My Second Date with Tim Holtz

Last year, I got to meet Tim Holtz and take a class with him at Ten Seconds Studio. Well, he was back for more at Stamp Asylum this past weekend. I took the all day Artful Curio class yesterday. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of work.

We received a bare wood glass-fronted shadow box. The first thing we did was color the inside with Distress Ink and paint dabbers. Then we started layering on our background papers. I found a new favorite product - Tim's Tissue Tape. This stuff is a must have for any collager. It is a printed, (a little thicker than) tissue paper roll with adhesive on the back. I could have covered my entire box with it! But, I used it to fit those areas that would have been a nightmare to cover in paper. I will be off to Hobby Lobby this week to look for it.

Now I wish I had taken more pictures to show you the work in progress and more of Tim's demos. Here he is unveiling all the findings and "stuff" we'll be using to assemble our curio "stories."

There were three long tables FULL of supplies - old printer's blocks, kids' wooden blocks, metal charms, metal cars, buttons, lightbulbs, watch parts, game pieces, tape measures... and ALL of Tim's Ideaology metal pieces. And another table with vintage pearl beads, mica flakes, rusty jingle bells, and Frozen Charlotte heads. We were like kids in a candy store!

Here is my work in progress. I still have a few things I need to complete from home - finishing touches, adding the box's feet and knob, etc.

I did take a picture with Tim, but I waited until the end of day - after seven hours of crafting. No hair, no makeup, and I look exhausted. I'll spare us both that one.

Birthday Cards

I stopped shopping for a moment and finally made something! I ran out of birthday cards and needed to get a few in the mail. So I sat down with a few scraps of pretty paper and put some together.

Of course, I did spend a little time shopping this past weekend. I hope to get some time to take pics and share a few treasures.

Great Vintage Finds

I have been really busy at work this month, which is why I haven't been posting as often. However, I have been spending some time on the weekends hunting for more treasures. Here are some recent finds.

I went to Curiosities in Dallas for the first time last weekend. What a feast for the eyes! There is so much "stuff" in this store, you would have to spend a week in there just to see it all. Drawers full of old photos, cabinets piled high with vintage lines. I opened a dresser drawer to find it full of old millinery flowers! Ohhh, be still my heart! Here are some of the things that came home with me. (I bought a few others, but those are tucked away for gifts.)

The millinery flowers are some of my favorites I've ever bought. They look so shabby on the brown velvet ribbon that I don't know if I can bring myself to tear them off! They're displayed as is for now.

I went to a couple of other antique shops and came home with some odds and ends. Here's a random sampling of my goodies.

I really bought this just for the box, but it's filled with little bouquets of dried flowers. I'm sure I'll find a use for them, someday.

This beautiful shell box was a great find. I bought it for a gift, but I'm falling in love with it. It might be hard to give away!

This was one of my most unusual finds. It's an old leather book from 1857. The unusual part is what's inside.

Way back when, someone made this into an altered book! They took clippings from all sorts of newspapers and magazines and glued them down inside, covering the original book pages. I don't know yet what I'll do with it. I'm thinking of adding another layer to the pages to make it an altered book through the centuries.

So Much to Share

I stayed out past my bedtime last night to take a class from the wonderfully talented Lisa McIlvain. Lisa creates the most beautiful collages and mixed media art. She is featured in the current issue of Somerset Studio and will be in the upcoming October issue of Somerset Life. The class was held at Cottage Panache Antiques. Maureen's classroom is decorated as a beautiful craft room any lady would feel lucky to have. We learned how to print on muslin, how to print on crinoline, how to use epoxy resin to make charms and cover paper, and how to assemble our collages. Here are a few photos from the class, and some sneaks around the store.

Here is Lisa's project. Don't you LOVE those little pink ballet slippers?

The goodies we get to rifle through for our collages.

See all that lace and trim? That's for our collages!

Some works in progress.

Our classroom.

Maureen's store.

My completed project.

I have so many favorite elements on this project. The gorgeous lace at the bottom is from an old wedding dress. On my collage, it's part of her Christening gown. The little girl is from a cabinet card, scanned and printed on muslin. I made the little bouquet of millinery flowers and loved how the feather looked with it. Then I found this title in an old book and that set the theme for my collage. The blue trim is so gorgeous and I gathered it with a vintage brooch.

After seeing someone else sewing her collage, I decided I wanted a little pocket on mine. I'm going to put some of my bird ephemera in it. (The paper behind the pocket is coated in resin.)

It was a great evening, and the time just flew. At the end of the class, Lisa gave me a box FULL of scrapbooking supplies she isn't using.

Under that stack of patterned paper is trims, embellishments, and all sorts of things for my crafting! Thank you Lisa for thinking of me in your destash!

Trying to Beat the Heat

It has been so hot here for the last few weeks - over 100 degrees every day. We took a drive out to the country on Saturday, primarily because it was the last weekend the farmstand is open for the year. I needed one more dose of fresh peach custard.

Of course, we had to check out the local antique and thrift stores while we were there. I found a few goodies. We came across a Heritage Park in Edgewood, TX. This little church caught my eye. It's called the "Little Church in the Wildwood" and was built in 1897.

I also spent a little time in my air conditioned craft room, creating a few pieces. Our little Furgie likes to help, but she wore herself out this time.

A Nest Fit for Thumbelina

Look at what just arrived...

I had a package on my front porch. I opened it to reveal this bundle...

And then unwrapped it to find this beautiful nest...

This creation is from Vicki Boster, knitter extraordinaire. Check out her blog to see the most beautiful photos of her nests. My favorite part is the glass leaves she has tucked in here and there. Now I must find a place to display it where the cats won't want to eat it! I have a couple of vintage birdcages. I think that may be a safe place for my new treasure.

Recent Finds

I've had the chance to stop in a few small towns to see what treasures I could find. Here's the recent loot.

A vintage catalog, crocheted roses doily, and buttons.

Vintage trim, books, and more buttons.

Miniatures! These will be listed on etsy soon.

This adorable baby boy Lefton planter. I'll probably list him on etsy or ebay.

I'm hoping to get more time to shop this weekend, and want to get some of my favorite peach custard. This is the last weekend the orchard is open, so I have to get it now or wait until next year.

Treasures from the Sea Inchies

I participated in another inchie swap this month. The theme was summer, and to me that means the beach!

Here are the inchies that I created. I started with a piece of sand-patterned paper and then applied Aruba Beach sand. Then I started adhering my sea treasures - tiny shells, pearls, and diamonds. Just like nature, no two are exactly alike.

Vintage Fashionista Tag

This week's challenge at Tag Tuesday was to use a mannequin template for your tag. I stuck with the sewing theme for the elements of my tag.

I started with cutting the mannequin template from a piece of GCD Studios Homespun Chic paper (one of my favorite collections EVER). I used some of the pattern tissue that came with this little cutie and adhered it on the side, then added some stitching. I adhered the pattern girl, a little posy, and a pattern tissue ruffle at the bottom. Pink seam binding is threaded through a hole at the top. I made the title on my old typewriter and she was complete.

I'm Here for the Party

What a busy week! I had meetings all week and was so tired by the time I got home each night that I didn't even eat dinner. I did however relax with a strawberry daquiri! We went to Houston last weekend for a little celebration for my MIL's birthday. Here's the card that I made.

I was inspired by my friend Julie's beautiful cards that she makes with vintage dress pattern girls. I used a piece of patterned paper for the card base and added a piece of wide eyelet trim on one side. I added some "wonky" stitching to create a border and then glued on my pattern girl and a title.

We spent the weekend playing with our niece and nephew.

And we went to the butterfly exhibit at the science museum. It was warm and humid, but the fluttering beauties were everywhere!