to me!

Arranging and re-arranging the flags to find just the right sequence ...

Linked together with sterling silver jump-rings.

I am really pleased how the torch-fired enamel looks - a little bit "shabby-chic". It adds to the vintagesque appeal. (and yes, that is a real word - well it is now ...)

I will definitely be revisiting this - maybe some really bold colours next time?

My Creative Space

Well I have been beavering away putting together some beady goodness for an upcoming 3 day event - which might go some way to explaining my bloggy absence of late ...

My desk is covered in beads and findings - I had to have a little clean-up this morning so that I didn't have to keep burrowing under the beads to find what I was looking for! In a perfect world/studio I wouldn't let it get so out of hand and put things back where they belong as I use them - pfft - yeah right! I do have some organisation going on - it looks a bit like this ...

The surface of the desk is quite another matter I'm afraid!

Bits and pieces everywhere - I should confess that this was taken post tidy-up!

Yep - little bowls of treasure all over the place - it is probably not a very efficient way to go about things but I love the little groupings and I am often surprised and delighted by what my bowls yield  - stuff I have forgotten about or worse, knew I had but couldn't remember what I did with them? Who doesn't do that?!

Today was mostly about making dreamy pieces with a vintage feel - lots of pearls and flowers. Soft shades and neutral colours - very feminine and peaceful to create too!

My mannequin is literally dripping with adornments - what a riot of colour and textures! Oh my goodness I have had alot of fun haven't I? Of course now begins the boring admin stuff - labeling and pricing! Pity I can't just put a sign on my stall "100 bucks each - knock yourself out!" - have a feeling that won't wash!
Check out what other creatives are up to by heading over here. What have you been up to?

There has of late, been rumblings of protest in some quarters with regard to my proliferation of twee woodland critters. You can read about that here. It would seem though, that despite the gentle chiding and not-so-gentle forehead slapping, cute  is in fact quite hard to resist! I am pleased to share with the world that a former denouncer has now become a collaborator in my collecting adventure. Let me set the scene :
A tour of my studio reveals a number of woodland critters that The Denouncer (as she will henceforth be known) had not spied before and I was positively grilled about their sudden appearance. "Bah" I said, "I have had those for ages. Yes, even the little goat ..." She bestowed upon me a sceptical glance but spared me any argument. Next stop was the oppie with the usual rummage through the racks, the corsetry, books and bric-a-brac. I had finalised my purchase when The Denouncer plucks a small palstic prize  from a basket. A miracle really given the overflowing nature of the basket. With a grand flourish she presented it to me saying "I think this belongs in your collection. You have to take it home!"  Be still my beating heart I thought - The Denouncer is renouncing her denouncing ways (try saying that 3 times, really fast!)

Well of course she was right - that was way more vintage plastic than I could resist. Still, I was gob-smacked by the Denouncer's enthusiasim and I felt tears of joy pricking my eye-lids at the thought of future joint collecting adventures now that we were paddling in the same direction ...

I must confess though that I thought there might be an ulterior motive for all that enthusiasim. Perhaps there was an expletive graffitied on my little friend? I examined her closely and no, she was graffiti and expletive free.

Hhmm - I was still harbouring suspicions as I handed over my fifty-cents ..

I turned her this way and that and finally it dawned on me. My dear little Alpine gal was wearing what can only be described as "the f*ck-off  face". Oh yeah, you had better believe it - clearly The Denouncer spotted it way before I did. This is the look that parents of teenagers become familiar with at some point (generally around the same time you look at your partner in bewilderment and say "But he/she was such a sweet  toddler!?"). Oh bitter disappointment - I had been all ready to welcome The Denouncer to the dark-side - or should that be the cute-side?  Despite this evidence to the contrary, I am clinging to  forlorn hope and choosing to believe that The Denouncer is mending her anti-cute ways. With this act she is in fact encouraging me to collect my little heart out. I will not allow my faith in that to be shaken by one wee maid with that look on her face - no, no I will not! And in the meantime I believe a gauntlet has been thrown down and a campaign of CUTE may well be underway!

With a chop chop here and a chop chop there ...

From frump ...

to Fab!

I am so delighted that my daughter recognised the potential of this op-shop find! She told me she loved the bodice detail - self-covered buttons and a sweetheart neckline and decided it was worth risking a couple of bucks on! We chopped off a heap of fabric to create a more modern hemline, shortened the sleeves and added two under-the-bust darts for a bit more shape. I think the result is great and so does my girl! We had heaps of fabric over and used the chopped off sleeves to make a cute headband.

I also made a cover for a bag to use for Uni. I recovered one earlier this year but it is too stiff -  no slouch factor at all - I couldn't stuff heaps of books and things in it. Clearly, it had to go! I found a beauty in the oppie and eagerly parted  with my two bucks!

Boring ,bletchy, grey but a great shape. This is what it became ...

and a close-up ...

The wool suiting came from the op-shop as did all the other little bits and pieces. I am really happy with it - I kinda feel like a kid with new stationary at the beginning of the school year! What fun it has been to have daughter #2 home for a few days!

My Creative Space

I am trying to boost both my creativity and my desire to create so I am joining in with Kirsty in the hope it will spur me on! So, today my creative space presented me with the following ...

 

and in the end I had a necklace ...

It is long and luscious and very, very pretty!

Goopy, goopy Glue where are you? We've got some work to do now ...

Are you humming the Scoobie Doo theme song yet? If not look at the post title again ... ha gotcha! It is a wonder I can even type this without sticking to the keyboard for I, dear friends, have broken out that goop known as Araldite. Not for the feint hearted this stuff - oh no and since I decided to to do some EXTREME gluing, I chose the quick-set version! It is a really messy enterprise and probably best not done in front of the telly. It also pongs! However, by tomorrow I will have some nice new components to play with so it was all worth it. So, I hear you asking what drove me to this extreme gluing? Well, I am a sucker for a good cabachon - just love 'em and have collected a few vintage ones here and there as well as some dodgy modern cameos - which I also love. Tonight I decided to "seat" some because really, how long can I go on just admiring them rather than using them? Yonks ago I found some strange settings in an oppie and I rediscovered them tonight and made a lovely new component that will hopefully become part of a necklace very soon.

This is the op shop setting - it has a picture made from bark inside it but it has deteriorated. I got three of these and they were a necklace which is mad because they are large and weigh a ton! So, this is the "before" shot.

And this is the "after" shot. I have pulled everything out, cleaned it up and set a vintage cabachon in there instead. Then for a little bit of sparkle I added some Swarovski crystals around the edge. I think it is pretty but it is also heavy so I will have to be careful how I string it!

Side by side - what a difference hey?!

Since I had the goopy glue out and already all over the place I fitted up some of those dodgy modern cameos I mentioned earlier.

The glue wasn't quite dry when I took the photos! Nothing at all vintage about these except the way they look I'm afraid, Still, they have come up a treat and I am hoping to be all inspired tomorrow and make them into something lovely. First I have to get some of the glue off my fingers and I do believe I have stuck the pocket of my trackie daks closed!

Whit Woo - 100 posts and a giveaway to boot!

Now I do realise, that 100 posts is probably a modest acheivement by many bloggers' standards, but I am chuffed to have gotten here and have decided to celebrate! I am giving away a necklace that I have made using some bits from one of my Flea Market Finds. You can see the treasure pre-deconstruction here.
Originally, the thought of keeping a blog was about as apealing as wearing damp socks. Gradually however, I have gotten my groove on and found that it is indeed worth the effort. It challenges me a bit. I really like Blogland.  So often, being a maker is a fairly solitary pursuit - mostly that suits me fine but it is handy-dandy to just "drop-in" on someones blog and feel like you have been out visiting and admire their work, be touched by their words and often have a good old giggle. It makes you feel a part of a community. It is a fast paced world now and it is all too easy to become isolated. I know that virtual community cannot replace the real thing but it is a nice stop-gap.
So, many thanks for listening to my prattle over the last 100 posts! If you would like to be in the draw to win this necklace, just leave a comment. Maybe you could say a word or two about why you like to blog. Or not whatever takes your fancy. I will draw a winner on Sunday so you have heaps of time to post!

 

 

 

  

I do wish the pics were better but I hope you get the idea. It is a vintagy looking piece with lots of components - pearls,glass and ceramic beads, along with some chandelier bits, found bits and chain. Oh and a couple of Swarovski crystals for good measure. It has a large open type of chain at the back so it would be easy to remove a couple of links if you wanted to make it shorter or add a clasp etc if you wanted to make it longer. If it comes to live with you, I am sure you will work it out!

Good luck!

Treasure!

By 10am I had decided the weather was far too nice to stay indoors all day so I had myself a little jaunt to the oppie! Oh and I am so glad I did - just look at what I found!

These yummy sparklies had my name all over them - 3 strands of what I am guessing are vintage Czech crystals with matching clip-ons!

One of the lovely ladies who works there told me they had belonged to her Mother ( said lady would be in her 60's at the very least) so they must be quite old. She just didn't want to have them anymore! Well they have found a very happy new home with me!

They have a lovely AB finish so they pick up any colour they are near!

Pretty,pretty,shineeeeeeeee!
Lucky,lucky ME!!!!

Love is in the air - it is Springtime!

With Spring in the air I felt like making something a little Romantic. So, I gathered up some pearly bits, vintage brass findings and soft coloured beads and set to work. The result is this vintagy looking piece - slightly inspired in shape by a rosary. The filigree bit was an old brooch - it has something that looks like a white opal set in it and seemed so perfect for this piece that I had no hesitation in whipping off the pin, antiquing the metal and putting it to use! The lovely large bead is faux Cinnabar and was in fact a bit too white for my liking so I "antiqued" it using the old coffee in the microwave trick that Melissa perfected years ago to dye buttons etc. I couldn't resist a little "bling" - hence the Swarovski on the very end! All in all I love the romantic feel of this piece - kinda dreamy and reminiscent of a bygone era. Oh and how sweet is the little bird? It is made of shell and I found it in an odd earring from the oppie!

And something similar in pink - ah Paris the city of LURVE!