Something Old - A Bridal Shower Gift

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

One of my favorite gifts to give for bridal showers a hand embroidered vintage handkerchief {something old and something new-ish}.

Select the thread color you want to use {I opted for her wedding colors, navy blue and burnt orange}.  I used a stem stitch, which is a basic embroidery stitch, to create the monogram and the flower stems. 

I created the flowers using a lazy daisy, outlining the middle with a lighter orange.  The flower was finished with a french knot center.

On the opposite corner, I continued using a stem stitch for the wedding date.  I separated the numbers using a lazy daisy and french knot stitches. 

 My only hope is that this handkerchief...

Only catches tears of joy.

Off to deliver this to the bride to be...

wrapped in blue ribbon and vintage lace.

Where do you weigh in on Kitchen Scales

Recently, I have become obsessed with vintage kitchen scales. They seem to be the item I always stop to admire while wondering around a flea market. I am not really interested in weighing my food so this isn't a practical obsession but rather a visual accessory.

Recently, my sister in-laws accompanied me to a local flea market. I shared my obsession with them. They encouraged me by pointing out every scale they found. A scale I saw, that they had overlooked, won me over. Without even having to haggle on the price, I was told I could have this scale for $7. Really, what did I have to lose.

My sister in-laws looked at me like I was a little crazy, especially since we had found several very nice vintage kitchen scales. Though some were nicer, they were also bigger and more expensive. I also had a vision for my $7 find.

Now if you are a purest, admiring vintage finds in their current state or someone that wants to restore them to their original condition, look away.

With my tool kit on hand, I began to take my scale apart.

Had my investment been greater than $7, I might have hesitated for I can usually figure out how to take things apart but sometimes have challenges putting them back together again.

With spray paint in hand, if you are cringing I warned you to look away, I sprayed the body of the scale and the arrow of the scale in black gloss. I left the plate of the scale untouched, with the exception of a good cleaning.

Typically, I do like to respect vintage finds BUT in the end I am glad I took a chance and gave my vintage find a more updated look.