Raspberry Shop - Glendale, KY - Wall Hanging

This is the second in a series of wall hangings that I am making that depict places in Kentucky. This is another old building in Glendale that is used today for a shop. I took the picture two years ago so I'm not sure that it still has the same name. The hanger is another piece of that wonderful old ceiling tin from the burned down building in Rineyville.

The background fabric is a rose chintz. I collaged other fabrics that include, rose bark cloth, green & brown cotton, grey and pink cotton and a deep pink ribbed thick cotton. I embellished the piece with antique lace on the header and a generous piece of delicate multi layered lace along the bottom. Sewn to the lace at the bottom is a piece of old costume jewelry of pink beads. The header is the old tin and is attached to the fabric with small mother of pearl buttons. The tin is hung with a piece of trim that is also attached with mother of pearl shank buttons.

Use Your Stash Challenge - Stamp Theme ATCs

One of my online groups has a challenge to make artwork with the stash we already own. I think I have quite enough stash to make artwork for the rest of my life without buying another thing! The theme for this two week period go around is "Stamps". It can be postage stamps or inked stamps, however you want to incorporate it into any form of artwork. I decided to make fabric ATCs for this challenge, then I added old Russian postage stamps that are affixed to card stock and then sewn to the ATCs. I also used beads, buttons and ribbon for embellishment. I had just ironically used stamps for another August challenge. These stamps have beautiful and unique images, and are little works of art in their own right.

Glendale, KY on Tin - Wall Hanging

I acquired a few pieces of ceiling tin from an old building that was burned down in Rineyville. It was a controlled burn by the fire department to take down an old store in town. The fire gave the pieces of ceiling tin a nice patina. I used tin shears to cut it apart into sections. I decided to use at least some of them for wall hangings. The first wall hanging I made in this series features a picture of the old town of Glendale, KY. It is such a cute little town with lots of shops and restaurants. The old buildings still look like yesteryear and it is such a fun place to take guests. I will also feature spots in Rineyville and as well as Elizabethtown and Hardin County.

This first piece is made with antique blue and white ticking as the background. Embellishments include part of an antique quilt piece, lace and an old button. The edges are sewn with a blanket stitch using embroidery floss. I punched extra holes in the tin (it already had some nail holes from where it was nailed to the ceiling) and I sewed the wall hanging to the bottom of the tin. I also sewed tiny mother of pearl shank buttons into each hole. For now I have it hanging with a scrap of lace, but may change it out for wire if I find some that I like.

August - Swap Your Stash Challenge

I received the August 'Swap Your Stash' goodies early in the month, but haven't worked with it until yesterday. I decided to make two small wall hangings because I was having a difficult time trying to put everything together into one piece. I have quite a few old Russian stamps that I brought with me this year, and I used them instead of putting a picture on each piece. I still like to incorporate an image into each wall hanging I make, as I would do when using my own stash. The first picture is taken of the stash before I made the wall hangings. I usually forget to take a picture at this step, so I'm glad that I remembered to do that this time. Although, I am missing the light blue applique that I used in the #1 wall hanging in the before photo. It was included in the fabric packet I received.

Lawn Surfing in Kentucky

Brandon, visiting from California, and his country cousins enjoy lawn surfing.

Squire Boone Caverns

We had a great outing Saturday to Squire Boon Caverns in Indiana.

Later at home eating popcorn on the cob

Waiting For The Flowers

These are the seeds I planted the middle of June. OK, the green is nice, but I'm looking forward to the flowers. I've fed them, watered them and weeded them - so ready for flowers. The Zinnias have a lot of buds so it won't be too long for them, and the poppies have shown a couple of blooms so far. I know there was a vast variety in those packets so I'm hopeful.

July - Swap Your Stash Challenge

The July "Swap Your Stash Challenge" is nearly at a close and I just finished mine last night. I used flower seed packages that I planted this year, and added them to the stash to make two collages. I used Twinkling H20 paint to add a bit of sparkling color to the fringe. The two collages are very simular as I plan to keep one and send the other one to the lady who supplied July's stash. Now I'm looking forward to receiving the August stash.

Have Stash Will Travel

Since I collect and use vintage fabrics in my collages, I bring quite a lot of my stash with me when we come to Kentucky for the summer. I transport it in large plastic bins, and that works fine to a point. But, after a few 'dives' into the bins everything looks like it has been stirred, and becomes a mess.

The solution - my husband made a cabinet for me to unpack those bins. Shelves wouldn't really work because my cats would be sleeping in the fabric, so I requested a cabinet. We had quite a few bi-fold doors stored in the car/barn that worked out quite well for the cabinet sides and front doors. This way the fabric can breathe.

I use the cabinet for the fabric, some sewing notions, tools, glues and painting supplies.

I have my buttons and lace stored in the drawers of an antique dresser that belonged to my husband's paternal grandmother.

















And, since this is the first room you see when you enter the cottage, it will be nice to be able to keep it a bit neater.

Double Sided Pincushions - Vintage Fabrics, Vintage Lace & Vintage Buttons

I had so much fun making the pincushions from the June "Swap Your Stash" challenge that I decided to make some from my vintage stash of fabrics, buttons and lace. There are seven pictured from one side in the photo to the left. They are turned over for the second photo to see the corresponding side.

I have them listed on my Etsy shop as I can't keep everything I make. These are fun to use, and I use one every day that I made for the challenge.