Old Lace

I love the intricacy of lace and doilies. They are elegant, ethereal, and versatile. They can be used as a myriad of embellishments...patches on jeans, sewed into a tablecloth, starched into a pendant fixture...the list goes on...

Collections

I'm always curious to find out what dear little objects people hold close to their hearts. Often times collections go beyond the typical stamps, marbles, and post cards. I recall reading a magazine article about a man who collects vintage doll heads--yes, (previously detached) heads of dolls that happen to be rolling around flea markets and antique stores--and stores them in a big, fat glass-front cabinet. Personally, if I woke up and saw all those eyes peering at me from the dark I'd squeal in terror, but hey, collections are wonderfully subjective. Here's what I'm drawn to:

 Knobs: I feel like Aunt Clara from Bewitched. Ha! I've been amassing them for future furniture revamps. I've already spruced up the drawers on my two desks and turned a chunk of moulding into a rack of hooks.

 Chandelier crystals: They're sparkly, they're geometric, they're glamorous, and they're a part of the whole Pollyanna optimism mentality. I'll make a chandelier some day.

Doilies: I don't know how to crochet (...yet...), so these ready-to-go bits of lace are great for a variety of projects from collars to buntings. They are readily available and varied in design.

Fabric: If it's pretty, I'll take it. If it's pretty, I'll use it for something. It could be a big chunk or a little chunk and I don't care. I'll turn it into a shirt or tack it to my wall and stare at it. Fabric is my thing. Oh, and a good floral fabric is just too delightful for words.

Vintage sewing patterns: These guys are beautifully illustrated, frameable, and symbolize fashionable potential and former Home Ec glory days. Plus, they can make some cleverly constructed and flattering garments.

Paper: Everything from designer sheets to inspirational magazine clippings to metallic envelope linings makes the cut. I have a box under my bed several inches deep in the glorious stuff; I guess it's an extension of my love for surface pattern design.

Vintage books: In addition to hunting down old editions of classic reads, I'm drawn to books with amusing titles or beautiful illustrations. I also have a mini challenge with myself to find the oldest book possible. My oldest running date is 1887!

Frames: Alas, ornate frames are the closest things I can get to chunks of European architecture. They are arguably even nicer hung empty.
Basically, I love how collections are personal groupings of inspirational objects. They can be used to make more pretty things or they can just be gaped at, but either way a collection gives a collector a little flutter of joy in their search for beauty. What do you collect?

3 Snowman-Inspired Décor Ideas

1. Fill a round glass vase with milkweed fluffs.

2. Frame doilies in progressively sized embroidery hoops and attach the hoops together with ribbon.

3. Tack a white paper lantern to the ceiling and hang a feather-stuffed ornament from it.

12 Days of Fabric 2014: Day 5

The theme of the day is Arching Geometric--and remember, all of my designs are available as fabric, wallpaper, and gift wrap. Here is Sunshine,

Deco Literature,

and Haunt Couture.

Clay

These are the first things I have ever made out of clay--a pedestal, doily tray, beads, and (quelle surprise) roses. Now I am totally in love with the medium!

There were a few cracks in the edges of the tray after it was fired so I filled them with plaster and then painted the whole thing white.

The "Robin's Egg Green" glaze took me a while to find, since I didn't expect it to be pink!

On the roses I used clear glaze, although I was similarly surprised when I opened the container.

The glaze on the pedestal makes it look like a chocolate chip cake--an unintentionally cute result!

The tray is going to display some of my jewellery so I gave it a gold rim.

I made these into robin's egg beads to use for a necklace or bracelet.

I will use the white roses to decorate my shelves, and the pink ones will be used as pendants.