Junkle Bells In June

Six months have already passed since I started my year long quest to have a new junk tree by this December.  I can tell you that had I not made this public commitment to this project....it would have slid. I am so happy that I did!

It's always about the bits and scraps with me so I gathered up fabric scraps, rick rack, thread, string, and yarn in the color scheme that has developed over the last 6 months.  I began wrapping and tying on my clothespins.

I decided to add tags so I popped open one of my hymnals I cut from to look for Christmas themed words.  "Jesus Loves Me" was the song I opened to. Maybe not a typical Christmas song, but I've always liked the simplicity of it. So all of the tags are from that song.

I wired the tags on and made a hoop to hang them from out of the wire.

My tree is coming along....still need to come up with an idea for the tree itself.  I'd sure like to hear if you have any ideas.

Previous Junkle Bells posts can be found at each of these links:  January, February, March, April, May

Mr. Linky is open below if you'd like to join in this month!  I'll leave it open until Friday.

"Junkle" Bells All Year Round Participants

1. Juicy Lid Ornies@kimmykats

2. prior

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Junkle Bells Raw Materials-Clothespins-

I have acquired quite a few clothespins.... the older and darker they are the better!  I really like both kinds, the slip on ones and the clip on ones.

Isn't this little card of small pins so sweet?  I got it in a package of free ephemera from Auctionwally.  He has a contest for his newsletter readers; I'd encourage you to enter. (I won three times and thought I should quit entering.)

I have a small collection of clothespin bags and aprons.  This one is full of clip clothespins.

The embroidery on this apron just makes my day!

This one is quite old and tattered (who cares?) and is made from bark cloth.

So, clothespins are my starting point for my Junkle Bells project this month.  You can read more about my monthly Junkle Bells party here.  Hope you can join me on Monday! 

Have a great weekend.  I'm off to do laundry....however, the clothespins will stay in the sewing room!

What To Do, What To Do.....

I have two of these wonderful old adding machines.  Both work I believe with faint ink.  

I bought them with the intention of photographing the numbers and letters on them,

and then harvesting the keys to either use in projects or sell.

I'm having trouble doing this.  If they were in terrible condition, I could.  (I think) But, the machine is just a beautiful piece of vintage goodness.  So industrial.  So a thing of the past. 

(The operator photo is actually from one of my old phones....same problem)

Convince me one way or the other, please.  Because indecision is a decision in itself, you know.  Which means I will have two very heavy door stops around here.

Where Bloggers Create

I'm so happy to be joining up with Karen and her Where Blogger's Create II Blog Party.  My "place to create" is my Sewing room in our basement.

(If you click on a photo, it will enlarge for a better look.)

My room is a conglomeration of.... just about everything.

My cups in crates and glass jars of supplies sits on what was an old kitchen cupboard that my late husband, Jim, refinished for us to use as a baby changing table.  After baby #4, it came to my sewing room.  Then along came babies #5 and #6 and it was back upstairs for awhile.  Now, it's back again in my sewing room!

The cups are perfect for holding little trinkets and what-not.

This printer's tray hold lot's of "what-not"!

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These suitcases are under the changing table.

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I have dreams of hanging lovely hand crafted necklaces on this sweet dress form... The vintage set of appliqued towels on the wall portray women in the "duties" of laundry, shopping, cooking, etc.  I consider my sewing room somewhat of a  tribute the the 1930-1950's woman.  There is so much that shows what life was like for them.

My kids think these are creepy.  Along with my mannequin and my dress forms.  I love them all.

I love string.

Ironstone plates hold bits and pieces of different projects that I'm currently working on.

Another old sewing machine drawer with vintage trims.

An iron fence topper and letter press blocks.

Wood blocks ready for projects.

How could anyone think Ava is creepy?!

This framed lady has a friend and they hang on the wall next to Ava.  I would love to know how and when this pictures were made.  Maybe, these were the beginning of mixed media art pieces?

More drawers and labels....all full...

Here's the other side of the room.  I have a love/hate relationship with my wide angle lens.  Yeah, I can show you the whole room but uhg...my room is not curved and distorted...

Among so many other things...I really have a thing for vintage hangers...and I have a lot of them.  A Lot.  I'm trying to think of ways to use them.  I'm open to suggestions!

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Sewing Machine Drawers...full of buttons...

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A banner from vintage linens hanging over a "faux" window.  The window is made up of textured glass blocks and the light is just from the next room because it isn't an outside wall.  We thought if we put in a window in the wall it would seem less like a basement.  Kind of odd, but I'm glad I have it there.

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...ACEOs I've collaged....

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On another wall is an old bed we hung which is so fun to hang projects and collections from.

And, this...this is my inspiration board or found object board as Cammie at Daffadowndilly's calls hers.  A place to hang those odd items, projects in limbo, projects in progress, ideas, and just more fun stuff!  This was a crib's spring from a crib that my husband got from his parents.  The rest of the crib would be perfect to use as I did the bed in the photo above, but I'm out of wall space!

I use an old sewing macing cabinet as a table to hold my serger when I get it out and store this buckets underneath.

Silverware for projects

 I like to use my sewing machine in all kinds of projects and on a whim placed this paper person in the birdcage hanging on the bed.  Again...my kids said...creepy.  Oh, well.

Thanks for coming on the tour of my sewing room!  I do have a very large store room that is full of fabric and all kinds of vintage supplies that just wasn't quite ready for anyone to see...maybe some day...it too will be organized!

I'm looking forward to touring so many other blogs now.  Be sure to check out Karen's side bar for every one who is participating in this great event!