a day in the life of @ 612...

In the life of a girl with too many craft supplies,

and so many ideas,

and so many flowers sitting on the table waiting to be used...

there comes the moment when it all makes sense.

Around here it seems that moment arrives with a chid in tow...

"Mom, I need a present for ____________"

you fill in the blank.

"Do you have anything we can make"

(it's like they know I work best under pressure or something!)



Today was such a day.

Believe it or not, I didn't have to make a single flower for this bib necklace

that I put together for Danielle's friend's 21st birthday.

D-"Mom can WE make something for Carly?"

M-"What would WE make?"

D-"I don't know... she loves all of your flowers though"

~nuff said.

I like this girl already!

D- "oh and I need to leave in about an hour or so..."

D- "I love you!!!"

I'm such a sucker for a smooch and I love you and a good challenge.

by the way... you know why the WE in this drama has been highlighted right?

I did mention the sucker part, right?

 This little project has given me a whole new appreciation

for stockpiling my supplies.

(also known as making tons of flowers without a definite plan for them)

I really must go through my stash and see what else I can come up with!

I can thank the fabulous land of blog for this inspiration!

so here goes...

Thanks to all of you fabulously creative bloggers who have shown us your anthro inspired creations,

otherwise I honestly wouldn't have known the first thing about bib necklaces!

Today I am the coolest mom on the block

and it feels sooooo good!  ;O

Happy Saturday!

love,

Theresa xoxo

aka... coolest mom on the block

(for today anyway until another mom breaks out the popsicles!)

vintage inspiration...

For me, nothing strikes the inspiration nerve like an old photo.   My blog header photo of my mom's family is a good example, I love that photo, it's so full of happiness and you can just feel the love they share for eachother.  That is the love I grew up with.  I am blessed.
So when I find a photo that depicts that kind of love I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame and I just want to give it a new life.

This one spoke to me, I think they look like they share a promise of a new life with one another.

A bond. sometimes sparkly, sometimes somewhat tarnished, but a bond none the less.

where you promise your heart, as it sometimes dangles carelessly for all to see.

together, gathering the scraps, baubles and treasures that life throws your way...

with the hope of music always in your ears so that when the dance is over you still hear the violin.

I hope you dance...

I am linking this up to Vintage Inspiration Friday over @  Debra's!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Theresa xoxo

p.s. I get a bit melancholy when I'm tired... sweet dreams xoxo

snow day...

        What do you do when you have a snow day?

  We snuggle in and watch a movie or two, the little ones go sledding and hang out with friends and I do this...

 I still wake up long before my family does, snow day or not!  So in the wee hours of morning when my head is not fuzzy and with my first cup of coffee, I sat down at the table and thought of spring.  I thought of the not long ago memory of only 2 DAYS AGO being able to wear only a sweater outside.  No coat, no gloves, o.k. I kept my pants on but only because there are laws you know :)  but seriously we had temps in the 40s maybe even low 50s, I'm not sure because anything above freezing is considered a heat wave in February!
so I thought of spring...

and I realized that the boiled wool sweater that I loved, looked ridiculous on me and so I needed to cut it up and quick before I was tempted to wear it again without anyone here (Danielle is my fashion police) to stop me!  I realized that the pattern I drew fit on the front side of the sweater and I could incorporate the dark green trimmed pocket into the body of the rabbit. I love it when things work out like that!  I looked around for the perfect addition to this little pocket and after much digging for treasures I came up with a vintage spring postcard.

You can see her soldered pendant that says "oh dat's pretty" and skeleton key necklace here,  I originally had a bow tie on her but decided SHE was not a he...  and after stepping away and taking a  break the more I looked at him I new he was in need of a little make-over,  "scalpel" ... just kidding no bunnies were harmed in this little sex change operation! Call me Dr. T !

edit... this just in, after posting this, I saw those above pics. and thought "hmmmmm, she is missing something...  WHISKERS!

and  a TAIL!  duh.

all better  :)
So this is what I did at the table but while we were watching movies I did this...

I love to crochet in the winter and most of the time I have no real idea what I want to make, I just sit and crochet to keep my hands busy I guess.  I don't follow patterns but only because I can't follow patterns for anything very well so this was going to be a bag but then I thought, nope...  pillow.

and I thought this black and cream toile was the perfect back for it.  I will tell you that when you don't follow patterns though it sometimes takes 2xs to get the lining and back to come out correctly.  oh well, Never, Never, Never give up!  We actually have a sign that I made with that saying on it hanging in the house, it helps when you think you want to give up.  on your math homework.  on the burnt dinner.  on cleaning.  on fixing that darn pillow,  you get the picture. :)

While we watch movies I also do this...

and this...

and this...

what can I say it keeps me from eating during the movie! 

o.k. because I find it very difficult to lie... there was popcorn, but imagine how much I would have consumed if I wasn't sewing or crocheting! 

So you can see that even though it does not look like spring outside my windows, I am feeling it in my heart.  I hope it is in yours as well.

All of the above goodies are now listed in my etsy shop... theoldwhitehouse .

I am linking up to White Wednesday, and Link Love, and Wow us Wednesdays,  Thanks girls!  

 I hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by... becareful on the steps.

Theresa xoxo

not a scrap of wool wasted...

Of all of the fabrics that I work with I have a special fondness for wool.   Raw, roving, yarn, but most especially felted vintage goodness.  I love the feel of a beautiful skirt or sweater felted and ready to cut. 





There is just so much to create with it and once I get cutting there is no stopping me!  

After I felted this cable sweater, the gorgeous pattern in the center screamed "make me a bag" to me and so that is just what I did (mostly because I find it hard to ignore the screaming in my head!)

Another favorite material of mine is ... ANYTHING VINTAGE o.k. there I said it!  I have a hard time ignoring vintage, I try... I turn my head... I walk away... but eventually I find myself coming back for more!  It makes the coolest bag linings, and well the coolest EVERYTHING!  The colors are wonderful and the patterns so lively...

Here is another little peak, gorgeous greens, orange, poppy reds, beautiful blues in the best aqua tones...

Sorry, the inside of a bag is really hard to take pictures of...

 I even added some to the handle, two pieces of the arms that were connected and then the (what was once a tablecloth) vintage material was sewn to the bottom for added strength so that the handle doesn't get stretched out when the bag is full.

Which I did,  with doo dads for creating art, and vintage religious medals, a flower brooch and anything else that I thought my sister Molly would like!   A little belated "I love you, your special and by the way, "Merry Christmas" gift  from me to her.

It's not too late for that, is it?

I mean, I did get it to her before the next holiday arrived, right?

I have so much more to share with all of you!  My computer is not working though, ugh.  so I have confiscated Duane's while he is out this morning.  I am going to try to get a few posts finished and saved for the week so that I have something to share this week :)  I also have so many things to list in theoldwhitehouse and so have to scurry before he comes home and needs this for his paper that is due tomorrow!

Have an AMAZING weekend, full of love, and all of the goodness that it brings!

Thanks for stopping by!  Theresa xoxo

blame it on the glue...

I was in the mood for a little assemblage work.  I find it very freeing, Hannah says I channeled my inner Sid! (the kid from Toy Story who dismantelled and destroyed toys)  I think I kinda freaked her out a little :)  but I am of the thought that it's good to keep your kids wondering...

I had a broken frozen charlotte body and so I put a birds head on it (cmon you know you would do the same thing!)  dolled him up with an old monopoly hat and little scrap of wool scarf and bingo button.  But I didn't stop there people...

He is sitting in a rhinestone bedazzled vintage finial nest full of glittered music paper.  This was easy peasy, I ran the paper through the shredder and then I poured some modpodge into my hand (think hand cream)  and then crumpled it all up and placed the ball, now formed into a nest, on a piece of paper and sprinkled it with silver glass glitter.
but it didn't stop there...

The nest is "perched" (sorry couldn't resist)  on a piece of a chippy rusty light fixture with the name Junk Bird stamped on some seam binding and glued to old ledger paper.

Add an old store price tag and waalaah!  So you see why Hannah was a little concerned ;)

O.k. truth be told, this one wasn't the one that  frightened her...

This one was!  I ask you... what's a girl to do (after using strong whiffy glue all day)  with a lone broken doll head?  How many times have you wished that you could fly like a bird?

Once I started playing with the rusty crusty goodness that has taken over the my workspace, well I just couldn't stop myself...  (really, we had pancakes for dinner)

besides her fabulous salt shaker hat she is bejeweled from front to back!

So there you have it... glue fumes, rusty treasures piling up, broken dolls and birds just laying around. do you agree with Hannah or are you flying over to the creative paradise with me?  ;O

Hope to see you soon!  Today I will be cleaning up my mess, stocking up for the big storm and maybe I'll treat them to soup instead of pancakes!

I'm going to go out on a limb here and link up to Suzan's Project Genesis.  One of my main contributions to our planet is saving things from our landfills.  What better way than to turn it into art!  It is a wonderful project that Suzan has created... one drop of water in the well at a time will fill the well.

I am also linking up to Tutorial Tuesday, White Wednesday and Link Love

On a side note... on Sunday when I visited Hope Studios for her Sunday Funny, I may have taken the video too seriously!  If you didn't see it, you really should, it is a great laugh!!!


Thanks  for stopping by!  Theresa xoxo

ribbon #2 for vintage inspiration friday...

I am hooked!  I made 4 more of these today, all with a little twist! I think these would look wonderful on a lampshade or the corner of an old picture or mirror, but the dress form was all I had time for and unfortunately I could only get pics of was one of them because the sun set before I realized what time it was!  I also made some charms and other fun stuff that I didn't get pics of.  I hope I have time this weekend for a full photo shoot for etsy!

  I have added burlap strips to this one along with some of that fabulous vintage seam binding that we all love so much!

OHHHH there's the 800 number just in case you want some of your own!  I left the backs on all of them well, really because I didn't want to dismantle the whole thing, but I love the history of this stuff!

Behind the bee and crown button is a piece of paper doily that I aged and then ruffled a little bit for texture.  

I haven't started on the pink ones yet, but don't you worry my brain is working over time on ideas these days!

Thank you everyone for all of your sweet comments about the last one... you just fueled the fire! xoxo

I'm linking up to Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday soiree and to Cindy's Show and Tell Friday. It's the first time I've had my act together enough to join in the fun, but I always love to see what everyone else brings to the party!

Hannah has 5 girls coming over for a sleepover tomorrow... wish me luck!  If you don't hear from me for a while, call someone to check and make sure I survived the sleepover! (I'm just hoping I bought enough groceries and goodies for 6 12 year olds!) really IS there enough?  :0

...this is funny but as I previewed this I saw the numbers above for the # of girls and thought "why did I put our address in the post?"  THAT is how easily I lose my focus and forget things people! ugh.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Theresa xoxo

trophy ribbon redo...

So a friend reminded me of this great store near by that is a recycle/craft supply treasure trove!  They take donations from people of all kinds of craziness and then in turn sell them to those of us who NEED said craziness!
~ that would be me.
~ but you already know that about me don't you...

I know right?  One of the treasures that I went for specifically (because my friend is just that nice and told me about them - thanks Jill!)  were these old 4-H trophy ribbons!  SQUEALING WITH DELIGHT!!! They had bunches of them and my brain kicked into overdrive with all of the creations that I could make with them.

I took off the original button and covered it with vintage ledger paper and then took the same ledger paper and used my scallop punch, added some glitter,(why silver of course), and then one of my favorite old photos of the sweetest young woman, a little rhinestone and the word graceful.  I love that word, mostly because I wish I was, but alas I bump into everything, and really if I just slowed down a little and watch where I was going,  maybe I wouldn't. hmmmmm.

Then I topped the original ribbons with some music paper with the edges antiqued and then some vintage seam binding topped with shimmery ribbon. 
I'm a pretty neutral girl, in fact maybe mixed with the Ukranian, Cherokee, Scottish, and all the rest is a little Swiss waiting to come out!! :)

I have more of the ribbons so be prepared to see a few more of these in the near future!  Also I have been soldering a little bit and when I can make something that I don't shudder at, then I will share that too!

I'm going to get back into the White Wednesday party, I haven't been able to join in for so long I figured I'd dust off my invitation and head on over!  btw... there is a standing invitation for you too, Kathleen says the more the merrier... right Kathleen?   Thanks for the party!

Thanks for stopping by! Theresa xoxo

o.k.... now where was I...

Oh my gosh, it has been 2 weeks since I posted....lets see,   I went to the barn, I brought in a few treasures, the tree went to the road last Sunday, and I have been trying to keep up with life ever since. there it is in a nutshell, well kinda.

SERIOUSLY!  I cannot even believe it's been 2 weeks!   To be honest, life has been busy and  I felt like I was spinning in circles I just didn't seem to be able to actually complete a single project.  It didn't help that my creativity add has set in BIG time, so I have no less than 12 projects going at any one time, but I am happy to say that today I actually completed a few of said projects and even got some pictures!  WOOHOO!!!  So here we go...

 I really love how this banner turned out.  Felted wool heats all prettied up with scalloped script paper and vintage white buttons, stitched to a roping of crocheted chainstitching.  so stinkin sweet.

I think the different textures is what has my heart... sorry I couldn't resist ;O

On to the next finally completed project...

 

A tote bag for around town all gussied up with a vintage image from Karen and one of my all time favorite symbols... the red cross.  I don't care what country you live in, it is there. how perfect.  I added a ticking rosette with a vintage red cross pin in the center. 

Sorry, I know the pics are kind of dark, this good ole winter weather isn't really cooperating for me!
But what did cooperate for me today was one of my favorite of all time people, my brother Wil... this is how fun, and cooperative he is.
1. he was a willing model for my new boutonnieres for etsy.
2. he was a willing model for my new boutonnieres for etsy in the Goodwill dressing room, (with the door open)
3. he let me take pictures of him at the Goodwill with strangers wondering what the heck we were doing and who were WE calling strange(rs)?
o.k. are you ready to me him?  really, if you could meet him in person I promise you would love him instantly, everyone else does.  He has so much charm and such a  fun-loving-life kind of spirit.

adorable, right?

this was his "action shot" as he put it! Oh my gosh, we were laughing so hard!  I had to keep composing myself so I could keep the camera somewhat steady!

You see we had a little get together and ate wonderful food provided by none other than Wil, and played some silly games, all for scratch-off lottery ticket prizes again provided by Wil. Then a few of us ventured out on a scheduled trip to the local GoodWill.  I brought my camera and boutonnieres along so that we could do this.  He pulled the clothes off of the rack stepped into the dressing room, left the door open so that I could get the pictures, and we had our Good Wil  photo shoot!  hilarious!

I am filling  theoldwhitehouse with all sorts of goodies and combining the two stores, so look out for more new creations and lots of vintage surprises in the shop!

Geesh, I started this post yesterday, Saturday, and like  my projects i couldn't finish it all in one sitting.  Well I better get busy again, I have so many more things to share with you and it looks like the sun might even be out today so another photo session is in order... I wonder if I can get someone here to model for me in the  frigid outdoors... "Oh Wil".

I'm linking this to Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy, and  Tea Rose Home'slink parties.


I've so missed our little chats, and all of YOU and am thrilled to be back!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Theresa xoxo