Deck the Halls...

 We've been busy decorating the house...

But it's been happening bit by bit since we're all so busy with piano recitals, christmas and birthday parties, choir concerts and Grinch plays...

 We've got more advent calendars than you can count...

 All sorts of critters are stirring...

 The only thing missing was the snow.  It just isn't Christmas in Minnesota without snow...

Lucky for us we got about 12" of it last Sunday and another big storm is predicted for tomorrow.  It sure is pretty! (even if I did have to snowblow three times!)

December Daily...

I finished my December Daily and did something a bit different than I've done in the past.

 This one is more of an art journal made from an old ledger book.

I was inspired by a book Julie Collings made a few years ago...you can see hers here.

I started at the beginning of November and made a few pages each day.

 And now I am done and ready for the craziness to begin!

 Happy Journaling!

Christmas Crafting...

I've been getting in the Christmas spirit and spending a lot of time in my "studio".  Here's a sneak peek at my December Daily...I'll post more photos of the inside soon.

I was given the window at the antique shop so I made a few of these old sheet music wreaths since I really didn't have a lot of antique/vintage Christmas stuff I wanted to part with.

And I guess I won't be too terribly upset if this one doesn't sell and I have to keep it for myself!  I can't believe that next week is Thanksgiving...then the real craziness begins!  Have a good weekend!

Gone Postal...

So I found this vintage postal sorter-table on craigslist about a month or two ago but it was about $50 too high for me and my cheapness.  But I watched it and watched it, wondering why nobody snatched it up, until Thursday when the price came down $50.  Even though the listing had the dimensions, when I saw it in person it was HUMONGOUS!  I almost didn't buy it because it was so massive.

It took me, hubby AND the 19 year-old to get it in the house and in my "studio".  So yesterday I spent literally all day cleaning, throwing, sorting and organizing and I love it so much.  I'm so glad I didn't let the size of it scare me away!

 And with all my cleaning and purging, I decided to list a few more things in my Etsy shop.  This magnificent Fire King red dotted salt shaker!

 This vintage circa 1980's Lillian Vernon alphabet stamp set...complete. =)

And this awesome picture dictionary for children with the perfect shade of yellowed papers!  Now I'm going to get to work crafting in my nice, clean room...I get the window for the month of November in the antique shop...and I'm being told I need to fill it with Christmas stuff!  Uh-Oh!

Etsy Goodies...

It's Friday!!...the little guy is off school for MEA...it's a cold and rainy day here in MN...and surprisingly, I have no desire to go junking today (although I did run down the road to a Church rummage sale and scored the most fabulous worn out, pink, floral quilt for a bargain price of $3)...so I thought I'd put some vintage goodies in my Etsy shop, something that I've been putting off for weeks since I hate trying to get good photos!

I usually hoard my Dennison labels all the while knowing that I'll never use the piles that I have but I found a rather large box at an estate sale for a great price so decided to share...along with the very cool "alleric go" stickers.

I absolutely love, love, love these "Pigskin Party" invitations from Hallmark...found a huge stash in somebody's garage...kept some for myself and put some in the shop.

A vintage booklet of 24 Versailles postcards featuring this wonderful one of Marie Antoinette!

And finally this souvenir album of 12 vintage Toulouse postcards---in color, they're fabulous!

Hope you have a great weekend!  I'm off to pick up a vintage postal table/mail sorter...I'll be sure to post photos it (I'm keeping it for myself!)

Taking the Plunge...

I have always dreamed of opening my own antique shop...or starting an occasional sale business.  But, being the chicken*bleep* that I am, I settled on the safest combination of the two.  After cutting my hours back at my big-girl job, I took the plunge and rented space in an antique mall in Hudson, Wisconsin (only 15 minutes away from Woodbury, Minnesota). 

I was scared to death of giving up part of my guaranteed salary to do something where I might not make any money at all, heck, I might even lose money!  But this mall is one I absolutely adore, I shop there quite often and when I went to look at the space that was available one of the girls even recognized me (guess I go junking too often!)  So, with the help of the Mister, we moved a big truckload of wonderful junk in on September first...then another on Labor Day.

And the last big load we brought this morning...after three hours of me moving this here, then back over there...then back to where it was...this is what my space now looks like!  It is so full I couldn't possibly get one more thing in there...well, perhaps I could if it was really small.  And I even let the Mister put some of his sports collectibles in that little display case there on the little taupe table...see it?  Yep, that's it.  All of the other girls (dealers) that are there are really great, I think this is going to be quite fun!  After my initial anxiety attack, thinking "Good Lord, what have I done!", I'm really, really, REALLY glad I did it!

So, if you're ever in the eastern Minnesota, western Wisconsin area, stop by Abigail Page Antiques on 2nd Street in Hudson!  I might be there "fluffing" my booth!

More Halloween Fun...

It's no secret I LOVE Halloween and I especially love old Halloween photographs.  So what better way to enjoy all the old Halloween photos than in a shabby, old, handmade album?

Brings back such fond memories of my dad scaring the pants off us kids with his green, bald, grotesque, old man mask!

Aah...those were the days!  Love the old costumes, love the look of the old photos, love the way the album turned out!

Can't wait...it's just around the corner (along with the creepy guy wielding the machete!) 

Is it too early...

At my Friday Art group last Friday we made these little paper clay halloween kitties at Kates house.  It takes a few days for the paper clay to dry so we didn't get to paint them while there.  I painted mine a few days ago and love how it turned out.  I think I'll be making a few more...and perhaps some paper clay snowmen too!

Not sure if the other ladies in my group finished their projects but here are links to their blogs should you want to venture over to see if they've also posted their finished projects:

Kate

Jen

Tracy

Val

Happy ummmm......Halloween?   =0

Weekend Road Trip...

The hubby and our youngest have been taking some fun weekend trips (they're away in Chicago right now)...so because I haven't been able to tage along, we decided to take a weekend trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan, on the spur of the moment a few weeks ago.

We left really early Friday morning and made the 8 hour drive in order to arrive on the Island right at check-in time.  There are no motorized vehicles allowed on the Island (only bicycles and horses) and you can only reach it by Ferry.

On the ferry we purchased a $1 booklet showing all the historical sights, walking paths, restaurants, shops...just about everything you could want or need.

The island was beautiful, lots of old victorian cottages (mansions), hollyhocks everywhere and the sound of horses trotting up and down the streets...definitely one of my favorite weekend getaways!

We'll be going back next year, this time we'll concentrate on the HAUNTED areas of the island...and there are many!