Liz Mathews

French Flea Markets

2012-01-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

When Heather Bullard posted a video from the Porte de Vanves flea market in Paris a few weeks ago, I found myself instantly transported back to that wonderful french market, which happened to be the favorite from our 2010 trip. I think I watched the video three time remembering the wonderful treasures, spirit, and excitement of that particular street market. I was especially thrilled to recognize one of my favorite vendors with whom mom and I chatted, and both made purchases from.

If you do watch Heather's video (and you definitely should!), the vendor I'm referring to is featured at the 1:15 mark and you'll note her booth by all of the wonderful textiles, notions, and french packaging.

Seeing that fabulous booth again inspired an impromptu photo shoot of the few products I purchased from that tent. There were so many thing I wanted to bring home with me, but space and weight are of the essence when shopping abroad so I chose only a few lovely pieces of ephemera.

I assume this old victorian fan card was actually just the packaging for these tiny rhinestones which were ment to be sewn onto something else. I was so happy to find this package which is fully intact, and I assure you that I will never remove any of them!

I was also lucky enough to bring home two of these fabric sample cards. Muted pink and cream tones are printed on light weight cotton swatches which were then affixed to heavy cards featuring beautiful french typography. Tres chic!

2012-01-27T22:04:00.001-05:00

Have you discovered Pinterest yet?

I have become absolutely addicted to the virtual pin board website and find endless inspiration there. Although I was hesitant to get started- thinking I didn't have time for another social media network, it has now become the first website I check in the morning, and the last one I check when closing the computer for the night.

If you are unfamiliar with the website, here is a brief description:
Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

I would like to personally invite all of your to follow all of my pinterest boards by clicking the link on the right side of the screen. I curate each one of them with lots of love, and I hope you find lots of inspiration within them.

All photos fron Pinterest

A Sweet Tradition

2012-01-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

My stepmom, Mare has a beautiful antique glass cruet in which she keeps all of her vanilla for baking. She'd gotten it long before I was born, and we'd used it when baking sweet treats together ever since I was a little girl. I've always known that when I spot that bottle out on the counter nestled amongst sticks of butter, bags of brown sugar, and sacs of flour that something delicious about about to be made!

She had inherited her cruet from an old family friend and over the past few years it had become an antique that I was seriously coveting. Not only because I love the look of it, but also for the the memories it conjures up, and the association my brain makes to chocolate chip cookies every time I saw it.

As you can imagine, I was beyond excited when I opened up one of my boxes on Christmas morning and found my very own antique crystal cruet! It was totally unexpected and such a heartwarming gift to receive. The clear, thick, scalloped glass is lovely and I especially love the decorative stopper which fits perfectly. I now feel like I am part of a very elite grown-up baking club.

Thank you Mare, I will treasure it always. I look forward to the day we can give my daughter her very own cruet and welcome her into the club!

Chocolate Chip cookies:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Ice

2012-01-21T11:32:00.001-05:00

Baltimore has finally gotten some winter weather! We have had a very mild season so far, and I've been anxiously awaiting something to remind me that we're at the end of January!

Although we didn't get the snow I was hoping for last night, we did get lots of ice. And now it's as if every little thing is covered in a thick layer of glass.

Everything is still grey, quite, and peaceful outside so I bundled up and went out to capture some of the small details before they all melt away.

The Stork

2012-01-20T15:08:00.000-05:00

This is favorite canvas from The French Poste. As soon as I made it, I feel in love with this guy! I love the two layers of ephemera, the subject and delicate-ness of the victorian scrap as well as the miniature size of the completed piece. I thought long and hard before deciding to part with this stork canvas, but I'm hoping he can go to a good home. As long as someone scoops him up before I change my mind ;)

All of the canvases in The French Poste shop are hand-made by your's truly, and feature layers of century old ephemera and an original victorian die-cut. Antique French ribbon makes these little canvases ready to hang, although they can also be set on a shelf or any other surface.

Bullion

2012-01-17T23:16:00.000-05:00

Old bullion and tarnished sequins are so dreamy. Don't you agree...

The French Poste

2012-01-15T21:41:00.000-05:00

I am SO happy to announce that I've just launched my second etsy shop! A shop that focuses on all of my handmade projects and the antique ephemera that I love! I hope you can stop by and check it out. I'm still have lots of additions to make (both new styles and items), but I'd love to hear what you think so far.

The French Poste

52 Flea Give-away

2012-01-12T19:59:00.000-05:00

One of my new blog buddies, Laura, is having a fabulous give away on her blog. Laura writes the beautiful blog 52 flea that I'm sure many of you have visited before. I have been a long time fan of Lauras, and always find myself inspired by the beautiful way she photographs her antique treasures. She has a great eye for choosing "ordinary" pieces and staging then in just a way that they become works of art. I love that! Laura also takes her readers along to some of the most fabulous shops in New England and on regular trips to her serene lake house.

Until tomorrow 52 Flea is hosting a give-away for this lovely, perfect-for-market, vintage inspired bag. (I especially love the striped lining!) All you have to do to enter is swing the blog and leave a comment. Easy as pie!

Trust me, this will be a blog you want to bookmark!

Thank you Laura, and congratulations on your 800th post. I look forward to many more, and wish you and Mr. Flea anniversary!

Vintage Trunks

2012-01-12T00:35:00.000-05:00

A new vignette has poped up in the corner of our living room!

We had given up a large, over-stuffed chair just before Christmas, and I had plans of getting a big bookshelf to put in it's place after the Christmas tree came down. One trip to the antique markets changed that though...

It all started with these two trunks. Beautiful, old, worn trunks that I spotted in the back of a booth on Sunday. The dealer had four stacks of trunks. Each stack was piled 5 trunks high. I immediately fell in love. What's better- the price I paid; $90 for both! I especially love the top trunk. It's made of wood that has been covered in impressed metal sheets of berries and was the only one of it's kind in the booth.

This lovely new dress form is on loan from my mom and goes perfectly next to the dark shade of the trunks.

I decided to hang my collection of french mourning plaques on the wall behind the chests. I had been waiting to find the perfect location for these that really showcases their beauty, and this was the perfect spot. As I acquire more I plan to start hanging them on the side wall.

P.S.- I can't wait until we own our own house and can have plank wood floors :)

Studio Tour Part 1

2012-01-10T19:43:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my studio. Where a holiday/creativity/work bomb recently exploded. I realized the severity of the situation tonight when I had to move piles of supplies and antiques in order to create a place to sit my computer. That IS BAD!

In my defense, I have been working on some amazingly awesome projects that I can't seem to tear myself away from. And lets be honest- being creative is always going to trump cleaning.

But the time has come, and it has to be done. I am in serious cleaning mode and I figured by posting "before" photos of the studio it would be a little incentive for me to clean faster and post "after" shots. Especially since I haven't shown studio shots since moving last April. Accountability is the key here :)

Wish me luck... I'm going in!

Weekend wrap up

2012-01-08T20:37:00.000-05:00

We had a fabulous Sunday shopping the antique markets. We headed out before the sun came up and I was able to capture the beautiful images of this Pennsylvania sunrise.

Can't wait to share with you what I found...

French Apothecary Bottles

2012-01-06T00:06:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday!

Life

2012-01-04T23:00:00.000-05:00

Because I've been spending so much time lately thinking about my future and where I'm headed, I've also caught myself considering the things I wish I'd done differently in the past. Do you ever play that game with yourself- the what if game?

If I could go back in time and change one decision in my life, it would have to be my career path. I wish I would have gone into travel journalism and photography. I can imagine a incredibly exciting life full of exquisite places and beautiful images. A passport overflowing with stamps, and notebooks full of travel ephemera.

But instead I have a life full of endless creativity and small business pride. Leisurely vacations with the ones I love, and travel scrapbooks to share with you, my friends. I get to journal about anything my heart desires, and take beautiful images of this wonderful life full of things I did choose for myself and would never dream of changing. It's funny how life works out exactly like it should...

If you could go back and change just one decision you've made in life, what would it be?

2012

2012-01-03T23:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2012!

While I can't wrap my brain around how fast time is moving, I must say that I find myself beginning this new year filled with feelings of excitement, anticipation, determination and wonder. I know that this year holds great things for me, and I'm excited to watch them unfold.

I've decided against making "resolutions" this year, and opted to set a few 2012 goals instead. To resolve to do something makes me feel defeated in the same breath that I declare it, and that's just not my style. So instead I have a few goals:

I plan to spend more time working on my own art and being creative in anyway I can. I am looking forward to growing my business, and seeing what I can establish and continue to build. I would like to focusing more attention on making sure that Joe and I live a healthy lifestyle (although you'll still never catch me at the gym). And I'd like to make sure this year if filled with lots of travel, both near and far.

What are your New Years Resolutions? Or do you set goals like me? Do share :)

Coffee table

2012-01-03T00:25:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to announce that an upgrade has been made in our house. Specifically speaking, this is an upgrade to our coffee table.

One of our/my Christmas presents this year was an industrial cart! It came as a complete surprise, and I was absolutely beside myself when I found out about the gift!

And this isn't just any old industrial cart either- this is the perfect cart. It has all it's original metal wheels and components, which were once painted green and still has much of the chippy paint remaining. There is even old, warn black stenciling on the sides with a small piece of rusty old chain too! I absolutely love it, and I am such a lucky girl!

Now that the holidays are done I'm looking forward to re-styling the living and making this coffee table more of a focal point. I'm headed to Pinterest directly to look for some ideas!

January 1st!

2012-01-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

How was your first day of 2102?

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T17:09:00.000-05:00

I'm sending all of you my best wishes for a fabulous 2012!

May dreams come true,

may adventures be had,

and may laughter fill your year!

Time Passing

2011-12-31T15:56:00.000-05:00

Today I find myself wishing I could go back in time just one week. I'd like to do the entire holiday again please. It was far too rushed for me to thoroughly enjoy it. How about you?

You can expect the holidays to be extended here on my blog. I have so much more holiday news to share with you, and things are just calming down enough for me to start. I hope you dont mind :)

2011-12-24T15:50:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from our house to yours! We're wishing you a wonderful holiday filled with cheer, merriment and love!

Christmas Shelf

2011-12-22T18:55:00.000-05:00

I used a few antique boxes of Christmas ornaments to make a holiday vignette on a shelf in our bathroom. I love it, and wish it was in a more prominent location in our house. Oh well... maybe next year!

Holiday Ornaments

2011-12-14T07:00:00.003-05:00

Just the other day found this sweet little pair of antique mercury glass bird ornaments on the front page of etsy. I quickly went into a tizzy because 1. I had a little money in my paypal account to spend on things other than Christmas gifts (like a pair of new bird ornaments for myself!). 2. I have an obsession with clip-on glass bird ornaments. 3. I was planing on decorating my tree that weekend. 4. They were mainly silver, and in my book the most beautiful vintage ornaments are always silver. And, 5- they were only $15 for the pair! So I quickly snatched them up before anyone else saw them (or so it goes in my head...), and anxiously awaited their arrival.

Once the box reached me and I had a chance to see them in person, I couldn't help but be impressed with how old, lovely they both were, not to mention in excellent condition. One little detail I didn't notice in the listing (being in the tizzy and all) was that one of the birds was missing all its feathers. At first I was a little bummed, and wish I had realized it before I clicked "purchase". But then it occurred to me that I may not have gotten such a great deal if both birds had been in excellent condition. (And I love a good deal). Then I took note again of what excellent condition the glass body was in and realized I could fix this problem easily. Since the tail was now just an empty glass tube, as well as a little spot on the birds head, I knew it would be easy to insert a few feathers, add a drop of hot glue and have a beautiful new ornament.

I especially love the "sugar coated" wing.

I went through the studio collecting all of the feathers I'd been gathering over the years and took a look at a few of my options:

Blues.

Reds and greens.

Black and white.

Which do you like most? They all have such a different look, and each combination is lovely. In the end I went with the black and white feathers. They most suite my look, and go well with the silver and black tree in our kitchen. (more on that later, when the lighting is right ;) )

The next time your in an antique shop and spot a beautiful bird who's lost it's tail or head dress, do keep mind how easy it is to re-vive these beautiful treasures. You can make them really unique, and you'll most likely be getting an excellent deal!!

Lucky Girl

2011-12-13T00:10:00.000-05:00

Check out this beautiful necklace my mama gifted me with. She is so talented, and I'm such a lucky girl!

Isn't it romantic?!

My mom has some stunning pieces in her shop right now, be sure to swing by and check them out. By the way- it's not too late to order and receive this beautiful jewelry before christmas!

A Christmas Mantle

2011-12-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

I spent the morning cleaning, decorating, and perfecting our holiday vignettes. Here is a peek at our mantle.

Vintage Lace

2011-12-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

Last month I scooped up this stack of lace doilies for $20. From the late 1800's, there were nine of these stunning hand made pieces of lace included in the lot.

I fell in love with them immediately because of their delicacy and daintiness, the fact that there were multiples, and the romantic french look they have.

As soon as I took them out of the bag and had a chance to inspect them more closely I realized just how beautiful they really are. They get more lovely each time I look at them. I am in awe that a mere $20 bought me nine of these little works-of-art that some lady probably spent days making by hand. Twenty dollars. Wow.

While I don't often have a project in mind when I buy items like these, I knew right away that I wanted to make these into a banner. A simple, delicate banner to hang in the studio.

Because I didn't want to cut or alter the lace in anyway I simply strung a long piece of vintage ribbon though the lace and spaced them out evenly along the length. It was a simple project that took less than 10 minutes to complete. The result is exactly what I had in mind. The lace shadows on the wall- they were a bonus!

Liz Mathews Vintage

2011-12-06T07:32:00.000-05:00

There are some great new products in my shop! Perhaps you can find the perfect gift for that lover-of-all-things-vintage person on your shopping list...? I hope you can all stop by and take a look :)

Happy Monday!

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I've got lots of Christmas activities planed for my week, and I'm hoping that helps me get into the spirit! I plan to deck the halls with hot cider and loud music all week at home, send out tons of holiday orders at work, continue to shop online like a mad woman, and somehow get this backache, sore throat and runny nose to take a hike! Oh, and do some crafting too I hope!

Amongst all the Christmas presents I've ordered online this year, I did treat myself to one little gift- this beautiful ledger book which contains sales records from a general store. It's long and skinny with over 500 completely filled in pages and happens to be in excellent condition! You all know how much I love ledgers, so there is no way I could resist this beauty.

I took some photos of the ledger last week, and spent the morning editing them in photoshop using those Florabella textures/actions I love so much. So far, this week is off to a great start!

I love that this entry includes the purchase of Gold Dust. And for just 20cents!

Colorado Bliss

2011-12-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

My quick trip to Colorado was a great reminder of how truly amazing mother nature is. It's easy to take for granted that places like this exist in the world- not to mention in our own country. Photos don't do the landscape justice, but do inspire me to visit Colorado again soon to do more exploring.

Just look at those snow-capped mountains! We toured small mountain towns, took dirt roads and discovered the charm of Boulder. Stay tuned for more details of the adventure!

Home sweet home

2011-11-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Happy Thanksgivng

2011-11-24T09:53:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for the beautiful life I am lucky enough to live, and the kind hearted, wonderful people who fill it up.

I am thankful that I'm finally starting to realize what I can and cannot change in this life. The best I can do is go through life with a positive attitude and know that so many small things don't matter.

I'm thankful for my future, which can be anything I can dream...

I am thankful for all of you, my new friends! Thank you for stopping in and visiting me on this day of thanks. I hope you are all having a wonderful, cozy holiday and get to fill up on lots of yummy food!

PS- I am also thankful for cranberry sauce , and mashed potatoes, and spell checker :)

Colorado

2011-11-22T23:15:00.000-05:00

I'm packing my bags once again, and this time I'm off to Boulder Colorado! I'm looking forward to a great few days, and I can't wait to share photos of all the beautiful scenery with you when I return. I hope you're all having a great week :)

Happy Birthday Kai!

2011-11-19T10:58:00.000-05:00

Today is all about celebrating the first Birthday of one of my favorite little guys- Kai! It's hard to believe we've been coo-ing, dancing, singing, and being silly with him for an entire year! He's brought everyone such joy!

Here is a peek at the "Happy Birthday Kai" banner and birthday crown I create for today's event. I'm looking forward to seeing his reaction to the crown, and to see how the banner is displayed. I'll be sure to snap a few shots and share them later.

Off to party with 1 year olds! More later!

Luck!

2011-11-15T20:30:00.000-05:00

I've never been the type of girl to win give-aways, leave Las Vegas with money, or get lucky in raffles. It's a fact- luck usually isn't on my side in those kinds of situations, but I don't let that fact stop me from trying!

So imagine my surprise when Christine Wallace drew my name as the winner of her fabulous give away!!

Look at these beauties! I am so excited to add them to my collection, and honored that Christine even considered me to give these little works of art a new home!

Thank you Christine, I truly love them!

If you haven't seen Christines blog or etsy shop, you must go there directly! She makes fabulous, feminine, classy jewelry using antique components and shares her adventures with us on her blog. You will love her jewelry, I'm sure of it!

Oh, and check out the adorable business stationary she uses. LOVE!

Here are a few of my personal favorites from Christine's shop:

Happy Sunday

2011-11-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday- I hope you've all had a great weekend! I'm glad that the weekend show is behind me as I always find chatting, smoozing, and selling to be extremely exhausting. Now I can focus my energy on building my business, holiday crafting, and restocking my shop! I'll be spending the evening editing photos and listing new items. I hope you'll stop by and see the new treasures soon!

52 card wall art tutorial

2011-11-07T21:14:00.002-05:00

As promised, here is the full tutorial for the "52 Reasons I Love You" gift. I hope you like it as much as I loved creating it, and can find a way to adapt it to fit your needs. I highly recommend hiding the cards throughout the house for a day full of discovery!

I started with a brand new deck of playing cards- cheap, easy to find, and usually kept on-hand. One of the good things about using a brand new pack was that they are perfectly flat, and crease-free.

Next, I used Tim Holtz "distress ink" to add an aged look to the cards. The color "tea stained" is perfect, and I applied the ink inconsistently and liberally, which created a great vintage look. These inks, which are sold in pad-form and applied with a wood handled felt pad are super-easy to apply and help to create the perfect base to these little collages.

Once I allowed the ink to dry on the cards (approx. 15 minutes) I punched a small hole in the top of each card. I used the pattern on the back-side of the card as a guide to help keep consistency in the placement of each hold. Since I knew they would be hanging it was very important that the holes be in the very center of the card as well as the same distance from the top.

I gathered a variety of old paper ephemeral to layer on the face side of the card. My selections ranged from french book text to old ledger paper as well as old dictionary sheets. The more variety the better!

Using the card to get a rough measurement I tore each piece of paper into strips (shown above), then into squares that fill up the ideal amount of space on the face side. I chose the these proportions because I knew I would be adding several more layers and I wanted to be sure the paper would show through.

Next, affix the ephemera with glue and press flat. Be sure to pay attention to which end is "up"!

In order to create a clean and easy-to-read surface for my text I painted a small area of each card with a white/brown paint mixture.

Since I felt that straight white paint would be to harsh, I mixed the smallest amount of brown paint in with the white to give it an antique-y look.

As you can see, I created small blocks of paint on top of the ephemera in totally random formation. I tried to avoid painting over what I considered the most attractive part of the ephemera in all cases.

I highly recommend using a mat finish paint, and applying 2-3 thick layers of paint. As you will see, the acrylic paint I used was semi gloss and caused smudging of my ink even though I was using a Sharpie. Avoid this if you can :)

Once the paint is dry you can begin embellishing the face sides of the card. For the gift I was creating I wrote a different reasons I love Joe before adding the ribbon/charm/do-dad, but you can do it in whatever order you'd like.

Whenever possible I trying to chose a vintage item that corresponded to the trait I had written on the
card. Hot glue worked perfectly for affixing the old embellishments. Plus, I love the quick dry time!

When it occurred to me that I had 52 cards to embellish I decided to finish many of them off with a simple sticker, rub-on, or rubber stamp. I didn't want to feel overwhelmed, but wanted to add a special touch to each card so these quick fixes were life-savers!

Once I had finished with all of the playing cards it was time to move on to the frame. I knew all of the cards fit nicely in grid formation on a piece of 20"x 30" foam core. So while using one of those 40% off coupons that Michaels and AC Moore constantly offer I was able to buy a 20x30 frame for around $32. Not too bad.

I removed the glass from the frame and replaced it with a piece of foam core that I had already covered in a piece of vintage fabric. (I wrote about how to stretch and pin fabric in this tutorial) Then I re-inserted the foam core and secured it in place.

The last step was to use straight pins to even space each of the cards over the entire surface. (The 4 top rows have 11 cards each, and a bottom row has 8 cards.) Once the pins are in place you can hang the playing cards facing out, in, or a combination.

Here is a peek at a few of the other cards I created. I hope you can see the wide variety of items you can use to embellish the back of the cards. If you do decide to hang the cards, please be conscious of where you attach the embellishments as they can cause the cards to hang sideways.

It's show time!

2011-11-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

Im participating in a local holiday show next weekend, and I'm hoping to clear out much of my shop stock (to make room for more of course!), as well as a few craft projects I've been working on. Which means that as of Wednesday November 9th my shop will be on vacation. Be sure to scoop up anything you've had your eye on!! I will re-open on Monday, and hope to have some new items listed for the holidays as well as an even bigger SALE section.
I'm starting to get in the holiday spirit. Has it hit you yet??

The Winner!

2011-11-01T07:00:00.005-04:00

Thank you SO much for your participation. I have truly loved hosting this give away, and it wouldn't have been the same without all of you. Please check out the video above to see who the winner is. Congratulations, and thank you all!

And by out-drew I meant out-grew. woops :)

October 31

2011-10-31T07:00:00.001-04:00

This is it friends, we've made it to the end of the month. I'm so sad to see it end, and I have truly enjoyed getting to "know" so many of you.

I thought it was best that we go out with a bang, so I'm adding two items today!

First, I've selected this wonderful old "Medial Writing" book. What's not to love about this book!! Everything from the yellowed pages, the child's penmanship, to the words they are learning to write in cursive are fabulous!

Next, I have a real treasure for you- this is a handwritten love letter from a French soldier.

Now you are officially looking at the entire treasure trove. I can't wait to get all of these goodies off to their new owner. I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow but for now I have TONS of tally-ing to do!

Happy Anniversary

2011-10-30T17:30:00.001-04:00

Joe and I are celebrating our first anniversary today! Although we agreed not to buy each other gifts, I decided to take this opportunity to create something sentimental for the guy I love. My goal was to not spend any money, and to create something semi-masculine.

I searched "anniversary gifts" on pinterest, and was initially drawn to this set of playing cards which were altered, then bound into a little book. Each card features a different "reason why I love you". Cute, but when it comes down to it, I felt it was a little too feminine for my guy.

I decided to stick with the card/"reasons I love you" idea, but adapted it so that the finished product would create a nice pieces of wall art, rather than a book. I started by aging a full deck of playing cards, then collaged them on the face side stating a different reason why I love Joe. Some are sentimental and some are funny, but all of them make me happy.

Once the cards were dry and embellished I hid them throughout the house and waited for Joe to catch on. When he found the first card and figured out what I was up to a thorough search ensued. It was so much fun to watch and I think he really loved the sentiment as well as search!

I did decide to spend some money on a frame that is big enough to display each of the 52 playing cards. I spaced them out evenly and used a straight-pin as "hooks". As Joe found each card throughout the day he was able to hang it it the frame and watch the collection grow! I love the masculine appearance of this gift that is actually all about feeling and love- such a great juxtaposition.

I'll be back tomorrow with a step-by-step tutorial on how I created this piece :) I hope you get inspired, or try it yourself sometime. It's cheap, simple, and can be adapted to so many different occasions!

October 30

2011-10-30T16:28:00.000-04:00

Anyone out there love old victorian ephemera as much as I do? If so than this addition is for you!

You will get this sweet little collection of victorian scrap that includes and easter cut out, a calling card, and a beautiful old victorian hand.

I'll be back tomorrow with the last addition of the give away! I hope you're all enjoying the weekend :)

As always, here is a look at the almost-complete treasure chest:

October 29

2011-10-29T11:21:00.000-04:00

I'm blogging to you all from the comfort of my warm studio while bundled up in flannel p.j.'s and a big sweat shirt. I'm staring out the window watching rain, snow, and sleet fall in OCTOBER! This nor-eastern snow storm has really thrown us for a loop, and although I know it's not going to accumulate to anything the first real snow of the season is always a little shocking! I hope all of my north eastern friends stay warm and dry this weekend :)

This is another items that I haven't quite found a good use for yet. This little bi-fold tag comes from France, and has lovely gold print covering the front.

It's perfectly charming, and has so much possibility!

Only two days left:(

October 28

2011-10-28T07:00:00.002-04:00

I've been collecting old embellishments for quite a while now, yet I've never actually used any of them in my craft projects. Which makes them the perfect item to include in the give away.

These sweet little stars are miniature in size- about 1/2 inch across, and made up of tarnished sequins and old bullion. I couldn't resist buying them as soon as I saw them!

I hope someone else can put this little guy to use somehow...

I've loved watching this treasure trove grow. It barely fits now, but I have over three items left to add!

Give away details

2011-10-27T21:54:00.000-04:00

As the month draws to a close I just wanted to give some details about the give away/ drawing:

I'll draw a winner on Monday, Nov 1st and announce the winner that evening. I've managed to fit everything into a medium flat rate box (I still can't figure out how!), and will be happy to cover domestic shipping charges. (If that winner happens to live internationally, I am asking that they pay the difference)

I'd also like to ask the winner to please pass along any items that may not be their style/taste to friends, family or co-workers. Or simply let me know that you're not interested in a certain item/items. I won't be offended in the least, and just want to make sure that all of these items (that come from my personal collection) go to good use :)

Don't forget that you can go back and review the give away posts from the month and continue to enter up until October 31st. One entry per item is permitted.

Thank you!

How the give away works:

Every single day of October I will be adding a fabulous vintage treasure to the prize pot. Then, on November 1st I will select one winner to receive ALL of the items! I have gone through my personal collection of goodies to bring you over 30 of the most fun, unique, inspiring treasures and I hope you love all of them as much as I do.Be sure to check back everyday to see the daily addition :)

How do you enter?

First, you must be a following this blog. (you can become a follower by clicking the "join this site" button on the right sight of the screen). Then to be entered, simply leave a comment on the daily give away post. That's it!

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 31 chances.

Want to increase your luck?If you have a blog, Facebook page, website, or any sort of public forum and you spread the news about my give away complete with a link I will DOUBLE your total number of entries. Yes, double! Please make sure you send me a link to where you have shared the information so I know to double your entries :)

October 27

2011-10-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Todays addition is another fabulous "Lucky Star" writing pad. This one is a little bit larger, and will make jotting down notes a little more exciting!

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

Edited Paris

2011-10-26T22:07:00.000-04:00

Inspired by the trip to Paris that Heather Bullard is currently on, I decided to re-visit some of the photo I took during my 2010 trip to the city of light. I've posted the edited photos above the original.

October 25 and 26

2011-10-26T08:44:00.000-04:00

Good morning! I'm so sorry I left you hanging yesterday. It's been one of those weeks (and it's only Wednesday...yikes), and I've been running around in a tizzy since Sunday afternoon. Last night my dad unexpectedly called saying he was in town, so we set up a last minute dinner date which is my true reason for not updating yesterday.

Anyway... today I'm posting the additions for both yesterday and today. Enjoy!

This pint sized ice cream carton is to die for! There is something about this piece that I just love! It's old waxed card stock that is perfect for almost anything you can imagine!

You know me and ephemera- we go together like milk and cookies. So today I wanted to share some of the love with you guys, and that means passing along these three vintage postcards. Aren't they charming!

Here is a view of the pot so far. Only a few days left!!

And if you just happen to be joining the give away (welcome!!) remember that you can go back and comment and ANY previous posts to increase your entries :)

Fingers crossed for a relaxing few evening!

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

October 24

2011-10-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

We only have one week left in the give away and some of my favorite items are yet to be revealed!

Today's addition is this little book of rent receipts. Don't you love the font and layout!!

I hope this addition gets your week off to a good start :)

Good luck!

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

October 23

2011-10-23T12:17:00.000-04:00

I went through a phase where I was obsessed with finding and buying vintage seed packs. Although I bought far less than I found, since I'm frugal (aka cheap!), I did end up with quite a few packs.

I'm not a fan of the vegetable Kale, but in vintage seed pack form I love it! I hope you do too :)

My crafting Sunday starts right now, and I am beyond excited. Joe is on laundry duty, and I've declared that I'm not leaving the studio for hours. Thank you Sunday football games!

Are you guys having a good weekend?

October 22

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm off to the antique show this morning, but wanted to stop in and show you what I've added today.

Ironically, I got these blocks at the same show I'm headed to today! But they have been in my drawer for years, and it's time to pay it forward :) Don't you just love old typeblocks...

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

October 21

2011-10-21T08:40:00.000-04:00

We've almost made it to the weekend! I am so ready for a few days off, how about you? Aside from hitting a huge antique show here in Baltimore, I've got no plans except to craft all weekend. Sounds wonderful!

Todays addition is a collection of vintage ticket stubs. These would be perfect on display, or used in a craft project.

I can't help but envision some sort of garland that features tons of these little gems.

I'm so excited about how these treasure chest is looking these days, and we still have over a week left!!!

It's not too late to help me spread the word about this blog. Don't forget- if you share the information on a social network I'll DOUBLE your total amount of entries! Just be sure to let me know!

Have a great Friday :)

October 20

2011-10-20T19:00:00.000-04:00

Better late than never...??

October 19

2011-10-19T07:00:00.002-04:00

Like the lace that was added on Monday, todays addition comes straight from the markets of Paris!! I loved this numbered ribbon the second I saw it, and I know one of you will love it too!

Really, could it be anymore French?!?!

Growing, growing, growing...

Good Luck!

Textures: Before and Afters

2011-10-18T21:20:00.000-04:00

It's been another night of photo editing and PSE experimenting. Which means it's been a night of bliss!

I bought another action package from Florabella, and I'm truly LOVING both of them! This package allows you to add "textures" to your photographs. The results I've been getting are the exact reason I bought Photoshop elements in the first place. I had just given up on figuring out how to get these effects myself!

These packages have honestly been such a joy to use, and the results are what I've always dreamed of! I can't recommend them enough!

As you can see, I've taken some of your advice and made a before-and-after layout of each of the edited photographs. In each case the edited photo comes first. (next time I will leave a small space between the two images, or perhaps a dividing line?)

I'd love to hear what you guys think :)

October 18

2011-10-18T07:00:00.001-04:00

I have some scary news. Are you ready for this...

There are less than 10 weeks until the holidays. I'm sorry to be the bearer of such scary news if you hadn't already counted the weeks on your calander. But, at least with holiday stress, shopping, and obligations, come cheery vintage decorations. Just like this one:

I can only imagine all of the fabulous things that can be done with this glass garland sprig! Even better, because of the lovely blue color this vintage treasure wont have to be designated to the holiday season.

I hope you like the latest addition:)

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

More photo editing fun!

2011-10-17T20:00:00.003-04:00

October 17

2011-10-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

As a child of the 80's, I can't help but hear Madonnas' "Lucky Star" playing in my head every time I look at these vintage notepads. That makes me love them all the more, and I hope you will too!!

This yellowed-to-perfection notepad is the addition for today. Happy Monday!

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

Florabella

2011-10-16T19:01:00.002-04:00

At the recommendation of Miss Mustard Seed, I had been looking into Florabella Photoshop actions for quite a while, unsure if I was ready to make the purchase.

For those of you unfamiliar with photoshop actions (which included me until a few months ago), they are packages that are sold online that allow individuals to apply artistic edits to their photos in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Edits that would take a crazy amount of knowledge to know how to create yourself. Since I have very limited photoshop knowledge, these action packages are ideal for me.

Last night, I bought my first package. And I can already tell you that it will be the first of many Florabella actions I will get. I absolutely love what it does for my photos, and I've been spending hours applying the edits to different collections of photograph. Including some of my favorite travel photographs, which you see here.

Being a somewhat new mac user, and totally unfamiliar with photoshop elements, it did take me a while to get the actions loaded, and learn how to use them. Even now, I'm sure that I'm not using the actions to their full capacity, but so far so good, and I'm excited to learn the rest!

October 16

2011-10-16T16:51:00.000-04:00

Are you guys having a good weekend? Are you as sad as I am that it's coming to a close??

I've had a very hectic weekend which included a wedding, reuniting with old family members, cleaning the entire house, a sunday morning breakfast date, and getting life together for the coming week. I'm finally able to sit down for some relaxation and "me time".

And of course that means blogging :) Today, in honor of all the reminiscing I've been doing about my travels through Europe, I've decided to offer something I got at the Paris flea markets.

This card contains an unknown length of Parisian lace. It's dainty, feminine and beautiful. Perfect for almost any craft project you can imagine- you're sure to love this addition.

I thought about unwinding this lace, but couldn't bring myself to separate it from the hideous neon orage card, that just happen to have the price I paid in Euros written on it. I'm sure you understand.

I spent time packing up all of the give away items this afternoon. I wanted to make sure I could fit all of them into a priority mail box, and let me tell you- it's FULL! Including all of these treasures.

Good luck!

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

October 15

2011-10-15T10:51:00.000-04:00

I've decided to mark the half way point of the give away with the addition of TWO items. Two of my favorite items to be more specific! I didn't think you guys would mind ;)

First, a small Ball Mason jar. These jars are so hot right now, and I absolutely love the blue hue of this one. Not to mention the fact that it has a lid held on by beautiful rusty metal. So lovely!

Next, a lovely old ledger. I love ledgers, and I'm happy I get to share this one with one of you.

The treasure chest has gotten too big to fit in one photo! Take a peek at all the goodies:

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

October 14

2011-10-14T17:13:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry to have left you all hanging this morning. I had to rush out the door for work, and it wasn't until lunch time that I realized I'd forgotten to post todays addition. Woops!

Anyway, I think it should be worth the wait- today I'm adding three antique metal leaves.

The beauties are made from thin gauge metal, and were originally produced in Germany. The dealer told me that once hundreds of leaves would be used to make large tree wall sculptures and decor. So I'm not sure how these leaves escaped and made their way to Pennsylvania- but I'm sure glad they did!!!

As you can see, the paint has started to flake off of some of the leaves, which adds to their charm. Please excuse the dust that has collected on them- I'm not sure how I missed that while taking photos. Another woops!

Speaking of dust- I'm off to clean the house. But before I go, here is a photo of the give away stash so far. We are half way through the month, and that means half way through the treasures. But don't worry, I think the best is still to com!

Dream Big

2011-10-13T19:37:00.000-04:00

Do you ever get a deep, deep urge to completely transform your life? To take one gigantic/wonderful risk that will alter the path your life is currently headed down?

Well, I for one, get them quite regularly, and they are getting more and more frequent. A sure sign that I'm ready for an adventure and change. So I've been embracing possibilites, and allowing myself to dream big lately. Scary, yes. But it's mostly exhilarating to think of the life I could create for myself.

Tonight I'll be dreaming of cottages in France, crafting for days on end, blogging from an ocean overlook, a charming store front on the coast of Oregon, a book with my bio on the back side, a passport covered in stamps, and a life full of passion, happiness and peace.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain

October 13

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

I can't believe we're almost half way through this give away! In fact, I'm a little sad about it. I've had so much fun posting the items every night, and then reading all of your comments throughout the day. Thank you so much!

Todays addition is a set of 6 antique french sales receipts. When I bought these, the french seller described them as "garage sale" receipts. However I've never know garage sales to include receipts, and these look somewhat official so Im not 100% sure of their origins. Unfortunately I can't read all of the receipt, so if anyone can offer more information on the details of these beauties, please let me know!

No matter what they may say, they are great pieces of ephemera, and have a certain je ne sais quoi...

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

October 12

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

This just may be one of my favorite items included in the give away! I love the faded text, the loose weave of the fabric, and the small proportion of the old salt sac.

In my opinion bulk food should still be packaged with this much style. But remember... not all salt is salt!

12 days down- 18 to go!!!

Etsy shop

2011-10-11T22:18:00.000-04:00

I've just added a few items to my shop that are similar to some of the give-away treasures. If you've already fallen in love with some of the items, hop on over and you might just find it there!

October 11

2011-10-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

I found this sweet little trinket box in DC a while ago. Although the hing is broken, I still find it quite charming. The ornamentation on the sides is fabulous, as well the three legs and scalloped top.

I had always hoped to use it in my craft projects, but haven't found the perfect way yet. Perhaps you'll have better luck, and please send photos!

It's looking good...

How the give away works:

How do you enter?

How many times can you enter?

You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

2011-10-10T22:59:00.000-04:00

I've found an artist and song so good I had to share it with all of you!

This is the first time I've ever blogged about music, and I hope you enjoy my suggestion. I personally love discovering new musician and I know I can't be alone :)

Brett Dennen has a soul-full voice and a knack for writing beautiful lyrics. These two songs happen to be my favorites so far, although I'm still discovering more. With a handfull of albums already on the market Brett certainly isn't new to the music scene, yet he maintains a low-key vibe which I find very appealing. After checking out his website last night, I was happy to discover that Brett is coming to Baltimore mid-November and I'm looking forward to seeing him live!

Hope you enjoy!

October 10

2011-10-10T07:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! I hope you guys are ready for a fabulous week of give-aways!

But first, I wanted to give a warm welcome to all of my new followers. I hope you enjoy the blog as well as the give away. You are in good company, and I hope you make some new friends here, just as I have :)

And now, the new addition:

These old type writer keys are perfect for numerous projects; jewelry, collage, assemblage.... the list goes on and on!

I especially love the @/cents sign!

I also love the aged metal rims on each of the letters.

Check out this treasure chest!

Good Luck!

How the give away works:
Every single day of October I will be adding a fabulous vintage treasure to the prize pot. Then, on November 1st I will select one winner to receive ALL of the items! I have gone through my personal collection of goodies to bring you over 30 of the most fun, unique, inspiring treasures and I hope you love all of them as much as I do.

Be sure to check back everyday to see the daily addition :)

How do you enter?
First, you must be a following this blog. (you can become a follower by clicking the "join this site" button on the right sight of the screen). Then to be entered, simply leave a comment on the daily give away post. That's it!

How many times can you enter?
You can enter one time each day- for a grand total of 30 chances.

Want to increase your luck?
If you have a blog, Facebook page, website, or any sort of public forum and you spread the news about my give away complete with a link I will DOUBLE your total number of entries. Yes, double! Please make sure you send me a link to where you have shared the information so I know to double your entries :)

The orchard

2011-10-09T20:44:00.000-04:00

A few photos I snapped at the market with my phone, as well as a sweet treat I brought home for myself. Warm and delicious! Have you gotten a chance to try the fall apples yet?

October 9

2011-10-09T13:03:00.000-04:00

Today I'm adding a full roll of beautifully aged and yellowed piano paper.

This piece was kind of tricky to photograph because of it's odd proportions. The image doesn't do the product justice, but I hope it sparks your imagination and creativity.

As you unroll the paper you reach the lovely dotting in the paper which determined which note the piano played while set on auto-play. (this is how the dealer described the rolls of paper to me. It could be completely wrong. If that's the case please feel free to chime in with the correct description).

I hope you are all enjoying the last little bit of a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stoping in and spending part of it with me. I have truly enjoyed all of your comments and hearing from you :)