Thrifting Finds

I make the circuit around my town's thrift stores on a regular basis always on the hunt for that "score". Sometimes I buy something just to put in my studio. I found this old record in a bin the other day. It's smaller than the old large record, only 10 inches. I loved the colors and the vintage look. So now it sits on my shelf as a pretty decoration.

 

 

I scored big time finding these bolts of trim and ribbon.  It would take me a lifetime to go through these, but at $1.00 a piece, I couldn't resist.  I've already tea-stained a handful of it to use with some of my tags in my paper store on etsy. 

 

 

This also jumped in my cart on the way to checkout. It's some sort of sheer with beautiful pastel embroidery, rhinestones, and trim.  I'm not sure what it was for. It looks like it might be a wrap, but I was going to use it as a tablecloth, or curtain, or.....stick it in my shop therobinandsparrow.etsy.com and sell it and let someone else decide what to do with it!

 

 

Have a wonderful day, my peeps!

xo

xo

clare

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is here.....kinda

 

I decided to take a little walk around the backyard before it started to pour!

 

Yep, this is a typical spring day here in Oregon. But I have to say it is so cozy to have a mixture of dark clouds and bright blooms. 

 

 

Blooming Camilla in front of my lion fountain...

 

 

 

Blooming baskets...

 

 

Blooming buds in my retired cast iron wall fountain...

 

 

And Lady Mary smelling some ivy...haha!

 

Have a great Wednesday my little flock of followers!

 

xo

xo

clare

 

 

 

 

Gift Card in Disguise

My niece is getting married soon and some family members threw her a shower over the weekend.  Since it was out of state and I couldn't go, I picked up a gift card to tuck into and envelope to send off.  Of course, in I always say "the packaging is half the gift".  So here's the card and packaging I put together to hide the plastic gift card.

 

I sewed some pretties onto a piece of kraft cardstock, that I vintage stained.

 

Tucked in a sweet sentiment and signed my name and daughter's and daughter in law's. Wrapped a silk ribbon around fold and tied.

 

I placed the gift card in this little burlap sack that I finished off with more pretties including a vintage wedding button, and finished it off with a vintage handkerchief.

 

I then placed the whole process in a cello envelope...

 

...threw in some loose vintage faux pearls...

 

...and tied a teeny vintage bride pattern tag to the top with silk ribbon and seam binding.  All this sweetness wrapped around an ugly plastic gift card...

 

Happy Monday!

xo

xo

Clare

 

 

 

 



Stella

 

Stella is all blinged out for her summer soiree!

Even her wings are glowing like "Touched by an Angel".

Lemons and Spring!

 

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted! Almost a year! But now I'm back in the world of blogging and so happy to be! I won't even get into all the deets of what I have been doing this past year, it would take about 20 blog pages lol!  So I'll just go from here, today.

 

So I wanted to make this wreath

 I found on Pinterest, the other day. 

http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/08/20/5-lovely-lemon-home-accents

I just love lemons. Just the look of them is so fresh and cheerful, and they smell so good.

 I had this jar full of fake lemons along with another whole basket. The wreath above may have been made from real lemons, I'm not sure.

 

 

I found this beauty all mangled and crumbly in the clearance section of HomeGoods for super cheap. 

 I'm all for cutting corners when I can and if I can find a decent start to a wreath I grab it.

 I didn't take pics along the way cuz it was so easy, but I just started glue gunning all my fake lemons onto this wreath until it was nice and full.

 

By the time I finished it looked like this. 

So easy!

 

I'm going to run outside and play now in the garden while the sun is shining.

It's supposed to pour again in a few minutes. So I'll probably be able to pull 3 weeds before

I have to run back in! 

 Ahhhh Oregon!

 

I hope you are all having a wonderful day of Spring wherever you may be!

 

xo

xo

clare

Button Love!

I love buttons!
This collection is only the tip

of the iceberg in my studio.
I have buttons stashed everywhere!

I don't know what I love better,
the look of a million buttons in a jar,

or actually using them in a project!

I found this cute little lamp at a thrift store recently,

it was an ugly brass (sorry if you like brass...),

 I took it apart, sprayed it white, of course!

And then filled the base with buttons.

I covered the shade with some vintage

lace and now it sits

so cute on my desk in my studio.

This was a Pinterest - inspired idea.

Of course mine turned out cuter!

Of course! haha!

I dug through my shell shaped buttons

and made this sweet pillow.

The trick is to trace a heart

with a water soluable marker,

glue the buttons in place,

and then sew them on.

I'm going to head over to Faded Charm's

White Wednesday

to see what everyone is up to today!

xo

xo

clare



Clothing Romance!

Oh how I love this photo!

As I watch gray hairs pop up

 here and there on my head,

( I have yet to have to color my

hair, thank goodness!)

I gaze at this picture I have posted

on my "inspire wall"

and think if I could only age as

lovely as she...

But better yet, to age as lovely as she

and pull off that look!

I love this look so much,

I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to it!

But, I fear if I were to don this look,

and run to the store to get milk...

...well let's just say people would think

I had lost my marbles!

Especially here in Oregon!

 

magnoliapearl.com

I am convinced that I would have to live
out in the country somewhere...

 

...or,
I frolick around in my own home
and garden!

 The other day I was in my studio musing,
and decided to make some pieces
to go with my
"secret" garden couture...

                                       

This piece is made from a strip of

an old sheet, silk ribbon, and vintage lace.

When my sweet mother-in-law was visiting a week ago,

she brought a little bounty of

vintage baubles

she no longer wears.

This piece again is of old lace, silk ribbon,

and finished off with a vintage earring.

I put both pieces in my etsy shop as I have

about 5 more on my workbench

I am currently creating.

http://biskopsgarden.blogspot.com/

....alas....

this may someday be my whole closet,

when I'm too old to care

 what people think of

what I'm wearing

out and about!

ha ha!

xo

xo

clare

Super Vintage

Not too long ago I was at an estate sale digging deep

in a pile of linens on a table.

After selecting several pieces,

(she was charging way too much),

I discovered a box under the table

stuffed with old lace and pieces of

vintage dresses. I asked the gal if she would

take $20 for the whole box thinking she

would say no and go up from there.

She said if it is not gone by the end of

the day, come back and I could have it for $20!

So I pushed it way back again

under the table...haha!

At the end of the day I stopped back in and

the box was mine!

 

The other day I took the lace off the

remains of a tattered vintage dress,

found in that box,

and sewed them on the ends of a piece

of linen to form a tube style pillow slip.

I encased the insert beforehand with

linen as well.

Then I finished the middle off with

more vintage lace and old, old

French buttons.

It turned out so beautiful.

I have it for sale in my shop on Etsy, 

secretly hoping maybe it won't sell!

I'm going to head on over to White Wednesday

at Faded Charm to see what others are

up to!

xo

xo

clare 

Spring!

Today, the first day of Spring

I dug deep into this...

pulled out this sweet bunny lace...

formed it into this...

to make this!

Happy first day of Spring!!!

xo

xo

clare



Tulips and a Lady Bug

In the last four days we have had

2" of snow, torrential rain,

high winds, and

howling coyotes in the woods

behind our house! (i guess the coyote

thing doesn't really have to do with

the weather lol).

You would never know it was Spring around

here except in my studio!

This is the vignette over my desk. I love this

stage of tulips...

...when they start to get all messy...

...and droop...

...and drop their petals...

so beautiful!

Then there's my airplant, that stays green

all year long...my perpetual Spring

in a teardrop.

This little stowaway was on my iris plant.

I was hoping she would stay and we'd

be friends, but the next day

she was gone.

 Bringing a little Spring into my studio

has a way of lifting my daily spirits

in anticipation of it transferring

outside soon.

I hope you all are enjoying Spring

weather, wherever you perch!

xo

xo

clare

A Valentine Gift From My Guy

I was an immediate fan of the new

Masterpiece Theatre series

Downtown Abbey.

Now in season 2 my sweet hubby

knows that at 9pm Sunday nights

he is to entertain himself elsewhere

(which he's more than happy to do, during this show!)

while I cozy up in front of the

fire to watch.

The costumes alone, of this period are exquisite!

(I secretly wish this were all back in!)

So, my husband gives me my Valentines gift today

which is this book that I didn't even know

existed...

it's a true story of the real "Downton Abbey"!

He said he read about it in the newspaper

last Sunday and went to

Barnes and Noble and found it!

Now....that is a husband

who knows his wife's heart!

He knows not to buy me flowers,

I buy my own every week.

No jewelry for me!,

I have been wearing the same

cross necklace for 6 years!

But a book about a time that once was...!

Oh and a note that brought tears!

That is why at 25 and counting years

he is still my only Valentine.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sweet Followers!

I hope your day is also

full of sweet surprises!

xo

xo

clare

i heart...

I realized I haven't been here for awhile.

Let's see, oh yeah!

My first grandbaby was born!

So I turn 50 and become a Grannie!

I decided I'm not going to be grandma

I'm far too young, haha!

I think I'll go by Coco!

Why not?

Coco Chanel wasn't originally Coco!

So in the mood for Valentine's day,

I created some "heart" sachets.

These two I made from vintage tea towels.

I made these with vintage sheets and

material.

I love these sweet little ones!

 

Have a happy day full of love and surprises!

xo

xo

clare