Sifting Through a Junk Dish

You might have an actual junk drawer.  I do.  This glass dish accumulation is on a smaller scale. The items need to be evaluated and most of them discarded.

An old eraser, the end of the curtain rod, Canadian coin, a single earring, perfume sample, a button from a blouse long gone, a knotty necklace chain, a pink polished rock, a rubber stamp square, a game token, a tiny key and an ivory brooch. I need the curtain rod piece. The rock can go in the dish of polished rocks I have on my desk in the hall. Maybe I have the other clip-on earring.

Absent Friends Not Forgotten

Found my high school ring in this little ceramic box today. Not that I was looking for it. There were parts of earrings from yesteryear, too.
June’s fiftieth reunion will require rescheduling. I’m sure.

Crystal Necklace Cleaning

When I wore this 3 strand crystal necklace to my son’s wedding in 2002, my Aunt Rhea sat right behind me. She leaned forward over the back of the pew and said, ”Oh you’re wearing your Grandmother’s necklace.” Now I’d always thought of it as my mother’s necklace when it came to me in 2000 when my mother passed.

Today I found it in my dresser and thought I’d like to clean the crystals and wear it this coming Saturday to the National Kidney Gala fundraiser to which Steve and I are invited.  Spiff up a plain dress for sure.

I wish I knew more about the necklace but there is no one to ask.

A search found a simple method of a few drops of dish soap and some alcohol in lukewarm water, a cool rinse and then gently dry with a handkerchief so no bits of fiber from a towel.


Celtic Culture in Ligonier Pennsylvania

Celtic Culture was founded in 2004 with the mission of bringing a wide range of style forward products from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The company was founded by Andrew Carr who has traveled extensively in Ireland and the British Isles and has always had a love for all things Celtic. ” from their Website 

Just about fifty miles from downtown Pittsburgh, you can find all things Celtic.

Celtic Culture Shop is a gorgeous gem right on East Main Street in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

We saw sweaters, cloaks, wool caps, jewelry, crystal, greeting cards, home decor items, preserves, candies, chocolate, sweets and even Marmite.

It would be a pretty time to drive out to the Laurel Highlands and check out the Celtic treasures, do a little holiday shopping.

Andrew Carr

Celtic Culture

 

The photos were taken in the summer on the day of the Yarn Crawl- August 2019, but just recovered this first day of November, 2019.  Thanks for your patience, Andrew.

Dovecote in Aspinwall on Brilliant Avenue

Dovecote, a vintage boutique in Aspinwall Pennsylvania, located on Brilliant Avenue.  What a great address.  Brilliant!

My friend Vincie and I were shoe shopping at Soothe the Sole  on Brilliant Avenue and Holly (at the shoe store)  suggested we check out Dovecote right across the street.

Here’s what we discovered –

Mr. Rogers

The boutique is definitely eclectic and affordably priced. Scroll down for more details.  There are vintage items, consignment items, handcrafts, antiques, jewelry, home decor and holiday fun. Sports team theme including black and gold potholders and darling onesies with hand sewn embellishment, adorable ruffles.

The felted Mr. Rogers created by Artist Christine caught my eye, and the Pennsylvania ceramic platter would be cool to serve from at a dinner party.

from their website

from Dovecote Aspinwall  click for virtual store tour
“If your style is eclectic with a vintage vibe, this is the place for you! We offer a wide variety of vintage & antique home decor items, as well as new & vintage clothing & accessories. From tables and lamps, paintings, and dishes; to jewelry, shoes, candles imported from Spain, gifts, vintage-inspired greeting cards, and more, there is something for everyone in our cozy store. We carry Lindsay Phillips’ line of shoes & sandals (SwitchFlops), as well as Naked Bee’s organic skin care creams & lotions. Need to make space in your closet or sell your unused home accessories? We offer resale and consignment options. Visit our vintage boutique, and then follow us on Facebook for frequent updates!”
A place to take things when you need to downsize! Good to know.

Interesting Finds at the Handmade Arcade

 

Dear Blog Followers/Readers

Thanks to all who have responded on the positioning of the photos when they view the blog.  It has been beyond annoying and frustrating, especially for those who get the photos sideways. 

Today I spent time rotating and saving and resizing the photos which were shot vertically.  If they are on their side, I hope you will inform me right away so I can go back to the drawing board.  When I look at them they look correct but not for all receiving them.  

I heard from a woman I photographed last week about the auto rotation of photos on various programs.  Here is the link to that information

I knew nothing about Exif Data    

Still working on the solution to proper orientation of photos no matter who views it on ALL devices. 

Now back to our regularly scheduled blog post of the day-   

Handmade Arcade at  Pittsburgh’s David Lawrence Convention Center, Saturday afternoon.

This is Douglas of My Vinyl Resting Place  holding a vinyl record now shaped as a bowl

Deanna of Cleveland Street Glass

When I asked her how she got into this business she said she moved to Cleveland and in just a week her car was broken into.

Mr. Wise co-owner of Second Season packages a pair of Repurposed Redesigned Upcycled mittens made from used sweaters

Divertido is now in Etna PA

We took a short trip across the Allegheny River tonight to see Divertido’s new location.

357 Butler Street in Etna PA.

A cool gift shop with vintage glassware, Sea Salt Soaps, origami Tyvek wallets, all kinds of jewelry, art books, Swedish dish cloths and unique home decor items are just a sampling. Here’s Mary Ellen thanking us for coming. ❤️

Glass Bead Artist in Berlin

C70943ED-8D41-4723-A0C6-627DC2F2E2C4You met Dagmar Bruckner and her husband Gunnar yesterday at  Kiez Eis blogpost.

Here she is in her gallery/store, just around the corner from the ice cream store.

dbeads concept store

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Dagmar’s first career was Occupational Therapist but about fifteen years ago while living in Brooklyn, she learned how to make glass beads.

She demonstrated the making of a glass bead. The colored glass rods are from Murano, Italy.

She lit her torch and melted the end of the rod to the consistency of honey, turning it all the time onto a metal tool.

 

Sometimes she uses a mold to form the bead but most of the time she creates each bead by hand without the mold, so they don’t lose the handcrafted touch.

 

One of her signature creations is –0A5CBD73-B9EB-4C9A-8A2D-99554BCFA6BA

Tiny pieces of the Berlin Wall inside a single glass bead

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Once a month dbeads conceptstore hosts concerts. 9A411027-2EEB-4E56-95E6-B359948DF6A9

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Her graphic artist made these bumper stickers with this saying! She gave me a couple to bring home.

658B16B8-8A3B-432D-9AE5-F94D388CEFDCThanks Dagmar for being part of the People at Work Series. She suggested a new project for my next visit to Berlin- Artists at Work!

Sea Glass -Guest Blog

Remember Joanne sent the beach glass yarn the other day? She contributed the Nova Scotia posts this past week, the Loonies and Toonies Store in Lunenburg.

She wrote and mailed some photos below after I asked her about the glass she finds on the beach in Florida.

Joanne says 

1. I walk the beach almost every day, and I’m always on the lookout for sea glass – this was a lucky day because often there is none to be found. Most common   colors are clear, green, and brown. Least common colors are cobalt blue, red and purple.

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2. Here’s my collection of shells and sea glass. The tiny colorful glass in the lower right hand shell on the table comes from a beach in Spain (collected by my sister). And the tiny glass in the upper right hand shell on the table comes from a beach in Nova Scotia. All the rest from the beach here on the Atlantic Ocean side of Florida. 

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3. My friend Celia separates her sea glass treasures by color and displays them on her kitchen counter.

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4. Since Hurricane Matthew, Celia and I find lots of large shards of glass, bottles, and lightbulbs among the debris on the beach. Celia collects this for a future art project she calls “Hurricane Glass”.  img_0842

 Link below to Jessica Blaney’s ETSY Shop below if you need handcrafted sea glass jewelry

Sea Glass Jewelry Created ByBlaney in Cornwall UK