Sunday, 24 March 2013

The story of the battered and tattered tin.......

Just a quick post to tell you about my latest charity shop purchase.  I do love it when you buy something that you feel is a little special.  I spotted said item on the floor in a corner of my local Age U.K. shop and commented to Maggie, the Manager what a lovely tin it was.....

maybe a cake tin in a former life?
 
Thinking of how many 'props' as I like to call them I already own, I was hesitating when Maggie said it was a button tin!  Well, as you know I do love a button - especially on a card, or an old linen or mother-of-pearl one.  So what is a girl to do when faced with such a dilema?
 
take a peek inside of course!
 
 
oooh looking interesting!!!!
 
 
a box within a tin - short whites no less!!!
 

a selection of caramel, cream and chestnut vintage buttons
 
 
a tin full of possibilities.....
 
I fell in love with the tin, the contents were an added bonus, so yes, it came home with me and what else do you do on a winter's Saturday night, yes, you sort your buttons out!  There are a lot of gems and a lot of ordinary buttons but that is part of the fun.  My mother, in her words, 'wouldn't have given the tin house room'.  I told her this afternoon about my buttons and the lovely old tin, she just shook her head!
 
I have been working on painting a little wall cupboard.....
 
gorgeous decorative hinges and ceramic handles
 
 
handy couple of shelves
 
 
preparation done (yes me being a slap dash kinda girl decided to do it properly)
 
first coat of  'Flintstone'
 
a work in progress.......
 
Until next time............. Jayne x


Thursday, 14 March 2013

Back to the very beginning.......

I have been neglecting my blog of late.  A nasty flu type virus is my excuse.  I could just about manage to download an image to facebook but composing a post was beyond me.  However, after two weeks I am feeling a bit like my old self again. 

I decided to revisit a technique I learnt in my first year at College.  I do enjoy making felt and adding other elements whilst laying out the fibres.  I have been asked to make some small pictures using the techniques I use in my corsages and wristcuffs.  I have never made a picture before so I created some tiny fragments that I could work into with embroidery and maybe some beading.....


felt, silk fibres and lace

 
an accidental heart!
 
 
and another!
 
 
seems to be a bit of a pattern occurring here!
 
 
close up of fibres and lace
 
 
a teeny tiny fragment
 
 
I have not been out and about and have missed my visits to my local charity shops.  I found these little gems yesterday, in all my favourite colours.....
 
subtle spring shades
 
 
I love an old bobbin of thread with an interesting label
 
 
lovely crochet trims - the dye pot beckons!
 
 
and finally a lovely bag of buttons and old blanket labels - a gift from Gill P - thank you Gill!
 
I hope you all have something interesting and exciting to work on at the moment.......
 
p.s. Emily and I have been decorating this week, she is blooming, tired but well.  Only five weeks to go....  until next time Jayne x