"Pearls and Lace"

 Here's a new addition to Bird Nest on the Ground.....a dress donated to my stash of miscellaneous "hunted down and gathered" stuff by my daughter, Kelly.  She's worn it a time or two and since it was damaged (on the back hemline where you can't see), she decided I could use it because it has all those pearls on it.  Good for me.  I had this dress form in a closet, so moved it out to the Nest.  It's been in here before, but as you know, I like to move things from time to time, so back out here it came.  Moving into the Nest that day also, was some crocheted pieces, recently living at one of my local flea markets, so I just threw them on the form also......then added Micah's wonderful necklace from a couple of posts back.  I must admit after seeing this photo that the dress looked so much better on Kelly!!!!  Of course, all garments look much better on an attractive and shapely woman!

 I especially like the upside-down hearts on the bodice....of course, me being very OCD, I wonder why they are upside-down.

 These little floral motifs...both the larger one consisting of three flowers and the tiny one with one pearl surrounded by seed beads....are wonderful.  I  haven't counted to see how many there are...but do know that IF I use this dress to make other things with....which is likely at some point in time, they would certainly be gorgeous on some of my white-on-white embroidered pieces.

Since pearls were on my mind...I decided to show you a few other things I have with pearls or that "go" with pearls.  There is a dish of broken strands of pearls...a few vintage ones in the mix....NO, none are 'real' pearls. 

 I also have a 'hand' collection...a small one right now...but hope to add to it.  May show you some day!  Pearl buttons are something I am always looking for and frequently find...on occasion, a very special one or two.  I could probably post quite a lengthy story on those.....I am currently in the process of organizing some of these things....so you never know...they will show up here sooner or later.

 Here's a dear little seed bead purse....about four inches high x five inches wide.  Tiny white seed beads.....with some almost clear seed and bugle beads between the squares.  So pretty.  It's quite old I think....comparatively speaking, of course.

As you can see, the label says 'made in France.'  There is a tiny pocket with the smallest little square mirror in it.

Another look at the bowl of pearls.....Two belt buckles included in the mix....I've several of those around and about the place.  Do we ever tire of looking at pretty things like this? I think NOT.

 This necklace was found in a jar of old broken jewelry........it's completely intact, but could use a cleaning.  Kind of pretty if you ask me. 

 Somewhere I've seen long necklaces made with larger pearls surrounded by smaller ones as these are....I think back in the day when my mother-in-law and I tried crocheting pearl bead 'lariats.'  I wonder where some of those are?  Must check into that.

 A friend gave me this pearl/bead trim a long time ago.  I don't know what it came off of, but she wanted me to have it.  I really need to use it in some special project.

 Look closely....each pearl is surrounded by seed beads...sewn on a lace base.

 A couple of weeks ago, I found an old handkerchief  or hosiery box with this lace in it.  (There is a black piece of lace underneath the off-white lace....but I'll show you that one on another post.)  It's all really pretty stuff.

This wide piece is quite pretty and the very narrow lace struck me as being quite special...mainly because it is so delicate and there isn't much of it.

What do you think?  I just love it!!!

There was this pleated piece of lace......I intend to remove the stitches at the top and see what I can use this for....quite pretty!

 A closer look at it.

 Here is another piece....actually, I'm thinking this is two pieces of lace sewn together in the middle, then gathered....I'll investigate and see...then, decide how to use it also.  There were two of these in the box.

So, there you are....a pretty dress and some other deliciously gorgeous things from the 'goodies' out the in the Nest.   I hope you enjoyed seeing them!  Take care, pat