Upcycle with Cutter Fabric, Lace, and Linens

Those old stained and worn linens and fabrics can be upcycled into wonderful new items. So many times we see them at flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales for just pennies, but we pass them by because they aren't perfect,

Look closely at the trim and needlework. Is it in good condition? If it is, these sections can be cut out and reused. The salvaged trim and needlework are beautiful on pillows, purses, clothing, and anything else your creative mind can imagine. Look closely at the fabric, are there large enough sections that can be cut out and reused?

Check out these shops to see just how wonderful the upcycled items can be.

I thought this blouse was so unique. I've never seen recycled fabric used this way.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/39905675/pink-lime-button-shirt-top-upcycled



Look at this tote made using salvaged fabric.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/56033592/animal-farm-cotton-tote?ref=v1_other_2


And look at the wonderful use of vintage doilies in this pillow.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/40503471/beach-shabby-chic-throw-pillow?ref=sr_list_4&ga_search_query=the+shabby+chic+pillows&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title



The next time you run across a treasure trove of vintage linens, stop and take a closer look at them.  For just a little bit of money, you can make wonderful keepsakes by upcycling them.  Have fun and set your imagination free!

pepper

How Do You Know

What it is?

What is it worth?

Will anyone buy it?

These are questions a lot of people are asking about the stuff in Grandma's attic...or basement...or where ever!

So here are some links to resources for what you may have :)

Vintage Fashion Guild Label Resource
http://www.vintagefashionguild.org/labels_f.html

Links for pottery and stoneware
http://antiques.about.com/od/pottery/Pottery.htm

Vintage Costume Jewelry
http://www.illusionjewels.com/costumejewelrymarks.html

Antique or Vintage Lace Identification
http://lace.lacefairy.com/Lace/ID/laceID.htm

Identify your silver or china pattern
http://www.replacements.com/silver_dentify.htm

Buttons 
http://www.antiquebuttoncollecting.com/

http://www.buttonbuttononie.com/collectible-buttons-site-map.html
(scroll down on this last link to find clickable links to specific types of buttons)

Vintage BarkCloth
http://imageevent.com/vintagetresors/vintagebarkclothstylenames

Depression Glass Patterns, Elegant Depression Glass and 40s50s60s Glass
http://www.suziemax.com/

Fabric Identification
http://www.fabrics.net/fabricsr.asp

Books
http://www.abebooks.com/

 Good blog post about vintage
http://heatheralexander.blogspot.com/

Good blog for general information
http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/search/label/%22kitsch%20n%20collectibles%22


Hope these resources help some of you to identify your treasures :)

VE

Contest Winner!

Congratulations to our contest winner, Randi!

Randi found the hidden bird photo in each of our shops and her name was drawn.

Thanks to all that entered and stay tuned for more contests!

Please stop by Handmade Spark where we are pleased to be a featured blog!

http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/a-collective-approach-to-blogging-guest-post-by-karen-of-vintage-station/

My Wallpaper Obsession!

I love wallpaper!  I have a stash of it, but never have enough!   I like to use it to make tags, paper beads and handmade envelopes.  It's just wonderful for making paper beads, my favorite, in fact.

These are paper beads made from wallpaper, you can see the actual wallpaper used behind them.

These are some handmade envelopes made from wallpaper.

I especially like books!  With wallpaper books, I get coordinated papers all in one!

But I never pass on rolls or sheets.

With all that said, take a look at this online shop I found!  It's located in NY and someday I'd like to visit this store and touch each and every piece of wallpaper!

Click on photo above and prepared to be wowed!  It's a shop called SecondHandRose!  What an assortment of wallpaper!

While there, stop by and check out the Linoleum section!   It's to die for!

 This one below has got to be one of my favorites!

Let's visit one more online shop!

Bradbury & Bradbury (click on image above)

Just looking at this shop and the retro wallpapers, makes me wanna.

Hope you enjoy our visit to wallpaper lane!  

RWS

*****Please note:  Our contest ends at Midnight tonight!  Please stop by and enter:  http://acollectivejournal.blogspot.com/2010/09/our-first-giveaway.html?spref=fb*****

Now What Do I Do???

Okay, so you’re pulling out all your old jewelry or maybe out “thrifting” and thinking to yourself, “I’ll never wear it, don’t want to give it away – let’s see if I can sell it”.  But now, what is it?  Who made it?  How do I price it? 

This is me with every piece I think to sell.  So here is my process.  First, I try to see if there are “markings” or not.  Markings are usually on the back and it points the way to the designer or maker of that piece.  Here is a great site I go to when I don’t recognize the mark then I can advertise it by WHO made it. 

Illusion Jewels

Of course, this only helps when the piece is signed.  When it’s not and you simply have an unmarked piece of jewelry, you start searching for that item, or something very similar.

Trying to describe pieces you don’t know much about is a very frustrating thing.  Materials, styles, colors, and the list goes on and on.  But there are some great sites out there that are very helpful.  And wanting to be in a competitive market for vintage jewelry you want to be sure you’re not too high or too low (unless you just want to get rid of things of course).  So these sites will also help in getting ideas to price your jewelry.  Here are just a few:

Michelle's Vintage Jewelry

Vintage Jewelry Mall

Whimsey's Antiques

I have found these sites pretty easy to navigate through.  I think you will too.

So the next time you pick up a piece of jewelry and you’re not sure what to do with it, check out these sites and see what you find.  Who knows, you may have a collectors piece worth lots more than you ever imagined.

"duuuuuude"

There's a mouse in my house! Well, there too.

Okay, so I am at work minding my own business when my dog perks his ears up and dives towards the table I'm working at and continues to shove his head under it sniffing and going crazy, giving new meaning to the phrase "doggone crazy". Get it? Chortle. Snort.

Yes, I took a picture of his butt in the air. Who wouldn't?

So, back to the story... I bravely got on my knees to peer under the table and realized at that moment I've got some serious cleaning to do under there. Really, I saw a blur of movement and knew right away it was a doggone mouse. My experiences in life have given me a fine tuned instinct and wisdom no school room could teach. I done knew it was gonna be a mouse!
The mouse ran, the dog ran after the mouse, and I ran after the dog and the mouse who much to my dismay, ran into my office and disappeared into thin air. This is where it gets really gross. This is what I found.

Insert a big *sigh* right here. 

Now, mice are cute so I always pause for a moment of reflection **pause** before I decide which method I am going to use to destroy them. Is there really a good way? I don't think so.

Sincerely yours, Peggy, Cody the dog,

and the mouse. Squeak!

~Moravian Paper Stars~

A bunch of white glittered stars

           Moravian stars actually have more points and these lesser point stars are known as German stars, Swedish stars, Bethlehem stars, or more correctly as Froebel Stars, named after Friedrich Fröbel, the German educator who invented them. (we have always called them Moravian stars though)

          A dear friend of the family would make several of these stars to go on our packages every Christmas.  These same stars that he made have been decorating my tree each year.

A couple of years ago we had some friends over and Ed came to my house and patiently taught us all how to fold them. They seem difficult at first, but once you get the folds down they are easy peasy (as Karen would say)

          I think I was first drawn to the simple beauty of these stars. I decorated some of my small evergreens outside with plain white waxed stars. We made hundreds of them to use as table decorations at a holiday gathering for the families of deployed soldiers. They are wonderful to use on packages, for table settings, and as decorations….any time of the year

              I make them with colored paper and then I use matching glitter and coat them thoroughly. I love the look of when they are simply dipped in wax, but I have a thing for glitter, so most of mine get glitterized. My finished stars measure 1 1/2” across. The smallest I made so far measure  ½” across, (these tiny ones are not glittered)

tiny 1/2" star

             Lisa from starcrosses@etsy.com  makes some wonderful Moravian stars and some really cool 3-D star ball ornaments.

beautiful purple star ball ornament, by Lisa

two color round star ball, by Lisa

       You can check out more of her stars and her shop here;                                              http://www.etsy.com/shop/starcrosses

           If you would like to make some of these on your own, this site has the best directions I found.  http://highhopes.com/3dstar.html
Just a little warning, the directions may appear confusing at first, but once you get it they are really easy to make.
(jj)