VINTAGE LINEN FINDS and NEW CARDS IN THE MAKING

Like so many of you who adore antique linens, I have such a deep love for them as well.  You know, the great vintage stuff...beautiful old laces and the kind of handwork you rarely see duplicated these days.  I think one of the reasons the original VICTORIA MAGAZINE was so popular is because the photos were breathtaking and so often they showcased the beautiful old cotton and linen finds that were once difficult to hunt down.  As we know all that changed when online shopping took hold and sites like eBay came to town.  

But...if you look hard and stay diligent when on the tag-sale-circuit every once in awhile you stumble upon some incredible pieces! 

Last weekend my Mr. AGP Man and I hit the local roads again and had such a wonderful time spending time doing some of the things we've always loved doing.  I look forward to the weekends when we are able share, laugh and chat about the things going on in our lives.  I found this early 1900 pillow cover at a estate sale north of my town.  It has beautiful drawn work and gorgeous tucks throughout the entire cover.  At a different sale a few miles away I purchased a pair of old cotton shams with beautiful embroidery across the front accented with pretty lace-trimmed scallops.  After a gentle wash I pressed them with a quick spritz of water, filled each one with feather inserts and placed them on our bed.  

Simple BEAUTY!  Just can't let them go!

 

 I've also been working on some new Note Cards for my local Booth inside Serendipity Market here in Edmond, OK.   Here's a peek at a couple...

I recently found this a lovely old photo (below) taken close to a century ago...

Most likely everyone in the picture has passed on by now.  I wonder how their lives turned out?  Hmmm...  I love that the children are all holding American Flags and that one is waving in the background as well...  I'm excited about using it in the near future!  Not sure of the caption yet~  But it will be sweet!

Hope your day is fabulous.

Blessings...

Rebecca

~ALTERED VINTAGE GREETING CARDS~

~ALTERED ART NOTE CARDS~

Dress Form - Pedestal Cake - Vintage Shoe

Today I've been busy photographing new product for my A Gathering Place website!!!  I'm too excited to type because the creative juices are flowing!  Lots of changes coming up before long!

~MY FAVORITE MANNEQUIN~

Soooo Frenchy

 A couple of weeks ago I shared how I was was putting my online shoppe on a little short-term hiatus.  It is in dire need of a makeover and it's not something I can do on my own.  I desperately need the help of my guy as it's his place of expertise, not mine.  As you know he's been super busy with remodel stuff (and school) so the timing has to be right or bugging him asking him too many times nicely to HELP ME RESCUE ME can cause undo stress in our lives (I'm trying to be a considerate wifey here)!  Anyway, my website is now down for at least six weeks and I hope to reopen it sometime during the middle of March!  Thank you so much for your encouragement!  I'll be sharing more about it soon!

 ~ROMANTIC SHOE~

Victorian - Edwardian Beauty

Last Fall when I really got serious about expanding the focus of my work to include more than just shabby pink decor I took a peek at some of my vintage graphics in hopes of re-stylizing them.

 ~ALL KEY-ED UP~

I love working with Adobe PhotoShop CS5 Extended and I can't sing the praises enough regarding this fabulous software.  I'm not being paid to say this...  I really do love it!  I know I've said this before, but if you're looking for a great program to rework and alter your new and vintage images then this is the one!!!  

~VINTAGE BIRTHDAY CARD~

The Sweetest Pedestal Cake

A month ago or I so I bought this charming vintage birthday card on eBay.  I loved the cake in the center even though the rest of the card is way over done for me!  Last week I finished working on a dozen or so designs and today I'm showing you four of my favorites!  Below is the altered birthday cake from the card above!  The new cake is on a ground of French ephemera (sorry you can't see it) and it was lots and lots of fun to make!!!

~ALTERED BIRTHDAY CAKE CARD~

With all the remodeling going on in our home I've been hibernating upstairs in my studio away from the chaos.  I like ORDER IN MY LIFE and with everything torn up I get nervous!   I'm happy to tell you the concrete has been cut out around the floor pipes (water) and the carpet removed.  Whew!  Wood floors are slated to be installed on the 20th!  Did I tell you that?  Oh yeah...I think I did!

~GONE GONE GONE~

Carpeting is Removed

Hope your day is wonderful!

Love to you...

~~~SWEET PINK CUPCAKE CONFECTIONS~~~ Calorie Free Temptations

~PINK CUPCAKE CONFECTIONS~

I can't believe it's after 8pm and I'm just now doing my Monday Post!  I've been a busy girl today doing really interesting boring things like cleaning my house and hauling stuff to Goodwill!  I love a happy house and I really LOVE being able to walk around in my clutter-free garage...  I just don't love the process of getting it to that place!

I wish I could afford a maid live-in-maid.  :)

 ~A GIFT of LOVE~

Then I could spend all my time doing really fun stuff like sewing, painting and altered art design work. :)

~TEABAG COVERS~

(Of Course!)

Cupcakes continue to be the rage and I think that's just the funniest thing!  They've been around forevahhh!!!  I found the following info online about these tasty little treats:

~DAINTY LITTLE BOXES for TEA~

(hmmm...or some other sweet treat!)

The term "cupcake" was first mentioned in 1828 in Eliza Leslie's Receipts cookbook. In the early 19th century, there were two different uses for the name "cup cake" or "cupcake". In previous centuries, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups, ramekins, or molds and took their name from the cups they were baked in. This is the use of the name that has persisted, and the name of "cupcake" is now given to any small cake that is about the size of a teacup".

Interesting, huh?

 ~PERFECT FOR SIX TEA BAGS~

(or cookies!)

 Greeting Cards, Note Cards, Hang Tags, Teabag Covers and dainty Favor Boxes are coming your way soon!

~SUCH A SWEET PINK TREAT~

Did your week start off great???  Hope it's filled with good things!  Only good, good things!

Love to you...

~FRENCH PERFUME BOTTLE CARDS and TAGS~ Romantic Parisenne Ooh La La

  ~COMING SOON~

Nursing my hip injury has not been fun and it's kept me sidelined for several days.  I'm doing great now after a much needed round of meds and I'm almost back to being good as new.  Thanks to all of you who sent your kind thoughts my way!  I've actually been able to sleep for the first time in weeks and I'm feeling better than evahhhhh.....

 ~PARIS...Ooo La La ROMANTIC~

I'm going to take Wednesday and Thursday off this week to catch up on some special orders and to finish the production part of a line of French Bottle Perfume Cards, Notes, Hang Tags, Tea Bag Covers and Fabric Panels I've been working on since last Fall.

 ~WITH LOVE~

Today I'm giving you a sneak-peek at three original romantic designs newly fashioned at A Gathering Place.  If I didn't love painting and sewing sooo much I do think I would have loved becoming a full-time graphic-arts-girl.  Re-purposing vintage images and ephemera is my third favorite thing to do in the whole wide world!  I'm becoming a total computer geek and I'm quite sure this makes my sonshine, Brandon Kent, very, very proud! 

Hope your day is lovely!  I'll be back on Friday to show you yet another project that's been taking up my time!

Love to you...

~~~~~~~~HAVE A SWEET PINK DAY~~~~~~~~ Drink Tea and Eat Cupcakes

~GOT CUPCAKES?~

I'm barely getting this little post in before the stroke of midnight!  I've been a busy girl!  Truth is I'm really REALLY tired and I'm happy to see this week end!

Thanks to all of you who stopped by to visit my little studio during the Where Bloggers Create III Party hosted by Karen Valentine at My Desert Cottage!!!  I was honored to have you peek in for a quick little tour of where I spend most of my daytime (ur...afternoon, nighttime, etc.) hours!  I'm down to the H's!  I'll get to you all...I promise!  I've seen some totally amazing workplaces out there in blogland!  WOW!

Aside from filling special orders this week I'm nursing a pretty painful hip injury and that's kept me sidelined a bit!

(NOTE TO SELF:  When working in your flowerbeds and an enormous WASP {and some of his trusty friends} tries to sting you a gajillion times, don't run!  You'll probably stumble over some humongous prickly bush {with these little thorn-type thingys}, scrape up both your knees on an old oak tree before slamming your left hip into the ground...STUPID WASP!) :(

I did finish up a sweet little set of Cupcake Cards which I'm showing you today.  They are on my website and will be uploaded to Etsy sometime tomorrow as well!

Blessings and thank you again for your kindness to me and words of encouragement.  

Love to you...