Harvest From My Silk Garden

Last week was an action packed week with the addition of Thanksgiving and my holiday gig at Neiman Marcus but I managed to find time to weed my silk garden and vintage button stash so that I could add some more gifty items to my Etsy shop

Where's Pepper?

My son, Will bought this darling oddity at auction recently.

At first he thought it was a hat pin holder...makes sense...baby crying because pins are being impaled on its sweet little head...but when he turned it over there was a cork and when he removed the cork out poured the salt.

Will has done his usual research but has not been able to come up with any information on this piece of porcelain. There is no makers mark just a set of numbers that would indicate German or English origin...surely Victorian and most definitely tugging at my heart strings ...and maybe it will turn up under the Christmas tree if it doesn't sell on Ebay!

I would love to know what pepper looks like!

Wearable Art Collage to Silk Scarf

I recently found a company that can transfer your art work on silk. I am so happy with the results. They printed 4 different versions using silk, a wool and silk blend and a very fine light weight wool that is really soft and lends itself the the dreamy quality of the transfer.

The company requires your art to be in a digital file in a 1:1 ratio. Since my collages are all 6X6 I had the challenge of having to enlarge and rework the piece a bit in Adobe Photoshop. Although I am really pleased with the results and I LOVE working in Photoshop I think next time I will planning to do the original art work in the actual size of the scarf.

Because this first batch was a test I kept the size small 20 inches square. It is a nice versatile size to knot around your neck. The hems have been hand rolled which gives the scarf a nice touch. My next order I think I will try an oblong scarf in the wool. The entire process was so easy and gratifying.

If you are interested in printing on silk check out Lyma Products here
The service was great and Al was a great guy and very helpful in guiding me through the process.

I am offering 2 of the scarfs for sale at Whimrose Projects Etsy shop

to view my original art work go here

Lanvin Silk Brooch Knock Off

Don't you love the title of this page torn from the November issue of Bazaar Magazine...you have got to be kidding??!...$360 for a few scraps of silk... they call this Smart Shopping?

The REAL smart shopping can be done at Etsy this year. It is remarkable the unique, handmade offerings that you can find for under $50 ....including my "silk corsage" for $20, finished with a vintage rhinestone studded Lucite ball button... beautifully wrapped and ready for gift giving...and I am even offering free shipping! I will also take special orders if you would like specific color combinations.

Hand Dyed Wool Felt Shoulder Pouch

I have found a new home for my vintage pin badge collection! My newest addition to the Whimrose Projects Etsy Shop line of patchwork wool is this 6X10 inch hand dyed wool shoulder pouch...of course I would be remiss to give up my little collection of pins so I will have to make another version of the bag with perhaps some vintage buttons or Bakelite doodads. I lined the bag with a piece of vintage floral fabric and made the strap using 3 torn pieces of wool felt that I braided together. I am planning on having this listed on Etsy tomorrow. I need to get the shop tricked out for the holidays before I start my seasonal gig at Neiman Marcus.

Antique Civil War Era Fabric Miniature Quilt

Last week I came across this tiny miniature quilt in a box of unfinshed projects...(I swear I will finish all of these one day). The quilt is just 8X8 inches and is made from 19th century fabric that I have been collecting for a number of years. Many of the scraps have been taken from old quilt blocks that never ended up in a quilt...(I guess leaving unfinished projects is nothing new).

All that was need was a bit of hand quilting and the addition of a binding. I used a prized piece of rare antique toile on the back..luckily I have 2 more pieces of this left. It is so hard to part with all these lovely old scraps and making miniatures is a wonderful way to preserve a collection so that it can be enjoyed and not stuck in one of my "treasure" boxes under the bed...I guess you could say that unfinished projects are ALSO treasures.

....and of course you can find this little keepsake here.

Victorian Love Bird Silk Cluster Medallion Bib Necklace

I just finished creating a couple of these medallion bib style necklaces for my etsy shop. I love grouping little treasures to form a wearable collage type collection. I think the raw edges on the silk give it "Chanel-esque" vibe. I have added long torn pieces of vintage silk kimonos to be used as ties and help make the necklace more versatile...it can be worn long, medallion style or wrapped close at the neck and tied in a big bow in the back or it could also be worn as a belt! As you can see I am parting with some of those wonderful Crackerjack charms that my son gave to me.

Patchwork Felted Wool Bag Version #2

The first time I wore the felted bag, with in an hour I had lost my Boy Scout pin!!... boohoo I decided that the pin collection on the bag was not very practical and have replaced it with a big blossom made from wool scraps and a vintage button...and I think I am liking this even better...I am still not done with the "Chanel pin encrusted bag idea", I just think I will try a different design.

Patchwork Felted Wool Hipster Scout Bag

I just finished designing my new fall bag! I used my favorite Vera Bradley bag, also called a "hipster" as inspiration. The size is perfect for my needs. I really like having a small side sling type bag for running around the city, keeps my hands free for grocery bags, getting on and off the bus and digging for keys.

I raided my stash of hand dyed wools and quilted it together with Liberty of London floral for the lining and interior pockets. I fused together a piece of wool and a scrap of Liberty to make the perfect little pocket on the back for my blackberry...no more digging around for that! The strap was made of 2 pieces of wool fused together, stitched along the edge and then cut with pinking shears. The finishing touch was inspired by the cutest little felted wool bag encrusted with military pins and badges from the Fall 2009 Chanel handbag line. I purchased my vintage badges on Ebay...I love that Boy Scout logo...BE PREPARED, and the British Woman's Association pin that reads...FOR HOME AND COUNTRY.

I will be offering one-of-a-kind bags like this in my Etsy shop.

The Romance of Estate Sales

It starts with our weekly log on to estatesales.net. Hundreds of photos are scrutinized, picking and choosing, until we have narrowed it down to at least 3 sales that are in the same direction..which is only 3 directions in Chicago seeing that the only thing east is the lake. My friend Beth and I target an area where we think we can find "a lot of stuff, the good stuff". When an agreement has been reached the plan is set in motion. We meet in front of the building early the next morning.

If we are lucky one of us had printed out a Google map and hopefully not left it behind. We set off on our weekly adventure, Beth behind the wheel, me the willing accomplice, Waldo in his doggy seat and "Queen" Greta in one of our laps...(Waldo and Gretta being Beth's long haired dachshunds). We have stashed the treat bag that contains fruit, nuts and cheese away from hungry little dogs as we set out on our journey.

We are not in a mad rush. We are not the highly competitive dealers that stand in rain, snow and sleet at 5am to get a number, wait in line for hours to finally make the mad dash, pushing and shoving through doors, up and down stairways...not us, we are the more leisurely buyers who like to arrive late after everything has been picked over when we are left to quietly poke around at the tidbits that the vultures have left behind...the bones have been picked clean but in most cases there may be a piece of sweet meat left behind.

Besides enjoying the joy of the hunt (which for one of us, moi, is also a job)...we like the adventure. We like the trip to the country. We like the discovery of a cute little town that we never knew existed. We like to look at neighborhoods and gardens, pastures and barns. We find the beauty in sweet little unassuming houses and balk at the McMansions as we both agree that having lived in big houses we now feel most comfortable in our cozy vintage condo in the city...although we also both agree that we miss our gardens.

Last Friday found us in Woodstock, Illinois in the simple yet lovely home of an artist, craftsman, cook, reader, collector and world traveler, someone not unlike myself.

Everything was neat and orderly, well kept and categorized. The basement had shelves covering nearly every wall, floor to ceiling, with books of every sort, bound magazines, fabric, pickling jars, jigsaw puzzles and games. There was a wonderful little work/tool room and a large part of the basement that had been devoted to framing. There were frames of every shape and size, old and new, mats, glass and antique prints waiting for a new home. I am sure the frames had been picked over but there were still hundreds left. With out too much trouble I found a perfect little 8X8 inch square to frame one of my Scrap Paper Monologue collages.

According to the organizers, the shelves of fabric had been gone since the first hour of the sale, but believe it or not, behind a box I found a small roll of French cotton...if there was any fabric left I would find it! I also scored some vintage McCalls Needlework and Vogue Knitting magazines. The woman was a prolific knitter evidenced by the boxes of completely knitted sweaters that were never sewn together, some had been partially sewn with only the neck edge left to finish... I am talking about at least 20 sweaters! It is hard for me to believe that you could put that much work into a sweater and not finish it. I do admit to one unfinished project in my knitting closet...but it haunts me because I tend to be a "finisher of projects."

Upstairs I found the most adorable antique stuffed spotted velvet dog...how did that get left behind?...some beautiful old beads the color of a Robins egg, a sweet floral linen lace edged collar, a hand thrown art pottery bowl, a Victorian velvet pouch, an old hankie (I still use these) and a large glass scent bottle with a sterling silver stopper...and eclectic mix from an interesting lady who didn't finish her sweaters. Some of these treasures are making their way into my Ebay store tonight!

As I was paying for my purchases I said ..."this looks like the sale they will have when I have passed away"...only my sweaters will be finished!

Patchwork Felted Wool Pincushion

This is a large 7X7 inch felted patchwork wool pin cushion backed with velvet and filled with sawdust. The pincushion is adorned with a velvet embossed oak leaf and a wool felt acorn. Many years ago Martha Stewart offered a set of large leaf shaped rubber stamps in her magazine with instructions on how to make these velvet leaves. Two pieces of velvet are bonded together using an iron on bonding material. The velvet is placed on top of the rubber stamp thenplace a pressing cloth over the velvet and apply a hot iron. I think at the time Martha had made a wreath with these leaves. The acorn was made from a large bead that I covered with bits of wool felt. As you can see it makes a darling perch for a vintage pin collection. This pincushion including the 2 vintage owl pins is now available in my etsy shop.
www.whimrose.etsy.com

Felted Wool Eyeglass Cases on Etsy

I have just added my felted wool patchwork eyeglass cases to my new Etsy shop!
www.whimrose.etsy.com
Next up are my large felted wool patchwork pin cushions that are sharing the photo above...I will even include a nice little collection of vintage pins to go with.

Custom Heirloom Applique Quilt Project

Two years ago when I was packing for my move from Santa Fe back to Chicago, my mothers friend Helen commissioned me to make a quilt for her using some beautiful pillow cases that her mother had embroidered. She was interested in having an heirloom that she could pass down to her children, some thing that would incorporate a piece of her past. When she handed me the pile of pillowcases she told me that there was "no rush", she knew that I would be consumed for months with the upcoming move.

The pillow cases languished in my fabric cabinet reminding me every time I opened the door that a challenging project was waiting for me. After a year went by every time I saw that stack from Helen I was consumed with guilt. When I mentioned this to my Mom she said..."Helen will understand, just wrap them up and send them back to her and tell her you don't have the time."

One thing that I am not...is a "quitter"...and my Mom knows that!

Last Winter I decided to unload my enormous quilt stash. At that time I considered wrapping those pillowcases up and sending them back but one day I pulled out my box of antique fabrics and suddenly was inspired to give this challenging project a whirl....timing is everything!

About this same time I made a new quilting friend in Australia...we became friends because she was responsible for purchasing the bulk of my fabric stash on Ebay! Isn't that ironic...just when I thought I was through quilting...she drew me back in! Meredith, my new pen pal, sent me a pattern for a center medallion quilt and that became my jumping off point to make this quilt. She gave me the encouragement that I needed during a creative dry spell.

Most of the center applique is done in antique Civil War era fabrics, many of them were tiny scraps that I have saved for years. Helen wanted a blue and white quilt but I convinced her that we needed that touch of pink to really highlight the pink in the embroidery. I was afraid that it may look too busy (even though I LIKE busy) but I think it really hangs together. I will continue to build this quilt out from the middle adding as much antique fabric as possible to give it a real heirloom quality. I will keep posting pictures as my work progresses.

Vintage Decorator Fabric

I have some wonderful vintage fabrics listed on Ebay this week. They are all in unused condition and there is yardage!.....4 yards on the crewel printed linen second from the top. The print at the top is hand screened and has a William Morris look and I believe it may be from Liberty of London. All of these and more can be found in my Ebay Shop Whimrose Projects: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Whimrose-Projects

I have plans for recovering an antique slipper chair that is in desperate need of an "upcycle". I found some vintage fabric that is SO cute ...it is dark green and has chairs on it...I know it sounds awful but trust me it is so cute. I will post a picture and share the experience when I start the project.

Announicing the GRAND OPENING of Whimrose Projects Etsy Store!!

I am so excited to announce (after months of saying "I should")...the one and only Whimrose Projects Boutique on Etsy featuring many of the items featured on my blog...no, I don't think you will find canned tomatoes...but possibly a tomato pincushion!

I have all of my Liberty of London fabric bead necklaces listed for sale and will be happy to custom make any of the necklaces to your specifications....Also I had so much fun designing my banner that I just may offer banners for sale. I have loads of ideas for new and exciting designs so stay tuned to my blog and Etsy to see what's to come!

and here is the link:

http://www.whimrose.etsy.com

Making Good Use of My Canner

On Saturday I bought a 1/2 bussel of big fat juicy tomatoes for just $10 and made 4 1/2 pints of chili sauce and 10 of all purpose tomato sauce. Once again this is not a big money saver but the taste does not compare! I decided to make 1/2 pints so that it would go further. I think even if you add one cup of the good stuff to a can of Del Monte you are going to get a much better flavor.

Tory Burch Purple Suede Loveliness

Lets talk about purple suede shoes...ahhhhh yes...I wanted these so BAD that I actually convinced myself that they fit...well mostly because I was working the Christmas shift at Neiman Marcus and had an employee discount...who could resist...and then they sat in my closet...first I had to wait for the horrid Winter weather to end..and then the rainy Spring...and then the first time I wore them and walked 15 blocks, I knew I had made a mistake...I had to stop into Nordstroms to buy a pair of footies just to get my poor blistered feet home...so there you have it...I "shopped" and I did not "score" so these little size 7 beauties are being sold on Ebay and here is the link:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390092262057&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT


...did you know that purple is the hot new color trend for Fall ????...and if these fit you they would be extremely comfortable

Another Pickle Harvest

The canner was purchased and was put to work fast before my 5 pounds of "organic cucumbers fresh from the farmers market" spoiled in the frig. It is amazing how five pounds translates to just 4 pints of pickles. We have already polished off a half of a jar. From a froogal point of view canning fresh organic produce is not a money saver but the results far out weigh store bought.

The Jewels of Summer!

Our farmers in the mid-west are having a harvest that is 2-3 weeks later than normal because of the unusual brief cool summer that we have had. This week has been the most delightful surprise with perfect temperatures and sun shine for nearly a week.

On Wednesday I found a beautiful array of colorful vegetables to make this Winter Pickle Salad. One grower had a head of Romanesco cauliflower which is neon green and shaped like little cones...so cute. I also found a miniature variety of carrot that was streaked with red , some tiny yellow patty pan squash, red, orange and yellow peppers, and green beans...the jars look like a sea of jewels!

The canning process is something that I have never tackled and found it to be much easier than expected as long as you have the proper tools assembled before hand. I purchased a canning kit at Target that included all the utensils needed and used my stock pot for processing. Things went so well with this first batch that I have decided to invest in a canner which can be purchased for around $25. I want to scoop up as much of summer as I can before our l-o-n-g winter sets in!

Winter Salad Pickle

2 c cauliflower florets
1c peeled pearl onions or onions cut into squares
1c thickly sliced celery
1c sliced carrots or small baby carrots cut in quarters
1c thick sliced zucchini or small patty pan
1c yellow or green beans
2 medium red, yellow or orange peppers
3c white wine vinegar or herb vinegar
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/3c water
2 tsp pickling(coarse/Kosher)
1/8 tsp paprika

Before you begin preparing vegetables place jars and lids on a rack in a large kettle or canner that will fit the jars comfortably and allow enough room to cover jars with 1 inch of water for processing . Fill with water, bring to a boil and turn off heat.

1. Combine cauliflower, onions, celery and carrots in a large bowl. Combine squash beans and peppers in a separate bowl.

2. Combine vinegar, sugar, water salt, and paprika in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Add cauliflower, onions, celery, and carrot and return to a boil. Remove from heat and add squash, beans and peppers.

3. Remove vegetables from liquid with a slotted spoon and pack into jars. Pour liquid to within 1/2 inch of rim. Clean rim of jar with a clean cloth or paper towel. Lift lid from hot water and center on top of jar. Apply screw band until fingertip tight

4. Place jars on a rack in a large stockpot, kettle or canner that the jars were sterilized in and fill with additional water to cover by one inch.

5. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. turn off heat and remove lid. Allow jars to sit in kettle for 5 min. Carefully left jars out and place on a heat safe work surface. Do not touch seals or dry jars. Let cool for 12-24 hours. Check jar seals, sealed lids turn downwards.

This recipe was taken from:

Small Batch Preserving
by
Ellie Topp & Margaret Howard

Summer Menu

I continue to be inspired by the possibilities of the Liberty fabric covered beads.

While visiting my brother in Michigan we stopped in in to see some dear friends that have a lovely old farm house complete with a barn that is being renovated and beautiful gardens that produce massive amounts of vegetables. We took home the first crop of tiny radishes and a handful of chives. Later we served them with sweet butter on grainy bread and a touch of coarse salt....YUM!

I was admiring the vintage tablecloth that was spread on the kitchen island and my friend and I talked about how we both collected them. I no longer have an outdoor patio or a kitchen table, for that matter, now that I am living in a high rise condo. I offered to keep a look out for any inexpensive gems . Two hours later I found this cloth at a local antique flee market......so with much regret I am passing it on....along with one of my necklaces... these colors are right up her alley.

....my swirly plate is full of possibilities for another braided or charm necklace! I better hurry...summer is nearly half over.

Clare Potter... Vintage Perfection

My recent fascination with vintage women's magazines has led to this charming new addition to my Spring wardrobe featured below.


While browsing the pages for fashion illustrations to add to my collages I came across this article on Clare Potter...one of the first ladies of American sportswear. After a Google frenzied search I came up with little information about Clare Potter's career but surprisingly...on Ebay(where else?)...I actually found this stunning little linen jacket up for auction from a seller in the UK...and shockingly I won the item for under $20. It fits me perfectly and is in beautiful condition. What makes this jacket special is the attention to detail. The collar is ecru satin with a sage green velvet trim and the buttons are covered in a pale gray satin.


I like the addition of this 50's star burst brooch..also an Ebay purchase for $9.99. The jacket looks real cute with another one of my spring bargains... gray silk, pleated cropped harem pants that I found on a a double markdown +coupon at Express for $15.99.

........ the great froo*gal style is workin'!!!

Happy Mothers Day

Truthfully, I have always hated Mothers Day, I think my expectations have always been too high and we all know when your expectations are too high, there is no where to go but down. This year I am choosing to go with the flow and see what transpires...the idea of my husband and son cooking in my kitchen has always induced some stress but if that is what they want to do then...have at it...I will just "show up" when the dinner bell rings!

Fuel

Life is ironic........as soon as I thought that my quilting days were over and the bulk of my fabric sold on Ebay, what do I decide to do?....Go to the International Quilt Show! That was all it took to suck me back in...well that and the fact that I had taken on a commission to stitch a quilt for a friend of my Mom two years ago, when I was leaving Santa Fe....yes that's right...2 YEARS AGO...I unearthed the remnants while cleaning out the stash.

The quilt show refueled my interest and gave me the spark I needed to get the ball rolling on this project. I came home with one small bag of fabric for the quilt and one tiny bag of treasures for me (featured on the plate above).

All those little treats, with the exception of the felted beads, came from a dealer that was selling "dead stock" from a jewelry factory in Venice, Italy...one of my favorite cities. Doesn't it all look yummy!

Victorian Collage...30 Minutes for Creativity

Here is a little 30 minute creative project I did last week. I came across an old book that I bought a few years ago in a used bookstore...a great place for inspiration...the book, Book of Collage by Gloria Vanderbilt, one of the original "craft maven's extraordinaire" is full of wonderful and simple ideas for putting together keepsake Victorian style collage but also features many of Gloria's wonderful fabric collage works of art that are very contemporary in look.

I was able to put this piece together quickly because I had just finished sorting through a box of ephemera that I was going to list on ebay. The box I was about to list was an accumulation of odds and ends that I have gathered over the year from box lots that I have purchased at auction. As I was looking at the pictures that I had had uploaded to the listing I started having second thoughts but went ahead and listed anyway. The very next day while I was in the bookshelve I stumbled on the Gloria book and immediately ended the listing (this is not usually a good idea!)and that afternoonI snatched out these elements, grabbed some fabric scraps from the now "highly edited fabric stash" and there you have it...all it needs now is a nice little frame (or not)...I am on my way to the auction house tonight and will surely be able to find a frame in another one of those box lots!

Liberty Print Fabric Bead & Button Necklace

I am really pleased with my version of the Anthropology fabric, bead and button necklace!

This necklace was amazingly easy to make and requires very few skills, if you know how to braid and sew on a button you got it knocked. I was going to share instructions on how to make this necklace but then I had what Oprah would call "an aha moment"....I am going to sell DIY packets! I have been contemplating an etsy shop for over a year now. I just need to DO IT.

Most of the projects that I do are unique because of all the collected elements that I have to work with. It takes time to hunt down a collection and a certain eye to put together the pieces...and that is my specialty!

Until I get the etsy gig working I would be happy to take orders so send me an email and I will put together a kit with your color choices.

Signs of Spring

I have spend a lot of time recently weeding out my fabric stash. It has been a long and arduous process but it was time to let go of some things and get down to the bones...keeping only what I really like and only what I will really use. My rule has always been if you haven't worn it, looked at it or used it in a year you never will....for most of my fabric it has been more than one and nearly seven years. I also believe that in order to make room for new growth to bloom you must weed the garden.

While sorting stacks of potential lots to be auctioned on Ebay my mind was already a buzz with ideas and little piles were starting to form...this is one of the piles. This pile is about to become a necklace like the one pictured above that I saw in an Anthropology catalog.

Now that I am out from under the "ground cover" of my fabric garden I can finally see the little heads of crocus peeping through!

Liberty Print Charm Necklace Part 2

I thought I would have a second look at this necklace today to see if I could improve on it but decided that is was great just the way it is! I did however add a couple more charms that my son begrudgingly handed over...these vintage crackerjack charms represent dollar signs to him. Last summer he purchased an enormous lot of these treasures at auction and has been reaping the rewards on EBay ever since. Every time I went to his apartment last Fall I would snitch a couple. One day I was caught with my hand in the Crackerjack jar (so to speak)and I thought the gig was up but much to my surprise a little bag stuffed with these beauties showed up under the Christmas tree...YIPPEE! I am eking them out for various projects...the next one will be a knitted bracelet.

Assembling this necklace is very easy. I snipped and tore 1/4" strips from 1/4 yd lengths of Liberty fabric leaving the edges raw and frayed. I then gathered together some of my fabric covered beads (see tutorial in January 2008 post) vintage beads, buttons, Bakelite and charms and threaded everything on the fabric strips. I made 4 different strips and tied them together. I held all the strands together and rearranged the elements to fit and then tied all 4 strands together in a knot so that I could wear the necklace at any desired length.

Liberty Print Fabric Charm Necklace

This is a necklace I have been working on using my fabric covered beads with the addition of vintage buttons, pieces of Bakelite, old enamel earrings and vintage Crackerjack charms. I saw bracelets made from torn strips of Liberty of London fabric on the Liberty website and thought making a whole necklace loaded with charms and beads would be a fun project. I started this a few months ago and it has been hanging on my door knob all winter. I think it is time to take it out and play around with it a bit more. I will publish the results after some tweekage!

Couture Knits for Blythe

Blythe's sweater dress was knit on variegated sock yarn using #2 needles. I used a Barbie doll pattern as a loose guide for binding on stitches but then I went "freelance" from there, fitting as I went.

I love knitting on small needles but it can be daunting if you are making a full size garment so this was very satisfying. The jacket is a strip of fringed wool that I hand stitched into a little bolero with a tiny felted flower.

I am wondering why I have waited so long to take on this fun little project.