Thursday, October 29, 2009

License & Registration Please


Thank you Karen of Portland Oregon for prying my front license plate out of your front driver side door and giving it back to me. Next time you pull out directly in front of on coming traffic without yielding, you may not want to come to a complete stop when you realize "Oh snap! There's an oncoming Jeep Cherokee going 40 miles an hour 8 feet away from me!"


Monday, October 19, 2009

What's a Whittle?


If you aren't into fruit jars like I'm into fruit jars, the term "whittle" can be confusing when it's applied to glass. Etsians often ask me how a fruit jar can be described as having features that normally apply to wood. & the cute smarty pants who poke fun at me. Yes i sit on the front porch and carve jars out of sticks with my pocket knife while chewing tobacco. I think not. I choked through "Deliverance" once in my life, what a horrible movie.
The internet's many articles on the subject basically define a whittled appearance, as having a choppy look likened to whittled wood or pounded metal. Also referred to as wrinkles, or ripples.
Internet articles also go on to say the cause of whittle marks are the natural reaction of hot glass hitting a cold mold surface. But of course, actual people are always your best source for an answer on anything. The internet also defines "Deliverance" as a good movie, which we know is not true.
Members of my fruit jar group had a lot to say on this topic & I was pleasingly entertained by the banter & actually learned quite a bit. (Which is unusual for me to learn anything, learning requires thinking and i try to avoid any process of thought as it makes my head hurt.)

Comments from Fruit Jar Group members:

The explanation I always heard and which makes a lot of sense to me is that when the metal molds were cold, the hot glass would shrink when it encountered the cold mold which caused it to "crinkle" into the whittling we see today.
~Darrell

It is from the metal mold being too cold. The surface of the glass hardens slightly when it first hits the metal. With this "skin" on the surface, the glass does not flow smoothly into the mold.

~D. Cole
Muncie, Indiana

Many Many comments stemmed from the topic of whittling. Including the possible use of wooden molds to the way a jar is vented. My opinion is that of a mold being too cold to allow glass to flow smoothly. Like me and my old cold bones when I wake up.

Our Moderator Says: I suppose I've heard many stories concerning whittling and I think both the cold mould and trapped air theory are both the real story together.
~Bruce Wayne Schank


& special thanks to Scott:

When hot glass meets cold iron, well, its about like my warm butt , meeting a freezing cold toilet seat........ ......Instantaneous Retraction!
Some puckering might even be involved. :-)
~Scott Grandstaff

Thank you to the many others who contributed to the 'whittle' topic, i didn't include everyone, but i thank you all the same. Regards, Lisa

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31986063



Thursday, October 8, 2009

Cat Harf Is Evil

Oh yeah, They are so pretty and fluffy and soft and playful until they barf up a multitude of hair balls in spasmatic convulsions on your new carpet.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Could Save You Some Grief

If you sell anywhere online, this Will apply to you in some way or another.



http://thereevesreport.blogspot.com/



Saturday, August 22, 2009

I can't spell, but kneether kan ewe


I acquired this jar while helping a friend of mine sort canning jars a local charity had given her. We sorted through about 6 huge boxes of quart size modernish canning jars combined with glass shards, dirt, and my favorite jar accessory, The Spider.
Last of these quite large boxes, I found this little cutie and asked if I could have it. Early 1940's round Kerr wide mouth squat pint.
It took me about 6 months to notice SELF is spelled SELE.



Kerr Economy




Four versions of the kerr economy & economy unthreaded squat pints.
Group of three: Top jar is an unusual color in olive green made in sand springs oklahoma. Bottom Left is a very rare steele blue made in chicago ill. Bottom right is an unusual pink mauve that never turned amethyst after years in the sun, also made in chicago~must just have a touch of manganese dioxide which is unusual for a chicago jar especially embossed kerr and not just economy.
Single jar, simply embossed economy, made in portland oregon. I turned this jar a nice deep sun purple myself, only took a short while to turn so it must have quite a bit of managanese. It started out clear with an ugly rootbeer brown tint in the base.


Monday, July 20, 2009

What do mean we're out of coffee?



The coffee is gone
.
The jars are empty.
But I salvaged the lids.

Wide Mouth Upcycled Mason Threaded Vintage Coffee Jar Lids:

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Salvaged Drawer


Salvaged Drawer front from an old vintage desk.

I bought this desk at a rummage sale for charity. I paid 1.00 for the desk. I salvaged all the drawers. This front panel was from a drawer with broken sides.

Shabby white paint, primmy tole roses, sandpaper and sealant.

I will attach two hooks to hang it and some chic antique white cupboard knobs auntie found at a salvage store.

Shabby coat hanger for my daughter's room.

not bad for a buck.


Saturday, July 11, 2009

Put a Lid on it


Sometimes I buy junktique odds & ends by the box. Sometimes I buy jars off eBay and they arrive smashed. Most eBay sellers are ignorant to the concept of bubble wrap. But I always seem to end up with extra lids for jars of all sorts. Repurposing is good, finding a new way to use something old keeps our landfills a little cleaner and our minds creatively innovative.

Repurposed metal vintage jar lid ornies:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27693434



Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Secretary Part One





This is the secretary I keep talking about, relentlessly, non stop, so excited.


Upon researching this piece Ive learned basically, nothing, Circa late 1800s to early 1900s
& the style is
called a side by side. I do believe it is oak.


This antique secretary will be periodically featured on this blog, sorry you furniture lovers, it is getting upchic painted and a shabby upcycled. It has such severe surface and veneer damage it cannot be refinished without considerable cost and tremendous labor. It has also been high gloss lacquered and stripping it would take many hours and the use of toxic chemicals.


My husbands Grandmother previously owned this piece. She bought it an estate auction in possibly the 1950s along with 2 or 3 other pieces that included another side by side secretary and a china cabinet. She paid 10.00 for it.


Over the years, Grandma Gertie had mentioned this secretary and how she wasn't going to refinish it. Restoring the other pieces she had was such a chore and since this secretary had such damage to the veneer and missing escutcheons, she wasn't going to even "mess with it" and that it was a good candidate for a faux painted or sponge painted look.


So it sat, many years in her basement. Sometimes we'd talk about it, sometimes we'd go in the basement and visit it. Grandma always mentioned she was glad the original mirror & bowed glass door was intact even though several other parts were missing.


The sponge painting idea came from a 1985 better homes and gardens magazine article where this exact piece was faux painted and re~knobbed and featured with a full picture. Grandma saved the picture and I found it tucked away inside the desk part. It is the same piece, reworked, it's nice to have a picture for reference. By comparing my secretary to the magazine picture I noticed my piece is missing the center molding scroll that should be on the top. Sure enough you can see and feel where it was cut off probably due to damage over the years.


My goal is to up~chic this side by side antique secretary desk for 120.00 or less.


By using the keyword 'secretary' as a label for the secretary progression, you will be able to search this blog for all posts relevant to this post.



Shabulous


Had to show off the most shabby primmy pins I have ever done and the first purple ones. These pins are super vintage, kind of chunky and have reinforcement stopper wire. Shakey hand gramma tole folk roses in shades of purple, primitive Americana traditional in a not so traditional color.


Color my cottage in purple...


available on etsy ships free to the united states:




Sunday, June 21, 2009

Princess Peony


My daughter opened her own etsy shoppe




She is 12. We love how Etsy allows kids to open their own shop!


Autumn is really into repurposing and upcycling items. She has just watched almost every storque etsy video posted by etsy on youtube.


We are currently experimenting with fusing plastic bags, a technique we learned from etsy how to. She plans on listing some party favor bags made from recycled fused grocery sacks so watch for those and add a heart to PrincessPeony!


Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sweet Start

This is my new friend and fellow Etsian, pixicreationz. Pixicreationz is brand new to Etsy, has been a seller for 3 days and already made 8 sales. She'll be on the Etsy top seller wiki in no time!

http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Top_Sellers

Pixicreationz makes individually hand crafted polymer clay beads & charms based on yummy foods and sweet treats.




This creating Mom from the UK has the sweetest shoppe and best part, NO calories!


chocolate beads look good enough to eat available now:

Congrats on the excellent Etsy start!

Grog 2

Today sebastian has a friend, his name is Tyrone.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Grog

Today I woke up with a huge zit on my forehead.
I named him Sebastian & went back to bed.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Total Eclipse of the Heart





I was fortunate enough to find almost a full case of these vintage squat pint jars.

Ball Eclipse Wide Mouth Fat Pint, Chic Cottage Sweet.

This is my last single Eclipse. After this I have one more pair in stock and then no more until I find more.

I normally would write some quip to go with this jar, but associating short, fat and wide just reminds me I need to go on a diet.


*sigh*



Monday, June 15, 2009

SoOo Blue Indeed

Thank you Henrietta, this SEO disaster certainly has me singing the blues. (Atleast it's not a boy named Sue...)

MooNsHiNe Hic!







The picshure ish blurrry because i drinked the contents





Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Just Cous


My beautiful cousin Janine at Fort Stevens.


Monday, May 11, 2009

Through the Looking Glass


Amber Lee

Lisa Clones

Amber Lee & Aiden

Kiddlings


Sky of Trees


This is the skyline~ceiling of the Aloha Nature Park. The trees trunks are crooked not the picture. The light colors among the leaves are white flowering blossoms.


Fungus Among Us


Nature Park

Aiden Thomas


Nature Park Bridge

Lisa





Nature Park

Autumn Grace


Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Not Really A Fairy

I wouldn't hide all your left shoes or un~alphabetize your CD's.
You deserve a random piece of wrapped chocolate in your coat pocket every so often & a surprise present left on your car seat or in your coffee cup once in awhile.

Hope the tulips remembered to thank you for your generous gift of a brand new brita water filter.

~Fairy Princess of all Things Sparkly

Monday, May 4, 2009

Lake Tranquility

Today it rained, all day, every minute, every second, splat splat splat. And it's still raining.
I am in my plaid flannel pajama bottoms and hello kitty t shirt. No make up, no hair, no socks, all day. I painted and sewed, ignoring the bathroom that is crying out for a cleaning. I am eating chocolate yoplait whipped yogurt & whispering thank yous to the Heavens that all three of my children are safe and sound, home and well. Tonight my insomniatic 5 year old and my insomniatic self will make origami sailboats out of magazine pages and sail our troubles away in the patio puddles.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Celestial Beings on Earth

Sometimes I have sorrow in my day & worry in my night. Wayward teenager trampling my heart, causing tears she'll never know. God protect her with your guardian Angels & bring peace to this troubled mother.
Angels come to me in all forms, as of late. Appreciating any small fragment of comfort, I have learned to embrace & cherish every whisper of hope, & find something good in everything, even if it seems bad. Pollyanna's glad game.
A personal Angel can make all the difference in the world, even if they walk the Earth & not the Heavens. Mine tells me it's all OK, & has made a huge impact in my life. I survived another day because someone reminds me it's OK. If that's not Angelic sweetness, nothing is. How do you thank someone for that?

Angel base antique jelly jars:


special thanks to ladyFranCreations for including these antique jars in her treasury:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Never Ending Shoe Saga


Oh so inhumane. Before my coffee at a ghastly morning hour, (Anything before noon qualifies as ghastly.) and still not yet fully recovered from prying my oldest out of bed & shoving her patooty out the door to barely grace the school bus driver with her omnipotent high school presence. We have Autumn. And guess what Autumn cannot find? Oh why, that would be her shoes, again, as usual. Keep in mind she has puma's and nike's and slip~ons and sketchers, but will she wear them? Just one day please for your traumatized mother? Emphatic "NO" bellows out of her mouth. The clock is ticking, the bus is coming, the 11 year old is blaming mysterious forces for ONCE AGAIN moving her shoes to a place unbeknownst to anyone in the universe. Beat up faded black high top converse with stars. Worn sole, frayed fabric, & on their 3rd pair of laces. Secretly I sort of hope they remain un~found. They should be put out of their misery instead of put over clean socks. I tried to get the dog to chew them, but I think they scared her. "Where were you when you took them off?" and a reply of "Definitely in the family room by the couch, I am absolutely sure!". We found the star stamped sneakers in her room, under the clothes she took off before going to bed. With 3 minutes to catch a bus that is 5 minutes away, Autumn flies out the door wiping her frustrated tears, shoes untied and backpack clutched in her arms. She must have caught the bus, because she didn't come home in need of a ride to school. Magic high tops not only have the power of invisibility but must make you run very very superkid fast.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Calgon Take Me Away!


"Mom, I can't find my other shoe! Somebody moved it, where did YOU put it?

"It's in the fridge where YOU also put your homework, now leave Mommy alone so I can Twitter."



MaGiC LeTTeRs


When I was unfortunately a slave to eBay, I got a reputation for using the "sparkklejar MaGiC LeTTeRs". ~Which became a running joke that using lowercase alternated with uppercase letters in your listing title somehow magically attracted hoards of bidders with a phenomenal closing bid.

Someone in an Etsy forum likened the look to a ransom note which I think is quite hilarious.

I also gained the MaGiC LeTTeR bLoX reputation, & once sold a set of 4 shabby pink letter blox that said PINK to a woman in France for 42.00~CrAzY. Then as typical non creative eBay droids do, I got copied by about 20 sellers. It's tough being an innovator. Etsy artists are respectful, and talented enough to have their own ideas & don't need to rip off someone elses.

MaGiC LeTTeRs bring wOrLd PeAcE!

Vintage Upchic'd Wooden K block available:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23955559

~Lisa

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Echoart Shares Some Bliss




My Beautiful friend, Etsy user echoart, was phenominal enough to write about herself and share her wonderful art with my blog readers & explain the beauty & creativity involved in mixed media ACEO's. I first met echoart on eBay, and we migrated to etsy about the same time. Her art is truly inspirational to me.


Echoart's words~


I have a passion for collecting assorted bits of ephemera, mostly vintage (usually from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s), and recombining them to create something new. The juxtaposition of initially unrelated items is exciting to me, as I see the new ways in which those items interact, the new ideas they bring forth when combined. I am a poet, and I find that the idea in poetry of “disparate ideas yoked together” also holds true regarding my collage and mixed media ACEOs, as well as larger pieces.The inspiration for this particular ACEO, titled “a more blissful life”, was my longing for a life in which I can actually “follow my bliss”, as mythologist Joseph Campbell famously philosophized. We all have days (weeks, months, years) when we must simply put our hearts and minds to the business of slogging from day to day, without being able to focus on the goals we truly wish to achieve. This ACEO was my way of reminding myself that the life I want might be just beyond the next door, beyond my next effort – that attaining the life I desire is possible.As with most of my ACEOs, I spread out all the pieces of ephemera in my collection and waited to see what would call to me to be used in this piece. As it happens, “a more blissful life” features mostly more modern bits of ephemera. The background shrubbery image and the text came from a discarded fashion magazine, and the red door was originally part of a photo of an armoire in a discarded design magazine. I cut the twig with three green leaves from a roll of wallpaper I purchased at one of my local thrift shops. I layered the images used in this ACEO, as I do with all of my ACEOs, using Mod Podge. Once a given ACEO is complete, I coat it with a few layers of varnish to seal it – usually matte varnish, sometimes glossy, depending on the feel of the piece. For “a more blissful life”, I used glossy varnish, to emphasize this ACEO’s inherent optimism.“ACEO” stands for “Art Cards, Editions and Originals”. The only requirement for creating an ACEO is that it must measure 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. ACEOs may be created using any medium and materials an artist desires; my own preference is to make ACEOs via collage and mixed media. Initially these small creations were called “ATCs”, or “Artist Trading Cards” – artists made prints of their art, measuring the standard 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, and both traded them with each other and sent them to galleries to introduce them to their work. Once artists realized that people wanted to own these small versions of their work, some began creating them specifically for that purpose, and the ACEO market was established. Personally, I find that ACEOs are a wonderful way to create small pieces of affordable art – to my mind, they are very much like visual haiku.


Echoart's Art Cards, editions & originals~Beautiful Vintage~Collage~Assemblage


'Tis truly a treat to visit her shoppe.




'A More Blissful Life' available:



Thank you so much to my friend echoart and just a big hug to her for her patience in letting me get this blog entry up & running. I enjoy our convo's, they brighten my day, ~Lisa

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Hanging In Limbo

Lately, I have been in a fog. Floating around in Lisa Universe & being unproductive & lazy. Us artistic types tend to bathe in our depression.
I have actually been writing. I ignored listing new stuff on etsy until recently & I must confess Bonanzle is in the back burner for me right now.
But I did do something kind of different for me and actually listed an item on ebay. I use them as nothing more than ad space because that's all they're good for. Actually, this is the nicest thing I have said about ebay in a year and a half. I pimp out a nice item cheap there, and will have no profit but be able to lure that buyer to my etsy shoppe & gain a customer.
~Lisa

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

funandtrendy redandsparkly






http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/funandtrendy/items/Red_Coral___Czech_Glass_Beaded_Bracelet_Fair_Trade


Bonanzle seller funandtrendy, caught my eye with their beautiful Guatemalan bracelets & charmed me with a little bauble about themselves too.

Mary & Richard Black, currently in Paulden Arizona, are known as funandtrendy on Bonanzle.com. Not new to online selling, but new to Bonanzle, this husband and wife team feature walking sticks, pet supplies, and a new line of eco friendly bio degradable products by a U.S. company called Wheatware.

Most beautiful & appealing are funandtrendy's magical assortment of hand-woven beaded bracelets. These Stunning adornments are fair-trade jewelry, made by & support the women in the highlands of Guatemala.

When asked what she liked so far about Bonanzle, Mary's reply, " I really enjoyed the community feel of it. People are amazingly supportive of one another. Really super people here."

Many Bonanzle sellers also use Etsy.com too, when asked if funandtrendy was also on Etsy, "No we don’t Etsy although I am in the process of making some cool, hand-knitted, funky scarves." All this & she knits too! Looking forward to the scarves!

About Richard & Mary,

"My husband and I are modern day Gypsies! We sold our home 18 months ago and travel around pet/house sitting. We have a pet/travel blog:
http://www.pethousesitting.blogspot.com/
We’re kind of renegades cause we up and left our kids, parents, grand kids and all the rest of the family! We figured “The time is Now” better get doing what you always wanted to do. It just fell into our lap and we have been loving it.Our philosophy is "be as kind and forgiving to others and yourself as you possibly can…no matter what. Life is too short for fear and bitterness. Joy and Smiles, Mary and Richard Black"


You can visit funandtrendy on Bonanzle. A variety of well photographed unique items make funandtrendy's Bonanzle booth a must to add to your faves!http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/funandtrendy

Has anyone seen my MaGiC LeTTeRs?
~Lisa
Always A Sparkle Pimp

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

All Purpose Thread

We all have a vintage trinket or two just floating about the house. Fabulous finds hide in your junk drawer, in your hall closet, or in the bottom of your sewing basket, longing to be rescued & lovingly revived.

Vintage upcyclers know how to take the old and used & give it new life & a new purpose.

With little effort & no talent, wooden spools are reborn into shabby little objects of affection.

3 large wooden spools with partial labels still intact evolve from a naked circle of wood into whimsical shelf sitters.

Making the old into something new that looks old again requires paint, water slide decals, glitter & a good sealer.

After sanding any loose label smooth, paint your spools in titanium white acrylic paint. For small wooden projects like these spools, I use a thicker craft acrylic. Using uneven brushstrokes going against the grain & allowing to dry, your spools are now ready for a quick distressing with fine grade sandpaper.

Water slide decals are easily applied to one side of these shabby cuties. Finishing touches added after the decal is allowed to dry overnight & include a generous all over smear of acrylic suspended silver glitter, deco art makes my favorite. Deco Art twinkles come in a variety of colored glitter & smear beautifully with your fingertip. Allowing to dry once more, lightly seal your spools in matte enamel spray.




Sometimes, we take for granted the thread we love the most. We use it to darn our emotional socks, embroider a smile on our faces & mend our broken hearts. We often find it easier to thread our needles than appreciate the core. I love you Mom, I know I don't say it enough. Thanks for letting me use your thread.


These Vintage Spools Available on Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20989441

Fabulous waterslide decals available here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5670714

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Tapioca Pink

Great gifts come from the heart & are wrapped with love.
Twisting a vintage laundry pin into a pretty gift tie, place card holder, or ornie bowl filler, is an inexpensive unique way to make a sweet presentation.

No talent required for creating cottage clothes pins.

My personal favorites use a deep mauve acrylic paint fused out with a wonderful delta color called tapioca.

Generously spreading uneven brushstrokes of this whimsical tapioca pink over a vintage clothespin, allowing to dry, sanding in all the good places, and painting a primitive rose on one side, gives you a joyful chic piece of reworked vintage. Finish with lacy white dots and an enamel based matte sealer. My favorite red primmy roses use tomato red, butter cream and extender for acrylics.

A wonderful seller that is new to Etsy has provided me many a clothes pin, I gave him some blog love now give him your Etsy hearts!


navyman26 of navy man's lost treasures
Eat all your MaGiC LeTTeRs, They're good for you & chocked full of vitamins.
~Lisa

Sparkly Red Stuff

All the best elements in the known celestial universe. What red blooded woman's heart could resist such a beautiful find? Sparkly garnet colored marquis rhinestones embrace small circles set in a wavy S shape.
Beautiful brooch.

I love red~I love marquis~I love sparkle

And I absolutely have fallen head over heels for
Stuff
on Bonanzle.
Juliana Garnet Red Rhinestone Brooch-DeLizza & Elster Pin
Stuff's booth
Features beautiful sparkly items, brooches, bakelite, vintage, designer signed, fenton, & more.

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/stuff

Well photographed with pleasing shipping. Stuff hails from Enid, Oklahoma.

Sparkklejar & Rose Red

Allowing me to run a muck with paint often ends in a delightful mess.

In May of 2008, after being a good & faithful girl to a less than monogamous venue called eBay, I ran screaming hands flailing into the arms of another lover. Truly Etsy.com hearts me.


My passion for fruit jars met my lust for creating & I combined the two addictions together.


I have recently discovered yet another cakey venue & was tempted in slowly, seduced if you will, monogamy no more. Bonanzle.com is my other lover, after being used & abused by eBay, one loses her taste for a single commitment. Why have one when you can have two? Eggs in one basket?~I think not.






Little known boring facts about me that may send you into a drooling state of lethargy after reading:

My favorite color is actually black. NOT pink.
I was once sued for allegedly cracking some one's skull with a mason jar. (she allegedly deserved it.)
I own over 1,000 jars in my personal fruit jar collection.
I once sold a jar on eBay for 72.00 that i found in someone's recycle bin.
I own Barley Bliss & manufacture natural microwave heating bags.

I would love you to twitter my fancy (sparkklejar) heart me on etsy and fave me on bonanzle.


I plan on using this blog to promote YOU as an etsy seller, YOU as a bonanzle seller, YOU as the owner of your own web sales site, & as an outlet for my relentless ranting especially when Aunt Flo is here to visit.


MaGiC LeTTeRs are your friends, Lisa B. ~Panderer of all Things Sparkly.





Monday, February 9, 2009

I acquiesced

Well Sparki held out defiantly against the blog wagon for quite some time & it seems I have lost.
My pride trampled, here exists my blahg.


May you find amusement in my defeat.


MaGiC LeTTeRs are your friends. Lisa B. ~Panderer of all Things Sparkly.