It's Antique Festival Time

If you've been with me for any amount of time, 

you know that twice a year I trek to Warrenton and Round Top

for the semi-annual Antiques Week.

It's HUGE and several trips are in order each & every time.

Yesterday was just my first for the Fall Show, and it was a bit early.

I like to slip in there way ahead of time...

which means some of the vendors haven't yet arrived.

I am fine with that.

I always go back, and then they are there.
I don't fret about missing something.
As,
I have decided that if I was meant to have it,

it will be there.

Whatever IT might be!

I must admit,

I had no intention of buying the vintage baby doll and compact you see above.

But, they called my name, and they came home with me.

The top drilled baroque stick pearls....

well that's another story.

I have an idea bouncing around that involves these beauties,
and I was looking for them.

 It always amazes me when I enter a booth that is stuffed full of stuff.
Yesterday, proved no different.
I always make an effort each show to visit Cathy, 
the lace lady from Oklahoma.
She has WAY more than lace in her booth, and I always make a point to visit her...
mainly for vintage lace, tulle, netting, and such.
This time I brought home one itty bitty bundle of lace,
a good group of vintage rhinestone buttons,
the crackled baby doll
&
and this dainty silver compact purse.
Inside was half of a ticket...
When I carried all my purchases up front to pay,
she said...."I almost kept this one for my compact collection".
Not only did this make me feel like I had picked up a winner of a piece,
but she had thoughtfully remembered it, 
mentioning she regretted parting with it.
I get that...
Each time I design a piece of jewelry,
then sell it...
it feels like I am getting rid of part of my family.

This batch of necklaces will definitely make 
me feel that way when they leave home.

  Kind of like letting your baby go...
maybe that's why this one came home with me.

Jewelry Affaire

I love surprises.

A beautiful little muslin bag tied together tightly.

Covered with vintage bits of lace

and

topped with a steel cut rhinestone button.

Inside you will find a cuff.

Romancing the Cuff

I am so excited to be have this design included 

and be a part of the latest issue of Jewelry Affaire, 

 which actually hit the newsstands on April 1st.

These romantic cuffs have a soft leather base, 

and have been a consuming passion of late.

I taught this technique at an evening class at Adorn Me! 2011.

Remember the photos here?

I sewed a large group of them to sell at Marburger.

This isn't all, just the ones that made it back home =)

I have had inquiries about selling a kit (even before Adorn Me!), 

so one of the things I have worked on this week was making that happen.

I (will) have the tutorials available on my Etsy Shop here.

Several examples are (and will be) posted for you to choose from.

Here is what you will receive:

A detailed tutorial, which I will send in pdf format,

2 cuff templates,

a soft piece of leather (you choose the color)

 vintage lace, tulle, recycled sari silk ribbon, a charm, an elastic closure,

and either a vintage button or rhinestone button.

You get to choose the type of button (either will be vintage), 

which will determine the price.

$32 shipping for a kit with vintage rhinestone button (No.1 and 2)

$30 + shipping for a kit with vintage button (No. 3 and 4)

You can add any additional bits & pieces that you might like & have 

when you receive your kit.

It is up to you....as it is your cuff.

I will be adding some different kits in the future, but for now these are the choices.

They are just samples, as each one WILL be different

but just as close as I can get to what you see.

While in Warrenton, Riki and I shopped at the lace ladies booth in the Rose of Texas Field, which is behind the Legal Tender Saloon (where my daughter and I eat every time we go to the festival).

This lady comes in from Oklahoma.  We stayed in her booth for at least an hour (or more)

looking and digging through her goodies.

Then, Riki took some of the other girls back there later that weekend.

 She had MOUNDS of lace, tulle, tatting, buttons and more.

And, guess what?  

I haven't even tapped into any of what I bought and brought home from her.

If you'd like the tutorial only it will be $12 in my shop on Etsy.

This latest cuff has a great vintage charm AND a rhinestone button. $48

It is one I've made in preparation for the Art Walk, and is the one I made as a demo for my tutorial.

The Art Walk is a juried art show I am once again honored to be a part of 

in Fayetteville, Texas.  It is a great show, and Fayetteville is located in such a beautiful part of Texas, just down (or up) the road from Warrenton and Round Top.  

The show is for two days, Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1. 

I have been on such a fast track since Marburger, I haven't gotten all my photos posted 

from that time.

We had such a great week and a half, shopping and visiting with Riki, 

my daughter, AND my husband.

We laughed ~ a lot.  My husband was there helping me the whole time I was set up at Marburger, and for that I was so very thankful.

The days I spent at Marburger were long ... but very good for me.

I learned a lot.

About my set-up (thanks Riki-son), my jewelry....about myself.

 Riki and my feet after the first day of shopping in Warrenton!

My daughter, Melanie and I on the second day in Warrenton and Round Top.

 Mary, Melanie and Riki on what Melanie though

had to be the very first bike cab!  LOL.

We had a BLAST!

I'm ....

from Marburger Farm Antique Show.

This five day show was the longest I've ever done.
Thankfully we had (pretty) great weather most of the time,
even though I almost melted a couple of afternoons.

I'm so thankful to have been a part of it,
as it turned out to be one of those experiences I'm glad I didn't miss.

I couldn't have done it without my selfless husband,

 my great friend Riki,

and my wonderful daughter ~ Melanie!

Before the show, we had two days of shopping in Warrenton...which was the BEST.
We shopped, laughed and walked a lot!
Here's a picture of Mary, Melanie and Riki
on what Melanie thought must have been the very first  

bike cab!
I saw old friends and met new ones.

Rita, Charlene, =), Sandy and Susie.

Amy, =) and Karen.

=) & Cindy (Crawford *wink*) 

 Sandy, Charlene, Susie, Karen, Joy

Rita, Cindy, Riki & =)
at Theresa's Blog Party.

 Barb from Arizona, who will be taking a couple of my classes

at Art Unraveled, stopped by to introduce herself,
which was such a surprise!

Here's a picture we took with Jenny, who is a Facebook friend from Minnesota.

Jenny actually caught me while Riki & I were walking through Warrenton.

She was there selling some of her jewelry!

And, of course, my great friend Agnes,

who gave me the opportunity to be a part of the show next to her in Tent "W".

This week I will share more pictures of what Riki and I did the day she arrived, 

as well as the next two days we spent in Warrenton.
One of those being with Mary and Melanie

 at the show opening of Clutter.
Yep....we had quite a time!

See you at the Blog Party

For the past two days I have been in Warrenton with my good friend, Riki.  

I shopped till I dropped, and am now home preparing for the

Blog Party tomorrow evening with Theresa.

I will be one of her featured guests, 

 so please come by her booth at Zapp Hall around 6 pm.

I will have my vintage jewelry boxes full & spilling over with some of the goodies 

I'll be selling at Marburger Farm Antique Show  

beginning Tuesday, March 29th!

Would love to see you there!

diane

xox 
BTW....Riki is still out there shopping =)

bead soup ingredients (for melissa)

 I had no idea what I wanted to send my bead soup partner.  

I know I often find inspiration in a vintage piece...either a rhinestone brooch, necklace...earrings.

This time was no different, yet totally different.

It really began with a small stash of vintage lockets I had bought from a favorite dealer I head to each Spring and Fall at the antique festival.

She travels from Pennsylvania twice a year carrying with her an amazing stash of vintage lace, ribbon, tulle, buttons, dollies and on this occasion, these.

She pulled a small bag of lockets out from under one of her tables ~ last Spring.  Yes, I have had these for almost a year, and not even touched them until last Christmas actually.  

I bought all she had, as their patina was what I loved most.

So, as I sat at my bench, holding one of them in my hand, 

I decided this was it.  The beginning.  I felt relieved.

I opened it, closed it, then opened it again....yes, 

I did indeed see two spaces that needed begged to be filled =)

How about one of my cool "sisters" covered with mica?  Or, how about resin?  

Yes, but resin would take a day+ for curing.  

Did I mention I can be impatient?

I have to confess, I have a pretty good stash of resin filled bezels I had prepared for Marburger last Fall, and have yet to use in a single piece of jewelry.  

I looked at several, deciding on the one that had a most favorite picture of a Texas Scissor-tailed Flycatcher I had taken last year while RVing on Lake Sommerville.

And, the vintage text I had put in it said A LOT.  I knew hoped Melissa would like it.

The bonus, the bezel fit perfectly inside the wells of the locket.

It was attached in the top.

 Then, bet you know what happened next. 

The bottom had to be filled too.

I decided to form what I call a "nestie" to place down in the bottom well.

And, of course it needed an egg or two.  

This seemingly simple task became more than I anticipated, as it had to be just the right height.  I didn't want it too thick (which is exactly what happened when I added three baroque pearl eggs), as it put extra pressure on the resin piece placed in the top. 

I think I struggled worked on this part of the project the longest, 

but it did start another idea, which I would incorporate a little later...in the rest of the soup.

 Once I worked it out...using one egg, the well was a still a little too empty.

I took a piece of etched metal and made two little tags with Melissa's name on it. 

One to place inside the well,

  and the other I attached to a roll of Dupoini silk strips,

also sent to Melissa.

Oh yes, and the front needed a little deco too!

So I plucked one of the Olivine Jade beads from my bin and attached it in a favorite cold join method.  

Now, it was coming together, as I had chosen a string of these "lemony-green" Olivine Jade beads to go along with a few other goodies....

  A couple of Brass Bouquet filigree connectors, my favorite brass vintage infinity chain, another few lengths of brass rolo chain, several brass lanyards, one of my simple bronze clasps, a couple sizes of brass jump rings, strips of Dupoini silk, bronze wire and a vintage Czech glass button picked up at a bead show.  

Now, this all had to go into a vintage PINK satin jewelry bag I had scored at one of my favorite antique stores in Katy.  

I loved the bag when I saw it and had picked it up to send to my partner, so now it was time to tie it together, along with all the other goodies. 

So, remember when I told you earlier about the challenge I faced when making the "nestie" for the locket?  I first had made one that had way more baroque pearl eggs (three =), and would not fit in the locket as I wanted, so I decided to attach it to the top of the bag.

Which....I really like!

This was fun.  A total unexpected chain of events.

I think know that is how it always happens for me when working on a project, 

and it probably happens just as many times to you.  

It made me realize, once again...how excited I am to be doing this.  Living my dream.  

It keeps me going....makes me happy, 

and now fills most of my day. 

I feel so very blessed.

etched & layered

'"Grace"

"Fly Away"

"Quiet Glitz"

I love designing these!

I could layer all day and all night, and not get tired!

These are (a couple) of my newest Etched & Layered Cuffs.  

They'll soon be stuffed into my vintage jewelry boxes,

headed to Marburger!  

I am so excited, as I am actually listed on the site as a vendor, 

for the first time.  (Thank you Agnes =)

See you there....just over a week now!

among us

  I know I have been quiet here of late.  

It is was not intentional.

Not one bit.

I do believe that inspiration sometimes can be like the ocean's tide.  

It is either in.

~or~

It is out.

 

Echo {Week 19} - Blur

(Please go here to see Chrysti's post and here to go see Susan's.)

Mine has been in.

Which by the way, can does travel faster than a speeding train.

I have been working on a couple of class proposals 

for 2011.

It pushes me 

beyond myself.

It is can be both addicting 

~and~

frustrating.

To see trust what lies just beyond what I see know,

and then to go with it.

 

"trust" 

 

At the same time, 

I have been am designing and preparing to sell my jewelry 

at Marburger Farm, with one of my friends,

Agnes Strauss

of 

Wilde Weedz.

 (Moo card designed by Diane Cook)

Agnes & her friend Carla, have their very own tent, 

"Tent W"

Agnes designs the most gorgeous dried arrangements and wreaths.  

She sells flowers, real bird, duck & emu eggs, peacock feathers, and so, so much more.  

Plus, her tent will be filled with beautiful antiques.

Marburger will be open September 28th ~ October 2nd.

It is one of the best shows during antique week.

This is such a wonderful opportunity, which I have known about for some time, 

but thought about not shared.

Do you remember the fast moving train I told you about earlier?

One more wonderful thing happened just this last Wednesday,

as four of us met to make art, for the very first time.  

We had a real organized make art day!

 Yes, we finally did it, after talking about it for(ever).

I am determined to continue meeting with this group of ladies each month, 

who have art on their minds as much as I do!

Our group consisted of:

Nancy Lawrence, of Nothing Ordinary Antiques & Oddities, Agnes, Carla, and I.  

We met at Agnes' house, and had the best time!  

Our logo picture (above) is one I took of Agnes' cat, Rowdy, who truly does live up to his name.

He was so much fun to watch,

as he tried to climb up a table right outside Agnes' back door.

Oh, yes...we had a great day!

(Moo Card Designed by Diane Cook)

All the Wilde Weedz photos were taken in Agnes' gardens.  

I can't tell you how much fun I had designing these moo cards for her.

Just because....