Girly Spider Webs

I can't claim to have come up with this idea, I saw the idea here on Betz White's craft blog and decided to try it myself. Out here it's pretty easy to find inexpensive (PA has plentiful antique malls and junk stores, I love it) handmade doily items, so I found some that were cute but that I wouldn't be pained to cut up.

So you take your doilies...

...and find some wooden embroidery hoops. Paint the outer hoop black and leave the inner one natural.

Add some ribbon and spiders and voila!

You get some pretty easy and fast girly Halloween decorations!

I used an 8" hoop on the square doily, and got a 6" and two 3" hoops from the rectangular one.

I wanted to make my own beaded spiders, but that didn't happen this year.

I think they're cute enough to have up all year- sans spiders!

I like decorating my hutch!

You like my little cast iron stove?

Have a Happy Halloween!

Antiquin'

In case you can't tell by now, I LOVE old stuff. I really do. In most cases, I prefer it to new:

• I don't see me living in a new house...I would so much rather fix up an older home
• I know the words to every oldie
• I love looking at old photos
• Most of my collections are of outdated things

I'm a little torn at times...I think I belonged in the early 1900's (love the clothes, houses, artwork, photography) yet I am glad that I live in the here and now (indoor plumbing, Internet, AC, 4 wheel drive, TV, the ability to vote, etc). I really love antiquing/junking/flea marketing cause it's so much fun to find a treasure and there's so many interesting things to see. It's fun to find something unique to express yourself with. What's nice about being in the East is that there are a LOT of little shops to explore! Stuff is generally cheaper out here than out West as well. This weekend, as a celebration of getting through last week, I stopped at one of my favorite antique stores and then on Saturday I wandered the local flea market and the junk store. I wish I'd had more money with me, but I still had fun.

The other thing about shopping this way is that it's green...you're reusing stuff instead of needing new stuff produced. And you're keeping it out of landfills!

Sometime soon I'll have to show pics of what I actually collect, as I have several (too many! ha!) collections.

Here's the Whistle Stop in Corry, one of my faves:

I love re-purposing items...I think this fireplace insert would look fab on a wall!

On a side note, this was upstairs in the junk store...just had to take a pic of this FUNKY flower-shaped display...who made that and how??? Unexpected!

Most of the time I prefer the natural aged patina, I find it to be interesting looking- like this chair (it looked cooler in person than in my photo). I mean, you couldn't replicate this if you tried:

So what did I come away with this weekend? While I wished I'd had more pocket $ at the flea market (saw a great pink depression glass cake plate for cheap), I came away with this vintage tabletop aqua ironing board for $2! I love junk stores. Someday I want an aqua kitchen, and this is flat so storage for it in the mean time isn't too big an issue.

It's ever so slightly greener than the aqua metal doll highchair that I acquired a couple of months ago (I'm such a sucker for this color!).

It was funny cause when I went to pay for my ironing board, the shopkeeper was all "those make really great ironing boards" and I'm like "I just bought it for the color"!

I guess that's an added bonus for my $2 investment!