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Tick tock goes the clock as the new year is just a few hours away.
p.s. Go Ducks as the University of Oregon takes on Ohio State in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. I'll be proudly wearing my yellow and green. Quack!
When I did my post about my vintage snowman/bell collection. You may have noticed some plastic trees lurking in the background. They are pretty cool trees and I decided to share them before they went into the storage bins for the year.
They are about 10 inches tall and are made of plastic. This is what the boxes look like if you are lucky enough to come by one in the original box.
Yesterday's snow made the perfect photo opportunity for these trees. They have vintage glass garland on the end of each branch (original to the trees).
The beauty of these trees is they come apart for easy storage each year.
I don't pass these by when I find them at estate sales. See if you can find your own little forest this year....
We had a surprise snow storm today. I was going to take my Santa collection in for the season, but instead they ended up in a snowy blanket.
It has been snowing for about 4 hours...I love the snowy white blanket.
We don't get a ton of snow here...this is a nice little treat. (Altho I didn't think that earlier when I was stuck in traffic. What usually should have been a 20 minute drive took me two hours.)
I took down my tree last night. I am sure everyone has some treasured ornaments on their trees. In addition to those that my kids made these are the handful that I double check made it off the tree each year.
This little cuties with a red flocked polka dot hat. Marked West Germany on the top...estate sale find.
These two red horses about the size of a penny. These were a give away at a gas station when my dad was a kid. He was a twin (and hence two horses, one for each of them). They hung on my grandfather's tree my whole life, and I got them when he passed away.
This silly little walnut basket. Also from my grandfather's tree. A neighbor made it years and years ago in Ames, Iowa.
This plastic Santa scene, also from my grandfather's tree. Original 15 cent price tag on the back of it.
A tiny metal dog for "Ideal Dog Food" that I believe it was a premium with the dog food. Old, and also from my grandfather's tree. Says "Good luck" on one side and has an adorable face.
A kewpie doll ornament from a local antiques mall.No markings, but I believe it is old and I love the little Kewpie in a stocking.
These little treasures live all together in a special box until the next holiday season rolls around. Christmas treasures to me..and they made it all safely off the tree this year.
You may remember this past summer when I found a cardboard holiday fireplace at an estate sale. It has become one of my favorite holiday decorations in my basement. It fits pretty nicely under my ceiling and looks so warm and cozy as you make your way down the stairs. I am so glad I bought it.
My basement also houses yet another collection...vintage santa heads. Follow me downstairs and I'll give you a bit of a tour. Jolly old St. Nick smiles at you as you head down the stairs - he lights up and has an adorable face.
At the bottom of the stairs is this little quirky fireplace scene. The only problem with the new cardboard fireplace is that I hope it doesn't confuse Santa on Christmas eve...Which fireplace to use..this one or the brick and mortar one upstairs?
I have also found a special spot on the cardboard mantle for these two light up Santas that found their way to me last year.
Now we need to do a Santa head count as we look around the room.
Seven! This little collection ranges in size from a foot tall to three feet tall. They are made of styrofoam, plastic or fiberglass and made to hang on a wall or door. Like this.
If Santa does use this downstairs cardboard fireplace, I don't know what he will think to find his image hanging from every wall and door...hopefully he will just let out a joyful ho, ho, ho and have a big belly laugh!
Today I am feeling a bit pink and decided to show you a slice of my little pink world. When you head up the stairs to our bedroom, we have this little open window that was installed in what would have otherwise been a solid wall. It lets in light and I like its charm.
This view is standing on the top of the landing looking into our bedroom (which is pink...I have a very understanding husband)
On the little window ledge I usually display a collection of pastel color vintage pottery flower pots. I was going to move them to put up an array of trees for the holidays, but decided instead to display them in the pots.
The pink wreath hangs on a closet door (which I opened for the photo) all year long.
This is on the other side of the window, in our bedroom. I love this little pink vanity with my collection of pink fun.
A vintage handmade angel.
A cluster of old pink tiny ornaments in a dome. The vintage flower headband has the original store tag from "Brandeis Store - New York and Omaha". it was originally $5.50. I got a bunch of vintage millinery quite awhile ago and this was one of the items
Then there is the sea of vintage pink ornaments hung on a wire tree.
I love this little gal with her pig tails.
I have 57 ornaments crammed on this little pink tabletop tree...I think it needs more. I can never have enough pink!
Today I am sharing my Santa collection that lives in my kitchen nook. It is a land of candy and happy colored trees and vintage Santas...a cheerful little world.
I enjoy eating breakfast with all these smiling bearded men...and no, I am not eating candy for breakfast!
Within the glass doors above this little scene, lives this little collection.
Some of these Santas have definitely seen better days, but they are simply charming none the less.
This little guy that looks like humpty dumpty on the left is one of my very favorites.
Ho, Ho, Ho.....hope your holiday is sweet!
I had my last craft sale this past weekend and it was awesome. It was the best sale that I have EVER done in my crafting life. It was a wonderful day!
I did my set up a little differently and I thought I would share. A couple of days before the show (in 20 degree temps) I took sidewalk chalk and marked off a 5 x 10 area on my driveway. This is the space that I had to work with for my booth. I set up my tables and then pulled prop after prop from the garage to see what would work and what wouldn't. This is the skeleton of what I came up with. I had an assortment of props for display.
This idea worked out really well as I used things I have never brought to shows before for display. I love how the old ironing boards gave me some height...I used three. One standard size green frame (on the left hand photo above) and then two child's ironing boards below.
This is how it was transformed at the show.
Inverted wire baskets on the ironing board stand were a great place to hang ornaments. You can see a bit of one of the ironing boards on the right (pink).
I had a wire table on one side with three shelves that was my wrapping station. My pink and green tissue is on top and my supplies below. The rack that the cones are hanging from is an old crib rail.
My houses aren't heavy so the ironing boards were a perfect display...and interesting as well.
I did not have a sign for my booth prior to the show, nor did I have alot of extra time. For my sign, I spray painted a metal floral tray that had seen better days. I spray mounted vintage looking letter cards to spell out "Magpie Ethel". I added the little bird that is part of logo and glittered her crown and added some pink bling at the top. I hot glued a vintage cloth tape measure to the back to use for hanging. It worked perfectly.
It was a wonderful day with customers and friends. There were over 2000 people in line when the show started. It was a super "Crafty Wonderland".
The only downside to my show (and I share this since I feel like my blog readers are my girlfriends) is that my underwear was not comfortable! I got dressed that morning in the dark as my hubby was sleeping. All day long my undies just weren't comfie, and I hitched them up constantly. As my teen daughter and I were breaking the booth down at the end of the day, I told her how uncomfortable they had been all day. She confirmed that I was wearing her size XS undies!!! I'll be paying more attention to size when I sort our laundry from now on!
Have a great week. Holiday posts this week!
Part of my holiday collections revolve around my love of vintage graphics. They just don't make packaging or boxes like they used to. Let me share.
Here is my collection of vintage Christmas card containers.
How about some old stockings.
Or some vintage coloring books.
Similar to my collection of birthday candles boxes, is my collection of ornament hanger boxes.
A blog reader, Joy, recently sent me a huge box of vintage goodies. She has read my blog for a year and totally nailed me with what she sent. She sent me a couple of boxes of this old tinsel. I had two, so my collection is growing. I just love the old boxes and the tinsel inside is really heavy foil - not like the thin flimsy stuff currently made.
Joy also sent me boxes of old Christmas lights. THESE are amazing boxes.
I didn't collect them, altho I do see them at estate sales. I have a collection now and can't wait to add to it.
How can you not smile at this holiday scene on the box?
I also can't pass these old holiday boxes by...they used to hold vintage cards, wrapping paper or were boxes that the department stores used.
I am not even going to get started on my boxes of vintage shiny brights....! Happy Thursday.
