Cleaning, playing, organizing, playing...

Today I woke up with the energy that comes from surviving the stomach flu! So, I decided it was time to clean and organize the corner of our house, formerly known as the dining room, that now serves as my studio. Of course, I had my computer on so I could play on facebook while I "work." When my buddy Krissi shared a picture of  her pink sewing machine, it made me think if the pink sewing machine I found at the thrift shop, lugged home, and tucked in the corner of my studio. Then I remembered that I have wanted to set up a little photo-shoot of that machine since I bought it. I'm feeling like that series of kids books, "If you give a mouse a cookie" and so on. Eleanor (my dress form) just seemed to fit in beautifully with the machine.  This is the result: 

Eleanor the dress form with vintage pink sewing machine.

Hope you have a lovely week!

Blessings,

Laura P.

A wonderful field trip to The Victorian Closet

1920's era white lace dress, beautiful!

fabulous linen closet!

The Victorian Closet Quilt Collection

Lovely glass Victorian buttons

The extensive button collection along with some photos and postcards

Victorian collars

Antique baby clothes

Amazing collection of Victorian baby shoes and button hooks

Special little hand crocheted shoes for a doll or a tiny baby

Unique silk ribbon trims

Looking down the main drag in Amador City, CA

Hi, all! It's been a while since I could share with you because my computer was not working. Now, thanks to a birthday gift from my dad (Thanks, DAD!) I'm back and happy to be. A couple of weeks ago my doggie, Gracie and I went on a fun little trip down highway 49 to visit a special shop in Amador City, California called The Victorian Closet. I was given permission to take some photos and that's what I'm sharing here. I hope you enjoy them. Please add your favorite shops to the comments below and we can all share! 

A nest with eggs

I've been having so much fun making these little nests, I thought I should stash some eggs under the birdies. Having put this together, though... I think they look pretty cute with just the eggs, too!

my first birdie commission

Hand sculpted birdies before being painted

When I finished the last set of birdies, I thought they needed a proper home. Living in a Western Sierra Foothill suburb, I am blessed to still have little pockets of forest left alone by the developers. Trug in hand I headed down to the woods to collect natural materials to create a nest. I was in my own little world, mentally putting together the nests, when a neighbor called to me from her gardening and asked me what I was planning to collect in the woods. Once I explained the project, my neighbor asked me to bring it by when I was finished. Also a bird lover, my neighbor asked me to make her a set of birdies that are finches. Here's a look at the finches, sculpted but not painted.