Sew...How are You?

Hi Bloggie Friends,

Do you have a "thing" for sewing implements, especially pretty ones?  Well, I do-don't judge.  My mom sewed like nobody's business and so I think I have a soft spot for anything sewing related.  Lucky for me, I've managed to pick up some awesome things over the years like the spools of silk ribbon above and the amazing little lady tape measure shown below.  She's porcelain and I like to imagine she's Marie Antoinette.  She's missing the first couple of inches of her tape, but I don't care, I think she is still awesome.

Wouldn't you love to have this beauty in your studio?  Found it out in cyberspace-a girl can dream, right?

This tape measure has my favorite, little ribbon work garlands.  Also just a dream from cyberspace, but yummy...

A pretty oversized pin cushion, sewing bag, and stuffed sewing basket from my Etsy shop...

Pretties from Pinterest...

 A silk ribbon chatelaine used to hold sewing supplies like scissors, thimbles, awls, and strawberry emories...

 Amazing sterling thimbles...notice the one on the right is engraved "Doris".  How sweet, don't you think?

This one is my favorite.  I love anything with cherubs on it.

Hope you enjoyed this brief little tour of pretty sewing items.  Do you collect vintage sewing stuff?  Some day I'll have to share some more of my collectibles with you, but for now, let me leave you with an image of a sweet little antique bisque dolly I dressed this weekend.  She will eventually be put in my Etsy shop, but for now, she is making me smile.

And one more pretty picture...my old roses were faded but still worthy of admiration.

Oh, and one more thing: I am so grateful to share a beautiful online magazine from my blog friend Kerryanne from Woodberry Designs.  It is called Simply Shabbilicious and sweet Kerryanne has featured my little closet of dreams.  Go check it out.  You will LOVE it and word on the streets is, it will become a published magazine in addition to an online one with the next issue.  Thank you Kerryanne for including me in your wonderful publication!



Until next time,

1920's Bisque Doll for Valentine's Day

Today I am sharing a little 1920's bisque doll that I dressed up with antique silk, lace, and ribbon work.  I have been doing up these dolls for a year or two now and I love how they turn out. 

This sweet gal is all ready for Valentine's Day with her little vintage crochet basket filled with miniature handmade valentines.

She is a real cutie pie and if you love her as much as I do, you can check her out here.  Yes, a little shameless self promotion never hurt anyone, right?  Hope you all have a blessed weekend.  I am linking up with French Cupboard's Handmade Valentine Party and Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday.  Join us for some fun!

Until next time,

Happy Birthday Rebecca!

Today is the birthday of the very sweet Rebecca of A Re-Purposed Life.  She is having a birthday party and the deal is that we are to share something we have made for someone special as a gift and why we made it.  I am sharing something that I've shared before (a couple of times), or at least the box.  This time, I'll show you what was in the box.  On Our Cottage Garden, I have had fun dressing up and selling little antique bisque dolls.  My friend Denise owns that website (where I sell in addition to Etsy) and she has been such a good friend and mentor to me over the years.  We met through eBay when I discovered her wonderful treasures and began buying things here and there from her.  In 2006, we met in person when my husband and I took a trip to Florida.  We spent most of a day together and really hit it off.  Since then, she has been a dear friend to me.  She asked me to sell on her gorgeous website which I have been doing since 2007, if memory serves.  She makes me laugh,  is incredibly supportive of what I do, and has been amazingly generous and kind to me.  And she loves my little boys, so I think she has managed to cement herself into my heart as my "twin sister separated at birth".  Last year, I wanted to do a little something for her because she works so hard all through the year.  She always seemed to love my little dolls, so I picked out a very sweet faced little girl and dressed her in a very pretty blue dress with pink rose trim since Denise loves blue and pink. This is the result.

Denise's doll

I love to make up pretty packages for my friends, so I dressed up the box with an old French book page, vintage wallpaper, a bit of tulle, vintage millinery, and a little dove that I coffee-dyed and glittered.  Then I did up a tag with more wallpaper and vintage ledger paper.  It turned out really nice I think and Denise was very happy when she opened her package which I mailed.  However, she never mentioned the doll, only the beautiful box.  A week or so later, I did ask her if she had opened the pretty box.  SHE HADN'T.  So, she got two surprises that year.  I loved that she appreciated not only the gift inside, but the pretty wrapping.  It made me very happy to give her a little something from my heart because I wanted her to know that she was (and still is) very cherished in my life.  I'll bet you guys have some special friends like this as well.  There is nothing more wonderful than making someone feel cared for.  I forget that sometimes and need to remind myself that it really doesn't take that much effort to really brighten someone's day and I need to do it more often.  I think it usually brightens my day even more than the recipient.  The little girl and the box occasionally make an appearance as props in Denise's eBay listings.  I think they really "doll" up this little cabinet! 

Anyway, Miss D, if you are stalking me  reading this, I love ya girl!  Are your ears burning?  That's what my mom used to say happened when someone was talking about you.  And if you don't know Denise, I'm just kidding about the stalking part, she's not that way! 

Well, I'm going to go work at my "real job" now, but when I get a chance, I am going to stop over at Rebecca's birthday party and check out some of the other links as well as wish Rebecca a happy birthday.  Give some love to someone special today.  You'll be so glad you did!

Until next time,

New at Our Cottage Garden Boutique

Just a quick note to let you see some of the cute things I just posted at Our Cottage Garden. They just make my heart sing and I thought they might "sing" to some of my blogging buddies as well.

This is a precious vintage pincushion I found while out antiquing a couple of weeks ago. Can you even believe how cute it is???? Can you even believe I would sell it????

This is a vintage hanky box which I repurposed as a sewing box after I dolled it up with some great vintage wallpaper, antique millinery, trim, and then filled it up with great notions and a little bit of whatnot!

Lovin' the whatnot, especially this little bisque basket pincushion!

The top got a beautiful vintage millinery rose along with some of Heather's FABULOUS wide silk ribbon.



This little bisque doll is from Japan, circa 1920 or 30. She was in need of some clothing, so I used antique lace and old trim from the 1920's which I hoard like a mizer. I'm surprised I pried a couple of inches out of my little hand to make the bottom of the skirt! I think she is just precious with her little pouty face and pretty dress (and socks and Mary Janes, of course!).



Hope you are all having a great weekend! I am going to be playing outside with my family, so cross your fingers that the weather cooperates!

Until next time,