Motifs for Swap! Estate Sale!

I signed up for the motif swap for the CQ Adventure and needed to complete 10 nice handmade motifs.  I kept trying and rejecting ideas, and after viewing the ones that (goddess) Shirlee Fassell made (drool over them here), it became apparent that only the very, very best materials and workmanship would do.  Not that I would knowingly settle for less, it’s just that with so much to do to get ready for the Adventure, they were not my highest priority. Until Shirlee’s post.  Then CQ supplies, and inventory and clothes (in that order) all dropped down a few notches.

What I finally ended up with is these millinery-style velvet flowers that I learned at a Helen Gibb workshop several years ago.  I love making them!

The stamens are all vintage, but the lush velvet ribbon for the roses and wired ribbon for the leaves are all new.

The velvet is tucked and gathered, then sewn onto crinoline.  The leaves and stamens were added next (or a leaf and a feather, as you can see on some), and then a backing was sewn or glued on.

I will leave it up to the recipients to decide if they want to use it as a CQ motif or if they would prefer to add a pin back.

I added one of these velvet roses to my “I Love Paris” purse last year.  (By the way, I have a pattern and kit in progress for this purse and hope to debut it this fall!)

The only rejected motif I will even show you is this one below. The rest ended up in the trash.

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Last Saturday we had a sunny, beautiful morning in the 60’s.  Bruce and I went for our first 3-mile walk of the season.  I am on the e-mailing list of two local estate sale companies, but had just deleted their emails of the week before.  But as Bruce and I turned the corner back onto our street (a block away from our house), we saw an All in the Family Estate Sale sign.  Well, since I HAD to pass by it to get home, I just took a small detour through the house to check it out!

I really had to exercise restraint, because I’m saving my pennies for the CQ Adventure, but a couple things just happened to find their way into my possession (yes, I did pay for them, if that’s what you’re thinking...)

First I got a cute little vintage shell pin (minus most of the back closure).  It has a few broken shells here and there, but I think it will make a nice motif to add to CQ or something.  Thank goodness The Rules say that I don’t have to have a specific plan for it when I buy it.

And check out this cute vintage purse that I scored for $4.   It really needs a good soaking (sans handle, of course) and I think (hope?) most of the age spots will come out.  I’m guessing this purse is circa 1940’s, possibly 1950’s.

Check out that AWESOME plastic handle!!   

I am torn on this purse.  I would love to use that handle in a purse that I make on my own.  I’m thinking that if the bag part doesn’t clean up satisfactorily, I could just use the handle.  But then, I hate to plunder a great purse.  Maybe I should resell it?  Start a purse collection (again)?  What would YOU do??

Well, I still have half of my packing to do and possibly another CQ block or two to piece.  Tomorrow I will try to get my act together long enough to show you my CQ block for Hearts and Hands for Sendai before I pack it up.

Only 36 hours until I leave for Connecticut!  Gerry flies in here (Salt Lake) from Spokane and we’ll fly the rest of the way together.  Diane M. is meeting us at the airport to take us to the hotel.   What an Adventure, indeed!

Hugs,