Vintage Lace and Doily Tunic Top

I've been brainstorming and wanting to create some type of lace top for a while now. Wednesday, I had to go to Longview (about 35  miles away) to pickup flower supplies. On my way to there, I finally got the vision for what I wanted to make and couldn't wait to get back home. Even though I had a few wreaths that had to be made, I had to dig out my buckets of lace, doilies, and hankies, and lay out my idea! 

No pattern, no measuring, I just started laying everything out. I was able to get everything pinned and started sewing, before I had to quit and go make wreaths, that had to be delivered Thursday morning.

Thursday afternoon, I was able to get back to the sewing machine and 4 bobbin refills later, the top is finished! I believe this is the first clothing item that I have made from scratch. I always tell people I add to shirts, but don't make them... truth be told, I struggle trying to read a pattern. I really should have wrote down the measurements for this one, though. 

While we were out Thursday morning, we found the pants at a garage sale... they were super cute and I knew I had to have them! Got them home and they were too big. The top folds over like yoga pants, so I decided to sew the flap down and insert an elastic piece. Pretty happy with how they turned out as well and they matched my new tunic top! 

Good news is that I didn't have sewing machine issues while I was working on this  (read: no mental breakdown, hissy fits, or ugly words!)  and I've got plenty of lace to make more! I am planning to make a few more before our show at Vintage Market Days of East Texas in September, so stay tuned.

This was my Thursday morning Facebook post and I think it sums up this top! 

Sustainability in our Home and Business

April is designated at Earth Month and April 22 as Earth Day. Within our business and our personal home, we make many efforts to reuse and recycle items to be more sustainable. I recently listened to an Etsy Success Podcast about sustainability factors and how customers like environmental friendly shops and it made me think about things that we personally do to recycle and conserve resources.

For the love of junk. Reuse, Repurpose, Rescue... One of my favorite sayings and t-shirts from Suzy Swede.  

Things we do to reduce our environmental footprint:

• We work from home eliminating the need to commute daily.
• We coordinate our trips to get supplies, groceries, appointments, post office, etc. We never drive to town just to eat out. (In fact, we cook almost all our meals at home.)
• When leaving home, we always carry on own drinks. Personally, I've used the same stainless steel tumbler for two years! I'm lost without it. Occasionally, I do stop and get a drink if my travels take me out longer than expected and my cup runs dry. If we know we will be gone a while, we will both fill a thermos with additional water, tea, or coffee. 

Decorative tumbler wraps available in my shop. 

• We often carry a "grub bag," as Jeff calls it, when leaving home. Of course its a recycled container with an assortment of fruit, nuts, pretzels, etc instead of stopping at the store for a bag of chips or candy bar.
• We recycle barn tin for signs and my photo booth and many other projects. Most of the tin has been rescued and salvaged from my Granddaddy's old hay barn.

• We used only reclaimed items for flower containers in our yard. (see this post, including a video, demonstrating  how-to plant in rusty bottomless buckets.)
• Our gazebo was rescued from a trash ditch and all of the containers and chairs are second hand. Yes, really! The only thing store bought are the lights, hummingbird feeder, and some of the plants.  (Spring 2018 garden tour coming soon!)

• Almost all of the furniture in our house in second hand. (Only the kitchen table was purchased new and I regret doing that.)
• My camper is a 1959 model and almost everything in it is second hand. The exception being the 3/4 mattress, sheets, and a string of lights. 

• We search the thrift stores and estate / garage sales for vintage lace, clothing, and anything we can repurpose. Some of the lace in the wedding bouquets is vintage or second hand. 

• We upcycle and repurpose clothing. Some of my favorite outfits cost less than $5 and they are usually the ones that get the most compliments! 

(The Vintage Queen Collection is coming soon and will feature vintage lace and upcycled clothing, among other things. The fabric for the mocha satin roses in the bridal bouquet was cut from a bridesmaid dress. Also, vintage jewelry / brooches are included in the arrangement.)

  

Did you know:

According to the EPA, American discard approximately 13.1 million tons of textiles a year and only about 15 percent of that is reclaimed for recycling. This means that more than 11 million tons of textiles are dumped into landfills across the country each year. 

Keeping textiles out of landfills would save more than $375 million per year in fees alone. ($44/ ton to dispose of waste.)

Source 

We do our part to help eliminate part of the textile waste!  

Have I mentioned I love rust? (Currently in our Uniques and Antiques booth.)

• If possible, we recycle packing materials such as the air bubbles, paper, peanuts, and bubble wrap. If the packaging is clean and in good shape in boxes we get in, we reuse the packing on orders going out. Several family members will also save their air packs for us. If I come across a box of vintage patterns, I'll use the tissue patterns for wrapping wedding bouquets and pillows, instead of new tissue paper. You would be surprised how many old patterns have never been cut and you can find extra large pieces of tissue in them. 
• Most days, my mail carrier picks up my packages at home, saving me a trip to town and about 25 miles round trip. So thankful for my rural mail carrier and honestly sad she will be retiring this summer! 
• Many times, we use recycled glass vases or other containers for flower arrangements. (I will not sacrifice quality - they must be in good, clean condition or I won't use it.)
• Cans, scrap metal, and batteries are saved to take to a salvage yard.
• We monitor our electricity usage. Jeff is great about watching the sun and opening or closing blinds and doors at certain times of the day to either let the sun in on cold days or keep it out on the hot days. We try to run the clothes dryer at times when the house needs heating up (late night / early morning and avoid the middle of the day in the summer time.) I can honestly say our electric bill has gone down in the last few years, while many complain about higher bills. 
• We hand wash all our dishes. Its much quicker and doesn't use as much water as the dishwasher.
• We have 6 reusable grocery sacks. On top of saving plastic bags, they make it so much easier to tote groceries in the house.  Seriously, no slinking grocery sacks spilling out in the back seat or the pickle jar falling through the flimsy sack and busting on the ground. We usually grocery shop once a week and hit the farm supply store and check on all the farm animals on the same trip. 
• When I do get plastic sacks from stores, I save them up and take them to our favorite thrift store, so they can be reused or line garbage cans at home. 
• I've used newspaper underneath mulch, instead of black plastic in flower beds. 
• Food containers are often reused as paint trays. Just because it says cottage cheese or yogurt on the outside, many times it paint or stain on the inside! 
• We prefer glass jars to plastic for food storage.
• We have a small toaster oven - the best $1 ever spent at a garage sale! Cooking for two, it is perfect for us and many times we avoid turning on the "big oven". Our microwave went out 2 1/2 years ago and we've yet to replace or miss it and we honestly feel healthier without it! 

While I know there are still things we can improve upon, I feel like we do pretty well. We do discuss adding solar panels on future improvements. Jeff and I are constantly asking each other "what can we do with this?"

What are some of the sustainable things you do in your home or business?  

Christmas in the Camper

Miss Gussie's Christmas Decor - 

The week after Thanksgiving, I found a little pink Christmas tree, while at our favorite thrift store. I didn't know what I would do with it, but it just called out to me and I couldn't pass it up. At first I was like "Christmas show next year... or booth space next year." Later that afternoon, it hit me - the camper needed the pink tree! The quilt I have in the camper has lots of pink in it and of course all the lace... so that's where it went! It was just the right size to fit on the tray that I leave sitting on the bed.

 As I was rearranging the camper, I was reminded of the white rag / ribbon garland / bunting / whatever you want to call it and wrapped it around the tree. It instantly made the little tree fuller and give it that shabby chic look. Another white tinsel garland and a few gold ornaments (purchased at same thrift store) and I was almost done.

  For my tree topper, I gathered a few feathers from my workroom and tucked them in the branches. I already had the pink doilies and scarf on the tray and they work great to hide the tree stand. Simple and less than $5 spent on the tree (since several things where already on hand and I've already had to rob a few feathers for a wedding bouquet!)

 Now to the front of the camper  - while it still has burlap and lace, this area has a little more color. This is where the table would have been, but it was missing when I got Miss Gussie, and I've been leaving it made as a bed, instead of the two separate benches. The front quilts have more red and blue in them, so it worked with this Texas flag I found. I originally thought about hanging the flag over the back window as a curtain, but it just didn't fit back there. I finally settled on this corner and was able to drape it without having to staple or make any permanent alterations to hang it.

A few fresh cedar branches were tucked around the camper in places. (I won't be lighting this lantern with the cedar attached.)

 Miss Gussie serves as the " Gypsy Farm Girl World Headquarters!" Sometimes (OK, a lot of times) extra inventory gets stored in the camper and such is the case with the silver platter turned Christmas wall hanging.

Because we all need LOVE...

 and to DREAM...

I've failed to get good pictures of the outside lights and tree, so here's a phone snap shot. If you saw my earlier video, you know that I prefer white Christmas lights and Jeff likes colored. We compromised and I've got white in the gazebo and inside the camper, but we've got colored lights on the outside of the camper. I've been meaning to do a camper Christmas video, but haven't got around to it, yet. Maybe tomorrow... (it's raining today)

Merry Christmas Friends! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season. 

I know many of you are suffering the loss of loved ones, sickness, and other problems and we send our love and prayers for all of you, that this time can be the best possible under the circumstances. 

An Extra Special Wedding Bouquet

 This was an extra special burlap and lace bridal bouquet to make! Watch the short video below for an explanation of what made this a sentimental keepsake for one bride to be.

Joy ordered this bouquet in coral and navy and ask if I could use lace from her late mother's wedding dress. Of course, I said yes! Instead of chopping up the dress, she sent me the veil and all the lace in the bouquet (except for the lace bouquet collar) is from the veil. She surprised her sister with this sentimental, keepsake bouquet! I love getting to add something that holds special meaning to arrangements.

By the way, Joy has already given the bouquet to her sister, said she loved it, and give me permission to share the story.

Gone Junkin - Wooden Nickles, Chandeliers, and Snakes!

All in a days work - finally getting around to sharing our Thursday Junkin' adventures and let me tell ya, this is one we won't soon forget! Angea and I started met up at an estate sale Thursday morning. We found some vintage lace and a few items there. There was this bucket of wooden nickles that was used as advertising for the company the family owned. It led me to telling the story of what my Granddaddy always told me. When parting ways, many people say things like "after while crocodile" or "see you later, alligator." Not in my family! Granddaddy always told me "Don't take no wooden nickles...Don't kill any dead snakes."  

Well, I did take a few of the free wooden nickles...

While we at the estate sale, Angea talked to a friend and she alerted us to an unadvertised garage sale, so we decided to go check it out and found some gorgeous blush lace panels there, although its what we saw between the two sales, that we won't forget! 

We see this huge chandelier in a dumpster and of course we decided to stop and grab it up! I start to grab the chandy and Angea hollers "there's a dead snake!" I had to get photo proof and snapped a couple pictures before we loaded the chandelier up. Thank goodness it was a dead snake and we followed Granddaddy's advise and did not kill a dead snake!

It has a couple of bent arms, but just look how big it is! I can see visions of it hanging from an old oak tree with flowers, battery operated candles, and fabric intertwined in it for an outdoor wedding. 

We then ventured on to another estate sale on our way to add some new items in our booth at Uniques and Antiques in Mineola, Texas. We had lunch, restocked our booth, then met up with another vendor friend.

Angea's fabric pumpkin patch keeps growing and she adds new styles each week!

That's a square crochet table cloth on the hutch. Prices have been marked down on some items in our booth, so be sure to check back on some of the items. 

I love that denim and lace jacket that Angea repurposed! Embroidery is suppose to be a hot item for fall and this shirt has vintage embroidery and lace adorning it. There's several different styles of shirts and jackets to choose from. 

Our farmhouse mantle... Can we just say those white pumpkins are  fantastic! 

I've been working on some new tin signs and created some rustic pumpkins. (A larger selection of pumpkin and Mason jar signs are available in my online shop and available to ship worldwide.)

After getting back to Angea's house, I then decided I should run to Longview and get supplies for some weddings and events happening next week. I needed to secure the items, so me and my chandelier took off to Hobby Lobby.

Then it was time to go feed the horses and donkey. This is the boss horse, who has never let another animal eat with him or even come near him while eating. Somehow, someway he lets Ronnie D, the donkey, eat with him. Ronnie came to live on the farm last summer and was considered a "wild sh!t" by his previous owners, although now he loves attention and being petted. They have separate troughs, but end up eating together. I shake my head every time I see it, because I just can't believe my old horse will let someone eat with him!

The heifers were checking out what all was in my truck, while I was checking on them... or maybe they said it needed cleaning! If you missed the "What's in a Junker's Truck" post, you can check it out here.

Ah, finally home after about 10 hours on the go and unloading my junkin' finds!

I bought a petticoat at one estate sale! My mannequin needs a skirt for her next modeling gig! I got a ladder, a large frame, several vintage lace pieces, doilies, and some brooches.

I mean how could we pass this baby up?

Pretty doilies and an enamel bowl...

Talk about pretty blush lace!

It was a fun day with some neat finds. I went back to one estate sale today (Saturday) and found a few more goodies! I found a tv tray and orange mason jar pitcher top that is just like the one Grandmama had. We would carry dinner to Granddaddy in the hayfield on that tray and eat on the back of a truck or trailer bed. She would also make him lemonade in a mason jar and the orange handle / lid would allow you to pour out of the jar. (I'm sure it has an appropriate name, but I don't know it.) Those are a few finds that I intend to keep for myself...

 Have you found anything good while out junking recently or have a crazy tale to tell?

Just remember - Don't take any wooden nickles or kill any dead snakes, but do take the gorgeous chandy in the dumpster! 

Free Spirit

free spirit

noun

a person with a highly individual or unique attitude, lifestyle, or imagination; nonconformist.

2 years ago, I met a bride for the first time and after talking for a little bit, she said "you're a free spirit..." and we got a long great and the wedding was fabulous! It was the best compliment! 

Embrace it, accept it, be unique... DON'T be like the rest of them, darling! 

For as long as I can remember, my granddaddy always told me "you're one of a kind girl, you're one of a kind." At times I wanted to fit in, but now, I'm totally embracing the uniqueness of who I am. I hope you'll  do the same! 

(Found the Free Spirit Tee a few weeks ago and had to have it! Denim and lace skirt and dream catcher available in my shop. I'm not exactly model material,  so I won't be quitting my day job to pursue that avenue, but hey I wanted to show the skirt on, so you could see it better than simply hanging on a rack. There's a couple that are like this and several other one of a kind denim and lace skirts, dresses, shirts, and jackets available. 

A Pink Rose and Vintage Lace Kind of Day 💝

It was a pink rose and vintage lace kind of day and oh how pretty they are! Can't you just feel soft velvety petals and smell the sweet scent? 

I had several arrangements to deliver in the area and love this mixture of spring and feminine flowers. 

I'm also loving this new Gypsy Dianthus (the hot pink cluster of flowers) that I've been able to get from our wholesalers recently. I've had dianthus in my yard for several years, but I'm tickled pink to find it as a cut flower and how awesome is it that they call it Gypsy?!? One of my sales reps said it was fitting for me! 

Also with pink roses - I've been adding some new shirts to my Etsy shop this week. There are three different white shirts with a pink rose print and stripe cross and vintage heart doily sewn to them. 

I altered this shirt by cutting off the sleeves to make it a lightweight summer top. 

I then added some lace patches and rose fringe to the back for a truly one of a kind shirt. 

Queen Anne's Lace and Roses... 💗

Oh, and on a ending note - 

I delivered flowers to one lady and left with two bags of blackberries! So, I made cobbler when I got home! On another stop, a friend shared some junk with me. I do love my tribe and thank y'all for being a part of it! Now, I must go sample the cobbler...