an embroidered family history

I recently had the pleasure of adding some hand embroidery to a very special family heirloom. This baptismal gown, dating from the 1950s in France, is shared with family members when they baptize their children. Then the child's name and birth date is embroidered onto the gauzy slip. I added a few of these names with the most delicate hand I could.

I don't usually take on these types of projects because of the logistical difficulties, but this beautiful piece called to me. I love the story of this gown, an embroidered family history.

You know I'm a sucker for a good vintage piece too! Really enjoyed photographing it. Here are a few behind the scenes and details of this gorgeous gown. The details are amazing!

Does your family have any heirlooms that have been passed down through the generations?

Weekend Project

 Vintage wooden spool photo holders...

Got these spools on a whim at Brimfield. I just loved the color of the wood, the vintage labels, and I saw lots of potential in them. Their size is perfect for my collection of vintage photo booth pictures. My nerd girl heart is totally geeking out on these- tiny old pics in tiny old wooden spools!

For Renegade Brooklyn I sawed a line across birch stumps for item signage. Remembering that, brought me to this project, wooden spool photo holders. They don't have to be vintage, these vintage-like spools would work too, and you can stain the wood.

It's easy to make these, but using a hacksaw requires lots of patience and of course, be extra super careful! The hardest part for me was making smooth back and forth motions to cut the wood. The blade kept jumping around, which caused the paper labels to get a little messed up (bummed me out). So, take it real slow.


You'll need:
Wooden spools
Pencil
Ruler
Vice grip (optional, totally helpful!)
Hacksaw
Photographs

1. Mark the spools diagonally with a pencil and ruler.
2. Hold the spool in place, or even better use a vice grip if you have one (I didn't have this). Drag the saw along the pencil guide line in one direction until you make a distinct groove in the wood.
3. Saw slowly back and forth until the groove is about 1/4" deep.  Be careful, the blade can jump out of the groove and mark the spool or even cut you if you're not careful.
4. Slide your photo in. If the photo is falling forward, place some cardboard behind the picture to hold it in place.

Hope you try this out & if you do then, tell me, tell me, tell me! More make!

Happy Weekend...

old school...

oh, how i'd love to add this to my collection of school desks. so good. wood is such a simple, beautiful material, especially old wood with it's knots, marks and colors...

ebay fail!

damnit! out bid outta nowhere on this tiny, tin, vintage typewriter pencil sharpener. (<-- that's a crazy sentence). i was looking at this thinking, "its cool but i really don't need that". like most things i like on ebay, it suddenly becomes, "i must have this." i really didn't need this, but how good is this!!

blue dress...

something so simple...makes me happy

just browsing vintage and found this beautiful blue dress from kirby vintage. i hardly ever wear dresses. i am a true t-shirt and jeans girl. i feel awkward wearing dresses and skirts. strangely enough though i have many vintage dresses that i wear on special occasions. this is something i'd love to have for one of these times....

you should check kirby's shop. good, interesting images. seems like she has fun with it.

thinking of a blue dress made my mind wonder here to this song....