Teeny Little Boxes and Some Cool Finds

Miz Hope ("Pixie") over there across the pond in jolly old you-know-where inspired me to create some little boxes to hold the GJB Fan Club Official Pendants.  She was part of a blog swap and after seeing how creative people can be with matchboxes I decided that it would be the perfect gift box.  Also, since Barbara was wondering what I was going to do with the fabulous stuff she sent me (see yesterday's post for details), I'll let you guess which little box in the second photo was sent to her.

Herewith, your standard Diamond "Strike On Box" matchbox.  A pack of these are cheaper than the made-for-crafting matchboxes you find at the craft store, plus what's inside serves a very good function: you can set your house on fire with it!  If you're not into pyromania you can just light candles and incense and charcoal briquets.

 The first batch!  It was a learning experience, believe me--there was glue stuck on everything but I was able to use up lots of my scrapbooking stuff which is FANTASTIC because I have so much of it I could literally open a scrapbook store.  Actually, between the huge amount of beads I have AND the scrapbooking stuff, I could give Michael's and Hobby Lobby some serious competition! 

 Like I said yesterday, one gee-tar down, 3,999 to go.  BTW, the pendant fit perfectly inside the box.

 After giving pendants to family members and sending out the first 10 to lucky ducky blogland members, I ordered more from my fabulously creative friend Rachel at Two Dog Pond.  As you can see from these photos, Valentine's Day was inspiring me.

 Each box had a little brad "pull" on one end.  Cute!

That's it right now for the crafty stuff--if I do anymore I'll have to change the name of my blog to VintageCraftyChristine and that sounds like I'm devious or evil or something. 

Moi?????

I went a little wild over the weekend (with my husband's ok, which technically I don't NEED but you know, there are just times when you have to act like your marriage is indeed a 50-50 partnership.  He knows better, of course).  I made it to and back from an estate sale near Laurel, MS--it was run by the same woman who'd run the sale I never got to a few weeks ago when I managed to break not one but TWO of our vehicles.  I'd emailed her after that weekend from hell and told her about it, so when I walked in the door Saturday she said, "You know, I don't think any of my customers try harder than you to get to my sales!"  You betcha, baby--now give me a big honkin' discount!  Of course I didn't SAY that but she must've read my mind because she DID.  Before our unfortunate slide into poverty back in September I'd spent a ton of money with her and I've explained to her why I'm not doing that any longer.  Imagine feeling guilty about not spending a big wad of money for s**t you don't even need!  Anyway, I haven't photographed what I bought from her, but it included a beautiful brass lamp with a handpainted domed glass shade, several pieces of glass, and jewelry bits and pieces that will be added to my "to be made into incredible and unique necklaces" stash.  Stay tuned for THAT!

Also went to a great country auction that will get its own post.  It will include the revelation that I now HATE the owner of the antique mall I'm in.  Hit my local flea market, some thrift stores AND found a good roadside sale.  Here are a few of the goodies.  Oh, and I'll have you know that, due to our semi-impoverished condition I did NOT spend much money on these things and passed up things I wanted because they cost more than I was willing to spend.

Who just said that?

A pile of "Blue Heaven" dishes, all in perfect condition except for being really really dirty:

Two cool shot glasses.  

I already had the big glass so I was super excited when I saw the shotglass.  It has a crack but I suspect it was sustained during a night of doing slammers in one of those long-gone Vegas hotels. 

I got a GREAT deal on this jewelry, all in pristine condition (other than the metal on the vintage sweaterclips being a bit tarnished).  The pins are going to the antique mall as soon as I get over my hissy fit with the owner.  She has no idea I'm mad at her, by the way, and my husband keeps saying, "Oh for god's sake, get over it already!" 

I don't collect sweaterclips, mainly because they're extremely hard to find in a part of the country where people don't really need sweaters due to it being hot as Hades most of the time.  However, I have an ongoing sweaterclips-for-stickpins arrangement going on with a blog friend, so these will be winging their way to New Yawk soon. 

I'm off to La Condo for a couple days to finish cleaning since we've decided to start renting it.  We'll still be able to use it, but when we're not there we could make some money to help pay on the mortgage.  Hope y'all are having a great week so far!!!