Friday, December 23, 2011

Gift Wrap

(this pile is for my cousin.  we spoil each other ROTTEN!, but in a really good way!)

every year my cousin, aunt, and i exchange gifts, that we have been gathering all year.  they taught me at a young age that presentation is of the utmost importance.  i am so thankful for their tutelage! 
i LOVE wrapping presents!  especially when i have a creative idea in mind to make them ultra special.  if you have been in the shop you may have noticed my collection of ribbon.  beautiful ribbon is usually a major component of gift wrapping.  but you will see here that it's just as easy to come up with other solutions to finishing off a well wrapped gift too.

(this pile is for my auntie karen.  we will get back to these in a minute.)


have you ever seen these old-school flash cards from back in the day?!  they are pretty rad!  you can see here that i used them to convey messages!




most of this set of gifts is wrapped in mulberry paper.   it comes in all different natural looking shades and with different plant material embedded in it.  i love the homemade and natural look of it!

the following few gifts just have a simple tag attached for decoration.  these awesome silhouette tags came from my favorite stationary/paper store in ballard called Lucca.  love that place!  anyways, these are cut black paper silhouettes in glassine envelopes so you can see the silhouettes and they stay protected.  i know my cousin will like these and find a good use for them!




and then of course there are always old vintage photos to use for decoration.   easy peasy!
the one above if of a beach/swimming scene.


another of a family at the beach


i love this one!  it used to hang in my kitchen!
it's two best friends gettin their drink on!


i love any photos that show costumes!


this photo is so sweet!


and i had to include a spanish moss hanging from trees photo since my cousin and i are both obsessed with new orleans.  it's our thing!


so, thus, the okra seed pack too!


so you can see, that as a group, the whole lot works together.  it's cohesive yet textured and can be enjoyed as is for as long as it takes to get them opened! 


here is the group for my aunt this year.  the "wrapping paper" is a vintage paper table cloth!  the colors are so great and the dogwood branches almost look as if they have been painted on the paper.  even though it's not super "christmasy" she will still love them!


here is a closer up detail of the paper and ribbon.  the three of use love ribbon and we often reuse the ribbon we give each other year after year. 

something i started doing a few years ago is looking for really fantastic and unusual boxes to put the gifts in.  the more vintage, the better.  and the cool box just adds another layer of beauty that makes gift opening so so fun!  some boxes have been really funny and some so gorgeous they didn't even need wrapping!  i wish i would have thought to photograph these boxes but i forgot.   i will try to remember next time!

another wrap-tastic idea is to use old tissue paper sewing patterns for wrapping the gifts into the boxes, instead of plain old boring tissue paper.  especially if you are crafty, giving to a crafty friend, or just want to surprise the recipient.
there are so many beautiful ways to wrap gifts!



including my using vintage A Christmas Story wrapping paper for the boys!  what fun!

what's your favorite way to wrap?!


i'm putting our our new SkyDain Botanicals lotions, creams, and teas out in the shop!  come check them out!  they smell fantastic and make great gifts not to mention being so nourishing to your winter skin!  crafted by the lovely goddess Simone, fellow herbalist, right here in Carnation, WA.

and please remember, the shop will close early on Saturday December 24th, i hope to be gone by 3:30, so come grab your last minute things soon!  And then we will see you when we return, after a short break, on Wednesday January 4th!

rocking out in the shop to Yule B, Swingin Too, a new orleans christmas cd,
xoxoxox,
jennette




















Thursday, December 22, 2011

Birch Bark Press


when i was running last week, i found some birch trees in my neighborhood that had shed their bark.


i have this amazing and handy wood press that suze found for me at an estate sale. 


you can see that you can just layer in the birch bark, in between sheets of paper and cardboard, and then crank and turn the press down to hold it tight and secure.


i set the press aside for a week or so


and when i took out the birch bark pieces, they were dry and flat!


now i have a pile of flat dry birch bark for projects.
yeah!

i have been feeding some other dry birch bark i have into my typewriter (in the photo above)and typing little messages.  i tear these out and glue them, very carefully, to the birch branch "tree" i have in the shop.   it takes the place of a "carved" tree trunk and its fun to find the random messages all over it.

i also love using this flat bark paper to write notes on, love letters, and poetry.  watch out friends!  i have a whole pile of birch bark now!

what would you do with it?!

nursing my christmas cookie sugar coma,
xoxoxox
jennette

p.s. don't forget, the shop closes by 4pm on Sat. Dec. 24 and reopens Wed. Jan. 4 and noon!









Saturday, December 17, 2011

Paper Mache Bee


i did some paper mache recently and thought i would share a nice way to give new life to old plastic crap!


like this plastic crap!  i found this at the thrift.  and as i am attracted to all things honey bee, i had to nab it.  but alas, i hate the plastic-ness of it!  so i figured i'd use it as a base and paper mache over it! 

smarty party much?!
just joking!
(kinda!)


since i have been "going gluten free" i have all this wheat flour in my kitchen i need to use up somehow.  so why not mache paste?  It turned out a bit bumpy and clumpy but it ended up ok with this extra texture.

working away


gettin somewhere

completely covered and starting to dry

after it dried i gave it a coat of thinned out white acrylic paint.  i wanted some of the print from the newspaper to show through like you see on Ann Wood's boats

a view from beneath


so the semi-opaque white honey bee is just hanging out in the shop.
not sure if i will try to add color or detail.
but i am happy to not being looking at the plastic-ness of it anymore!  it's been transformed, upcycled, and repurposed!

what are you all crafting lately?
gifts?
me too!

going home soon to play with boxes, wrapping paper and ribbon!
xoxox
jennette

p.s.
don't forget the shop will close at 4pm on Saturday December 24th and will reopen Wednesday January 4th at noon.
Thanks for all your support!

 







Thursday, December 15, 2011

New & Noteworthy!


there are many new items in the store!


many  would make great gifts!


we have stocking stuffers too!


wood bookmarks!


new displays!


a vintage oak framed sheep print!


chalkware relics


religious icons


pewter hinged lid footed box


an amazing piece of embroidery!


a close-up of the embroidery.   is that a rabbit?!


an embellished footed velvet hinged lid box


check out the beaded lining!


a silk embellished crown of sorts!


i love these two items!


2 small painted mexican chairs!  adorable!


and another mary!  this one is heavy old pewter!


a reverse, painted on the inside of the glass, ship on the seas painting!  love these!


a sweet vintage framed jesus child print


and another!


hickory dickory dock embroidered piece


hey diddle diddle embroidered piece


several quilt pieces


and last, but not least, a vintage silk painted, made in France, "delicates" pouch.  just lovely!

i am still pricing items and putting them out in the store.  if you have any last minute shopping to do, come on by!  you are sure to find just the right, unique, thoughtful gift here at Smashing Rubbish! 

we will closed by 4pm on Saturday Dec. 24 and i am thinking about remaining closed from then until wednesday january 4, when we would reopen for the new year!  that means we would be closed 4 of the days we would normally be open.  we would be closed on the holidays anyhow.  i am hoping this short closure does not inconvenience any of my regular customers. 

thank you for your continued support of Smashing Rubbish!  it means a lot to me that you buy what i make, purchase the treasures i find, and tell your friends about the shop!  i wouldn't be here without your continued support and encouragement!  so thank you!  really! i am grateful and humbled!

pricing, wrapping, making,
xoxoxox
jennette