Artsy fartsy day. Here is story that combines no fewer than five things I am currently interested in: (1) Going to estate sales where I must buy something. (2) Buying costume jewelry — preferably pins, because they usually very pretty, they usually are very inexpensive ($1 or less) and they take up much less room, as a collection, than wagon wheel lights. (3) Collage. (4) Making clothing out of recycled wool sweaters — hence, the purchase last year of the vintage dressmaker dummy. (5) My office design update.
So, earlier this week, as I contemplated my latest project — my office redesign to add more crafting space — I took the pammy wammy director chair that I received at the Shaw HGTV Home Floors event out of my office. I love it because it has my name on it, and yes, it’s all about me me me. But I only stashed it here because it fit. It is a parking space for Astro-stuff of other stuff. So up it went to the attic hoard, where it awaits potential future use or the Goodwill when I get around to cleaning out the attic hoard.
“In” went the costume jewelry collage I started creating onto the vintage dressmaker dummy about… 3 months ago.
Dress form — “before” collaging
Waltzing Matilda was parked in the living room for a while, where I first began working on her, in lovely light. More recently, I stashed her in my bedroom. But — voila! — in she goes to my office and future-crafting center, where I can add a pin now and again at my leisure.
What are those things that strippers put on their tatas and make go round in circles? The kitties with their dangling tails won’t stay, but I do amuse myself as I go along.
I am going to need a lot more pins. I hook them right into the fabric that covers the cardboard form that comprises the dummy. Have no fear, they are not hot-glued or anything like that. Conceivably, this would be a way to display them so that you could easily see your collection and pluck one off whenever, for use. However, sometimes when I take one out, three oth
ers come off (the pins are pinned), so that could be a hassle. In other cases, I kind of have them jammed in tight. Did I ever mention that I started making a quilt when I was 35. I worked piecing it together on the sewing machine for about six months. Then I put it away. That was 18 years ago.I fussed around with the exposure, the blacks, the saturation, contrast and recovery on most of these photos. Any way your eye slices it, though, this one will be fun.
Don’t just stash your costume jewelry in a drawer! I use costume jewelry to bring 3D effects to my collages… and remember how we used it to bling up my mom’s bathroom (above)? Use your imagination — there are lots of potential ways to make gorgeous home decorations with vintage costume jewelry.
Pasties! haha
Yes, that’s it! Pasties — with tassels!
A term often confused in the U.S. with the Cornish pasty, which itself can be spelled both ways over here.
Pam – please do a blog series on the rooms in your home or a home tour or something!
I feel like I keep getting teased with little glipses of rooms here and there. We’ve seen part of your dining room, part of the living room, the offices, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the man cave. It is all so cozy and warm and it leaves me wanting more. I find myself trying to “peak” around the picture for more as if it were a wall. Haha.
Love this – my girlfriend in San D has Wolf (?) Dressform and all types of vintage pins on it – it’s in her bedroom – right there, just standing like a piece of beautiful art. I inherited a lot of my Mom’s and Aunt’s vintage jewelry and would love a way to display them – Love the idea – now, all I need to do it find the dressform!
I may have to use this idea, i’ve got a similar dress form gathering dust in my garage.
I see you have a “split leaf philodendron”. My mother was the queen of upscale mid-century modern. That plant was a necessity in her decor.
OOoooOOOOO this gives me grand fantasies! I see so many of the pins at estates sales (and glad to see I am not the only one who feels bad about leaving an estate sale *without* purchasing something!).
Love the brooches on the dress form. My youngest daughter has decided that she wants a brooch bouquet as her wedding bouquet when she gets married–some day–a long time from now. (YAY!!!) In the meantime, that will give me time to collect brooches to make this for her.
Well daisies are my favorite flower, and I started collecting some daisy pins a while back and put them on a vintage handbag. Haven’t used it in a while, been in the closet, thinking since spring is here I need to get it back out and use it some!
Wanted to add photo, but see I can’t do it here….oh well, I’m sure you get the idea.
Love your monstera deliciosa! I have a small cutting that I need to transplant, but have been contemplating what i need to put in the pot to support it. I notice you have a support of some type in your pot. What did you use?
Sweet merciful heavens! Get an eyeload of this “lady”! Who needs a head when you’re covered in bling?? This chick’s no dummy.
Pam, how fantastic is this. Sparkle plenty collage. This will be a sight to behold when completed. Great idea.
(In the “before” photo Astro looks as if he’s afraid he’s going to get covered with pins, too; something about that look in his little eyes.)
Your living room is so inviting: the wonderful hues in the vintage art on the wall behind the loveseat; the planter with hairpin legs, and that healthy, green, MCM icon doing the monstera mash in the corner give it a lovely glow.
I might go home tonight and create my own vintage costume jewelry voodoo doll. Yippee.
Another great post, Pam. Thank you!
Awesome! I adore rhinestones and kitschy vintage pins. You need to set up a P.O. Box and ask the RR fans to send you one each. I’d send you one!
Great idea, Hannah. I’m in!
I thought the same thing!!!! Pam, you’d have that dress form covered in no time!
Have any of you ever tried to bid on rhinestone pins on e-bay? It is just insaaaaaaane what they go for! Crazy!
I love absolutely anything sparkly and gaudy. It’s a good thing I married my husband – without him reining me in, I’d get all sorts of citations for excessive glitter, sparkles, sequins, Christmas lights — you name it.
Pam you are so funny – with your pin placement
I agree with the others, love seeing the pinch pleats, artwork and plant in that photo – I love that art it’s great – I’d love to find some 50s/60s goodness like that.
Wow- your house looks great. And I’m hoping to set up the craft zone in the guest room closet this summer, so thanks for the inspiration.
BTW- don’t beat yourself up for unfinished projects. I has em. It’s been my experience that sometimes 10+ years go by before I am ready to pick them up again. Invariably, I was stymied by some block that evaporates over time as I’ve learned a new skill or gained new perspective. Makes the finished product that much richer.
For you fellow monstera lovers-the best instructions for shoring them up are in the old Sunset or Better Homes books from garage sales. Mine is on a chicken wire column filled with peat moss, then covered with moss moss. I do just like grandma and tie the stragglers on with hairpins and strips of old pantyhose. Looks authentic because it is.
LOVE those monstera, especially as an opportunity for backlighting.
I love this idea and shared it with my niece who has a similar dress form. Also love the shower curtain idea. But I’m commenting because I absolutely am crazy for city painting in the photo of your dog. So lovin’ the colors and the whole feel of it!!
Collecting vintage pins is SUCH A GREAT IDEA!! I’m going to do that.
Eighteen years ago when you were 35?!? Was that a typo? Do you mean when you were 15? Because I want to know where you found that fountain of youth!
Astro is so adorable. I might have to start the Astro Fan Club.
awe shucks you’re so sweet.
Such a great project! I have a small French bulletin board that I have on a wall in my walk in closet with one vintage daisy pin stuck in (and numerous photos/cards, etc.)… it never dawned on me to perhaps stick MORE of the few vintage pins I have on there… or perhaps get another board and have it just for that!
I love that you showcase big projects as well as small, easy-to-do achieveable projects too!
I love your dress form. I did something similar when wanting to be able to display my grandmothers’ pins. I collaged them on a cross for my wall. I love to look at that and be reminded of them everyday. Would send a photo but cant figure out how to do that. Anyway, love your idea.
Too cool for school!! I am trying to talk my daughter in to having a broach bouquet for her wedding bouquet?! I love them!
I’ve seen some sellers on etsy who use vintage brooches and pins to make bridal bouquets. I wish I had done something like that at my wedding. But making some sort of floral display made with the brooches and putting it in a fun vase or some sort, would be another awesome way of displaying the pins.
I have a small collection of the enamel flower pins from the 60s and I have them stuck in my milk glass flower vases. They make me happy & remind me of my childhood. I sure don’t find them for $1 ‘tho, they are a lot more than that out here.
I’ve really been in love with vintage pins and clip-on earrings the last few years, but don’t often buy them except for seasonal ones. You’ve really convinced me to start collecting them in earnest.
I wouldn’t be violating my on-going 2008 New Year’s resoluton of not buying anything unless it’s on my ‘list’ (to make the list, an item/category has to be of immediate use to a specific purpose) as long as I decide exactly how I’m going to use them. Of course, that may take a while; everyone has such good ideas on that!
Pam, your dress form is fabulous, a perfect way to collect and enjoy the baubles from the past. Love it!!