Crafting with old maps

 

I just can't get myself to throw away this old road atlas after we bought a new one.  If has served us well but maybe a bit too well since it is falling apart and hard to use sometimes..
 (Yes we still use maps because GPS can occasionally prove itself WRONG and at least with the map as back up we have a better idea where we are!  Mapquest isn't much better by the way.  Sometimes we end up having to use all three but that is a story for another day.... LOL)

      I went to the search engines to find some ways to use them in crafts.  Anyone with other suggestions?  
Be sure to come back later to see what I finally figured out. (if anything)

http://www.favecrafts.com/Christmas-Crafts/Around-the-World-Map-Ornament
http://greenkidcrafts.com/crafting-with-old-maps/

These are some of the ideas I found. 

1. Maps make great envelopes! Just use an envelope template, and you're ready to rock! Since your address info might not show up so well on the busy map paper, you may need to use a label for the address. You can use a sticky label or cut labels from reclaimed, plainer paper and glue stick them onto your envelopes.
2. Make glue-free bunting. We've talked here before about making your own party decorations. Next time you're planning a shindig, you can use an old map to whip up some glue-free bunting to decorate!
3. Map tree centerpiece. This lovely paper tree would look great if you cut the leaves out of old maps!
4. Create a map cork board. Over at Design*Sponge, the BBB Craft Sisters show you how to turn an old road map into a super sassy cork board.
5. Weave a map basket. The folks at Make:Projects show you how to weave old maps into a functional basket.

Second Tea Cup Tuesday for April

For this tea cup Tuesday I will be sharing pictures of some tea cups and saucers that I saw at a Flea Market recently.  Because I can't buy every single cup and saucer I find I do at least like to take pictures to remember them by.

The cups and saucers for this week are ones I found all at one table.  

 This first set is a hand painted beauty.  It's mark says that it is from Occupied Japan.  If you want to know more about occupied Japan and what it means check out these sites.
  http://www.occupiedjapan.net/
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan

Another interesting cup and saucer set is this one.  It is apparently one from Avon collectibles.  Unfortunately according to the mark on the bottom it is not useable for drinking tea, just for putting on a shelf and looking at it.

Here is a nice Royal Albert cup and saucer.  RA will always be my favorite bone china maker!  This one must have been older... it doesn't have the name of the pattern on it.

And finally here is a little, probably demitasse type cup.  It was made in Japan.  

I have never seen the mark before. But the cup is very pretty.  I tried to find out about this type of china but never did.  Maybe someone else out there knows something about it.

After you visit my post today be sure to check out  these other tea posts today.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

   ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

Another Wednesday, another flea market

Yes, we went to our favorite Wednesday flea market yesterday, in Leesport, PA.  The weather was supposed to be iffy but it turned out to be a beautiful day, sunny and mild temps.  And the place was loaded with dealers so there was lots to see.    Click here to see their homepage.

There were pansies, tulips and other spring flowers everywhere for sale.  So pretty and spring like fresh.  I bought a few little pansies to put in one of my gardens.  I will probably wait another couple of weeks before I buy anything else.  I usually make my big garden purchases around Mother's Day.

I didn't buy a whole lot of other things but enjoyed seeing all the things that were available.  I did see a lot of cups and saucers so I will feature them on Teacup Tuesday.  But here are some of the other things I found.

These little Amish Dolls caught my eye.  This area has a large Amish and also Mennonite population  so it isn't a surprise to find the dolls.

 I thought the use of this buggy to hold some flowers was a clever idea.

 If you need some planters this was the place to be.  I admit it, I bought several!

 Here was one of the table where there were a lot of pretty spring plants.

 

And I did buy some of the veggies.  Always a great selection.

And finally a Mantle.  No fireplace at our house but if we had one, this would be nice.

I hope to get to another flea market over the weekend.  If I do I will report next week.  Also check back on Tea Cup Tuesday.

First Tea Cup Tuesday of April

April showers bring May Flowers....  well actually we have quite a lot of flowers already.  So here is another Tea Cup Tuesday already.

After you visit my post today be sure to check out  these other tea posts today.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

   ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage


This week I am showing your a little Japanese Tea Cup and saucer I found at a local flea market this past weekend.  I though it was very pretty.  Not my usual style so didn't buy it.  But you KNOW I had to take a couple of pictures.

I thought they were very pretty.


Next week I hope to be able to show some new finds at a flea market I hope to be attending next weekend.
See you then.

This and That

   Enjoying all the pretty flowering plants and shrubs.  We planted these forsythia a couple of years ago and they are doing better each year.

Perhaps it was because Spring has sprung and we had a nice vacation. But for the past week I have been getting very industrious.  Actually finishing or nearly finishing some projects.

I have mentioned that  I have done a lot more sewing lately but seemed to have trouble finishing things up.  This past week was different.  To begin I made this mat.  I saw a place mat on line that I liked and decided to make my own pattern and see if I could do it.  Here is the result.

Now that I know it turns out ok, I will probably make it in colors more suitable for my dining room table.  I just had these purple scraps and decided to use them.
       
The next project is this tote bag.  Last fall I went to one of my favorite fabric stores where there sell lots of scraps of upholstery fabrics for REALLY CHEAP.  I bought quite a bit and this is made from some of those.
I used a lot of the special stitches on my sewing machine, also did a bit of machine applique in the middle.
So here is that result.

And the final project is a "fall table runner."  Last summer I found the idea in a fabric store in Maine and brought home the idea to replicate.  I bought the fabric at that store but the rest is my pattern.  I went on line and found a picture of an oak leaf which I enlarged, worked on and made it like I wanted it.  I cut out the four different colors of leaves and machine appliqued them onto the base piece.  The thread I used was a variegated one using the colors of the different leaves.   I also found a picture of an acorn on line and used it to create a pattern.  I printed up enough, pinned them to the base and stitched over the stop to served as quilting on the piece.  Then I ripped off the paper.
     You will notice there is no binding yet.  I will be doing that in a class I will be taking later in the month.

If you look closely you can see the "outlines" of the acorn that make up the quilted areas.
I will show again when I am completely finished.

Meanwhile I have been doing a bit of cleaning out in my garden.  I was NOT a happy camper when I discovered that the deer had been dining on my freshly growing hostas!  See picture below.

You can see the little places where they bit off the spikes.
I was reading a gardening book recently where they suggested that you put up little pinwheels in the areas where you want to scare off deer....  So I found one and put it up.  It doesn't go constantly but it does move.  I do hope it helps.  If it doesn't, well it looks cute anyway.

Come back to see me on Tuesday.  I have another tea cup Tuesday blog entry planned.

Teacup Tuesday, The fourth in March

Wow, where is the month going.............  Of course when you spend two weeks traveling it tends to move a little faster.

After you visit my post today be sure to check out  these other tea posts today.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

   ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

While traveling we visited some very dear friends in Virginia.  And since I wasn't at home to take pics of tea cups for this week I asked if my friend would let me photograph some of her tea things.  She graciously said yes so here goes.

This Tea Pot, Sugar and Creamer were a wedding present for her and husband 50 years ago.  It is still beautiful!  I found this information about it on the internet.

It is a GIBSON & SONS LATE SEVRES TEA SET made in the 1930'S 
COLOR IS BLACK WITH 24KT GOLD THROUGHOUT. GOLD SPOUT, HANDLE,TOP OF LID, THICK BANDED DESIGN IN MIDDLE, BOTTOM RIM AND ALL TRIM.

And here is the cup and saucer.from a different pattern entirely but they look good together.

I found this information on the Internet.

Weimar Germany Etch Kobalt Teacup and Saucer Trio
Weimar Porzellan
Gorgeous raised rich coin gold and scroll work over a rich deep cobalt blue, eleborate handle,
scalloped footed base, super design on this fine porcelain trio, by Weimar,  Made in Germany.

 The Pattern is "Katherina"

This is an exquisite pattern.  I looked it up on line and it is worth a bit more than normal too.  But of course it isn't mine.....................


See you next Tuesday with another.... and check back before too. You never know what i might have to say..

Ahh..... Spring is here and it feels like summer!

We have just returned home from some travels. We left while it was still calendar winter...... then.... Spring "sprang" while we were away.  The daffodils and hyacinths are up, the forsythia is in full bloom,  and the grass is green.    So happy we didn't miss it.

 Our travels took us to Tennessee to see a Nascar race and then to Virginia to visit friends who live near where we used to live..   The weather was amazing the entire time we were away.   Good thing cause it has turned cool again now that we are home.

One day we went to a favorite restaurant down on the Lynnhaven Outlet in Virginia Beach.  Excellent food AND the weather was so good we were able to sit out on the porch. I thought I would share some of the scene with you.

The Dockside Restaurant

Come to visit on Tuesday when I will have a beautiful tea cup set and some more items.  My friend graciously allowed me to photograph the items for this blog.