Saturday, December 10, 2011

Deck the Halls...

The tree is trimmed...

There's snow on the ground (although not much)...

All the decorations are out...

Just waiting for the two college kids to take their final exams...

And the cousins from Virginia to make the trek to Minnesota...(this is all EVERYONE talks about!)

Then I'll take a few days off work to antique with the girls and my sis...


What could be better? (Except maybe more snow along with all the rest!)

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Alice and Elsie Shop Update...

All sorts of goodies were listed in my Etsy shop today...just in time for the Holidays!
Stop by and take a peek...

Sunday, November 27, 2011

The Handmade Christmas Craft Fair...

I think I'm finally ready for The Handmade Christmas Craft Fair taking place this Saturday, December 3rd at Trinity City Church in St. Paul. If you live in the area, please stop by...there are lots of great vendors and even an area set up in the Sanctuary for the men to relax and watch movies while the women shop!

I priced everything yesterday, now I'm just trying to figure out how I'll fit everything on my 8 foot table. That's not going to be an easy thing to do!

Unfortunately, each time I participate in a sale my Etsy shop gets neglected. So, I think I'll be listing some ephemera packs and some of these vintage tag packs since I have so many.

Anything that doesn't sell on Saturday will be listed in my Etsy shop, hopefully on Sunday, but don't hold me to that!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Trash to Treasure (workspace edition)...

I have been on such a non-stop crafting frenzy that this is what my workspace looked like this morning... and my floor was so bad I couldn't even get to my chair...see it buried in the background?I don't know about you but I'm much more productive with a clean space and for me there's not better inspiration than being able to find your supplies...like your glue stick and scissors =) So after breakfast I got busy and started cleaning...


This is what my workspace looks like now...And I can once again get to my chair. It's been so long since I've been able to vacuum that even Tom came in to have a look...he couldn't believe I could actually manuever the vacuum around the room! Now I'm off to mess it up again!



And sorry about the poor photos...it's bee so gray and dreary around here lately I just wish it would snow already...at least it would cover up all the ugly brown grass!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Handmade Christmas Craft Fair...



Here are a few more fabric and bag albums I made for the Handmade Christmas Craft Fair...

I started dipping into the "save for myself" stash of millinery and fabric and I know I'll be a little sad when they sell but one person can't possibly use 70 albums...so, alas, I must part with them.
I bundled up some of my old post office "city" cards...





and made a few little mushroom and vintage millinery tags...and I have enough mushrooms to make a few more.
I posted a photo of these bulap stockings a few weeks ago but changed them a little...the original was too plain so this is the gussied-up final product. I did take a little break from crafting to do a some genealogy (prompted by a lovely lady who gave me a big family "hint") and I found out the most exciting information about my Father's Great Great Grandfather...turns out we are quite famous in the settling of St. Paul, Minnesota, the naming of Como Lake (I graduated from Como High School) and the settling Arden Hills, Minnesota (even have a park named after us)...can't wait to tell my Dad!


Sorry about the wonky spacing, sometimes it just does that and I can't seem to fix it no matter how hard I try! =)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

I've been holed up in my studio getting ready for the Handmade Christmas Craft Fair that's less than a month away. (Ooops...looks like one of my little snowmen is making a break for it!)

I've been making tags, burlap stockings, pinecone santas, ephemera journals, ephemera packets and my favorite fabric and paper bag albums. The craft fair is Saturday, December 3rd from 10:00 - 7:00 at Trinity City Church in St. Paul (Minnesota). Check out the website for more details and a glimpse at the 46 vendors! Looks like it's sure to be a good time!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Dia de los Muertos

I didn't get these Sewickley Cemetary photos posted on Halloween as I'd hoped (too busy scaring kids!) so I figured The Day of the Dead and All Saints Day was the next best thing. The photo above is the view from the highest point of the Cemetary. You can see the Sewickley bridge in the background and if you look really close you can see the church clock tower to the right between the trees.

Most of the grave markers were so old and erroded that you could hardly make out the inscriptions. Tom managed to find one from a person who passed away on his birthday 100+ years before he was born....kind of eeeeerie!

The cemetary road went around and around in a corkscrew fashion and these were some markers that were over a cliff, not really with the rest of the graves...not sure how their visitors make it down there but judging by the flag, they get there somehow.

And this mausoleum had gates with a lovely green patina...that were padlocked, but don't get me wrong, there's NO WAY I would have dared opened the gates had I the chance!



It felt like a very peaceful cemetary...we were the only visitors Friday morning aside from the grounds keeper that was clearing leaves. And considering there were no strange orbs in any of my photos, I think it's safe to assume that all these souls are at peace. Happy Dia de los Muertos!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Home Sweet Home...

We just got back in town from a 4 day road trip to Pittsburgh, PA for Tom's best friend's wedding. Our hotel was only a mile from Sewlickey, PA (a very historic town) so of course in our few hours of free time we headed across the Ohio River into Sewickley to sight see and treasure hunt.Every single house was to die for...I'm not kidding, not a bad one in the bunch!

Of course I had to snap a photo of this sign that was on one of the residental streets...love the way the little guy is stooping down to scoop the poop.
The tiny town had two antique shops but alas, all the treasures were very English, not my taste at all.


This is the Sewlickey Library, built in 1923...


St. Stephens Church was so lovely...although we didn't go inside. Church doors are always supposed to be open but much to our surprise, we found all the doors locked on the little Lutheran Church in town. Some nice church ladies did let us in to look around and take photos but told us that churches are now having to lock their doors...that's really too bad. What is this world coming to?

So after practically breaking into the Lutheran Church I just decided to photograph the outside of the remaing 1120 churches in town. I'm exaggerating of course but I've never seen so many churches in such a small town. This one was by far my favorite.



And, I just had to show you a photo of the groom, Joe, the Best Man (hubby) and my little guy who was the cutest groomsmen EVER! Tom and Joe have known each other for 28 years and Joe is Sebastian's Godfather so these three share quite a bond.


And finally, this is what greeted us Saturday morning as we were packing up the car to make the 13 hour drive back to Minnesota.

I'll post photos of the beatiful Sewlickey Cemetary tomorrow...appropriate for Halloween! Hope you all had a nice weekend...we sure did...but it's soooo good to be home!