Sparkling Mercury Glass Ornaments~

So Beautiful~

all packaged up in the shop today.  Lovely Mercury Glass beads, indented, faceted, striped, pebbled, and weathered to perfection!  How can I choose....

time to celebrate..

So many reasons to celebrate!
Mom turned 80, graduation next week, and Hannah has a birthday right around the corner.
May has been such a beautiful month.  I have had the idea to make these little birthday lambs for a bit now.  Finally sat down and made them.

couldn't resist a little pink party hat lamb.  For the hat I used some pretty party tissue with some glitter trim.  The crepe paper collar is only 1/2 inch wide folded in half and a piece of pink tulle is tied in a little bow.  In the shop while they last...

one thrifted canvas panel.....

one thrifted canvas panel plus one vintage (reclaimed) metal zipper
and a bit of thread.

this one is for my traveling pens.  it needs a leather pull tab I think, and can't decide how many circles to sew on....

sweet hearts...

Every Valentines Day it seems I can't resist sitting down to sew up a few sweet hearts.  This year I started out with a bowl of cream and red wool hearts and a gorgeous box of vintage millinery flowers.  After a perfectly luxurious afternoon of stitching I snapped a few photos of them all together.

this red wool felted heart has a bouquet of the tineist plaster stamens and a satin Japanese cherry blossom.

  you can see how tiny they are in my hand.  the pink and cream is just so sweet and delicate.

five of the cream and pink ones together, so hard to pick a favorite!

I am going to love giving these away this year...
xo
Julie

Etsy Shop Feature and a studio tour~

I almost couldn't sleep last night....
the Esty shop feature for my shop Vintage Handmade went up this morning. It is so fun to see all the photos Kimber Gleave Jepperson took for me and to read the comments. A great day for our whole family. Thanks so much to my sweet husband Matt and to my kids for encouraging me on this wonderful journey even though the shop is taking over our family room again...  here is the link to the Etsy Blog and my feature.


I wanted to share some of the photos of my studio that I didn't send to Etsy.  I just adore my desk.  I rescued it from a thrift store.  The college nearby was renovating their offices and discarded multiple desks and matching shelves.  I sat on the one I wanted until my husband showed up with the truck.  I have been using it for over 20 years and still love the big space and the little typing trays that pop out on both sides for extra work space.

 here is the matching shelf and a little red phone that I just adore.

making silk velvet mushrooms...

Here is the vintage shop wire rack where all my ruffles and tinsel trims live

I always have a little display of bottle brush trees, these are in a vintage glass caddy.

This old cabinet has the most beautiful oval glass window.  I keep all my spools of vintage trims here and my favorite old millinery hats.  The Wonderland banner I made when the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland came out, an invitation for me to create the wonderland of my imaginings...

My lovely south facing windows.  I can sit and work and watch the beautiful changing seasons.  This week the Fall leaves have been blowing and casting a gorgeous golden glow over everything.
My favorite view out this window is early on a winters morning morning with a cup of tea and my cozy wool slippers watching the snow fall...

Thank you for joining me on this wonderful journey.
Best wishes from Vintage Handmade studio,
Julie

Snowman, the before and after photos...

This post is a continuation from my last one.  If you are just joining me, last week I found a zip lock bag of the old spun cotton Christmas package ties.  It was an old collection of Santas and snowmen, some had seen better days.
And well yes, it is Halloween this week and I am posting Christmas images.  That's how it goes when you have a shop and create things for the holidays, I am always working several months ahead. 
With that said, these snowmen were so fun to work with, I couldn't resist mixing things up a bit.  Here are the before and after photos~

Don't you love that before face with the one BIG eyebrow? 
First step was to fix the proportion problem.  I took off the cute top hat, metallic bow tie, sequin and nose.  I decided to save the satin wrapped bottom and use it for a bigger snowman.   I glued on the head from a vintage spun cotton snowman onto a tiny striped satin ball that came from a vintage garland {best find ever!}
The proportion is much better.  I loved his funny face so I left it.  Next I glued on the top hat and used a tiny sequin pin to put the sequin back in place.  I added the chenille arms next and tied a bit of tinsel on for a scarf.  Then I glued the bow tie back in place and added a glittered base so he can stand up.
much better!

here is where the satin ball ended up~
this snowman has a bit bigger head so it works.  He has a plastic top hat and a wee crepe paper ruffle collar.  I had to trim down one of my ruffles so it would be the right size, its about 3/8 of and inch and folded in half.  The wonderful tree is from an old Christmas corsage.  I wonder if it was that color to begin with or has it just faded after 60 years?

This guy got a vintage mercury ball wrapped in metallic mesh.  So sparkly...

always something so darling about a grumpy snowman...
this guy is not having the best day,  maybe he just hates photo shoots.  his arms are a piece of vintage bump chenille with glass garland beads on the ends.  You can't tell so much by the photograph, but the little guy on the right is only 1-1/2 inches tall.  I just love making things tiny!

I have a few angels to make over and then the elves.  see you soon,
Julie

Santa, the before and after shots....

Last week I found a zip lock bag of the old spun cotton Christmas package ties, a collection of santas and snowmen. I had so much fun this weekend making them over adding some fun vintage trims.
Here are a few of my favorites~
the before and after shots are kind of amazing...

First step was to take off the yucky chenille hat trim.  The hat came off next and then the head with the awful face.  I glued on a new spun cotton head and drew on a tiny face and added a berry nose.  The beard and mustache are bits of vintage wool.  Then I glued on the hat with a new chenille trim. 
I added a new belly band and a vintage sequin, pin and bead.  Then some chenille arms holding a vintage bottle brush tree decorated with glass garland beads.  I glued on a glittered base last so Santa could stand up on his own. 
much better!

this santa has a chenille mustache and is holding a glittered branch and a chenille tree.

This santa has a tiny gold medallion on his tummy and is holding the tiniest bell.  I love his tinsel scarf.

Tomorrow I will post the snowmen, time for me to make dinner....

Oh my, Mushrooms~

Monday has been Mushroom day at my house~ 
all these mushrooms will be in my Etsy shop Vintage Handmade  tomorrow.
mossy fingers, piles of dyed velvet everywhere, and little forests of mushrooms
all over my desk.   The wine and chocolate set has a beautiful deep aubergine color that is new and a scrumptious chocolate brown...

wine and chocolate

set of 3 large classic red mushrooms

medium mushrooms set of 3 fall colors

this set of 3 fall colors is a medium set of 3 mushrooms.  they are a tiny 2 inches or less

mushroom minis

these are new. mushroom minis only 1-1/4 inches tall with a little hanging loop so you can tie these on packages or hang on a feather tree.  oh so sweet in pink~

pink mushroom minis

aqua large set of 3 mushrooms

acid green set of 4 mushrooms

 I can't help making a couple aqua blue sets everytime since its my favorite color.
the acid green mushroom in this set looks positively yummy.

large mushroom ornament

large mushroom ornament

a couple of large ornaments with hangers for your big tree.

and this photo of them all in a tray after I photographed the groups, wow.
the hand dyed silk velvet has such great texture and just soaks up the color.
I just love making these beauties...

silk velvet mushrooms~

so this is what i was doing all day yesterday...
making these gorgeous hand dyed silk velvet mushrooms~   ok, i have a whole jar of them now and i can't stop taking them out to feel the silk velvet caps.  i love the colors, how subtle and varied they each are.

each mushroom is completely unique. mushroom stems are wrapped in heavy Italian crepe paper with dried mossy tips. large mushrooms have crepe paper gills under the cap, the smaller mushrooms have full wrapped caps of silk velvet.

i just listed 2 sets in my etsy shop.  i may add an ornament string for hanging, what do you think?

here is the green set.  and a photo of a bunch of different colors and sizes.  i am already getting my holiday booth ready for the Fleattitude show in November.  these mushrooms will be hanging on some mint Christmas trees i ordered this week. 

art auction for lorraine....

I am so excited to post this sweet kitty as part of the art auction for my dear friend Lorraine Lewis.  She was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago and my heart has not been the same since.....
I first met Lorraine several years ago when she came to one of our Art Nest retreats and then shortly after that she and her darling girls joined our Art Group.   She has such a beautiful, kind heart, I am just thrilled to make something for her auction.

The auction will be this Saturday on Instagram.  Search @heart_and_hand to see the lovely things you can bid on.  Also search #artauctionforlorraine to see all the posts.

If you are local there is a wonderful night planned for Lorraine here Anything for a Friend  this Friday night. Date: June 13th 2014     Time: 6 pm--9pm
Activities:

• Cover band--FLASHBACK 
• Picnic in the park--BELLA'S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL
• Kid's Art Center
• Headliner Concert--SARAH SAMPLE
• Live Auction
• Bake Sale
• Balloon Launch

Location: Ed Kenley Amphitheater ,  405 N. Wasatch Drive   Layton, Utah  84041

Written by Brookey Smith, Lorraine’s daughter, “Anyone who knows my mom, Lorraine Lewis, can’t say enough about what an angel she is.  She is beautiful, kind, loving, giving, and selfless.  Our friend Stephanie Lee said, “One thing I know for sure is that the light your mom is in this world is such an indescribable blessing for so many of us.”  In this last whirlwind of a month in finding out about her cancer and how aggressive it is, this is how I have come to see her, a pillar of light.  She radiates hope and joy.  She believes in miracles and because of the blessing she is in other’s lives we know we will see them.”

kitty is 12 inches tall and made with vintage fabrics, glass buttons, and tiny velvet millinery flowers. The tiny pink velvet ears and aqua eyes are dyed silk velvet.  The little sheer flocked cheeks were cut from a tattered sheer prom dress :)  and the pink polka dot nose is from a vintage Minnie Mouse costume!  Her face is cut from a vintage linen dresser scarf and her skirt is made from a vintage ric rac apron, perfect for Lorraine as she is such a great cook, I have enjoyed so many of her fabulous recipes!

I chose to make a kitty as Lorraine sewed and painted over 24 kitties for our Art Group to decorate one  Halloween  Here is Lorraine at our Witches Night Out Art Group in her winning cat costume with an armful of kitties decorated by everyone~

Thank you for sending your love to Lorraine, See you at the auction,
xo  Julie

Paper Mache Sunday...

 we are making paper mache figures next week for art group and i just couldn't wait.  my daughter and i started making figures and wall plaques right after i got home from art group last month.  courtney showed me a magazine article by Sarah Hand in an old issue of Somerset.  we stayed up until 2 am making paste and glopping paper mache all over the counter.  today the weather was just perfect, we opened the doors and spread out our paints...
i wanted to take a few work in progress photos~

i used a small hand sanitizer bottle from the dollar store.  this is the figure after making a tinfoil head, wire ears, and rolled foil arms.  i covered everything with masking tape.

after the paper mache strips and still wet!  i put it in a warm over overnight to dry.  {turn oven on warm hold for a few minutes, then turn it OFF}  use a cookie sheet with a cookie rack inside to lay your figure on.
the large wall plaques i just put in the oven on one of the racks.

next day all dry....
add some gesso and let dry again....   lots of steps here, it is more fun to make several at a time so you can use your paste and then gesso everything together.

more fun than i thought it would be, i just pencil sketched right on the gesso to get an idea of what i wanted her to look like.  i was a bit worried about a few places where the paper strips had dried with gaps.  it was easy to sand them down a bit with a nail file, the coarse ones you can get at the beauty supply store for fake acrylic nails.

 close-up of the face.  after painting i used a pencil to add details

here is a wall plaque with gesso.  i started with a cardboard cut out.

pencil sketched design.  oops, forgot a photo of the finished plaque.  this one is about 2 feet tall.

it was fun experimenting, learned a lot and now i feel more confident moving forward with some new pieces.  it was easy for the kids to dive right in with me.  who doens't love making a mess with paper mache?  my daughter made Finn from Adventure Time.  Now the kids want to make Totoro....
time to make another batch of paste :)
Julie