Spring Garden shop update

A huge shop update today inspired by watermelon radishes from a local garden and the beginnings of shoots, tendrils and sprouts that are beginning to push their way through the blanket of leaves on the ground.

A 1960's Wedding

...with all of the trimmings, for a Thursday morning shop update. Why not?
Add loose long tresses, pictured in front of the church with a Karmen Ghia in the background...ok.

No Carnations Handmade

Most of you know that I have been making jewelry for the last 12 years. Mostly beaded, some wire wrapped and some using textiles. When I joined Etsy I never really thought about putting my jewelry in the shop because, well frankly, the market seemed swamped. The kind of jewelry that I was making was exactly the kind that everyone else was making too.

But then something happened...my vintage shop kind of took over my artistic outlet and time. I started making jewelry less and less. For the last ten years I have been selling my bracelets, necklaces and hairpieces in a little shop downtown called The Garden Gate. I'd go through stints when I got the jewelry itch and the ladies of TGG were extremely nice and happy to sell my wares on these occasions. Recently however, I made a hard decision to discontinue selling at this little shop. So when all items were sold, I bid them adieu and parted ways.

I can't tell you the relief I felt! No more tagging, no more taking inventory or figuring sales! I didn't know how stressed out I was, but what to do about that itch? Well, more than one thing has changed over these last couple of years and now when I get the itch, I will be adding these items to my shop and they will no longer be like anything else on Etsy. These pieces will be one of a kind...truly. Inspired by museum collections, old textiles and vintage lovelies, no two will be alike, nor could they ever be recreated. They will incorporate vintage beads, finding and inspiration. I hope you like them.

I want Spring ~ shop update

Just a few pieces I picked up over the weekend, all going into the shop today. The weather is killing me, one moment it feels like Winter is over and the next the temperature starts dropping. From 88 degrees to 30 in two days...that's not natural Mother Nature!


So today's update is a bit of both seasons, a decidedly Spring dress to wear with a gray wool 40's cropped jacket and mink accessories. Take that!

A true lady and her hats

So last week, while scouring a local antique mall, I rounded a corner in the back to see a pretty hat box on top of a display case. Curious, I looked inside and came across the hat above with the blue and pink roses. Of course it was instant love, and I was so overwhelmed that it took me a moment to notice all of the other hat boxes completely filled with hats sitting around this particular booth.

In my price range, I began looking through all of the boxes of hats and becoming a bit unglued...each one was prettier than the last! There actually are only so many boxes one can carry, so I began taking all of the boxes up to the front desk. On my way back to the booth, I spied someone else moving the hats around. I thought " oh, great, competition for my hats!" As I got closer the gentleman says to me "oh, I am so happy that you are taking some of these hats".

I say, "Well, two things...1.) I am taking ALL of these hats and 2.) Is this your booth?"

Yes, it was his booth, he says and further goes on to say, the hats were all his mother's. Her name was Pansy Valentine and she was born in Saraland, Alabama and she married Cooper Brougher . They lived in Lexington, Kentucky. His father traveled a lot and bought hats for Pansy Valentine. She loved hats. She always wore hats. Some of these boxes are from Stewart's in Kentucky and some of them still have the original tissue and receipts in the bottom of the boxes. I started crying and he helped me carry the boxes to the front.

Ranging from the 1930's to the 1960's, I have been working to restore these hats. A gentle cleaning, some steaming and re-shaping and Voila!, above is a sneak peek into Pansy's hat collection. I think she would be happy that these are going to good homes and hopefully to some ladies that love hats as much as I do now. Thanks for reading!