Look What Just Came In The Mail A Victorian Scrapbook

Finally...at last it is here

A Victorian Scrap Book

I am so excited...

Look at the fantastic front...

The auction pictures did not do it justice..

I thought it would be in very bad shape since there

were only a few pictures to really see.

There are 16 double sided pages full of Victorian scrap

and advertisement cards.

Christmas cards, Valentines cards...

Sigh...

I love the yellow rose on the front

and the bag with the coins spilling out.

Making a nice cup of tea and then I am going to sit and really

go through it.

I hope you enjoy the pictures I took...This book is too tightly

bound to scan.

Have a lovely afternoon.

Oh...I forgot.  It is dated 1878

Dream To Be What You Believe Tiny Book

Do you ever wonder what  happens

when what you did have planned

does not happen

and what you did not plan on

does?

That is what has occurred

here in my studio

the last two days.

I have no idea how I got myself from

cleaning and sorting

to sitting down and creating.

Really...I did have such good intentions.

But coming across my ATC cards

blew that right out

of the water.

Yep....Sky high!

When Jill and I went to Corvallis a couple of

weeks ago I found

the most beautiful Italian papers

I had gotten the idea yesterday that I would

make some tiny ATC books

to put in the ephemera packs we are

selling on Junkin Gypsies

They are so cute

and I am leaving them empty so

that they can be like little scrap books.

But I started playing with one,

and this is what I ended up with.

My first tiny book

I know it will not be my last...

already I have started another one

Have a good evening everyone!



Quiet Monday Morning Coffee

I love Monday mornings.  Yeah right you all are laughing

I can hear it..but really

I do.

It is no fun getting out of bed at 5:30am

Or trying to roust my teenage son

out of his at 6:30

Husband out the door for the week...Son off to school

I open the door from dropping Jordan off

to stillness.

Usually everything looks like a small

tornado has gone through...

So for the first hour or so I spend picking up from

weekend...

But then....It is my time.

I find myself in the studio turning on the music Loreena Mckinnett

this morning..It goes with our rain today.

Windy and stormy

I have a list of things I should be doing today,

but the music is so soothing and the coffee

good...It seems much better

to just sit here thinking.

Re-grouping myself I guess.

Do any of you keep a journal?

I have since I was pretty young...Think it started

in grade school.  Maybe one of those

class projects or something I did in Camp Fire Girls

That has just stuck with me my whole life.

There have been years when I have taken breaks

and not kept a journal.  And looking

back I regret that.

My Mother is getting up there..Almost 80

And lately talking to her she and I are noticing

her memory is not as good as it used to be.

She gets mad at me....lol  I can be so pushy at times

But just the last few days it has hit me how thankful I am to have

started journal writing and keeping them.

I went to the small (not so small) chest they are kept in

and looked through the years.

The ones from my youth are kind of embarrassing to read now...

full of crushes and tears and dreams

Then my first really broken and torn heart...

And soon after finding

my husband.

Reading the journal of the year he was overseas was interesting...A new bride

left alone.  The life of a Marine wife.

Then we started our own family with our son

I started a journal the night we did our pregnancy

test from me to him...Someday

I will give them to him maybe...right now there are 13 of them

I guess the point of the Journal conversation is.

With all the blogging and face booking I had thought maybe

of giving up the journals.

But these conversations with my mother lately

has changed my mind.

Looking at my journals...A lifetime record.  My memories

I want to keep them with me

not to loose them too.

And it hit me that I am keeping her memories also...she is forgetting

them but by our talking and my writing them down

they won't be lost.

I see my coffee cup is empty...So that means

time for a refill.

One of the most wonderful things that has

happened lately is this divine

6 foot long table my husband and son moved into

the studio for me.  I came across

my ATC cards while cleaning

I love these tiny art cards-what an absolutely fun medium.

These little envelopes are made from calligraphy paper and shaded with

Walnut distress ink.  I used a sponge brush which is fantastic

for shading.

OK...Time for that second cup and some creative time

Have a good Monday!!!

A Day Full Of Changes

Wow-Today has been a very busy day

Over the last several months I have been trying to

turn one of our extra bedrooms in to more

of a studio space.

It has been slow going.

Cleaning and sorting sometimes tossing

but mostly running myself into circles.

This is my second most favorite room in the house.

Two windows...one facing North one facing East

It has great light for most of the day.  And another

little bonus.  I can see the moon from this room

certain times of the year.

Oh one more reason  in the summer a wonderful cross breeze.

But it has been a long trial to get into it.

Over the weekend my husband said he would help

me move things out and work on the organization.

I packed all afternoon moving things out of the way.

Because one of the things that had to come out

was a love seat.  Lol...Oh my that was so fun to get

out.  We had put it in there over 12 years ago...then

added bookshelves in the hallway it had to come thru.

We got the little monster out after having to raise it over our heads

and carry it sideways.

The guys took off after it was out and I thought they

had gone to get a battery charger (I left the lights on in the car aaaagain)

What they came home with was a new table for

me.  Ahhh....I have such sweet guys.

They had it set up in a jiffy and now I have a huge work table.

It is a little overwhelming

There is still so much to do.  Hopefully tomorrow I can run

down a bookshelf...an old one that I can paint

myself.  That would go a long way in organizing all the antique books

tucked here and there.

Right now...I am pouring a glass of red wine. Picking a piece of chocolate out

of the box and heading for the tub for a long hot

bubble bath. 

 I am very sore tonight

Yep..I moved that tall cabinet by myself when they told me to

wait...lol

My list for tomorrow is long...

Sweet Dreams

Sunday Surprise Nursery Friends From France And A Child's Garden Of Verses

As many of you know.  Jill and I have

a new business on Etsy called

Junkin Gypsies.  Starting a new business together has been

a lot of fun...and a lot of work.

We spend a huge amount of time on the phone working

out details,  countless hours on the computer.....runs back

and forth to each other's homes for supplies

and coffee.

This last week we tried something new (for us)

and met halfway to do

some shopping and exchange supplies.

I keep running out of ribbon.

Hang on!

There is a point to this story

So-after a stop at Harbor Freight

we decided to toddle off to

the Saint Vinny's on Broadway.

I really should take a picture and put it on here.

Right next to this huge warehouse junk store is a glass blowing

co-op.

fun stuff

Back to the story.

Yes we found lots of fun stuff at the junk store. And I had to keep

telling Jill...No! I am not buying any more books-you see I am cleaning out

my studio and am going to be selling some of my books.

So, we part ways

she back to her house...me to mine.

And gosh darn it...There was a SALE sign two blocks from

my house.

I had to stop.....I knew I was in for trouble the minuet I pulled up.

This was a doll maker's estate sale.

Oh my!

She also was an accomplished artist from a long line of artists.

I perused her studio furniture.   The odds and ends

left over from a lifetime of creativity.

And then I found the books

Oh No!

Books on anatomy written in the 1800's-art books-family history books

I found one book that is the size (haha of a book) but empty

Leather bound...the pages had been filled from

front to back with family history dates and events.

The older brother was thrilled when I handed it back to him. Lol

No he would not let me buy it.

I found another book of poetry that had a loving poem in the front from his grandfather

to his grandmother on their engagement.

Anyway...Those books I did not buy

What I did buy are these.

I took pictures instead of scanning them

Because the Nursery Friends From France is in almost mint

condition and I did not want to hurt

the spine

The other book in bad shape..But was published in 1940

I just had to share these beautiful finds with you...

I did get some other amazing treasures

A small silver dish from China

Assorted small bisque doll parts...Lace

from France.

But those darn books...They get me every time.

I am looking for a new book shelf

Any one have one for sale?

Friday Freebies Images From Harpers 1899 Magazine And Post Cards

Jill has been such a slave driver lately

she keeps cracking the whip over

at Junkin Gypsies

Time keeps running through my fingers.

I grabbed a few minuets this morning and scanned

some fun images into the computer

from one of the many( how many Lemay? Oh...hmmm about 30)

Harper's Magazines from

the 1800's

These Antique Magazines have been a

real treasure find.

I got caught up this morning looking at all the beautiful ads

and then started reading the

whole thing (this might be why time keeps slipping by)

I hope you like some of the things I picked out

The first image is

a beautiful one named The Nursery

This image is going into some of our special Mother's Day

Packs over on Junkin Gypsies

Next just some few ads.

I like the images

and then the front page of an article about the The Oregon

Since I live in Oregon and

my whole family are history buffs

this was a fascinating piece for me to read.

Last but not least..a couple of post cards

and a cabinet card photo.

Have a great Friday Gals!!!!

Look What I Just Added To My Ebay Store Studio Sale Chico's Designer Metal Beads

I just listed in my eBay store a 3lb+ box full of

Chico's designer beads

pendants

bead caps

spacers

sliders

Cleaning out the studio and this huge assortment needs to go

So perfect for all Jewelry Designs

These are new beads.

Not harvested

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180652709095&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Sunday Night Freebies Free Vintage Images

Wow things just do not seem to be slowing down around

here.

And now...Here it is spring and my

husband is asking me about putting in the garden.  Garden?

Do I have time for that?

Guess I do...lol

I have not posted any free images in some time.

Last week I managed to acquire another 25 antique

Harper's from 1870-1899  along with several

cabinet cards and vintage post cards.

The last two days have been spent scanning into the computer

and I thought I would share some of

them with you tonight.

I hope you enjoy them.

A Very Neat Resource Book Costume Jewelry 202

A couple of days ago

my sister Maresa called me and said

"Come outside!! I have something for you"

We live pretty close-just a mile apart..

So drive by drop offs are frequent with us....

Look what she dropped off

Costume Jewelry 202

Yippy!!!

We both..Lol.  In fact my whole immediate family has a pretty

large collection of costume jewelry.

Mom and her sisters loved their jewelry during the 50's-70's

Then they had daughters.

And we raided their jewelry boxes.

Dad was always picking up special pieces from garages sales

and estate sales.

And I can never seem to stop myself...I always seem to

find something to add to my collection.

This book is amazing...A huge resource.

Pictures are beautiful...sketches of pieces excellent..color great.

The price guide part is helpful but not necessary

most of us who collect know their value

and it is often something more

that the money value to us.

I only have it for a few days then it has to go back to

my sister...I know it is one I am going

to go buy for myself very soon.

Thanks for showing it to me Sis!

Spirals

Sunday afternoon my dear friend Shannon, her daughter

Sid and Shannon's mom Claudia and

I (whew) nipped over to the

Gem Fair.

Beads are my number one addiction.

Books a close second

Maple sugar candy is for sure third.

Anyway....The bead show

Wow

The vendors were tired and so ready to start packing up..

But still willing to listen and answer questions

for the newbies in our group.

Shannon and I met the first day of our son's kindergarten

class....and have been

friends ever since.

So have our boys...

Anyway....I have a pair of Shiva shell earrings that I wear

all the time.

Really..

All the time

Shannon found a vendor from Tibet that had

such beautiful pendants

and when my back was turned...

look what she got me.

Ahhh....

She almost made my cry

I love it...and it goes perfectly with my earrings.

Little known secret...If I ever get

a tattoo...it will be a tiny

spiral

Lol...but

I don't think that is going to happen.

So I just keep wearing them

Thank you dear friend!