TOGETHER AGAIN.

This piece was made for a challenge that required the use of both a postage stamp and the letter P which was absolutely perfect for the idea I had in my head. Sometimes getting those ideas out of my head and onto paper is extremely difficult and I usually end up dissatisfied with the results. Not so with this piece. Finally, this was exactly how I envisioned it would turn out! "From pea brain to paper" as I am fond of saying!

In this particular challenge we are creating a piece every week for a month and at the end of the month we are required to turn all of the pieces into some sort of wall art. I can't wait to see what the final outcome looks like. And of course I will share photos with you.

We're Havin A Junkin Party!

Join me for some good old fashioned vintage, "Junkin" fun on Thursday June 18, 2009 over at Meandmyhouseblog.blogspot.com where we will share our thrifted, antiquing, salvaged, and otherwise tossed aside and greatest finds with you.

There will be many different vintage blogs participating in the Junk Party so be sure to stop by and see all that is on display. The hardest part for me will probably be trying to decide on what junking finds to display. Will it be the old salvaged window I turned into a coffee table or the old fruit crate label coffee table that I found at a yard sale? Could it be the antique radio or the heirloom china cabinet that I post up to share? I guess you will just have to stop by and see!

For more information, simply click on the Junk Party badge to the left or the link above and mark your calenders for some great fun!

It's Challenge Time Again!

Welcome to another great challenge here on The Vintage Vignette! We had so much fun with the last design challenge that I couldn't wait to think up another. The prize for this contest is a sweet little grouping of goodies that will be awarded to two of the winning entries. We will have a winner and a runner up this time.

The prize to be awarded to two separate winning entries will include:

1. A plushy kid, shelf sitter doll.
2. A pleated spine mini scrapbook album kit.
3. A packet of Plaid brand Paper Toppings.
4. A packet of Miss Elisabeth's metal rimmed stickers.
5. 3 sheets of chipboard sayings punch outs.

The rules for this challenge are a little different this time yet they are very simple. To participate in the challenge you will need to:

1. Be signed in as a follower of The Vintage Vignette.
2. Submit an essay around 400-600 words about What The Word Vintage Means To You. You will be allowed to go over 600 words but no more than 800 and no less than 400 words to keep things somewhat even.
3. Submit your entry to me at cserafin123@roadrunner.com in email format.
4. Provide contact information and email address if possible so I can contact you should you win.

The challenge will begin Monday June 15, 2009 and will run through Tuesday June 30, 2009. All entries must be received by 12pm PST on June 30th to be counted as a valid entry.

Be creative when composing your essay! Tell me stories from the past, share your childhood memories of favorite toys and candy that are now considered vintage! Tell me about the things your family experienced during the war or the contraptions they used that are no longer made today. You can also tell me about your thrifting adventures and the interesting stories and things you've experienced while hunting for vintage treasures. There are many ways to approach this challenge but remember the whole idea here is to BE CREATIVE!

The compiled essays will be gathered the first week in July and each entry will be read and considered by a neutral third party for judging. The winner will be contacted and announced the following week and I will keep everyone posted along the way.

Remember that the word "Vintage" means different things to different people and I am looking very forward to hearing what it means to YOU!

Hatpin Making Fun!

I have been having so much fun lately discussing all the ins and outs of hatpins and hatpin making with the girls over at Vintage Flair that I thought it would be nice to do a little video tutorial on them. The supplies used in the tutorial are the ones I talked about in the previous post about hatpin making from B'sue Boutiques. Although you can find hatpin supplies elsewhere I think you will absolutely love the great compilation of this particular kit.

*Don't forget to pause The Vintage Vignette Radio button below before watching the video.

Times Are Tough!

I think we can all agree that times are definitely tough! For many people in this country, just keeping food on the table is becoming a rather daunting task. Even the wealthy are not immune to the consequences of this current economic climate. People of all economic status have lost thousands in their retirement plans and investments.

Watching the news the other night got me to thinking about the resilience of people in general. We have such a remarkable ability to adapt to changing circumstances albeit frustrating and sad. For many of us in creative circles, this has meant making adjustments to the way we go about our creative routines. For some, the changes have been minor but for others the changes have severely limited their ability to express themselves through their art and creative endeavors.

For many, the creative outlet is more than just a hobby. It can be a lifesaver for those dealing with depression, health problems or other mood disorders. It can also be a welcome respite from a long and tiring day or help to quell the fears of an unstable job environment. For others still, the creative process is the means by which they earn a living and therefore they must continue to produce without making significant adjustments.

To reduce costs' for myself I have begun to seek out waste materials from other artists' and small businesses. For example, I have begun creating my jewelry from mostly recyclable materials or re purposed items. Also, I have sought out waste materials from the projects of other artists' to use in my creations. I recently purchased a 3lb. box of fabric scraps from Debbi over at Marionberry Cottage to use in my art. The fabric pieces were gorgeous and were far more cost effective than buying yardage of each of the patterns I received.

With this thought in mind I wondered what you out there are doing to ensure that your creative process goes unhindered despite our worsening economy. Are you limiting your supply purchases or sharing the costs' with others? Are you seeking out alternative means of gathering art materials or working out ways to minimize waste in developing your creations? I would love to hear your responses to these very timely and pertinent questions!

The Wisdom Of His Hand.

One of my very favorite scriptures is found in the bible book of Romans, chapter 1:20 which reads:

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godship;

so that they are without excuse."

-Romans 1:20

Today my husband and I had a chance to experience this once again in our lives. We have been regular visitors to The City Of Hope in southern California for sometime now. My husband has been closely observed there for the past few years to keep an eye on a potentially life threatening cancer. Because we are only in our 30's the doctors are extremely diligent iabout catching the cancer early should it decide to take that turn. Thankfully he has never been officially diagnosed but we must keep an eye on it with regular biopsies and screenings for the next few years before the doctors can give him a definitive "Cancer Free" status. So every few months we make the one hour drive to Monrovia, California to The City Of Hope Cancer Research Hospital.

Today, our visit was uneventful as usual and gratefully so. After the appointment we took our usual stroll around the beautiful grounds. The City Of Hope boasts one of the state's most breathtaking rose gardens and landscaped areas. They have a firm belief in the healing power of nature and thus have many different areas of meditation and peaceful reflection for the patients to visit. It is not unusual to find patients in wheelchairs, with IVs in tow, visiting the many beautiful garden areas. We have often times seen cancer sufferers in hospital gowns and scarve clothed heads (from the loss of their hair); sitting serenely by the fountains or waterfalls. Sometimes they welcome conversation and other times we see that they are in quiet reflection so we quietly and respectfully move on and allow them their privacy.

We were under the impression that we had already seen all of the gardens on previous visits but were pleasantly surprised today when we stumbled upon the most breathtaking Japanese style garden! It was lush with bamboo and other plants native to Japan with a large and serene pond nestled at it's base.

The pond itself was amazing enough but it was what was inside the pond that actually took our breath away! Inside this pond were hundreds and hundreds of beautifully colored Koi fish, carp and turtles! The colors ranged from bright red to gold and cream with everything in between being represented .



Then the most amazing thing happened! When we stooped down at the water's edge ALL (and I mean every single one!) of the koi came rushing over to greet us with gaping mouths open wide! Apparently koi are friendly and intelligent fish who like to interact with humans and especially so when food is involved. We did find a fish food dispensary which gave a scoopful of food for 25 cents but unfortunately it had yet been to be refilled.



The fish clamored and climbed over one another in hopes that we had purchased some of the food. It was amazing to see these wide mouthed beauties stick their entire bodies out of the water in anticipation of something yummy. Those that were in the back of the crowd would jump completely out of the water and land on their sides dolphin style almost as if to get a better look at what was on the menu! There were also Red Eared Slider turtles covered in soft and dewy moss that climbed out of the water and onto rocks in hopes of a treat. These fish and turtles were so friendly that I could have literally reached down and petted them with my hand if I wasn't such a chicken!

We strolled the garden and communed with these fascinating creatures for quite a while when it hit me why this garden was even here at a hospital to begin with. I immediately remembered this favorite scripture (above) and realized how much fun my husband and I were having, how much laughter and smiles we were exchanging and I thought "no wonder this place was here". The hospital must have known how healing such an experience could be. How one's immune system could easily be stimulated and the body flooded with endorphins and feelings of well being from such and experience! We gave credit to the City Of Hope for thinking so thoughtfully about the well being of its patients and their difficult recovery process but first and foremost we gave thanks to "The Creator Of All Things" who created this beauty and wisdom that sat before us and who created us with the ability to enjoy it and share it with others to the benefit of all mankind.

The Vintage Vignette Presents...Marionberry Cottage!

These days it seems that the Internet is saturated with everything cottage style. Now don't get me wrong as I am certainly not complaining. In fact, I love cottage style! I decorate my home and create art in this fashion. However, it seems that many cottage style artisans today are limiting themselves by only creating things with the standard cottage style color of pink. Pink is a beautiful color indeed yet there is so much more to the cottage style color palate to consider. It was for this reason I was so excited when I came across this marvelous website called Marionberry Cottage.

Marionberry Cottage is a cottage style website and marketplace that features some of the most breathtaking creations I have ever feasted my eyes upon! As I sat an viewed page after page, I was mesmerized by the beauty and wide variety of colors, textures, and techniques used in creating the pieces for sale. I had to know more about this wonderful place and with a little research I uncovered the remarkable source of this inspirational website called Marionberry Cottage. Its source was a lovely woman named Debbi Oeltjen.

The story begins many years ago when a lovely 10 year old girl named Debbi first discovered her love of sewing. She took every class that her secondary school offered and had aspirations of someday becoming an interior designer or decorator. As time went by, Debbi settled into a retail management position overseeing the home decor section of a major department store. As life would have it, her plans changed when she settled down and began to raise a family and nurture her career.

Debbi continued to sew during this time but not as often or as creatively as her heart had wished. That all changed one day 15 years ago when her mother gave her some beautiful vintage hankies. All of a sudden her creative muse was back! She took these precious hankies and stitched up some pretty pillows for her bedroom. They were and instant hit with friends and family! Before she knew it her mother was handing over piece after piece of Debbi's grandmother's stash of vintage linens to see what she would make of them. As the days went by, Debbi saw over two dozen huge damask tablecloths which she turned into tea towels, Rolls of hand made crochet; including pieces cut from vintage pillow cases and doilies, and vintage dresser scarves that she stitched into beautiful pillows and lingerie bags.

The ball was now in motion and Debbi began selling her creations on Ebay as Cottage Garden Treasures. She expanded her line to include impressive totes and purses. Next, she began selling her pieces on Etsy.com. This move opened up the floodgates of opportunity for Debbi. She began a blog called All In My Cottage and joined a fabulous social network of Cottage style artisans called Etsy Cottage Style of which she has subsequently become the administrator of.

The day finally came when she was ready to open her very own website. She named it Marionberry Cottage after her favorite Oregon blackberry. Today her website is a thriving business that features everything from gorgeous handmade pillows and linens, to vintage totes and tea towels. Nowadays, Debbi finds herself scouring estate sales and antique malls in search of rare vintage linens. She knows she will never limit herself to the standard cottage style color of pink. She prefers to use a variety of colors from kitchy retro reds and yellows to the soft and lacy beige's of her favorite French and Victorian inspirations. She happily resides in rural Sublimity, Oregon with her husband, family and beautiful cottage style garden.

Her grandmother's precious linen stash has long since been gone; with the exception of a few pristine pieces saved to pass on as heirlooms; but the creative muse it has inspired in Debbi will surely last a lifetime.

You can find Debbi's amazing work at Marionberry Cottage. There you will find a wonderful selection of decorative pillows, guest towels, tote bags and so much more. You can also visit her social network Etsy Cottage Style to mingle with other like-minded artisans.

Happy Pink Saturday!

I Don't know about you...but I certainly am happy!

Ooh, La, Lah!

What Do You Get....

What do you get when you cross an extreme love for vintage jewelry and accessories with the discovery of an awesome new (new to me at least) supplier? You get any number of beautiful creations! Recently, while searching the Internet for new projects to create and share, I came across an awesome site called B'sue Boutiques. This incredible company specialized in:

*Vintage style brass stampings.

*French and 50's style novelty charms.

*Vintage glass & plastic beads.

*Bezels, blanks and cuffs.

*Art Papers, inks, resins and mica.

*And tools for creating a variety of projects and much more.

*In fact there was far too much great stuff to list!

What impressed me the most about the site was the beauty of the vintage style brass stampings. Many of them had gorgeous patinas that could easily have rivaled the originals! They also offered very informative tutorials for some of the projects that they recommend which I found to be very helpful. They also had a link to the B'sue Boutiques blog where you could get to know more about the company as well as browse a variety of ideas, inspirations and tutorials.

I ended up purchasing several items to create with including a hatpin kit and a set of blank hair forks that I could not wait to receive. When the box arrived it was carefully packed with everything I had ordered and more! B'sue Boutiques has a policy they call "Lagniappe" which is a generous policy of providing "a little something extra" with every order they send out. Times are tough for small businesses in this current economic climate and so I found this policy to be a very generous gesture indeed! I was thrilled when I received an extra goody bag with my order full of candy, charms, and paper ephemera! Now how's that for customer service! You can bet I will be a returning customer for sure with that kind of VIP treatment!

If you get the chance soon, please be sure to check out the site and bookmark them for your next art supply purchases. I am speaking from experience when I say that you will surely not be disappointed.

*These and many more supplies arrived with my neat hatpin making kit.

The kit was very affordable and had a host of

very unique items to create with.

*The kit included everything I needed -including the crimping tool- to make

these gorgeous hatpins!

The actual pin shafts came in a variety of lengths from

three to eight inches long.

The shorter ones can be worn as brooches or pins and the longer ones can

be threaded through buns or french twists in the hair. I plan to get

some of these up on my Etsy shop as well.

I have been having lots of fun over at Vintage Flair this week enjoying all of the neat challenges. This challenge was for a 6x6 layout requiring the incorporation of a butterfly and any word beginning with the letter Y.

My process was a simple one yet I was a little disappointed because it came out looking like a digital layout in the scanner when the only printed images were the girl and the butterfly text. Everything else was hand applied.

I applied flowers and leaves to the corner with an embellishment and added several layers of beeswax around the images and stamped into it while still warm. Next, I coated the beeswax with a dusting of gold perfect pearls (I swear I put it on everything..even my breakfast cereal if I could..tee hee) and accented with copper perfect pearls and then burnished the whole piece. For some reason on the scan only the copper is is showing through but the strong gold color really is there. Oh well, Not what I expected but still pleased.