Dream Studio! revealed....

Have you fantasized about having a space to create, all of your own?

... with all of your "stuff" surrounding you

readily accessible and visible?

I have been dreaming about it for a long time, designing it over & over in my mind,

collecting ideas,

collecting storage containers, 

display shelves & fixtures.  

And so, here it is!

Perfect task lighting in the ceiling track lights, but a turquoise chandelier sets the mood.

A comfortable wingback chair for sittin' & stitchin'.

Ribbons and fabrics, there to inspire as I work.

Check out the "vintage" flat screen TV.....and of course, the vintage industrial sewing machine.

Bins, drawers, cubbies, jars, shelves - I know what I have on hand!

Large metal covered tables will let me spread out, work on many projects or hold workshops.

Books, patterns, creative ideas & inspirations at my fingertips.

Just looking at the jars of colourful mosaic glasses gets my juices flowing.

The "real" work begins - my first creations in the new studio!

They are works in progress, but I am so inspired to work now, I'm sure my new space will cause a few all-nighters.

Now that would make this literally a Dream Studio!

Using vintage finds to enhance any decorating style....

Imagine this fabulous little pie safe with a matching hoosier cabinet,

or

sitting on cool granite countertop in a sleek modern kitchen!  

Architectural elements salvaged from older buildings can be used in displays with other vintage pieces,

or

incorporated into a new home to add the character of another era. 

Anything metal, rustic and with chippy paint instantly adds history to any style of home.

 How great would this old office rubber stamp holder be in holding modern stamps for your favourite scrapbooker or cardmaker?

Imagine this metal cubby shelf at an entryway to catch all some of your cherished finds,

or

in a kitchen to display containers of tea, spices or collectibles.  

Use a stack of vintage travel cases in a hallway for extra storage,

or

piled by a chair instead of a boring end table!

Try any of these as desk accessories, why go to a office supply store?

Add some industrial office chic to your workspace! 

Go ahead, ignore those big box import decor stores.....

decorate with your heart and some good old memories.

Costuming the One of a Kind Doll

This was a Sunday workshop on Costuming.

Each participant brought a figure ready for finishing (including hair) and dressing.

Everyone dove into the fabric and trim stash to choose inspirations for their unique design of an outfit.

Once the figure was costumed, a technique for making a stylable hair wig was learned.

Next time I will remember to take "Before" photos,

because all ended up with an amazing "After" !

Fashion Designers are born.....

That is some crazeeee hair on this stylish gentleman!!!  

This was working small scale, but soooo pretty.

How fashionable! check how those colours coordinate.

This beautiful doll comes to life!

Now to get it all home!

Here is the last of the JunkMarket photos.

Love the weathered wood, vintage leather & old tools.

Pendant lamps made out of old pipe.

Many vendors had their own definite style and colour palette. 

Vintage cottage chic!

Metal lawn furniture, minnow pails, tackle boxes, gas cans all displayed on an old wooden dock.

A few goldfish add some character.

Diffent decades compliment eachother.

Mid-century modern chairs with an old washtable against a backdrop of corrugated barn siding.

Black accents with Parisian linen fabrics.

Stools in every shape, size & material, from schoolhouses, machine shops & barns.

White and ivory accented the metals and old cement pieces.

All too soon, we had brave the bitter winds to re-arrange the truck and return to another blizzard from

Minneapolis to Two Harbors.

Come into the studio to see the treasures that made it back to Thunder Bay.

The Quest Continues.

You can't just have one....

......trip around the booths, that is.

Each time through the building there were more treasures to be found.

In fact, each time I look at these photos,

I see something else I love!

The pops of vintage colour definitely set the tone.

This vendor used red as the accent. Its amazing how many vintage items are red! Not just Coca-Cola signs.

Grey, pewter, tarnished silver & galvanized anything.

Beatiful frames with chalkboards get the message across.

Did you save any old bicycle rims???

there are still a few more photos to come!

Travel Adventures of the Pixie Pickers!

"Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the Pixie Pickers from their Junk".

(We did pass some US mail delivery trucks).

As March was coming in as a lion, we were truckin' our way down the blustery north shore of Lake Superior.

It was Day 1 of our buying trip to Central Minnesota.

Our knuckles were not the only things that were white, there was about 10' of visibility with white-out conditions.

But we were on a mission.

Luckily, we found some transport trucks to show us where the road was and successfully arrived at our destination just a little tired from the tension. It was a room service dinner and Kobo's for us.

Thursday, we bounced out of bed and in spite of the lack of Timmie's to get us going, we were almost first in the "earlybird" line.

Here is what was revealed as we entered the Junk Market Under Glass....

There were oodles of creative vignettes,

vintage finds mixed with artisanal, industrial and retail display pieces,

the beauty of greenery mixed in with funky table setttings.

Check out the scrap boards used as placemats...

Rusty hardware bins as storage,

an old cafeteria dish tray rack as display shelving,

artfully placed farm surplus, architectural salvage & tree stumps.

Giant letters from old signs were everywhere!

So much to see and/or grab before the general public was let in.

Tune in tomorrow to see Day 2 at the sale.