I've moved...

I've moved beyond the fitful starts and into launching my dream.
It all picks up at Nyssa, Ink.  
Please visit when you can!

Simple vintage goodness.

Islay Grimes Cast Stone Sculpture 

Simplicity is beautiful. 

Find him here.

a work in progress

Not too shabby for my first embroidery, if I do say so myself. This blankie, made from vintage, recycled and new fabrics, is for a sweet little baby girl who may not be quite so little by the time I finish... but I do love how it is coming along.  Her name was first handwritten in pencil on the vintage fabric (this piece will actually be applied to the back side of the blankie) and then I just winged it from there... because that's how I roll when it comes to matters of creativity. I couldn't be bothered at the time to open my embroidery book and learn a correct stitch. The four leaf clover is a nod to her mom's Irish roots.

It would be great to have the blankie finished in time for St. Patrick's Day but I fear that is too lofty a goal under my current set of circumstances... getting these photographs finally taken was a feat in itself, but no matter, because Fiona will never remember that I was the one who sent the late baby gift. Babies are great that way.

little me

"Very early, I knew that the only object in life was to grow." 

quote by Margaret Fuller 

school photo circa 1977 or 1978? 

This is one of my favorite pictures of myself. I mean, come on, right? Look at the homemade 70's blouse and romper. It appears that I am now a classic. Vintage. I was there. I wore it. I am that old. Incredibly, I actually lived in The Goonies house when that picture was taken. Pre-Goonies, of course. Before Mount St. Helens blew. When people still had 8-tracks in their rigs.

That little girl loved Tanya Tucker, her cat Buttercup, Barbies, Tiger Beat, S&H Green Stamps, dolphins, salamanders. found treasures and old things. and oh, what was his name?  The teen heart throb of the moment. I had a poster on my wall. Darn. Well, that happens. It'll come to me....

.... and I also remember that same little girl did a mean Mae West imitation. And she wanted to play the guitar, maybe even be a rock star. But definitely she wanted to be a designer.

Am I really so different today? Changing little details, I am her. And she is me. So, my "older tribe" status is still hard for me to entirely grasp because what "they" say is often true: mostly, you just don't feel any older on the inside than you did 10, even 20 years ago. Lately I've been thinking back over my life and asking myself (especially after conversations with much younger women) what would I tell my 15 year old self? Or my 7 year old self?

In my collection of quotes I found this and above all, 

this is what I would want this little girl to know: 

"Once you accept the fact that you are not perfect, 

then you develop some confidence." 

quoting Rosalyn Carter 

And I would also have to tell her that she's beautiful. 

And someday she'll think that outfit is really cool. 

It may take upwards of 30 years. But it will happen. 

And I would tell her that life isn't perfect either. 

But it is full of perfect moments. 

What would you tell "little you"? 

books... by their cover

I see out there in the blogosphere that it's "book week"... makes sense to me: autumn, nesting, cozying up to a good book and a fire in the wood stove. And I have been doing my share of nesting. But I have to tell you the truth, I haven't been reading any books lately. Reading on the computer, yes, reading magazines, yes. But I've been collecting books, from thrift stores, garage sales and friends, for a long, long time. They are treasured possessions.

And I am definitely known to buy a book solely for it's cover.

So, here's a few of the books that I have not been reading....

circa 1948

circa 1939

circa 1938, signed 1st edition 

circa 1956

circa 1949

Aren't they wonderful?

on collecting...

I have several "collections"...

Small pitchers or creamers (I would share a photo but they currently reside in a cupboard- in our last, roomier home they had their own proper - albeit dusty- shelf).

Vintage ceramic and glassware, resting comfortably in a beautiful french hutch (and would make another lovely blog picture, I am sure).

Art, piles and stacks of art (to fill way more than my own home).

Vintage linens (in a heap, waiting to be laundered).

Barbies. Yes, lots of Barbies (sadly, stacked neatly in a closet). It's the little girl in me and Barbies always make me smile.

But one of my very favorite collections (all fitting nicely in one little shoebox) is the pile of hundreds of quotes that have moved or inspired (or even just made me laugh) that I've collected over the last 25 years... this collection is one that actually makes a real, measurable difference in my life. I call on those quotes-- to just get me through life on some days, and, on other days, to help me make the most of life. These quotes, becoming my own personalized book of inspiration, remind me of the beautiful and amazing fact that I have the ability to control my mind and focus my thoughts in the direction of my own choosing.

Original art by Richard H. Dawson. All rights reserved.

.... quoting Geothe--- "Nothing is worth more than this day". 

and according to Ralph Waldo Emerson--- 

"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind". 

Simple as that. 

Star of the Sea Rummage Sale

Yes, people are still talking about the

Star of the Sea Rummage Sale!

The annual event, held in the catholic school gym, just concluded with "free day" last Friday and I went no less than 5 times in 4 days. I must begin by saying that the volunteer ladies who run the sale are vintage classics themselves. Completely adorable. Above is just a small portion of my finds.... my favorites: the Peterboro picnic basket, two absolutely perfect vintage rattan lamp shades, silver iced tea spoons (this score triples my tiny collection!), loads of vintage sheets and linens, two super fab homemade vintage housewife dresses, vintage patterns, a vintage ice bucket and soooo much more.

I probably spent, all told, $25 in my 4 day rummage spree. But even better than the deals, it just got me jazzed. Downright giddy. I actually left the house early before work (unheard of) to get in line on the first $2 bag day! This will be an official annual event in my life and is just a delicious slice of small town goodness.

That lil' bit of treasure-seeking adrenaline created a small creative storm of which we shall see the fruits of soon... because this beautiful machine below and I have once again, made friends after a somewhat lengthy fall-out.

fits & starts... so true in so many areas of my life and happily I'm in the midst of a sewing fit!

a sweet holiday weekend

The long weekend was as sweet

as this Oregon strawberry...

strawberry muffins and skillet jam were made

long walks with the husband and dogs were enjoyed

fireworks over the river were witnessed...

and a new annual tradition was born:

St. Mary's Star of the Sea Rummage Sale, oh my....

But more to come on that.

before & after

From average run-of-the-mill framed corkboard to beautiful, stylish,

one-of-a-kind custom idea board!

The picture doesn't do it much justice however.

I needed a start-to-finish afternoon project to get lost in for awhile... but I wanted the sense of accomplishment that comes from fully completing a project in a short spell. I didn't need a mess on my hands for days on end, right? So, after hmmming and hawing for the last few weeks about how to treat this corkboard I just decided to act.

I painted the frame a white wash (using acryclic paint from my art supplies) and used samples from a wallpaper book that I patchworked to create sections and texture using photo mount. I was determined to keep it super simple and didn't even trim one piece of the scrap wallpaper. I just layered where I needed to.

I added the vintage ribbon frame along the inside of the wood frame and finished the corners with upholstery tacks. The teal blue ribbon detail is velvet, edged with a tiny white lace. The lace doily was a gift from a dear friend, pinned to the board with a sewing pin.

Oh, and I must include thanks to my studio assistant, Bailey.

I love creating something entirely new and wonderful using only what I have on hand. Free is a very good price. Now I just need to put some ideas on the board!

from tired to inspired

Let's be honest, some weeks are more interesting than others. This past week, frankly, left me tired and uninspired. I choose to blame the stretch of insomnia I've been struggling with, but I know that some weeks are just like that. Tired and uninspired.

What always inspires me and lifts my spirits though is collecting vintage treasures and I have been searching high and low in thrift and antique stores for charming vintage jars to serve as spice jars. I stumbled upon this set of 15 pre-war jars quite some time ago and love love love them. I had no idea then how difficult it is to find vintage jars with their original lids so I am ever more grateful that I bought each and every one. Problem is, I need about 15 more in varying sizes to fill this fantastic antique shelf that *will* be morphed from super cluttered yet functional spice shelf to super cute and functional spice shelf. The shelf sits in our dining room just around the corner from the stove so "super cute" would be super cool.

The question remains... do I spray paint the lids to create a cleaner, more uniform look or do I leave the rusty lids in original condition? I figure at this point, safety isn't a concern- I mean what is unhealthier flaking off into your herbs and spices- rust or spray paint??? Seems like a toss-up to me. So, stay tuned: one happy and very inspired day we'll revisit the spice shelf with the complete "before and after" makeover. In the meantime, the search continues for more vintage glass jars. Until then, super cluttered yet functional will have to suffice.

have a flirty friday!

I just adore this vintage postcard. One of my prized possessions. It came to me through my father's eclectic collection of memorabilia which became mine upon his passing. Every time I look at it, it makes me smile. The beautiful buxom blonde, the sight seeing guide, the observant gentleman, the message that "You will see some of the greatest sights of your life on this trip" reminding me of the richness of my own life experiences and the wonderful sights I have seen.

It doesn't have a copyright or print date on it but calls for a one cent postage stamp, has a divided writing area and "linen" look. I am guessing it dates from the mid-1950's (but I've only had one cup of coffee this morning). Here you can find all sorts of great information on dating antique and vintage postcards!