Package Pals~~What Melinda Sent~~

I got my package pals gift from Melinda in Australia today!  We got our packages on the same day which I thought was funny!

Vintage trims, a sheepish bag, pincushion and key fob pattern, hand written and drawn by Melinda…very sweet touch

and some maps of Australia with notes written by Melinda showing me where she lived…she is a nurse like me and so I was interested in seeing where she had worked on King Island.

This package was packed full of things…

like this sweet owl and flower necklace.

and this really cool vintage ship trim ribbon.  Very cool!

A sweet owl fridge magnet and a tiny, tiny purse with a tiny embroideried lady on a button on the side, trimmed in pearls and very sweet! 

This package was stuffed full of sweet things!

I just kept pulling little things out…

Sweet little fabric pouch…

and look at the tiny little embroideried rose on the tag of the pouch!

Then we have a tiny water color of violets in a planter…Melinda did this herself. I am looking for a tiny frame for it now.

but this is on the back of the painting…I like it too, but have to choose which one to frame!

And a paper bag full of vintage embroidery transfers.  I love these dancing sailors, how great would they look dancing across a white flour sack towel?

And..then there’s this…

Hmmm, it’s a book with handles, or is it??

No, it’s a silk lined purse!

with a pocket…

So very cute!

There was also a pearl wrap bracelet which I wore to work today.

And the whole gift was wrapped in the vintage fabric you see in the background here!  What a wonderful package pal gift!  I am so glad I decided to sign up for the international partner!

Thanks Melinda for such a thoughtful package!!  You clearly poured your heart into preparing it for me…I love all the personal touches!

I love the whole Package Pal concept!  Thanks to Jamie at C.R.A.F.T. and Julia at Stars and Sunshine for organizing all this!

You can see what I sent to Melinda here!

 

Package Pals~~What I sent~~

This is the first time my package pal didn’t have a blog or pinterest board or some way for me to get to know her…luckily Melinda sent me pictures and told me a lot about herself. She lives in Australia and is a nurse like me and seems we both like vintage and we had an instant connection. So I had an idea of what she liked…I hoped anyway!  So I made her a flower pin from felted/fulled wool.

Melinda has this thing for caravans…so I whipped up a pillow with a hopefully recognizeable caravan.  I almost decided to keep it myself but decided to send it off to Australia!

Actually I had fun making it…thought it turned out pretty cute!

I sent it with the flower pin,

some wool felt from my stash,

and a pink bunting made from a vintage sheet. 

I love the whole Package Pal concept!  Thanks to Jamie at C.R.A.F.T. and Julia at Stars and Sunshine for organizing all this!

The funny thing is that Melinda and I both got our packages in the mail the same day!  How unlikely is that??  I am working on a second post for the package Melinda made for me!  It was too awesome to include in the same post!

Vintage Button Necklace, Earrings, and Bracelet

I love buttons and have been collecting some that are especially nice and sparkly.  Some of them are clamshell and some have rhinestones.  I have been wanting to make a necklace or earrings from them.

I made a longer necklace, added bunches of buttons to each split ring and added them every 1/4 inch to the chain. 

It turned out just as I imagined it would!  Love it when that happens!

I used a dark chain, sort of a greyish color….to make it look older too.

On the bracelet I used fewer buttons so it wouldn’t be too clunky to wear at work.

It turned out perfect! 

And here are the earrings, they each have a rhinestone button which don’t match but they look great anyway!

I can’t wait to wear them tomorrow! 

I am linking to these great parties!

 

Footed Plate Stands

My latest project…

 

 

I was out thrifting and running around with a few friends and saw this…

 

 

I thought it was pretty cute, thought it might look better if they had used a desert plate instead of a cup saucer.

 

 

When I found these four dessert plates at Marshall’s for $5 (clearance aisle), I knew what I wanted to do with them. 

 

 

I found three of the bases in my candle closet (not that I really have enough to call it a candle closet, but hey that’s what I call it!) and bought the footed sherbet for $1. 

 

I used E6000 to attach the glass bases to the bottom of the plate, being careful to center the base on the bottom of the plate.

 

Easier written than done, but the good thing is that the glue will allow you 15 min or so before it sets up, so I just kept looking at them and adjusting them until I thought they were perfect (or close!).

 

 

I am satisfied with the end result, loving it more than the inspiration footed plate with the cup saucer!

 

 

 

Looking great!

 

 

 

And oddly enough, they are graduated heights (purely accidental I planned it that way!) 

 

 

Mmmm, that chocolate chip muffin looks good!

 

 

 

I am linking to these great parties!