Ms. Chatelaine Silver Sunday No. 5

I never realized how many pieces of  heriloom silver I have until I started this party.  I thought most of my silver posts would draw from my monsterous flea market stash but I really haven't even delved into my found silver .....as I search for post topics each week I keep discovering family items...and there's so much more.  

 

This week I found one of my most prized possessions...my Great Grandmother's Sterling Silver Chatelaine..her private tool belt, if you will, however no lady would ever refer to anything she wears as a mere tool belt.

Sarah Elnora Jarvis Goodman

Being a lady of society her tools were quite different than what was traditionally found on late 19th century women's chatelaine..she had ready at her side, a pill box, a pocket watch, enamel inlaid silver toothpick holder(as I understand pansies were her favorite flower), a sterling seal,reading glasses and of course a whistle ...not really sure I know what that was for. I believe there was also a hanging vinaigrette (you know, should one suddenly succumb to the vapors) not sure what hung on the last fob.

here's Wikipedia's description of chatelaine.....

Chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Each chain is mounted with a useful household appendage such as scissors, thimble, watch, key, vinaigrette, household seal, etc.Chatelaines were worn by many housekeepers in the 19th century. They were also worn by Anglo Saxon women, as seen from the burial record.The name chatelaine derives from the same term used to mean the female owner, or husband of the owner, of a large house. The chatelaine was designed to have all the tools necessary for the woman of the household to sort out any problem she may encounter in her day, like a fraying curtain.

I am so enamored with this gorgeous piece....there are 7 cherubs and dragons or gargoyles (I love gargoyles) on either side and the old North Wind man beautifully crafted in to this piece...it's really a treasure...hmmm makes me wonder what I would hang from mine...a cell phone, memory stick, lip gloss, shoprite card, so not glamorous...what would you hang from yours?

The count down to the final Silver Sunday is upon us! So here's a few thoughts to think about for the next week.  I will be posting the giveaway on the final Sunday...to earn chances here's the scoop.

1.You will receive  1 chance for every week you participated.

2. Adding to that, 2 more chances if you've become a follower.

3....and wait there's more...you will receive 1 more chance for every comment you've left throughout the party until it's final day on Feb. 7th.
....boy I'm long winded this week,  one more final announcement....there will be a season 2 of Silver Sunday!
This party is just way tooo much fun to stop! So I will be doing The Second Silver Sunday a monthly party on the second Sunday of every month......thanks for coming see you next week!
  

Revving Up Gypsy Fish Originals

Now, that the brick in mortar is officially "finis" I actually found a little time to make something...boy that felt good.  I was so missing making stuff this past month as I spent all my spare time tearing down the shop, selling and loading the left overs to auction.  Swimming in a sea of boxes, dress forms and bubble wrap I wiggled myself into a little spot in the studio and whipped up a few pieces.

I call this one ..."a Wing and a Prayer" kinda describes my life these days.

Keep checking in with Gypsy Fish Studio where you'll find vintage gypsy goodness and for my handmade pieces I've reopened my "other" etsy shop so check out the new shop Gyspy Fish Originals, well, it's not really new, just neglected for a while...

 

PS Thanks everyone who has made Silver Sunday so much fun SERIOUSLY it's a blast and never too late to join the party!

Silver Sunday No. 4

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Welcome to Silver Sunday No. 4 can you believe it's 4 already?  To start off I just want to let everyone know that McLinky has proved to be most convenient....so, don't panic when you see that the list has dissappeared...just use the McLinky link when you do your post....hey, let's try to get to 100 this week. The more the merrier.  Also just a reminder the giveaway is coming up in a few weeks...be sure to have yourself linked on that day...I'll also be giving you an extra chances if you're a follower as well as participant.

Wait until you see how "succulant" the giveaway is......

Well, back to the post.....

My penchant for aluminum is growing by every flea and auction I attend.  I just love this stuff...it's so handy and not to mention i-n-e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e...my favorite kind of collection. As I wondered the halls of my house camera in hand looking for a few pieces I realized....I have it everywhere! And I use it all the time.

Notice the aluminum tray....holding all my son's post sugery care items from last summer (broken ankle needed surgery...he's fine now)

 

another handy dandy tray and conatiner for coffee and condiments...now if I could just find a tiny hammered creamer.

love this butter dish and the adorable little tray that goes with it....too cute! The designs on these pieces are amazing! The florals make my heart flutter...especially the Rodney Kent tulip desings

The more I think about it, the more I think we really need a hammered aluminum revival!

So sit back and grab a cup of coffee and check out all the othe Silver Sunday goodies!

 

Well I made it through this weekend...the very last weekend of my brick and mortar store...I have to say it was bitter sweet...bitter because I will so dearly miss the creaky wooden floors, the clanging of the gypsy bell on the door and all the loyal smiling faces of all the gypsy customers stopping by to see what's new...I will miss seeing each and everyone them.  A little bitter because I will miss my Debbie (my first mate who kept the ship afloat all day while I was at my necessary job) I will miss my parents coming over to man the ship on Thursdays and sitting around the Thursday night dinner table with them..I'll really miss that!

 But, the sweet is so sweet....a new studio, a new life with more time to make art, more time to treasure hunt,  and finally family time...they say they miss me but, we'll see how long that lasts now..tee hee. Time to travel to shows, friend time and maybe even a little "me" time. So goodbye to the little brick and mortar, hello etsy, website, markets and shows....and hopefully  peace of mind...ahhhhhh!

Silver Sunday No. 3 Personally.....it's SILVER for me!

Welcome back to Silver Sunday!  Hope it's a happy day for you!  This week I'm going to try to add McLinky to the post.  The guest list is so GINORMOUS!  I'm loving it..... remember it's never too late to participate!  It's been amazing to see how many of us love silver whether it be shiny, tarnished new or old.  I've had such wonderful feedback from everyone as well....hmmmm possibly a continuation in the works....we'll see.  This week I went to the personal side of silver.

....before dinner on the town there's grooming to be done and a proper lady only sterling silver luxuries to prepare for that special night, nail file, boot hook...then it's 100 strokes with a sterling  hair brush and lest not forget to polish our finely hooked boots with a boars hair sterling shoe brush.

The perfect evening  gown is accented with my great grandmother luscious beaded bag with the sterling frame and inlade saphires.....can you imagine?

...unfortunately I don't have her sterling compact but I do have her sterling reading glasses...they can be discretely tucked away and pop open only when necessary.....it's so romantic to imagine what she must have read using those glasses....well, that's my silver sunday post for this week....please be patient with me as I try to get to each and everyone of your comments and postings.....see you next Sunday!

                                                                {{gypsy hugs}}

                                                                                    Beth

Please link up your Silver Sunday post, NOT your blog. (to link directly to your post: click on title of your post, cut and paste that url ... NOT your general blog url) .... don't forget to link back to this post here at Gypsy Fish Journal at some point during your SS post to direct interested readers to more Silver Sunday goodness!

Silver Sunday No. 2 My Grandmother's Hands

It's been a busy past few weeks, closing my brick and mortar and making a full throttle jump into cyber space. So, I was feeling a bit sentimental this Silver Sunday as I rummaged through my stash of silver. Rifling through, it occurred to me that I have my grandmother's hands!

Yes, physically they are beginning to take the shape as I remember hers, arthritis is a family curse. But more than that....I realized I use her tools all the time. When I use the discarded family lace, curtains and even furniture and whatever lands on my doorstep. Whether it's assembling something, making an art piece, decorating or just using it as props for photographs....it's all comes from my grandmother's hands and the magic of the past.

Of course most of this is because, in our family there's a dialogue that goes something like this, "I don't want this anymore but I don't want to throw it out, what should I do with it (insert any family members name here)?" "I don't know (family member) just give it to Beth she'll find something to do with it"

Do you see how that goes?

But now I realize it was all for a reason, so that I could use these things, to create what I do and what I love.

Here's a few of those pieces in all their silver glory.

I think the most precious to me as far as tools go are her silver thread scissors and her sterling bluebird thimble. Gramma loves to "mend" things and these were her tools of choice.

Now I know some of you will cringe but, I have this silver plate tray that.once you put something on top of it, it becomes way too heavy to actually use and carry. I don't want to sell it, or get rid of it, and I can't give it to myself (ha ha), soooo it just sat and sat and sat for years. Needing a soldering tray, and of course, why should I be traditional and buy one or simply use a cooking sheet, I remembered the tray. So up it came from the basement into the studio and voila! the perfect soldering station, even holds the iron.

Happy Silver Sunday!

Thanks Gramma I love you!

Welcom to Silver Sunday No. 1

Sweet Silver Succulent Gardens!

Hello everyone...I hope this 3rd day of the new year finds you filled with hope and promise for a glorious new year!  Now it's time to don your sumptious silver and get the party started.

I thought since the new year signifies renewal and growth that I would share my collection of vintage discarded and tarnished silver, repurposed into a garden of luscious succulents.

I feel like a pirate when I find a bounty of old silver at the flea market...I pile it up, stack it in my cart and clink and clank all the way home....arrrgh matey!

We also, won't mention the fact that I have a very black thumb. Wlell, since I did mention it, I'll let you know in case you suffer from a similar affliction, that succulents rock!  Easy to take care of and barely need to be watered.....just a bit of sunshine, dirt and tarnished silver and voila! silver succulent garden!

Can't wait to see everyones' silver treasures!

Thank you all for participating in Silver Sunday! and for checking out my stash..be sure to check in with all the Silver Sunday Sistas on the list and lets start the new year off with a bang bling!

Silver Sunday Is Almost Here!

                     

January 3rd. I'm having a blog party....time to reciprocate to all of you who put your time,

energy and creativity into the wonderful parties you host!

To get the New Year started and to pass away the winter blues.....let's don our sumptuous silver!

On Sundays show off your glittered, glitzed, glammed, tarnished, shiny, treasured or freshly found silver treasures....ending in a spectacular silver giveaway! To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is participate in the party and show off your wares.  To join the fun and be added to the ever growing guest list leave a comment here and snag the button and link it back to my blog.  So don't pack up your holiday silver just yet...see you on Sunday!