RE:Style old zippers have a new look!

I didn't have too much luck at the flea market today, but what i did get was well worth the trip! i scored a supa sweet shoe box FULL of vintage notions!

One of the many ideas on my "things to make" list happens to be a zipper flower. It was my lucky day because this box was FILLED with zippers! There's quite the assortment. Some fashioned from ivory cotton, yellowed with time and lined thick silver metal zipper teeth. Some are a deep purple and others olive green, or there's the skinny polyester ones circa 1970's and 3 are even still in the package! As if the 15 zippers wasn't enough of a treasure, the box also held 2 packages of unopened needles (just broke my last one on Friday night!), a bunch of ribbed poly cord perfect for handles for tote bags, a few yards of elastic, buttons galore, and other miscellaneous sewing trinkets. I'm not going to even tell you how much I paid for it. You wouldn't believe me anyway.

I have a tremendous appreciation for vintage packaging. A few of the buttons in my stash were still on the original cards. The back of one of the cards caught my eye.


Such a simple little sales pitch means so much more now that when it was printed. Women have really escaped the confines of being a housewife (although if you ARE a housewife and enjoy, there is nothing wrong with that either!) and have risen to great achievement. From being a doctor, supreme court justice, a senator, and even the proprietor of an independent shop, (wink, wink) women have much more credibility in this world than they used to!

That being said, there is part of me that's a little sad. About a month or so ago I was sitting outside the shop enjoying the weather and working on the handstiching of an owl pillow for RAM. 2 elderly ladies were walking past me and one stopped and asked what i was working on. I told her and she replied, "You just don't see that kind of handwork any more. It's so nice to see that." The making of things is quickly becoming a thing of the past. People are so busy with the chaos of life that it's easier to run to Target and pick up some mass produced item than to take the time to craft something by hand. We've got to keep crafting alive! Let's be inspired by ideas and techniques from generations before us and craft in a way that is modern, fun, functional, and of course, CUTE!

I digress... back to my project... I fashioned up a couple flowers this evening and this is what i came up with... Add a bobby pin or pin back and you've got yourself a cute little conversation piece!

Please join the crafty crew this Tuesday (and every Tuesday!) for Craftacular Tuesdays at Anomaly! As always, it's BYOB, $5 (includes supplies) and we looooove seeing new faces! Hope you can make it. Feel free to call 904-354-7002 if you have any questions!

xoxo.
emily