A little hodge mixed in with some podge

For some reason, I want to say mod podge even though I mean hodge podge.

It’s possible I have a mild case of Craft Brain.

This little vintage camera was purchased while on a recent non-junking trip.  (and yet, the junk still found me)

That’s right, I do my souvenir shopping at Salvation Army thrift stores.

And I needed a cheap suitcase. Somehow the things I brought along on the trip multiplied or expanded or exploded but in any case, another suitcase was required for the return trip.

It was good practice for Texas.

There’s some mini-purging going on around here.

When a drawer hasn’t been opened in so long that I don’t know what’s in it, it’s time.

A recent shot of my mall space at Monticello.

Do you see the ‘swan’ decoys? I found those on my junk trip to the Oregon Coast.

They remind me of what an odd assortment of stuff has taken a ride in the back of my car over the years.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve uttered the phrase ‘Doily Factory’ here but at long last the cobwebs have been removed, scissors sharpened and fabrics sorted and I do believe my sewing dry spell is over.

If you’re in the Portland, OR area this weekend, don’t forget to check out Plucky Maidens Junk Fest! I’ll be there shopping the junk on Sunday.

Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

Sew there.

Happy New Year!

(2010)  sachets

The month of January always has me pondering what I hope to accomplish in the coming twelve months and after several rough drafts, I’ve finalized my official Annual Crafty/Vintage To-Do List for 2013.

(2008)  barkcloth pillow

It’s sew very short.

(2009)  banner

Just one little word, in fact.

(2010)  yo-yos & feedsack quilt pillow

You’ve heard it here before but this year …

(2010)  sachets

I.

Mean.

It.

(2008)  vintage tablecloth pillow

I really do.

(2010) appliqued tea towels

(2009) tatting & doily towel

Sew there you have it.

(2007) vintage tablecloth pillow

PS Did you watch Downton Abbey last night?! Sew good!

And now we will resume our regularly scheduled programming

Since I last chatted with you…

My very old computer suddenly decided it was All Done.

Even if I was not.

While waiting and waiting and waiting for its replacement to arrive (“… blah blah important computer-ish part on back order blah blah blah …”), the following is some of what was accomplished:

Re-wired four lamps.

 

Made that sofa slipcover at last! (from Ikea curtain panels) The ottoman is next in line which will be a breeze compared to the sofa.

Completely rearranged the Doily Factory and its roommate, the Etsy Inventory Storage Facility, the contents of which were co-mingling in a dangerous way with the summer Vintage Market things-to-sell-stash.

Sent many boxes of miscellaneous to the local Senior Center thrift shop.  While unsettling to come across my former stuff on their store shelves, so far I have successfully avoided the horror of accidentally re-purchasing something I donated.

Yard-saled with mixed results. A few small victories here and there but no Big Scores lately.

Hosted a birthday celebration.  (Did not paint the white sideboard. Yet.)

{ this flag pillow is a mini version of last year's jumbo size flag pillow }

Some sewing.

Computer situation is resolved at last. So glad to be back!

Sometimes I still sew

From where I sit at my computer in the doily factory, I look straight into the lonely eye of the vintage fabric cabinet.

 And those neglected, folded heaps of vintage fabric remind me that my sewing lately has been, um, not so much. 

I’ll blame it on tax time, or as I like to call it, The Oppression of All Creative Urges.

Not to mention this dismal, cold & rainy ‘Spring’ weather in my neck of the woods. 

Not inspiring. At all.

But this inspires me!

 At last! The first pillow of Spring appears

 Fabric flowers will have to do for now until it’s warm enough for the real deal.

And thank you for your helpful comments on my last post about selling at a vintage show – I appreciate it so much! I’ll have an update to share soon.  

A Tale of Two Birthdays

A little something made by Laurie (aka Magpie Ethel)

Disclaimer: I am another year older today. I disclose this information as it's the only plausible explanation available for what you're about to read.

Act One.

Late one night, Detective Magpie was prowling around the internet with one thing, and one thing only, on her mind.

She had some vintage crafting to do.

She came across this pincushion and realized what was ahead of her: A long night surrounded by spun heads and a hot glue gun. She made some coffee and got to work.

The next morning she emerged from her studio, satisfied. She had done it.

She had created a tiny yet perfectly formed vintage birthday gift, bearing an uncanny resemblance to its recipient (with the exception of the fabulous ensemble worn by this little figure who is clearly a much snappier dresser), right down to the giant needle in her hand.

{  Thank you Laurie, for making this incredible, one-of-a-kind birthday gift for me. I **love** this happy little gal! }

Act Two.

This year I was ahead of the game. The gift for her was made and wrapped. All I had left to do was wait for the birthday luncheon to roll around.

And then I saw her blog post about collecting vintage Oregon state souvenirs. Everything changed after that.

I headed to the Doily Factory.

I had never felt so alive.

I cut and chopped, avoided holes, skipped around stains and was left with just enough 'good parts.'

 

Then a little sewing and before you could say "All done," I dropped my camera. On concrete.

Because I don't do things halfheartedly.

The camera is no longer with us.

But you can see the finished birthday pillow over here. 

The End.

Small Talk

As you may recall, late last year I bared my soul and revealed that I don't own a glue gun.

It turns out I do. I just can't remember why. I must have bought it years ago for some specific project and then never used it again. It resurfaced recently while I was 'organizing.'

My comprehensive organizational efforts eventually dwindled down to more of a micro-organization in which I managed to incorporate a little sewing + hot gluing project too.

This photo is unrelated to this post but I found these little hand-painted shell pansy cards yesterday while out thrifting and this seemed as good a time as any to share.

For someone who sews, I am sorely lacking in the pincushion department and that can get downright hazardous as I use some very large and somewhat dull needles for my etsy shop packaging. I'm constantly dropping them and they quietly roll away, biding their time until they decide to reappear somewhere ... unexpected.

(I always look before sitting down in the Doily Factory.)

Now those needles have a home of their own. I made the world's tiniest pincushion (tutorial here), added a teeny vintage mother-of-pearl button and hot-glued the whole thing to a vintage spool of thread.

Hope 2011 is going smoothly for you so far. 

a vintage Christmas giveaway

Merry Vintage Christmas!

As my way of saying thank you for not dozing off during and therefore enabling my year round vintage Christmas ramblings, I've put together a little vintage Christmas giveaway.

(And just for fun, let's keep score for how many times I say 'vintage Christmas' in this post.)

This giveaway includes vintage Christmas things I've found while out roaming the Oregon countryside, vintage Christmas things I've made in the Doily Factory and ... some sweet vintage Christmas goodies from one of my favorite vintage crafters, Magpie Ethel*!

Now onto the giveaway...

A collection of vintage Christmas decorations including that tall glittered Thanksgiving reindeer and his snazzy cousin (a Magpie Ethel creation) who's sporting a stylish over-the-head wreath with coordinating green-glitter antlers and standing near one of Magpie Ethel's hand-dyed bottle brush trees in aqua. 

 

There's also a sweet vintage Gurley Christmas tree candle and two tiny bottle brush trees on vintage wooden spools wearing red plaid scarves -- made by me in the Doily Factory.

Maybe you can use a few last minute stocking stuffers so there's a pretty vintage poinsettia hankie along with a trio of pocket-sized tissue holders and two pairs of lavender sachets I've made from a vintage embroidered runner and vintage Christmas fabric.

To help get all that gift-wrapping done there's vintage Christmas wrapping paper and little gummed vintage Christmas labels along with a handy instruction booklet for 'beautiful gift packages' from Dennison, circa 1949...

 And these charming gift tag badges from Magpie Ethel.

So the kitchen won't feel neglected, here are a couple of vintage Christmas tablecloth towels to help with the dishes, also from my Doily Factory.

And finally, a little something for around the house.

This holiday pillow handmade by me using a bit of my very favorite vintage Christmas tablecloth of all time.

If you'd like to be entered to win this giveaway, just leave a comment by midnight PST, Sunday, December 12th. I'll draw a winner on Monday morning. This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere and please make sure there's a way I can contact you via email if you win. :-) 

Thanks again for coming by -- you're the best! Happy Holidays!

*If you haven't met Laurie/Magpie Ethel yet, you can check out her fabulous blog to learn more about what she makes and collects (all of it is *amazing*) or browse through her etsy shop to see her charming & whimsical creations. And if you're in the Portland, OR area this weekend, you can see her and her vintage crafts in person at Crafty Wonderland! (if it isn't snowing, I'll be there shopping!)

Vintage Christmas score: 14? Do I count the time I used it in this sentence? :-)