Tuesday, June 16, 2009

"Spec"tacular Collage


Last week was my son-in-law, Chris', birthday. He's my favorite son-in-law...well, he's my ONLY son-in-law! Still, a GREAT guy! He and my step-daughter, Tori, live in Branson, MO and work for a Pearl Vision store. The owners are WONDERFUL people and have quickly become family to all of us, along with the employees. Tori works on the doc side of the store and Chris is on the "fun" "lets shop for some really cool frames" side!




While shopping at my fav antique store, awhile back, I came across this old booklet put out by Bausch & Lamb. I had this idea to take a page out of it and make a collage for Chris for his b-day. My hubbie in formed me, in no uncertain terms, that I was NOT to take that booklet apart because it was way too neat! So, we decided on the pic we wanted to use and he was kind enough to take it to Kinkos and enlarge it. He was in the copier business for 20+ years, so he knows more about them than any Kinko's employee, so I knew he'd come back with an awesome copy.




In the meantime, I was on a hunt for vintage eyeglass photos and also have a stash of vintage LIFE and LOOK magazines. I found a few there and some on the internet. I also had that great old eyeglass case, from the Texas doc, and a few pair of old batter eyeglasses.




I just started slapping it all together and covered it all, or most of it, in melted beeswax. I wish I would have checked my photos before I shipped it, because not all of them came out. I really need a new camera...some day!

Chris received his collage yesterday and he and Tori both loved it and that's all that matters. I think that baby looks like maybe Marlon Brando as a baby! He's got those eyes!


Thursday, June 4, 2009

Apron fit for a QUEEN!



I found this GORGEOUS sheer fabric in the home dec section of a local shop and bought 5 yards of it not having any idea what I was going to do with it. A friend made a comment about what a pretty apron it would make. That started the wheels turning.




I wanted it to be frilly and girlie, so I added one ruffle, then a layer of lace from my stash, then another layer of some crinkly silk type fabric I found at another store. I found a bag of AMAZING vintage rhinestone buttons at my favorite antique store and added those to the bottom. Ooh...la...la!!!




I had all this fabric that I tried to make a draped effect with and had enough to twist and turn into what I call a "rosette" in the center on top of the ruffles. There's a bit of seam binding around the rosette...the leaves...and then a bow at the waistline. The ties are really long, so they can wrap around the back and come back to the front and tie in a loopy drapey bow. I feel like royalty when I put this apron on!