The gypsy footstool.....


About a year ago I was meandering through a small cluster of stores in the South Melbourne area and wandered into a very old prop store/warehouse used by TV stations Channel 9 & 10 and the ABC. 
They rented furniture, costumes and trims to them for whatever series they currently had in production.

There was a huge trestle table full of vintage trims and curios for sale and on it in a very old paper bag were these aubergine, amber, green and blue facet cut, glass beaded tassel trims. 
It was unused old stock with 5 meters on each card roll. Each individual length of beads is hand stitched onto a 5 meter length of braid.

After pulling it all out of the bag I counted 5 card rolls. That was a total of 25 meters of beautiful glass beaded trim. 

I asked the old gentleman how much for them all and he said $10.00 for the lot. 
I paused for a minute (in shock) while I was counting my blessings and doing the happy dance in my head but the store owner thought I was hesitating over the huge price? so he said "oh, ok then. $5.00 for the lot".

I don't think I have ever whipped out a $5.00 note so quick in my life!!

I had no idea what I wanted to do with them at the time and I have resisted using them on something unworthy.

I finally decided to wait and when I am in Italy I will trim the bottom of a fabric covered ottoman or love seat with two layers of them.
I also have this vision of a pokey high glass window that catches the morning sun. It has a vintage hand dyed lace half curtain and this precious glass beaded trim is edging the bottom of the lace and shooting colored prisms of light around the room.

Fanciful thoughts I know but look at it! How could you think anything else. 

Maybe there will even be enough left over so that I could trim a small gypsy footstool similar to the ones below.
Cute aren't they?


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