Easy DIY - Vintage Tie Belt

I haven't posted anything in a looong time.  I've been busy with family, business...life in general and more specifically, this little life.

Ooooh!  Isn't she the cutest?  This is my little granddaughter Elizabeth Mae.  We call her Mae.  She is almost seven weeks old and I can't get enough of her!  I could sit and stare at her, smell her and nibble on her cheeks all day long. 


Ok, enough staring, smelling and nibbling.  I will post more pictures later (you've been warned!), but the purpose of my post today is a DIY.  This is one that I have been asked to post several times.  This DIY is easy-peasy!  Years ago, I sold these tie belts at a local craft fair.

Now, I know that some male member of your family has a load of ties gathering dust in the back of their closet.  If not, your local thrift store has racks and racks of them, in every color, pattern and style imaginable.  I love this belt because it's adjustable, colorful and has vintage appeal with a twist.  Menswear is definitely making a comeback this fall and this is a great way to incorporate menswear into your everyday look.

Okay, let's get to it.  Here's what you will need.

• a tie
• a buckle
• scissors
• needle and thread
• a straight pin
• measuring tape

Before you do anything, take your measurements.  Measure around your waist or hips, wherever the belt will sit.  Add 4.5" to allow for the knot and the end you are sewing onto the buckle.  Add another several inches for the drop.  That is how far you want the end to hang down.  I usually prefer 8" but you can make it shorter or longer.  Confused?  It's simple.

Waist - 30" (or your waist size)
Knot - 4.5"
Drop - 8"
TOTAL - 42.5" (and yes, I used my fingers to add that up)

This is how much necktie you will need.  They come in varying lengths so make sure there's enough material to work.

1.  Snip off the end of the tie at the desired length.  I love the colors in this vintage Lanvin tie.  Too pretty not to be seen!

2.  Fold the fabric through the buckle.  I took the buckle off of an old belt and then used pliers to yank off that little metal thingy that goes through the hole in the belt, but you can buy a simple D-ring or a more elaborate buckle at your local fabric shop.

3.  Fold the fabric under itself and pin it in place.  Make sure the back of the buckle lines up with the back of the tie before you start sewing!

4.  With your handy-dandy needle and thread, stitch along the sides and end of the fabric, as shown.  To make it more secure you will want your stitches closer together than shown in the picture.

Voila!  You are done!  Want to know how to tie it in the knot as shown above?  Read on.

Put the belt around your waist

Place the end of the tie into the buckle and pull it up, with the wrong side facing out.  Tighten it on your waist.

Bring the tie back over and into the buckle, pulling straight down.

Adjust the knot.  Ta Da!

Make one (or two or three) for yourself and a few for your friends!

LOVE VINTAGE?  Check out the Jenny and Pearl etsy shop here.

LOVE T-SHIRTS?  Check out the Jenny and Pearl Copious shop here.

LOVE DIY?  Check out this simple jewelry storage solution.

Change Is In The Air

Hello friends!

Wow!  It has been a long time since my last post.  I was on my way to 1000 Gifts and life hit me square in the face.  You know those times, when you're treading water just to stay afloat?  Well, that's been life in our house lately.  But it looks like we're getting some long, clean strokes and finally making some progress so... here I am.

The most exciting bit of 'life' that has happened recently is the fact that Steve and I are becoming  grandparents!  That's right, our daughter Ashley and her husband Daniel are expecting their first child - and it's a girl!  It is slowly, very slowly sinking in and I'm liking the sound of it.  

I will post a prego picture soon!


There have been other changes in the works as well.

Hibiscus Needlepoint Pillow - SOLD!

I have been selling on-line in my etsy shop for some time, with a wide variety of lovely vintage goodies.  I am shifting my focus to vintage clothing and accessories, specializing in colorful California style fashions and a bounty of fun accessories.  So, what does this mean for you?

Petite Spring Basket Watercolor - Sale price $14.40

1.  I have inventory that I'm selling off to make room for clothes.  Everything in my shop that is NOT clothing related is ON SALE now for 20% off.

Honeysuckle Pink Van Briggle Lamp - Sale price $60.00

I am trying to clear out my inventory, with new listings daily.  This is a progressive sale, and the discount will go up to 30%, then 40%.

Velvet Petals Fine Stationery - Sale Price $7.20

So...you can snatch up your favorite items now at the 20% discount or be patient, wait a week or two, and hope that the treasure you have your eyes on is still around when the discount rises to 40%!

I am very excited about this new shift for my business and can't wait to show you all the beautiful clothing I have found.

Tiffany blue Tadashi dress - $120.00

Take a look around my shop Jenny and Pearl and my sister shop Jenny and Pearl Jewelry.  Happy shopping!

Finally!

After weeks of cleaning, pricing, planning and prepping, it is finally here!  My first Jenny and Pearl Boutique.  If you are in the Southern California area, please pop in and see me.    Share this info with your friends and family!

I have so many beautiful things to show you - loads of beautiful items for everyone on your Christmas list, even one or two things that might catch your fancy!  The address and hours are listed at the top of the page.

 Cute Kitchen Collectibles

 Gorgeous Glassware

 Delectable Delights

 Chenille Bedspreads

 A Hankie Covered Christmas Tree!

 Unusual Antiques

 Beautiful Gift Items

 Vintage Purses

 too many things to list and of course...

one-of-a-kind Jenny and Pearl jewelry.

For my distant readers, don't despair, when the boutique madness has ended, I will get back to listing in my etsy stores and making more jewelry, so you can share in the fun!

Mention that you read my blog or are a friend of Jenny and Pearl on Facebook and get $5.00 off of any boutique purchase!  See you there!

A Banner Day!

Every now and then I get the itch to renovate.  It often strikes at very inopportune times and when it does - watch out!  My family knows that nothing is safe when I decide to start tossing things out or moving things around and they better get on board or get out of the way!

Next week I will show the before pics of my current decorating project and show you the progress along the way.

One of the easiest redos is replacing wall art.  For years I had a simple string on the wall in the kitchen with little clothespins attached.  It displayed a rotating collection of the children's artwork, snapshots, Valentines cards or whatever struck my fancy.  I took it down a while ago and replaced it with a large framed picture but I'm missing my little clothesline and I think I need to put it back again.

One of the latest trends in home decor is banners which is basically a redo of my little clothesline.  So, I have decided to show you a few cute items pulled from my shop that would make great banners and sweet additions to your home decor.  If you want to duplicate the banner look, I am happy to add a banner  kit, including vintage thumbtacks, twine and clothespins, to any purchase. 

So, take a peek and see if you can find something you like to spruce up your home sweet home!

I have always loved the look of vintage botanicals.  This is a collection of  Redoute botanical postcards.

 There are two different sets available, with eight in each set, perfect for a banner or for framing.  The best thing about these beautiful flowers is they never need watering!

I love typography and numbers (don't ask me why.)  These BINGO cards would look great marching across the border of a boys room.  These better sell fast (only $6, am I crazy?) or I will keep them myself!  There are other pieces of yellow ephemera plus some cute Raggedy Ann and Andy prints that would make cute banners in a child's room.  Think of the possibilities!

Banners are cute, but some things deserve a frame.  I recently discovered these adorable vintage children's prints.  This is one in a set of four.

They need a sweet frame to do them justice.  I know you have a Wal-Mart or Ikea in your neighborhood.  For less than $10 you can frame almost anything!  You can buy them individually, or buy the set.  They are from the 1960's and have a sweetness and innocence about them.

Whoa... this is bizarre!  I posted the picture above and thought, "why does that baby look so familiar?  Well, I was at a picnic on Friday and I took a photograph.  This was the photo that I took.

This is Maddison.  She is Cheryl and Josh's baby girl and, yes, she IS the cutest baby currently on the planet.  The resemblance to the baby in the picture from the 1960's is kind of spooky.  But Maddison is definitely cuter - and she is real - and she smells good - and has a very nice mommy and daddy.

She is mesmerizing me with her blue eyes and now I have nothing left to say.

Market Monday - Heirloom Finds

My baby started junior high today.  He was looking forward to it until last week when somebody (Sam would not reveal who) told him he that everyone would be way bigger than he was, he would probably get "jumped" the first day and the principal would send him home from school because his hair was too long.  My husband and I couldn't figure out why he had a sudden interest in weight-lifting over the past week.  As it turns out, he was building up his muscles to fend off any would-be attackers.

After much reassurance by his sister, who just survived two years of junior high unscathed and a long talk with dad last night, our boy seemed to be a bit calmer this morning.  He had a smile on his face as he headed out the door and dad said he was happy to see his friends once he arrived at school.  Mom isn't doing so well, feeling a wee bit melancholy about how quickly her boy is growing up.  I'm sure both Sam and I will feel better in a few days!

Fall is a time of new beginnings, as the kids head back to school and the easy-going days of summer give way to the regimented days of fall.  I always have a sense of anticipating the new in September and I attempt to reorganize the house and schedule my time, the kid's calendars and all of the various family activities.

Over the summer months I neglected my little etsy shops, so I'm listing some of my sweet vintage finds and today I'm bringing you Market Monday,  highlighting some of my unique treasures.

I always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet.  When I was a little girl one of my great aunts very patiently attempted to teach me how to knit.  Her attempts were in vain, but I still had visions of chunky knit sweaters and colorful scarves that I would someday create.  Years later, as a married woman, my mother-in-law took on the daunting task of teaching me once again and I patiently sat down with the knitting needles in my hands and began knitting a sweater for my new husband.

Ten years passed and I finally asked my sweet Aunt Hope to finish that sweater (finishing meaning taking it apart and making it all over again.)  I finally admitted to myself that knitting is not my thing.  When a dear friend tried to show me how to crochet just a few years ago, I got that sparkle in my eye once again.  Within a few short hours I realized, that like knitting, crocheting requires patience.  Unless I wanted to devote the next ten years to the project, I figured I better quit while I was ahead.

I admire the patience required and the beauty involved in the art of crocheting and I recently acquired a stash of lovely vintage crocheting threads along with other vintage sewing supplies.   I know the true craftsperson will be delighted with these special finds.  I will be listing more over the next week.

So,  now I've demonstrated my lack of domestic skills in the areas of knitting, crocheting and pie baking!  After last week's pie fiasco, I couldn't resist showing you this beautiful pie plate.  I love the gorgeous fall colors of rust gold, brown and blue.

I may not know how to bake a pie, but my mother bakes the best apple pie, hands down!    I have ordered apple pie in restaurants time and time again when I smell one baking.  I can't resist that tantalizing smell of cinnamon and apple mixed together, but I'm always a bit disappointed.  It's never quite as good as mom's!  She mixes in just the right amount of cinnamon and can roll out one mean pie crust - tender and flaky.

This beautiful pie plate would be the perfect reward for the pie maker in your life!

There is also a lovely matching casserole dish, perfect for a green bean casserole or those sweet potatoes topped with crispy browned marshmallows that everybody loves to eat at Thanksgiving (well, at least I love to eat at Thanksgiving.)

I have a kitchen utensil drawer, jam-packed with so many knives, choppers, sifters, graters, peelers, mashers and more.  It is so full that I can barely close it.  In fact I think my utensils breed at night.  There are things in there that I'm sure I've never used and other things that I don't even know how to use.  Besides that, I have a big basket sitting right beside the oven containing all the spoons and spatulas that I use most often.

For Depression-era cooks, every single kitchen item was treasured.  Nothing was taken for granted.  Everything was used and there was no such thing as waste.  It is hard for us to even conceive of in our high consumption world. 

This pair of 1930's kitchen utensils have survived the years.  Imagine the stories they could tell.  Seventy years of being used in the kitchen while families cooked, laughed, fought, cried, ate, prayed and lived together through lean years and plenty.

I love the apple green paint on wooden handle of this tin crinkle cutter and stainless steel Ace chopper.  They would make a great addition to a country kitchen or a great gift for a collector!

These are a few of things I have waiting for you in my etsy shop.  Remember, I'm posting new items weekly and Christmas is just around the corner!

Let's Make A Deal!

I have a great new contest!  It's actually an experiment - something I've been wanting to try.

I've been reading a lot about bartering lately, trading goods or services without involving cash.  There are loads of barter sites, some that charge a fee to join and others that are available at no cost.  Craigslist has a barter section and it is growing exponentially as  people find themselves strapped for cash and looking for new and creative ways to get the things they want or need.  I have used Swaptree to trade old books, games and DVD's for titles I want.  It works great!

Since I know that many of you (I'm including me) are 'strapped for cash', I am offering you a deal!

Tell me what you will give me, in exchange for something that tickles your fancy, floats your boat or rattles your cage in either of my etsy shops -  Jenny and Pearl (selling vintage items) and Jenny and Pearl Too (selling handmade jewelry).

I have plenty of things listed, big and small, and will be listing more over the next couple days, so you are sure to find something that you want for yourself or to give as a gift.

You can offer items you want to get rid of, things you have made or, if you live in Orange County, services you can provide.  Keep it family friendly and make it worth my while!

Follow these simple steps to participate

~ You must be a follower of this blog, OR a friend on my Facebook page OR have chosen one of my shops on etsy as a favorite.

~ Visit my etsy shops Jenny and Pearl (vintage) and Jenny and Pearl Too (jewelry)

~ Pick an item or items you would love to have!

~ Tell me what you will give in exchange in the comments section below.  Let me know how you are following Jenny and Pearl (I'm obsessed about being followed.  It's like my own private band of stalkers!)  Make sure I have some way of contacting you!

~ Contest ends Tuesday, August 3 at midnight PT.

I may accept all or one of the barters offered.  If everyone is trying to pawn off ugly acrylic neon sweaters from the 80's, I will have to politely decline.

Here are some tips.  If you barter the following, I can pretty well guarantee I will accept

1. a trip to Tahiti (or Toledo, for that matter - I need a vacation!)
2. a professional massage (emphasis on professional)
3. a scholarship to Yale for my children (come on Sweet T, I'm counting on you!)
4. the thighs I had when I was 25 (liposuction, anyone?)

I will not, repeat, will not accept trades involving the following

1. your children (period)
2. your husband (unless he's an electrician, handyman or carpet cleaner - if so, send him over!)
3. Richard Simmon's exercise videos 

Make it fun and remember, coffee and baked goods are part of my love language!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

I'm not a collector.  I buy really cool stuff that I like and then resell it, with the thought that if I think it's wonderful, maybe somebody else will too.  That is my goal.  My husband is always telling the kids to nail their things down or "mom will sell them".  He's so not right!

You know you're a collector if you need 'just one more' cabinet for your dolls or action figures, or you sent the kids to live with Grandma, so you could turn their room into an Elvis shrine, or you leap out of bed in the morning and race to the computer to see if you are the winning bidder of that amazing mid-century lamp on ebay.  You know who you are.  Remember the Beanie Baby craze?  Never did get that.

On second thought, I do have certain things that 'catch my eye', 'float my boat' and just make me smile.  They are a little unusual, but I like quirky.  So here are a few of my favorite things.  I do not, I repeat do not collect them.

~ old sign letters - usually the letter R, but I have been know to nab the occasional S or K or L or A.
~ Chinese Checker boards -  I love the way the colors pop!  They're fun and nostalgic

~ picnic baskets - I have one or two (or five or six, who's counting?)  They are great for storing collections (not that I have any) or taking on a picnic!

 ~ marbles and buttons - The marbles are a natural extension of the Chinese Checkers and the buttons, I just don't know why

Two other things that I have collec... I mean accumulated are old keys and vintage jewelry.  This brings me to this

 working on a chain gang

 and this

 raindrops on roses

and this

lauren's pearls

There's more where these came from.  They are in my new etsy shop Jenny and Pearl Too where I am selling my own one of a kind jewelry creations, incorporating vintage jewelry, old keys and other quirky elements.  There are no two pieces alike and they are all handmade by me!  I would love for you to visit my shop and tell your jewelry-loving friends.  Especially if they are jewelry collectors 'cause you know how obsessed collectors can be!

Let Them Eat Cake

Well, I can safely say that I consumed more cake and pastries in the past four days than any other time in my life.  That is really saying something.

This represents just a portion of the goodies I have consumed.  I am SO not kidding!

The wedding is over, the bride and groom are in London, and life is returning to normal.  I am not even sure where to begin.  So much to do this week, to get caught up.  Taking pictures and listing product in my etsy shop, catching up on my writing, creating jewelry, cleaning the house.  I know it will eventually get done, so I need to relax and remember what a beautiful weekend we had.

Last night we got together with some of our dearest friends (if you weren't there it doesn't mean you're not dear).  We sat around reminiscing and laughing until our sides hurt.  Hard to believe we've known each other over twenty years.  Where has the time gone?  We gave that latte machine one more solid workout and I am not... I repeat... not... eating another dessert for at least a month week.

As we sat around, we were thinking back to when our kids were born and how time has flown. Now several of them are getting married and have children of their own.  We are in the midst of planning our own daughter's wedding next year (yeah!).

I have to admit, as a parent. that it is both exciting and terrifying to see your children become independent souls, as they make their own mistakes, achieve their personal victories and discover who they are.  I am comforted by the support of dear friends, as I tackle the challenge of parenting and am reassured by the knowledge that my children are ultimately in God's tender hands.

Our daughter R has discovered that one of her passions is horses, just like her cousin Megan!

She just packed her boots and left for a week of wrangling and counseling at Calicinto Ranch with her sweet friend Lauren.

I know they will have fun but also, that they will be blessed as they minister to the kids of prisoners.  These types of experiences are always life changing!

My challenge now is recovering from a major sugar/caffeine crash.  I need to get my energy back and figure out how to keep a Star Wars-obsessed,  energetic 12-year-old boy occupied this week.  Any suggestions?  Maybe just one more latte...