I’m feeling a little giddy this morning because I finally finished up my little swan that I have been working on for AGES.  And when I say that, I’m not exaggerating.  For those of you that read my olde blog, do you remember this?:

I went back to the post to find the photo to show you and I reread it.  I totally forgot that this original version was 2 YEARS in the making, and that post is dated almost 1 year ago, to the date.  So, what, that makes this a 3-year craft project?!

Ha, I’m actually a little embarrassed to admit that it would take me that long to finish.   But I’ve become aware that may happen; I mean, just the other day I was saying I won’t commit to any sewing project on this blog because I know that it might take forever to finish (if at all).  But 3 years?  Sheesh.

Anyhow, back to the felt-y one.  Yay!  I’m glad she’s done.  I cut these pieces out a month ago and since I decided this new version was going to be stitched by hand, I figured that it would take me a long time to do it, so then I just didn’t feel like it.  You know, it’s very satisfying to post a project on this blog.  I feel like a little kid coming home from school, “Mom!  Look what I made!”

Ok, it’s not 100% finished finished. (Scandal!)  The crown is not stitched on yet, just kinda floats there for the picture.  Oh, I’ve decided that I love making silver pipe cleaner crowns.  Just bend bend bend.  Maybe I need metallic gold pipe cleaners too.  You know, for gold crowns.   And the wee scarf was a last minute thing as I still like my scalloped capelet from the first one.  But this scarfie is cute too.   I love the vintage foil-backed buttons attaching the wings but wouldn’t covered buttons be sweet as well?  And I’ve got some other ideas for the head dressing.  Oh!  Why don’t’ I just make felt critters all day?

Just when I was about to finish up the sewing lessons I, well, go off and get married…It’s official, I’m a Mrs.!

A Mrs. who voluntarily got up at 6:30 this morning (that’s A.M.) ; I couldn’t sleep (perhaps I’m still wired from the events this week!) so I put on my robe (it was almost chilly), ate some Nilla Wafers and mini pretzels (you’ve really got to eat them together, it’s so good) while watching bits of Life Begins for Andy Hardy and snapped a couple of pics.

I will - OF COURSE - be sharing real wedding pictures with you as soon as I get them!  I’ve already looked over the Polaroids and am so far really excited about our photos.  To be continued!

(Updated 08.07.09: I added a few photos to flickr, not official wedding ones, but a few stills I took myself.  Enjoy!)

Me thinks my room is turning into a little museum.    What is it about these lovely and well-loved old things?  I know I’ve said this before but I adore vintage and antique things that are a little worn and imperfect.  But a couple of these recent finds are very worn and must surely have been deeply loved!

The best part is I got this old blouse, bag and hankie for $15!  Is it just me or is that a good deal?

The ’20s handbag is my favorite.  I really love vintage mirrors, especially when they’ve become foggy with that greyish cloud of a patina.  I also love old rhinestones, foil-backed buttons and sequins for the same reason.  Especially in silver and gold tones.

This bag sat forlorn in the corner of this antique dealer’s booth.  Sad and ghost-like.  I picked this up along with the pretty grey-blue and cream hankie.  The bag is actually in pretty good condition with just a few beads missing and some tiny stains on the interior (and again, I love that the foil in the sequins is very worn and old looking).

So I opened up the bag and spied a little mirror inside!  It’s foggy too although there is a clear spot on one side so that it’s actually still usable.  Snap works great.  And there’s a handle in the back - it’s too small to put my hand through so I suppose you can hold it or perhaps it could go on a belt?  Did they wear their bags on the hip like that back then?

I was interested in this Edwardian (?) blouse for its parts (re-purpose?) but got even more excited about it when it was apparent that it would fit me.  (An extreme rarity.)  But I don’t know if I could or should wear it, it’s so delicate.  The collar is yellowed and shattered and the front hem has been torn away.  And yet I love it so much it was meant to come home with me.

Here’s the back view (Edited to note: Lisa graciously has pointed out that this is most likely the front of the blouse, and I concur after trying it on again.):

Well for $15  for the whole lot , I couldn’t say no!  And speaking of decrepit things, I picked up this brass floral necklace piece from another dealer:

I like how the pearls are all but completely missing but then again I might replace them with new pearls or rhinestones; we’ll see.  And I might just remove the connectors and make a necklace out of the pendant.  The connectors I can use for a bracelet or two, or maybe a fancy brooch.

Ok, back to work I go, for it is Monday afterall! 

a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SBdVhAVP89I/AAAAAAAAALs/7P81AzdWTek/s1600-h/giftbox-open2.jpg”img style=”margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SBdVhAVP89I/AAAAAAAAALs/7P81AzdWTek/s400/giftbox-open2.jpg” alt=”" id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194714720708326354″ border=”0″ //abr /All my April Showers necklaces are posted in a href=”http://fablehandmadegoods.etsy.com/” target=”_blank”my Etsy shop!/abr /br /I made these cute little jewelry cards last night based on my mailing label design. Very simple but adorable too! All jewelry comes in post-consumer recycled gift boxes tied with a vintage or recycled ribbon.br /br /span style=”font-style: italic;”Teeny Tiny Update:br /br //spanspan style=”font-style: italic;”The Etsy site was down for a while, pretty much right after I put everything up. Seems to be okay now. /spanbr /br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SBdtJAVP8-I/AAAAAAAAAL0/iEWf5xdX5KQ/s1600-h/april-showers8.jpg”img style=”margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SBdtJAVP8-I/AAAAAAAAAL0/iEWf5xdX5KQ/s400/april-showers8.jpg” alt=”" id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194740696670532578″ border=”0″ //abr /br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SBdtRAVP8_I/AAAAAAAAAL8/ZqAjWvM6sxQ/s1600-h/tempest4.jpg”img style=”margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M5dKBd5_Vfk/SBdtRAVP8_I/AAAAAAAAAL8/ZqAjWvM6sxQ/s400/tempest4.jpg” alt=”" id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194740834109486066″ border=”0″ //abr /span style=”font-style: italic;”Plus I decided some of my pictures didn’t, um, do justice to the cuteness of the necklaces (Ok, maybe they were kind of crappy) so I re-took them in different lighting. Which reminds me, I really need to get that tripod./span