Re-do, Re-create, Re-purpose

Maybe it was the Depression Era Grandparents........maybe a Mom who could a  take  little bit of this and that and make a wonderfully decorated home on a budget.......or maybe it was the because in our family things were passed on from Mother to Daughter, Father to Son.....but, I have always figured things could be redone, recreated, or repurposed. I suppose that's why I love the vintage hunt. finding something that most would throw away and finding it's new lease on life.

I don't have a before pic of this wooden ladderback chair, but it was in horrid condition. With some nails, wood putty, a coat of Vanilla paint, some hand-painted rose garlands, and a victorian inspired lace, satin ribbon with satin rosettes accented pillow, this old chair has new life.

Discarded dinner plates become hand-painted wall art, or, place a clear plate over it and it can become a serving dish for cookies.

A vintage 1940's hat and coordinating hankie, hand-embroidered, await to become  a music box base and a dress for an Angelic Music Box creation

With the help of a vintage apron pattern,  a....................................................

vintage 1940's  hydrangea doily and new coordinating calico............................

will become a stylish apron.

A chipped souvenir plate becomes a floral wall hanging.

A 1940-50's rose motif tablecloth that was stained and threadbare. With some quick stitching and paper doll cutting expertise, I created pocket appliques for this vintage apron.

A discarded, rusty, and albeit holey water pump becomes a garden water feature.....

okay , I couldn't figure a way to incorporate a vintage textile in this one, but I do find uses for anything discarded into the garden. I have a 1950's Tappen stove sitting out back covered over.....LOL..to my husband's disbelieving looks....it will be a potting/serving buffet  table on our kitchen deck when we get it finished...hey it was free... and I'm on the lookout for a vintage ringer washer to fill with geraniums by two trees that'll make the perfect holders for a good old fashioned clothesline.

And, newly found vintage transfers..................................................

.......or vintage ephemera used as transfers........................................................

can become new Brown Gingham Creations like this....................

A vintage Southern Belle embroidery transfer will be added to............

this vintage hand-tatted edged hankie

to be the beginning of my newest Brown Gingham Creation pillow, Summertime..

I thought I'd do some different posts this time showing progress of one of my creations using vintage finds.

Summertime will be the first of a four pillow series of the season's.

Don't forget Saturday is Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Southern Lady's Vintage Love Market

Wednesday is Rednesday at It's a Very Cherry World

Vintage Thingy Thursday at Coloradolady

One Busy Designing Woman!

Holy Cow! I cannot believe it's only two weeks till my first big craft show at Loveland High School. Where has October gone! I'm getting a little nervous, there are 200 vendors at this show! I didn't think the building was that large. I haven't been able to post as much as I like,It seems I have lost my WiFi hotspots in town, so during the day my laptop doesn't get out. This is what has been occupying my night time..........


















This tablerunner was a 1950-60's linen dishtowel. As you can see I hand-embroidered the the flowers and foliage as well as the clock. I added new fringe in the same brown tone as found in the print. It seems to tone down the pinks.















This little pink gingham apron is from the 1940-50's. I refurbished it a bit, completed the cross-stitch and added the sparle pink flowers and whimsical Panda Ballerina. This makes the perfect apron for a new mom! I'll be adding a little bib that can embroidered with the baby's name later and a pacifier.

I found this apron at the same time. I love the bottom border. Strands of fabric have been carefully removed to create a flying geese pattern usually found in quilts. I completed the Cross-stitch, embellished the pocket with a 1940-50's Christmas holly and poinsettia hankie that I hand-embroidered, and added a gold-tone poinsettia charm with red Austrian Crystals on some of the berries. I wish you could see the sparkle!

These are just a few of some of the new creations I've been working on. I haven't been able to get pics. It's been getting dark earlier and harder to catch the light. I hope to show more in the coming days.
It's going on 8:30p I'd better get back to my work before we have to put the kittens to bed........
didn't I tell you we had new fur kids! And yes Shadow is so happy. That is for a future post.

Flourishes and Broadstrokes

When I'm not designing with flowers or thread, I love decorative painting. I paint on canvas, but I love taking vintage finds repurposing and sprucing them up with paint.

On one of my antiqueing drives I found a great old 1960's cherry tea cart/coffee table. This'll take a while to refinish and paint. Visit my website gallery and see more hand-painted pieces.......www.brownginghamcreations.com
Thanks for stopping by. I'm always happy to hear from you.
Melody