BOOK COVER CHALLENGE

Welcome to my "BOOK COVER CHALLENGE". Take a look here http://mittensathome.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-cover-challenge.html to see more book covers. I can't wait to go on over to see them myself!! I would specially like to thank Amy for including me in this challenge. I love making collage/assemblage book covers. I love how the book cover is able to just sit there on a counter or tabletop by itself. This book cover started off with an antique book I purchased at our local auction house sometime ago. I LOVE old books!! I LOVE old paper, too. I used an antique photograph cover frame here, in back is vintage dictionary page and a red bird. Also I used cutouts from a vintage book, antique advertisments themed items.

I rip fabrics, giving them the torn and tattered look. I also use alot ofvintage lace and trims in my work. I stained the pages of the book with inks and chaulks.

I use antique dolies in alot of my work as well, this one is stained with coffee. In the organiza bag is a greeting card cutout of roses and some glitter.

This is a copy of a page from a book I purchased at an antique store. I thought the image of the woman would make a great collaged item. This piece is called "THE COURAGE TO LOVE AGAIN".

Do you see the maiden behind the doily?? I love to tuck little things in my work hoping one would see something new on the second look. You can find this antique collage/assemblage in my etsy shop http://aclosetoftreasures.etsy.com/

I hope you enjoyed my book cover challenge post. I am on my way over to the party as soon as I post this.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

ANOTHER "I LOVE THIS DRESS" HALLOWEEN

Another dress created today...this one is HALLOWEEN themed. I will be bringing to The Isle La Motte Farmer's Market on Saturday. Last Friday I brought my first dress, (see earlier post) it sold nearly right away. I really do love making these dresses. I had gone back to JoAnn's Fabrics, the two dress forms left were still there on clearance, no more though, what to do now?? This dress is made from pieces of an old torn and tattered table cloth that just tears if you look at it. I love the way the material just falls apart, making it tattered. Around the bottom is a yellow silk rose with a black spider coming out of it, a skull, and a bird sits there.

I included black sheer fabric, some light purple tule for a sash, the burgundy vintage ribbon (love this color). Green vintage trim lines the back of the dress and around the top.

The black item on the right is a vintage veil I picked up at some barn sale a long time ago.

The necklace is made from an earring I had laying around.

I sure do love making these dresses. Maybe I have found my niche.

Thanks for dropping by.

Michele

5 X 5 SWAP

I have joined a swap over at http://quiltingfabrications.blogspot.com/ the swap consists of making 5 (five) 5" x 5" squares with anything we wanted. These five squares had a theme of Christmas/Winter. How much fun to create something in August for the holiday season. I can't wait to see which five squares I get back from the others that have joined the swap. Go on over to take a look at what the others created with their 5 x 5's. I would like to thank Jillayne for having the swap. Here are my five. All of my 5 x 5's were covered with antique sheet music. This one has a cutout of a winter bird looking for berries, some red ribbon, brown tule, a rusty bell, a mini Christmas bulb, coffee stained trim, tiny pinecones, and a mini clothes pin. Birds collect all sorts of stuff you know....

The picture is of my brother and myself and of course Santa. I usually don't do cutesy stuff, but I LOVE the picture. The bear is embellished with sheep wool.

I love Snowmen..notice the little winter birds. Again, tiny pinecones and some vintage lace and trims.

This one is made with little mittens, grunged to look old and tattered. Using some of the same sheeps wool for embellishing the cuffs. Red ribbon and a rusty bell. I LOVE rusty bells...

Here is "Home Sweet Home" see Grandma reading to the children by the fire. The organza bag is stained with coffee, tucked inside is a wooden toy soldier for the children to play with. Trimmed with vintage trim.

I so enjoyed making these 5 x 5's for the swap. I hope whoever gets the ones I created enjoys them as well.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

LOVE THE NEW DRESS

I have been busy this afternoon and I just had to share with you my creation, although I have posted once already today. LOVE THE NEW DRESS!! I purchased the dress form on clearance at Joann's Fabric's yesterday for $5.00 (I think I'll be going back so I can make more.)

Tomorrow is another Farmer's Market I will bring the dress.

The dress is made from antique doily's as you can see. A silk scarf with roses is underneath the doily. Tule for the wrap, the necklace I had purchased at a barn sale last weekend. The back of the dress is made from a linen dinner napkin. A VINTAGE DRESS TO SAY THE LEAST!!

You may see the vintage earring at the side and some gold ribbon at the other. I love how this came out. I could do this all day long.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

VINTAGE EPHEMERA CHRISTMAS POCKETS

The vintage ephemera pockets are back!!! I long time ago I started making pockets with larger size vintage ephemera pages from books by sewing a pocket along the bottom with vintage trim, laces, materials and such to hold all kinds of goodies. For some reason I stopped making them (they did sell in my etsy shop) A few weeks ago I joined a blog swap challenge to do with Christmas/Winter which I will post about in a few days. I found these pockets already made on these pages, tucked away in my Christmas ephemera. So....I said "what the heck, let's give it another try on etsy". Here they are. This is one of three pockets I made and posted here: http://aclosetoftreasures.etsy.com This is the second pocket.

This is the third, now onto the goodies...

Some of the goodies include: postcards, pages from vintage books, dictionary pages, antique sheet music, vintage lace, trim and gold stuff, tule, too.

Fronts of greeting cards, bingo paper, torn fabric, snowmen, birds, poems, vintage rick rack still in packages, organza bags, note pads,

vintage doily's, old clothes pins, maps, and much more.

These would be fun if you are into making vintage ephemera books, journ aling, scrapbooking, book/journals, collage projects or just give as a gift to that special someone that loves vintage Christmas ephemera. It sure would make a good conversation piece.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

ISLE LA MOTTE FARMER'S MARKET SUCCESS

2010 Farmer's Market season is off to a good start. Everyone loves Euro foods, here is a neighbor purchasing dinner, (at least we think it's dinner). Ice Cider tasting anyone??? Fudge anyone???

Here is a fellow marketer sporting an EmmaBean Doggie Bandana. Isn't he handsome??

We can't forget about our four legged friends. A few neighborhood dogs will be wearing the bandanas around town, and a few will be enjoying the doggie treats as well. Time for a break and a little snack with the market helper.

Need a space to park, see this man!!

Our market includes a little entertainment.

One of our produce vendors.

We look forward to our next market on the 20th, same place, same time. We look forward to the same neighbors and other neighbors we didn't get a chance to see this time. There are other vendors in our market, didn't get a chance to take everyones picture. Will show you more next week. Till then, stop by any Farmer's Market they are great places to shop!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele

ANTIQUE WINDOW AND FARMER MARKET ITEMS

I am finished crafting for our local Farmer's Market. If you live close by come to see us. Go here for information http://www.islelamotte.org/farmersmarket/ These are our popular cat balls. We reuse product when possible, these are made from scraps of materials, ribbons and such. I made some new blank greeting cards with the anchestor tags left over from my party.

Here is another popular item, our lake champlain drift wood.

I used up our tags, cutouts of butterflies and such as party favors (gift tags and confetti) some made from antique wallpaper and antique sheet music.

This is the antique window I posted about a week or so ago. I promised the end result when done. Well, here it is. All panes are collaged except for one at the top. I have taken pictures of most panes. You may see writting thru the paper due to the light of day. I think I stayed with an antique/family theme.

Some food for the family.

Olde time Vermont farmers and some antique advertisments from antique newspapers in my collection.

Birds and poems.

Time for fun and games.

More birds and children and fun things.

Little girls and frilly things.

Here it is, what do you think?? I will be bringing it to the market tomorrow, guess I will figure out then if it is liked.

One more close up, roses or course.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michele