My Art and Soul

Have I told you that one of my favorite things to do is antiquing and going to flea markets? Yup. I can spend an entire weekend driving the old country roads venturing one flea market after another and never grow tired of shopping for antique religious relics and medallions, tin types, rusty and worn trinkets and found objects that look like it had a past life and history ~ ready and waiting for me to give it a new life! And so I stumbled upon this aged old leather rosary pouch (replete with a rusty beat-up rosary) from Italy.  It just spoke to me! And how can I resist, the vendor was ever so willing to part with it for $1.00? It was beautiful in its weary, worn state. The roughness and rust in the chains looks like a lot of prayers were made on these holy beads. I couldn't wait to get home and pour my heart into giving it a new life.  And so here it is and here's what I did:  I embellished it with vintage beads, rhinestone rondelle, an antique Madonna and Child medallion and finished it off with a decoupage of vintage bible page.