Vintage Suitcase Dog Bed

Looks like a vintage Samsonite suitcase....

And it was.  A big tall one.  Or extra long, I suppose.  Opens end to end, not on the side.

I forgot to have the family take pictures of me with my safety glasses on and saws-all in hand when I went to town on the hinges of this suitcase to get the two pieces to separate.  Oh well.  You can imagine it, right?!  It was easy work.  No one got hurt!

Here is a picture of what would have been the bottom on the suitcase.  It has all the latches and handles on the sides.  Instead of trying to pry or cut off all the latches, I kept this piece to use in an art project.  It will become a shadow box of sorts..... or more like a modern diorama, filled with interesting objects at varying degrees of depth and distance.  The result ends up being a sort of low-relief three-dimensionality.  But that's a whole 'nother project!!  Back to the repurposed vintage suitcase dog bed!

Here is the top half!  We had two old pillows that were going to the thrift store so instead I just relegated two older flannel pillow case to be the covers and now they belong to Shotzie!

I've been seeing these in magazines lately and online .  All the rage, upcycling suitcases, pampering your pet!  Lots of times the top is left opened and propped back against the wall, and holds doggie objects, like brush, toy, etc.  Or even a photo or piece of art!  Since this one opened end to end, I didn't have the room to leave the bottom on.  Shotzie's bed sits under a full size, old-school free standing chalk board that takes up a lot of space.  You cant really see it here, but it also limits the size and dimension of his dog bed.

Here is shaggy Shotzie, in all his glory, getting comfy in his new bed!  He needs his eyebrows trimmed!  But he loves his bed! 

I may make one more of these, with the top and bottom left intact, to use as a travel bed for him.  I found this particular case back in early summer when Jasper was going to Circus Camp in Georgetown.  Some girls pulled up in front of The Foundry, their car full of vintage cases, trying to sell them to the shop owner.  He didn't want them but my smart friend Natasha suggested that they let us take a look and they did!  They had some cool cases that looked like leather but when we opened one a dust cloud of mold and mildew spores plumed out so big and stinky it was all we could do to close it up and throw it back in the car!  It was gross!  And I deal with a lot of old gross stuff but some of the cases these girls had were nasty!  But not this one.  Not the blue Samsonite.  And it was an unusual size.  Long and tall, opening end to end.  I offered her $10 and it was mine.  You just never know what you'll find on the side of a road!

Off to pick paint colors for Ms. Fireball.

Have a lovely little day,

Jennette

1961 Fireball

We bought our 1961 Fireball Travel Trailer back from my brother!

 A couple years ago we got some crazy wild hair up our hiney and decided to sell our sweet little travel trailer to my brother.  Why we did, I am still not sure!  But he got some use out of it after hauling it all the way back to Jackson Hole and then back here to Leavenworth where he lives now.  He is getting ready to be a dad for the first time and is selling everything he doesn't absolutely need.  Lucky us because I had been telling him for a while that I wasn't sure why I ever gave the Fireball up in the first place and that I wanted first dibs on buying it back.  Low and behold a few weeks later he found out he was going to be a dad by next spring and we were on our way to buying our "baby" back!  

We bought this sweet little vintage trailer way back in 2001 or so.  It has served us so well as an extra room for guests!  When we bought it we didn't even have a way to haul it to our house.  No truck, no trailer hitch.  My dad moved it to our house for us.  And that's when I went hog wild with paint and fabric!  Now when I look inside, I ask myself, what was I thinking?!  It looks like a carnival exploded in there!  Every surface is a different color.  I think I just went and bought all the miss matched $1 paint colors from the hardware store and went to town!  Also, I used some really great vintage fabric to recover all the cushions and make curtains, back then.  On this front too, I wonder what the heck I was thinking.  More the merrier, maybe?  Every surface is a different pattern, colorway and design.  Way to busy for my taste now! 

Anyhow, this time around will be a little more civilized!  I am repainting and recovering every surface and hanging new curtains.  This time I will take a cue from the sweet vintage table top pattern and the color of the original tiles and oven, to create a nice, calming, blissful, little vintage travel trailer to call our home away from home.  I bet it still mostly gets used as a guest room but it will be nice to have just perfectly cute when we do get to haul it across state lines, to the beach, or near a river.  I will share some photos below of its current condition and then as I begin to work on it, I will post more of its progress.  Onward Ho!

 

Yellow stove top and oven.  One of my favorite features.  Jasper said, "Yes!  Now we can make scones in the middle of the woods when we are camping!"  You said it son!

The pattern on the table top and counters.  Love me some spirals!

I was so happy to see that the turquoise dish drain was still with it!  The couch slides out to make a double bed and the over head bunk slides out to make a single.  Also, the table breaks down into a bed as well.

Original paperwork in the cabinet.

State of California, Division of Housing!  Did they sell these for people to live in?!

So I have a lot to do!  As if all my sewing, crafting, antique mall space, Etsy set-up, and busy life were not enough already!  Now I've added this little project in the mix!  I cant wait to show you a photo with the banner canopy I made for it a few years ago.  I didn't give that piece to my brother and just found it the other day!  I will have more photos soon and until then, enjoy the rest of your summer!

Happy trails and travels,

Jennette

Studio Fort

There is a fort set up in my studio space.  Jasper has slept here the past two nights.  The first night he fell asleep watching Secret of Roan Inish and the second night he fell asleep watching Whale Rider.  Two of our favorite movies.  The fort has to come down today so I can get some work done.  Lots of sewing needs to happen.  I have 27 new/old patterns I have picked up in the last few weeks of zigzagging across the state.  Love me some vintage patterns.  And I have scored a ton of new/old fabric.  Projects galore coming up, folks.  Lots in the pipe line.  Be on the lookout!

Off to pick our late blueberries and check the bees.  Wish me luck!

xo-Jennette

Ticking

In between loads of laundry, dishes, repacking camping gear, and general frenzy of coming and going, I was able to take a moment to document all my ticking pillows.  Most of the striped ticking was packed away in our camping gear and I had mostly forgotten about how much ticking I have.  

 

Having all this ticking out makes me want to leave it all out.  To drool over.  To smile at. 

Here is the floral ticking below.  

Love some floral ticking!

Now to figure out what to do with all this ticking.  As if there is really anywhere left in my house for it to fit.  I guess I could stack pillows around like I stack books around.  Yep.  That's what I'll do!

Off to water the deck plants before hitting the beach,

xo,

Jennette

Return

We have returned from the ocean, our family reunion and general whirlwind of travel. 

I am happy to be home for a few weeks.

And I will be catching up on house chores, blog posts, and sewing soon.

Thanks for continuing to check in on my little corner of blogland.

Off to commune with my piles of laundry, xo, Jennette

Pickathon, I miss you!

Goofin off at Pickathon!

Oh, I can't believe it's over.  My beloved Pickathon 2010 has come and gone.  Oh, how I miss you, my Pickathon, my roots, indie, americana, folk, alt country Pickathon.  Not one other subject has been spoken of since our departure.  We will reminisce about you till the end of our days.  You give love in mega doses.  It's just like the sign in the barn says, "Your pleasure is our motto!"  True dat!  I was as pleasured then as I am now, to have the memories and loads of new vinyl to listen to. Pleasure, pleasure, pleasure.....

This may end up being a HUGE post!  I took a lot of pictures and video.  May have more images and less words as we progress.  And so.  Here we go!

Our trip started on Thursday when we camped at Beacon Rock State Park, on the Washington side of the Columbia river, in Skamania county.  Gorgeous!  We loved it and cant wait to stay again next year.  Camping here made it so that we were less than an hour from Pickathon so we could roll in early on Friday morning. 

On Friday morning we had breakfast

then bought some local honey at the entrance to The Bridge of the Gods and crossed over to Oregon.

Once at Pickathon, the real fun began!  There are a million cool things about Pickathon and one of them is that for the entire weekend, there are kids activities scheduled.  So after we set up camp we headed over to the Circus Cascadia area to try our hands at some circus stunts.  They also have yoga, self defense, tracking, wild edibles and medicinal plants walks, crafts, story telling, music workshops, theatre performance for the kids to experience.  Way cool!

Chad doing a balancing trick.

Gus on stilts.

Me on the balance board.

Jasper Hula Hooping!  By the end of the weekend he could raise his arm over his head, twirl the hoop up to his wrist, back down around his neck, and back down to his waist, all in one non-stop whirling dervish minute!  He loved it and boy did it wear him out!  He slept well at Pickathon!

Now for the music and musicians!

This is a (not so good) photo of Sam Quinn and Jill Andrews of the Everybodyfields doing a workshop in the Workshop Barn.  Oh yeah, another cool thing about Pickathon, they have an entire barn dedicated to workshops with all the musicians, on all different subjects.  Incredible!

The Fruit Bats in the Galaxy Barn!  I was SO excited to see these guys.  Big fan!  And I got to see them perform twice plus I attended Eric Johnson's banjo workshop as well.  Good Stuff!!

One of our favorite bands to return to Pickathon was Breathe Owl Breathe. Here they are on the Fir Meadows stage. We discovered them at Pickathon last year, have since seen them perform three times in Seattle, on of those at a house concert, and then again at Pickathon this year.  Yes, we are stalkers!  We love B.O.B.!!!  More below:

 

Here is Breathe Owl Breathe on The Woods Stage, a stage set in the middle of a magical forest.  Here are my kids watching them in awe:

A picture August drew about one of B.O.B's songs.

This is Michael Hurley's back!  Ha!  Love this guy!  Another awesome thing about Pickathon is that all the artists hang out in the crowd, checking out their favorite music too, and you get to see them, talk to them, appreciate them and get to know them.  It's Lovely!

Here are the Red Stick Ramblers doing a set in the Workshop Barn.  I love these guys, they are super cool, but I do love me any kind of cajun/french/Lousianna-ish music!  Chad and I were in Baton Rouge(Red Stick) last fall to see the Avett Brothers and bought both Red Stick Ramblers and Lost Bayou Ramblers, who we saw last year at Pickathon, CDs.  This is dance your booty off kind of music!  And boy did we!

Here are the Black Lillies on the Woods Stage.  Before we left town on Thursday morning, we had spent Wednesday night at The Tractor Tavern watching these amazing Knoxville musicians, along with Sam Quinn and also Chatham County Line, who I didn't happen to get a photo of but who are an amazing North Carolina string band and also played at Pickathon as well. 

This is Sean Hayes playing on the Mountain View Stage.  Look at the pretty clouds!  It was SO HOT over the weekend, the clouds provided random and welcomed bits of shade.  You can see Mt. Hood from here too but not in this picture.  Sean is an excellent musician from the San Francisco area. Bought a CD of his.  Also bought 3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy and the Cairo Gang albums on vinyl, 1 Michael Hurley vinyl, 1 Anais Mitchell vinyl, 1 Chatham County Line on vinyl, 1 Black Lillies on CD, and 1 Jill Andrews on CD.  Already had 2 Breath Owl Breathe on vinyl and CD.  Lots of new music to listen to!  Yay!

We saw a ton more music but I didn't get pictures of every single band or performance. 

 The last thing we saw before we left late Sunday night was Bonnie Prince Billy and the Cairo Gang on stage and it melted my heart.  LOVE me some Bonnie Prince!  I go gaga over them!

Pickathon is also a great place to meet up with friends and make new friends.

Here are some friend photos:

  

Karli and I chillin in the sun.

Eric, Karli, Cedar and Rowan visiting our camp sight.  We adore this lovely family and miss them now that they live in Port Townsend.  Don't get to see each other much but love it when we do!

Me with Tony, Daisy, Ruby and Cash.  Love these guys and have lots of fun being with them!

Jasper with Ruby and Cash.  Jasper LOVES his friends so much and it was such a blessing for him to have other children to run wild with all weekend!  Wore him out so he would pass out with his big brother in the tent each night so his momma and papa could go get their groove on!

Jasper with me and Daisy, my better half, more sweet, super cute "twin"!

Next I will show you some pictures from around the farm.  Pickathon is held on Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon, about twenty minutes from Portland, but out in the country.

Some of the "critters" around the farm.

Ewwww!  No, these feet aren't bruised!  They are DIRTY!!  This is what feet look like when you are having fun camping on a dusty farm!

Another farm critter and a 7th annual Pickathon t-shirt.  This was our third year attending and it was the 12th year of the festival.

Here is the amazing outdoor showers under the red tents, all made of wood and beautiful and gorgeous.  And an Airstream turned into a sauna!  Yes, a sauna!  And the other photo is of the Pendarvis Farm House.

Here is a back view of the stages with the sails strung overhead for shade and a view of the farm house mini amphitheatre in the backyard.

Pickathon is one of the first festivals I have attended that is committed to going green.  They offered one pint Klean Kanteen stainless steel cups for sale AND offered NO PLASTIC OR PAPER!  Can you believe it?! The food vendors offered some cups but gave a discount if you had your KK cup.  The bottom of the cup says, "Eat, Drink and be Wary of Plastic."  Love it!  KK made the first BPA-free stainless steel water bottles.  It is awesome that Pickathon held an event of this size, with the help of Klean Kanteen and was able to pull it off with no plastic or paper cups!  It should be the law!  In the beer garden you paid $5 for the cup and then you could buy your beer or wine. We bought a set for our vintage travel trailer and we bought the Pickathon cup cozies to use with them.  Perfect! 

So now we are home.  And unpacking and repacking for a trip out to the Olympic Peninsula for a family reunion.  I have a lot of new music to listen too and I am happy for that.  The last three or four weeks has been a whirlwind of coming and going, trips, and lots of good times.  I enjoy it.  But I am really looking forward to being home next week, for a good solid three weeks, before another trip away.  I miss my crafting, sewing, gardening, friends, and house. I am sure my space at M&M is looking atrocious.  Lots to catch up on and do.  But I wouldn't trade it for the what the last few weeks has provided in fun, experience, and adventure.  Love you summer.  And miss you Pickathon.

Pickathon!

Off to Pickathon at Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley Oregon

Hope you have a lovely little weekend and I will be back Monday with a full post on the best music festival on earth!

When I Shop

When I go shopping for, well, everything, the back of my car ends up looking like this.

And the seat next to Jasper looks like this.

When I sort through all that stuff I bought at tag sales, thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales, auctions, etc., and after I get most of it priced, the back of my car looks like this when I am getting ready to take it to the antique mall where I have my space.  Bye bye goodies, hello paycheck!

Jasper is such a sport about being crowded in with all my good junk. 

This is one view of what my space at the mall looks like.  Stuffed full of vintage treasures!

Come take a peek if you are in need of some bad-ass, uber cool, stylin', good junk!  All our vendors have unique and interesting items and our inventory changes daily.  My hope is that by late fall I will also have an Etsy sight up and running so I can have another outlet for my smaller items and the few things I make.  I will keep you posted but until then, come visit M&M Antiques and Collectibles at 119 W Main St., Monroe, WA.  98272. 360.794.7660

Gotta go unpack from our whirlwind last two weeks of visiting Westport, Chelan and Lopez Island,

Whew!  Wish me luck!

Jennette

Sun, Sand, Surf

Back from surfing and playing in Westport.

We had a fun time and wish we could have stayed longer.

Its difficult to get good surfing pictures so here are a few from before and after.

Laying by the pool.

Getting a fire ready for s'mores.

Shark attack!

Watching the surfers at The Groins.  Not confident enough to surf here yet.  Some day though.  One day.

If you haven't been to Westport and you like to be near the shore, you should check it out.  It has a marina so there is fishing, crabbing, and lots of boats too.  We surf in the morning and hang out the rest of the day.  Its a great place to bring bikes or take hikes.  You can visit and climb the lighthouse.  We find neat treasure on the beaches and its an excellent place to fly kites.  Westport is kid and dog friendly and a couple places have outdoor pools for summertime swim fun.  If you want a weekend get away, check it out.  It's just three hours from our neck of the woods outside Seattle.

Off to enjoy the heat of Lake Chelan by floating around on my gator,

ttfn sweetie pies,

Jennette

Striped (vintage looking) Pants

Here are the finished Oliver + S striped pants for J.

They were made using the same pattern from this post.  Its the Oliver +S Sandbox Pants Pattern & Starfish Stencil.  This time I layed out the pattern, pinned it and cut it in one sitting. That only took about .5 hours or so.   And then did all the sewing, start to finish, in one evening.  That took about 2.5 hours.  So 3 hours or so all together.  Not bad.  It took a lot less time, this time around, since I had used the pattern once before.  Reusing patterns helps you get faster!

back view

This fabric is not near as hefty as the last fabric I used.  Its a little more flowy.  It was also curtain panels and I have a lot of this material left.  I did the pockets so that the stripes are crosswise.  I like the contrast of the vertical and horizontal lines.  Shows off the pockets a bit.

Jasper loves to model for me,

can't you tell,

he wants to be a star.

Love that boy

and he wears awesome pants!

Off to read my new Mary Oliver New and Selected Poems Volume Two,

ttfn,

Jennette

Summer Food

Summer's wild and elusive native strawberries!

 Fragaria! 

I got my sources, people!

See how tiny they are?  They taste like the best candy in the world!

Pixie berries, I like to call them.

"I wish it is a good day today"

I had to show you this new container from Maruta Shoten that I keep the berries in.

Bought some of this purple cauliflower from the Carnation Farmers Market to use in a pasta salad.

Look at the color of this cabbage!  I used it to make my FAVORITE dish from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (a fabulous book!), Cream-Braised (Green) Cabbage.  Makes my mouth water just thinking about it....

Look at all these Heirloom tomatoes from Eastern Washington.  I used my own in my pasta salad this time:

These are my cherry tomatoes.  One hanging basket of red, one hanging basket of yellow.  Lovely, sweet, delicious and

ready for pasta.

Some pasta salad ingredients.  See the bright green fava beans?  This is what they look like after you pick them from the shell but before you remove the outer bean skin:

Both the beans and the cauliflower are blanched before adding them to the salad, leaving them with just the right amount of crunch.

Yellow carrots from the market are the perfect summer snack.

Blueberries

from Blue Dog Farm.

We have several bushed here, at our house, but they are a bit shaded and so aren't ripe yet.  Soon though!

These are our raspberries though.  We combined them with fruitstand ones to make jam:

We also made strawberry jam with fruitstand berries:

My jam cupboard is jam packed!

These are our currants from our bush.  They are in the freezer now until I decide what to do with them. 

Here are some Banana Pecan Chocolate Chip Muffins.  I baked them in these sweet little silver foil cups, also from Maruta Shoten:

You know how I love shiny silver things!

What delicious things are you eating or cooking?  Make sure to enjoy the bounty while its here,  while it lasts.  Can, preserve and freeze what you can so you can have a taste of summer this coming Winter.  You'll be happy you did!

Off to read my new copy of I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris. 

Love that girl!  Hilarious!

xoxo

Jennette

Caught on Cot!

Found this seemingly never used cot at a rummage sale last week. 

I didn't need a cot.

But I bought a cot.

Now I am caught on cots.

Here is the frame unfolded and with the mattress pad off. 

Its in excellent shape.

Looks brand new.

Here is J. modeling the cot for me.

Sweet helper boy.

Why is this something I would buy, you might ask?  I am asking myself too.  And I think it's a couple reasons. 

One: My regular readers know that I have a sickness that requires me to amass as much silvery, metal, galvanized, wiry, metal things as possible.  I don't know what to name this sickness except the crow/raven disease.  Those creatures collect and amass shiny objects like the world might end unless they do so.  That's me, I guess.  I have the crow disease.

Two: Any time I see something, in this case the cot mattress, that I think I can recover or make pretty, I have to do it.  As seen in my ever evolving home.  Things must be aesthetically pleasing.  They must induce joy, wonder, curiosity, and a hip coolness yet timelessness, if I do say so myself.  Aren't these items more lovely to look at?  For me they are.  If something can be beautified, then it must be so.  When I saw this cot I just automatically thought cot/daybed/settee/summer-lounging-place.  SimpleSimon.  So a new cover it had to have.

I had thrifted a Ralph Lauren bed sheet at Goodwill with the intention of using it for my outdoor umbrellas (more on that later)(you know, hipster beautification and all).  Anyhow, it is flowery and shabby chic-ish, and summery, and I though it would make a nice simple cover for the cot mattress.  And it did.

I forgot to take pictures of the process but essentially it's just a huge pillow case.  The back has a three foot long overlap, like on the back of a pillow sham, and you just twist and manipulate the mattress into it until it all smooths out.  Do you know what I mean?  I am trying to think of how else I can explain it.  It starts out as three pieces of material, all the same width, but you cut the back pieces extra long.  Then before you sew it all together you just hem the edges of the back opening, overlap the back pieces to make them line up with your top piece, and sew a big rectangle.  SimpleSimon. 

Looks a little flat and uninviting?  It's actually quite comfortable and relaxing.  A great place to lounge around for the summer.  Check it out...

Don't you want to take a nap?!

Off to sew some leather, Jennette

Vintage Curtain Pants!

Jasper got some new pants!  I sewed this Oliver + S pattern for him using a vintage curtain panel!

Lucky Jasper!  His nice Mama sewed him some new/old pants!  I used the Oliver + S pattern, Sandbox Pants Pattern & Starfish Stencil, bought at Ben Franklin, on sale, many many months ago.  This pattern goes up to size 8, which is great, since he is wearing size 8 in jeans, mostly for the length, since he is a tall 7 year old.    I found after cutting out the pattern that the length sizing was generous so I cut the pattern out on size 8 but folded up the bottom edge to the size 7 and still had more than enough fabric to hem.  Oliver + S rates the sewing difficulty of the patterns by number of scissors images.  They gave this a one scissor out of four, and it was super easy.  I think this pattern will be useful for a long time to come, if he continues to enjoy homemade pants!

I know he is my kid, but how cute is he in these pants?!  Uber Cute! 

This fabric is like heavy cotton canvas, almost.  Not stiff, but definitely with some heft to it.  I will show you some details of the pockets, which I think help them look not so much like pajama pants, but are hard to see in some of these photos.  You could easily make these more like pajama bottoms by leaving the pockets off and using a thinner material.  I think one reason Jasper is so fond of these pants is because people keep telling him they look like really cool camo!  Its a bit hard to tell but they are covered with all kinds of game birds!

These have become the perfect summer pants.  They can be worn with slippers, as seen here, and you can roll them up for a cropped, capri look.  The pants allow plenty of room for stretching, running, tree climbing, forest exploring, fish catching, etc.   They got a lotta give! 

This pattern would totally work for a girl too and I can just imagine them in some of my favorite Heather Ross prints!

Here is a closeup of  a front pocket.  These are fully lined and have double top stitching for an added lil' sumpin, sumpin!  I didn't change anything about the front pockets.  Just followed the pattern directions.

Here is a back pocket, fully lined and double top stitched as well.  I did change the back pocket only in that it did call for a button closure but  I left that out.  Back pocket buttons would just get in the way for my guy.  And be an added unnecessary step for me!

Trying to show you a picture of the casing here.  The elastic in the casing is just across the back, attached at the sides, and then the draw string is used to cinch up the front.  I hadn't used this method before but I am liking how it works.  Yes, those are button holes, and they were very easy to do on my new machine once I got off my lazy bum and tried!  These pants did sit unfinished for a couple weeks because I was not wanting to fuss with button holes.  It was done in less then 5 minutes when I actually just did it!  EasyPeasy! 

Upcycle, repurpose, sew, sew, sew!  I got the bug and I can't shake it!  Must craft, gotta make, will sew for food!  What are you crafting, sewing, knitting, making?  What are you reusing, repurposing, upcycling?  Do tell.  Share, share, share! 

Working on the next pair of pants for J. Vintage stripes!  Will post photos when completed.  It's cut out.  Just gotta sew it!

Off to pick blueberries with The Crafty Aunties,

xox- Jennette

Woodblock Stamps

So I have told you all now that you should be using Google Reader to gather your information, remember?  And since I follow my own advice, and I use Google Reader, I get to be bombarded with all the great goodness in blogland every. single. day.   And I love it!  I get new info and new blog posts at my fingertips without having to go check every single blog I love.  So easy.  So do it!

A few days ago in my Google Reader inbox was a post over at Design*Sponge about woodblock stamps.  I have woodblock stamps!  And I forgot all about them until I saw that post.  So I tracked mine down and took some sunny photos.

Even though these are meant to be used on fabric, with paint or dye, these remind me of the Henna designs I love to have created on me by Julie.  She is rather talented at Mehndi and when we are together I always want her to give me a henna blessing.

I bought all of these, years and years ago, before children, so over 16 years ago, from antique dealers.  Back in the day large shopping malls like Alderwood and Northgate would host antique shows.  So all the vendors would be set up in the middle of the mall and I would go to the mall just to shop these sales.  I have not been a "mall person" since junior high but boy howdy would I high tail it to the shopping mall when they were filled with antiques!

This is a large one compared to the first two.  I like the flower design.  But what I really love, and have always loved, as long as I can remember, is Paisley!

I lurve me some paisley!  Maybe it was when I was a teenager and my Auntie started collecting wool paisley shawls, that I began falling in love.  Since fine wool paisley shawls and spreads are FAR out of my reach financially, I will settle for some nice wood paisley for now.

I have used a few of these, again, years and years ago, to make some block stamped silk scarves.  I used the paisleys and fabric dye and fabric paint and long white silk scarves.  I liked how they turned out then.  Not perfect and a little primitive looking.  Love the not perfect and primitive.

Last but not least, another big block stamp.  Now that I have these all out I think I will come up with a summer project for the kids and I to do.  Maybe we can block stamp a beach blanket.  I'll report back later and let you know how that all works out. 

Stamp, sew and create!

Off to pick tomatoes,

Jennette

Altered Clothes - take 3, aka Leather Binge

FINALLY finished this leather bag I have been working on forever!  I really like how it turned out and what makes it even ten times cooler is that it is a complete and total upcycle/repurpose project!!  Uh huh!

Here's the dealio.  It was a full size Taiwanese leather trench coat.  I LOVED the color of it at the thrift store but I didn't love the price.   I asked the manager if she could do better on the price and to my utter amazement, she could!  I was actually shocked because it was Goodwill and I have begun to think of them as big corporate mucky muck and I think they usually cost too much.  I am so used to asking for the "best deal," or "is this your best price," or "can you do any better," from all the junkin' I do at yard, flea, estate, rummage sales so it just came out. And she said yes.  And she said how about $10?  Well, I gotta say, I still hesitated since I can find good leather to reuse at all these other types of sales and I never pay more than $5.  I didn't balk long though since I LOVED the color and an idea was starting to formulate.

  

Unfortunately, my photos of the intact and original trench are on the old computer that died but I was able to give you a general idea of what the thing looked like before.  Wow, right?!  I was able to cut out the mid section of the coat, on the seams, and still have the rest to do more projects with. 

I took off the plastic buttons, even though they were cool (saved em, of course), and hand sewed on two antler buttons that I had.  Then I used my machine, which didn't like any of this sewing leather business, to sew the front panel, next to the buttons, closed.

I had some left over deep blue velvet from a wrap around skirt I made myself last winter.  I really like the contrast of the blue velvet and orangey color of the leather.  This bag has a wintery feel to it but I am trying it out for a few days now!  I used the velvet to patch over the pocket openings, line the top edge and as the "belt!"  See the original belt loops, still in place?  The velvet belt slides right thru and cinches the bag closed if need be.  I think I should still add a magnetic snap. 

My machine was so unhappy about sewing leather.  Even though this isn't thick, once you add a layer of velvet, or dare to sew two layers of leather together, she gets pissed!  I went thru a whole package of leather needles and in the end I had to heed my lovely friend Suze's suggestion and take it to a shoe repair place to finish the last step of attaching the shoulder strap.  Thank goodness I did, since now its finished and I can actually use it, kinda the point of making it in the first palce!

I took it to Woodinville Shoe Repair and for $10 (I know, It ups my overall cost and defeats the purpose of bickering over the price in the first place, but it was so nice to just GET IT DONE!), they sewed my straps on for me.  Thank you shoe repair guy!  I think my friends Katie and Dianah both have kick-ass machines that would have don't the job so I will try that next time.  This time i got too impatient!

The shoulder strap is made from the original belt.  It was a thin belt so I just cut it in half, liked that length, and had him sew each piece on, side by side.

Here is the very simple but heavy duty sewing that was done at the shoe repair place.

 

Overall I am very pleased with how this turned out but I am not happy my sewing machine is such a wus.  I think I will have to trade up because I have A LOT of leather projects in mind.  Mostly bags and purses but also saddle bags for my vintage Schwinn, sword and knife sheaths for J. and various gifts and whatnots for friends and family.  I will let y'all know when I have some pieces up for sale :)

So, Sew, Sow!

Dishwasher broken so off to handwash dishes, Jennette

The Owl and the Butterfly

So last week was spent mostly hanging around Georgetown, in Seattle Washington, while J. was at Circus Camp.  Natasha and I had many little adventures and one of a few of them included visiting, and revisiting, Pacific Galleries Antique Mall.  Oh, how I love this mall.  Its like a museum.  Almost every single thing in there is TO DIE FOR but it all has a steep price tag.  If I weren't from this area and was visiting Seattle and stumbled onto this place, I would think I had died and gone to heaven.  It's that kind of place.  Its the place I always look for when I travel.  The place that has ALL THE GOODS!

So it didn't take long for Natasha and I to find many an item to drool over.  On our second trip there we found two of these:

This is a Victorian hair clip.  And this photo does not do it justice.  I don't usually go for gold but this has the most wonderful rich, old patina that makes it just right.  So they came as a set.  there were two of them.  And we both loved them.  So I said lets buy them, each have one, and make them into necklaces.  Friendship necklaces!  Like embroidery floss friendship bracelets, but only better!  We had to think on it for a day or two, they weren't cheap!, and then we had to have them since they wouldn't leave our minds!  I had an idea to attach mine to old watch fob chain, of which I have a lot, to keep it looking vintage and lovely.  I will show you in the next few photos what the back of the "clip" looks like and you will see why we did not want to continue using them as intended, for hair decorations!

You see, the wings of the butterfly are on tiny springs so that the "legs" of the butterfly open when you pinch the wings together and then you stick it to your head and let the wings go, thus closing the feet and attaching it to your hair!  Genius, those Victorians!!  EXCEPT, those feet are pointy and super sharp!  Ouch!  My hair is not nearly as thick and gorgeous as Natasha's and I knew my hair wouldn't take to holding the weight of this little clip in it for long.  Also, we didn't want to chance loosing them if we did try to wear them in our hair and they fell out from not being secured enough.  So necklaces it is!

This is a close-up of the watch fob chain I am currently using to make my necklace.  I love the big over sized spring clasp and the original lobster type clasp.  And it has the perfect old gold patina that the clip has so they look good together but not super matchy-matchy, which I abhor.

Here it is on.  I like how it hangs off to the side a bit so its not too perfect looking.  I simply pinched the wings to open the legs, stuck them thru two links on the chain with one link in between. And voila!  Done!  I have been wearing it around the house and paying attention to whether its staying clasped on like this, just pinched on the chain, as if it were in hair, and so far so good.  It did come off once when I was changing shirts so it must have come unpinched in the switch.  I will figure out a more permanent attachment before I wear it out and about.  I would cry hard if  I lost it!

 
The next little treasure is THE OWL!  Oh, how I adore and treasure this treasure!  As soon as I saw it in the case at PG I had to see what it was and find out how much it cost.  It called to me.  It needed a new home.  I did leave it behind the first day, feeling like I needed to think on it and be certain.  But when we went back to get the clips, it was a done deal.  I couldn't bare to leave without it!

Not the best photo but he is kinda awesome!  It is sterling silver and it's a pin.  It is hollowed out so its not too heavy.  It has some markings on the back that I need to research.  I wanted him to become a necklace too.  His red stone eyes just wont let me be!

Trying to show you the markings.  Its a crown, above a shield/emblem that has F N Co across it, and then it says "trademark" under the shield.  Anyone know what it means or where its from?  Anyhow, I had some silver watch fob chain and the chain and clasp from an old wrist watch so attached these to the sides of the pin back and began making my necklace.

Above you can see the two different types of chain on each side.  What you cant see is the pretty little clasp in the middle of the wrist watch chain or the detail of the watch fob chain and the amethyst and silver piece that originally was on the watch fob and now hangs down the back.  Next photo:

Here you can see the original watch fob piece and the detail of its chain.  It hangs down the back.

There.  Now you can see each side of the chains.  But you cant really tell how wonderful the purple glass in the watch fob piece is.  It is wonderful!

I love my new necklaces and I Love altering, upcycling, and repurposing these beautiful items so they continue to get use and be worn years after they originated. 

Off to pick our raspberries, currants and huckleberries.
xoxox, Jennette

Come one,Come All!

These are all items I took down to the antique mall last night!  If they call to you, go get em!  My space is #23 across from the front counter.  Enjoy!  And thanks for looking!

red plant stand, indoors or out

doll friends wooden toy

vintage kite string holders

rusty old fan.  not working.  parts? Industrial/found art project?  steampunk art? hmmm...

LOVE these!  But they don't fit me.  boo hoo.  Here is J. modeling them.  They do fit him perfectly so they are about a kids size 1-2.  I wanna move to Holland ;)

Mortar and pestle

buck bowl

bah, ram, ewe. bah, ram, ewe.  Cheese tray and wooden critter shakers. 

amazing old vintage tapestry

lovely old toll painted hanging mirror with little wall pocket and rack.  we used it it to hold keys and scarves by our garage door entrance.  Now it can be yours :)

heavy black cast iron book holder.  maybe for recipe books in the kitchen, no?

and last, but not least, oh no, two whatchamacallit molds!  You know me, easily awed and distracted by silver and shiny things!  Do what ya will with them.....

Going to read myself to sleep, Jennette

Somewhere Trailer - Sofia Coppola

Oh, I cant wait to see this!!  Love Sophia's work!

When you get home...

via Ramonsterwear.com

when asked what is your favorite part of summer:

     When you get home from the water(river, lake, pool)and its dark and they ate peanuts and carrot sticks for dinner waterside and they are wiped and smiling and you are wiped but have just enough somethin' left to sit quietly while they sleep and sip a beer and let your hair get almost dry and the record gets to the end of it's side and you curl up with a book and it's night night house.

I LOVE this quote and wanted to share it since I have had it pinned above my computer for over a month now.  Love it!  So perfect.  So telling.  So how it is.  Love, love, love!  xox, J. p.s. check out ramonster if ya love cool clothes :)

Altered Clothes - take 2

boring blue cotton dress, thrifted in Tucson, blah, blah, blah

I am not even sure why I bought this dress in the first place.  I guess I thought it would be an easy thing to throw over my swimsuit in the summer, even though I have about a hundred an one little cottony summer dresses like this.  ( just as many as the number of purse/bags now!) 

I was about to give it back to the thrift store in my weekly bag-o-thrift-store-crap-to-drop-off when I thought of putting some little front pockets on it.  I realized that my favorite summer dress have some sort of pockets and that I tend to wear them over and over instead of ones without pockets.  This idea led me to my massive and random stack of embroidered thingies: runners, doilies, hankies, aprons, etc from which to choose a pocket material.  It was becoming hard to choose because I have a ton of mediocre type pieces and I was looking for something outstanding.  Then I hit payday.  See below:

1 of 3, using two for the pockets

Tada!  Birds!  I lurve me some birds, I do, I do!  So I found these three linen doily type pieces that have a bird embroidered on them and and edged with some blue and white crochet/tatting/knitting?  Don't know ,but its lovely.  So I folded each one in half and figured out how to place them for pockets.

close-up of pockets

This will be a little difficult to explain but I pinned the right side of the oval shaped doily down first and sewed it to the dress in a half circle shape.  This created the inside of the pocket, or a pocket lining, of sorts.  Then I folded the top of the oval down, over the bottom half circle, wrong sides together now, to create the lovely pocket with bird you see above.  I just top stitched that down, over the first row  and now I have a lined pocket, no cutting involved, and doily is still in perfect shape in case I decide to ditch the dress, it gets ruined, too small, etc.  Thus I will be able to take the doilies off and reuse them.  Smartyparty!

love, love, love

finished altering

Now i just need to wear it!

Upcycle, rework, and try again!  Dance, dance, dance!  Sing, sing, sing!