Something Fun-Repurposing Finds from the Flea Market

Hi everyone!
Today was very dark and drizzly. I decided to stay home and work on listing and mailings, and all those chores that get a bit neglected  during Christmas shopping time.

  
But of course my beach was calling to me, so despite the rain I took my bag of old bread down to the beach, to feed my gulls and walk along the grey shoreline.

The beach is not always gorgeous and glamorous! Though, to me, always beautiful and peaceful. Note to self: It's December! Bring a flashlight and a larger gathering bag. And, um, maybe a raincoat? Even the gulls were gone!

Back home I played with ideas for these canisters I found a few weeks ago at the market. Yes, they're great just as is, but what else can they be?

I want to keep the one with the swallow for my workroom, fill it with often used spools of thread.

The chip makes it unsaleable, I think?

Here's a [yummy!] thought...Christmas cookies!

Then during the winter the recipient could fill it with healthy delicious things like oatmeal cookies. (We always have oatmeal cookies on snow days.)

So cute and so much nicer than a boring old tin from the craft shop!

Look! The pretty meringues are just from Trader Joe's (or Stop n Shop?). You don't even have to bake.

Or you could fill it with teas, maybe a tea ball or strainer, those honey sticks?.... for a friend who loves tea. Same idea with hot chocolate, add some peppermint sticks for stirrers.

Or...maybe they could be used as containers for forcing bulbs?

a fun gift for the housebound-by-winter gardener?

The high sides are good for flowers that flop, like narcissus or amaryllis...
But any vintage---or new---container will do. I often use Mason jars.
This year my amaryllis wouldn't wait. They'll bloom before Christmas, I think.

I put together some kits for the non-gardeners too. Available, along with the canisters, in my etsy shop.

BTW let me remind everyone: If you enjoy forcing bulbs  [more] during the cold winter months, now is the time to stock up. I keep the bulbs in my car, cool and dark (don't let them freeze though!), until January when I start them all. Home Depot has great prices right now.

Experiment! I got the usual, plus blue scillas, snowdrops, and hyacinths. Should be a fragrant winter here at the beach!

love

              lizzy


   gone to the beach...

Flea Market Finds and Other Treasures

Hi! The flea market has been fabulous,
so fun, busy, festive!

But before I tell abut this week's goodies I have to tell you about my lost camera...so sad. I lost my beloved little point and shoot in the neoprene bag, like a wetsuit. It went to the beach with me every day and took the most amazing pix for me. Remember it fell in the quicksand that time? And survived? On the day after Thanksgiving, it disappeared. I was heartbroken, finally bought a new Nikon, aka the camera from hell.

Tonight, after almost 10 days lost, my camera came home! A neighbor, walking his dog found it. Actually , his little French bulldog found the camera, near the street edge! And my neighbor looked at the pix and figured out they were taken from my house. How he could tell, I have no idea...black night sunrise shots. Oh it made my day!
Thank you, my friend!

Anyway. Flea market finds!
The weather is awesome, sunny and 60-ish. Not every Christmas-y but who cares. Perfect for the markets and this is the time to stock up on things for crafts, especially holiday crafts. Maybe next year, at the rate I'm going...but Real Good Stuff.
Like...this velvet scarf. I bought it for the velvet, to make Valentine hearts.

But isn't it pretty? Can I fix it and...wear it? Not sure it is ready to be cut up.

What do you think? With a jean jacket and cargoes, boots?

Little creche sheep...

...for my Noah's Ark , maybe? Aren't they so cute!

...or for a Santa's bag of goodies...like this one:

To be filled with tiny toys....

A wire garland of small tin stars, for an angel to hold in her hands or it could be wound tight to be her halo?

A dear little bird, for my winter twig tree, or to sit on an angel's hand?...

A bag of tiny silver heart ornaments. These will go in my hurricane cylinder with a red candle. They also can be de-silvered and filled with sand & tiny shells, sea glass, for charming necklace pendants [I'll show you in a few days!]....

a stack of red and white dishtowels, one vintage, 100% linen, the rest 100% cotton. All useful...

Here's a stocking, NOT made by me...from eBay. See how the old textiles can be reused, re-purposed...here

And the tiny black velvet clutch from a few weeks ago. Perfect for my winter wristie bag, w/ jeans...or yes, okay. I may sell it. Mint, never used!

More wonderful children and chic flapper ladies.... 

And when I got home, just so ready for an apple and a hot cup of tea...here is what awaits me. My work table: "Finish us, mom! We want to go on Christmas trees! We want to be pretty and loved!" And so, back to work!

More to show you, real soon! Big Christmas expedition tomorrow, yay! So excited...

Have a wonderful week!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....




photo in the runaway camera!
sunrise, looking south southeast-
late November, 6 AM

 

Best Sunset of the Year....

Hello! Yes it is December now...how quickly the year[s] goes by.

These are photos of just one sunset, taken this November, last week, the day after Thanksgiving. It was spectacular show that lasted all of maybe two hours!

The heavens making up for the suddenly long, very dark nights?

enjoy...



sunset, looking east!




again, eastern horizon..
more for sunrise
than this sunset pink!



and the following day...a rare, for me, sunrise..also beautiful.

love

lizzy,

gone to the beach......

wind corrugations

mermaids' purses and driftwood