I've rolled my eyes in the past when radio stations start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but this year I like it.
Maybe because we've already had snow? (It melted.)
Or because I'm in an unusually acquisitive, present-seeking mood?
I revised my plan to only work with animals that come to me, organically (like, in the alley)--you just don't find wonderful old ones lying around. I've never ordered anything off eBay before, but in the past week I've spent almost $100 for a dozen or so old stuffed animals to repair and reinvent.
The first shipment arrived last night--you can see why I might be in a Christmas-y mood:
I immediately put them on the back porch in the below-freezing temps--I read this kills dust mites, and I've been sneezing more, lately... I also need to buy a dust mask to use when I'm de-stuffing toys.
I like repairing animals for others, and but since these ones don't belong to anyone (except to me, now), I feel free to change them up.
Not sure exactly what I'll do---maybe just a little visible mending on their worn spots; I'd like to somehow highlight the handwork in the hand-sewn ones.
But I also might change them up, incorporate other textiles, scraps of old hand-sewn work, trinkets, or embroider them myself...
And then give them away or sell them. I don't intend to keep most of them. (Famous last words?)
Meanwhile, I do find amazing non-fabric things at Goodwill.
Look at these hand-painted mice on this ceramic plate with a handle, from Bavaria. ($2.25, with my 25% senior discount.)
I especially like the one that is looking up with some indignation at the handle:
Who's disturbing our gymnastics?
A little googling and I found that plates with handles like this are lemon servers, for slices of lemon at tea time.
The mice seemed weird to me, but I found a couple others like it.
Mostly, however, Bavarian ceramics are all about fruits or pheasants.
Maybe because we've already had snow? (It melted.)
Or because I'm in an unusually acquisitive, present-seeking mood?
I revised my plan to only work with animals that come to me, organically (like, in the alley)--you just don't find wonderful old ones lying around. I've never ordered anything off eBay before, but in the past week I've spent almost $100 for a dozen or so old stuffed animals to repair and reinvent.
The first shipment arrived last night--you can see why I might be in a Christmas-y mood:
I immediately put them on the back porch in the below-freezing temps--I read this kills dust mites, and I've been sneezing more, lately... I also need to buy a dust mask to use when I'm de-stuffing toys.
I like repairing animals for others, and but since these ones don't belong to anyone (except to me, now), I feel free to change them up.
Not sure exactly what I'll do---maybe just a little visible mending on their worn spots; I'd like to somehow highlight the handwork in the hand-sewn ones.
But I also might change them up, incorporate other textiles, scraps of old hand-sewn work, trinkets, or embroider them myself...
And then give them away or sell them. I don't intend to keep most of them. (Famous last words?)
Meanwhile, I do find amazing non-fabric things at Goodwill.
Look at these hand-painted mice on this ceramic plate with a handle, from Bavaria. ($2.25, with my 25% senior discount.)
I especially like the one that is looking up with some indignation at the handle:
Who's disturbing our gymnastics?
A little googling and I found that plates with handles like this are lemon servers, for slices of lemon at tea time.
The mice seemed weird to me, but I found a couple others like it.
Mostly, however, Bavarian ceramics are all about fruits or pheasants.
Love the handle on that plate...now there is inspiration for some ceramic fun!!
ReplyDeleteOOh so envious
ReplyDeleteOmg those meeces! Love!
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh... it's mine, all mine. [evil little grin]
ReplyDeleteAnd such fat little mice...they look like they ate all the cheese—at least they would if that was a cheese plate.
ReplyDelete