Elizabeth Holcombe ~whimsies and words~

Ribbon-O-Rama!

Hello, My Friends!~~~

Well, I just needed to do it! Simply put I needed to open an etsy shop to corral the ribbon I offer for pennies (or less!) a yard currently in my Dime Store Chic etsy shop! Last night I opened a new shop called, of course, Ribbon-o-Rama!

Over the next two days I will be stocking Ribbon-o-Rama to the rafters with LOTS of satin and grosgrain ribbons in many colors and several handy widths for your crafting, sewing, and decorating needs!I'll also add other fun new and vintage ribbons as well!

As you may remember from my previous blog post that to me anything with 'O Rama after it means over-the-top fun and alot of a good thing! And if, for example, buying 100 yards of fabulous grosgrain or satin ribbon for less than one cent a yard is your idea of 'O Rama then hop on over and check out the goodies!

Since my new little corner of etsy is brand new it needs some love in the form of etsy "hearts." If you have a minute, perhaps you would like to make Ribbon-o-Rama an etsy favorite or "heart" of yours for a future ribbon purchases. Thanks!!!!!

I hope you like my new shop, and thanks so much for stopping by my corner of blogland today!~~~XXOO, Beth

O' Rama!

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I love the expression _____ o' Rama! Whatever you insert in the blank and put 'O Rama after it, it makes the word seems large and exciting! I think so anyway :)

Well, I have been having an 'O Rama here in the studio! Let me show you what I mean...

Birthday 'o Rama! I found these little Josef Orginals birthday angel figurines at a recent estate sale and with lots of flowers, vintage fabrics, and vintage birthday candle holders, I turned them into Birthday 'O Rama pin cushions! I think birthdays should always have 'O Rama in them! Don't you?

And recently, I found Planter O' Rama at an estate sale! There were hundreds of vintage planters at this sale. I found a couple that I loved and made them into these 'O Ramas...

They also evoke the joys of Spring o' Rama too!

Oh, and there's my favorite... Ribbon o' Rama! In my studio Ribbon o' Rama takes the form of way over-the-top creations like this...

I used a vintage 1940's 4-H prize ribbon and the actual photo of the sweet farm girl who won this prize as the inspiration for this Americana corsage or wall decoration. O' Rama for sure!

And speaking of Ribbon o' Rama there are LOTS and LOTS of new ribbons in Dime Store Chic (and MORE on the way!!!) this week!

If you need LOTS of ribbon (yards and yards of it!) for pennies a yard please stop by!

Thanks so much for visiting my 'O Rama post! I hope you have a very 'O Rama day!~~~XXOO, Beth

 

 

 

The Day I Met Elizabeth Taylor

Hello, My Friends~~~

I met Elizabeth Taylor for the span of a second in 1978. I was a freshman at Longwood College in Farmville, VA. Ms. Taylor was campaigning for her husband, John Warner, to become Senator for Virginia. She came to my college and I attended a question and Answer session she had for the drama students. She told a story of when she wanted to be in the movie "National Velvet" so bad but the director said she was too short. She stretched herself by hanging from a pole and eventually got the part.

Later, Ms. Taylor walked into the dining hall and all of us there stood and applauded. My table was near the door and she walked right by my table and me! I blurted out, "Hello, Ms. Taylor." She smiled briefly at me while saying, "Good evening." Her eyes were indeed very violet. She dined in the dining hall with all of us students. I believe fried chicken was on the menu that night.

So there you have it, my brief encounter with the legendary Elizaebth Taylor. I loved her in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and, of course, "Giant." Her work with AIDS awareness is by far her greatest legacy. She will be missed.~~~XXOO, Beth

Mid-Century Saturday

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I have been in a Mid-Century time capsule this weekend!

My good friend and neighbor, Caroline, and I hopped over to the wonderful Hollin Hills neighborhood near Alexndria, VA for an estate sale. This tucked away neighborhood off of Route 1 (which goes from Maine to Florida), is on the historical registry and is a Mid-Century/Madmen marvel of architectural design!

Here is the FAB home where the estate sale was held on this sunny Saturday:

Isn't this wonderful? Here are some more homes in this delightful neighborhood:

I love the front porch on this glass box cutie!

Some houses are tall and some are more horizontal, but ALL have plenty of large airy windows!

And some are just way cool!

Speaking of way cool, I went to an estate sale, on Friday, closer to my home in Falls Church. And do I have a tale to tell! On Friday, my neighbor and long time pal, Ann, and I went to a sale in a darling little brick Falls Church house. One of the first things I saw was about 50 or more pieces of Franciscan china in the Starburst pattern. I have lots of this wonderful Mid-1950's china from my Mother who was so generous to give us her pieces which she got for her 1956 wedding registry. When I saw the same china at the Falls Church estate sale, I saw there were pieces I had and some I didn't have, I decided to pass on the China as it was $100 for everything (which is a steal for this particular China!). What was I thinkg????

Later that night sitting around our firepit I told Hubby and my friend Caroline about the Franciscan china at thwe estate sale, and they both said I should have bought it. Keep in mind, Hubby never suggests I should buy ANYTHING. I immediatley felt like a complete dope and was certain this wonderful china was long gone, but I decided to go back to the estate sale on Saturday. Hubby went with me and ten minutes before the sale began we were first in line. I was prepared to be disappointed but consoled myself in the fact that I have a gracious plenty of Starburst Franciscan ware from my mother.

The door opened and I stepped into the living room and saw the Franciscan ware was still there! I quickly took the price sticker off the stacks of plates and told the very nice folks running the estate sale that I wanted to buy the China.  I nearly floated through the rest of the house looking for Hubby who found the tool area. Not only did I score this awesome china on the second day of the estate sale, I got it for half off! I paid only $50!!! That ended up being close to $1 each piece!

Here is the entire collection stuffed into our China cabinet:

The dinner, bread, saucers, and dessert plates went from my orginal collection of 8 each to now 16 each! I now have two sets of salt & pepper shakers, five serving bowls and two covered butter dishes. And a vinegar cruet, two covered canisters, more and more, including...

A gravy boat with ladle, a tall pitcher and 3 mugs, and here is butter dish number two!

Here is my favorite piece of this wonderful china:

This triangular divided condiment dish is, IMHO, the epitome of Mid-Century china design!

I am a lucky girl!~~~Have a happy day!~~~XXOO, Beth

Pin Cushion and Garden-A-Rama

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I have been keeping busy in the garden and in the studio!

On Sunday, Hubby built a second raised bed which will be used for tomatoes and some onions. In planted peas, leeks, and Brussel's sprouts in the bed in the foregroud.

I planted lettuce and spinach in a bed which will get dappled light wheh the leaves come in on the trees. The "White mulch", cut from plastic bird seed bags, will help light the plants even more.

Strawberry plants in a wheelbarrow and covered with netting to keep the birds out.

I salvaged this ladder from the neighbor's trash and will use it to hold more strawberry pots/jars.

This stone frog was a recent yard sale purchase for only $2!

And in the studio, I have been busy making more pin cushions! There is a distinctive gardening theme to some of these new creations!

If you would like to see more, please visit my Beth's Bagz etsy shop!~~~Thanks and have a productive week!~~~XXOO, beth

 

Color on A Dreary Day

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I decided not to build an ark on this extreme rainy March day. Instead I became best friends with my newly fixed sewing machine and made more colorful coloring book cover totes!

I turned on every light in the living room to get this photo!

And this one.

Oh and I made wreaths too...

Nothing like a crowd of chenille chicks to brighten a dreary day! Or...

...flowers!~~~All are in Beth's Bagz etsy shop today!~~Let's hope the weekend is sunny and bright!~~~XXOO, Beth

 

Kitty Girls!

Hello, My Friends!~~

This past weekend was way too much fun! Suzy came up for a visit. On Friday we went to dinner with Sue and her sister Michelle. And we went to the DC Big Flea on Saturday! Wayy too much fun!

I found some wonderful goodies at the Big Flea and spent most of the rainy Sunday creating some new pin cushions. There was a kitty girl theme happening.

I love the kitty girls! You can find them and more new creations here! Thanks for stopping by!~~~XXOO, Beth

A New Pixie In Our House

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I just thought I'd share the new addition to our Holt Howard Pixieware collection. Allow me to introduce Miss Mayonnaise!

Mr. Relish is giving her a leering grin. How silly!~~~XXOO, Beth

Reusing The Wounded

Hello, My Friends!~~

This weekend at the estate sales I visited, I found a couple of pieces which needed a home but probably wouldn't get a home due to missing tails. Here is what I did with them.

This German fox terrier lost his tail long ago, but who can tell under the garden of millinery flowers? He is too cute and proud to end up discarded, and I knew I could give him a home on one of my pin cushions. As I did with this beauty...

This lovely bisque mermaid is missing her tail but a lush garden o lovely vintage millinery flowers hides her secret. She rests with her crab and lobster friends on this newly created pin cushion.~~~You can find these pin cushions and others here!~~~XXOO, Beth