Category Archives: tights

2010

I am hopelessly consumed with mapping out my plans for the new year (more on that later), sketching, making lists and preparing for the year ahead!. Today I made a wish box full of antique lace goodness and sparkleys. And colorful tights. I know I always say this but I wish for more color in my life, in my surroundings, in what I wear. Juicy, lush color and pattern. So today I wore a garden to start the year off right!

Have a beautiful New Years!

wrapped up in books and paints and treasures…

???PAINTS???

I have been slowly but surely painting away. Here’s some work in progress from a painting from weeks ago. Getting all the details down…work in progress still.

I added some golden harp-inspired embroidery on her hat.

And remember the feathers that my father found from this post? Initially, I thought that they were from the American Goldfinch (which has such a pretty song!) so I added them to the painting (birds still need to be tweaked, but have a peek).

It turns out (with the help of my awesome readers) that the feathers are from, almost definitely, the Northern Yellow Shafted Flicker.

So the story is slowly unfolding in paint. I hope to finish this tonight, and as soon as it is dry it will be offered as a print in my shop.

???TREASURES???

I was quite sick the last couple of weeks, but I managed to find some amazing treasures. Attempting to de-clutter has put most thrifting efforts to a halt, but sometimes it’s a real mood-lifter.

Vintage maryjanes, broaches, a silver locket on a chain (for me this time), little hair combs and white gloves with red polka dotted trim, and a sweet embroidered bag perfect for springtime.

Of all my treasures from last week, the most inspiring was a bag of faded, multicolored, wide silk ribbons, all hand embroidered with women’s names. We can’t figure out what they were used for. The embroidery also includes their home town and state after their name. Here’s one, which I pressed and put on display. I’ll show the others later.

???BOOKS???

I love the cover of this book, from 1905, which is a real treasure too!

More books…I have a giant, deckle-edged watercolor album that has been capturing my treasures as of late. I make these pages for myself to use as reference, for inspiration, to record my findings, and as a catch-all for all the little things I find. Otherwise, the boxes and baggies pile up and are impossible to sift through! So I guess it’s a process journal of sorts. I watercolor-wash it’s pages with subtle color and glue in little fragments of things I find on my travels and treasure-hunts. I don’t put too much care into the pages…I love to keep them loose and free as I don’t want to attempt to make this an an end product. Just a journey, recorded. The only rule I have for myself is everything has to be genuine and found either on the ground or in a thrift or antique shop, given to me, etc. Today was so nice and sunny I decided to snap a few pictures and share (along with my personal collection of vintgagey necklaces). Private inspiring things…why not?

The little chick-a-dee necklace above is from Found and Made.

Absolutely in love with this lace collar. I have two. Sometimes it’s hard to paste things down so it helps when there are duplicates.

I found a roll of old wallpaper on a rainy day walk. Thank goodness for my umbrella! I just love the pale yellow roses on the grey polka-dotted background.

Little notes on pretty blue scraps.

And finally, has anyone read this book? I have been meaning to read it for a long time. I read “The Lady and the Unicorn” by the same author which was interesting. Anything Historical fiction floats my boat. Last week I found a copy in the thrift shop and I couldn’t resist. I didn’t see the movie due to the fact that I wanted to read the book first:)

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! There’s still time! It ends Monday at 8:00 pm eastern time.

September! Tights and Books!

Today I welcomed September with open arms! Fall is a time when I feel the most creatively charged and over-the-top inspired. So many plans for fall… apple picking and pumpkin carving, long walks in the golden sun through the woods, cozying up and drinking hot tea with honey to name a few. Today I took out my fall-ish clothes, velveteen skirts, little jackets and TIGHTS! Yes, I have huge collection of tights, printed and brightly colored, and nothing says tights like September. And October, November, and December for that matter!

And books! Books are for fall too. I think I might reread some of my favorites. Last week we were roaming around a really neat bookstore and I spotted this little gem on top of one of the book shelves in the children’s section. It has a new home with me now…

It’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and the cover delights me to pieces! I’ve never seen this version before (the inside is a little brittle so no peeking around in there).

So the happiest of September’s to everyone, and thanks for putting up with my little tight obsession (there’s more photos but I don’t want to be a bore). And if anyone knows a great tight site online, please let me know so I can feed the obsession even more.

New Things

Although I bought this antique desk for my sketching I often find myself on the floor. It is covered in a drop cloth so messes can be made without worry. Some new things to inspire~ pretty luggage, ship basket and blue cup (I have been very much into cobalt blue recently). Going to glue some papers and whatnot onto the ship’s sails. The basket is just so perfect, like a dream.

I have been scouring Etsy for vintage clothing. This dress was the purchase the other night from AlessiaC

Can’t wait til it arrives! I managed to a huge lot of vintage tights and I think it will look pretty with the red ones.

New chocolate-y patent shoes from ebay. Very vintage and they even came in their original, tattered box! The laces will be replaced with a faded, satin-y ribbon, I think.

And…THE plate (and some new yard sale goodies too)

So I have been busy sketching, and more paintings are on the way. I am going to do more work along the lines of these which are not quick paintings. These larger, detailed and layered works make me so happy. I have just as much fun coming up with the concept in my sketchbook and exploring the many layers of paint and paper as I do with the finished work. Here’s a piece of a litte sketch for the next one up (the sheep was a last-minute-throw-in but now the field will be scattered with them, I think). It’s going to be a little darker and colder than the others but I do think it will be my new favorite…

Have a good night!~*~*

A garden grows on my tights

One day I would love to grow a herb and flower garden for the butterflies and bees.
I bought these tights and they remind me of a garden…

I have an intense liking for kinds of tights, from lavishly patterned and dotted to textured with ribbing and lace. Tights are wonderful and I am so happy that the chilly days will be approaching in a few months. I like scarves too and on the same trip I bought a pretty pashima with green and black hearts.

scarf and tights

I would plant these in my garden too. What is their name?

Stone key

What would you plant in your garden?
I would plant mint, sage, lavender, thyme, rosemary, echinacea, black-eyed susans, hollyhocks…