Pose for the Camera...

"Say Cheese...Smile for the Camera...Tilt Your Head A Little to the Side..." Typical photo studio jargon. But today everything is so "techy" that film is no longer used & everything is stored on a disk or memory card.
What happen to the old cameras & snapshots from the past? Vintage cameras & photos have become new collectibles, & all the labor intensive equipment used to develop these images are beginning to be found & used in ways that you would never expect.
Today, I am bringing back the past by using vintage wooden plate film holders as the "focus" of my craft.

                            Don't Hate Me Because I Am A Snob!

This is the "comical" mixed media craft that I made using an old wood plate film holder.  I just adore the lady with her fur coat, gloves & hat.  She looked so fashionable for the era, but at the same time, a "little snobby". The quote fits her perfect.  I used modge podge to attach the torn photo & old post card image.  I glued the fur from a discarded coat's sleeve, old lace & a brooch at the bottom of the plate.  At the top, I chose an old plastic buckle, a mismatched earring, & lavender silk ribbon. The plate already had the wire hanger thingy. You can find wooden & glass film holder plates on Ebay.

                                      Who's Your Bunny?
My gal pal, Melanie, decided to get a "jump-start" on Easter by crafting an adorable plate using a vintage picture with 2 bunnies & a kitty.  She cut a small piece of muslin that she raveled & glued to the plate, followed by modge podge to the little photo.  A tuft of white rabbit fur, an old button, & cotton "ruler" ribbon finished out her project. Don't you love the saying?  She will use a little aisle to hold her new creation.

                 My craft partner and junkin' gal pal, Melanie.  Say Cheese!!!!

Love Is In the Air...The Queen's Valentines Decor

"To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven."  This quote takes my breath away every time I read it.  I think that Valentine's Day should be every day...You don't have to have all the hearts, chocolate, roses & hoopla to express your love...But I have to admit,  I enjoy decorating for the "Season Of Love"!
 So, I am going to share some of the Vintage Valentines that "grace the Queen's palace."  I hope it inspires you & gives you ideas for your own sweetheart home decor.

This chippy, peely drawer sits on a rustic red stool that I bought from Elizabeth Ann's at Consigning Interiors in Pelham, AL.  The drawer was found on the side of the road in a trash pile!  I filled the drawer with handmade hearts (by me) that were "grunged" & then adorned with lace, buttons, & bits or bobs. Old Valentine's Cards tell us that love has been around for along time...

This is a picture of my son Logan's first Valentine's Day.  Look at my "poodle hair."  Of course that was the style in 1995!  The vintage pixie elf  is one of my favorites, found at a yard sale.

                           More "grunged" heart in a wood dough bowl...

A collection of old Valentine cards displayed on a fence that my friend Lisa gave me! I love the aged writing scribbled on the backs noting love from a time long gone. Flower frogs make the best holders.

"Will You Be My Valentines?" A question whispered through the years & still holds meaning today...

                                               

I had "grunge fever" last year.  I made the hearts and the adorable bee. You can find easy instructions on the internet on recipes for grunging using coffee, cinnamon & vanilla.

The Postal Service states that their mail increases during Valentines due to an abundance of "letters of love" being sent to love-ones across the map.  This is a mail bag filled with old Valentine's postcards and dainty little gray mice.  My dear friend, Melanie, made this and gave it to me to add to my collection.  Isn't it adorable!

I made this little cutey from an idea that I saw on "The Rusty Rooster's'" Blog. I made it with a valentine's from Graphic Fairy, a heart-shaped tin mold & old pieces of fabric & buttons. Very EASY!  

                    

              A softer side of Valentines...The Cupid Doll was mine as a child.

 

Birds of a feather, flock together.  An adorable Valentine bottle that I made to sit in front of the bird cage that I purchased from "SassyTrash" at Lakewood 400 in Cummings, GA

  This is a piece of art that I painted at "Girls Night Out" at Studio T, a local studio, where you can book a party & paint with the talented owner & artist, Terri Ellis. Of course, I put some mixed media touches on it after I got home...I got the "high five" from both Cranky King & Prince, when I usually get "who painted that & what is it????"  HAHA...

                                           



        "You don't marry someone you can live with...You marry the person who you cannot live without."  Unknown      

I hope you have enjoyed my blog on Valentine's Decorating.  I would "love" for you to leave a comment!
This makes the Queen "not so cranky!"  I will leave you with this quote from Dr. Seuss "You know you're in love when you can fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams!"

Never Fear...The STEERS Are Near!

It is funny what different people collect.  I am always fascinated with some of the "odd" things that are collected.  When I finally decide to NOT start a new collection, guess what?; I find something that I just have to start collecting.  Some may call it a "madness", others "crazy", but for those of us in the antique & junk world, we call it "therapy"! Thus the collection begins.....

                                                         Local Steers

My married name is STEERS.  About 10 years ago, my friends started gifting me with things that pictured a steer, or a bull, or a cow with horns.  Now I am not talking about the Texas Longhorn, or the cow skull with a western motif, but tasteful things that I hold near and dear to my heart.  Granted you can find lots of cow collectibles, but Steers items are much harder to find.

One of my 1st Steers' pieces, a Royal Bayreuth plate, was given to me by my dear friend, Wanda, & I just smile every time that I look at it...

After this dainty little plate, it was decided that I MUST start my Steers' collection!

I also love old linen post cards.  On junkin' days with my girlfriends, they will pass me right by while I rummage through old postcard bins...& sometimes I do find a Steers postcard.  My youngest junkin' friend, Shannon, gave me the funny postcard with the tail down for the age! Of course I am far from 60 yrs. old!

 
Anything "unusual" or "out of the ordinary", I try and "steer it in" if it is a reasonable price...and sometimes I will even splurge on a really good find, but please Don't tell Mr. Steers...

My friend, Jerri, found this Steers coat hanger in a rental property that she owned, and gave it to me as a "happy".  I have awesome friends!

 This was the last little find that I purchased in Brewton, AL & our local Photography Shop, Home of Photography, framed it for me.  I just adore it, and the colors are so vibrant. Mr. Steers even liked it. It is a little book from the 1950's that was probably given to farmers and cattlemen to keep notes in, and it had tidbits of info on the weather and cattle feeding tips.

So, I hope you have enjoyed viewing one of my many collections.  I would love to hear from anyone who shares my Steer collection enthusiasm. Just remember, never fear...the STEERS are always near! Happy Hunting! If you see this license plate, you will know it is me!

The Royal Dog Collection

I love collecting vintage dogs.  I originally thought that I would only collect chihuahuas and poodles because those are the furry little friends that call our home their dog house, but I decided that I really love all dogs, thus the collection began!

Hail, Hail the Cranky Queen Has Joined the Blog World!

Welcome all fellow bloggers & all those that love to decorate, craft, collect junk, go to garage & estate sales, attend auctions, & anything else that "blows your dress up!"... After much encouragement from my dear friends and family, I have jumped in with my eyes tightly shut, gritting my teeth as I plunge into the blog pool. I have to admit, I was scared to death to start a blog.  BUT, fortunately, I have a dear friend that came to "the queen's" rescue, held my hand, and set up my blog. Whew!  It was quite the task, but we (I should say she) did it! So, I hope that you will enjoy my posts and comment so that the Queen is not so "Cranky"!