Sideways

Recently there has been a huge change for me. I was transferred to another store. I was pretty sure they day would come, I guess you're just never really ready for it. I have had an amazing 4 years at the Pavilions in Newport Coast.  It has not been an easy road there by any means, but we figured it out and became a very close knit family. The kind that fight everyday, but will defend each other to the death! I can't even list here all of the employees that have meant so much to me. Even the ones that gave me a lot of trouble, I learned from. Here are a few pics of just a FEW of the people I will miss, not enough room or pictures of them all, so I apologize if any of them saunter over here and don't see their faces! I will miss you all.

These people and more have been such a big part of my life and I will miss them dearly. My new store also has some great people at it. It is not quite as fancy as Newport, but still has a lot of great qualities. Including being 15 minutes away from my house, that's with traffic!

When it comes down to it, I love having more of my life back, getting home in time to make dinner for Tyler and even not being too tired to work on art projects! Lets face it, no one ever puts on their headstone, "I wish I spent more time at work."

-Denise

Kicking the Dogs Out of Bed

I think more then once during the 10 years my husband and I have been together, once of us has mentioned perhaps kicking the dogs out of our bed, but never have we followed through. Yes we sleep with two 80 lb pit bulls. We used to do this even before we had a queen bed! Tyler and I are both passionate dog lovers and for us we really love having our family together warm and snuggly every night. But recently it has become a problem. Temper is getting older and his health issues make it not good to have him in bed. And you just can't kick one out of bed, so Tyler told me, the time has come.. they have to go. It is especially hard for me because Temper is 14 years old and is dying of cancer. I want to make his time here as comfy and happy as possible. But when it comes down to it, Tylers happiness and comfort must come before Tempers. So it's been three nights and surprisingly Temper has taken to it very well. We tell him "no", he paces for a few then finds a new place to sleep. It's Juno that we are having problems with. She is very stealth, and quietly creeps back up after we have fallen asleep (part of the deal of keeping them out of bed, is letting them stay in the room) So there is more work to be done with her. I think I might buy some beds for them, something like a real bed that gets them off the floor and maybe closer to the actual bed. It has actually been hard for me to sleep the last few days, so hopefully the benefits will start to show and Tyler and I can wake up together without a dog taking up all the covers or squeezing us to the edge of the bed! It's still hard though....

{yes they own the couch too!}

{and this wing back chair}

However, I just love these dogs and if that means my house smells like a dog and I can't have nice furniture and a fancy house so be it. They brighten my day and I look forward to their love every time I walk through the door

-Denise

And Sew it begins

My mother taught me to sew when I was little. I remember having a little toy sewing machine, but it sucked! It had not bobbin so basically just pushed thread through your fabric, but didn't hold anything together. I was very excited to work on my Moms machine which actually sewed items together. My Mom showed me some basic stuff and by the time I was in High School I was making my own clothes. I was totally into the New Romantic look and with a mix of punk rock, so I made a lot of black and red plaid skirts, with sashes that matched. I also loved making little vests. When I tried to make things from a pattern, that's when all hell broke loose. Nothing came out right, one arm was tighter then the other, it was crooked or lopsided, so I sort of gave up. Until 25 years later, when I got out my machine, bought a pattern, fabric, notions and made a little prayer! One of my big doscoveries was, to READ THE DIRECTIONS.

I am very good at following instructions, and realized as a 16 year old I wasn't really doing it right. I mean there are little DOTS on the patterns that you need a special fabric marker to mark off, and NOTCHES to cut, and to make sure you cut the pattern out right!

 So I picked me an easy pattern, EASY stitch and Save they like to call it, but I did have a few struggles. Like when it said to baste things, whaaa hand sew something? Then there was the interfacing issue and the inside interfacing part. Accuracy is required! I wasn't 100%, but then I am sure only I will notice.  Over all I am thrilled with my dress, which I have now made reversible! You see making a dress is like a buying a dress before you put it on, sometimes it just doesn't look right! Well this dress made me look pregnant! So I flipped it around backwards and Voila! It worked! Then one of the other styles on the pattern had a belt for the dress, so I sewed a little belt and then when I wear it frontways, it looks cute. I also added the ruffle myself. I was inspired by this very talented seamstress Deb Hodge from Breathing Beside Us. She is AMAZING! I could never make clothes like she does, so beautiful and romantic, never the less I am truly inspired by her style and her trademark ruffles, so ruffles it was! Making this dress has certainly inspired me to make some more things. Hey maybe I might even make something from a "big girl" pattern someday!

{dress on backwards look}

{dress on forwards look}

-Denise

"Captured" Shirley Soldered Box

I can't help it, I love Shirley Temple

 I don't know why the thought hasn't occurred to me until now to start using her in my art work. Shirley epitomizes all things girly, and I remember wanting nothing more than to be her when I was little. This is my first "captured" Shirley. I couldn't think of a better color then pink to start off with. I used a quote from Good Ship Lollipop for both the lettering on the pink paper and the words "some day I am going to fly". I used pre cut beveled glass purchased from Pacific Art Glass in Paramount and my soldering kit I got from this ETSY seller here.

Nice to have the creative juices flowing again! I have two new altered art halloween pieces to show later, but for now I have another Shirley to Capture!

-Denise

Rose Bowl Flea Market Finds

Okay, I showed incredible restraint at the flea market today. Starting with not insisting on hitting the whole thing! (still recovering from my surgery and walking is not so much fun) And, as is the Murphys Law of junkin' I could not find what I really wanted, some vintage wooden domino pieces. But I did find a few other little pieces of joy. AND THE most amazing find! I used my secret flea market strategy (secret I said). I walk back and find this ziplock bag marked .50 cents. Now I will buy a bag of anything for .50 cents, but this bag seemed to have some vintage black lace in it. I KNOW this bag is not .50 cents, so I ask the guy, "hey is this really .50 cents?", he says no, it's $20, but I've had it forever so I'll take $10. SOLD!! So you wanna see what was in it? Here we go:

{about 3 yards of this delicate lace-looks like it was cut off the bottom of a slip or petticoat}

{about 3 yards of this delicate tulle lace}

{2 yard long pieces of this satin and lace trim}

{this beaded trim is so delicate and beautiful}

{more delicate beaded trim}

{I am not sure exactly what to call this, it is actually wired beaded trim, so it's very stiff and you can bend it into shape}

{I got two pieces of this, I love how you can see the stitching on the back that holds the large beads in}

{the second piece had two rows}

{about a yard each of these lovelies mixed in too}

{This is the bottom of the BAG!.....ohhh what could be in there?}

{uh...this! glass buttons, crocheted buttons, beaded buttons oh my!}

{and then all of these loose beads, some little round fabric ones, and a bunch of these glass ones below}

 Okay so it was a drool fest over these goodies. I went to the Vintage Clothing and Textile show a few months ago and you could barely buy a foot of vintage beaded trim for $10!  I know these finds will be making it into some of my Halloween creations. Oh and I got a few other things on my short trip:

{My mom found this big bag of mini Avon bottles for $3!  She was kind enough to let me have these ones}

{my little box obsession continues, these are 3x4 inch watch part boxes}

{okay I can never resist good Vintage Christmas!!, the cool box was a bonus!}

{These little pretties are only c.2003! But they had cute Vintage faces so I couldn't resist there little Halloween Costumes!}

Well that's all for the day, see I told you I was very restrained! I mean Long Beach Flea is next week? Wanna go?

Okay I got my craft mojo back and have two great shadow boxes for Halloween to show you soon, and Kathleen is coming over to help me with my soldering tomorrow can't wait!

-Denise

Craft Night ReCap

Okay I wish I had pictures to show, but I turned Julie loose with my camera, and she took like 100 pictures but when I went to review them I realized my memory card wasn't there! That was a downside to an otherwise wonderful evening crafting at the Vintage. I had a few wonderfully talented return visitors- Kathleen and Patty, and then 8 others! Including my new friend and fellow blogger Andrea Villareal. It was pretty tight with all of us in there and little warm, but that didn't stop this wonderful group from tackling a very difficult technique chain stitch binding a little book! I hope everyone returns for my next class which will be a very cute BOO banner for Halloween!
-Denise

Craft Night at Vintage Emporium SOLD OUT

My class tomorrow has sold out! Should be a lot of fun, but might be a little hectic as the shop is so small! Should be intimate and cozy! The shop will be open for shopping until 8pm if you want to stop by and check it out!
Will post pictures!
Denise

Creative Burnout

I have heard of it but never really experienced it, I am burnt out on making things. I am sure I will get around to being inspired again. I think that is part of the problem though, being "over-inspired". Let's see I have sewing projects, sculpting projects, soldering projects, banner projects, and the list goes on. I sat down and made a little "to make" list, but I think that made it worse! Perhaps I need to take a step back and not make anything for a few days. I would love to take a trip to the mind-freeing Disneyland but with my recent surgery I am not sure how long I could go for. Anyway, how do you get out of Creative Burnout? Would love your comments and thoughts!