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This year, I'm going to be Alice in Wonderland for Halloween. Frilly blue dress . . . check! White apron . . . check! Mary Janes . . . check! Pink flamingo . . . check! Little bottle labeled "drink me" . . . check!
Checkerboard cupcakes . . . check!
These little cakes are plain vanilla, but the frosting is orange and orange chocolate. Tasty!
I'm a sucker for swaps, so I couldn't resist A Million Little Pictures.
My camera and adorable little silk-screened bag arrived yesterday. I have to do a little thinking before I start shooting.
I can't remember the last time I used a film camera.
As I've said before, I think stamping gets a bad rap. Sure it can be a bit cutesy and "Jesus Loves Me," but there are all kinds of great stamps out there.
When you combine the stamps with cool papers, fabric, glitter (c'mon, who doesn't love glitter?), embossing and just about anything else, you can get some pretty cool stuff.
Now this card is pretty tame, but it was destined for someone I didn't know very well. Of course, if you want to do a punk rock death metal I heart kitties card, you can.
I found this little guy in a thrift store. Isn't he adorable?
I love the color combinations and the variety of the buttons the artist chose. I even like the little ribbon wrapped around his arm, it makes it look like he sustained an injury in the big bad world.
I need to do a little more investigate to see if I can make him a little friend.
As an only child, I stand to inherit a large quantity of . . . well . . . stuff. It's not going to make me rich, but I'll never want for stuff to sell on ebay.
Among the tea sets (non-trailer) and doilies, there are some pretty spectacular kitschy jewels. For example, my very favorite 1950s recipe pamphlets. I'm sure they were "free gifts" since my grandmother was not a recipe kind of cook.*
I loved the titles and graphics so much, I thought they were worthy of framing. Yes, they really do say "500 delicious dishes from LEFTOVERS" and "300 WAYS to serve EGGS."
Mmmmm . . .
Want more? Check out The Gallery of Regrettable Food. There's a lot of good/bad stuff there.
*I also don't think she would've known what to do with most of the ingredients in these recipes. She was more cassoullet than casserole.
Though it looked like spring when this photo was taken, it's chilly and rainy out there tonight. I love it! It's time to curl up, enjoy a hot beverage and get crafty.
So, I put together a little autumnal garland for a trade. It's just a ribbon studded with preserved leaves,* star anise and cloves. Hooray for my glue gun! I hope the simplicity keeps it from being too ticky tacky. It also smells really yummy and spicy.
*Check out Martha Stewart's instructions for preserving fall leaves. It actually works and lets you hold onto all those beautiful fall leaves forever and ever.
Here's a whole mess of links that make me feel warm, cozy and ready for fall.
Candy Corn Blowfish (via Curbly)
Cutest Halloween Costume EVAR! (via Craftzine)
This afternoon I had a nice little chat with my friend R. We pondered the many possibilities for collecting.
Her collections:
- fake lizards
- glass beads
- snow globes
- "treasures"
- shells
- pretty rocks
My collections:
- vintage ceramic food
- shells
- fabric
- odd souvenir items
- vintage wall pockets (conveniently pictured here)
Did I mention R is seven years old?
I have always loved the graphics on Lotería cards. They look a little like Tarot cards, but they're a Mexican version of Bingo.
With a rich history, the images vary from the cartoonish to newer artistic interpretations. Iris and Don Clemente are some of my favorites.
I had a set lying around and I wanted to do more than stick them in a drawer. So, I pasted them to some leftover foam core. The cards fit on one piece and the boards on another.
The frame is made from old fence boards and vintage nails that I kept for a rainy day. I think the split boards make a rustic contrast with the bright graphics of the cards. The two boards hang over my bed, maybe my Spanish will improve while I sleep?
Getting the urge to make your own? You can buy some for yourself.
As promised, here are the little oddities that live in my refurbished cabinet.
I found them separately, but they pique the same curiosity. Did the person designing, making and selling the object understand the significance? Did the artist glazing that little teapot grow up hearing Goodnight Moon before bed? What did they think at the plant making trailer tea sets?
Who wouldn't love this little teapot with cozy bunny tucked into bed?
Who would buy a trailer cup and saucer without irony?
