A Place for Everything...

So busy lately! Is it just me, or does it seems like that the nicer the weather gets, the faster the days go? I know there are more "daylight" hours, yet it seems like I am still running out of time. Of course, the nicer weather means I am outside more, playing in the sun with the boys, helping them plant a vegetable garden, and trying to soak in some sunshine.

Before the nice weather arrived, I did spend some time cleaning my studio. I organized and prettified.

 I have a large shelf by the window, and I like to keep flowers and ribbons at hand. I use a lot of bowls, boxes, and jars so I can see my supplies. If I can't see it, I forget I have it - so I like to keep my pretties visible...

My best storage solution for ribbon: mug racks. I got several of these vintage looking, white chippy racks and then hung them vertically, and the rolls of ribbon fit perfectly! Not only are they pretty, they are easy to access.

Storing supplies is one thing - crafting a creative ambiance is another.  I like to tuck in unexpected notions with my supplies for little bits of unexpected inspiration. Antique photos and orphaned pages from a vintage book are nestled in a box of tea-stained ribbon...

I adore polkadots - so I need to keep my dotted ribbons handy! A fancy dowel is the perfect home to rolls of ribbon. The paper flowers I made are a nice nest, and I had these fabulous old Bingo cards which needed a place to stay...

A love of words and letters. Old printer trays are ideal for storing chipboard letters. One tray is for plain letters, the other for decorated letters.

All little bits are kept in little jelly jars and little tin cups. Easy to see, easy to use. Buttons, bottlecaps, hatpins, and more...I put the jars on an old cookie sheet, so I can just lift the entire tray up to my work table if I need to.

Of course, that was a while ago, and it doesn't look nearly so tidy anymore. I am a messy crafter. When I work, I like to spread everything out, and right now my crafting table is covered in scraps of paper, bits of fabric, and a few half-finished projects.

However, seeing how nice it can be in there inspires me to clean.

The next rainy day.

I promise...

Fun with Dick and Jane...

If you are a follower of my blog, you know I just adore vintage goodness! So when I saw this fabric a few years ago, I just had to have it.  Now bear in mind, I wasn't even sewing then. I was strictly a paper girl working on scrapbook pages and paperbag albums. And while I would incorporate the occasional swatch of fabric or strip of lace into a paper crafted goodie, I never bought yardage of anything :)

So it sat in my stash of goodies,

Until last week! I was digging in my stash, and found my lovely "Dick and Jane" fabric. Perfect for my newest obsession - Pillows.

It measures 12x12, and has an envelope enclosure in the back so it is easy to clean. I have it listed at Artfire, and I think would be a super cute Mother's Day giftie :)

Here are a few more that I have created...

Have a fabulous Thursday! I have fabric scraps all over the house, so I seriously need to get cleaning...

Well, hey there!

 You would think I was a bear. I feel like I have been hibernating since Thanksgiving... only I think bears emerge all skinny and cranky. I think I have gained a few - but at least I am a happy bear! So what have I been up to? Sewing, reading to the boys, crafting, playing pirate, baking pies, and planning for spring!

Johnny and I made another PIE - he loves the show Word World, where "words come alive," and one of his favorite episodes is where Pig makes a PIE. The letters come together and form an actual pie... so we made one too! It was a raspberry and strawberry pie, and it was delicious...

I also have been playing with some of my stashed vintage texts. I used pages from a 1916 children's magazine and covered chipboard letters. Perfect for titles for scrapbook pages and other altered art. I am also working on some little chipboard houses using the advertisements from the magazine. I love the timeworn patina from these pages, and the charming ads and stories! Apparently my cat, Bastet, does too...

 I have had this obsession with wanting to grow veggies in my backyard, but in containers because we are at the bottom of a hill in a subdivision where all our neighbors use chemicals on their lawns. So I tore out some plants (sorry hubby...) with the grand vision of making raised gardening beds. Well, Sunday we had temperatures in the upper 70s/low 80s, and the boys were out with daddy while Mama made lunch. Daddy, being the awesomely fun dad that he is, let them play with the hose.  I came out for our sunny picnic lunch loaded down with sandwiches, and saw my little darling piggies - I mean boys - covered in mud.

They were so proud of their mud hole. So pleased at the knee deep sludge they had created...

 Good thing they're cute.

Festive Friday

If you are in the Flint area this weekend, you need to come check out the Festive Friday event! Get your holiday shopping done early, and have fun at the same time!  I'll be there with my aprons, handmade stockings, and other pretties :) If you have any questions, drop me a line at..

queenofnostalgia@gmail.com

Tricks, treats, and teenagers...

So the boys were dressed like a vampire (Johnny) and a magician (Mikey) and had a lot of fun getting ready for trick-or-treating. Layers of turtle necks and thermal underwear under costumes made them warm, and we only planned to do a quick run through the neighborhood. I think the bunny perched on Mikey's hat was my favorite detail :) So trick-or-treating commenced! We decided to start at the end of the neighborhood where Johnny's bus pal lived, and then work our way back. Unfortunately, we had to pass playground to get there. Mikey decided that he would rather slide than hunt for treats, which would have been fine if it weren't so cold and getting colder by the minute.

So a few quick runs down the slide, and I had to drag a howling magician down the street protesting with every step, bunny flopping on his mad little head. Meanwhile, chants of "I want Mama, I want Mama..." were behind me as Johnny decided only I could hold his hand, not Daddy, and he didn't want to carry his plastic pumpkin after all.

Mikey finally got on board, but instead of yelling trick or treat, he would run inside the house we were visiting, I would chase after him, Johnny would shout, "I'm coming toooooooo!" and Steve would be shaking his head and apologizing to the house owners. In the end, we lost our camera, got two pumpkins full of candy, and made it home in one piece in under 25 minutes. We actually had a fun, albeit interesting, time. Like I told Steve, it wouldn't be Halloween if there weren't some tears, some embarrassment, and a little bit of disaster. Then I realized my camera had fallen out of Steve's jacket somewhere along the way...

He went back out (darkness had fallen) and came home to report he didn't find it, but did interrupt some preteens making out in the neighborhood playground.... They begged him to not tell their parents, and Steve (probably more embarrassed than they were) quickly assured them he was looking for something he lost during trick or treating, no problem, as you were... and beat a fast retreat.

About ten minutes later, two sheepish and red faced kids came to our door. After Steve left (who didn't have time to look around the playground as he was completely  mortified that he interrupted two little lovebirds) they scoured the playground and found my camera and brought it to our house. 

Kids crack me up.

Winners! Halloween party fun :)

I don't know about you, but I am tired from a weekend of partying with the ghosts and goblins, witches and gypsies this weekend! So much fun! Magical as always :)

This was my second year having a party, which was planned and hosted by Vanessa at a Fanciful Twist.  Like last year's party, I am having a little giftie giveaway! So I did the random drawing thingie, and here are my winners!

This is Kelly, who also had a darling party on Saturday :) 

And this is Vanessa, our hostess! I am so glad the hostess gets one of my treats, as she inspires such lovely parties :) The hostess most definitely deserves a surprise :)

And just what are these lovely ladies  going to receive? A witch hat, of course! I made two special hats, and will share pictures of them before I ship them off :)

Congratulations, ladies - and thanks to all the lovelies that visited my party this year! I can't wait until next year's festivities!

A Halloween Party... Pumpkin Style.

Three little pumpkins were sitting on a gate...

And as it so often happens with pumpkins, they were arguing. Because today, of course, is the Halloween Party, hosted by A Fanciful Twist, and none of them could find their invitation. Or the directions.

"I'm telling you, I remember distinctly that the party is in the old house next to the pumpkin patch!" insisted the oldest, and with a naughty smile added, "You know. The haunted pumpkin patch."

The littlest pumpkin tried not to be afraid, but this was his first party, after all...
So the three little pumpkins began their journey. Soon they came to a lovely little forest, and met a little cat. Perhaps he might know the way?

"Excuse me. Hello? Hellllloooo...?" The oldest pumpkin gave the kitty a little tap on the head. "Most unresponsive, this one. Let's move on." And so they rolled further on, hoping to find someone who could tell them where this magical party was being held.

"Hark! Here looks like someone who could help us! He looks familiar... Uncle Jasper?"

But upon closer inspection, it was not Uncle Jasper, and he most definitely did not know the way to the party.

The littlest pumpkin shivered as he passed this tall and silent spectre,,,,

"Aha!" cried the eldest. "See? I knew we were on the right track!

They all breathed a sigh of relief, and soon saw the house. But it was unlike any house any of them had ever seen before...

"Um, brothers?" asked the littlest pumpkin. "Perhaps we should just head home..."
"You aren't afraid, are you?" teased the oldest pumpkin.
"Maybe just a little."
"It will be fine. We'll have a great time! Besides, I am the bravest pumpkin of all time, and nothing scares me. I will make sure that nothing scary gets you, no matter how big and scary it is."
Somehow that didn't reassure the littlest pumpkin.

They went to the front door, and a voice called from inside, "Come on in! You can put your hats on the shelf there. We're in the kitchen!"

Hats?

And sure enough, there was stack of hats in the foyer. Witch hats.

"Um, brothers?"
"Not now, littlest pumpkin. Let's go!"

As they headed towards the kitchen, the littlest pumpkin widened his eyes as he took in every detail of this strange and fascinating house. He took a closer look at the portraits on the walls.

There seemed to be a trend here.
"Um, brothers?"
"Not now, little pumpkin!"

And so they made their way to the kitchen, where it looked like the party preparations were still taking place... Bowls of flowers...

And piles of pumpkins...

And jars of poisons...

What?

Before little pumpkin could say a word, he heard a clunk and a clatter from the counter.
"Murder! Mischief! Mayhem!" the oldest pumpkin was shouting...

And without another word, the brave oldest pumpkin rolled out the door, hollering as loud as he could.


A cackle of laughter filled the kitchen, and the two remaining brother pumpkins looked up in fear...

"Fear not, my little pretties! We are making apple pies today. Not pumpkin. If your silly brother had stayed, he too could have a nice warm slice of pie. Do you want a scoop of icecream on your pie?"

They did.

And so the rest of the afternoon, the two little pumpkins ate pie, danced to merry tunes, and played parlor games with some very charming, and very kind, witches.


Thanks for stopping by! I hope you had a hauntingly good time :) Please leave a comment! I will be doing a random draw Monday morning (October 18) from the comments for a delightful prize!


Credits: In addition to my original artwork, photographs of house and empty rooms are from Amas Veritas and have been modified, spookized, and hauntified :) The black portrait frames originated from ShabbyBlogs,, and the delightful pie image is from Yesmeals.

BEE book, things to do, and other randomness

 What is Random Tuesday? Check out the UnMom...

So I can't find my son's BEE book. That is the "Bring Everything Everyday" book that is pretty much the most important thing in his backpack. Notes to teacher, daily schedule... And the worst part? I lost it. I took it out to fill with snacks and books for his day at the Farmer's Market with me. I took out the Holy Grail of teacher/parent communication that has his little homework calendar and important numbers and alphabet practice sheets... I took it out, put it on the floor in some random spot by some toys, came home that afternoon from the market, and it is nowhere to be seen.  I asked the husband, and he can't remember seeing it.

Ugh.

So now I have officially put the first black spot on Johnny's academic career. I wrote a note to teacher, and offered to come in and wash her chalkboards if I can get a new one...

I need to finish cleaning my craft room. I have an entire room devoted to craftage, yet I still am dragging my goods downstairs to the kitchen.  Mostly because my craft room is a mess. And the TV lives down here, and how can I watch Supernatural while I craft if there is no tv?

Oh, that reminds me - I need to go to the library and get the next disks on DVD...

I have a day of bobbin winding, bread making, and sewing planned. I have one more Farmer's Market, then that season is over, and a few crafty shows right after that, so I need to do some serious restocking of goods. Halloween is fast approaching, and I have about 487 ideas of spooky things to make, but by the time I actually make them, it will be past the witching hour.   Being a crafty vendor/artisan is confusing, seasonally speaking. You have to be at least 6 months ahead of your seasons... Crap! That means I should really be making stockings and other wintry goodies...

I should be making Halloween costumes, but Johnny said he wants to dress up "just as a boy." Easy enough, yes, but I have a sneaking suspicion that when Halloween is here, he is going to want to actually be something other than "just a boy" and I will have no time to create it, and whatever it is will be sold out....

Ok, all done being random... although writing this feels natural, which is kind of scary because of the random way my mind actually works... I should see what time the library opens. Of course my plates on the van are expired (since 2009) and I am starting to get paranoid I am going to get pulled over (again).

But that is another random story for another day...

A farmer's life for me...

Had a gorgeous weekend! It feels more like summer than fall here in Michigan (and how often do I ever get to say that?) We took the boys to the Oak Haven Farm, and had a wonderful time.  One of the best places! Free admission and parking, and a ton of free things to do! They went through a kid sized corn maze, fed the goats, and played in piles of hay... Johnny made a "hay angel" and needless to say, they needed some serious bath time when we got home :) There was even a waterwheel and little pond with ducks :) The kiddie corn maze was their favorite.  We bought some caramel apples and much needed water (all that running through mazes, you know) and took advantage of the great weather.

I took some great pictures of my ridiculously handsome boys... this is Johnny:

 And here is my Mikey:

There is this little "house" set up to look like an old front porch.  I am pretty sure it is for display only and not meant to be an attraction to be walked on... but before I grabbed my little trespassers off the porch, I took a great picture...

Every time I go to a farm or orchard, I have dreams of being a farmer... I know it is a ton of work, but I long for quiet country roads and fresh berries waiting to be picked. I live in a subdivision in a house like pretty much every house on the street, next to a busy road... I am a country girl who grew up in an old farmhouse, where dad had a huge garden and mom canned vegetables and made her own juice from the grapes dad grew behind the walnut trees in back. I miss those days.  My mom has since packed her canning supplies in a box labeled "DO NOT OPEN EVER AGAIN" and has it stored in her basement (canning is work, I know), but I have that romantic nostalgia of summer days, carrying freshly canned goods to the pantry. Maybe she would let me have her canning supplies... Now I just need to find me a little farmhouse to live in :)

A lovely afternoon...

So I found my car keys...

And I went to the post office, mailed an apron, and then went to the library to get the next four disks of the show Supernatural. I love this show. I had only seen a few episodes years ago, and decided that I wanted to watch it from first season, first episode.  I had to drive to another branch of my district library, but I was fine with that :) Because Jon Stewart was being interviewed on Fresh Air on NPR (I love NPR) and I had the most beautiful fall color drive...

And I happened to pass this little quilt shop I have been wanting to visit...

My new favorite place! Linda's Country Quilt Shop is absolutely lovely :) I had to pick up some fabulous fat quarters and a half yard of some darling Basic Grey fabric.

So now I have some great new fabric to play with, several disks of a fabulously spooky show to watch...

Have a great day!
Kristen
the queen of nostalgia