A Fall Craft Fair and scattered brains

Greetings, earthling!

(random Alien 'hello')



Today I am in a finish up mood.

The house is a wreck - seriously needs attention.

I have been picking up paper stuff mainly,

so far.

Those darn stacks of papers -

you can't throw them away because sure thing,if you do,

there will be an important bill or a check or something in the middle of it.

I have been throwing away magazines and catalogs from last year!

Yeah, pat on back!!

I am getting ready for a Craft Fair.

This is a new one to me, held at the

Adams County Fairgrounds

on October 1.

9:00 - 4:00

Come by and say hi!

That means

1. I'm terrified!

2. I have to organize my crafts and jewelry.

3. I have to figure out how to display the items for sale.

4. I want to make some more items to be sold.

(check out the making bottlecaps scene above)

5. I need to repair or re-glue anything that needs a little help.

6. I have to organize my craft room if I expect to be organized at all for the Show.

7. I have to print up price tags and affix them to most items.

8. I have to figure out how to package things, so they don't get damaged by being handled by possible customers.

9. I still need to recruit 1 or 2 persons to help me out i.e. carrying stuff in, set-up, doing sales and sales receipts, breaking down, repacking...+more!!

10. ...and probably at least 60 more things to do to get ready...

maybe even 85 things!

Okay, think calming thoughts...

dans le jardin, http://www.ellemoss.etsy.com/

That's me (not really), thinking calm thoughts,

or falling asleep.

Could be both...



The result for my blog?

My thoughts are pretty much on overtime right now,

so let's make a short blog today, shall we?

Yes, I really can!!!

Chimney Sweep Bert and Mary Poppins

I am laying out my finished bottlecap magnets now.

I organize them on pizza trays and cookie sheets,

as they are magnetic.

A magnet has come off, so I will re-glue that.

a recycled junk mail bottlecap magnet

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

Next up is to get out my Bottlecap Ribbons.

I have sold a good amount, so I'm not sure what I have left,

or what is in a 'making it' stage.

a series I am doing on "Peace" in different languages.

Custom work available.

Recycled bottlecap with hand colored Art Nouveau alphabet.

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

Now I need to get out my jewelry; it is scattered in a few different places.

Get out my displays, and match up what I want to put where

once I get to the Craft Fair set-up.

Oh yes, and find out how early that is!

an assortment of daisy chains I have made

Well, I guess instead of whining about all this,

I better get going!

Couldn't miss my blog though...

:0)

stamp by vivalasvegastamps:

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

and don't forget you can now easily leave a comment

on my blog!!

It's Hula Time!

Aloha!

vivalasvegastamps

Today I am in a HULA mood!

Think flower leis,

Hawaiian music

drums

grass skirts

hoola hoops

torches lit

exotic flowers and fragrance

pineapples

and of course....

the hula!

Dolls of the World, Polynesia Barbie, 1995

c.1920

Let's try on a few Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts

 to get in the mood...

Mary Englebreit's Ann Estelle Summer paper doll

Betsy McCall's Hawaiian trip

'Island Princess' from a magazine

DisneyLand's Tiki Room, with 50th anniversary symbol

I have a treasury on etsy's treasury site that is named:

Time to HULA

If you have time, go check it out!

It is full of fun Hula items for sale on etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d2668d050a16d910a0d2a89/time-to-hula?index=6

While you're there, you can check out my other treasuries also:

My Garden Rocks

Old MacDonald Had a Farm...

Butterfly Flutterings

Mermaids' Self Portrait

Mermaids Boutique

Marie's (Antoinette) Closet

Elephants Never Forget

and many more!

Here is one of my bottlecaps that fits our Hula theme today:

My bottlecap art uses all recycled junk paper -

catalogs, magazines, flyers, annoying notices on the front door

- anything that is headed for the trash may become a treasure to me!

I also pester all my friends and family to save their bottlecaps for me,

so many of my bottlecaps are truly recycled.

Others are from a bottling company's overruns.

Sealed with a shiny acrylic coating, and backed with a VERY STRONG magnet, these pieces of art are one of a kind.

Can  you tell I like them?

:0)

bottlecap for sale www.inkspired.etsy.com

vintage song sheet cover

Let's put on some great Hawaiian music.

One of my absolute favorites is a singer/musician named IZ.

You can find his music here:

http://www.amazon.com/Alone-IZ-World-Israel-Kamakawiwoole/dp/B00005O4UG/ref=wl_mb_hu_m_1_dp

Alone in IZ World

http://www.amazon.com/Facing-Future-Israel-IZ-Kamakawiwoole/dp/B00000JFG3/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1

Facing the Future

(this is his first solo album)

And yes, he was quite a huge man, but much beloved by the Hawaiian people. He sang contemporary, but also traditional Hawaiian songs.

Just type in "IZ" in Amazon's search,

and you will find more of his wonderful music, and his life's story.

Here's another CD I found on Amazon.

I have not listened to it, but I would give it a try!

http://www.amazon.com/Hawaiian-Luau-Party-Music-Traditional/dp/B002HEWJQ0/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1307432014&sr=1-5

Wish I could hear some of these songs...

c.1916

c.1910

vintage song sheet cover

Super fast pineapple side dish:

You may laugh, but I grew up with this 'recipe'!

canned pineapple slices

maraschino cherries

cottage cheese

Place a pineapple slice onto a plate.

Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of cottage cheese and put in the middle of the pineapple slice.

Top with one maraschino cherry, or half maraschino cherry.

For extra fancy, place a lettuce leaf first on the plate, then layer as above.

c.1914

That's all for today!

Aloha Ahi Hou

that means

Goodbye, Have a good day!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

 

More Tulip Tales

Hello!

Today I will be telling more tales about my tulips!

These are some of my Art Nouveau Alphabet letters that I have sized and tweaked, hand colored and placed in recycled bottlecaps, backed with very sturdy magnets:

I sell these in my etsy shop:

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

I like the little Dutch girls in the letter "I"!

(Yeah, I know. I need to get better pictures of my "L".)



Here are some paper dolls with tulips:

These are from a 10 Dolls, 10 Nations vintage paper doll set.

Thanks again to OrigamiBears. See side bar for web site.

courtesy of VivaLasVegaStamps: a flower fairy.

See side bar for web site.

courtesy of Dover Publications. See side bar for web site.

Yes, it's true. I have ONE tulip blooming now. It is very pretty, with a pink color.

I would like more tulips now!

I have many many buds, but no flowers yet.

I hope they survive the freeze and rain and even perhaps snow that we will probably get this month.

this is a finished card, using a Peddler's Pack stamp.

They have some really great ones!

 Here is a painting by Claude Monet.

I love his colors and brush strokes!

"Tulips in Holland" by Claude Monet

NikkiCrossApplesauce makes these wonderful origami tulips,

and sells them in her etsy shop.

Picnic Pockets

for sale at www.gailscrafts.etsy.com

This is a kirigami cutting that I have done. Then I went back and filled in the 'holes' with leftover scraps of origami paper, to bring the design out.
It is one of my favorites!

Lovely silk tulip wreath by http://www.elegantholidays.etsy.com/ 

This is another of Laura Walsh Anglund's precious paper dolls:

A parrot tulip



I'd like to finish today with a photo that has many different, great ideas on how to display cut flowers. I hope you see something you will want to try!

courtesy grinandbakeit.com

Enjoy the rest of your day!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

A girly girl Easter with free paperdolls and vintage clip

Hi!
Today we are going to be girly girl. If YOU are not girly girl, I bet you know someone who is, be she 5 or 95!

Barbie coutour in Satin, 1997 Add  a little wrist corsage, and she is ready for any Easter event!!!

Here is Sally for some Easter paper dolly time:

Is Ms. Kitty searching for Easter Eggs?

What girly girl can resist these adorable tots with ducklings?

Why not print out some of the vintage clip I have included in my blogs from day 1, and make your own Easter cards?

So so simple.

Take 1 sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock, cut in half.

You now have the base for 2 cards. Fold each half in half. You can orientate your cards with the fold on the left side, or the fold at the top.

Lay out snippets of lace, ribbon, printed color clip, perhaps some vintage buttons or Easter ones. Add in a little gold charm that coordinates, such as a little duck, or a little bird in a nest. Tear some poetry or words from an old dictionary to give a 'vintage' look to them.

How about some tiny silk or ribbon flowers? 

Arrange everything to your satisfaction.

Now, starting from the bottom of your picture/embellishment pile, start gluing things down onto your Easter Card. Remember to leave room for a sentiment (Happy Easter, For You, etc.) if you haven't already included it, or choose to put it inside as a greeting.

You can use double stick tape whenever possible(VivaLasVegastamps has the best, see side bar), but for heavier items such as buttons, I still think Aleene's Tacky Glue in the gold bottle is best. It has a heavy weight that allows things to sink into it. It dries clear.

Let dry. Open card and stamp a little sentiment, or use one you have printed or found in an old book.

Now TURN OVER to the back, and sign your work of art! Date it if you want.

For heavily decorated/bulky cards I like to use a padded mailing envelope. If you are hand delivering, then any envelope that your card fits in will work.



Voila! C'est bien!

Let's do some fantasy dress up for Easter!
These dolls and costumes are from Liana's site.
Such a wonderful, wonderful talent.
see side bar for website.

I think this one needs a big picture hat!

What do you think? A little nosegay of spring flowers tucked into her waist sash?

I have saved one of my favorites for last:

Have fun!
Don't forget to laugh today!
Don't have someone to share paper dolls with?
Find one! There's lots of girls out there...they don't have to be blood relatives
to enjoy some special time with you.
How about spreading some joy to your local nursing home?j
:0)

inkspired
http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/
dominoes@myinkspired.com