Crafting for Christmas

I couldn't post these prior to Christmas, because some of them were given as gifts.  I also failed to take pics of the items that I gave away, so am dependant on the pics given to me by the recipient.  I wanted to try using the butcher paper method of inkjet printing on fabric, and these are the resulting projects.

You can iron butcher paper onto lightweight fabric, cut to printer paper size and print your photographs onto the fabric side.  The butcher paper then easily peels off, leaving you with personalized fabric with which to craft.  I did find that heavier fabric didn't work in my inkjet printer.  I tried tea dying some of the muslin I was using.  Unfortunately, this seemed to plump up the fibers just enough to jam my printer.  Not all printers are the same though, so experiment to see what works for you! 

I used calico fabric, burlap, vintage lace, embroidery floss, satin ribbons and vintage buttons to create tree ornaments featuring old family pictures.  A bit of quilt batting wrapped around cardboard worked well to stiffen and plump them up a bit.

I gave some of these ornaments to family for Christmas, and kept a few for myself.  In addition to tree ornaments, I also used injet images printed on parchment paper and inserted into antique bottles.

This is my Great Grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Chapin, standing in the lake, wearing her ever so fashionable wool swim suit.  I filled the bottom of the bottle with a layer of sand and pebbles from the very lake she is standing in.

I did a second "bottled Great Gramma" that I placed in this shadow box, for my Sister.  I decopauged the box with pages from an old hymnal, because Mary Elizabeth was very musical.  The twigs, pebbles and dried foliage were all gathered from the area in which she spent much of her life.  The lace and beads are vintage.

As long as I was playing with antique bottles, old sheet music and vintage handmade lace, I made this, just for fun!  I'm considering how I might create a special topper for this bottle, or maybe I'll use it as a reed diffuser with some yummy smelling oil. 



Vintage Drinking Glasses~

One of my favorite things to find while thrifting, are vintage drinking glasses.  They are very easy to find, and usually reasonably priced.  My cupboard is filled with a wide variety of these beauties, most of them from the Depression era.  Not only do I collect them, but I use them, every day.

I really love this particular glass, but haven't been able to discover it's manufacturer or the pattern name.  I only have one, but I adore the color and shape.  If anyone out there knows who made this glass, and what it's called, please let me know!

This is my current favorite.  I have two and use them every day!  It's a depression pattern from Anchor Hocking called "Bubble".  I'd love to find more.  It has a lovely, smooth feel in your hand, combined with just enough texture to make it interesting.

I have several of these beautiful ice tea glasses, made by Indiana Glass.  It is the American Whitehall pattern.  I have found it in crystal and aqua as well as this gorgeous teal.  My nineteen year old Son is very fond of these glasses.  They hold alot- 20 ounces, and have a great "cubist" pattern that provides a nice grip.  Alex plans to take a few of these with him, when he gets a place of his own.

I've got a few of these as well.  This glass is a Fostoria Whitehall pattern.  It is very similar to the American Whitehall, with just a couple of minor differences.  The main difference is that the lip of the glass flares out.  I've got a couple of crystal ones and one amber one, in the ice tea size, and this 16 oz. glass, plus a slew of cute little amber juice glasses.

This is another pattern that I've found quite a few of, in various colors.  I especially love the milk glass, but I have a couple in green as well.  I had two red ones, but alas, red glass simply isn't as durable as other glass.  It is much more sensitive to temperature changes.  The two red glasses I had cracked when cold liquid was poured into them while they were just slightly warm from the dishwasher.

 I've got two of these beautiful glasses, that are etched with grapes.  They have proven to be surpisingly durable, despite their much thinner glass and more elegant design. 

My vintage glass collection is constantly changing, since I find so many wonderful examples on my treasure hunts.  Sometimes I sell them, or give them as gifts, or like my red glasses, they break during use.  I have many other examples stored away, since I only have so much space in my cupboard.  One of these days, I'll dig them out and snap some pics to share with my friends here in blogland.  So, what kind of glasses do you have in your cupboard? 

~Chicken Hollow~

A good while back, I began introducing my small flock of hens to all my friends in blogland.  Apparently I got sidetracked, and never finished!  Then I noticed that Homestead Revival was hosting a Chicken Coop Extravaganza, and decided to join the fun!  I sent her a pic of my coop, but once again dropped the ball, and failed to post pics here!  My Bad...

This is the image I used, but I do have more!

This shot gives you a better idea of how I've incorporated the coop and run into my gardens.  I'm not what you would call a precise gardener.  I prefer to let my flowers do as they please, and they do, thank you very much!

These are my six original hens, Lucy, Opal, Isabelle, Alice, Betty and Harriette.  Even though I have a completely enclosed run attached to the coop, my Girls love to free range our big yard.  I try to let them out for at least a couple of hours every day.



Yes, all my hens have names, and even better, they each know their own name and come when I call them!  Sometimes it's a stampede, when I holler, "Where are my Chickens??"  Or an individual gallup across the yard when I notice that someone has strayed.  If you've never watched a chicken running full tilt toward a possible treat, you just don't know what you're missing!  Chickens are totally food oriented.  I taught them their names by handing out grapes, one at a time, and calling out the recipient's name as they took it.  It didn't take long for them to respond to their names, even without the grapes.  Betty is very chatty and always talks to me when I say hello to her.  Lucy and Alice are nearly identical, and if I call Alice, Lucy by mistake, she will totally ignore me. 

People often ask what the secret to having gardens AND chickens is.  There are lots of flowers in my garden that my Girls ignore, and some that they love to eat.  Petunias are a favored snack.  They sample lots of it, so I combat the problem with such abundance that they just can't do much harm.  If your garden is small, and they have few choices, six chickens will easily devour it.  Veggies are a bit harder.  They ate all my pole beans and most of my tomatoes...

This is my newest hen, Hazel.  She was adopted after the rest of her flock was taken by predators.  She's about a year younger than the other girls and it took them a little while to accept her into the flock.  Lucky Hazel is very fast and agile, not to mention resourceful.  She has managed to stay one step ahead of the (ahem) Older Ladies, and now gets along with them quite well. 

And of course, this is how my Girls pay their rent.  Fresh eggs are wonderful, and since my girls free range, eating grass and bugs, flowers and even toads, these eggs are higher in Omega 3 and lower in cholesterol, than store bought eggs from factory farms.  Best of all, my Girls are happy, living in their fairy tale coop, surrounded by flowers in Chicken Hollow. 

Fantastic Find!!

So, today is incredibly warm, 66 degrees, and incredibly wet.  It had been raining all morning and I was restless.  Did I mention that our internet wasn't working?  So I decided a trip to my favorite "last chance" Goodwill store was in order. I was feeling a bit let down, 'cuz I hadn't found a treasure, when suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I glimpsed just a bit of silvery gray and faded red.  There it was, tucked between a truly ugly end table, and a really beat up old easy chair, with few other pieces of junk tossed on top, was my TREASURE!

Can you believe it?  The price tag said $4.99, but remember, I'm in the "last chance" store, so that price is reduced by...that's right people, 85%.  With tax, this beauty cost me 79 cents!!  I'm so excited.  It's not perfect.  There is a grease stain on top, and the feet show some signs of deterioration, but come on!  Old barn wood is supposed to be beat up and stained, right?  I won't be using it in my house, anyway.  Oh no, this is Garden Junk.  For now, it will be part of my porch's Christmas decor and it will change beautifully with the Seasons!  

Musical Background...

I've finally made a big step in the direction of my Steampunk Library Corner.  I emptied out my corner cupboard and gave it a facelift!

It was painted a solid dark brown, which works fine for my plans, but stuff tended to get lost in the shadows, unless it was light colored.  Since I'm going for a warmer, Victorian library look, I don't want to use a bunch of light tones.  Old sheet music seems to be just what I needed!  I used glaze intended for wall treatments instead of Mod Podge to decopauge the sheet music to the inside walls of my cupboard shelves.  I'm happy with the matte finish this provided.  The glaze is a bit thinner than Mod Podge, and seems to go further.  I tore the edges of the sheet music wherever the edges would be exposed.  Now I'm debating the look of the shelf edges.  Should I leave them as is...

Or go with a vintage lace edging?  Should I try a heavier type of lace?  More tacks?  No tacks?  Let me know what you think!

Vintage Elf Planter just in time for Christmas!

I did a little junking today, and look what I found!

Isn't this just too cute?  I have to admit that I have a terrible weakness for these old planters, even though I almost never use them for their intended purpose.  Of course the horrible fake flowers will go (in fact, they are already gone...) and it needs a good cleaning.  Years of dust and grime are built up on the poor thing, but my dishwasher does a fine job of getting rid of that.  I'm thinking perhaps I'll use it as a candle holder, or maybe for candy canes for the Holidays.  It says "Gilner-Calif 19(c)51" on the bottom.  I'm really tickled that the little elf is in perfect condition, with his little acorn cap and itty bitty boots.  I've seen similar pieces before, but they were usually chipped or way to pricey.  Not this cutie!  $2!!



A bit of a Fantasy Novel I may, or maynot, finish one day...

Several years ago, I crafted a couple of dolls, using polymer clay for their heads, hands and feet, and padded wire armature for their bodies.  They are purely made up characters from my imagination, but I found myself trying to explain them to folks.  I decided perhaps a story about them was in order.  This is just a description of some of the characters and the world they live in.  Perhaps I'll post some of the story itself (which is not by any means finished) eventually.

This is LouElla NicOwl

This is Angus McNary

The Saga of the NicOwl’s




The Residents of Owl~



The residents of Owl are an interesting Folk, descended from an eclectic mix of people including Fairies, Elves, brownies and Humans, as well as a few even lesser known beings. It is their human blood that sets them apart from the others creatures who inhabit the Eldritch Realm, and binds them to this Earthly plane. Conversely, their eldritch blood sets them ever apart from the humans of Earth. For the most part they are a small Folk, averaging between three and four feet in height. They are commonly referred to as “Halflings”. These fascinating folk tend to have pointed ears, prominent noses and four fingers and toes, depending on the heritage of each individual. Some even sport horns or tails if a bit of Goblin blood found it’s way into their lineage. More than a few residents of the Village have some sort of magic, in varying degrees of power and usefulness. They are a close knit community, heavily dependant on each other, and yet, tend to have highly individual and independent natures.
The Halflings of Owl are at one with the forest that surrounds their village. They depend on the dense woods and rolling hills to protect and sustain them. They hunt and fish, and gather the fruits, nuts and mushrooms that the forest produces. In small, hidden clearings, they grow and harvest vegetables, grains and herbs. The Village is rich with artisans, due to it’s need for self-sufficiency. The residents of Owl do trade for some items with a few trusted Tinkers who know how to find them, but for the most part, they are well-hidden from the rest of the World, and content to stay that way. The lifespan of a Halfling is roughly twice that of a human. It is not unknown for an Elder in the community to reach the two century mark. The Elders of Owl are held in great reverence and respect. After close to two centuries of life, these venerable Oldsters have acquired deep wells of wisdom that their friends and families depend upon.




The Family of NicOwl~



Lizbet NicOwl is the most ancient of the Village’s Elders. She has surpassed the two century mark by several years, out living her Husband and her only Daughter, Felicia. She is the Village Healer and Matriarch of the NicOwl Family. This Matriarchal society holds her in the highest esteem. Family names are taken from the Mother’s line and Husbands most often take their Wives Family name as their own. Granny Lizbet, as she is affectionately called, watches over Her Village, and most especially over her Grandchildren and their Families.
The Owl’s Daughter’s Inn, or NicOwl’s Place is the very heart of the Village. It was established nearly two hundred years ago by Lizbet’s Husband, Erasmus, also known simply as Grampy. The Inn was passed on to LouElla NicOwl, after her Grandfather, Mother and Father died in the same tragic accident. It is at the Inn that a hot meal, or a cold tankard can always be found. If a game of stones or a warm, comfortable place to rest by the hearth is desired, the Inn is the place to go. With LouElla NicOwl’s cheerful wit and efficient presence, NicOwl’s Place keeps Owl humming. LouElla is unmarried, and happy to stay that way. She does have an adopted Son, Fergus. Fergus was delivered to LouElla’s door by a Tinker who discovered the orphaned boy trying to steal a loaf of bread and some silver spoons from his pack. The kind hearted Innkeeper promptly fed the boy a hot meal, gave him a much needed bath, and tucked him into a warm bed. Fergus Lightfinger has lived with LouElla at the Inn ever since. He helps her by hunting for small game, gathering firewood and doing any other small task she requires of him. Fergus is not the brightest crayon in the box, but he is devoted to LouElla and has a very sweet nature.
LouElla has two Sisters and three Brothers.
Her older sister, Jindy is a seamstress and weaver with a curvaceous figure and sharp green eyes. Her silver streaked blonde hair is secured in two fat braids when She‘s working. She raises a breed of small shaggy goats for their fine wool and rich milk. From the wool she spins and weaves lovely soft fabric that she dyes using natural ingredients gleaned from the forest. From the goat’s milk she makes a variety of savory cheeses. Jindy habitually sings as she works. Her voice is Her Magic. She is married to Jules who is the Village woodworker. Jules can make anything from wood, from the finest polished bowl from a walnut burl, to the sturdy tables and benches that furnish the Owl’s Daughter’s Inn. His clever fingers skillfully weave willow branches into all manner of useful items. Jules spends much of his time tramping the surrounding forests, gathering the raw materials of his trade, or in his small workshop that smells pleasantly of sawdust and the walnut oil he uses to polish his finer pieces. Jules is almost always in the company of He and Jindy’s two Sons, Jasper and Jimbo.
LouElla’s younger Sister, Fern is apprenticed to their Grandmother, Granny Lizbet who is the Village Healer and most venerated elder. Under Granny Lizbet’s careful tutelage, Fern has grown to know the herbs, berries and mushrooms of the surrounding countryside with all their healing properties, intimately. She helps her Grandmother tend their bountiful Herb Garden, and knows all the secret places rare medicinal plants grow in the wild. Harvesting, drying, storing and preparing herbal remedies, as well as administering them to the Folk who need them is her daily routine. Fern also plays beautiful melodies on her mandolin, and a small hand carved wooden flute. Fern is usually accompanied by Sage, a Common Grackle She raised from a baby. Sage is free to come and go, and he does. But invariably, when he does return to his mistress, it is with some tidbit of news, or gossip that he whispers into her delicately pointed ear. Sage is fond of sleeping in the warm hollow of Fern’s shoulder and neck, and is most often completely hidden from sight behind the curtain of Her long chestnut hair. Outsiders might consider the petite maiden with well dark eyes a witch, and Sage her familiar, but the Villager’s know her as a tender-hearted soul who’s greatest purpose in life is to relieve other’s pain and suffering with her herbal remedies and soothing music. Healing is Fern’s Magic.
Dougal is LouElla’s older Brother and the village Blacksmith. He is a burly man with a bushy black beard and wild hair. His barrel chest and thickly muscled form, combined with the unavoidable grime of his trade, make him appear a formidable figure. Dougal, however, is actually a very mild mannered, gentle soul with a surprisingly mellow tenor singing voice. Dougal is wed to Daisy. Daisy is delightful, with bright red hair and a multitude of freckles. She is tall for a halfling, topping her husband by several inches, and has a slender, willowy figure. Daisy’s laughter is her Magic, but she can‘t carry a tune in a bucket. She has a large flock of speckled chickens, and supplies most of the Village with fresh eggs. Her chickens are unaccountably fond of Dougal’s work area and are most usually underfoot, often with singed feathers from the sparks that fly from under his hammer.
Dougal’s twin Brother is Eli. Eli is a Druid. His Magic is deep and powerful, and his life is spent Learning. Eli does not live in the Village, but instead dwells within the most secret places of the forest, where his Magic originates. He comes forth when he is needed, be it for a sacred ritual or simply to connect with a Sibling. While Dougal is stout and dark, Eli is slender, with long, silvery blond hair and smoky gray eyes.
The youngest NicOwl Brother is Sedge. Still considered a young adult at the tender age of 42, He spends much of His time hunting, fishing and flirting with the Village Maidens. If there is adventure to be found, Sedge will find it. He is the Family’s golden boy, with bright blond curls, sparkling blue eyes and dimples when he grins, which is most of the time.

A tribute to my Mom

When this child was born, on June 8, 1920, a shining light blinked on in this World.  JoAnn Irma Chapin has been lighting the lives of everyone she meets, ever since.

She grew up on a fruit farm in Michigan, and was surrounded by Love from day one.  She has been sharing it with abandon ever since.  One of the first lessons I learned from my Mother is that Love has no limits, as long as you share it.  The more you give, the more you get in return. 

Her playground was Lake Michigan beach.  You can't go wrong with that!  She taught me to always appreciate and respect what nature has provided for us.  

She taught me not to be afraid to cry, but that smiling would always get you further... even if it hurt your face.  Laughter is even better.  I'll bet you can guess which one is her.  That's right!  The Gal with the big, beautiful smile.

Who can resist that smile?  I know my Dad couldn't!  She graduated from Shelby High school in 1938 and went to live in Kalamazoo with her Sister, Doris.  She worked as a telephone operator. (remember those?)  She always did enunciate her numbers very clearly after that.

A few years later, She married the man of her dreams, and started our Family.  Mom gave me seven wonderful Siblings, (that's me on my Daddy's lap) and taught all of us to be good, loving, happy people.  She and my Dad also took in numerous foster children over the years.  There were many lessons learned through sharing my home with less fortunate children, the most important being- What a difference Love makes!  As if that wasn't enough, Mom provided day care for many local kids, while their parents went to work.  Many of those kids still keep in touch with my Mom, with love.  What goes around, comes around.

We had a week long family reunion this Summer, and at 90 years of age, Mom was there.  Our precious Matriarch, beaming her beautiful smile and spreading her endless supply of Love.  She gets more fragile as time passes, and one day she will no longer be with us, physically.  But she will always be with us in spirit, in the lessons she has taught us, and most especially in the Love that abounds in our Family.  Always guiding, embracing, teaching and uplifting us.  Thank you, Mom.  I Love you.



Victorian Steampunk Timetraveler and Friends...

Here it is!  The final reveal of my Halloween costume!  In the spirit of the Steampunk Library I'm attempting to create, I decided to go with the same theme for my getup...  Yeah, I know my eyes are closed in this shot.  It happens...

Ah, that's better!  Now I can see you!   You can also see how my annoying Navigator Bird refused to stay perched on my head.  He kept sliding down the side, and hanging his tail feathers in my face.  As you can see, time travel does terrible things to your hair-do... 

Here is a shot of my Sister and I.  Her costume started out as a Swamp Monster, believe it or not.  Luckily it continued to morph until it became the lovely Renniasance Rainforest Goddess you see before you!  Double click on the pic to get a better look at her purse.  It's entirely covered, both front and back with foliage!

And last but not least is a shot including my dear Niece, whose party we attended.  Doesn't she make a darling Kitty?  I just love Halloween!  Now we can get on with the more serious business of dealing with Winter coming on...  Uuuug, do we have to?



A couple more teasers...

I'm still waiting on a few pics of my entire costume before I decide what I'll let you all see..., but here are a couple of close up shots of my accessories, as I used them, courtesy of my lovely Niece.  Thanks, Shondi!

I had to wear my goggles hanging from my belt, due to the afore mentioned superglue fumes.  That was fine, since I wear real glasses, and really didn't want to go around squinting all night at the party.  I made these lovely eye protecters using scrap leather, and grommeted trim I already had on hand, pieces of an old travel alarm clock that was dismantled, and the lens caps from two dollar store flashlights.  I would have prefered brass eye pieces, but this was what was available on short notice (as in, I waited till the last minute to make these)!

My pendant was made using the majority of the alarm clock pieces, another old watch, an old brass key, a single earring, black satin ribbon, and vintage lace.  The clock parts are mounted on a piece of black leather, mainly to protect the wearer (myself) from pokey bits.  Clock parts have many pokey bits.  I added the lace for a more Victorian look.  Here you can also get a better look at "the Corset".  My Sister purchased this lovely piece of feminine attire, second hand at least 25 years ago.  It was vintage then, and it's even more vintage now!  It has been used by my Sister, myself, her Daughters and this year, by my Daughter, for various Halloween costumes including Saloon Girls, Gypsies, and Witches.  A little skirt made from a half slip, sparkly tulle, and a satin rose have been added to it over the years.  Stay tuned to see how I used it this year!

Sneak Peek of my Halloween Costume...

Because I left my camera at home when we went to the party, and I had to drop off "the Corset" on our way home, to my darling Daughter.  I'm proud to say my 16 year old and I can both wear it (of course I have to use the outside hooks, but still...)

Gotta have the goggles!  Safety first!!  Oh, and here is a tip- if you use super glue during the construction of said goggles, give them a day or two to breath before wearing them.  Eyeballs do not appreciate super glue fumes!

The pendant is for Where and When, and the Bird is my Navigational Assistant.  Fortunately, I had several folks at the party who took pics of my entire costume, so once they send them to me, you'll get to see the rest!  Happy Halloween!

~Old Sheet Music and Graphics~

I have been having WAY to much fun, playing around with old sheet music, my inkjet printer, and B&W graphics from  "The Graphics Fairy".  If you don't have sheet music, parchment paper or even old dictionary pages would work just as well.  The larger sheets I cut down to the size of ordinary printer paper.  The hymnal pages were carefully taped to a sheet of printer paper.  Be sure your sheet music is laying perfectly flat, so nothing catches inside the printer. 

It's especially fun to look for song titles that work with your images.  I found that stark black and white images with no shading in the background work best, like the big bat.  If the image you want is in color or sepia, you can convert it to black and white in photoshop.  Cranking up the contrast and lightening the image helps to eliminate much of the background shading.

You can find some surprisingly appropriate (or inappropriate, depending on your point of view...) titles on old hymnal pages.  I really wish I'd had a vampire image for this particular page, but the bats are pretty cool!

I really like the way this one turned out.  I tore the edges off to make it the right size, rolled it up and dropped it into an old cider jug.  The paper unfurls itself.  It's hard to read the title in the shot, but it's called "The Hand of You".  Now I'm off to see what other spooky images "The Graphic's Fairy" has to offer!



A Few More Vintage Goodies...

I have no idea what I'll do with 'em, but, by golly, I brought 'em home!  Old player piano scrolls... I think.  The scrolls themselves aren't much to look at, but I love the boxes.

I think the graphics are very cool.  They are rather battered on the ends, but I like 'em!  I saw an antique store display that used old rolls of paper to cover a wall, with the paper all ratty and discolored, drooping and wrinkled.  It was a very neat backdrop for antiques. 

Maybe I could do something like that with my old player piano scrolls, but... I'm not sure I can bring myself to that to them.  At least not quite yet.

I also found some more old bottles.  I'm discovering all kinds of cool crafts I can use these old lovelies in, using old photos, hand-crafted lace, vintage jewelry and natural elements.  I'll reveal some of those at a later date.  I haven't decided which I will use for Christmas gifts yet, and I don't want to spill the beans!

I also acquired this vintage Avon perfume.  Now Avon is not something I've ever gotten excited about, even when it is vintage.  This particular bottle, however, is the same scent as a tin of talc that I have had forever.  It was a gift from a friend that I haven't seen in well over 30 years, and have totally lost track of.  It will look pretty, sitting on a shelf, reminding me of my long ago friendship.  Isn't that what we love about vintage and antique items?  The memories, or historical attachedments that they represent?  

My Wonderful Old Wine Barrel!

I was standing in the checkout line at... you guessed it, Goodwill, when one of the employees wheeled this item up on a dolly, and plopped it down right next to me!   My heart rate immediately skyrocketed.   Did I dare look at the price tag?  It had to be out of my price range, right?  Remember, I'm a tightwad, by necessity of course... Oh alright, it's genetic.  I've got Scottish blood that simply won't allow me to throw my money around, regardless of the weight of my purse.  I had to do it.  I left my cart to hold my place in line, and scurried over to check out the price tag.  $9.99.  Oh dear.  Had it been $20 or $30, like I expected, it would have broken my racing heart, but I'd have left it there for someone else.  But $10?? 

Look at that wonderful aged wood and those esquisite rusty metal hoops!  Who could say no to that??  I was certain, with a bit of re-arranging, that I could fit it in my car.  If not, it wouldn't be the first time I had called my Hubby to come with the trailer...

Look at that bung!  And the split branch that was once wrapped around the center, to protect this barrel when it was rolled from one corner of the warehouse, to another.  It's loose now, but still...  When you remove the bung, you can see that the inside of the barrel is stained a deep burgundy.  Oh, how I wish I could taste the wine that it once held.  Well, this wonderful old wine barrel is now mine!  It easily fit into my back seat, once I removed several less exciting items and stashed those in the trunk.  What will I do with it, you wonder?  I'm still working on that...