Accessories Of Old

Paper Trees

                                                

I found these really cute cut out paper trees at Michaels that I thought to use for display.

They are really easy to make.

I embellished them with sugar coated white pearly beads and some sweet little pink roses.

  

               I then found a vintage bowl  to house  the tree and really  love the way it all blends together.

    

             I took  the two other  trees and put them on a beaded mat with sequin sprinkled around.

                  I embellished each one with a flatback crystal

                  ...really simple but effective dont you think?

                            My own little magical forest..

                              

     

                                               

    

Making a button wreath

I have had such a good response to the wreath blog that I have decided to do another blog on making a button wreath.

Firstly I  thought about the color scheme I wanted and decided on a continuation of the colors I used in my window  winter decoration. So I gathered a few cards of vintage buttons all in blue,white and pearly tones.

All you need is :

A wooden round wreath from any craft store.

A selection of buttons (preferrably vintage as the shapes are that more unique)

A glue gun loaded with plenty glue sticks ( this project is a real glue gobbler!)

Some ribbon to cover the rim of the wreath and to add a bow as the final touch.

A piece of felt that is large enough to glue to the back of the wreath.

      

                                            

And the final ingredient alot of patience... it takes a while to make sure that there are no spaces left open without a button.

So here is how it went... not as difficult as one would imagine.

               

  

    

                                    Voila ! A really pretty vintage button wreath ready to be hung up...

     

  PS For all your vintage buttons and ribbons go to www.accessoriesofold.com and mention the  blog  in comments at check out and  your shipping is free.....

Painting leaves

Now that the trees are all shedding the last of their leaves and most are standing bare I have decided to wip my paintbrush out and paint a few leaves to replace them in the months to follow....

There is definitely something that I love about drawing and painting  leaves.

 Perhaps its the way in which each and every one of them does not follow a lead but instead goes in their own direction on each branch...whatever it is they make a room feel alive to me.

                     

                                Leaves for a  backdrop for a hanging display in the shop...

                              

                                       My daughter Alexa's room got a few leaves...

                                

                   

                              ...yes and even the bathroom got a leafy revamp...

                 

Albertus Swanepoel

Horray!!!!!! I would be dancing on rooftops singing in the rain (if there was rain) if I could. They just announced the winners of The Fifth Annual CFDA/Vogue awards and my darling friend Albertus Swanepoel won second place.

       

Albertus is the famously creative milliner that has hands of gold and creates the most beautiful hats that grace most of the catwalks... now finally he will be know for all the hard work he puts in  behind the scenes  and get the credit he is due...

I am so happy I could cry !

 Not only is he incredibly talented and soon to be a household name but so too is he the sweetest,most gentle and totally humble man.

Christmas decorations

Now that the winter has crept up on us, so too is it time to start thinking of the christmas season.. especially  my store front christmas window.

I took myself off to Michael's which I love, to see what I could find in way of decoration. I held back on many little goodies I could have easily slipped into my trolley and left with some great buys.

Check out these little doves I found. They come six in a box and could really be cute in a window displa

     

So armed with a glue gun and some mother of pearl mini buttons and some vintage narrow ribbon I embellished the doves..

    

I had found the cutest paper houses to make yourself and so I  with the help of my daughter made some paper houses and embellished them with great vintage buttons and flat back crystal that I found in the shades of blues,pinks and whites.

       

      

Some stars that I found that came in  a set of twelve - really great to embellish with different colored crystals..

        

    

       

Well now that I was equiped with all my little goodies I was ready to get to work bright and early to start designing our winter christmas display.....

      

Seven hours later!!!! Yup you read right thats how long it took me to embellish everything and set it all out... got to admit though I really enjoyed the process .

So take a look at the 2008 Accessories of Old Christmas window....... I am happy with the end result..

     

      

      

      

        

      

     

   

    

   

  

  

  

Our very own winter wonderland. 

  

 

Cupcake frenzy

                                             

What is it about cupcakes that are so appealing to everyone? Don't get me wrong. I too fall under this group of crazed people that will drive miles out of my way in order to seek out that one special cupcake ! 

I have been trying to figure out what it is about these small little cakes that make them so absolutely appealing to all ages.

Cupcakes are the latest craze. Dedicated cupcakes shops are popping up all over the place with lines of people waiting patiently outside to devour these little treasures.

Is it the different color frosting?  The little detail on top? What is it?? 

They are just so darmn pretty don't you think ?

                                                    

                              

There is  nothing better than seeing a whole lot of cupcakes sitting all together. Alone they are pretty but together really make a statement ! And then there is the topping that says it all. Just one small dolip of icing and finished  with a tiny edible detail... I think that is what appeals to me most  that each and every one of them is really a little edible piece of art !

                                                    

And  if the cupcakes alone are not enough to drive you over the sugary edge look at what they have come up with  now - these beautiful cupcake cups that are simply works of art on their own .

                                                  

Decorative wreaths

  

Now that the  christmas season is coming closer I am focusing on ideas for my store front.

I did a bit of research on wreaths and found that not only are there traditional ones made of leaves etc but so are there ones that range from birdseed,candy,seashells,pastry,paper and the list goes on and on... actually one can really make it out of anything your heart desires as long as you have a base for the wreath,some good glue and some pretty ribbon to hang it on.

 The very talented Jessica Enig who designs most of our kits has come out with this absolutely beautiful wreath that is going to be sold as a do it yourself kit.

      

All you need is a pair of scissors and some glue and the rest is all mapped out by Jessica with instructions. The kit conains vintage wallpaper posies,6 inch wreath form,rhinestones and some vintage ribbon to hang it.... what a great christmas gift.

The kits will be available in store from next month or online at www.accessoriesofold.com

Have a look at the one I made for our door in the shop. I have this cut metal wreath that I bought from a wonderful designer in South Africa. He designs all kinds of items ranging from coat racks to this wreath that are laser cut and come in different colors. So I took a white wreath and inside it made another wreath out of vintage ribbon off cuts... I really like the way it came out.

                                        

Have a look at some other great wreaths I found to stimulate the creative buds......

I particulary love these with all the buttons... have a look in our store  accessories of old if you want to design a button wreath as we have a range of buttons that you could wreath till the cows came home!!

     

 

      

                            

And this one if for the birds....

   

                                                        

Cath Kidson

   

                    Yes. I have blogged about Cath Kidson before.

                                               I just had to share these pin cushions with you...

                                     

                    And this adorable little tin  box for all your loose vintage buttons..

                                     

                                             And this cute little felt corsage and brooch..

                       

How  darling are these?? I wish she would open up a shop here in the USA.. I am definitely going to look into where she is available here and if she is not I will look the route of bringing  some of her things in and selling them at Accessories of Old. This is not right she should be available here too!! ( Note to self get hold of Cath Kidson head office UK)

Seed and Bugle beads

    

Is it not amazing how one little bead can make all the difference to an item? There is something to be  said about the magic of beads. If you have ever beaded you will know how addictive it can be.

My grandfather used to go to Gablonz,Czechoslavakia and buy all his beads there in the 1940's. Hence we have such a enoromous collection of seed beads as well as bugle beads. The beads would arrive all wrapped up in tissue paper and then put into a brown wrapping with string around it. All  the bags put together look  like candy  just waiting to be opened.

           

     

                                       

For all you bead lovers out there ( and let me tell you there are more than one realises) have a look at our website www.accessoriesofold.com to get a taste of the seed and bugle beads ( we have glass and crystal but that will be a whole other blog on its own)

                    

Coming from Africa I have to share with you some of the amazing crafts done using seed and bugle beads that just blow your mind the work is so amazing.

       

 

    

    

Barack Obama

                                     

  I am not very involved with politics but seeing as though I live in the nations capital -DC one cannot get away from it. For the last few months leading up to the elections I have had customers coming into the shop talking about politics. I have gone for a taco with my kids and been offered Obama Chili,I have driven home every evening counting how many different cars there are on the road without a bumper sticker screaming their choice of who they would like to be our next president. I have taken walks in the neighbourhood looking at the different signs on everyones lawn....

            

So, now that we all know who our next president will be I would like to welcome him and his family to Washington DC... incase you get lost on the way here is a map to the White House!!        

  

I am hoping Mrs Obama will give the house a new coat of paint and perhaps revammp the oval office.

                                                           

Welcome Mr President I would love to bring you a batch of freshly baked cookies  in a little wicker basket with some vintage ribbon to give it that touch to welcome you to the neighbourhood but I think I would be wisked away by every bodyguard before you even got a wiff of the cookies!!!

                                               

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A great little gift

 

I just got these into the store.  I love them and have kept a few for my own personal gifts.

I love the idea. They are lavender-filled postcard sachets.

 On the one side is raw silk and the other are images of old fashioned postcards with space to write your own message

    

                                      They are designed by Joni Ulman who is a artist based in Virginia.

                                           They are available at www.accessoriesofold.com

Vintage Ribbon

                                                    

                                   One of the areas of our stock that I am most attached to is the vintage ribbon.

                         

We have a wonderful selection of Swiss and French 1935 ribbon on their original rolls.

 All in wonderful condition wrapped around each roll with a reel of paper separating each layer of ribbon. In fact when we first opened the shop they were the first items I took out to place on the shelves. It took me two days to color coordinate each row..

      

I love them. To me they represent beauty,femininity and are simply the dot on the I.

We have ribbon in crepe,satin,rayon,silk,horse hair and the most plush velvet.

                                          

Yes , I guesse you could say I am emotionally attached! I have rolls that I have kept that I simply cannot part with no matter what the price. What I am going to use them for I do not know. After opening the store I realised I was not alone .There are many more like me that have ribbon and buy more simply to look at . I often hear from a customer the same sentence "I do not have a use for this particular ribbon but I have to have it." I get them.I really do. Its just simply beautiful...

                              

                                         Some ideas I simply love with ribbon..

    

          A wire light frame that has been embellished with ribbon . so simple yet so effective. 

    

                             A mirror with a ribbon bow embellished on the top .. love it. 

          

                                      A stair runner with a ribbon border.

A Albertus Swanepoel hat done for the shop. Don't you love the incredible way in which he formed the ribbon bow??