When the Spirit moves...

When the spirit moved for me the other day, I knew immediately I had to pull up my boot straps and move with it! And, in case you were wondering, I'm referring to Christmas decor...
I've had my tree and decorations up for a while now....just wasn't feeling very inspired or creative this year. Until I found these stockings I sewed last year and threw in a drawer! My goal for 2012 is "finish what you start" so what better time than the present to start!


The stockings are not your standard size....more for elves I would say. They are made out of osnaberg fabric and embellished with some fun bits and pieces.

I adhered some old watch faces to some pleated ribbon, as well as the numbers 2 and 5....a nod to my junk sister Andrea.

Next up, an aluminum "C" for "Cassie" or "Christ" or "Christmas" and some jingle bells....for dashing through that snow we don't have just yet....

In secret anticipation of said snow, how about a sparkly snowflake ornament with a vintage button taking center stage?

What could be prettier than a vintage mother-of-pearl buckle? How about a m-o-p buckle with some rhinestone bling added?

I used twine to make loops for the stockings, and added some evergreen from one of my shrubs. Yes, the evergreen is dry. We need snow....shh...

They're small enough to hang almost anywhere...

Here they adorn a chippy, open shelf cabinet bottom....my make-shift mantel for the season!

Dear Spirit.....please move me much earlier next year!

Find more holiday spirit here:

Happy Holidays everyone!

Chocolate...it's not just for breakfast anymore!

I recently just finished painting my dining room...wanna see? Previously, it was two different shades of mossy green, divided by a chair rail. It was just okay. I had been thinking about a chocolate brown for some time. When I saw a room in the Bachman's Idea House painted brown, I decided to go for it!



You'll have to excuse my pictures....north facing window, dark color, glare, rookie camera, blah...blah...blah.....
I bought some Martha Stewart paintable bead-board wallpaper for below the chair rail and painted it Antique white to match the trim color. It's quite a sharp contrast with the brown, but I love it.


This is the front of a chippy vintage dresser drawer that I picked up from one of our JunkFest vendors this year.

During our visit to the Bachman's idea house we shopped the store, where I bought this cool bulk scale....now sitting on my dining room table.

I didn't even have to change my window treatments or slipcovers!

I have a collection (3 is a collection, right?) of chippy white columns standing in one corner, holding faux pumpkins that I painted white & stained.

My cream stoneware vases pop nicely against the brown too...

...as well as some architectural pieces that rest on top of some repurposed kitchen cabinets-turned china hutch. I guess I have a few cloches too....

The paint color is Valspar's Earthly Impressions, but it's exactly the color of a Hershey bar. Milk Chocolate.....ask me how I know...

Cheap Thrills

 Evil Bunny, c. 1930’s, waxed, painted buckram with cotton tie

Phyllis Galembo is an American photographer and professor

who for the past 20 years has been documenting ritual costumes,

masks and masquerades across Africa and Latin America.

From the impressive and extensive portfolio showcased on her website,

this is a small sample of a series of charming and strangely spooky 

vintage Halloween costumes ranging from the 19th century to the 1960s.

 They were part of Dressed for Thrills: Halloween and Masquerade Costumes,

an exhibition originally hosted at F.I.T. Museum, New York in 2003.

Bongo Bear, c. 1930’s / early-1940’s, cotton flannel costume, buckram mask, 

Spotlite Costume manufactured by A.S.Fishbach, NYC.

Big Bad Wolf, c. 1939, painted buckram mask, cotton shirt and pants, 

cotton-covered wire tail, manufactured by A.S. Fishbach, NYC.

Hep Cats, early 1950’s, rayon jumpsuits, plastic mask (one with bells),
manufactured by Ben Cooper. 

Red Riding Hood, c. 1941, cotton skirt with printed illustrations of Red Riding Hood story
trimmed with gold ribbon, cotton cake, manufactured by Collegeville Costumes. 
Brown Bear, c. 1940's, painted buckram mask with cotton jumpsuit, manufacturer unknown.

R U Green with Envy?

One thing I can tell you about JunkFest...there's something for everyone! Each of us 4 JunkFest Girls have different tastes and with that comes a variety of repurposed creations and merchandise like you've never seen. In the last post, Andrea shared a bit of the funky rusty touch with you. Love it! And here, I want to share with you a bit of vintage primitive. I recently picked up this wonderful handmade tool trug from some friends that have a keen eye for vintage, antique, and the unique, and quite frankly...they have a great eye for superb JUNK.


The craftsmanship is like you seldom see on modern products. Reinforced with metal corners and bound by leather straps, you'll rarely see such a sweet find in original form. (take note, I haven't washed it yet!)


I love it just the way it is. You'll find this tool trug at JunkFest In Carrington, ND, September 11, 2010. You never know...it may look just like this...or it may be different.


What would you do with this trug? paint it? plant flowers in it? display it in your house?

tell me! tell me!

She's just another Junk Girl!

Hello JunkFest readers! I'd like to introduce you to my latest WIP (work in progress). She's not quite finished yet, but I couldn't wait to share her with you! While dress forms are certainly not a new concept, the vintage forms with the wire cages seem to be quite popular and highly sought after. They are very hard to come by in our area, so when I saw this one at a tag sale, I literally lunged after her and held on for dear life! Not sure why, as I was the only one at the sale!


Many would have turned and walked away at the mere sight of her, but I knew she had great potential. I'm not sure about her history, but I do believe she's been around the block more than once! Or quite possibly in a cat fight or two? I'm fairly certain one previous owner tried to cover her flaws with spray paint, but aborted the mission halfway through.

After peeling off as much of the paint-hardened fabric that was left on the bodice, I used a spray adhesive and some quilt batting to re-shape her. Much better, don't you think?

I had several options for recovering the body, but I chose decoupaging with old book pages. I hate the thought of destroying or altering classic works, but since I had two copies of "A Romance of Two Worlds" I decided I could part with one.

I have not read this book, but I liked the title and the discoloration of the pages.

In between coats of Mod Podge, I decided to do a little online research about the story. I was quite surprised to find that it wasn't as "romantic" as the title led me to believe! If you've read the book, then you know what I mean...

Anywho, like I said before, she's a work in progress. I've got some more tricks up my sleeve for further adornment before she makes her debut at JunkFest.

Read here about my first dress form purchase, Marguerite. She's doing well, thank you.

I could use your help in naming this one. Perhaps we could all read the book and get a feel for "who she is?" Okay, gotta run...she's pretty, but not quite ready!

Linked to: SNS #28

Inspired Living...It's More Than a Feeling

Week two of SYTYCD is up and running. Nine decorators left...who will YOU vote for? This week's theme is "Catalog Inspired".

What inspires you?


To join in on the fun, and check out the competition, head on over to "So You Think You Can Decorate" and see for yourself the awesome talent involved in the contest.

Comfortable, casual living...often inspired by mail order catalogs, is more than a feeling...it's a state of mind. Does your living room invite you to sit back, relax, maybe settle in with a good read? Are you surrounded by colors and textures that are pleasing to the eye, harmonious with your lifestyle? Here at JunkFest, it's about surrounding yourself with treasures you love, with an unexpected twist!

With just one living area in our home (many have both formal and informal living rooms) I wanted the furniture to be comfortable, inviting guests to sit back, kick up their feet and stay awhile. I like to incorporate some of my junk-style infused pieces for fun and interest, such as the small side table made from a rusty grate and a cream separator base. The rusted wall shelf, which holds portraits and empty frames was crafted from vintage tin crown moulding.

Unexpected textures such as rustic crates or primitive wood bowls, well-used in another era, evoke a casual feel.


Time-worn clock faces embellish these baskets, and help to anchor in the darker accessories in the room.

The vintage typewriter holds memories of ancestors and a simpler time. Architechtural elements and a perfectly patina'd wash stand-turned-table add character.

Catalogs, such as Sundance, Pottery Barn, or Ballards are now offering vintage replicated pieces at a premium....but comfortable, casual living doesn't have to cost much.

Has inspiration found you? Remember to vote for your favorite projects at SYTYCD.

(JunkFest is #5 on the vote box)

More than a Feeling. It's a State of Mind.

JunkFest




Linked at:
BNOTP-Metamorphisis Monday

The DIY Showoff
Market Yourself Monday
Do It Yourself Day
Trash to Treasure Tuesday
It's So Very Thrifty
It's So Very Creative
Faded Charm
Motivate Me Monday
Toot Your Horn Tuesdays
The Thrifty Home
Transformation Thursday-The Shabby Chic Cottage
Alphabe-Thursday H

Flea Market Magic!

Have you seen it? It's finally here! Just picked up my copy today and I am in LOVE! I'm talking about Flea Market Style Magazine! For you junkers out there, this is inspirational eye candy at it's best!! And...because we love us a good flea market (none other than our very own JunkFest!!) and we love our readers....we're giving away one copy very soon! Whew, what a mouthful! Did you get all that?
What do you have to do to qualify for this giveaway, you ask? Just leave us a comment telling us about your favorite flea market find ever! One lucky duck will win a copy, plus a little extra flea market surprise!

Here's a little peek at what gets my attention at flea markets......

Rusty, chippy scales of every kind and color....

Vintage pails, shovels for the beach...

Stoneware, vintage pottery...

Timepieces...watches, clocks, faces....

Let's hear it from you....where have you been and what did you find?

Oh yeah, don't forget....the party starts Saturday! Head over to Alchemy Junk's "So You Think You Can Decorate" contest...we're playing along! Go vote for your favorite!