Found Object Assemblage

After the contractor replaced the damaged doors

I had him salvage an undamaged corner from the original one.

I primed and painted the front and sides white.

Then I pilfered through a drawer with miscellaneous odds and ends.

Here is a look at some of the pieces that ended up being incorporated.

Vintage glasses, bits of tile, brass buttons, an old wooden handle,

a chandelier crystal, vintage wooden clothes pin, a bamboo reed,

small glass vial filled with sand, tiny brass clock, a leaf brooch,

a broken piece from a fan and a color copy of a sweet saying.

Making time for a little weekend creative collaging & blogging!

Thank you to Jana Holstein,

Managing Editor of Somerset Memories for asking to include it

in the Spring 2013 issue!

Simple Summer Slipcover

I needed to cover the classic white sofa in the sitting room,

the solution...

created with the purchase of 2 matelasse king size quilts

( I chose the matelasse because it was so thick and durable )

brought it home and laundered in very hot water

and then dried it on high for major shrinkage,

and sent it out to the upholsterer to create this slip cover.

He did a great job on fit,

and the best thing is

it washes and dries beautifully

and no ironing is needed

and it slips right back on !

Perfect for summer entertaining!

The JOY is in sharing

How blessed am I !

One of my all time favorite ceramic experiments

( partially because it didn't go amok )

and because it was exactly what I had hoped for and

envisioned when it came out of firing

and is like nothing I have ever seen

has been published in the latest issue of...

I LoVe creating and designing.

I LoVe that "I" become lost while in the process.

I enjoy and appreciate the outcome.

But for me the real JOY comes in sharing it with others.

Thank you Beth, and Stampington

for giving all of us the opportunity

to inspire, delight, teach, encourage and be a blessing !!!

Crochet and clay

.

Vintage crochet top beginning to unravel...

is dipped into wet clay

and successfully transformed

into a treasured new ceramic vase !

For this project I had been experimenting with cotton string

dipped in liquid clay and attached as a design element to a piece,

it was quite fun and successful.

So when a favorite vintage crochet top was beginning to unravel

and I didn't have the matching yarn to repair it

I chose to repurpose it.

I began by cutting off a bell shaped scalloped edge sleeve

that I could shape into a design over a tall vase form,

and having covered it in slip I then carefully pulled it up over the wet clay form.

Next I gathered the raw edges of the top of the sleeve

and created a base to tuck them inside of and give it a finished look.

The inside and base were glazed after the first firing to make it water tight

but I chose not to add glaze on top of the crochet section on this one.

I wanted it to still have the look and texture of

the original cotton top.

Some may say this is an example of repurposing at its best,

I am thrilled with the end result !

and grateful to share the joy!

.

Silk Ruffles & Rosettes

... just sharing my latest fabric creation.

A sweet silk scarf with a wide gathered ruffle on one end

and multiple layered rosettes embellishing the other,

and too many tiny ruffles to count in between!

I found the weightless silk top fluttering in the breeze,

another alley find on my walk home from the beach.

The neighbor had been editing her closet

and there were numerous items left out for others to

discover, take home and treasure or share.

I loved the beautiful fabric this top had been made with,

and having nothing to risk I tossed it in the laundry.

Grateful it laundered beautifully,

but since it wasn't my size or style,

I chose to re purpose the top into this ultra feminine ruffled scarf.

Unfortunately I did not take a before photo,

but this snapshot will show you what was left

after this sewing project was completed.

Thrilled to have it shared in Stampington's publication!

.

70's inspired vintage top

I stopped by the Nordy's in Fashion Island to peruse & shop.

It's there I discovered this 70's inspired vintage looking blouse,

and as a seamstress was most impressed with all the details,

especially with the price being under $40.00 !

I loved all the tiny french tucks in the front and the beautifully

embellished lace on the 3/4 sleeves and hem.

I wondered why there was no detail at the collar.

Did the designer chose to leave it plain on purpose

or was it a conscious decision to meet a certain price point ?

Maybe I've been watching too much of the show

"All on the Line " on the Sundance channel.

Either way, in my world I felt it needed a little something more.

Upon arriving home with my treasured new purchase

I began foraging through my cluttered studio for that special something.

As it turned out an old tablecloth being discarded by a friend

who no longer found it beautiful or useful was the perfect piece.

Though the delicate linen fabric center had worn thin

and was torn, fortunately most of the wide lace edging was still intact.

I carefully removed it and then reattached it

along the collar line of my

new acquisition to give it that extra detail I had envisioned !

Someone many years ago

spent to a lot of time creating this beautiful lace edging.

I am thrilled to give it a whole new life!

photo credits Stampington & co.

featured in Belle Armoire summer 2011

Read more about the other top here

A season of birds continues

with bird bottle stoppers created in clay and crackle glazed

and a repurposed Patron Bottle,

with bird seed included

for the bird fancier on your holiday list.

.

.

Voluptuous pink rose vase

created with clay

using a ripped cotton tee shirt

dipped in slip then twisted and turned

and designing a stamen stopper

then lots of soft pink glaze...

and it all started with this little beauty on the right in white

created by my friend Cheryl while playing together at Summerland Cottage

Thank you Cheryl for the inspiration !

Alley find

.

we have a wonderful tradition in my little town,

when you are over something,

{ no longer having a need or desire to own it, and it's still useful or beautiful }

instead of putting it in the garbage to overflow our landfills

we set it out in the alley for another to discover and take home to treasure,

re purpose or share.

actually my neighbor spied this little beauty

brought it home and gifted it to me

Thank you Thomas !