hugs across the universe™

Just like a squirrel, nuts for the winter

This past weekend the Mr. took the kiddo away for the weekend so I got to have a nice weekend to myself which I enjoy from time to time. I don't know where the time went as it was over all too quickly but I managed to catch up with some old friends and even had a long skype session with a sweet one whom I miss terribly.  I thought I was going to go to the Flea Market and was looking forward to it but  come Saturday nite I just didn't feel I ought to. I'm already knee deep in vintage supplies over here now and the last few months of foraging at thrift stores, flea markets, etsy and ebay have me pretty well-stocked. I honestly don't think I have any more room to put any of it and I also don't think I have enough time left to do it all in this lifetime.

So as much fun as it is to hunt, I thought I needed to create. That's what I did Sunday as well as putting my sights on stocking the shoppe for Christmas.

Got some more elves coming...

and I've been wanting to make a scarecrow for ages...

And then I finally found time to organize this stuff I bought back in early October at the flea market!

 

These magazines are great--I took them out of the main LA library once upon a time and gleefully poured over them. Now they are my own and the lot of them for 2 bucks. NIce.

This ornament is going to have to have to go under the knife all in the name of craft. It sports 12 beautiful old pipecleaner legs and that is just plain wierd--don'tcha think? The chenille stems are too beautiful and it could feed quite a few of my new ornies.

Sorry to do this to a vintage "made in Japan" ornament but sometimes sh*t happens.

I just love me two boxes full of old christmas seals.

And cute little puppy tally cards. (note to self: don't forget about your sewing -- one day we will get back to making cute critters)

 

For next summer.

 

And the motherlode.

I will never buy another card as long as I live.

 

 
I had one of these cute vintage Santa mugs; then I found two more--all different. It's now official--three and I now have a collection.

My favorite find that day was stumbling upon a vendor who had a bunch of boxes filled with Christmas stuff. Most of it was crap--but I started digging through the dirt and cheese and found a cigar box which I proceeded to fill with goodies that I found scattered here and there amongst the tacky stuff.

In the end I had a very full box!! After a good haggle, (she was a tough nut to crack)--I got it all for 8 bucks; which I thought was steep seeing how I did all the rummaging. But not everything is a complete steal--part of the fun of the sport.

It's many layers deep!

My favorite on the bottom, paper foiled candy canes. Oh, the joys of a good find! Just writing this post is giving me the fever again.

oh no. Never say never. Except when your husband asks.

;-)

A Square Fish

A little parcel arrived in the mail for me the other day...

but not just any parcel...

A SNOWBEAR'S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN kind of parcel!!!

'cause now it's in paperback...

and not the Scholastic book school edition neither--it's now the SQUARE FISH see you in the stores edition!!!

Which means I get a nice thing on the back with some of my rave reviews posted for all to see. Pretty cool, huh?

And just in case you can't read the fine print:

oh boy, oh boy!

Don't look now; it's already November!

I still have a Halloween Recap to do--but I need the pics from Hubby's camera so that will have to wait. I also have to do my Flea Market post from October--BUT the good news is I have a November Flea Market post right here. Yesterday I ran off bright and early to go to the flea market and was pleasantly surprised that I had an extra hour to eat a decent breakfast first before I did so. The last few weeks have been crazy busy--my boy had three birthday celebrations--which I haven't even gotten to yet either. Soon. Soon. So Running off by my lonesome was the perfect reward for all the crazy hard work this past month.

Here is my loot from yesterday:

 

Thankfully one vendor still had some Halloween Loot to share After all it's just the day after for crying out loud--I got these Beistle and Dennison die-cuts as well as two bags of New-in-the-package vintage treat bags.

A box full of vintage Dennison seals--some Halloween, Valentine's Day and Thanksgiving--HOORAY! The rest animals, birds and butterflys. Rolls of vintage Halloween Crepe paper, 2 asian crepe paper hats with ponytails coming out the back, and an old treat bag from a grocery store.

A box full of vintage Christmas seals and tags and old strings.

 

Old sugar bells, some spun cotton fellows, honeycomb trees, 3 jewel-like ornament cases with spun cotton figures in them, and misc. christmas goodies.

And one of my favorite finds of the day--a parade of snowmen who are on their way to the *hatu* hospital for new pip noses and eye surgeries and candy canes from the lost and found.

tiny ornament balls, at half price--which really means a normal decent price.

Another favorite find--this spun cotton figure disciplining her child--just the sort of thing you want in a holiday ornament. Those crazy people from the 50's!!!

 

Putz houses, a perfect celluloid reindeer, Christmas corsage, bottle brush wreath and a new-in-the-package garland of mercury beads.

 

And this must mean someday soon I will return to my sewing. I got a pile of old handmade doll clothing--just the thing for a bear I will soon get to know.

and a bag of old milk caps. Everybody needs those.

7 years later and I'm back in business!

Today I have very good news to share!

Today I sold a book!!! My easter book--only no pig--it's gotta be a rabbit. I guess people only want chicks and rabbits on easter not pigs. I was trying to be different.  ah well...So, there are some revisions to do--but holy smokes--I'm an author and illustrator again!!!

I was wondering if that was ever going to happen again~~~well, NOW it's happening! We have yet to discuss the timeframe and my deadline but I imagine we're looking at 2011 here. Now it's going to be a real challenge to keep the holiday decor in the etsy shoppe going and this book. But I don't want to give up the holiday crafting---I hope I can find a way to produce a few things at least.

Now I guess they all will be very limited editions!

Anyhow, tonite we drink champagne! I've waited for this for quite a long time. I feel good.

And luckily I finished up my atcs for Amy's Halloween Swap just in the nick of time! These little buggers took me quite a while to make but I'm happy with the result. Just give me some crepe paper and pipe cleaners and vintage seals and I'm a happy camper. Yes, indeedy.

 

And I made little trick or treat bags to put them in, with an extra treat or two.

 

Hopefully I'll catch up on somethings now.

And My boy turns 7 in a few days--there's a lot to celebrate! I can't help but notice the coincidence of 7 btw. And I can't resist ending this post with this image from my first book:

Yep, I guess I still got it.

Allelueia!

;-)

Thankful

I finished up my Thanksgiving Centerpiece~really liked the way it came out too.

And there's 24 more to come if I want! YOWZA! This one is in the shoppe as I type and I wonder if I'll make another one this year. It's hard for me to repeat--I like to keep exploring the possibilities--although I would certainly save time if I repeated. I already worked out all the details and that is part of what takes up so much time. Hmmmmmmmmmm...

There's one more fall thingie I want to make before I go full force into Christmas though. I hope to start it today but I have a little boy who is having a birthday party this weekend here at our house. I've got goodie bags to make as well as finish my favors. I'll show those later...like when I'm done with them!!!

Did I already tell you how much I'm having fun with all this? Feeling very thankful at the moment that things seem to be going in the right direction.