looking back... going forward...

time changes everything...

When I started this blog, we lived in a big old white house 

(just in case you ever wondered about the name of our business.)

 I was creating larger assemblage pieces, mixed media collages, 

and repurposing discarded treasures, whenever I found time, mostly for our home or for gifts.

I shared our home after moving a few things around...

(I really need to recreate these fenced platters in our new home!)

our hot chocolate sledding station

 This old dock table is still one of my very 

favorite creations, mostly because two of my favorite people helped us 

put it together!

and then there were the assemblages...

I was a stay at home mom with 5 babes still in my nest.

Now 3 of them have moved out, and lead great lives of their own, 

and my life has changed over these last few years.

because of this...

The Old White House

Since creating our line of natural lavender laundry and cleaning products,

 I am making products, sewing, making jewelry, answering emails,

 filling out show applications, going to a market a week, meeting so many fantastic people,

and juggling mom life, and although it can be overwhelming at times,

I can't think of anyone that I would want to change places with!

(Unless maybe they were doing all of this while staying organized, and having coffee with their friends!)

Creating my jewelry is really my 'art therapy', it makes me slow down, and lets my mind unwind. 

 It's my way of staying connected to the assemblage work that I love, but in tiny form.

I use vintage trinkets, and old costume jewelry, because I am 

drawn to the stories that they hold.  I use the stones that I do because of the organic

feel and look they give my pieces.

I use rhinestones, because, well ...their shiny of course! :)

I do custom work, when I have time, and sell my OOAK jewelry primarily at the Detroit Eastern Market, 

as well as local shows and markets.

Although I don't have them listed online, if you ever see anything

on any of my social media pages that you are interested in, 

please just send me a message and I would be happy put an invoice together for you.

I hope to see you at a market someday, 

and in the meantime, if you would like to see what I'm up to,

please check my Instagram acct. and FB page, 

where you can see pics on a more regular basis.

(because sometimes I still show how our home is decorated, and family life,

 along with the booth, and new creations!) 

like this picture of our new dining room...

Thanks for all the love you have shown me on this blog over the last few years!

t. xoxo

  

i.love.my.job.

I'm thankful for it everyday.  

Taking our natural lavender laundry and cleaning products,

 and my repurposed assemblage jewelry,

to markets and shows is something that still seems like a dream.

(a dream where I work very hard... but a dream nonetheless.) 

If you have followed me up to this point, 

THANK YOU!

I know that I have come and gone, and come and gone again,

so I appreciate each and every one of you that still stop by 

when you see me come up in your sidebar. 

...and if you have followed for awhile, then you know that I have loved reclaiming 

forgotten treasures for forever. 

 I get caught up in the process of turning a phrase into a wearable reminder.

Repurposing the forgotten little pieces of someone's long ago story

into jewelry for someones new story...

 something as simple as a beloved dog's tag,

a reclaimed memory of someone's best friend...

into a necklace for a special dog lover.

Each small piece of our history inspires me 

to create a sparkly something special for you to wear.

I draw inspiration from the rusty, crusty, sparkly, shiny, 

 the natural, earth formed gems, and our past.

...and then there's this -

our incredibly fresh scented, hard working

natural lavender goodness.

like I said in the beginning...

i.love.my.job.

Thanks for stopping by!

Please make sure to check my social media pages

The Old White House on FB

and 

Instagram

and even

Twitter

for the latest updates on what I'm up to,

and where you can find us!

love,

t.xoxo

thought for the day...

Have a fabulous day!

love,

Theresa 

xoxoxoxoxo

upcycled gift box... the tutorial (kinda)

I am going to confess right now... 

I am cheap thrifty,

plus I have a difficult time buying something 

that can be made, reused, repurposed, saved...

I needed a box to ship my jewelry orders out.

I looked at ordering boxes...

(for about a minute!)

I just knew that if I put my mind to it, I would come up with a better solution.

I had a flashback to the little paper towel roll vase that I made

a couple of years ago, and with a little adjusting ~ waalaa!

A new jewelry gift box for my creations!

(the original idea for this came from Somerset Life)

(the only problem is that now I want to make more of these!)

********

I think that they need to hang on doorknobs everywhere :)

********

I thought I would walk you through the process

just in case you want to make the gift boxes.

Instead of the ribbon looped on either side of the roll

I stapled it on the back and punched a hole on the front so that 

the ribbon could be slipped through and tied into a bow.

Using an extra strength glue stick, cover the toilet paper roll and then 

wrap it in the paper of your choice.

Staple the bottom shut,

and cover the staples with a scrap of doily or paper of your choice.

The one above was my prototype...

after that one, I left the extra paper at the top and tucked it inside

for a more finished look.  

( use the glue around the inside of the roll before you tuck the paper inside) 

flatten it out and stamp with your favorite stamps,

staple on the ribbon and use a hole punch on the front for

the ribbon to go through.

Tuck your treasure inside,

tie the bow, and there you go!

Now as these new garden series necklaces leave the shop

they will arrive more like a gift than a purchase!

I confessed at the beginning of the post to being thrifty,

now I must confess to NOT being the best tutorial creator in blogland!

I get so wrapped up in the creating part that taking pictures

doesn't enter my mind until the work is done.

please accept my apologies.  :)

If you have any questions at all,

please feel free to ask in the comments and I will get right back to you.

Well, back to the worktable for me...

Thanks so much for stopping by,

see you soon!

love,

Theresa

xoxooxoxo

linking to:

Transformation Thursday

Vintage Inspired Friday

Show and Tell Friday