Quick and Easy Jewelry Display

Because my mind just works like this...Whenever I am taking anything out of a package - I think of using the packaging in another way. Interesting printed card stock that might have been a background for some charms or stickers will normally be punched out into a few tags. 

Recently I have gotten bored with the standard jewelry displays out there. Of course I have altered them, but I am always looking for a way to change things up. These clear tubes held Washi Tape (one of my faves). I looked at them and thought, these would make great bracelet displays/holders. 

You may have to go out and purchase some of these supplies (or not). I had everything at hand. Yes, my kid was the lucky one growing up. Whatever she needed, for whichever project, it was probably up in my workroom.

First I stuffed the clear tubes with tissue. Yes it is pieces of a sewing pattern. Because I was concerned that the label on the tube would show through the burlap, I took the time to peel/pick it off. That was a waste of time. Don't lose 6 minutes of your life doing this.

I cut the burlap 5" wider than the tube and twice the dimension around. I also cut both pieces from the selvage end of the burlap so that I would have a finished edge on the long side of the bracelet display.

I sprayed both pieces of burlap with the Spray Mount. Do this where you have a drop cloth or over something that you don't care if it gets sticky.

Line up your tube with the edge of the fabric and roll it with equal tension, smoothing the fabric to the tube. 

Crimp the ends with your fingers. You can use anything to tie the ends off. I used some burlap 'threads' to finish the ends off. 

They blended in well. However, you could use a ribbon that coordinates or contrasts with your fabric.

Because the edges were square, I fringed them just a bit and gave them a little of a trim. Didn't I tell you?! Easy Peasy!

And look at how nicely they display these bracelets!

You can see the reverse of one of the rolls and how nicely that selvage edge finished them off.

These will be going to 56 Provisions, York, PA to display some of my Arm Candy that is for sale in the shop.

Post your questions below.

Happy crafting! Liz

Make your own Rubber Stamp

Also could be sub-titled: Don't throw that away - I can use it!!

I am currently working on 4 different projects  - all a collection of items which will be sent off to the Cane Garden Bay Surf Shop in the British Virgin Islands.  I have a whole stack of surf magazines - where as you can see - it is all about the photo.  These magazines are all eye candy when it comes to waves, ads, etc...  Needless to say - that means these magazine pages make great envelopes and cards.  My first set of surf cards all had the same type of look - so I wanted to change it up a bit for this next order.
I have looked everywhere - for some time now - for a wave stamp.  A stamp that was big enough to cover an A2 sized card. Nothing. So what to do?? If you're me - you make your own!

A fellow paper enthusiast gave me a bunch of rubber pieces that had been trimmed from rubber stamps.  They knocked around here for a while - but it finally got to the point where I had to make the stamp. 
I took the pieces and just followed the edge with my scissors - the lines and curves that were already there.  I mixed up small batches of epoxy - and started to 'lay out' my wave. We are not exactly talking a 'pretty' stamp here - but it is certainly functional.

And as you can see - it almost has a linoleum or wood block print look to it. This will be my background to the next set of surf cards that I make.  They will be more 'collage like' with this inked under layer. 

So the next time you need something - and can't find it out there on the WWW - do what I would do - make it!  

Good Luck  :)  Liz

A collection - Calliology

I have spent the last 2 weeks off and on - mostly on...  creating this 'collection'.  I started with the dictionary page eggs (apologizing to any and all book lovers out there who are offended - the dictionary had some water damage and was most likely headed for the dumpster if not purchased by me - please forgive).  The collection moved on to other eggs - existing ones I had in great colors, others that had been crackle finished a while ago, and more that I painted (gasp!) AQUA.

Only the beginning of the eggs.  There are several dozen now.  For ease of sale they will be packaged in cello bags with white or kraft shred.  I didn't relish little price stickers all over my lovelies. 

That brought me to the realization I had some napkins that I had never opened - because they were too pretty to use.  And so I started on journals (only 2 of these so far). One of them is shown on the far left.  It has two sections inside - one with white paper and one with kraft paper.  These are small - in that they only have about 12 double sided pages in them.

Wood and paper mache boxes - hand painted and decoupaged - found objects, topiary.  As you can see, the recurring image of the napkin in various permutations shows up in a number of places.

More boxes, topiary, and an altered 'HOME' sign.

Metal stars that were rust colored have become canvases for paint as well as more dictionary page decoupage. 
Some of the collection is going with me up to It's Bazaar this morning.  The balance will be getting listed in bittersweetdesign - my handmade Etsy shop.

Hope you enjoyed seeing what I have been up to.  Off to packaging and pricing!


Love, Liz

Matching Stains - call me the Mixologist

My project for today was to try and mix a stain that would match 1950s? pine cabinets.  The client isn't in love with the cabinets - but has other places to spend his money right now (don't we all...?) A friend put up the crown molding for him - and he has been looking at it for two years like this  :(

 This dark, orangey pine color will not be easy to match - because of the depth and range of color - also stains don't really come in this particular color.  The other issue is that the cabinets have aged over time to this deeper color.

I suggested painting the cabinets a yellow ochre color - this would certainly solve the stain problem - and it is a possibility down the road -  but stain it is!

 So here is my little chemistry set - I wear a double layer of the transparent gloves, stir the stain - or shake it really well to get the solids off of the bottom - and mix away.  OK - well it really is not that easy.

I start with a small amount of Minwax Golden Oak, mix in some Cherry, and some Red Mahogany.  The result is above on the 1 foot section of crown.  Because I have about 20 feet of molding to stain - I have to make sure that this 'cocktail' I am mixing up will cover  - perhaps 2 coats.  The color is not bad - but it needs more red or yellow.  Again - not the easiest shades to find in stains.

I have to go to the hardware store - Nichol's Hardware on 21st Street in Purcellville is my choice.  I pick up another small can of Red Mahogany - but also pick up a stain color I am not familiar with, Red Chestnut - sounds like it might be a winner - but sounds nothing like 'Pine', does it?  I pour a healthy portion of the Red Chestnut into my mix - and give it a stir.  I use an old cotton sock to rub it on to some quarter round that was taken off of the cabinets.    Looks like it matches pretty good.  Now to stain the molding in situ.  My husband Bob has some 'fixing' that need to be done to the molding first.   It wasn't quite installed properly.  I'll let you see it when we finish!

Curb Appeal - via Yard Sale Signs

So - do you want tons of people to come to your next estate/tag/yard/garage sale????  My friends David and Jennifer have a running joke about yard sale signs - and so they 'critique' everybody's signs.  And it's true! - is it legible - can you read it?, did the lettering run and drip because of rain or heavy dew?, is it too small?, is it flopping over because you didn't back it with something or use stiff enough cardboard?, is the contrast between the sign and the lettering strong enough for people to read it???? 
David always says that his sign is going to be HUGE, Neon and Purple :))  Not a bad choice if you want to attract attention!


This year at Purcellville's Town Wide Tag Sale - we had more people come to look at our treasures because of our great signs.  Did we think they were great? - sure - but even better - our customers thought they were great,  We kept them at our sale - buying, because we had a variety of great stuff at good prices - or because we were willing to negotiate.

This is 'Miss Directed'.  She is wearing a Mark Shale 1980s dress with a Peter Pan collar blouse, as an under layer for modesty.  She was in charge of getting everyone's attention and sending them down the street to our sale - which you could NOT see from the corner.  She is definitely attention grabbing, the words are legible, good contrast, concise, and tells you exactly where the sale is.  We only had one of her - but she was at the corner of Main and Maple and 'looking' towards where most of the sales were happening further in town.

This is my lady, 'Miss Bittersweet'.  She is wearing a sleeveless 1930s house dress with a 3/4 sleeve, round collared, 1980s eyelet blouse  - again modesty!  I added a ruffle at the bottom of the dress to make this a bit longer and actually wore this while pregnant at two different craft shows that I was juried into years ago - East Berlin Colonial Day in East Berlin, PA, and the Waterford Fair in Waterford, VA.  These two shows required 'period' costuming to exhibit and demonstrate there.  Hence wearing this 'get up'.

There is also Jennifer's lady, 'Miss Lucketts', who for some reason or another didn't want to come out of the barn this year :(  But here's her photo: She is on the left - wearing a very pretty, handmade, floral, floor length gown. 
Miss Directed got everyone to the sale, Miss Bittersweet caught their attention as they drove down the road, and the large sign 'Best Tag Sale in Town' just told it like it was!


We had used our 'ladies' and the large 'Best' sign three years ago when I did my first sale with Jennifer - and pulled them of 'mothballs' for this sale.  And yes - I made them - of course!  The large sign is an old piece of metal that I repainted.  The color and 'typography' on it matched the ladies signs that they held. For the ladies, Jennifer said she had some great 'blow ups' of old photographs, and wouldn't it be fun to use them somehow for the sale?  I cut them out, glued them to Luan (a thin plywood), and then used my jigsaw to cut out the shape once more.  Then I screwed their head and shoulders to a piece of wood I had around (really - you had wood hanging around?) and then screwed the signs to their chests.  Then of course I let them rummage around in my costume box so they could pick out their outfits.  They may like a change for next year - maybe Halloween costumes, if you don't think it's too early for that???

 And I end this post with two more photos - a Haphap happy customer in his NIB - [new in box] Stetson  :)  

 and a shot of our AWESOME customer service -  Jennifer and David delivering a lovely buffet down the street for the O'Connor family.


Many thanks to Jennifer and David Huffman for drinks, snacks, wake up coffee (a.m. and p.m.), their great location and fantastic front yard, and all of their help, unpacking, display, packing; my husband, Bob Pickett - who loads and unloads with nary a complaint; my daughter, Virginia Theerman, who helped through the weekend, and my 'sister' Jennifer Bowders, who came and pitched in all day Sunday.  It only took us an hour to pack up - Yes we almost sold it to 'the walls'.  
Was there a piece of jewelry, clothing, beanie baby, hankie, or antique that caught your eye - but you didn't pick up?  Google Bittersweet Design Studio for our location - our town Paeonian Springs - west of Leesburg, VA; east of Purcellville, VA, is having our own small town version this coming Saturday October 15th.  I will be set up in my yard next to my shop, and several other neighbors throughout town are combining forces and will have yard sales as well.   


Look for Miss Directed, as well as Miss Bittersweet.  Stop and say HI!

Pin and Tuck Message Boards

I have been busy every minute of the day pricing and getting ready for the Purcellville Town Wide Tag Sale.  But in the meantime here are some photos of another style of message board that I have created.  
They are called 'Pin and Tuck'.  
You can use push pins to tack notes/photos on the board and tuck the same under the ribbon along the edges. 

This one is made from a contemporary fabric in a pale sage/blue with brown.  Birds accent the corners, buttons and tacks run the length of the ribbon in between.

This one was made from a damaged, vintage kitchen tablecloth.  I love the color in this one - it is so bright and cheery!

This board is covered in a piece of fabric that looks like Blue Willow china.

I love the fabric on this board.  I have a self designed garden smock made from this fabric.  The vintage buttons are decorative and functional.  They hold the ribbon tight - so you can 'tuck' your photos and notes under it.

And last but not least, the MOD message board.  I thought of my brother when I made this because his favorite color is orange.  This is some groovy 1970s fabric, isn't it?


Until later, Enjoy!  Liz

The Power of Three:

Three Girls, Three Rooms, Three Hundred Dollars.  
This is a story about the Power of Three.  
About new beginnings, friendship, and a short stretch of hard work.  
What it equals = change, some peace, and lots and lots of love.  
Jennifer and I have known each other since I dated her brother in college.  She was 11 years old at the time, and I was the object of her affection.  She is the youngest of his 3 siblings, and when he and I parted ways - she was determined to hold on - and I am so glad she did.    We are no longer friends - we are sisters.    
Jennifer has lived in her home for about ten years.  She had done a lot of work on the house already - but there were rooms that had yet to be done.  This is an adorable 1950's house.  The living room, dining room, and kitchen have been redone.  But the bathroom, den, and upstairs dormer-ed bedroom still needed attention.
She had spent the summer away - and when she returned - it was time...
Off to Sherwin Williams to find some paint colors - and a call to me that said "Too many color choices - I have them narrowed down but I'm not sure I can have the paint ready - because I'm not sure which colors to go with"!
DAY 1:
The chips were taped all over the den and bathroom walls when Ginna (my daughter) and I arrived, around 11 am on Wednesday morning.  Perfect!  We chose wall colors for each of the rooms, and a ceiling color for the den and bathroom.  After our color decisions were made - we went to Sherwin Williams to buy the paint and necessary supplies.  Then off to the grocery to buy lunch and breakfast food, back home again for lunch - and then to get started!!!   

   The bedroom was a dark cornmeal color - it was the deadest yellow I have ever seen in all of my designing days.  Who knows how long it had been on the walls.  It didn't reflect one ounce of light!  You can see it here on the right.  It didn't photograph quite true to color - but close...      

At opposite corners of the room, knotty pine closets had been built.  Very functional, but they stuck out like a sore thumb.  The top layer of flooring is a 9" x 9" tile - we believe there is heartwood pine underneath.  We'll deal with that another day.
We started with the walls.  Be forewarned - I am NOT a taper.  Don't even show me that blue stuff.  When I get ready to paint  - I want to paint!  We threw some drop cloths over the bed, the antique dresser was safe over in the other corner - it would be a while until we got over there.
The color we chose for this room - Watery SW6478 in a satin finish.  The white trim is the SW stock white in a semi gloss.  I am a die hard Duration fan for house, wall and trim paint.  It was the first of the paints on the market 8 or 9 years ago (they actually call it a 'coating') to have primer already in it.  It is marvelous.  

Yes - we painted wood - ack!!  Sorry for those of you who don't like painted wood - sometimes a girl's gotta do what girl's gotta do!  It took three coats of our trim color SW stock semi gloss white to cover the knotty pine.  This is coat number two.  I did the cutting in of the wall color, and painted the trim work.  Ginna and Jennifer were the super rollers for the day - 2 coats of paint turned those drab walls into fab walls.  
*** Just FYI - as much as you may be tempted - don't stop at one coat of paint for your walls.  No matter what color you are covering - the new color you chose, will have so much more depth and be so much richer, when you do coat number two.***  It also goes on faster than the first coat - no kidding!

Okay - isn't this just the prettiest thing??  Turn on the ocean sound from your white noise machine and you would think you were beach side!  I'll show more photos when we put the finishing touches on the room.  We finished this about 11:30 pm - not bad considering we didn't start until around 2 that afternoon!


DAY 2: 
We were on a mission this morning - we wanted to get at least one coat of paint on the ceiling in the den before our 9 am. 'appointment' to surprise my Mom at crafts.  Every Thursday from April through November, the 'craft' ladies meet at St. Mary's Church.  They will hold their Christmas Bazaar this November on Saturday the 12th from 8 to 5 and Sunday the 13th from 8 to 1.  It's the best!  We had to get moving - we were going to spend our next three hours being creative with the crafty stuff!

 The den was a painted a pale peach color.  It didn't have a lot of personality - and felt 'cold'.
Our colors du jour in the den are Recycled Glass  SW 7747 for the walls and Snowbound SW 7004 for the ceiling.  This is a great white - it is not too white - but it really isn't pink, gray or yellow.  The same trim white that we used upstairs was used in this room too.

While we were painting, Jennifer was clearing items out of the bathroom.  Ginna was a brave soldier and started to roll the ceiling - my job - start 'cutting in' again.  Then it was off to 'crafts'.  It was great fun surprising my Mom.  I helped her decorate a candelabra, and created a forest scene with some tiny deer and a tree.  Ginna made a gilded wreath and an arrangement.  Jennifer folded pages in a book and just soaked up some craftiness.

Jen doesn't know this - but we painted some some love on her wall...with a teddy bear  :)

 Here it is - we need some more furniture in here - but the color is lovely!

 These pictures were originally up in the bedroom - as was the black cupboard.  We were busy shifting furniture all over the house!  Nothing was safe.

The bathroom  is quintessential 50s.  The wall tile is a pink that has the slightest bit of peach tint.  Some of the tiles have a 'doily' or 'spirograph' pattern on them.  Adorable!  Jen's dream was to paint the walls a chocolate brown - I seconded the motion.

We took the shelves out of this shallow 'closet' to make it easier to paint.  Jen had taken the door off years ago - a great space saving idea for a small room!


Time to clean up and go out for a LATE dinner at The White Rose downtown.  We were going to meet my friend Kerri.  Our 'perk' for all of our hard work today.   Good food, good friends and laughter.  The perfect end to a day filled with accomplishments! 


DAY3:  
Up early - coffee and a quick bowl of cereal.  We did a second coat on all of the brown, finished trimming out the white, and painted the ceiling.

The color we used here is Cobble Brown SW 6082.  We tried for a pale pink for the ceiling - but it had too much blue in it.  So we went with the Snowbound in here too.  The trim is the semi gloss stock white that we used in the other two rooms.  

 We have plans for brown and pink towels.  As you can see in the shallow closet - we are working on a vintage pottery collection in pink and white to hold all those bathroom necessities!


We also rearranged the living room, shifted some furniture in the dining room, and reorganized Jen's candle collection - which was quite a task all in itself  ;)


We still have finishing touches to put here and there - but the bulk of the work is done.  It just goes to show what you can do with a little help from your friends!  Oops - sisters!  ;0

A Day in the Life of a Self Employed Antiques Dealer

This IS a cautionary tale...
When I opened my shop years ago (1993) and started having open houses, many of the women who would come by to shop, thought that what I was doing was so 'dreamy'.  In many ways (that fall under the heading - A LOT of HARD WORK) it is 'dreamy'.  In a very disciplined way.  Some of them even followed me in to business - one started her own pick your own flower business on her farm and another bought a clothing and home decor store.  


I thought for those of you interested, that I would give you a glimpse into one of the types of days that have.  
The BUYING day:
4:30 am - get up and get ready to go - make coffee, have breakfast and get out the door by 5:00 am or so - because it is a 2 hour + trip to your buying destination.  Pack some snacks, and the rest of the coffee - we'll need that on the way!  Today my sweet husband has decided to forgo his plans, offered to drive, and help me shop.  Our Pit Bull mix rescue dog Cali, rides in between us - her happy place. Luckily - I have purchased vintage stuff from Roxann before - so I know she'll have something for me to choose from.  Otherwise - it's a crap shoot!
7:30 am arrive at destination.  Start looking around, picking things up, and examining them.  I have gotten to the point in my buying, that I only buy items that are in perfect shape (although I do slip up now and then).  There, of course, is always an exclusion to the rule.  If I know I can fix something, have the part (I just might!), or feel that it is rare enough to justify the purchase - then these guidelines over rule 'perfect'.
9:30 am this is what I have found so far.  There are things I am absolute about - and others not quite so sure.

My friend Jennifer - that we hooked up with along the way - happened to 'touch' the fish sign, as well as the turquoise bowl in a curious sort of way - I snapped them up immediately.  
PLEASE NOTE - I did not steal them out from under her.  She was there just for the company and the fun of it.  And she probably thought they were hideous  :)  I have long discovered that there is plenty of stuff out there for all of us - if someone wants it - go right ahead!  The Icehouse sign was 'picked' by my husband - not a beer drinker - he probably liked the scene - he loves the cold!  No, really, he knew it would be a cool addition to some man cave somewhere.  The beige table down in front - I hemmed and hawed a bit over.  I have enough to fix right now - but you can never argue with good bones.  So - it will need a GOOD sanding, and then a paint job.  Let's take a closer look at what else is on the table here.

                           
From the top left: 2 white vintage planters -perfect for organizing stuff on your desk, a bowling 'trophy' bottle stopper, the fish sign - from a carnival, a bear and beehive honey pot, a Kodak Brownie camera and case - in mint condition, rooster salt and pepper shakers,  a big golf ball - we'll look at that closer in a minute..., The umbrella - a Disney piece from the 1960s - Donald Duck is the handle.
back over to the left: some plastic picnic dishes, a jigger and cups from a travel bar, NOS (new, old stock) set of spoons, two different kinds of toy blocks - one kind my husband remembers playing with, the other has snaps all over them - to connect them to each other - way cute!  
On the far right: A bunch of fabulous bronze pieces - way cool!  These were from a jewelry store that had closed.  Very old - they once had the ever popular pocket watch dangling from them!  below that - some wonderful childrens' pots and pans.

as for that golf ball - well lookie there!  It's the 19th hole.  How kitsch is this???
On the little table I was dithering over:

A fabulous black floral carpet bag and white carpet bag change purse, a baby sweater and handmade flannel slip, the 1970s bowl - with a mink and ribbon hat - would make a great 'spider' fascinator for Halloween!  I may have to play with carpet bag for a while - we'll see.  It is pretty wonderful.


Other picks that have already been put in place up at It's Bazaar:

The hat rack was getting empty - so I added the peacock blue Peter Pan hat, the purple cloche, and the wool hounds-tooth.

 Three fabulous picnic hampers - ready for your fall picnic or tailgating party  :)

Two bedroom pieces - a little bit french provincial - one a dresser, one a chest of drawers - there is also a mirror - not shown here.  These I added 'as found' - They have great lines, but I am passing them on at a lesser price.  Take one home and use it - or have fun with it and paint it up differently!

10:00 am OK - now let's get back to my day...  The furniture goes into the truck bed - we hear rumbling in the distance - hmmm...  The rest of the smaller items get packed into the picnic hampers and these get loaded into the back seat - I have a crew cab truck - these fold down seats get used quite a bit.  
Bob and I go back and forth a minute on how this will all be paid for, and finally Roxann gets a check, and some cash.  We say goodbye to Jennifer - it was great to see her if only briefly!  We take a different route home - very pretty and scenic.  We're still hearing thunder as we drive along and decide it would be a good idea to get the tarp and bungees out to cover the furniture in back.  Good thing - because as soon as we do - it starts to rain.  The rain follows us the whole way home.  Honestly, how many times does a weather front go from NE to SW??  Really?
12:30 pm Once at home - I unload the picnic hampers on to the front porch.  Time for some lunch!  After lunch I start washing everything, and going over it with a 'fine tooth comb'.  
3:50 pm  Time to start thinking about dinner - boy am I ready to sit down!


The next day we unload the furniture onto the porch. Thanks in big part to the flooding tropical storm, Lee, that is making it rainy all over the East Coast.  I think I am going to repaint the blue pieces - but I change my mind.  We re-load them back into the truck - No, Bob doesn't mind - isn't he the greatest?!  and helps me unload them, putting them in to place at It's Bazaar.  On Thursday I manage to get some suitcases, the picnic hampers, hats and some other smalls, packed up to take to It's Bazaar.  Bill, the owner, gives me some good news - the gold 1880s sofa in the background behind the picnic hampers sold the day before.  YAY - this is good - because I have had this piece since mid May (which reminds me about another "Day in the Life" post I could do...)  I spend 5 hours, pricing and arranging these 'new' finds.  All done, time to go home! 


My DAY summarized:
Up at 4:30 am - finally 'done' around the same time that afternoon - 12 hour day.  But wait, there were two of us.  So that makes for even more man hours.  And we haven't even taken into account moving the furniture into place, (have't cleaned that yet either), pricing, etc...  
Did I make any money today? - NO
Did I spend any money today? YES
And more money - This truck costs a lot in gas these days - the bright spot was that we filled up at $3.49 a gallon - cheaper than it is where we live. Not to say I don't love my Crew Cab Chevy Silverado - I do!  But she is an expensive habit.
The rest of my purchases are sitting on the kitchen table - most of them waiting to be photographed and listed in my Missing Heirloom shop on Etsy.  


So there you have it.  Just one of my days.  Now it's up for you to decide.