great finds at great prices

After work this afternoon, I met hubby at a new art exhibit opening at the Spectrum Gallery, downtown in the Tower District (the Soho of our town). Afterward, I noticed some antique shops nearby, and since I don’t often get to this side of town very often, I thought I should peek my head in to see what’s what. I have been looking for some vintage items, and I feel that I’d rather not spend an arm and a leg for a “new” scrapbook product that is supposed to give that vintage feel, and get the real deal, instead. No shipping costs, either. The first place I went to was an “antique mall” with many vendors in individual booths. Loads of goodies, here! Wow, I will have to go back again someday, except that I noticed that many antiques are more expensive than I realized. Well, maybe those 7 Gypsies vintage-looking products on their website don’t look so bad after all…But, I was able to find some inexpensive items that I had been wanting, and then I went to a thrift store down the street and found what I have been really wanting: cheap, unused sewing patterns. Sewing patterns, I have discovered (thank you, Ali Edwards!), can be used like tissue paper, and decoupaged onto journal pages:

braying a piece of pattern onto a decoupaged acrylic overlay page

the finished page, on the right.

I did this method for Ali Edwards’ On the Road class/journal. I loved the look of  the transparent tissue-like pattern piece over the acrylic transparency (which has a pattern of a map on it).

I also wanted some little, antique bottles to nestle into my 7 Gypsies library drawer. I will put some vintage labels on them, and they will add a nice touch.

Last, but not least, I have noticed these neat little “flower frogs” in photos on Etsy. Crafters use them to hold a paper product for photography. I really like it!

I am so surprised at myself doing this today. I guess it just goes to show that one must keep an open mind, and you’ll find what you’re looking for about the time you stop looking!  Happy crafting!