Cast All Your Votes for Dancing


I know the voice of depression
Still calls to you.

I know those habits that can ruin your life
Still send their invitations.

But you are with the Friend now
And look so much stronger.

You can stay that way
And even bloom!

Keep squeezing drops from the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.

Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear,
From the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.

Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days
Like a broken man
Behind a farting camel.

You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him,
What actions of yours bring freedom
And Love.

Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim,
My ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other
And applaud all your nourishing wisdom!

O keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your campanions' beautiful laughter

And from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.

Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!

from I Heard God Laughing, Poems of Hope and Love, renderings of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky.  From the inside cover:  "Hafiz, whose given name was Shams-ud-din-Muhammad (c.1320-1389), is the most beloved poet of Persians.  He was born and lived in Shiraz, a beautiful garden city, where he became a famous spiritual teacher.  His Divan (collected poems) is a classic in the literature of Sufism and mystical verse.  The work of Hafiz became know to the West largely through the passion of Goethe.  His enthusiasm deeply affected Ralph Waldo Emerson, who then translated Hafiz in the nineteenth century."

While doing yoga in a palapa overlooking the ocean in Sayulita, less than a month ago, I had the honor and privilege of hearing this poem read to me by my yoga instructor.  It was a large group that morning and I was in a very delicate state of emotional unbalance.  I was questioning a lot of what was happening in my life, my relationships, and just feeling generally unsure, uncertain, and scared.  Upon hearing this poem I burst into tears and I found it difficult to stop or control my crying.  Something about this poem, in that moment, during those feelings and in that space hit me like a ton of bricks.  I felt both enlightened and heavy, at the same time.  I didn't care that a palapa full of strangers could see me visibly affected.  I just felt so grateful.  So grateful to have feelings, even though it felt like pain, and to know that I am on a spiraling path, being held by the Sacred Feminine, ever moving forward and back, in wholeness and yet seeking a great Whole.  Since that time I have wanted to share this poem with y'all.  I hope you find something in it that makes you feel brighter and full.  Something that gives you hope and food for thought, like it did for me.  Oceans of Love, Jennette

Aunt Leaf


Needing one, I invented her--
the great-great-aunt dark as hickory
called Shining-Leaf, or Drifting-Cloud
or The-Beauty-of-the-Night.

Dear aunt, I'd call into the leaves,
and she'd rise up, like an old log in a pool,
and whisper in a language only the two of us knew
the word that meant follow,

and we'd travel
cheerful as birds
out of the dusty town and into the trees
where she would change us both into something quicker--
two foxes with black feet,
two snakes green as ribbons,
two shimmering fish--
and all day we'd travel.

At day's end she'd leave me back at my door
with the rest of my family,
who were kind, but solid as wood
and rarely wandered.  While she,
old twist of feathers and birch bark,
would walk in circles wide as rain and then
float back

scattering the rags of twilight
on fluttering moth wings;

or she'd slouch from the barn like a gray opossum;

or she'd hang in the milky moonlight
burning like a medallion,

this bone dream,
this friend I had to have,
this old woman made of leaves.

from New and Selected Poems, Volume 1, by Mary Oliver, p. 196.  Thank you Sally, for sharing this poem with me 8 years ago.

Huichol Art and Alter


these are the Huichol Yarn Paintings i bought in Sayulita.  These dull photos do not do them justice as they are bright, vibrant and wonderful in person.  the Huichol are an indigenous ethnic group of western central Mexico.

"The Shaman are running together to dialogue about a giant serpent.  The largest they have ever seen.  They are singing to him and trying to learn from his power."
"These Shaman are gathered together in the sacred place of the Gods.  They come together singing and praying to hear the voices of the Gods.  To learn to live and know the teachings."


these yarn paintings are made from dreams and visions and there is nothing predrawn or illustrated.  they apply beeswax to a wood board or surface and just begin by pushing the yarn into the beeswax and creating designs.  it's amazing to watch, see and behold.




this is a Huichol beaded belt that is one of a kind.  i went to visit it every day for almost two weeks and then decided to spend my birthday money on it.  i LOVE it!  there was nothing else like this in town and i just adore the work, talent and time that went into it.  to me, it is amazing.  a million tiny seed beads.


this is a small painting by the same Huichol artist who made the belt.  i love the painting because although that is supposed to be a candle she is holding in one hand, i think it looks like a giant crystal, and when I finally bought the beaded belt, he gave me this painting too.

these are the beaded Huichol bracelets i got.  the Huichol religion consists of four principle deities, the trinity of corn, blue deer, and peyote, and the eagle.  all are represented in the bracelets above.  i am fascinated by Huichol myth, their traditional beliefs and and how they are resistant to change.  follow the link above to learn more.


and last but not least is the lovely alter i set up to hang on to a little bit of sunshine, beach, vacation and Sayulita, Mexico.  most of this is items we brought back and a lot of what you cant really see is the many many shells, beach glass, and broken but smooth tile pieces we collected on the beaches.  best beach collecting ever!

i miss you beach
i miss you warm ocean
i miss you whales
i miss you heat
i miss you sun

xoxo - jennette, sitting near a bright window, in smashing rubbish world headquarters :)



New Years Eve



in mexico there are no rules or safety measures around the use of explosives and fireworks!

the huge overhead ones were going off so close to the ground that the sparks fell on our heads




can you spot the fire dancer in the background? 

have you ever seen a three foot long sparkler?!  that's how they do it in mexico!

night boats

happy new year everyone!
xox
jennette


Silver Bag

i found this silver tote bag while i was thrifting last week.  i had been coveting this one:

from Fossil
which i still may have to get. probably not, but a girl can wish.
and to spice up the thrifted pleather tote, since its not nearly as cool as the real leather Fossil one, i thought to add this fabric as an outside pocket.
well this is the piece i remembered, eventually, anyhow.  the tote was begging for an outside pocket, since it had none, in or out, but i had to go through half of my pile of embroidered pieces to rediscover this piece of some kind of hooked or crewel work on silver!  perfect match.

so i lined the soon to be pocket with muslin and pinned it in place and sewed three sides and behold, a pocket!
personally i Love shiny, silvery, sparkly things, even if it looks like a bag an old lady in florida would use, it makes me smile.

off to the smashing rubbish studios,
ta ta,
jennette



December Finds

Some new Kilim pillows.

Another lovely carved shell dish that goes well with this one I scored awhile back:

This one, which I've had a few months now, is very old, has gold trim and is just lovely to me.  You cant see it here but the inner shell pink color contrasting with the muted gold trim patina is just so awesome!

More Dec. finds:  5 vintage arrows with various fletching and colors.  Love!

This gorgeous, full size, wool paisley shawl was scored for $16 at Apple Annies!  Yes, you read that right, $16!  Total score!
It is not in perfect condition but pretty darn close and if you know anything about these, you know what they are worth and how excited I must be!  My lovely Auntie Karen collects these but hers are all in PERFECT condition so I may end up making her something out of this one if I can bring myself to take scissors to it!  we shall see...

Sorry to be so late with some December 2010 finds but better late than never, i suppose.

xoxox
jennette, at smashing rubbish headquarters



Leaving Mexico Breakfast


this is a fake, well half fake, sad face about leaving Sayulita, in honor of our friends Eric and Karli, who have a sad-face photo of when they too, had to leave Sayulita.


we ate french toast but devoured it before a photo could capture it.



door to the wc

that fruit holder basket thing is made from one long palm branch!  amazing!


classic!


our view at breakfast

from inside the wc

note on the door inside the wc

the windows inside the wc.  bottles!





adios mexico.  you did me right.  i miss you.

xoxxo
jennette, at smashing rubbish world headquarters(!)


Military Coat & Buttons

i found this awesome, amazing, wonderful old wool military jacket at value village, way back in november.  it was $10!  for a perfect wool coat!  although it was rather very large on me and the arms were way to long, i had visions of altering, de- and re- constructing it, and making it my very own.  the photos make it look much more gray than it actually is.  it's the perfect military, olive, drab green that i adore.

i thought i had before pictures so i could show you the jacket how i actually found it, with all the original military buttons still attached.  but no, there are no photos, or there are but i am not organized enough to find them now.  anyhow, imagine the jacket with big ugly plastic and brass military buttons and that's what it look liked when i discovered it.  i immediately thought of changing out the buttons, actually that was the whole point of having to have it, that it would be a super easy upgrade and simple way to make the jacket my own, if I could figure out how to alter the fit.  when i got the jacket home i started to get out my vintage button stash.  originally i was going with a combo of vintage blue, green and red buttons, all mix matched, all over the coat.  in all the jacket has 10 buttons.  the belt that came with the jacket had a heavy brass buckle on it.  cool, but didn't go with my buttons.  so i am digging thru a tin of buttons still on cards and low and behold, i come across two, yes 2!, vintage red belt buckles.  that settled it right there.  i wanted all red buttons, to go with the buckle and because the color just pops right off the green background.
the tin of buttons still on cards where i found the buckles

i keep all my loose buttons in old glass and silver coffee servers.  one is all shell buttons, one is all other white buttons and the other two are missed colors.


the unused belt buckle and the original price tag on the back.


above you can see one the remedies i came up with to make the sleeves work for me.  originally i thought i was seriously going to have to remove the entire sleeve, alter it, and reattach it to the coat body.  it seemed daunting and that's one reason it took me a couple months to actually start dealing with the coat.  but then as i was looking at it, i thought, why don't i just turn a bit of the sleeve under and hand stitch some embroidery thread around it and call it good.  o.k.  so i love how this stitching turned out, very "hand done" looking.  i was happy with the stitching but the arms and sleeves still fit weird, like way huge and bulky on me.  
 
inside view.  not fancy.  but fine.

 so then i figure i might as well try taking out some of the shoulder pad stuff that was in between the jacket and the lining so i ended up trimming away as much of that as i could get my hands on.  i got a lot of bulk out but the sleeves themselves were still big and bunchy so then i had a brilliant idea and said to myself, "hey, just wash it.  in really hot soapy water. and dry the hot heck out of it. it's wool.  just see what happens." 
i figured the worse that could happen is the sleeves would shrink and felt down too short.  in which case i would just undo the crooked embroidery thread stitching i just did and let it out.  turns out though, that washing it was just what it needed.  it shrunk perfectly and i love how it fits now.  it is slender and narrow through the torso yet the arms are full enough to allow me to really stretch and feel comfortable, yet not huge and gigantic.  the red buttons are fully functional and that darn buckle just sets it off! 
I love my "new" coat!

the only thing i might still do to it is put a bunch of patches down one arm.  when i first got the jacket it had a military patch on each shoulder at the top of the sleeve.  over at Honestly...WTF i had fallen in love with this look and thought the idea might translate well to this coat.
here are some patches i have that may, or may not, end up on the jacket:
  this is a large vintage patch i bought from my friend Marie at the antique mall for like $2.

and here are a few smaller.

i will post more photos if i add the patches but for now i think i will just go with it as is and see i decide to tackle all the detailed work of attaching patches.

working on a silver tote bag,
xox
jennette




Mexico Finds

Hi y'all!  Here to share some favorite finds from my two weeks in Sayulita, Mexico.  I will save the "art" for another post!
Above you can see the "Viva Mexico" detail from an awesome hand embroidered and appliqued apron I found.

Love this basket weave plastic tote!  These are made by prisoners in Guadalajara and a shop in Sayulita sells them.  The felt flower was attached.  See below:


Had to get a Luchador guy and patches!


Check out this amber ring set in metallic knotted thread!  There is a TON of this type of jewelery in Sayulita.  There are markets every week and all the awesome hippies come and sell their wares.  I asked a lot of questions about this process and with my very limited Spanish I could understand that this is not knit or crochet but actual knots.  Like macrame, I guess?  It amazes me, the detail and miniature scale.  I will buy a lot more 'knotted' jewelery next time!


Here are two different view of the same amazing and huge amethyst crystal pendant I scored at the market in Sayulita.  There were no others like it and it called my name as I walked by.  I couldn't pass it up!
Here are two pin/buttons from a local Sayulita artist.  I especially love the whale one since I got to see several whales, very close up, in the wild, for the first time ever, while boating in the Banderas Bay.  It was life changing.  Totally AMAZING!

I had to get a beer cozy for my Pacifico's! One more!

A Hula Hooping Luchador t-shirt for August

Euphemio and Emiliano Zapata Salazar t-shirt for Jasper.
Both t-shirts above are from this shop, Revolucion Del Sueno, in Sayulita.  The Dream Revolution is about having your feet on the earth and your head in the stars.  Everything they produce is offered in limited quantities and when its gone, its gone.  In the two weeks we were in Sayulita I saw them sell out of many items I had my eye on. It's a must visit place if you are ever in Sayulita.

And this is on the t-shirt I bought for myself.  Oh boy, do I ever hope to refill as needed! 
Miss you Mexico.
Miss you sun.
Miss you heat.
Miss you warm ocean.
Miss you whales, whales, and more whales.
Love, love, love.

xoxox
Jennette






Doorways
























All of these doorways caught my eye in Sayulita.  Literal doorways here, although there were many a figurative doorways to be had as well!  No, I did not do peyote, but still.... the scenery, the colors, the scents, textures, tastes, heat, salt water and bright sun all did a number on me.  So, yes, the doorways were open.  And I passed thru them in my imagination into worlds beyond and afar.  Seems like a dream.  Surreal.... to be real..... so surreal.  Ahhhhhhh.


Home

All of our bones made it back from Sayulita, safe and sound.

It has been a very slow reentry into the daily grind but I'm getting there.  Surprisingly, taking long runs in the cold, dark, wet rain has helped to loosen the heartache of leaving behind two glorious, hot, sun drenched, dry, bright and lovely weeks in Sayulita.  Who knew?!

As I get back to crafting and opening my Etsy shop, I will keep you posted on works in progress, shop updates, new finds, etc.  I will also be posting a lot of photos from our trip here so they don't get lost in the abyss and so that I have a record of our time and can remember what it was like, what we did, when, etc.  It's important to me to document it here as I do not keep family scrap books and I suck at printing pictures and filling up photo albums.  So bare with me.  I'll try to mix it up and I hope it doesn't get too boring!


Adios!

xoxooox
Jennette

Uwajimaya

Stopped at the Uwajimaya in Renton today after taking the boys to have lunch with their Great Grandma, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Uncle and cousins. 

I can hardly wait to show you what I found!


Moomin Candy!!!!

Y'all familiar with Mumintroll(Swedish spelling)?  Read much Tove Jansson?  She's a Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer.
I have been such a fan of Moomin for a few years now and it is not easy to find anything Moomin-ish, in stores here.  Uwajimaya has had the most offerings, besides online sources, that you can actually see, touch and feel.  I got candy, folks!  And it's good!
I figured these little tins will make great craft containers and I just love the Moomin stories and characters so even just to look at them makes me happy!  If you aren't familiar with Moomin, check out the comic strip and books.  If you like unusual, strange, interesting, funny, smart, weird stuff like I do, you'll LOVE the Moomins!

I also found some more new kitchen containers.  Look at what they say:

I just LOVE these!  Some of you may remember the ones I got over the summer:

I also found a few small ceramic containers that are so cute and useful:



Luckily (for my wallet's sake!), they did not have a Kinokuniya Book Store attached to this particular Uwajimaya so I didn't have to struggle with the do I buy it, don't I buy it, soul-splitting head-banter I always encounter upon trying to leave Kinokuniya without spending the mortgage money!  Oh, those Japanese sewing books!  They have me by the balls!  Love, love, love them!

Blessed Holidays Everyone!
Enjoy the season,
xoxox,
Jennette

New - Old Sweaters

So my Aunt Charlene saw my previous post about the Granted-type sweater I found at the Flea Market for $30.  It looks like this:


And it reminded her of the sweaters my Grandma knit (first photo, above)for her and my Uncle Steve, way back in the very early 70s, when Grandma was still working at Boeing and before my cousin Marci or I were born.  My aunt sent me an email a couple days ago and asked if I would want them, when we met at my Grandma's today for lunch, since she had had them in storage for many many years.  YES!  YES!  I want them!

August LOVES the sweater that fits him.  He says he feels like he should be wearing it on a college campus!  Can't you tell he thinks he looks good!  He does look good!
My Grandma knit them in wool and she even lined them!  They zip up and they don't have pockets but that's OK.

August is showing you the lining here.

So the other sweater fits me great but Gus is not thrilled that we have "matching" sweaters.  I told him that I wont wear mine when he wears his, but otherwise it's fair game!  Some day Jasper will fit into mine and then they can be matchy matchy brothers!

We LOVE our new - old sweaters!  Thanks Aunt Charlene and Uncle Steve!  Thank you Grandma for being a knitter back in the day!  I so adore having these family treasures and I love to use them!

Merry Yule and Blessed Solstice everyone!

xoxo
Jennette
 


Carpet Bag

Finally finished the carpet bag!

I found this rug piece in Tucson last spring and hauled it home with me.  I also found a full size rug, perfectly worn, that I hauled home too.  Thank you Southwest Airlines for letting us each check two bags for free!  I was able to bring home a massive ton of loot!  Anyhow, here is the rug piece, as found:

Here is the piece, as found, layed out on my floor.

Here is a closer-up detail.

I used dark brown linen, from an old dress, to line the inside side.  Its hard to see but I made a pocket too.

This photo shows how I just guesstimate about where and what size I want a messenger style bag to be.  I line the entire piece first then play with bag/flap size until it looks just right to me.  Then I pin in the side/strap piece.  This time I used the brown linen for one side of the strap and some army green linen from and old pair of shorts I picked up at the Lopez Transfer Station, Take It or Leave It, over the summer. 

Here is the strap before I began pinning it to the bag.


In these two photos I am trying to show the pinning of the strap to the bag in a way that you can see how I construct it.  But these photos don't do it justice.  I basically pin the bottom of the strap to what I want to be the bottom of the bag and then sew it up the sides to the top.  In this case, I made the strap too long so I need to go back and shorten it.




So with the carpet bag finished I can move on to other projects that have been left unfinished and half started.  Still working on my jacket from a vintage pattern.  Still working on a few other bags in progress.  Still have a few dolls being embroidered.  Still have mending and tweaking on several garments to finish.  Still, still, still.  And most of it will have to wait until I am back from vacation because that is fast approaching and I have many little ends to tie up before we fly off.  I plan to show you many of the finds I have discovered in the past couple weeks.  Stay tuned.  Normal programming will resume in the New Year. 

xoxox
Jennette


Turkey

Jasper embroidered his turkey design for his Grandma.  Every year he gives her some kind of turkey art project near Thanksgiving.  This year he decided to draw his own design and "sew" it on muslin for Grandma.

Jasper drew his turkey on paper with pencil.  Then he traced it with a Sharpie so the lines were dark.  Then he taped the picture up on the window and then we taped the muslin piece over it.  I helped him with the tracing of the design onto the muslin with pencil.
Hard at work, concentrating.

The back side.

Jasper asked me to finish the edges for him.  He did not want it to have tabs or any particular way to hang.  He wanted his Grandma to lay it flat on the table for his other clay turkeys to sit on.  He signed the bottom corner with a Sharpie.
And the minute he was done:

he picked up his knitting!

Turkey!

xoxox
Jennette





Basket Liners

I made some basket liners for my friend Kathy last weekend.  She had this rolling market cart that folds flat and she had a large circular rolling basket that she wanted to use for laundry.  Unfortunately I forgot to take final photos so I only have a few of work in progress.

Here you can see the print on the fabric and the awesome green color on the wheel and spokes.  Kathy and I found a queen or king size Ralph Lauren sheet at Goodwill and that's what I used for one side on these liners.  The other side in unbleached muslin.
The liners are super easy to make.  You just measure all four sides of your basket and then add in an inch or so for a seam allowance.  You lay it out like a huge rectangle.  Then with right sides together you sew it like your making a pillow case and leaving an opening to turn it right sides out.  You do the same for the bottom piece and then you attach the sides to the bottom.  You can see above how I try to make the seam run down the center back.
I use sets of ties at the top to hold the liner secure to the top bar of the basket.  On this one I top stitched the ties to the sides of the fabric.  You can either have them pinned in and sewn in the seam or you can top stitch them on after you've turned it right side out.  Either way its cute and it works!

This is the large circular basket that Kathy will use for laundry.  She had originally just wanted it all muslin but I forgot and made one side with the RL sheet.  Here is where you won't see a photo of it complete but you get the idea.  You can see the bottom piece here.  Once I had the super long rectangle of fabric for the side complete I simply pinned it to the bottom circle and sewed it all together.  On this one I did pin in the sets of ties to the seam, sandwiched between the right sides, so when it was turned right side out, the ties were dangling from the top, every 6 inches or so, all the way around.  Easy pie!
Here is a view of the circular basket from the top.  What's nice is that these liners are reversible.  You can have either side showing, inside or outside.  They are also completely washable, durable and preshrunk so you can get a lot of use out of them.

I have several more market baskets I will be making liners for and selling at M&M.  I made a liner for one last spring and it sold the day I brought it in.  A lot of us use the market baskets at antique shows and flea markets to carry all our loot in and help keep our hands free for browsing.  They would also be handy at a park, the zoo, the beach, and at concerts or festivals.

I will let y'all know when I have some for sale.  I am not listing them in my Etsy shop since the pacakaging and shipping is not something I can take on at this time. I really do have at least 10 more market baskets in the basement so do let me know if you want one.  I will take custom orders.  Thanks!

xox
Jennette 

Winter Wonderland

As the snow started to fall at our house I couldn't resist getting out a few holiday ornaments to enjoy for the next few weeks.  I said I would resist since a surfing, snorkeling, birding, and yoga-filled 2 week holiday vacation is coming up.  I had told myself that I would not be putting out these decorations, that it wasn't needed and it would be nonsense to bother.  But I just can't help myself.  I love the winter holidays and I probably have enough decorations and holiday paraphernalia for two houses so I figure one litte holiday "alter" can't hurt!




Framed trees arranged on velvet made of vintage costume jewelry picked up at the thrift store many years ago for $2 each.







As you can see, I have quite the collection of holiday woodland folk!  When my Grandpa McAlpin died I inherited all his Christmas decorations.  I unearthed a large box full of the pinecone elfs.  Each one had a double and there were at least 10 sets.  Over the years I have gifted the duplicates to other family members and have continued to collect them for my family.  They hold books, lanterns, instruments, gifts and trees.  Right now I have about 40 different ones!
I have also been collecting vintage deer figures, little snowmen and other woodland creatures as well.  Most of these items are vintage "made in Japan" decorations.  To keep the creatures contained this year I used two matching tiered silver tray thingys, set on top of an antique pie safe, and displayed the deer and friends around them.  The plastic elfy gnome couple above watches over it all.





I love this photo.  It appears to be a Scandinavian Christmas pageant complete with snow, crowns, costume gowns and Father Christmas.  The back says "xmas 1916."


Leafless tree full of tiny vintage glass bulbs sitting on an antique plant stand between the dresser and the pie safe.  And the penguin is vintage chalkware.  The green tree a beeswax candle.

On the left is a photo of my dad around 1950.  On the right is a photo of Chad around 1979.

The grouping of pictures above contain images of the display on top of an antique dresser next to the pie safe and plant stand.  The two soft white Santa's are reproductions, not vintage, but all the feather angels and buildings are vintage made in Japan.

On Saturday I took the boys to Yulefest at The Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard to check out the festivities and celebrate our Danish heritage.  I am a Nielsen, after all.

Jasper with Santa at Yulefest.  I couldn't get August to be in the photo. Uggghhh....teenagers.

The Snow Queen, her sleigh and Reindeer.

We hung our Danish flag garlands in the window, attaching them to our net collection.  Jasper wanted the Danish flag we bought for his room.  Some day we will travel to Aarhus, where our ancestors are from to visit and discover our roots.  We can't wait!

Is it trying to snow where you live?  Does it make you want to decorate for the holidays?  We usually have a big Winter Solstice celebration.  It will be strange to not have a tree and be in the tropics for Winter Solstice.  But I think I'll survive it.  Surfing on Solstice, Christmas and my Birthday will suffice!

xoxo
Jennette



Antique Show Loot

So I totally scored on this vintage, in perfect shape, Granted -ish sweater at the Swap Meet part of the sale on Saturday.  I had just read about Granted on the lovely Bliss and had told myself,

 "You like those!  You should keep your eyes peeled for one you like and that fits since they cost over $360.00, brand new!!  Yes, they look like your old blue one that has a big horn sheep on the back and says 'Alaska' but it never fit just right, a little too small, I guess.  So watch out for one that fits and that you like the design of, girl.  You know you can manifest this if you follow your heart and not your head!" 

Yep.  That's what I was saying to myself when I saw the Bliss post.  It is not, however,  what I was saying when I was done at the antique show and arguing with myself, in my own head, about whether I should go over to the flea market part or just leave since I wasn't feeling 100%.  Chad had encouraged me to take the time to myself so I finally argued myself into going over to the flea market and now I am so glad I did!  I followed my heart, the always wanting to see one more thing and find one more treasure heart.  And I did not follow my head, the you always gotta push it, squeeze in one more thing, never satisfied, head of mine.  Oh, that darn head of mine. 
The guy who had this was asking $35, I offered $25, we settled on $30.  I got it for $30!!!  Total score in my book!  It looks so similar to this one but I think mine is cooler with the trees and all!  Yay me!  But now Chad wants one so unless my manifestation mojo keeps a spark, I'll be forkin' over big bucks for his when he can finally decide which one he wants.  It is hard to choose so that's one more reason to accept what comes along your path and make it your own (although I would have picked the horses or the whale!).

So, I'll just start with all the stuff I scored at the flea market first.  I collect antler handled cutlery so when I saw this knife for $7 I scooped it up in a hurry.


This old Fisher Price Circus caravan will be remade into some fabulous upcycled project when I can get around to it. 
Cost: $10

Vintage photo and frame.  Bought for the frame.  Vintage frames are getting harder to come by.
Cost: $5




Gotta grab up the old tin types when you can find them.  And the weirder, stranger, and more unusual the better.  I use these in different collage and multi-media projects.  These are from the actual Antique Show, not the flea market.
Cost: $2 each
This little guy, reminding me of Jasper,

riding his polar bear with a basket on his back,

full of vintage wool felt flowers!
Will fit perfectly in here.

Another old rag doll boy.  Again, for in here!

Lately I have a hankerin' for all things "tiger eye."  These have already been turned into 'regular' earrings, for my pierced ears with sterling silver hardware(which is all my ear lobes can handle).

Velvet patchwork doll blanket.  Er...yeah....I still have the everything doll related fetish going.  When will it end?!

2 paint-by-number cat/kitten paintings for resale.  Any takers?!

A roll of vintage green ticking from the east coast.

This old flour bag from a Coville estate will be deconstructed, reconstructed and upcycled into an awesome cotton and leather bag!  TOTALLY gearing up for my Etsy shop to be stalked after vacation.  Just you watch!  And hold me to it, please!!!

Old black painted wooden hand held mirror.  It's a mirror thang.

Up next I will attempt to show you the AMAZING vintage clothes I got at the show from my friend Jane.  She has a lot of family on the east coast and she brings back van loads of stuff a few times a year after she attends auctions back there.  She had some sweet vintage clothing for me, at incredible prices, and I couldn't pass them up!

This sweet little red shift just needed a good wash and a little mending.
Pocket and trim detail.

Collar, trim, button and fabric detail.  Love.


A gorgeous cotton and lace Edwardian-type jackety-type thing that I will wear over t-shirts.  Love.

Cotton and linen wrap around dress.  Love.

And last but not least I must end with sharing photos of the superduper old quilt I got.  The colors!  Oh, the colors.  These photos do not do the colors justice.  The khaki color is truly green and the blue and red are so vibrant.  Stop by and see it sometime!  I have hung it over/above our bed since we have no headboard.  It's from The Carolina's and is old homespun wool that is falling apart in several places which is so endearing to me!  The backing is a pinstripe that I just love, almost enough to hang it the other way!  Check it:






So.  Does anyone know what this pattern is called?  I still need to research that.  And.  Can you even begin to imagine doing all that stitching by hand??!!!  OMG!  Makes my mind spin!
I gotta get a photo of it over my bed to show you.  I will wait for a nice day to get good light for the photo.  It's funny since I don't usually like things that are so geometric-like but it was really the colors in this quilt that stole my heart.  I walked around the antique show several times, going back to visit it, to see if it was still there, to discover if it was meant to be mine.  And it was.  It's mine.  And I love it!

Off to gulp down the banana, blueberry, peanut butter shake Chad just made me.  Yum!

xoxoxo
Jennette






PDX Loot

Found this little "Totoro" at Flora.

Blow up paper balls from Cargo.

Sweet little Hmong baby shoes and raspberry velvet box from Monticello.

Mushrooms and glass glitter bird from Cargo.  Little Doll, Demitasse box and candle holders from Monticello.

This little glass eyed green velvet pixie is my most favorite item from Monticello.

Velvet hangers,
white leather gloves,
and my next favorite thing from Monticello, a canvas newspaper bag for The Journal, Portland, Oregon.  I will deconstruct this and remake it into a bag for myself.
I have a project in the works with a bunch of white leather gloves so i will show you when its underway and happenin'.


Velour vest purchased at Magpie Vintage in Portland.  I also got an awesome blue, what I like to call "70's airline blue," leather mini skirt that will get made into a bag.  I will show it to you when it's being transformed.
These are some of the items I bought in Portland but not at Little Winter.  I keep forgetting to take a photo of the crystal necklace I got from Mossiere.  I did not spend nearly as much time shopping on this trip to pdx as I normally do so I don't have as much to show.  Although all combined, I probably did come close to my normal haul with all the loot from the handmade market as well.  I didn't really buy anything to resell this time, which is OK, since I still have plenty of stuff in the garage and basement to sell. 
I did go to the Monroe Antique Show and Sale at the fairgrounds over this past weekend so I will have photos of loot to show you from there.  I scored on an amazing quilt that I will hang on the wall over my bed.  And Jane sold me 4 vintage clothing pieces that are to die for and were so inexpensive!  And I almost didn't go!  You just never know what little treasures you'll find.

Happy Monday everyone,
xoxox
Jennette