Happy New Year!!!

shaggy loop bracelets, I keep thinking in my head shaggy dog!

Well, 2013 is almost over, and 2014 will begin.  New year always make you think of resolutions, of new beginnings, the ways to make yourself over into a better person.  Which sort of naturally leads to thinking something is wrong with you now.


I'm tired of that. 

I've struggled for years with just feeling like don't I deserve the space I take up, the air I breathe.  All the bad things that happen seem to be deserved, all the good things not.  The fear I feel sometimes, waiting for the other shoe to drop -- because life is going well, you know that shoe is out there, just waiting -- it's overwhelming.  Sometimes. 


The last few years I think, have been better.  I look around and despite my own internal self doubts, I seem to view myself with slightly kinder eyes.  It's a trend I want to continue.

So my resolution is this: I'm going to pamper myself more.  I am a good person, and I deserve the good things I get. 

So if I buy a book on i-tunes as a pick me up, it's OK.   If I can find a fancy bath product that doesn't make me sneeze or wheeze, then I'm going to buy it, and take that extra time to exfoliate. 

It's OK that I like colored pens.  If i see something at an art show this summer and can't trade for it, then just maybe I'll buy it outright.

If I can swing an extra girls weekend, I will.

And I'm not going to feel guilty about it, because there is nothing to feel guilt over treating myself well.

Happy New Year's everyone.  It's a good year to be kinder to yourself, and to others.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

May your Christmas season be filled with steampunk fairy dust...

And Cart loads of fun!

more sewing machines...

sorry the photo is sooo fuzzy.  the cases are all wood, and in wonderful condition!  At least considering they are 90 years old.

I adore this motor tag .. these motors are original Singer ones so they date from the 1920's as well.  I'm excited, the motors we have had prior were added on a treadle machine after the fact. 

closer shot of the box... I'm hoping to incorporate this into our display without  altering it.  I want to be able to lay chain necklaces across it.. I"m thinking something using wire.

By serial numbers these date to 1920 and 1924.  Got them at a good price, and the boxes are in lovely shape for their ages... I've been wanting wooden boxes for a while, so I'm glad I waited til we found these!!  I know.. I have a thing for boxes.   But I'm actually planning on refitting at least one of these into a display for the booth.  That's a tentative plan.. I want to figure out a way that makes it useful without actually altering the box.  I have to consider this very carefully as this will be a huge footprint of space in my booth.. but if done correctly I think will add a lovely touch to it. 

Jerry's getting pretty excited about ripping stuff up, he's already started on these singer.  I really believe next year could be our best yet.. we are both so excited at the direction my art is taking!

Flea Market Finds ....

I'm planning on doing a series of lockets made out of old little tins.  I made one last year, I've I've wanted to do more since.. so I've been collecting the little guys as I see them.

I've got a bunch of watch part tins, I've got some typewriter ribbon ones winging their way to me via etsy, and this weekend I hit a bonanza of them!

I saw a few I didn't buy, because they wanted more money than I could spend... but I'm pretty pleased with the ones I did find.

Not all of these were at the Flea Market at the fair grounds.. We also decided to hit the 2 best and largest antique malls in Des Moines, The Brass Armadillo and The Majestic Lion.  (the Lion especially has incredible furniture for sale.. some of it is listed online-- if you like antique you can't afford check out the link!) 

Here are pics of what I bought this weekend.  I want to hi-light 2 purchases...

At the flea Market, I bought a small tin of chocolate ex-lax.  Now, if one is constipated, eating a chocolate bar laced with laxatives wouldn't be my first thought... but this little tin amply demonstrates someone did (in fact, to my horror, they still sell stuff like this... ick)

The amazing thing is when I got home, I discovered the "candy bar" is intact and whole inside!!!! ICK!  See pics below....

More importantly to me, the fuse boxes still had a few fuses in them! that's a total score...  that made me smile!!

Most of the finds this from this weekend....

A pleasant surprise! both fuse boxes still had fuses... total bonus and I've already got some ideas on how to use them

Interesting, if not so pleasant a surprise... the tin is full of laxative goodness (ewwww)

OK, gag reflex is activating.. see the quote.. " not impaired by age .... May turn grey.... "

can you believe they still smell? I can't be sure, this this tin and "candy bar" might date to the 1940's.  Judging by the artwork on the flyer, it's not any earlier than the 1950's, and online I can only find this style of tin from the late 1940 to early 1950's.  Have I said EWWWW yet???

Gearing up....

just a quickie, went to the Flea Market with Jerry, didn't actually buy much, but had a good time.  I did find a bunch of tins -- small ones, which I've been looking for, for a series I'm planning to start working on in the next week or so... so I'm pretty happy.

Also found some really lovely chandelier crystals, in a kick-ass drop shape.


A few other odds and ends.. I'll save the rest for for my next post once I get a chance to take pictures.

the flea market had the used book dealer again.  I love her... she brings huge PILES of books, and if you buy at least 10, they are only 50 cents each.  Heaven!!

Since Jerry went with me, he actually picked out 10 mostly Science fiction for him too. 

And the guy selling peanut brittle was there ... Woot!!

I've also been lurking on etsy and ebay and buying small lots of stuff for my mechanical romance line.  I've got more smallish tins coming for my new line ( typewriter ribbon boxes!! some really adorable) and I found a nice lot of older, 17 jewel watch movements with the faces still attached... which is wonderful my supply of older watch faces is dangerously low.  I have a bunch of larger faces, it's the under 1 inch size I'm really low on, and almost no pairs or almost pairs for earrings left.  I'm going to keep searching online for pairs.

I also bought a bunch of pendant crystals... splurged really, and they are gorgeous!!  The only problem is being willing to SHARE them enough to actually make jewelry to sell with them!!!!

Jerry actually took apart a couple of clocks and some of the gears in them... ohhhhh!!! I'm getting ideas!!

And I finally ( I hope) have worked out all the nit-picky design details on the commission I'm working on, my hope is to get them done tonight, or at least this weekend..


I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm getting excited again to make jewelry.  I think my batteries are at green again.. are just about fully recharged. 

Now if it wasn't arctic in my non-heated studio...  The little ceramic heater just isn't quite enough heat when it's below zero out by wind chill......

more adding machine fun....

such a cutie!! got it cheap, it seems to be in perfect working order, but missing the stylus... it's getting taken apart though, I have plans for the gorgeous brass detailing!!

Got this one at a flea market in South Dakota on my last best-est buddy visit in September.  Jerry Decided to start taking it apart as a study break yesterday.  It looks to be a easy one .. which is why he picked it.  ( he's swearing he will get back on track ripping stuff up as soon as all his finals are done next week.... I hope so.. I need some mechanical romance inspiration here!!)

So I did some researching on this cute little guy, and it's patented in 1946.  I can't find specific info on when mine was made ( late 40's to early 50's is my best guess), but check out this link which includes a popular science add from 1947, it's a hoot and a half to read ( it reads like one of those late night infomercials) and tells me all kinds of interesting stuff, like this is all metal, made PROFESSIONALLY ( what adding machine would not be professionally made?  was there a market for homemade adding machines??)   And it touts the lack of paper as a convenience for the buyer!!

Love it!

why am I busy???

I'm working on a couple of commissions, and I've been slowly and methodically cleaning/ reorganizing the studio.  LOOK! the painting desk!!! it's clean!! and look... you can see all my paints and patina's easily on that carousal.!   That is a old fisher price paint caddy I believe.  Works great!

I've also been cutting up old and not so old candy and cookie tins to experiment with this weekend, if I can get my commissions done during the week.  My hands are kind of beat up, cutting up the cans can really do a number on silky-smooth skin.... oh wait! You have to have silky smooth skin to began with? dang...