DIY Monday: Krylon Looking Glass Mirror Paint

It's been a while since I first learned about this paint, and it took a little time to find. I wasn't successful finding it at my local craft stores, so I had to order it online. Since it's a little pricey, I have been waiting for the perfect project to try it out.

I changed the quilt on our bed about two months ago and since then I've been looking for the right art to put over our bed - as anyone will tell you I'm of the belief that "white space" is great in an ad, but not something I like in my home. So having a stash of old frames I found one that I think will work with the other things I'm pulling together and tried it out.

First I cleaned the glass thoroughly on both sides. Then, following the instructions I used a well-shaken can to put on the first, thin layer of paint. I shook a little more while I was waiting the directed minute between layers (to let the solvents evaporate) and then sprayed another thin layer. I repeated this 5 times and sure enough on the 5th layer I could see that the paint had pretty much turned opaque by that last layer.

Emerging a little light headed (the smell is very strong), I put the glass in a place where it could safely dry. About 12 hours later, the result is an antique mirror-like finish. I wouldn't say it looks like a new mirror, but there's definitely a reflection that looks a lot like some of the older mirrors I have that have been dulled by time.

I think in the future I may use this paint to spruce up some of the old metal frames I find at estate sales. It's not chrome shiny, but it'll add just the right finish to frames that others may be tempted to just toss. Overall, I think this was worth the time to track down and try!

Vintage Wednesday: Tobacco Flannels

I was recently lucky enough to find a tobacco flannel at an estate sale. The guy checking me out shook his head when I walked up with the flannel - not expecting that I'd know what it was. In a way, I didn't as I'd always called them cigar box flannels. After doing some research, however, I've found that the correct name is probably tobacco flannel or tobacco felt. It seems cigar box collectors have challenged the thought that they were included in cigar boxes, though they really are the right size!

These were included as incentives for buying tobacco in the late part of the 19th Century into the early part of the 20th Century in the U.S. I understand that popularity waned with WWI, which makes sense given trends at the time. They come in different shapes and sizes (this one is one of the larger ones I've seen). Flags were a popular theme, but I've also seen butterflies and even a beaver.

I imagine the reason I knew what this was is that I'd seen them used in quilts. Industrious women apparently saw the beauty in these long before I graced the planet. I've also seen some beautiful example of silk cigar ribbons made into quilts or table covers.

I'm not sure what I'll do with this little beauty yet, but I sure am glad I found it!

Inspiration Thursday! Missing home.

It seems like I just wrote about our vacation - stealing those last warm, sunny days - and fall blew into DC. I'm not complaining, mind you. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Fall is when I acquired new school supplies in anticipation of a new school year. Fall is when the air becomes crisp. Fall brings the kind of sleeping weather where you can leave the windows open and wake up perfectly snug in a quilt.

Although I've lived in the DC area for 15 years now and have a home of my own, I tend to long for "home" this time of year - West Virginia is the home I long to see. When I was in college, our choir sang "My Home Among the Hills." There's a land of rolling mountains, where the sky is blue above. And though I may roam, I hurry home to the friendly hills I love... there autumn hill sides are bright with scarlet trees....

That's what I miss the most in this season, the rolling mountains of color. It's a sea of reds, greens, yellows, oranges or the harder to define colors like a coral or chartreuse that give my hills life in autumn. The color blankets the hills in undulating waves that coat the Appalachians like my quilt covers me in warmth. Although it's the end of their cycle, those leaves give a last burst of life that even now I see in my mind long after they're dust on a forest floor. It's life. It's comforting. It's home.

And so as it turns chilly, my feet itch to return to my home among the hills so I can tuck away another WV autumn in my heart.

DIY Monday: Flower arranging tip

I asked a friend to help me with a wedding a couple weeks ago and she was asking about making a tape grid to hold flowers in a square vase. There's a special floral tape that's water resistant and skinny enough to make a grid on a small vase opening.

It's called "clear floral tape" and it's made by the Oasis company - the same people who make the floral foam. I finally found mine at save-on-crafts.com (after much searching).

Before you arrange your flowers, you make a simple grid (like a 9 patch quilt by using 2 strips of tape one way and 2 strips of tape the other way) with this tape at the top of the vase - don't make the ends too long or they'll show under your arrangement. Also make sure you keep a center square so that you'll be able to make a center in your arrangement. Add your water and preservative after you've made the grid and use the grid to help keep your flowers in place.

Vintage Wednesday: Art Pottery

I recently bought a lovely swan vase. It's got the flat glaze of many of the art pottery pieces I have, and of course I love the swan theme. The vase has no readily seen identifying marks, so I put my investigating hat on and started researching the maker.

The easiest way to identify art pottery is to look for the mark on the bottom of the piece. Most of the more popular art potteries - such as Hull, McCoy, Roseville, Haeger, Van Briggle or Hall - have either the name or a mark particular to their company. McCoy and Roseville usually scrawl their name on the bottom. Hall has their name boxed. Van Briggle has what looks like a stylized double A (for founders Artus and Anne) in a box and is also sometimes signed by the artist who made the pot. But what do you do if your piece doesn't have an identifying mark?

Sometimes you can look at the color of the clay used to make the piece. You can also turn the piece over and you'll be looking at the "foot" of the piece. Some companies completely glaze the foot, but others leave a ring that's unglazed - this can be an identifying clue. Another clue could be the type of glaze used. Some companies have colors specific to their line that become familiar as you begin to see a number of pieces from that company. Sometimes the lines of the piece shout the maker - I especially this is true with Roseville or Van Briggle pieces.

There are a multitude of books available to help you identify art pottery, but I've found a good Internet search can help you narrow your identification. So that's what I did by searching "swan vase." Interestingly, there are several swan vases available from at least 8 different makers. Looking through the photos of these pieces, I found several confirming that my vase is a Haeger piece, possibly from the late 30s or early 40s. I'd have to go look in a Haeger book to be sure, but it makes sense given the glaze and look of the piece. Too bad Sherlock Holmes didn't have the Internet!

Foodie Friday: Crock Pot Roast

I've shared a crock pot roast recipe here before, but I made one today that was pretty delicious and wanted to share. I cut up an eye of round roast, browned it and put it in the crock pot. I added two Vidalia onions quartered and sprinkled it with garlic salt. I then added about a cup of blush Chablis wine and a cup of water.

Seal the lid and cook it in the crock pot on high for about 6 hours or for about 8 hours on medium. I whipped up a pepper gravy (see next week for that recipe) with the "sauce" created as it cooks. It's delicious and SO, SO easy!

Vintage Wednesday: Antique Hymnals

Hubby and I were visiting my parents over the July 4th weekend. While we were there, my father pulled out a video made of my grandparents in the late 80s. My grandmother told the story of how they met. My grandfather had taken a blind date to a community sing. My grandmother had gone with another gentleman. Apparently, they got to the sing and realized their partners couldn't sing, so they switched partners ending up with each other because they were both singers. He walked her home and that was the beginning of somewhere around 70 years of singing.

I guess you could say we're a musical family. Family gatherings often involve a piano and some kind of singing... and sometimes dancing if we get too excited. I remember many nights falling asleep to my father picking out hymns on the piano. My brother started playing music by ear when he was just old enough to reach the piano keys. And I amaze my husband when I break out into songs from my grandparents' and great-grandparents' generations.

That could be the reason I get such a thrill from finding new, old music. By that I mean music that was popular long before I was born - sometimes before my grandparents were born. I especially love when I find old hymnals.

Daddy used to talk about shape note singing in churches he attended as a child. Much of the singing they did was a capella (without instruments, voices only) as the shapes of the notes guided their voices. Many of the older hymnals I have are printed with these odd-shaped notes.

I was delighted recently to see a Smithsonian article with a picture of the hymnal of Harriet Tubman. Her hymnal looks quite a bit like one of the hymnals in my collection. It reminded me that even though these hymnals are dear to me, I have many of them. I wonder as I look at my collection, how dear these might have been to their first owners - and how many hours were spent singing the notes, pondering the words and meditating on the meanings of songs in these precious books.

Vintage Wednesday: Victorian Mottos

I'm a collector. I don't know why I'm a collector, but I am a collector. Maybe because I've always had a sense that history was valuable and needed to be preserved? Possibly because I compulsively put things in order? Maybe it's just that I was taught to see the beauty in the little things? I do know, however, that I've been a collector for most of my life.

When I was young, I was all about books, books, books. I'd beg for a dollar at a yard sale. I've drool over the first editions in the used book store. I'd pour over the illustrations by Harrison Fisher and Howard Chandler Christy. I loved the feel of paper, the typography, the bindings.

As I've gotten older, I'm more specific in my collections - probably because there's just not room to start a library and a museum in my house. It takes something unusual to catch my eye. But that's what's happened in the last year.

It started - as it usually does - with an estate sale. It was the estate of a collector, which is the very best kind for a collector. She collected crystal - loads and loads of crystal. But she also had some unusual things around the house tucked into closets and cubbyholes. As I walked through a bedroom, a picture caught my eye. It had pink and yellow roses on a black background and a rather gothic Victorian picture with the scripture, "The Lord hath been mindful of us". As I explored the rest of the house, that picture stayed in my mind and in the end it was the only thing I purchased at the sale... for about $10.

Several months later I was walking through another estate sale and found another picture with the scripture "Thou art my refuge and my portion" on it. The style was different in that it was printed rather than embossed and was on a white background, but it still had flowers and scripture quote as a theme. I think I picked it up for about $10 as well.

Well, once you have two, you have crossed the line from pretty object to collection. I then started looking for these types of artwork at the estate sales, flea markets, thrift stores and antique shops I visit. And what I've found is that I've been incredibly lucky to find the pieces I've found. Anything I've found online is $100 or more!

Apparently these pictures followed a trend in Victorian ornamentation called Berlin work. Berlin work incorporated colorful yarns (manufactured in Berlin) with low cost canvas or perforated paper (as opposed to linen or silk) that was accessible to the middle classes as an art form. The industrial revolution and the rise of the middle class gave many women the means to have leisure time and embroidery - which had been a pastime of the wealthy - became a pastime of the middle class. It brought color and art to the middle class home.

I'd seen the paper punched versions of these pieces complete with some inspirational motto, hymn reference or scripture verse worked in variegated thread. I'd not, however, seen much of the printed mutation of these works of art. And when trying to research the history, I found it difficult to trace the roots. After searching for scripture verse art and quotation pictures, among other things, I finally stumbled on the moniker "motto," which opened the door to the little history I've found.

In the meantime, I continue to keep an eye open to these little works of art. During my visit to Gettysburg, I found one more piece to add to my collection. This time it cost me all of $12, and had more roses along with Victorian and Nouveau motifs. This one says, "Love One Another" - another scripture reference. And so my collection continues to grow as I search for bargain additions in my newest treasure hunt.

Working Tuesday: Photographing Jewelry

I found myself with a bit of free time this weekend since the hubby was out of town. Since I'd been thinking for months about doing new photos for the website, I called the owner of Milk Money Designs and asked if she'd come help me do a shoot. She was happy to assist!

When I first photographed the jewelry, I was worried about making the photo pretty by setting a scene. The problem with this is that although the jewelry is the focal point of the photo, there's quite a bit to draw the eye. Gradually, I used fewer and fewer props. I've eventually learned that jewelry photographed on a plain background puts the jewelry in focus - as there's nothing to distract the eye. I feel like it took me WAY too long to get to this point given the pictures that caught my eye on Etsy were these kinds of pictures: simple, white background, close up, prominent in the frame.

I've also learned the importance of natural light to photographing my work. If you're using conventional lights, you'll notice a slight yellow tinge to your photos. Using natural light or halogen lights with full spectrum bulbs (such as an OttLight) helps pull out the true color of your pieces. I've not yet gotten the hang of pulling the shadows out by using diffusers (which can be as simple as white fabric), but I'm getting there.

I've invested in a portable light box - like the one shown here - to help, but I know there are do-it-yourself demos online that can help you build a cheaper version. I've also found great success with just a piece of white fabric propped up against a wall under a skylight in my house.

I'm learning more every day!

Foodie Friday: Feta Burgers

Looking for a twist on your 4th of July burgers? How about Feta Burgers? If you like Feta cheese, you'll love these burgers.

 

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 8 oz. package Feta cheese, cubed

In a mixing bowl, mix 1 pound of ground beef, pour in cubed Feta cheese, crack an egg over it and add your packet of salad dressing mix. Mix with your hands and form into patties.























Place patties on the grill or fry them up in a skillet to your desired state of done-ness. Throw the cooked burger on a bun with lettuce and tomato and you'll have a delicious holiday treat!

Vintage Wednesday: A girl and her chair, part 2

Remember my obsession with chairs? Well, meet my newest addition.

It started back in 2003 in a little town called London. Mama and I had braved the metro to find a pokey upholstery shop in an "interesting" part of town. Freezing cold, we walked through a door into paradise. Well, it was paradise for those with a love of good upholstery fabrics. I have many obsessions.

While Mama was looking for fabric for costuming, I was enjoying the colors, textures and designs surrounding me. And then I found THE fabric. Gold and red. The right red. Mackintosh roses. Nouveau lines. Spectacular. I was in love.

Taking a deep breath because of the price, I got enough to cover a chair, a SPECIAL chair, a someday chair.

Years passed and many chairs came through my life, but none was right enough to use the golden fabric - until last Christmas when we found THE chair. Technically, it's a rocker - with swan arms, long lines, padded cushions, and a rose carved in the top. Given my recent obsession with swans (check out the Swoon Studios logo) and my love of roses and Nouveau lines, the chair was perfect. It had a textured mint green fabric from the 50s that was begging to be changed. Enter the golden fabric, some red trim, a gifted upholsterer and voila... my latest addition was born.

And as I gaze at the regal glory of this chair, my mind drifts back to that cold, cold day in London and a piece of fabric that inspired a dream come true - because I know that one day I'll rock babies in this chair. What a story that will be.

Vintage Wednesday: Social History

There are moments in life where a word or phrase opens a new door - one you'd not known existed before - into a world that delights you with it's rightness. College was full of these moments for me. Things I knew in their randomness suddenly started finding order. Much of this order I attribute to a history professor named Bill Mahoney.

Professor Mahoney - as we called him when we first met him - was still finishing up his doctorate so he was still close enough to being a student that he seemed to identify with us just a little better than the other professors. Most of the other history professors were in the latter stages of their careers, which made Mahoney a breath of fresh air. His classes were FUN.

History had pretty much been a part of my life. I joke that we've probably seen every fort on the east coast, but I don't really remember going to the beach until I was 14 (I don't count the trip that happened when I'd just turned 4 because it's a little hazy). I'd dressed up in 18th century costumes and traveled to rendezvous since we celebrated the bicentennial. Daddy is a huge American history buff we'd often hear stories of how our neck of the woods was settled. "It was down on the other side of the Cheat River, when we came up on this meetin' in the middle of the night...." History was everywhere. Taking history classes was inevitable.

The thing that Dr. Mahoney taught me, the thing that brought randomness into order, was the concept of social history. Now, there's a high falootin definition of the theory of social history, but to break it down into layman's terms, social history takes into account the way people lived. It's not just a series of dates and the study of wars. Social history values the entire picture of life as our society evolves.

Social history doesn't just mark the industrial revolution. Social history looks at the way people lived before the machines, the threat the machines brought to their way of life, the emotional reasons the Luddites rose up, the art and architecture that resulted, the population movements that ensued. It looks at the entire picture. And suddenly Mama talking about the lines of furniture or the designs in dresses changing from the 18th to the 19th centuries fit into Daddy's talks of battles and freedom. And every antique began to tell a story.

Even though I wasn't a history major, those classes opened my eyes. Instead of seeing a corset cover, I can tell you the class of person from the fabric and cut. Instead of seeing stitching on a sampler, I see the precursor to home schooling. Instead of seeing a wooden bowl, I see how that bowl fit into a family's life. I identify antiques by thinking about how we developed as a society. I probably couldn't tell you the important battles of the civil war or dates of international treaties, but I probably could tell you how people lived, what they wore, the kind of music they played and how they fed their children in a particular period of time. History is relevant to me in a way it wasn't before I took those classes.

Dr. Mahoney is still at my college teaching history - and I'm pretty sure he's still sharing obscure Irish and Czech punk music with students like me (I doubt I'd ever heard 3 Mustafas 3 without him). I don't know if what he's teaching as revolutionary to them as it was to me. I do know, however, that I'm very thankful he chose a little college town in WV to ply his trade.

Inspiration Thursday! Look around.

The gentle fall of cherry blossoms in full bloom.
The petals of an orange tulip, splayed like a child's fingers reaching for the sun.
Clumps of daffodils, faces forward, begging, "Pick me! Pick me!"
A regal old camellia bush bursting with little red crinoline petticoat flowers.
The glow of a tree, blossoming white, backlit by the gold of the setting sun.
A canopy of green, budding trees against a stormy sky.

These are the pictures in my mind as I drive back and forth to work drinking in God's creation around me. Writers more brilliant than I have tried to capture the newness of this season, the life unfolding around them. I struggle for words that capture what I see. I mentioned to a co-worker last week that the Cherry Blossom Festival (which is a very big deal in Washington, DC) had passed me by with all the craziness of this year. I don't want to miss this season and the renewal it brings.

Growing up, it was a common occurrence in my family for one of us to gasp, "Look at the TREE!" or "The daffodils are budding!" or "Look at the redbud in the mountains!" You see, we were "carefully taught" to pay attention to the world around us. Mama was intentional in drawing our attention to trees or flowers or even people with particularly interesting faces, which in Mama's world often included a lifetime of lines and wrinkles. She taught us to feel the promise of the coming year like the warmth of the sun. We would shed the darkness of winter days and embraced the light of a new cycle of life through the lilacs or the daffodils or the baby chipmunks we'd occasionally spot nesting in a wall.

I think when you're young, it's easier to see through those eyes. I find it a little harder at this age. There's always so much to do when you're juggling home, work, friends and family - even our fish, Jeeves, demands time. Thankfully, I had an intentional mother who trained me to look and see. So the snapshots continue to appear as I hurry along my way, sometimes stopping me, reminding me to breathe and give thanks for these gifts I've been given.

Vintage Wednesday: Opera Glasses

My collection of opera glasses - and I use the term "collection" loosely - began with a gift. My best friend presented me a stunning pair as a birthday gift with the instruction that I was to put it in my will that she receive them back upon my death. Yeah, they're THAT beautiful. And I do have a clause in my will with that bequest just because of her.

My opera glasses are silver, inlaid with mother of pearl, are from Paris at around the turn of the 19th Century and have a telescoping handle for optimal elegance. I've proudly carried them to the ballet, the symphony, the theater - pretty much anywhere I can get away with using them. And last year on a ~ahem~ "landmark" birthday, I returned the favor by giving her a pair from the same maker with a removable handle, inlaid in mother of pearl and in gold. Her first response? "She's just trying to get out of returning hers in her will!" She might be right.

I have a certain fascination with opera glasses. They evoke an opulence, an elegance that's not a part of my everyday life. I feel as if I should put on a long gown and gloves - not forgetting my opera length pearls - when using them. A carriage should arrive to take me to the theater where I preside over society from the comfort of my box... in my dreams of course.

Having started with such an elegant pair, I've not often felt the need to expand my collection. My only addition as of now is one with little birds on the side and that's really only because I got a good price and loved the birds. If you're looking to start a collection, you can expect to pay anywhere from ten to many thousands of dollars. I just peeked to see what's currently on ebay and there's a gold nouveau pair with diamond, sapphire and ruby bees on them for over $23,000. That's a tad bit out of my budget, but they're gorgeous!

When looking make sure the mechanism that allows them to focus is in working order. Also make sure the lenses aren't cloudy as I understand sometimes can happen with older pairs. If they're inlaid with mother of pearl, look for cracks that could lead to further damage.

I've very much enjoyed owning a little piece of history. Might you?

Working Tuesday: Tax time...

For those of you thinking about starting a home-based crafting business, I have a couple words of advice. Please note, this isn't legal advice, nor should it be in any way construed as "tax preparer" level advice. It's just a couple practical suggestions from someone who wishes she'd known some things.

1. Keep all your receipts in a designated location. Sounds pretty basic, right? You'd be surprised how difficult this can be for "artist types." I'd much rather get on with making something than thinking about whether or not I've stored my receipts in the proper place. When tax time comes, however, I'm so glad that I HAVE stored my receipts in a central location!

2. Keep good records of your sales. So the notification comes that you've got a sale on Etsy and you're focused on packaging and packing and shipping. I get it. You want a happy customer. But you're also going to want a happy tax man and keeping good records of sales makes the tax man happy. If you're doing a show, this might be just a simple receipt book that lists the item sold, the cost of the item and the tax collected. With Etsy, it might just be printing out the sold orders page and putting it in that central place I talked about above. Either way, work ahead to avoid frazzles later.

3. Go to IRS.gov and familiarize yourself with the expenses in the Schedule C when you start your business. It may open your eyes to new receipts you should save or mileage you should keep and how to notate those expenses. Again, the tax man frowns upon guesstimates. Plan ahead and save some grief.

4. Ask for help if you are confused. There are a myriad of "small business" entities that can probably help you answer your tax questions. I know I've tapped my state resources when I've needed help. That's their job and they're usually happy to help unless there's some legal reason they can't.

That's it. That's my wisdom. It may not seem like much, but I wish I'd done some of these things when I first started a home based business those many years ago! And now, I've gotta get back to doing those taxes....

Inspiration Thursday! Getting back to the heart... land.

I live in a city of beautiful people, surrounded by beautiful landmarks and some days my work includes creating "image" advertising. Surrounded by all this beauty, it's very easy to get caught up in what looks good - even if only on the surface - because image is important in the community I adopted 15 years ago. But last week I had the opportunity to visit my hometown and got a dose of a different kind of beauty.

My hometown is nestled in the mountains. It's a College (now University) town, cut by a river and crowned in the former glory of coal barons whose lives ended long before my family came to town. At first glance, the people seem weathered, old. The houses look much the same. Homesteads I remember having neatly clipped lawns, pristine paint jobs and overflowing flower beds are now in a bit of disarray. I can see that the economy has hit the place of my childhood hard. But that was looking with my "city" eyes.

It took me a couple days to slip back into the comfort of home - to stop being sad about what I was seeing as decay. I began to look at the faces around me and realize that instead of the perfection I've come to expect, I was seeing the faces of lives lived, hardships weathered, families built. Each line on each face is a mark of a battle raged and won. The houses that need a coat of paint still have good bones, are still markers of generations safely sheltered and new families begun. There have just been more urgent and important needs than a coat of paint.

I know that there in the "heartland" instead of throwing away that which is old, we treasure the history and the strength and wisdom that comes with age. This is a place where neighbors know each other, whose children run from one yard to another because there are multiple Mamas looking out for them. It's a place where when you get sick someone will bring you homemade granola (even if you're visiting the doctor), will offer to mow your lawn or will come over to check on you if they see an abnormal number of cars in your driveway.

And so, in a way, I remembered myself. I remembered what is important in the grander scale of life. I remembered the proud, strong spirit that fostered my youth and young adulthood. And when I returned to my adopted city, I carried that Mountaineer strength back where I resume my place among the beautiful ones. But I know inside there's another world where beauty has a different face, a giving heart and a quiet dignity that looks beyond the surface with discerning eyes - and that will live inside me no matter where I go.

DIY Monday: Is it spring yet?

We had snow last weekend. I've been spoiled with days nearing the 70 degree mark and then - BAM - we get snow. It tried to cover the cherry blossoms and the daffodils, but they were made of sterner stuff!

In celebration of their perseverence, I was inspired to make a spring wreath to welcome guests into my home. Actually, it was to remind us of the promise of Spring as we travel back and forth to work.

Because I don't have a ton of time, I decided on the super easy version of this project. And then I went to my local Michael's to pick up my supplies:

• Styrofoam wreath (I chose the rounded rather than the flat variety)
• One package Spanish Moss (because the greener moss was way too expensive)
• Some hot glue (because I have no idea where mine is right now)
• A tiny nest (because nothing says Spring like nestlings!)
• Some turquoise ribbon
• And the thing that caused me the most trouble - tiny eggs for my nest

The first step is to attach the Spanish moss to the styrofoam wreath form with hot glue. I beaded the glue along the wreath and pressed the moss into the glue. Be careful not to burn your fingers as you're doing this.



As I mentioned above, the thing that gave me the most trouble was finding the right size and color of eggs. I'd hoped I could find some flower sprays with the eggs already attached in a tasteful robin's egg blue with brown speckles. I had no such luck. After searching the store for wooden eggs, then paper eggs and even a turn around the clay aisle (to make eggs), I settled on the glitter-laden eggs from the floral sprays in the Easter displays at the front. Since only one of the eggs had the glittery goodness, I had to walk around and find some glitter paint that would give me the same effect on the non-glitter egg that was included in the spray.

Having found the glitter paint, I spread it over the surface of the non-glittery egg to create a more uniform looks. Once that dried, I glued it into the nest and then glued the nest into the now Spanish moss covered wreath.



And that is how I now have a touch of Spring on my front door with less than an hour invested in the hunting, gathering and making of the wreath.

Vintage Wednesday: Collecting shoes.

Did you get excited when you saw the title of this post? Shoes? Yeah, not those shoes. GLASS shoes. And you thought you knew about Cinderella's slippers....

Did you know there are entire books devoted to identifying and collecting glass shoes?  Companies like Fenton, Boyd and Mosser have entire lines of these glass slippers - each with their own shape and personality. I'm not going to pretend I know the details of collecting these little beauties because I only have a couple, but I can give you a couple tips.

Glass type:
There are several different types of glass used to make these beauties. Some of the terms apply to the actual glass - such as milk, jadeite, frosted or opal satin, which are all opaque types of glass. Some terms apply to the design pressed into the glass - such as hobnail (looks like raised dots), rose (looks like roses pressed into the design), honeycomb or daisy and button (looks like the slippers pictured above).

Style:
There are several different styles of slippers still in production. Popular styles include: buckle, princess, cat, and bow.

These are the more modern styles of glass slippers - probably made since 1970. There are many other types of designs that I've seen, but have not yet explored. If you're interested in exploring more, I hope this has given you an interesting start!