Beautiful Bottlecap Embellishments

The pictures really don't do these justice as they are so much more beautiful in person.   I wish I could take credit for these but I can't.   I  received these from a friend of mine, Marisa,  in a trade we did.

I am so thrilled with these and being such a bottlecap lover...........it doesn't get much better than this.   She used seed beads and sequins.   There are just so many uses for bottlecaps and I love what she did with these.

I think it is so cool to receive other people's creations.   Marisa is a great person and a great artist.

Thanks a lot for the awesome embellisments/charms........they can be used in so many different ways.

Don't You Just Love to Trade Stuff.......

I just have to show you all the wonderful items I traded with my friend Julie.   We met two years ago on an art cruise to Alaska.  She is such a hoot and our interests are so similar.    She loves to shop for bargains like I do.   She might even do it more than myself or it could be a toss-up on that one.  One thing she does that I don't do is to dig for treasures and lots of rusty things.    I didn't have a lot of rusty things but I do now.   Look at this wonderful box of rust.

Aren't these cabinet cards just wonderful.   I can't wait to do something with them.   These were just perfect because I had been wanting some.

Here are a few miscellaneous items that are wonderful too.   I love the pottery pieces with all the beautiful designs on them.   One of the packages of bottlecaps is from Alaska.........how cool is that and the other package is from Big Sky Country.

And in trade, I am sending her items that I have a lot of and she doesn't.   I have a package ready to mail her now full of vintage linen, etc.

It Really Is a Small World After All

At the first of this year, there was a wonderful event called One World, One Heart.   In a previous post, I just told you about all the things I won.   Well, the way it works is that you also give a gift to someone randomly...........and I emphasize randomly because you will see why when you read this little story posted on Anji's blog, On Ruby Hill.    When I went to her blog to get her email to notify her of her winnings, the name stood out and the location.  It was then that all the memories of that wonderful store owner came back.   I just remember how happy and pleased she was when we gave her things.   Please click on the link and you will see what transpired.   

The Birdie Had a Safe Flight Going West

The other day when I was reading Lori's blog, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had won her gorgeous Birdie in a Cage wall hanging.   The picture just does not do it justice.   It will hang  in my studio reminding me of a wonderful person who spent all this time on it.........only to give it to me.   And I love the colors she used too.  

The Birdie had a long flight from Ohio to Arizona but she arrived in good condition because Lori had packed her really well.   In the one picture you can see what she was wrapped in and the fabric strips were stuffed in the cage so the bars would not get smashed enroute.   And, of course, the wrappings will be used in a project in the future as it would be a shame to throw it away. 

Thanks a lot Lori.........it means a lot.    I really feel honored to have it.

OWOH Gifts

This was my first year in doing the One World, One Heart event where people have a chance to visit over 900 blogs and make new friends.   I actually think I made it through all of them but did not sign up for the giveaways on all of them.   And I found many that I wanted to follow too.   Here are the gifts that I received.   I am a little late in posting this but as they say, better late than never...........   I appreciated all the items so much.

The first one is from Patsy who lives in the Philippines.   It is a beautiful necklace and a calendar she made.   http://patsypat.blogspot.com/

This is a beautiful handmade tote made by Alice Regan, http://adventuresinaliceland.blogspot.com/ filled with all kinds of wonderful items to use in my art.   She did a gorgeous job on this tote and has a beautiful lining and pockets inside.  

This gift are three packets of ephemera from Jennifer Pearson Vanier, http://jenzart.blogspot.com/   Oh my...........I love this stuff.   Have already started using it in one of my journals.

And last, but not least is a coffee pot and mugs and a knitted cover for the coffee pot from Kelly of Java's Whimsy,  http://javaswhimsy.blogspot.com/   Very very nice.  

Thanks a lot ladies..........it was a lot of fun.

Templates Become Awesome Stencils

Well, I hope you aren't tired of hearing about all the stuff I find because I have another find to tell you about.

There was this over-stuffed package that was taped up in the house/auto repair section at Goodwill.   I didn't even notice it until someone picked it up and I saw something interesting sticking out of the package.   Well, I thought that one is "history" and continued to look at other stuff.   She sat it down and I proceeded to check it out once she left the area.     Oh my Gosh, there were tons of templates in different shapes and sizes.   Maybe they were used for graphic designs......    You know it doesn't  matter what they were originally used for because all I saw was stencil material to decorate paper and fabric with.

Aren't these just wonderful and they will be full of paint or ink soon.

And guess what, I haven't been to a thrift store in three days.............   I know it sounds like I am there everyday but believe it or not, I'm not.    Would I like to go everyday..........probably.

The Cutest Paper Cutter Ever.........

After breakfast one Saturday, we went to the swap meet.   When we drove in, we noticed that there weren't many cars and sure enough when we got inside the gate, there were not many vendors either.   One bad thing about this swap meet nowadays is that there are a lot of people who have set up permanent little businesses.   I like it when they put all their stuff on the ground.   You know, it really is all about the Hunt.   Well we decided we needed the exercise and since it was a nice warm day (again) we went walking.   I guess the numbers of vendors didn't really matter because of the ones who threw their stuff down on the ground, I found a few things and, of course, for cheap.   The vendors hate it when I come up to their spot because I am a barterer big time and, yes, it really works except for one item.........the apple did not fall far from the tree as my father was the King of bargains.   He was almost embarrassing.......maybe I should say he was most of the times.    Boy did he have the time of his life though and yes the big garage (no room for cars though) and his tool building (supposed to be a cabin) proved it.

Anyway, on we went and the first thing I spotted was the cutest little paper cutter you ever saw.   It is 3x4 and it works really well.   I just love it.

And the next spot rendered one of those neat old folding rulers that look so cool on altered art.  Then I found a Sudoku game.   I love these because they have wooden tiles with numbers on them. Very similar in size to Scrabble pieces.   And the game board folds in quarters and makes for nice heavy substrate pieces for wall hangings.   Then I found a United States puzzle where the pieces are in the shape of the States.   I always pick these up because I like to personalize a piece for friends.   And next was a Word game where different words were on a large flash card......always looking for stuff like this to use in my Remains of the Day journals and other things.   Last but not least was a container full of mostly glass beads, a section of baby springs and some clips which is really why I bought the container.   I've never seen little springs like that and I know I will find a use for them.  Oh my gosh, I forgot two more items.....three notebooks of ledger paper and a Funny Bones game which would make great altered cards because they are heavy.

So there you have it.   Did not get to go to the swap meet today as I needed to help a friend out.   Much more important. 

I hope all of you have a great Easter Sunday.    And, of course, enjoy all that food and the desserts.......always eat dessert first.   I have a lemon meringue pie and a large cheesecake sampler platter just waiting for tomorrow.........sure hope I can wait that long. 

Some Finds Before an Estate Sale

I am finally getting around to letting you know what I found from an estate sale before it happened.   That"s right, she let me to go in and pick whatever I wanted before the sale occurred for helping her out.  

In an earlier post I related that she gave me 39 pieces of Irish linen material and a whole box of other linens, silk scarves, doilies and such from the family room area.   What a treasure this box is.  Everything in this box was hand crocheted, embroidered or tatted.  And they are very old.  Here are a few pieces of the linen material and some items from "the treasure box" I colored.   Just the beginning of another project or two.

Another find was a set (29 volumes) of the Enclopedia Britannica, 1911, Eleventh Edition with soft leather covers.     Originally I was going to use it for artwork but I don't think I am going to do that now after doing some research on it.     It has a little wear on it but in pretty good condition.  They measure 11 x 8 1/2.

Don't have pictures but I visited the tool room and found two of the old folding rulers that are great to use in mixed media work, a jar of old washers, a ton of brown round resistors in various sizes and a whole board of keys (I am mad at myself for not taking a picture of this before I destroyed the board).   There were over 500 keys hanging on it.  

In the music room was some really old old sheet music.......and I was thrilled about this because I did not have any at all.   There was more than what is pictured here.   I have already used some of this and I absolutely love it.

In the office room,  I found this wonderful old photo album.   It is a hard case and just beautiful.....never seen anything like this before and had some wonderful pictures in it.   I don't know if I can bring myself to doing anything with it or not.   I was thinking about altering the inside.......will have to see about that.

Another item I found in the office room was this "Album" although it looks more like an autographed book  and is dated 1881.  The size is about 3 x 5.     It reminded me of some autograph books we found from my father when he was in the service where he had his shipmates write in it.

I am sure I am forgetting some things but this gives you an idea of the fun I had.

Have A Great Holiday Weekend Everyone

Long time no hear from the sunny and warm desert........it's been in the high 70's and low 80's.  What a hardship this is........NOT.   The paybacks will be coming in about two months or less when it is 100 and over.  And, hopefully, I will get better at posting regularly.

I hope you all have a great Easter holiday and have fun in whatever way you celebrate.  And, if you don't celebrate this weekend,  have fun anyways.    I wish you all the very best that life has to offer now and always.