Still Digging

I know that this is getting boring for you. I am still cleaning. I probably will be until the end of time at the rate I am going.

While I was cleaning I found 3 cases with stuff left over from the last show/sale I did a couple of years ago. My daughter and I talked each other into doing it. I told her I would do it if she would help. She is actually pretty good at miniatures when she puts her mind to it.

We were both into fashion big time back then. I have been interested since taking history of fashion classes in college and she as a Librarian at an art college here in town. The college was heavy into teaching fashion. She has gone on to the county library system, but is still interested.

We sold quite a bit, but still had some left over. I plan to make an accessory shop eventually. I am thinking of reviving an old twenties leather hatbox that I had made into a hat shop at one time. I used it as a display at shows. I was selling hats.....Logical? It has gotten beaten up over the years and is way up on a high plant shelf that I call my attic.

Anyway, these are some of the things that I will be putting in it.

First there are the hats. I am going to have to make a decision on what era to go with. Probably Victorian. The mid to late Victorian had the widest selection of different shapes being worn at the same time.

The three top hats you see here are all made of velvet ribbon. It's the kind you see in flower arrangements and such. The roses and bows are all silk and some of the lace is silk.

The yellow one on the bottom left is made of straw braid. The nice thing about that is you can make the brim in different shapes just by pulling a wee thread that runs the length of the side of the braid.

The other two are made of #24 congress cloth. The crowns are wet and stretched over either a bead or a dowel end, wrapped with a rubber band and left to dry into the right shape. The brims are then cut to fit the crown and glued on. These also have silk trim. The yellow one has tiny feathers.

Next we go to the shoe department. Once again I shall have to make a choice of dates. The high button shoes and the mules on top of the lowboy would all fit the Victorian era. They are made from patterns I designed. They are trimmed in silk and lace and have tiny no hole beads down the side for buttons.

The rest of the shoes on the floor are all modern. My daughter made the flip flops and the slippers. I made the blue sandals the alligator heels and the purses.

Somehow I ended up with all of the leftovers, hers as well as mine. Mind you, I am not complaining. I can use them in all kinds of scenes. She knows that she is welcome to come over to what she calls "The Mom Store" whenever she needs anything for crafts or miniatures.

I am thinking that there will have to be two stores tho. One will be Victorian and one modern.

Last we have the bag and purse department. This bunch is mine. They are mostly modern in design. This is another argument for two shops, as I see it.

Some of these were not for sale and will never be repeated. The drawstring bag on top actually opens.

Two of the purses on the floor have kidskin gloves and scarves hanging out of the top.

The black leather satchel also opens and is lined.

The small navy and white one at the bottom is made of a scrap of an antique silk kimono. The handle on that is real gold. That one is one of the ones that you will have to fight me for. I'm keeping it.

The ridiculous thing is, I will have to make more to fill the stores. Here we go again!

Back to the big bad world......See you tomorrow.