Mudlarking - I like the word very much, I first encountered it here. That’s me in the photo below, mudlarking my ass off at Dead Horse Beach. I’ve been getting wonderful little bits and pieces found there from the bottle man at the park slope flea market for years, last Saturday I finally got out there myself with my friend Craig. The history of the place is fascinating, you can read more about it here and there is an article about the Barren Island fire of 1906 here.
photos by craig duff
We were there when the tide was out revealing a crazy blanket of old glass bottles and all sorts of other things – everyday sorts of things – old timey trash.
I had a marvelous time.
This cupcake of a girl’s party dress is from 1910 - it’s falling apart but the lining of almost transparent and tissue thin silk chiffon is in excellent condition, most of the lace is usable too. I tried it on. That was something.
And disturbing looking progress on something new made from this antique bodice:
I’m working on lots of things for the shop including a small collection of sweetheart birds, one of a kind things, detailed and intricate, elaborate and self indulgent – couture girls, la belle epoch. I’ll post progress photos here and if you’d like to be notified when they are ready you can join the shop mailing list.
I was working on this girl last night and she reminded me of a story I read as a kid. I must have been about nine when I first read it and I still have the book, a collection of stories, “The Doll That Was Rich” was read so frequently that the book falls open to the exact page I was thinking of: ” On the table in front of them were two dolls, one dressed and one partially dressed. Beside them was an open parcel, full of bits of bright colored silk; and beside that again was a work basket.” I still love the idea of a basket of fancy scraps and somebody to dress up.
More shop news: Just for fun, I’m adding a new section of found things, very small collections of very small things, flea market treasures, stuff I love- like this mini iron and trivet.
The first collection will be up within the next couple weeks – just six little things .
Ahoy, merry wobblers! May the wind always be at your bustle!
Paper mache sailboat #6 and lots of other things are in the shop now.
On a stormy winter sea. That ship met with a mishap a while ago and I intend to fix it soon but I like it’s ruined state and wanted a picture before I repair it.
A group of little birds attended Camp Wapameo on the shores of beautiful Echo Lake in Rhode Island (thanks bettyann) over the July 4th holiday. The weather was disappointing and I suffered unimaginable insults from insects ( and vice versa I suppose), got poison ivy, accidentally rolled in goose shit repeatedly and had a fabulous time. You can see some of the highlights below (click the pictures for a larger view) or if you prefer to view your birds at summer camp photos in slide show format you can do that here.
The campers are ( from left to right):
rex, finn, minter, liney, ashley, jane, betsy, flora, and georgie.
A tattered antique dress for making things. You can click the image for a better look at the dress – it is ideal for making little wedding gowns for birds.
And a pirate – mick and his friend jenny. They will be in my etsy shop at 3 (new york time).
Newly acquired, for bird and ship and owl making.
This is one of two very similar antique handmade bodices, the other is all ivory. It has beautiful tiny green glass buttons and really interesting lace.
The silk chiffon lining is shattered – perfect for miss haversham birds.
I’ll start with the ballerina:
She was a special order but I plan on making more – maybe some swan lake ballerinas.
The fleamarket – an embarrassment of riches.
I’ve been kind of looking around for a new sewing box for taking the bird operation on the road and this turned up on Sunday.
A perfect box WITH STUFF IN IT for almost zero dollars !!! The little bit of fabric didn’t come in the box. It’s a swatch from a vintage coverlet – pale blue seersucker with tiny roses. A guy was using it to wrap furniture. It’s great fabric and I’m gonna make the daily bird out of it (8pm est). I think my favorite thing in the box is this button:
And the rest of it. An entire fisher price family? Oh my.
I’m not sure there is anyone, anywhere, having more fun than me. It probably wouldn’t even be healthy.
The daily bird for today, liberty:
She’s made from a vintage liberty of london tie purchased at the flea market this past weekend. She’s one of a small edition -till I run out of tie – and she’ll be in the shop at 8PM EST.
Here are some other fleamarket fabrics – a couple dresses, handmade handkerchiefs, some bark cloth. Good stuff.
I think that little rooster will be a flag for a ship.
The Park Slope flea market was especially good this past sunny weekend. I got these three fantastic little metal men for future dioramas and terrariums
and a bunch of amazing vintage pillow cases. I’ve got some ships in progress that I’ll show you next week and these will make great sails. Part of me wants to save them for the country home I will ultimately have but they’re just irresistible sail fabric so I’m cutting them up.
the daily bird nellie valentine.
and sammy buttons
He’s made from a vintage housecoat and he was going to be the daily bird today but I’ve decided to keep him.
Yesterday’s glittery little photo was a little tiny top hat for a groom bird. Below are some of the other bits and pieces that became a cake topper I’ve been thinking about forever.
I love this antique lace so much I almost couldn’t use it. Luckily I’ve got a pretty deluxe stash of old lace for dolling up future bird brides. I’ll show you some time.
I had a ball making it. Here they are coming
and going
and on a swiss dot and seam binding cake.
The cake is sitting on a paper mache cake stand. I love a cake stand. The whole thing is in the window at Kim Johnson’s Shop on Orchard St. She has some new valentiney birds for sale as well. More on the bird madness at my shop this morning and other places you can buy a bird later. The cake toppers will be available soon in my shop and a couple other places, feel free to email if you have an immediate need.
And a flea market report: we had a warmer day on Sunday in Brooklyn so there was a little flea market action. I got this little sewing apron, cutest apron ever maybe.
There’s been lots of bird making going on. Here’s a little box-o-birds in progress.
They’re headed for various destinations, several are headed for my shop. The update will happen on Friday or Saturday and I’ll put a notice on the blog when it’s up. I’m still in the weeds, bird wise, but in the future I’m going to try to do at least little updates regularly.
I stopped at Tinsel Trading yesterday for some cake topper things. I got so overwhelmed by the magnificence of the place and the extraordinary selection of extraordinary things they have I ended up leaving with a fraction of what I needed. I did get some little vintage millinery flowers and peachy glass glitter and inspiration for new things to make.
A little while ago I was in Cherry Valley Massachusetts, where I grew up, sorting through the mountain of childhood stuff that’s stored in my brothers attic. I found some things that I made as a kid, including this red ceramic thing
and some old craft magazines from the seventies. This is from McCall’s Needlework and Crafts 1973.
There’s some good stuff and some funny stuff in the magazines and I’ll post more soon.
