A slump in creativity....

I have been experiencing a bit of a creative slump lately.

 

Not that I have been depressed, sluggish or really busy. I guess I just have been happy not having a project to work on.

 

But I am constantly surfing Pinterest looking for new crafting ideas...does not make sense. I guess maybe I am looking for inspiration, and just have not found it yet.

 Sure, that works.

 

Last time I felt inspired to create was December. When I was out last Fall Small Business Saturday shopping with my mom , we found the cutest decoupage picture made with a vintage baby outfit pattern. Loved the idea, but not the subject matter. So off I went to find a pattern that would be more fitting for my Mom's sewing room.

 

I had a lot of fun looking.

I was really happy with how it turned out, it made for a fun unexpected Christmas gift. But since then? Nothing.

 

I have not even been doing a lot of thrifing. I hit the thrifts on my lunch hour, come back with nothing and surf Ebay for a few minutes each night. Nada.

 

So what have I been up to?

 

I have kept busy. My husband and I are enjoying hitting a new place for lunch at least once a month, and I have been reading, planting the seeds for my summer garden, watching Midsomer Murders and Russian Doll (am I the only one who was totally intrigued with that story?), Bullet journaling, purging crap out of closets and doing some general spring housework.

 

I became obsessed with making good biscuits. Thank you Joanna Gaines for your excellent biscuit recipe!

Cheese and Sausage biscuits, YUM!

And I have enjoyed a couple very indulgent trips to Trader Joes. Always fun finding new favorite things there!

The Cheddar with Carmelized onion on fig and olive crisps are my new obsession, and these Golden Gooseberries are delish!

Trader Joes flowers brighten even the dreariest of days!

And I was very excited to head out with friends and see one of my favorite bands play in February.
Its been awhile since I hit downtown Nashville on a Saturday night. It was a blast and Disturbed puts on one heck of a great concert. They sound as good live as they do on their CD's.

So although I have not had a lot of crafting or thrifting to blog about, its been a fun, relaxing and restorative couple of months. Looking forward to finally figuring out what craft project I want to tackle next

And hopefully next month the weather will cooperate and I will be able to hit the Nashville Flea Market, although I think it is time I branch out and try to find some new junking spots.

So hang in there, I hope the next couple months will start to pop with some new fun ideas and projects!

Hope you have a great week!

 

Frankenglass.....

You remember my broken Jadeite McKee custard cup? Well, I gave my solder idea a go. And.....well, we have Frankenglass.

BUT...I feel like I am on to something and I still think this is a fun idea and a viable "rescue it" option,  it is my Soldering technique that is lacking.

 

Practice makes perfect right?

 

I have more to practice on, lets see how the next one turns out!

 

But until then, lets talk about how tenacity and impulse shopping work together.

 

First, a word on being tenacious. I have a belief that all things on my thrift list I will ever want will eventually come through one of my three main vintage hunting venues, my favorite indoor flea market, the Nashville flea market and Ebay. 

 

On ebay I have a list of searches that I do every..single..night..without fail.

 

Sometimes it works out really well, like this time. I jumped into bed one night this week and immediately dove into my Ebay searches. One of the first searches I do is for Enid Collins Box Bags. And this time I scored. I don't think it had been listed now, a buy it now that was reasonably priced for a change. 25.00 plus shipping...and I love it!

 

Second, the "I gotta have it impulse" Buy it now? Why yes, I sure will, come on! It has acorns on it!! Why I am I so into acorns lately?

 

 

Love, love!

 

 

Seems that lately, Ebay is the only antiquing that I have been doing. That time of year I guess.

 

What else I have been doing is making the most of my "Hobbit time" I finally found THE most perfect chewy molasses cookie recipe. My husband is asking me not to make them often because he cannot stay out of them and neither can I. They are THAT good. Pinterest win.

 

 

And during my run to Trader Joes, I had to grab some gorgeous roses, It think I could be perfectly happy with just the eucalyptus. Smells so good!

 

 

Maybe I will drag myself out to the Nashville Flea market next weekend, or even hit an antique store or two. Maybe even find a NEW antique/thrift store to explore next weekend...and adventurous Hobbit am I.

 

Hope you have a wonderful week full of happy adventures!

 

 

Happy 2019! And: January the month of the Hobbit.

Happy 2019! Hope you all enjoyed safe and happy holidays. I know I certainly did!

 

If you have been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that January is usually my "Month of the Hobbit". Some people jump into the new year with high energy, running to the gym for work outs, and diving into their new year resolutions with zeal. But I am happier starting the new year a bit slower. My goal in the past was to spend every weekend in January in the house. Working on projects, reading, brainstorming craft ideas, actually thinking out what resolutions I would like to make for the year, baking and cooking. But overall, relaxing. Sounds nice huh?

 

Sounds nice, but It rarely ever works out that I can actually do this...I am a Hobbit failure.

 

To be fair, I think my expectations for January are a bit unrealistic. I have two busy kids, only one of them drives so,  not really fair to expect my husband to do all the running around, and to tell the truth? I have caused myself a lot of undo stress busting my butt trying to get all of my errands run by Friday night.

But Is it really worth it?

 

For 2019 I decided, no, it is not worth it. So I am taking a more relaxed approach to the beginning of my year. Trying to limit my weekend running around, while not forcing myself to restrict it, but still making time for my January goals. T
So far, this approach is working out much better! I have had plenty of "Hobbit time" so far, but have not stressed about having to run out,

 

One thing I have not been running out to do, is the thrift shops. I just have not had that "buzz" making me want to do any Antiquing. I have not even really done much eBaying, but I did find one good buy, that turned into a heartbreak...or Jadeite break I should say.

 

Yup, the risk of eBay. Sellers that don't really care about what they are selling and do a crap job packing. I bid on two darling vintage Jadeite McKee custard cups. The seller did a very poor job packing and of course one broke. Seller of course ignored my email reporting the poor packing resulting in the break, so unless I want to fight with eBay to mediate I was just going to be out of luck.

 

 

Or am I?

 

I love these cups, and it breaks my heart that this vintage glass is lost forever...or is it?

 

The Japanese fix broken pottery with gold...why not fix jadeite with solder, since gold is not really in my budget.

 

So I pulled out the broken one and started to wrap it.

 

 

Then I went out into the garage to solder it and I realized I was out of wire. Hobbit won, I am not running out to Lowes. Amazon here I come. It will be here on Tuesday. So with any luck, I will have a mended cup to show you next week!

 

I like to think of it as a kind of stained glass inspired mending project. I am really hoping it will not look like Frankenstein's glass monster, LOL.

 

So this is my craft project for the month, and I am really excited, it is making me look more into stained glass work and back at the beautiful Pyrex charms and necklaces made from broken pottery, What about a hybrid of the two? I really enjoyed making the couple charms I made a couple years ago, what else can I do? Stained glass and vintage glass mesh project? Who knows! I (sadly) have a stash of broken vintage glass, what can I get into! I am already looking at a glass grinder...I think I have the bug!

 

So here's to January! A great month to learn, recharge and flex your creative muscles!

 

Hope you have a great week!