Smalls

I love miniature things and tiny things and all those quirky smalls. So I thought I'd show off some of the little cuties I have in my shop right now, just because they are so fun!

 Miniature Jigsaw Puzzles in Cardboard

Angels on Clouds Die Cuts

Wooden Rooster Cocktail Picks

Authentic Small Wine Labels

Nini Resin Teapot With Double Spout

Bourbon, Gin, Vodka, or Wine?

Many years ago, an acquaintance of my mother gave her some labels from bottles of various liquors--mostly wine, but also hard liquor, such as bourbon and vodka. Now by some, I don't mean just a little. There were quite a few. She is an artist and works mainly in paper, decoupage, collage, and assemblage and so welcomed the unexpected gift, more or less.

Vermouth

The man apparently had a passion for collecting alcohol labels, over a long period of time. One of his family's businesses was manufacturing whisky and gin, so that must have been a part of the desire.

It took hours, and I do mean hours, for her to sort them into categories, which made it easier when she wanted to find a particular type...red wine or white, Italian or French, and so on. 

Small Labels From the Necks of Wine Bottles

When I started my vintage shop on Etsy, she gave me a few packages of them to try to sell. I broke them down into smaller packs and began to sell some, now and then. Whenever I did, I would let her know. She would say, "Let me know when you want more of them." I didn't really believe she had that many more. Boy, was I wrong! She had what seemed like a million of them--far too many to count.

Spanish & Portuguese Wine

Eventually she decided she did not want them any longer and that I should take them all. I have gradually been putting them up for sale and have had fun deciding what to sell: Kentucky Bourbon, Vermouth, Italian wine, Spanish wine, French Champagne... I have enough to open a second shop selling only these labels!

I'm always curious as to what the buyers do with them, but not wanting to be intrusive, don't ask. My presumption is that they are using them in their artwork, but perhaps they are collectors of some sort, or own a bar. Maybe they want to use them as wallpaper.  After all, we had a half bathroom with decoupaged walls when I was growing up!.

Kentucky Bourbon

Paper

Lately, my eyes seem to be caught  by objects, sites, DIY lessons, all with paper as the common theme.

These have been stuck in my mind for two days, ever since I saw them on a blog that I follow, A Collective Journal, who found them on another blog, A Storybook Life.

Recycled Newspaper Beads

Aren't the colors wonderful?

The process sounded like fun, until I read that each one has to be sanded....

Here is a site that sells lovely decorative papers, for creating or wrapping, Papers!
 These are some of their offerings.

 Bamboo

 Map of Rome

Asian Calligraphy

Pretty cool, huh?

Speaking of cool, check these out.

 All Things Paper
 Yep, made of paper. It is a technique called quilling.
Also known as paper filigree,
quilling is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper
that are rolled, shaped, and glued together
to create decorative designs. (Modified quote from Wikipedia)

Oh So Beautiful Paper

"I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper." 

Steve Martin