Freyja's Day ....... when a handbag stirs up some memories.

   Did you ever see an item and immediately think of someone? When I spotted this little handbag on Ebay the other week all I could think about was how much it reminded me of my paternal grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Lewis. Most everyone knew her as Lulu... though a couple of her friends called her Mae. And yes, that used to be short for Mary.      
   I'm certain I've mentioned it before, this lady is one of the main reasons that I love vintage hats! hahaha  But hey, you had to have a nice purse to help complete your outfit! Oh my, memories....

   Though faded a bit with age it is still an enchanting piece. Obviously loved and taken good care of.... it reminds me of the Velveteen Rabbit, but its in much better shape than he was! Which shouldn't come as a surprise, after all, it is a LEWIS.  And we're pretty strong and well made.   hahaha   Seems fitting, doesn't it?

    I'll have to do some research on this brand. Have seen some very nice examples and I would enjoy learning more.

Freyja's Day ........... funky enameled Owl pendant.

    Seriously, how could I resist this little character? Owl happens to be one of my main totem animals... so I tend to collect the occasional owl piece. This one was too much fun to pass up!! Today I paired her up with a strand of beads that remind me somehow of the forest. ( I know the small beads are Lucite, but have never tested the others) 
     The second photo shows the colors much better. That's one of the things I always liked about enameled pieces, the colors could be so bright and rich! I remember having quite a lot of it back in the 70s.... don't really know what became of it all.
     

    The pendant itself is approximately two and three quarter inches wide and just as high if you measure the ear tufts. A nice size to wear!  Made in India, I'm assuming of brass. The chain has a little heft to it as well.  I know I'm going to be wearing this little owl a lot!

April showers? May flowers?

 No photographer this month. Selfies will have to do!

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Ooh! And notice if you will the faux hair!!!  In some light it matches my real hair, but this obviously isn't that kind of light. hahaha

    "April showers bring May flowers" is what I've always heard. Well that just isn't so in Florida! April is traditionally one of our driest months and by May the heat is starting to wilt all those delicate Spring annuals that we love to plant in the wintertime. Yep, we do things a bit differently here in the Sunshine state! Like when my maple trees burst into those beautiful Autumn colors...... in January or February.   Guess that makes red and orange maple leaves a sign of Spring! hahaha   Anyway, I'm sure you get my drift.
     In Florida there are flowers of some sort blooming almost all year long.  And in my closet the blooms are ever present. I do so love florals!!! So much so that I have to be careful to avoid going completely overboard.   Think I may know where I inherited that from. Somewhere I have a photo of my great grandma in her floral print dress... sitting in a floral upholstered chair... in front of the floral patterned wall paper!    My kind of gal!
    Ooooh, that means its genetic! What a great excuse. hahaha
   I especially love any pansy type flower! The actual plants don't last very long down here because of the heat and humidity. So of course when I saw a little clutch hat covered in "violas" on Ebay I just had to place a bid!    It arrived the other day. chuckle     And so did the one with the purple velvet violets.   Oh my! I really need to stop! At least for a while. hahaha   Seriously, I'm running out of room. I MUST STOP!



Doesn't everyone love violets?!

    At least both of these are those little "clutch" hats. See.... there I go making excuses again! "Hey, they're SMALL. I can fit a few more of those in my hat boxes." Yeah, right.             sheesh
    Hats like these are just calling out for me to put on some colorful moonglow jewelry. May as well live bright and beautiful.... just like the flowers!
    And I see that I can just squeak under the gate and get this post over to Style Crone's Hat Attack!!!    Yay!!!
    

Freyja's Day....... Wedding earrings perhaps?

    These just arrived in the mail yesterday. I think they're so charming! Will need to clean them of course then gently bend the little branches out. I feel the one on the right is a good representation of the shape they should be in.
   I'm guessing that these were intended as wedding earrings. At least they would certainly work well for that purpose! White milk glass has such a classic look. 
 

    I noticed that these had a silver foil looking residue glued on to some of the small beads.  Little rhinestones perhaps? Or a sequin of some kind? A little glitter would definitely add to the wedding concept! chuckle   Also quite a lot of glue in between the bigger beads.
    I find all kinds of odd "alterations" to jewelry. Some actually improve the pieces, most do not.

    They're marked JAPAN on the back of the clips. Approximate length is two inches from bottom to top of extended branch.   Unfortunately they are as uncomfortable as a clip on can get! It only takes a few moments till they start to pinch horribly. Oh my!    
    I keep looking at them and I'm convinced they weren't dress clips. But I'll have to do some modifications of my own if I ever hope to wear them. Hope to do that soon because they look sooooo good on! 

Surely I'm not the only one.......

What can I say? Blues and florals are my downfall!

   Well I did it again.... I went to the thrift store up the street on their 50% off all clothing day and wound up buying several garments that are too small for me. Now yes, I intend to lose some weight in order to give my joints some relief, but I have to wonder if I'm the only person who does this?  Clothing in question is only one or two sizes smaller. But they were soooo good looking! And the price was sooooo good too!! hahaha 
    Oh my, I should just call myself an optimist and stop second guessing my actions.   Now, there are the pieces I purchase because of the fabric.... that makes perfect sense to me! Even though I have yet to dig out my sewing machine. Go figure!  Oh! And all the XXL men's shirts that I want to turn into  sleeveless blouses. Ooops! And lets not forget the dresses that are going to become extra long vests or dusters. (Used to do that ages ago. It works out very well.) Its the colors that always grab me on those. So even a size 8 or 10 can be split down the front to create a nicely flowing garment. Especially if they are ankle length I can take some off the bottom and sew front panels...  even add buttons or ties if I want to fasten it.
    When it comes to recreating clothing, you are only limited by your imagination! And sometimes sewing skills! hahaha

Late Freyja's Day...... Now what did I put in those cigar boxes?

   Have been trying to do a little bit of Spring cleaning and organizing when ever I get a few minutes. So the other day I looked up on a shelf and wondered "What did I put in those cigar boxes?"  Come to find out there was a little bit of everything. I thought some of the jewelry would be fun for Freyja's day.
    Some boxes held assorted costume pieces. I found rhinestone necklaces and pins, earrings of all kinds, bracelets, etc..

    Got all excited when I found this box!!! Can't remember why the cherry amber bakelite beads are in there, but the pearls are going to be awesome for some of the projects I want to do this Summer. Most of these are flat on one side.... perfect for sewing onto beaded pendants!
  

    Finally.... I was wondering where that necklace went to! Its a little bib necklace that looks great on when you want to shimmy around with a hip scarf!! hahaha  Seriously, it looks good with just about anything. And it only jingles when you move a certain way, so its not too loud. Will have to put it on for one of the hat photos I have coming up.
    The silver and turquoise are from my Arizona days and of the other silver pieces ... my father made the two black onyx bracelets and I made the rest. Hopefully some day soon I can get back to making jewelry and doing my artwork. Creative flow is so important!  Y'all have a happy weekend!

Well, damn those little insects!!!

    SO, I pulled one of my favorite hats out of winter storage. (Trust me, in Florida that doesn't last for very long.) And lo and behold, some little creature from Hell had been munching on the lovely little trimmed feathers that add such movement and grace to the hat's embellishment.
    It would be a massive understatement if I said I was pissed off!  I really thought I had this type of thing under control, but guess I'll be researching for better ways to protect those feathers!!!!   Sheesh!
     Probably need to replenish my cedar pieces with some oil. And, oh yes, it would be nice to make up some lavender sachets for the hat boxes! Why didn't I remember that? The moths may hate the fragrance but I love it! So lavender it is!
     I'm going to post this on Style Crone's Hat Attack as a little reminder to everyone..... PROTECT your headwear! As well as other wools, silks and feathers.
   http://stylecrone.com/2016/03/31/hat-attack-33/

    Anyway this is a fairly modern hat by Betmar. Ivory colored straw, made in China. The shape is what I fell for. Most of my friends like it too. And best of all we've found it compliments quite a few different head and face shapes. Versatility is a great thing! 
    Its definitely one of my top "go-to" hats from Spring all the way through the Fall. Looks good with just about everything. Always nice to have one of those. hahaha 

   My granddaughter (my guest photographer) told me that she didn't look good in hats. I think she looks wonderful in this one. What do y'all think?