My First Sales! Hot Iron Millinery Flower Work Information

I made my first sales on etsy! I sold 3 digital download collage sheets today! I was so thrilled! I have also had a lot of views and even some sweet people who "heart" my shop! You know who you are you sweet ones! I am so excited! I know, it takes very little to excite me. The posted picture is me doing a virtual dance of joy. If you knew me in real life, you would know that I am not elegant and CANNOT dance...uncoordinated and all. But here in cyberspace I can be whoever I want to be, can't I? Today I am going to work on making some ribbon flowers. I will be putting these up for sale on etsy later. I plan to glue vintage rhinestones (glass and crystal) in the centers, so they should be full of sparkly goodness! I have discovered vintage millinery flower making using hot irons! I saw some tools on ebay, which I can't afford right now, so I bought a mini iron and some attachments and then made some of my own tools to go with it. I believe my method is called "jerry-rigging" in slang! LOL! I have yet to test them, but will post more when I do. What I have tested so far is fairly simple and has turned out ok. I did some dyeing of silk fabrics yesterday and will try making some flowers soon! If you want to check out the tools or methods for yourself you can find information and tools at Lacis. Click here for Lacis tools. Click here for a book on Hot iron flower making at Lacis. When you get there do a search for the title Fabric into Flowers by Judy Hogan. There is a great seller on ebay who sells vintage reprints. I bought a manual on hot iron fabric work from her. It is very basic, but a good place to start. Click here for her ebay store. Search for the following title: Millinery Book Make Flowers Floral Hat Trimmings 1951. There is a seller on ebay who makes reproduction tools. He is in Australia, but the postage isn't too terrible. He will also e-mail quotes on sets, etc. Check him out by clicking here. He sells irons that you put in a gas flame or other heat source to heat, iron tips for hot rhinestone setters, and iron tips for both of the mini clover irons. He doesn't always have everything listed, but will answer questions. Lacis is the only reasonable American Source I know for this craft, but I think it is actually cheaper to order them from Australia, even with shipping. You will have to buy your iron here, as the irons made for Australia and Europe are not compatible with our electric outlets. This saves on postage anyway!

Taking the Etsy Plunge

Hi! I FINALLY took the plunge and opened an Etsy shop! I am beginning with some digital collage sheets or vintage paper toys that I made. I am an obsessive collector of vintage magazines and have thousands of great images. I decided it would be fun to share some of those with the world! I am also looking forward to making some beautiful artist kits and listing some of my artistic confections. You can visit me by clicking on the picture of the doll in the upper right corner, or by clicking on the link here: My Etsy Shop. Hope to see you there!

A Fairies' Garden Party or Fair

We could all use a little Spring about now...especially here in the frozen Northeast! I found this lovely "church fair" idea in the book Bright Ideas for Entertaining by Mrs. Herbert B. Linscott. This book is from 1905. It is one of my favorite party idea books to read and I give it for gifts at Bridal Showers and other fun occasions! Everyone needs a little fantasy in their life! All spelling and grammar is exactly as it was printed.

"Fairies' Garden"

A clever scheme for a church fair is the "Fairies' Garden," which is nothing more than the old grab-bag in a new dress. One seen recently was set up near a booth trimmed with evergreens, with a fence made of "cat-tails" planted about four inches apart, enclosing it in front. To this the people who were present flocked, and were free, on the payment of a small sum, to pull a flower or vegetable as they should see fit. Within and at the back of the inclosure was a trellis made of wire netting with the largest holes procurable, covered with vines, among which nestled pink paper roses. In each rose a small present was hidden from view.
Then there was a "pond," made of a tin boiler banked with stones and moss, and filled with water, on which floated water lilies and leaves. To each lily was tied a weighted present, such as water could not injure.
A bed of real goldenrod planted in a box of sawdust, with the presents tied to the stems of the flowers and buried in the sawdust, completed the flower garden.
The vegetable bed fully repaid for all the time and trouble spent upon it. It was an enclosure of four boards, filled with sawdust, the vegetables being made of paper and filled with cotton and presents. After the vegetables and flowers were planted the beds were covered with moss.
A few signs added to the effect, such as "Great South Sea Bubble" for the cabbage bed, and "Please do not pull the cats' tails. By order of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," for the cat tail fence.
Carrots, beets, onions and cabbages answered the purpose well, being of convenient shapes and very easily made. The carrots were made on a cornucopia of stiff brown paper, in which the present was put, and then the cornucopia was covered with plain carrot-colored tissue paper, closed at the top, painted to imitate the creases in a carrot, and ornamented with a small tuft of leaves cut from green tissue paper. The beets were stuffed with cotton, in which the present was concealed, and then covered with the proper colored tissue paper. The onion bulbs were covered with crinkled cream-white tissue paper, and the tops were made of stiff white paper spills, or lamp-lighters, covered with dark green tissue paper. The cabbages were of pale green and yellow-almost cream color-crinkled tissue paper, wound around the central ball of cotton; the paper was cut and pulled out in the shape of leaves, or twisted to form the stalk.
There were four little girls dressed as "flower fairies," who kept the garden in order, and helped in many ways, looking very effective in their costumes of a "morning glory," a "daffy-down-dilly," a yellow and white "daisy," and a "wild rose."


Wasn't that just enchanting??!!! I love these old party descriptions!

My Love of All Things French Blog Day 2

Bonjour! It is 1:08 a.m. here, so I am officially back to celebrate another beautiful day of all things French! I hope everyone has been enjoying this event and that there will be more bloggers joining our parade through Paris! Today, I am posting further pictures from my Les Modes magazine. Enjoy!

A "Chocolataire" Social 1898

I collect vintage party idea books and booklets. I love to read and dream about the parties described. I thought it would be fun to share some of these parties with all of you dreamers out there!~ Who knows, maybe it will spark some one's imagination and lead to an unexpected party to delight your friends or family! I will try to post one or two party ideas a week! Enjoy!

From an 1898 book entitled
Eighty Pleasant Evenings

A "Chocolataire" Social

In this social the decorations are all of a purple or violet hue-flowers, paper napkins, ribbon bows on the waitresses' caps and aprons, etc. The lights are from candles in silver candlesticks decorated with violet tissue paper frills. Two or three of the ladies act as hostesses and pour the chocolate, while five or six girls or young ladies are waitresses. The first hour is spent in conversation, and in listening to as fine a musical programme, both vocal and instrumental, as can be arranged, including not only the best musical talent from within the society, but some from outside. Then serve the refreshments, which are chocolate with whipped cream, chocolate layer cake or other cake with chocolate icing, and candies. Charge twenty-five cents for the refreshments complete, of fifteen cents for the chocolate and cream alone; and give a small cup and saucer as a souvenir to each guest purchasing chocolate. After all have been served, have an auction sale of the remaining candy, loaves of cake, and boxes or cakes of chocolate from which the delectable food and drink were prepared
Invitations sent out in advance should mention the souvenir cup and saucer given to each guest purchasing refreshments. If thought desirable, the best parts of the musical programme may be reserved for the closing features of the evening, announcements being made accordingly.

My Love of All Things French Day One

Welcome! I do not have very many French items. I do have a few nice things I love. I LOVE, ADORE, SEEK fine French Ribbons and Trims. I especially love the rayon ombres and the silk "Buds n Bows". For your viewing pleasured, I am posting pictures from my bound, premiere issues of Les Modes magazine. It is from 1902 and was a lavish Christmas gift from my mother. There are 12 total issues filled with designer dresses and extraordinary art and jewels. Placed on top of some of the lovely colored plate pages, are my meager, but glorious french items. I have several Edwardian shoe buckles marked made in France, several sprays of astounding 1920's ribbon flowers (not marked, but most like made in France) and a beautiful rayon and silk ombre ribbon trim from France.
I will post some pages today to whet your appetite and then finish up with the rest tomorrow. I did play with the coloring on some of these, to make more moody or interesting photos. Enjoy!

La Reine de le Brioche Art Doll

My journeys to 18th century France have produced yet another fantastic artifact. This is titled The Queen of Cake, or La Reine de le Brioche. My Queen is made of delicate paper clay, with delicious things hiding in the toy theater under her skirt! Her skin is delicately tinted with acrylics and she is gowned in antique crepe paper, lace and french ribbon. Under her skirts, stage right, a miniature Marie Antoinette seeks perfect delicacies of cake and chocolat amongst the lovely pink furniture. I am sure she will find something delectable there. Images are from Lisa Kettrell's cd, The Smithsonian Digital Collection and my personal ephemera collection.

I am a WINNER!!!!

I have won my first ever blog contest! I signed up for about 800 of the One World One Heart blog giveaways and I won a fabulous art kit from http:Outonawhimstudio.blogspot.com
And it is candy themed, all luscious pink in a heart shaped tin to boot! How could I be so lucky?!!!???!

French Inspired Goodies

I am currently participating in a French Inspired Goodies altered art kit supply swap! These are the goodies I assembled to send to a lady in Britain! If I hadn't had to use a flat rate envelope to send these, they would have been packaged prettily! I think she will be happy anyway...don't you?

I am an Ingrid!

I saw this interesting quiz on several blogs, so decided to try it for myself. It is surprisingly accurate for a two question internet quiz! Try it for yourself...I dare you!!!

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are an Ingrid!

You are an Ingrid -- "I am unique"

Ingrids have sensitive feelings and are warm and perceptive.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Give me plenty of compliments. They mean a lot to me.


• * Be a supportive friend or partner. Help me to learn to love and value myself.


• * Respect me for my special gifts of intuition and vision.


• * Though I don't always want to be cheered up when I'm feeling melancholy, I sometimes like to have someone lighten me up a little.


• * Don't tell me I'm too sensitive or that I'm overreacting!

What I Like About Being an Ingrid

• * my ability to find meaning in life and to experience feeling at a deep level


• * my ability to establish warm connections with people


• * admiring what is noble, truthful, and beautiful in life


• * my creativity, intuition, and sense of humor


• * being unique and being seen as unique by others


• * having aesthetic sensibilities


• * being able to easily pick up the feelings of people around me

What's Hard About Being an Ingrid

• * experiencing dark moods of emptiness and despair


• * feelings of self-hatred and shame; believing I don't deserve to be loved


• * feeling guilty when I disappoint people


• * feeling hurt or attacked when someone misundertands me


• * expecting too much from myself and life


• * fearing being abandoned


• * obsessing over resentments


• * longing for what I don't have

Ingrids as Children Often

• * have active imaginations: play creatively alone or organize playmates in original games


• * are very sensitive


• * feel that they don't fit in


• * believe they are missing something that other people have


• * attach themselves to idealized teachers, heroes, artists, etc.


• * become antiauthoritarian or rebellious when criticized or not understood


• * feel lonely or abandoned (perhaps as a result of a death or their parents' divorce)

Ingrids as Parents

• * help their children become who they really are


• * support their children's creativity and originality


• * are good at helping their children get in touch with their feelings


• * are sometimes overly critical or overly protective


• * are usually very good with children if not too self-absorbed

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

99 Things

99 Things

I found this fun list at Objects of Affection on Blogger and couldn't resist. Play along by bolding the ones you've done. 1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band - Clarinet for 1 year 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo- in 6th grade 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - many! 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community -Kinda at Vegetable Stands and I have seen a German Baptist Community, which is related. 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke-at home only-no one else wants to hear that! Believe me! 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - snorkeling
I LOVE it!
52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business – it wasn't successful 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - I fainted at the bank when signing my check! 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy -my first teddy bear and my blue mouse 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar -Kinda, I've eaten fresh water fish roe. I wouldn't recommend it! 72. Pieced a quilt-Partial and I have made one minature crazy quilt. 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve 86. Visited the White House - We weren't allowed inside due to 9/11. 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit-a class action one 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

Another Versailles Soiree

I attended yet another Soiree de la Reine at Versailles...This time I updated the slipper left behind. I just wasn't happy with the original design. The new and improved slipper pics are here for you to view and love!
I also finished up two more balcony portraits of the Queen! Here are my final two ATCs in the Twilight Masquerade Series.
I am currently working on a French Fashion model art doll for the Queen..maybe she will be in the mood to order a beautiful gown for her next soiree...well, I am off...maybe to dream another dream of Versailles....