having ourselves a merry very little christmas

I have always loved decorating for Christmas. Over the years I’ve gone from decking the halls, walls, floors, ceiling, and every other surface of the house inside and out, to just focusing on my Christmas tree. I have an extensive tree ornament collection which I add to every year. Living in Alaska has pretty much forced us to a faux tree but over the years of having a prelit, ready-to-go tree I’m very much a fan of faux faux faux. Our tree is a 7 footer which is typically decorated to the hilt like this picture from last year…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year, however, we had other considerations to bear in mind when decorating for the holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet our new little girl, Trudy. She is a Black Russian Terrier that we got at the end of November. She has completely melted our hearts and completed our family. When it came time to put up the Christmas tree, however, I realized what a horrible, no good, awful, very bad idea that would be. Not fair to her having a huge temptation sitting in the living room for 3-4 weeks. Not fair to me to have to monitor her 24/7. So I pulled out a little table top tree that we had back when we lived in a tiny shed (yes, we lived in an 8 x 12 tool shed – sans tools – for 8 months but that’s a different story for a different time.) The tree is perfect for our puppy stage of life right now. In fact, it turned out so cute I think it is my favorite tree we’ve had so far!

Our Tanner girl's tags hang on the tree in her memory

of course it just isn't Christmas without a few Swedish touches

a polymer clay ornament I made

I’ve got all the smallest ornaments from my collection plus some candy canes. I also made some silver glitter word swags that say: Merry and bright, winter wonderland, deck the halls, and believe. There is one strand of battery operated lights and the tree skirt is a vintage Swedish table runner from my Mother-in-law and it is draped with a strap of antique sleigh bells that still jingle. The sound always makes me think of the movie The Polar Express. I must still believe because the bells definitely ring for me! I took a few of my favorite larger ornaments that I couldn’t use on the tree and hung them from the light over the dining room table.

However you decorate for the holidays this year, I hope your home is full of warmth, love, and joy!

my search for irony is over

I have been busily gearing up for a couple craft fairs this winter.  This summer I started selling pedestal dishes that I make at my friend Mar’s coffee shop.  I find vintagey dishes or any fun/funky dishes that grab me that I think will make a great pedestal.  Then I pair them with either a candle stick or an upside down goblet/glass.   I have been quite pleased with how well they are selling.  So I decided that this year I would take them to some craft fairs along with some other fun items I’ve been making.  My table is covered and the guest room is overflowing from my efforts of the past few days.  I have been putting together pedestal dishes like crazy!  Today I was getting something out of a dish cupboard and I needed to move my own cake pedestal to get to it.  It is a cutie white one with scallops that I love.  As I picked it up to move it … it broke!  I mean just the plate and the stand came apart.  But in the process I almost dropped it which would have had more of a Humpty Dumpty effect on it.  After composing myself from the “oh no!” instant reaction, I just had to laugh.  Well, at least I know how to fix it.

(below is just a small sample of the pedestal dishes I have been making.)

sometimes it’s the little things…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, I know it is Autumn not Spring…but this little urn was just begging for a nest of eggs.

Just a little sweetness I made from an iron urn purchased at a thrift shop, moss, willow branch tips, and handmade polymer clay bird eggs.  I hand shaped the eggs.  After they were baked I spritzed them with walnut ink then sealed them after that dried.  I think I’m going to sell it but I love it so much it will be hard to part with.

her sweet nature (another mirror)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A friend of mine asked me to make a mirror for her to give to her daughter for her 21st birthday.  Her only direction was blue for a focal color.  In looking for inspiration for the piece I decided that I would base it on the color’s of the daughter’s recent wedding.  It is a mix of blues, browns, rust, copper, and gold.  Scrabble tiles were included of the couple’s first initials which as it turns out, also make the abbreviation for Alaska. Perfection! I have titled it Her Sweet Nature.  See more of my polymer clay tile mirrors here and here and more polymer clay tile art here and here.

a light makeover for two

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been wanting to switch out our living room lamps because I wanted more light and more color in that room.  I started feeling like everything in my living room was a shade of brown and with winter coming on light and bright is what was needed.   So, I looked at my black wrought iron lamps with their heavy, oppressive burlap shades and said, “You’re outta here!”  Yes, I talk to inanimate objects.  That’s just how I roll.  I also give them names.

Meet Liza and Lolita.  I met them while thrift store shopping and they came home with me.  The tall sassy brassy one on the left was $10.00 at VV’s and the short curvy one on the right was a whopping $1.35 at a different store.  Seriously! One dollar a quarter and a dime. That’s all.  Needless to say with those prices I didn’t even mind paying full price for some awesome drum shades at Target.  After looking at them in their respective new homes for a while I decided on a bright golden-yellow for the tall gal, Liza and silver for curvy little Lolita.  I had thought to use a different color but I just thought her shape and shine would be best accented with a metallic.  While their spray paint was drying I set my attention to embellishing the lampshades.

I was totally inspired by this lamp by Mandi over at Vintage Revivals (one of my all time fave blogs!)

via

She is crazy-amazing creative and fearless in her approach to decorating.  I want to be like her when I grow up.  One of the things I loved about her awesome Major Award Lamp is that she interjects her humor into her decor.  I like it when there is a light and playful side to a room.  It makes it fun to be in. Plus I don’t like to take myself to seriously.

So, I decided on what I wanted for inside my lampshades and cut the designs out with my Silhouette using card stock with sticker on the back.  If you are doing words, make sure that you flip the image, otherwise it will be backwards when you go to stick it to your shade.

I chose to use the word shine for my yellow lamp.

I used a measuring tape to find where I wanted my word to live and then started in the middle and worked my way out from there.

I probably need to get out more, but I was super excited when I put the shade on a lamp to see what it looked like.

Super stinkin’ excited!!!   Isn’t that brilliant?!!!  This is one of the easiest, most fun and gratifying little projects you can do.

I finished up my other lampshade but you’ll have to wait just a sec to see what I did on that one.  Let me tell you, I was quite impatient waiting for the paint to dry!

So, here is the newly made over Liza with her shine lampshade.

She is painted with Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover in Marigold.  It is a great product. I’ve never used it before, but would definitely use it again.  I was so set on wanting that specific color and it was the only brand of spray paint with that color that I could find.  A nice discovery.  And I am so pleased with the color.  It came out just how I wanted it.  It brings out some of the same colors in the rug and art work that we have in the room.

And now, without further ado…last but certainly not least, it’s Lolita the light!

Her silver finish came out so lovely! I just used some random spray paint that I had on hand called Premium Decor in a silver metallic finish.  It is so smooth and soft, not harsh looking.  It has a nice depth to it.  And the chandy silhouette in the lampshade is so dang cute!  I’m loving it.

Ultimately, I accomplished my goals.  The new lamps bring color, light, and fun decor into our home.  Now I’m looking forward to reading by them during the long, dark winter ahead.  They will keep us smiling.

I’m linking up with Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

I’m linking up to Get Your Craft On.

a little bit of this, a little bit of that

Here are some of the miscellaneous projects that I have been doing for Coffee a la Mar.

polymer clay, stamped tag

cookie jar tags made with polymer clay & rubber stamps

pedestal dishes for display and to sell. Made from vintage dishes, goblets, and candle sticks

a little pedestal dish for display

coffee pot "jewelry" - polymer clay sign plates on chain

one of the signs I painted

another sign

A Delightful Day!

Today was the day of my book signing at Tales Told Twice.  I woke up to dismal rain and thought, “Oh no! It’s gonna be miserable out there today!”  For the next three hours the weather had me changing my mind on wardrobe choices as it wavered back and forth between cloudy and sunny.  Thank goodness, the sun won out.  It was a super gorgeous day! When I arrived at the book store, Luann (TTT owner & friend) had a wonderful setting for me on her deck with comfy rattan furniture and table and beautiful potted flowers all around.  I settled myself in with my books on display and waited for the people to come. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first to come were a group of ladies, two of them bought my book but were not overly interested in talking. Another woman in the group, however, did want to talk and was quite antagonistic.  Does that sound better than saying she was rude or mean?  Seriously, Lady?  I’m sitting here with my cute children’s book and you want to beat me down? Nice! I guess there has to be that one in every crowd that ruin it for the rest of us.  Luann said she was probably just jealous because she couldn’t write a book.  One good thing was that she came early and got it out of the way.  And may I say, the rest of my visitors made up for her inconsidate manner in spades!!!!!  I met a sweet 4th grade teacher from California who was buying my book to take home and read to her class this coming school year. We had a lovely visit and just knowing that there are teachers out there like her gives me a bit more hope for the our nation’s educational system.  The precious guy in the photo below is only 5 years old and already an avid bird watcher! He was adorable and quite animated in telling me all about the different kinds of birds he had seen.  He loved my book. Awwwww!

There is something about watching children enjoy my book that just makes my heart melt.

Part way through the day, with the sun beating down on my head, Luann came to my rescue and provided a big beach umbrella for me to sit under.  I also enjoyed a turkey wrap and iced chai tea from Coffee a la Mar, which were delicious.  Mmmmmmmm!

There were so many interesting and genuinely nice people who came by,  it certainly made for an enjoyable day.  The last family to stop in before I wrapped things up had the cutest little girl. She was 6 and she was so excited to tell me how she had just learned to ride her bike without training wheels.  And she proudly showed me her scrapes and bruises to prove it.  What a doll she was!  But the best part (here comes another awwww! moment, get ready for it.) Her nickname was, “Little Bird”  How perfect is that, I ask you?  Ok, now all together, “Awwwww!”  I was so tickled that we just had to get a picture taken together.  She was just like the frosting on top of my sweet day!

I am so grateful to Luann at Tales Told Twice for the opportunity and for her generosity and hospitality.  I am also grateful to the wonderful people I met today.  They warmed my heart.  I hope my little book is enjoyed by all.

This is "Little Bird" with her new book about a little bird. Sweet!

Painting Signs and Signing Books

I have been so busy painting signs lately that I’ve found myself singing the song from Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” Except for me it’s “Just keep painting, just keep painting, painting, painting.”

After finishing the big outside sign for the coffee shop, Mar came up with a couple more whole heap of projects for me to do for her.  Including 6 more signs.  Then I got a referral to paint two sandwich board signs for the Talkeetna Visitor Center.  Sandwich board means two sides per sign so, technically, 4 signs.  I currently have 6 signs in various stages of progress all over my basement.  “Just keep painting, painting, painting… Just keep painting…”  I look like a walking color swatch paint display from a hardware store.  “Oh, what do you think of this spot on my shoulder? It’s called Leather Brown.  Or maybe you would rather go with something like this blue on my left big toe.  No, that is not my nail polish!”  I think I might even have some in my ear.  I’ll have to go check.  I walked into the coffee shop like that today, delivering the third to last sign – and yes, I am counting down- and I was apologizing for my painty appearance.  But Mar just smiled and said, “yeah, but you wear paint well!”  Awwwww, don’t you just love friends like that?!!!!!  Photos of my various projects will be posted soon.

Tomorrow, however, I am putting down my paintbrush and picking up a pen.  The little bookstore next door to Coffee a la Mar is having a book signing for me!  I am so excited to take my little children’s book down there and talk to people about it.  I will be at Tales Told Twice in downtown Talkeetna from 1 – 4 so any of you locals want to come out and see me, drink a little coffee, have some delicious cookies…I would love it!

It is Finished!

I cannot tell you how good it feels to have the coffee shop sign done and in place! After the near disaster and my freak out a few days ago, I am breathing a sigh of relief and enjoying some post-freak out recovery.  Here is the sign as it can be seen at Coffee a la Mar in Talkeetna, Alaska.  Isn’t it the cutest coffee shop ever?

 

 

 

The Sign To Freak Out!

I really could have used one of those British “Keep Calm and Carry On” signs this week.  Or even the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy that says “Don’t Panic” in large friendly letters on the cover.  That was, however, not the case.  The only sign I had this week was a sign of crisis, a sign of distress, a sign…to freak out!

My friend, Marlene, was in a jam and needed a business sign painted for a new coffee shop that she is opening in town (much to my husband’s bliss.)  I was super blessed to be able to do it for her.  Or so I thought.  That was before the crisis.  But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself.  We got the board (4′X8′) and I had my husband cut scallops out of the corners to give it more of a sign, less of a sheet of plywood look.  Then came the process:  A coat of primer, tan background paint, projecting the image of the logo onto the board and carefully tracing around it, *note, I have no professional sign painting tools – this is all by hand, baby!  Then I proceeded to carefully paint the logo image and lettering, getting the leaf color right on my fourth try.  Remember this, the third time is not always a charm.  Sometimes it is chartreuse.  Thinking the battle of the greens was my one hitch for this project, I went to bed feeling a sense of accomplishment and peace, planning to clear coat the sign the next morning.  Little did I know that the horrible sign disaster of 2011 was about to descend upon me.  Clear coat.  So many choices, brands, and styles.  Instead of going with my gut…because I was super conscientious about wanting this sign to be perfect for Mar, I asked someone for advice.  Usually not a bad idea.  Usually.  Unfortunately in this case it was a monstrous bad idea.  I normally don’t like to bash products but if I ever use a Valspar product again – shoot me.  The offender was Valspar Premium Enamel Clear Gloss.  They are playing fast & loose with their use of the term “Gloss”, let me tell you!

First of all, I usually prefer Krylon and or Minwax products.  Second of all I was iffy about using a spray rather than a brush on sealer.  But, thinking my advice was sound, I sprayed my first layer of this stuff on the sign.  I thought it looked a little hazy but figured that it wasn’t dry.  I left and came back 45 minutes later.  It still looked hazy.  It was dry to the touch.  I started to panic.  As I gave closer inspection I noticed that there was a dry, fine, white powdery substance coating the surface that I could wipe off with my hand. What the?????  I wiped the entire sign off with a clean, soft, dish towel.  It still looked hazy but at least the white powdery stuff was gone.  Panic mounting, I made haste to our local hardware store in need of a miracle. After discussing my dilemma with 3 trusted store employees, I came home with a different spray product, Krylon this time, to test on a separate board first to make sure it would work.  Painted test piece, waited for it to dry, sprayed bad product, waited for it to dry, sprayed new product, waited for it to dry.  Test #1 was a total fail.  The Krylon product reacted negatively with the Valspar product.  I couldn’t blame it, I reacted badly to it as well.  But yellowish blobby formations would not help my hazy sign.  At this moment I went into Winnie the Pooh mode, muttering, “think, think, think” while tapping my forehead.  Of course! It is just because I put such a light coat of the Valspar on, right?  Another coat will make it thicker, more glossy.  That had to be it!  So, yes, I cringe to admit it, I did spray another coat of this offensive product on my sign.  Guess what?  The sign got even hazier.  I mean really really bad, like it had been sitting in a barn for about a year and was covered in dust.  Needless to say my panic meter was going off the chart.  I wiped off more of that white powdery stuff (I use the word stuff but I really mean another short word that also begins with s.)  And the rest of the day alternated between me crying and me swearing like a sailor.  Good thing my husband wasn’t home because he so does not like it when I go all potty mouth.  But like I told him, there truly were no other words that were fitting for that situation.  I then had to call Mar and inform her that she may not have a sign after all. I was dreading the thought of having to start over from scratch. Would all that hard work just go down the drain?  Mar thought I might be over reacting so I asked her to come look for herself. “Oh,” she said, “I see what you mean.” Then on closer inspection, “It’s powdery!?” After my panic was validated by Marlene, I made another trip to the hardware store where, as I should have done to begin with, I went with my gut and bought a brush on Polycrylic.   Another test.  Paint, wait, bad spray, wait, brush on poly, wait.  This is getting ridiculous.  Then I went to check on Test #2 and oh my gosh!!!!!! It worked! What relief! I don’t know how it did it and at this point I don’t even care, but the haze did clear up.  Long story short, two coats of poly later and the sign looks great again! Phew!  I think I need to go lie down now and administer dark chocolate.  P.S. Pictures of the sign are coming soon.