...WAIT! WE MUST GO BACK IN!

Oh, my POOR 'NEWBIE'...

My POOR, POOR, "DAY TRIPPIN' PARTNER-IN-CRIME"...

I think I may have led her astray this time folks!

HAEGER 2014 #1 ($1.50... after tacky dried flowers were removed!!)

Let me begin again...

COLD, LONG WINTERS begin to call for DESPERATE measures here in the NE!!  When I propositioned a friend and asked her if she would like to join me in my weekly 'STUFF RUN' (okay... yes I did dangle a coffee/chai stop in there too!), she agreed.  I don't think she had ever been to a Thrift before, but what a day we had!! 

 FUN! FUN! FUN!  

I lost count as to how many we went to ~ SIX maybe??  She was SUCH A GOOD SPORT!  I spotted the seductive dripped glazed Haeger vase in the window of a Shop we had JUST LEFT...  I said, " WAIT! We MUST go back in!

     Still not a 'ton-o-good-stuff' to be had at the shops, but I guess that is just as well.  I did find a few goodies though...

Soldering Iron (For Dad's Collection!) $1, Cording for seaglass pendant necklaces $1, Compact (My collection) $1, Vintage enamel pin .80¢, Funky earrings .80¢

AND 

2014
#1
#2
#3
in the sweater Clip Category!!!

Sweater ClipsAS FOR  ATTIC STUDIO HAPPENINGS...

'Commisioned' Pedestal for a Friend is almost complete.

We have FINALLY found the pieces/combination that she likes, now I just have to assemble.

Soldering practice continues ((sigh.))

I dream up ideas, but somehow they still don't come out at I envision.

This was an 'Attempt' at combining wire-wrap and solding. ((Sigh))

'Bejeweled' (with Real SeaGlass) vintage sweater clip.  'N' who was helping me with soldering was really 'interested' in my sweater clip collection.  I have heard that she went to an antique store and was VERY Excited to have found and purchased one for herself since I saw her.  She is also into seaglass.  I'm sending this to her as a 'THANK YOU' for her time. 
(maybe this is Good Karma, and why 3 found their way to me??  Do you think??) 

...the PLUNGE!

Soooo, Saturday as The Guys were out watching 'The DUKE Boys',  The Girls stayed in where it was 'warm' and did a 'Tea' ;-)

 I pulled ALL those silly pedestals out ~ loaded them with homemade wild berry muffins, green tomatoe bread, cupcakes... ~ figured we might as well get 'some' use out of them...  then I REALLY got inspired... 

I'm doing it.

after 1 FULL year of testing and scheming...

svelteSTUFFj ETSY shop now carries
UPSIDES DOWN pedestals under their 'ATTIC STUDIO' tab!

Hopefully we'll do as well as
SU did vs. Duke
(Syracuse
won!!)

..."every day is a Winding Road"

During our ~BRIEF~ 'heat wave' (above 20°), J & I had Cabin Fever, and decided to go check out the Sea Glass Beach.  The beach was still covered in snow, but apparently we weren't the only ones with cabin fever!!  BRRRR.....

The Thrift Shops haven't provided me with anything new to show you either, except some NASTY leftover Christmas 'gift-pack' flavored oils (ewe!!) and melted candles ~  **NO THESE DID NOT COME HOME WITH ME!**

 On the Creative side of things, I DID have The.Most.Enjoyable Saturday!!

Fri. night I was chatting w/ a friend (T.) who saw our 'Pedestals' at 'The Craft Show that Shouldn't Have Been...', said she had been thinking about them and might want to buy one.  I knew T. crochet.  I told her I had a proposition for her...  

   You see, I have loooonggggg been admiring these Winter knit & crochet Infinity scarves that are so popular now. (*Did you know this is just a come back for them?  They were originally popular back in the 1950's - 60's, but were called SMOKE RINGS; which is now Politically incorrect! VERA did quite a few in silk!!*).  I would trade her a PEDESTAL for her time in making an INFINITY. She loved the idea.  We set a date for Sat. am - B-fast, and then off to hit some yarn shops in search of a pattern and yarn.  OH, my!  Now I was getting a bit nervous and a rash was starting to set in... B-fast - YES!  Patterns & 'Old Lady' sewing shops - not.so.much,  hmmmm......

   

We went to TWO yarn shops, talked to the sweetest lady at the first shop, I FELL IN LOVE with all of the Delicious yarns (and I don't do fibre arts!!), she taught me all about weights and the type of results that could be achieved with Bulky vs Extra Bulky.  They had all kinds of scarves, collars and shawls made up that I could try on... I made sketches, took photos (with their permision & HELP!!), got measurements (T. was impressed that I ALWAYS carry a tape measure in my purse!).  So in the end... I don't want 'just a basic Infinity Scarf' - we didn't need to buy a pattern, we created our own!  'My Designer T.' is making me a custom 'svelteSTUFF' creation -
I can't wait to see it!!

T. is doing the 'bodywork' and then I will be adding the 'details'.  I came home Sat. night and went in search of BUTTONS!!!
 I just.happened.to.have a Basket marked BUTTONS in the Attic Studio (you are surprised aren't you?!!)
What Fun going through those vintage treasures!
I only need THREE (3!) though...
So the tough part is going to be the 'final' decision
(but I'll make that when I can see the whole thing together!!)

"Jump in, let's go
Lay back, enjoy the show
Everybody gets high, everybody gets low
These are the days when anything goes

Everyday is a winding road
I get a little bit closer
Everyday is a faded sign
I get a little bit closer to feeling fine"

Sheryl Crow - Every Day Is A Winding Road

...take WARNING.

Isn't that how the old saying about 'Pink sky in Morning' goes??

 Well, it seems we have been having a LOT of BEAUTIFUL PINK SUNRISES lately... or so they appear on the surface!

 

I think that there should be a similar WARNING about blogs.
  Blogs created by people with LOTS of talent.

Blogs created by people who are terribly organized.

Blogs created by people with wonderful photography skills.

SHOULD NOT BE READ BY THE HIGHLY IMPRESSIONABLE!!

 

As an avid thrifter, I have been known to start 'picking-up' things at sales because 'they are The HOT ITEM' in blog land... 



Everyone KNOWS you can't leave a CHEAP Shiny Brite behind...



 

TRAIN CASE?!? a 'MUST' that I now can't live without, and before BlogLand I didn't even know they existed!!

~ N O W ~
I have really crossed over to the
DARK SIDE....

Recently I was approached, and asked to be a vendor in a SMALL, Local Fall handmade Farm Market....

and I agreed.

 

 

I have never done this before.

I blame YOU Blogland!

 (Yes, 'You' KNOW who you are!!)

 

 

I am definitely dipping my toes into unknown territory...

The theme to my booth is Upcycling in the FingerLakes of NY.

VERY small show with low foot traffic - good for a newbie!!

(ie: won't need a LOT of product)

 

Hot-glue gun is clearing out some of the hoards of Shiny Brites as they are made into wreaths!

 

Trays of recently washed Sea Glass, waiting to be sorted and wire wrapped into pendants...

Hands are never still while road-trippin' or watching
TV, making PLARN Pumpkins (in a FUN new BLACK!!)


 

...and of course THE. PEDESTALS

~ LOTS of them, all ready to GO!!!

The BIG PROBLEM?

 is that I pass by this view from my Attic/Studio window...

I LOVE AUTUMN and I don't want to miss it!!

So, I'm still taking time out for Daytrippin' with Pals to take in the sunshine and sites...



A little MacKenzie-Childs for inspiration

(still experimenting with the new camera)



...and still 'stuffing it' , while the 'stuffing' is good...

 

VERA 2013 #21 .25¢

 



Sweater Clip 2013 #13 - seashells & rhinestones $3

 



Treasures! Treasures! Glass flower frog, Sarah Cov. belt, Girl Scout pins, Josef figures, Aluminum powder music box, glass heart pendant, enamel flower pin, glove clip, purse hook, travel clock, copper butterfly = $4.55 !!

Here is the FINAL (for today) testimony to the power of BLOGS...


I had NEVER held an ANNALEE doll in my hands before (or seen one in person), but while scrounging through a box of ornies at Rummage sale recently, I heard the lady next to me say to her Partner in crime "OH. MY. GOSH!  LOOK. AT. THIS. UGLY! SANTA!"  Just by the tone in her voice, I KNEW it had to be.  I turned my head SO FAST to get a glimpse of what she was referring, then held my breath that neither would take it.
  They didn't. 
 I grabbed it.
I checked the tags.
IT WAS!
((It will be going to an E-store soon))


HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING THEIR COUNTDOWN TO ALL-HALLOWED EVE!!

(I will be back with a report after 10/19!)






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider yourselves
WARNED!
((this could happen to you if you read Blogs!!))

..."Don't Think"

A LOT of our recent 'finds' seem to be in the same range of colors...  I.DO.LOVE when that happens ~ particularly when it is this lively, fibrant shade, and our NE weather has been anything but lately!

Never seen grapes like this before!

THE.BEST.CORK.PULLERS.EVER ~ If you ever see one - GRAB IT!!!!

HOW COOL is the design on this guitar?  Do I know how to play? no.  Have I always wanted to learn? yes. Will I?  Does it matter with a guitar that is this fun to look at????

Maybe it's the weather... (NE weather has.just.sucked so far this summer - sorry to whine folks, BUT I AM SICK OF THIS RAIN!!), but EVERYTHING just seems out of 'whonk' right now...
  I've been looking for 'inspiration', 'motivation'...  maybe just some sunshine??
  While on my quest I did find this little tidbit...

CREATIVISM



...have been making some more Pedestals



“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try” – Dr. Seuss

"Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things” – Ray Bradbury

“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people” – Leo Burnett

...first signs of Spring ~ FINALLY!

This is what I have been waiting for, and dreaming of...

a 60deg + day!,

a 'REAL' garage sale!

(okay, so it was a privately run ESTATE SALE, but we won't split hairs)

Arrived rather late, because it was a couple of towns over, so we combined it with a couple of other errands.  All the better because they were still unearthing things and there wasn't any competition!!  Grabbed a LARGE box FULL of wood thread spools (170+) for a song (and had a bid on ebay within 2hrs of listing ~ YIPPEE!). 
Went to the basement to poke around - none of the owners had even been down there - and found a few spools of solder (to hopefully inspire me!!).

 In the kitchen I dug out a set of MY vintage 'go to' measuring spoons, which I ALWAYS pick up whenever I see them cheap (to upgrade my current 'dishwasher battered' sets).  However, I made the mistake of checking to see what they are currently selling for...  I guess I'll just keep using my tarnished ones for a bit if I can get THOSE $$ !

 

A lovingly hand-beaded pincushion that they practically paid me to take when they saw me appreciating the beadwork!

 

 I was !THRILLED! with this bag of Fake foodies. I am always finding the veggies and fruit, but this one had CHEESE and a croissant! *I have been looking for sites to buy fake cakes / pastries from to display on my 'PEDESTALS', but haven't found anything to my liking in my price range.  So the search has continued...  I thought the cheese/croissant would be good fill-ins for a bit.  J informed me 'They are The.Most.Disgusting.Things.EVER.'  ...I guess the search continues. 

My FAVORITE purchase...  this itty-bitty (she's about the size of your thumb), forlorn, MERMAID! Complete with broken&repaired tail fin & chipped nose - she just stole my heart! 
 Why I have such a passion for vintage Mermaids lately? I.DON'T KNOW. 
Thank Goodness they are hard to find!
The lady holding the sale picked it up... laughed, and gave it to me for FREE - I guess that was nice of her, but rather rude to the mermaid!!

THEN home for a FULL AFTERNOON of Yardwork!  Oh when, but Spring does yardwork ever seem so good?! 8-)

...it's SPRING!

Here is a glimpse at what I 'hope' to be the ending of some of my recent 'WINTER' projects... Maybe someday soon I will be back out to the gardens (?!)

'SUNFLOWER' ~ Petite Pedestal ~ Wouldn't it be FANTASTIC at a brunch, Full of BIG, LUSCIOUS, RED STRAWBERRIES - each in their own mini cupcake paper??  (sorry, my mind really is in the garden today...)

Another 'UPSIDES' Petite - this one has a special twist.  It is part of what I am calling the 'NORTH SHORE' series.  Encased between the pieces of glass are bits of sea glass from one of the local FingerLakes! (yes, more dreaming of warmer days and my toes in the sand...)

This past Thursday I had Part II of The MakeShift Series of classes that I am taking from the creative Betsy of EAST STREET PINS, and I just realized that I have yet to post ANY of my finished 'creations'.  Keep in mind, it is just a 2hr session, and we ARE learning new techniques with unfamiliar materials - so it is hard to truly get creative - so cut me some slack... okay??  

CLASS I / Part I - (ice epoxy filled Bottle Caps) Pendant grape cluster; Magnet spider; Pin seaglass w/ fishy background

CLASS I / Part II -  Using a 'DAP' we pounded out bottle caps to form earrings

CLASS II- Oh, this is a SAD, SAD, PATHETIC version of a bead necklace!  We cut tin, we pounded with the DAP, we exchanged stories - learned a lot - Thank goodness, because my final project is mighty lame!  You must go to EAST STREET TIN BEAD NECKLACE to see what these beads truly look like in their true Glory!! 8-). 

I 'HAD' to go to one of 'those crafty-type stores' to pick up some jump rings to work on my Button Bracelets, and since I had a 50% off coupon I decided to check out their 'DAP Blocks'... just for the heck of it.  So in case any of you were wondering what I've been talking about  with all of this 'DAPPING' stuff ~ now you know! 

 So, now that I have the jump rings...

 I have ONE (1!) completed bracelet for SPRING STYLIN' in coral-red-white!!

 

(HEY- Those 'Petite-Pedestals' are kinda nice for photo shoots too!)

 

 

Now, onto some other UNFINISHED business - the REALLY.FUN.STUFF!!

Saturday's SEASON OPENERS!!

(yes, you read that right - that IS PLURAL - there was not just one Rummage sale in MY WORLD, but TWO - OH.HAPPY.DAY!!)

WITH LOTS OF JEWELRY @.25¢ each!

TONS of PEDESTALS for UPSIDES DOWN - even a few Large Cakeplates!!



misc. goodies for resale - Liz Claiborne wallet, Los Angeles Pottery, OOPS Again Pyramid, New York bag, Dish drying rack, STARBUCKS mug, Retro case

 

Lot of ornies for future wreaths - All for $1. (despite old price stickers!!)

Just FUN to be Out on The hunt again!!!

 

HOPE WE ALL HAVE A 'SHINY & BRITE' SPRING 

 FULL OF GOOD STUFF !!!