Braided Embroidery Thread Bracelet

I finally found time to try to make a bracelet I saw at Miss Lovie Creations.  There is a beautiful tutorial to make this bracelet.  I deviated a bit and added a couple of re-purposed chains along side just to give the bracelet a bit more width.  I also added a small charm on the clasp to keep it heavier on that side so it stayed on the underside of my wrist.

These were tough pictures to take, I couldn't  quite capture the detail, but it turned out very pretty.

Garage Sale Chronicles - 3rd Edition

I got up early on Saturday and headed up to an Estate Sale up in Cold Spring, MN.  Once again I got a number of good jewelry pieces to repurpose.  Unfortunately or fortunately, when I got back to the studio and checked out the goods, many of the rhinestone pieces were signed by Weiss or Kramer.  I can't repurpose such lovely things.  Anyway, here's what I picked up....

A gorgeous gold beaded bag, tag inside says handmade in Hong Kong

Ah, some lovely vintage tags!

12 mini trays.  Funny, I picked up 6 identical ones at a sale a couple of weeks ago.  These are perfect in the studio for setting out beading projects.

Oh, the things I can do with these!

Weiss dangles!

Marked as very early Kramer.  These rhinestones really sparkle.

Beautiful!

I plan to use these as anchor pieces to some simple rosary necklaces.

Unmarked, but fun nevertheless.

Kramer at their finest!  

This beauty really, really sparkles.  The prong settings are so wonderful.  You can really tell this is really high end.  The necklace is really heavy. Really :-)

Unsigned, I think these may end up as rings.

Oh, these were the first things I repurposed. I'll be posting my necklace soon!

$10 Dresser - Before and After

I bought this dresser at an estate sale this weekend and came right home and gave it a new paint job.

A simple white pine dresser.

OHHHHH!  I'm lovin' that color! 

Nice new storage in the studio.

Garage Sale Chronicles - 2nd Edition

Bling. Bling. Bling. A girl's best friend.
Gotta Love it!

I typed in Vintage Jewelry on Craig's list and low and behold this lovely estate sale ad popped up!  How can you pass up calling on this one?  Read it and weep.  Sally was great to deal with and really didn't strain my budget too much.  It made me sad to hear her say she had already sold much of the estate's jewelry at a church garage sale, including signed vintage pins from the 30s through the 40s.   Wahhhhhh.....

"Bling on a budget = vintage jewelry! I am helping to liquidate the estates of 4 elderly women in my family...one of whom never married and worked at Donaldsons...where she used her employee discount to buy jewelry for herself and her sisters. I literally have suitcases full of jewelry-most of it costume, some real and much of it is BRAND NEW with the original tags! Some items go back to the Victorian and Flapper (roaring 20's) eras!!! Prices vary and range from $3-$50 with most items between 10-$20."


Here's just a quick glance at a few of thing I bought.  I hope to repurpose some of it.

Check out the large red stones in the ring in the box and the earrings at the top left!  

They sparkle and sparkle.  Gorgeous.

Aren't those two daisy flower pins just to die for?  

Beautiful rhinestone pieces.  I really love that spider!

Minnesota Fall Fire Pit

For all my new blogland friends, and particularly for those that don't get to experience the beautiful seasons of Minnesota, here's a taste of my home.

No staging.  Just s'mores, a chill in the air, and family.

I believe this may be the last of the fall, 

the weather forecast says snow by the end of the week.

Time to store the patio furniture and get out the kids sliding sleds!

Up-Cycled Victorian Romantic Necklace

I love layering multi-strand necklaces!

This beauty was made out of re-purposing vintage jewelry found
 during my junking adventures at garage sales.

I'm thinking black t-shirt and a jean jacket...

Garage Sale Chronicles

Look what I bought this weekend!

I fed my garage sale addition a bit on Saturday.  

Would you have bought it?

Five books for $2.00, One is an operation manual for a movie theater projector, one Hymnal, one engineer manual for the St. Paul railroad, and one 1915 Navy engineering manual.  Love them!  I really wish they could talk and tell me stories of where they have been all their lives.  Below are just two of the graphics within.

SCORE!  Below is a few pieces from an 8 piece Lu Ray Pastel dinner set.  Paid $10 for the whole set.  Only a couple chips in the yellow plate and cereal bowl.  I'm tempted to fill out the set with the serving pieces.  Mostly from the 40's through the 60's LuRay offered an 8 piece set for $2.64 cents.  I believe from reading some old ads that housewives of the era could sell these in home parties.  

Were these the precursor to the dreaded tupperware parties?

OH the sadness.....I followed a tiny little estate sale sign later in the day after taking my son to Karate practice.  Why oh why, did these people not advertise on Craig's list.  If only I had been there at the start in the morning!  As it is, I managed to find some jewelry for my re-purposing and some beautiful white Haviland.  As I was checking out and chatting with the woman running the sale, she told me she just sold a whole box of vintage jewelry for $15.  ARGH.  I came so close!

Well, I'm going to be making some fab pin cushions out of the cream and sugar, wait and see!

Everything below was $5

Ah, Frosty my fav!  I rescue doilies all the time.  I know how much work women put into these things and even though they are slightly out of fashion now, I can not stand to let their hard work go unappreciated.  I box them up and wait for their time to come again.  I may even starch some and hang them on this year's Christmas tree!

A beautiful plastic pin for $.25

Below, a really great bargain.  Someone had enough of scrapbooking and stamping.  She put everything in a bag and marked $10 on it.  I peeked in and saw a couple circle punches and knew those were expensive so I picked up the bag and checked out.  Later I realized at the bottom was a complete Stampin Up set of 12 ink pads that were not even open.  Normally these sell for $55.  Not only did she include the ink pads, she included a great big selection of stamps as well.

Now I just have to find space in my studio.