Winter Doldrums, Cabin Fever, and an Indoor Market

Is this frigid midwest winter as difficult for everyone else as it is for me? I slept until 7:45 Sunday morning - don't remember the last time I did that. I sat around in my robe until after 1:00 in the afternoon, since we were not going to church until 5:00. I really want to hibernate.

I was working on a couple of promotional pieces (in my robe), one for myself, an ad for a monthly newspaper, Market Street Press.  Lisa, the editor, publisher, ad salesperson called on me a couple of times, and I decided to give it a try just in time for her Valentine's Day edition.  I added red, my favorite color to an ad I had originally placed in a neighborhood newsletter. I had wanted to use the business card ad shown on the right below, but, it is not as easy to read.

The second project was a postcard for Jeanine who has a new business called Stella and Notte. It is another vintage store.  Jeanine has decided to have a winter indoor market event in her big bright beautiful space with street-lined display windows. She named it, what else, but, Cabin Fever. Jeanine already had the artwork, so after downloading a new appropriate font, I designed the card.

I will be helping her get the store set up for the event.  Markets are fun because you get to hang out with people who share your interests. It motivates me to find new products, develop a theme, work on a display, and hopefully attract new customers.

With Cabin Fever, I will work on a lodge theme with rustic and outdoorsy projects, introducing some spring-themed items since March will be just a week away!

There will be some new and interesting vendors  with hand crafted and, of course vintage goodies. And, we are hoping all of our blog followers who live in the area will put this event on their calendars and join us the weekend of February 21 and 22 from 10-4.

With the cold blizzard conditions descending upon us, a huge pot of chicken soup made, and the shop closed on Monday and Tuesday, hibernation will continue. Stay warm.

Happy New Year, Downton Abbey Fans

 

Breakfast is served. Breakfast time, anytime, it's tea time. And what nicer way to serve it, than in this Ellgreave English china teapot.  Note the hanky in the background.  It is part of a delightful hanky, lace, and girly print garland, hand made and perfect for a wedding, tea party, shower, or any other girly function.
 

Oh, and don't forget the wee ones with this English Royal Doulton delight: Bunnykins  child set of dishes, cup, bowl, and plate. Judging from the mark on the back, these are from the 80's and they are in beautiful condition.

 

At breakfast, you will also want this English plated toast rack. Toast your bread, cut it on the diagonal, and place in rack. Serving it on a crystal/silver pedestal stand serves two purposes: helps stage your table and catch the crumbs. 

Dip your toast in a soft boiled egg served in the vintage stainless egg cups shown behind the rack.

Note the cruets in the plated mini carrier, perfect to accompany your salad luncheon.

And, of course, we have decanters for your post dinner sherry or brandy by the fire.

All occasions call for a "chapeau", a nice little vintage wool hat complete with hat pin, plus a feather or veil.
White gloves and scarf complete the picture.

For the occasional trip to London or the sea, don't forget your train case, complete with long handled bakelite or plated clothing brushes. 

Silver, crystal, finery of any kind help make your Downton Abbey experience memorable.

Enjoy Downton, and visit Just A Second to enhance your decor with a few bits of England.

Peace and Joy

Whether you are home or away, near or far, in a crowd or alone, may the peace and joy of Christmas be with you as you look for the little miracles in your lives. I am most grateful for all of you and wish for you the blessings of this grace-filled season. 

It's not about the Money

As I am sure I have mentioned before, I am a member of "The Mending Club",started by Sandy, and made up of many of us who met through The Pink Cupboard, Sandy's beautiful shop of vintage and carefully selected new goodies, which used to be housed in The Prairie Street Brewery. Many of us have been together since then and a few of us have opened shops. The Mending Club exists to mend hearts, and lives, and friendships.

Last night was our annual one dollar, yes, that is $1.00 gift exchange and dinner party, this time at the beautiful log home of Terri, one of our most recent members.

 

I have to share the dollar gifts, purchased or created by our little group.  Among them are decor items like this stuffed felt snowman hanger and the glittered, stuffed embellished mitten, or the beautiful fresh greens and touch of glitz arrangement in a lovely detailed vase, plus mini silvery acorns used to surround the bleached, sparkly bottle brush tree with painstakingly, carefully created mini banner Christmas greeting. 

 
There are also the antique and collectible items such as this old tin film canister containing an actual film strip. Notice the label on the tin, Christmas Joys. How appropriate and special is that!

Then there are the kitchen items, from recipes, to cookie cutters and cookie mix to the mini cheese grater, to a pot and pan scraper (apparently necessary with said recipe) some with beautiful cards, or hand made tags, or creative packaging, all for $1.00, not including valuable time, of course.

 


Finally, there are the personal goodies from hand made pins, to everyday but essential emory boards (decorated of course), to a detailed felt mini-shoulder bag. Are you amazed? I always am. Let's hear it for the Mending Club and the joyful and creative spirit it embodies!

In conclusion, I wish a Merry Christmas to all, with a reminder to count the many blessings in our lives, one of the most important of which, is friendship.

Just Barely Making Do

We have always cut down a tree, but this year, it is out of the question because of John's recent open heart surgery. So I broke down and popped into the Salvation Army after our monthly "class of '62" breakfast, and there, hiding behind some stuff, was this poor little tree, not pre-lit but strung with lights. 

One string had a bulb missing.  I didn't have much hope that the lights would work.

I put the tree in the back of the van.  It is only 3-4 ft tall, but it was pretty heavy.

When I dragged it through the back door, I wasn't expecting a very warm reception, because John had not wanted a table top tree.  His feelings were better no tree than having no real tree, and certainly not a table top tree. Good thing for him, he did add that he was sure I could make it beautiful.

Lo and behold, the lights did work and I didn't have to add lights to our mini tree.  I replaced random white bulbs with color ones since John has to have some color. I describe it as colored jewels among diamonds. 

simple round ornament with band

I really didn't want to go up to the attic in this cold and bring down the ornament boxes when I needed so few ornaments. I did have a few vintage ornaments I had picked up at an estate sale, so decided to use just those. 

A really worn glass bell

glass grape cluster

Santa in fiber oval with flower and large tear drop

And, then I wrapped the stand in a bit of a skirt with a bell on it, to which I added another old bell and a small train engine.  Does it suggest The Polar Express to you?  It does to me.

Vintage tin Ohio Art tea cup

tree on top of tea table

The tree itself is sitting on the grandchildrens' little tea table, so I thought it only appropriate that there be some Ohio Art tin tea cups hanging on the tree. 

 

We did top it with our traditional cross.

But, all in all, there are not many more of our own traditions on this tree. However, for this year, it is our tree, and it does warm up a little corner of our living room. (John says it looks nice - for a nursing home)

Our Just A Second Sunday Social - November 2013

We just came off a very successful Holiday Open House, and we will give you a glimpse of what is in the shop right now.

A black and white tree is adorned with celophane bagged, excellent condition vintage ornaments. There are not as many as there were when our event opened, but still a lovely collection from Tina.



Above, a prancing glitzy deer is accented with hand crafted tea light lamps dressed up in red gauzy rosette ties.

Multicolor painted tables are accessorized with oil funnel trees, vintage mason jars, striped burlap ribbon, boxed vintage tree topper star and ornaments, and a cardboard Santa train engine.


Yes, we let Santa dance among our silver and crystal, but we also acknowledge the reason for the season with the lit 50's highly collectible, hard plastic church surrounded by gold and white made-in-Mexico plaster manger figurines.

Our displays feature primitive, traditional, whimsical, and industrial items as shown.

 













It's a lot of work getting a shop ready for an event, but ever so worthwhile when our customers enjoy and appreciate our efforts. 

I will conclude with a quote from one customer among many who comes in for a mini-break from the cares in their lives.


 "Can't wait to come! Thank you for your hard work. Your shop is filled with love and friendship and happy spirits."

• The window display featuring The First Forest.

On the Home Front

It has been a month since I posted and oh what a full month it has been.  It began with Cider N' Cinnamon when I was on my own, because John had doctor's orders to lay low for the weekend.  I am very grateful to Devola who has handmade pillows, aprons, bags, and clutches in the store, along with her husband Chad, for pitching in and filling the gap. I could not have gotten through the weekend without them. By the way, Devola has expanded her line of goodies adding very rustic,industrial farm accessories and a few pieces of redone furniture. Be sure to visit. Some of her stuff is perfect for this fall season.

The next week was spent with John's seeing doctors and having tests and subsequently his having open heart surgery, which although very scary, went very well. Another thing to put on my gratitude list. 

Before and after surgery, days were spent going back and forth from the hospital, with daughters visiting and helping with the details. Gratitude again.

Finally home and getting used to a very new routine and role - that of caretaker- something I haven't done full time since our youngest, now 28, was at home.

That brings us to the point of this post: being home, and while there, adding fall touches, very often some of the old familiar elements, but always looking for new ways to arrange them.

Just adding a bit of bittersweet or leaves or both can turn everyday accessories into seasonal ones as is evidenced in this front hall photo. I again am finding that I want to simplify.

I love the warm wood tones of this chest in the living room.  The aqua pitcher picks up color from the chair and in the oriental rug below. I recently picked up the small oval dish at a sale and love it paired with the pitcher. Adding the white pumpkin says fall.

From the entry way to the kitchen is a walkway and along the walkway is a wall with the mirror shown below.  It used to be in the entry way, but when we picked up the "unfinished sketch" by Tom Heflin, I really wanted that to have the entry way spot, so now the mirror, which was a wedding present, is a bit further into the house.

Again, adding a fall "pick" is just enough. On a side note, you probably have noticed that I don't shy away from color. As much I love the whites and neutrals and pale whitewashed woods, I know it is not me.

Along that same walkway we enter the kitchen  at the end of which is another pine piece, a piece I picked up at a thrift store and was using as a kitchen island/buffet line piece for our family gatherings as well as every day extra counter space. After I refinished the kitchen floor, John and I decided we would try it in its present position.  It holds all the kitchen small appliances and anchors the large apple painting that daughter Faith did while in high school.  She is going to have to fight to get it back.:)

Close up of bowl of apples with 
bittersweet added for fall

                       

We used to have a bench there which has now been moved to the gathering room where sits our kitchen table and the seating area (with TV, which I can watch from the kitchen while preparing or cleaning up after dinner.)

                                            

Now the bench is in front of the windows and is the perfect spot for the herbs and succulents brought in for the winter, along with a plant sent to John while he was in the hospital by our son DJ and family.

 



















On both the kitchen table and the dining room table are other fall arrangements. I am not a big fan of Halloween.  I decorate for Fall in late September or October and we are set through Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, because it's all about family and GRATITUDE.