Pinkpomegranate

Button, button , who's got the button?

I remember playing that game as a child...also making button spinners with string and whizzing the button until the string would pop, only to start over again....I also remember digging through my grandmas button box at all the pretty bright colors....

Being a seamstress and loving to sew, buttons always hold a dear place in my

heart....

The first thing I'll ask at a yard sale ...."Do you have any buttons?" Sometimes

I hit the jackpot and the answer is yes!

One time, I met a 87 year old woman, who like me loved buttons. She said Honey come back this evening when the sale is over and I'll show you my buttons....Oh, my did she have a collection and she was moving to Hawaii and was willing to part with them. I took them all, they are stored right now I can't get to them, but sometime I'll do a post on them...

I am in the middle of reorganizing my studio, and moving things around, so

if you ask me what are my favorite buttons I'd probably say the hand painted ones and the enameled Victorian, but I love the kitschy house dress buttons from the 40 and 50's too with all there bright and pastel colors...

Oh, and Bakelite's and carved ivory...

I would just have to say I love them all, I am an obsessed button collector and just can't stop, or leave them behind...

Some I found in the bottom of a yard sale box...

Some blingy rhinestones, these are fun to use on dolls and art....

And my glass beetle bug, it's large almost 2 inches long made of glass. I sort all

my buttons by type and colors, and sometimes I have friends come over just to visit and have tea , and sort buttons......It's alot of fun.....Now I am off to enjoy some of the other button posts  Pinkie

Annalise from Sugar Sugar is have a Button Challenge, a button fashion show of

sorts please go check it out....

The Lady

My mom is an artist...she loves to paint, roses are her favorite subject....
I wanted to learn how to paint dolls, antique reproduction porcelain dolls. I signed up and took a class, well it didn't work out it was a strange experience to say the least. My mom said she could teach me. We bought books and I researched and just jumped in. Well, it takes lots and lots and I mean alot of
practice but I was determined. While I was learning we ran across a bed doll mold from the 20's. My mom said she remember them laying across a neatly made bed not to be played with. She decided to create her own. We used a
air drying paper clay that was in liquid form that can be poured into a mold.

My mom found an original McCalls pattern for her clothing and made her a
beautiful dress...

I love the dramatic look and feel of these old boudoir dolls, I think my mom
captured it perfectly....We just order a couple of gallons of slip and as the weather gets warmer, you must pour when the weather is dry and warm, we
hope to make some more dollies , I can't wait!

My mom Mary, love these old fashioned ladies from the 20's, here are a few of
little ladies from her collection...

Pretty cup and saucer and salt and pepper shakers...

These are old curtains and hand embroidered bedspread from the 20's, I just
had to take a picture of my favorite pinks and pretty green bonnet...

Someone lovingly did a beautiful job of handwork.....

Pretty monochromatic print...

As I was snapping these pictures at my mom's the fragrance of this Easter lily

was so heavenly I just had to share it.... Hope you all had a wonderful Easter

we did...Family, sharing good food and celebrating .....

I have been busy painting and working on my studio this week while I have some help, my kids are off for spring break, so forgive me I haven't been a good blogger lately, be back soon.....Pinkie

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

The Busy Little Bunny

Joyeuses Paques! Happy Easter and Welcome to the Easter Parade......

This little Bunny Rabbit has been busy...

Gathering Eggs...(Photo from my scrapbook collection)

Chalk eggs decorated with millinery flowers, this bunny was busy...

A Easter Basket for you ( another scrap image from my book)

And this little chick arrived just in time for the celebration...

(Easter duck from my Annalee's collection)

Oh, time to make some bread...you busy little bunny...

I just finished decorating my mantle in the living room......

My Easter baskets are full of springtime fun.....

Eggs, and shoes and more shoes....

Here is my Favorite pink Easter Bonnet....

Hello little chicks, are you joining us for tea?

The bunnies are ready for a cup...

I just finished this Springtime crown and think it will make a beautiful Easter

Bonnet...What do you think?

They look like they're ready for Sunday in their pretty dresses......

Baskets of buttons? Tussie mussies and roses, The Easter Bunny knows what

I want....

and eggs mustn't forget the eggs...

Happy Easter to you from Pinkpomegranates, Fairy Godmother, Ruby Rene'

and Pinkie Denise.....What's the Easter Bunny Bringing You?

Please remember what the true meaning of Easter is all about....New Life...

New Birth and the Resurrection.....Enjoy your family and loved one and peace

and joy to you

The busy little bunnies and Pinkie Denise send you best wishes and Easter Blessing ........

A Song for Annie

I love to look at magazines, when my kids are all safe in bed at night I will sit
in my favorite chair and dream and decorate....I will clip out pages and keep
them in file folders of my favorites....for someday. When my older children now,
19 and 20 were little I had a little shop. We had antiques and collectibles, I made my dolls and other crafts, offered painting classes, it was a lot of fun. I
enjoyed the people and finding things for my shop, and watched the excitement as they went to new homes. As I had more children I just had to give it up and my mom took it over and had a antique store, Forget-me-nots
was the name. Someday, again I dream of having a shop ....In one of my
magazines I found the perfect inspiration. The shop keeper has a gift shop-antique store in one side and a restaurant in the other. What a perfect combination! I love this.....instead of tearing the pages out of this magazine,
I keep it right by my bedside table dreaming for almost 9 years. The name of the magazine is one of my favorites Romantic Homes.....

Last summer, our cousin Corey of Tongue and Cheek came home to visit for
her annual trek.....She thought it would be fun to introduce us to some of her
talented artist friends she had met through her blog.....Blog? What was that?
We were soon to find out....

We prepared for a wedding  themed party at my Mom's home (aka the Fairy
Godmother) She really is Corey's Godmother....All we knew is four ladies were
coming. An very talented lady flying all the way from Texas wow, a doll maker,
and artist and her neighbor friend.....Our sweet cousin Alma decided to join us...

As the guest began to arrive, we began to share secrets about ourselves and
somehow it was like we had been friends forever even though we'd never met

Corey set the table so beautifully in anticipation of our guest........
As we began to visit I heard Annie from Texas tell her story about having a
shop and restaurant  named Mabel Annie's, What? Could she be my Mabel, the
one from the magazine? My heart began to race, I became week in the knees and my throat began to tighten as I collapse in tears...Oh my Gosh ! I screeched several times and my mother began to think what is wrong knowing my reserved personality she could not figure what had brought me to tears...
You are Mabel Annie? I said the one from Romantic Homes? Yes, I had a shop
in Missouri, I couldn't believe it , I as in awe for words.....What I had mostly
admired about Annie and her story was her courage and fortitude as she had
started over and made a success  of her life with her five children as she relocated and started a new life....amazing and she was standing here with us
in our home, all because of Corey and her amazing match making skills, my mom calls her a "connector of people" it is an amazing gift....There is a lot more to the story , it is unbelievable, and still unfolding, the seeds sown that
day are still growing......

The article and Annie's shop in Romantic Homes April of 1999

Yes, its still by my night table and dreams do come true....
This a special gift from our friend Annie an found object bracelet she called it,
much like our found friendship,  made by Annie who is an incredible artist, she
is going to be at  ArtFest  in April  teaching classes, I am honored to know such an incredible loving person.....                                                                                  

A photo of Annie's restaurant, I love the mixed matched china and lampshade,

there is a painting on the back wall, by her husband Dan...

Corsages Annie made for us as Party favors.......I will treasure  it forever as a sweet reminder of that special day, if you'd like to see our party visit at Annies, love you Pinkie!

Spring, Flowers and Eggs

Oh, I just love Spring and its just around the corner....

I been busy trying to finish up some project, a couple of crowns and
these chalk eggs a friend gave to me....

I see everyone and the Easter Bunny in Blogland have been embellishing eggs
with millinery flowers, I decided to try some......So much fun, Happy creating
and enjoy the beautiful weekend Pinkie

Pinkie's Dilemma

Well, whenever I go to a yard sale, flea market or thrift store I seemed to find
a lonely discarded chair. I will bring this chair home a bring out my fabric stash
and begin to decorate and dream up combinations for her to wear.....

Well it all started with this rose needle point laying over this naked chair at
a yard sale....I brought it home and had it brought back to life. I bought this
when my daughter Heidi who is almost 20 was a baby....

One day I was going for a walk and I saw this chair(settee) sitting in a yard not too far from home it needed alot of TLC, I picked the fabric to match  my bedroom wallpaper. I covered it in velvet and a French stripe, there is a fainting couch in my bedroom now so she greets you at the front door...

I found this

and this one with the springs hanging out in a parking lot sale....They belonged
together of course

Well, as you probably guessed I have a weakness for Victorian East-lake furniture, my sister Ruby Rene' though I might like this to match my other
pieces...

This sweet thing I am told was a bustle chair, it has a longer seat so the ladies
could sit without rumbling up their skirt, she was rescued in an alley....

My latest acquisition, French looking  pretty from the Flea market I couldn't pass it up for ten dollars...
On my excursion last week I found a seven piece matching Victorian Parlor set,
three side chairs, a rocking chair , a couch, love seat and arm chair.....This is
my dilemma , I already have a matching, yes three piece overstuffed 20's set that I adore, plus all these pieces in my living room! Yikes, do I trade out these
for my new set ( which needs restoration) or sell it? Or ? Help! What would you do? Signed as my sister says, Queen of the Chairs.......aka Pinkie

This one my mom found for five dollars....

This is my French fan chair I call it in my most favorite shade of pink Raspberry

This is my son Liam sitting in my a chair to my 20's set.....
I still have more chairs!

The Easter Bunny's on it way...

I thought  I saw a bunny rabbit...

My mom , aka Fairy Godmother has her table all deck out for Spring and ready
for the Easter Bunny...

This is the sweetest vintage card...

Wouldn't you like to find this egg from the Easter Bunny?

Or this one...

Antique card so lovely....

These are for the itty bitty eggs perhaps...

Mary's Easter Bonnet

Spring is on its way, oh my I haven't even gotten my decorations out

I have been busy making...

Baby Easter shoes, these are made from old vintage wallpapers and

antique books pages with vintage card images... so fun. I will be listing them

in  the shop the next few days. Happy Monday Pinkie

Are you getting ready for Easter?

Flea finds Oh la la.....

On my little trip this weekend I picked up a copy of Somerset's Doll Art  and this wonderful creation and how
to was in it by the lovely Sandra Evertson.......

I went to the most incredible Flea Market in Alameda....it was right on the bay just beautiful and picked up
these wonderful finds to make my own Birdcage Mademoiselle ( the head is one we poured)

If you have not seen the movie "Marie Antoinette" you must watch it......I found this wonderful framed print with the most lovely images....

These fans are so fragile I almost hate to open them, the painting so delicate.......

I picked these up for some altered art projects I have planned, so sweet the children are...

This is a bitty little Bye lo baby, she is in need of some loving TLC, and a little gown...

I have a thing for vintage sweaters, couldn't pass up the beaded pink one and the vintage chenille baby bunny so very sweet ....

More pink of course, baby booties, slips and vintage lingerie  for another project I am working on...

I think this is my most favorite find of the day a autograph book dating to 1862, I haven't had time to sit and read it but I will.......

I found these in a box with a bazillion other papers I had to sort out my most favorites....I am a paper
addict , I think there is a proper name for that.......

Millinery supplies and antique lace which I can never have too much of.....

I have a special doll dress planned for this luscious french fabric and silk ribbon........
and this lovely lamp base couldn't stay behind

Sweet pink dolly dresses, baby shoes without their mates, baby abalone shells cradle fragile Dolly's unearthed from German factory dumps from World War 1

An old reader with wonderful engravings from the 1800's and baubles and sparkles for my next creations
This was the most incredible flea market, we didn't even get to see all the booths before the closed. If you
are ever in the Bay area you have to go.......I bet your almost Pinkiefied!!!!!!!!Hope you enjoyed my finds
I love sharing them with you.....

Friends and dolls

This weekends excursion was absolutely wonderful, good friends, dolls and lots of fun!It was the Spring open house at American Harvest in Pleasanton, California. I traveled with my good friend Sheri to attend, well a trip that should of been  a 3 hour trip turned to into a 7 hour treasure hunt, should I say we were lost and ended up at the beach in Santa Cruz, Oh my! We made it and dear sweet Nicol
was still there and the most amazing thing.....there was one sweet doll left there waiting for me!

Nicol was having a doll signing and signed my new little friend and we got to visit a little........
She is so sweet and such an amazing artist. If you have never been to American
Harvest you are in for such a treat, it is so full of wonderfully unique artist
creations and handmade items. There is so much to see, I could have stayed forever, but we had to go.....we were in awe!

Here is the owner Sharon, she has such an amazing store , if you are in the area you  need to stop in........

Susan Arnots  beautiful creations....

Donna Obrien's amazing crowns and other creations so lovely.....

These were so lovely and her attention to detail...

This milliners head wanted to come home with me....maybe next time

It was an amazing day.....

My lovely friend and partner in crime Sheri, just kidding!

My sweet dolly sitting on my newly found treasure a velvet chair...
I will share more of our adventure tomorrow....Happy Monday Pinkie