MERRY CHRISTMAS...

Wishing you the happiest of holidays this year...more handiwork from Suzan Stoddard's ("Old Grey Mare Primitives") amaZing Gathering, this past month...can you tell I had a fabulously creative time?

Buttons await play time over the holidays...hand work for the relaxing hours of the evenings...

BE WARM this holiday season...a sweet friend, Chris, from "The Antique Pallet" crafted this delightful little ornament that arrived in my mail, just the other day...

BE SPARKLY!  Chris also sent this (her painting is exceptional)...AND, a bottle of my favorite libation to get me through the holidays...here's to you, Chris, you SO rock!

BE AMONG FAMILY AND FRIENDS (another tag from Z's)!  BE SAFE...BE HAPPY...LOVE AND BE LOVED!

MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS, TO YOU AND YOURS!

AN UBER-FABULOUS DAY - I'm Happily Exhausted!

"While visions of sugarplums, danced in their heads..."

Yesterday was THE day for the Love Is In The Air "Gathering" - the brainchild of the ever prolific Suzan Stoddard, of OLD GREY MARE PRIMITIVES - she wears me out just watching her.  Creativity and spunk just ooze from that woman.  Going in as an "outsider" (one who has never attended one of these wonderful soirees), I know now that is is VERY highly likely that I will never miss another.  Like those that have never been before, it was hard for me to envision just exactly what this was all about.  Over the top creativity, among friends - THAT'S what!  An ALL-INCLUSIVE day...EVERYTHING was provided, including TWO fabulous meals. Crafting/art supplies, and incredible talent and laughs, left us wanting for nothing - except possibly more time.

I arrived at 9:30, still squealing with delight, and giddy as hell, as I had won this wonderful gift of a "day to call my own", in a very generous giveaway that Z held this past month.  Justice and Howie graciously invited us in, as they rule the roost.

Suzan converted her garage for the day...carpeting, a tulle draped ceiling, and curtained walls made for an incredibly comfortable work space.  The supplies that we had full access to were amazing and plentiful, and the display and attention to small detail was mind boggling.  The tables were set with a beautiful hand embellished box, made by the crafting guru herself, for each and every person...and held the individually packaged beginnings of all projects we would be tackling.  In addition to that, we were each gifted with beautiful earrings, a little pot holding glass glitter initials, a bottle brush tree, a blown glass owl ornament, etc., etc.  I told you it was over the top GRAND!  The bottom photo is of the "snack" we were provided for lunch...SNACK!  Snack...sheesh!

This was the beginning...fun with paper...

And brads, and twine, and burlap, and more paper (NO rocks)...

And buttons, and the genius of Z...she set us up for success, right from the start!  Five individual paper ornaments were made from this portion of the Gathering...more if you wanted - it was a grand stepping off point for some major "art-age", for sure!

We moved on to this...or what was supposed to look like this - "one" among us took a detour, because of the glass owl that was "speaking" to her from her little gift bucket, and went THIS way...

The Christmas PalooZa Box ROCKS!

That owl ornament was NEVER destined for anything BUT that box, and to hold court with his snowman friend.  The box was covered in stunning wrapping paper - that was about as sedate as I got.  The bottom is covered with poinsettia paper - rhinestones, glitter, fake snow abound - it IS a veritable "Christmas PalooZa"...Z will never look at those snowman boxes the same, I fear.

And THAT only got my creative juices flowing for THIS...16 pages of vintage sheet music (cut into 32 sections), fashioned into the Sugarplum Fairy Wreath.  Rolled, stapled, glued, folded (I learned how to use a really cool gadget called a scoring board, to make all those folds in that cardboard), crepe-papered, and more over-the top Christmas fun than should be legal!  My daughter asked for this one, actually, proclaiming it to be UBER-FABULOUS!

11:00 last night (yes, p.m. - 13-1/2 hours later), found the two last stragglers (Sue S., and myself), being coerced by Z (read, "plied with alcohol") to make "one last" item, in the waning hours of the day.  Kitschy cute paper hearts, festooned with sparkly pipe cleaners.  I brought home 8 finished projects with me (two of which were combined to make the wreath)...I still have gift tags to finish on my own, from my magical box of tricks that Z gave us.  To say I was like a kid in a candy shop yesterday, is quite an understatement.

For those that follow Z's blog, you have seen the amazing pictures of her house...I do want to impart to you all that the pictures she always posts on her blog, in the sepia tones, are NOT taken with that setting on her camera.  The same anomaly happened to me as I was snapping away...they truly come out in those tones, due to the soft, beautiful lighting.  Just a few snaps from around the house yesterday - tiny treasures everywhere you turn...from the pheasant (or partridge) under glass, to a beautiful birdbath in the dining room, that she has transformed into a glass covered table, with these wonderful glittered acorns inside.  I think she might just be Mrs. Claus!  She's pretty magical to me.

And the backyard is just as enchanting as the inside...oh, oh, OH - AND the BATHROOM!!  Thank you, Z (and to all the other creative souls that passed through your threshold yesterday)...I don't know that I can ever repay the wonderful day you provided me, yesterday - and I really doubt that ANYONE had as much fun as I did (well, maybe in THEIR minds they did, but they would be wrong...no question)!  I love everything I touched and/or brought home yesterday - and the pleasure of the company of all the delightful gals there.  I might just turn into your biggest "Gathering" promoter, yet!  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

Yes, Virginia...there IS a Christmas Palooza, and it lives at the house of Z!

A CHRISTMAS-PALOOZA AWAITS!

I'm having a hard time sitting still, in anticipation - my toes are a tappin'...ONE day to go...Saturday is IT!

I was recently named the winner of Suzan Stoddard's (Old Grey Mare Primitives) Call Me CraZy/Love is All Around Gathering Giveaway!  I can't tell you how EXCITED I am to have been given this incredible and generous opportunity - I've never been, though I've heard tell of legendary events, past - all in the comforts and confines of that which shall be called Christmas-palooZa - Z's "over the top" decorated home!  I'm not real sure what it all entails...lots of glue and imagination, I've been told...

Creative Christmas fun among friends...

Scissors, paper, no rocks (maybe rocks)...lots of sparkles...

Group photos...I WILL be taking my camera - it will be just like you're right there with me!  Well, kinda', except I will have all the cool stuff (I am pretty sure there will be cool stuff) with me at the end, and you will just have pictures...sorry.

Much love, and thanks to you, Z...I think I heart you!  You SO rock!

AYE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE - it's like being a little kid again, on Christmas Eve!

ABSINTHE AND DWIGHT - ABSOLUTELY DECADENT

A whirlwind week, indeed...and some time to spend with the blog, now that our show is done...much thanks for all the support - we had a marvelous Saturday, last, and made a little Christmas cash to boot!  "The Family Jewels" were very well received, and some are still available through the link on the side bar (they will be heading to the Etsy shop eventually).  After crashing HARD, Saturday night, we were revived enough come Sunday evening, to take in one of the newest shows on the Las Vegas Strip - ABSINTHE, in the Spiegeltent out front of Caesars Palace - and what a wild ride it was.   Having been billed as an “off-beat European circus on acid”, I don't think Jackie, Charlie, or I had a moment where we weren't in hysterics. 

Everything in this "not one for the kids" circus of fun is performed in the center of an incredibly decorated tent, on a 9 ft. round stage - a cast that includes a raunchy, scuzzy ringmaster (The Gazillionaire), packing a little too much in an overly tight 70's tuxedo; his ditzy (and show stealing - who knew someone that sounded that sweet and innocent could get SO filthy and with a couple of sock puppets) assistant, Penny Pibbets;

Acrobats and a beautiful burlesque performer, The Green Fairy (also a nickname for the drink Absinthe), who stripped farther down than this beautiful green velvet outfit...pasties were plentiful in this show.

There was also a second burlesque beauty who pulled a gigantic bubble over her black bow festooned upper extremities, and tap danced (seriously...just her butt and legs were out, with a big balloon with bouncing black bows inside, over her upper half - tap dancing around the stage); a couple of incredible aerial acts; and this...

The raunchy, and HILARIOUS, interpretive dance/acrobat parody by the two hosts.  One of the most unique and inventive shows on The Strip - not for the faint of heart, as nothing is off limits in the bawdy banter throughout the evening, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this in a heartbeat - I know I will be back.

Last night we were treated to Dwight, yet again, this year - ALWAYS a great concert, my Mr. Yoakam!  The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) blows into Vegas the first ten days of December, every year...the final rodeo of the year, with the top 20 cowboys in each event competing.  Cowboy butts in Lee jeans, as far as the eye can see!  Cowboy Christmas goes hand in hand with the rodeo events...the convention center is filled with western wear and farm implement vendors, for all your Christmas gift giving needs!

THE FAMILY JEWELS

Yes, sometimes I really crack myself up...no one else gets it, but, oh well.  I have gone missing again for this past month, in an attempt to keep on task and finish up inventory for a local show that "airs" this Saturday.  The tintypes have been finished, among some other pieces, and I wanted to get them posted on here, beforehand...just in case anyone is interested before they hit the table, Saturday morning...it's been a labor of love with these delicate old memories - instant relatives, if you will.  I apologize for the lengthy post (I know I have one that will complain), but have lumped "detail" photos together as best I could, with pricing information.  If you click on the "group" photos, you will see a third picture in each column, of the detail on the chains.

The tintypes are all original tins - almost all are Civil War age.  They have been sealed before beading. All tinting or coloration seen on the tintypes is original...I did not place it there.  The beading is all applied one bead at a time; all buttons used in the creations are antique glass (or metal in some instances). There is a beaded ruffle on each and every tintype - all buttons and embellishments are beaded in place - no glue. The beautiful acrylic flowers (each necklace has one) are hand-dyed, and created locally by VINTAGE MEADOW ARTWORKS. The glass beads that fill out the rest of the embellishment are Czech Fire Polish. All chains are brass finish, with an approximate 9-3/4" to almost 10" drop from the clasp to the top of the pendant itself...each chain has a 2" extender on it, as well.

GROUP A - Blue Man - 3" X 2-1/4" pendant - $87.00;

Little Girl with Jewelry - 3" X 2-1/4" pendant - SOLD;

The First B-52 Hairdo - 3" X 2-1/4" pendant - $87.00

Group A Detailing

GROUP B - "Pearl" - 3" X 2-1/4" pendant - $87.00;
Girl with Pink Ribbons - 3" X 2-1/4" pendant - $87.00;
Fancy Gal With the Tiny Waist - 3" X 2-1/4" pendant - $87.00

 Group B Detailing

 

GROUP C - Brother and Sister - 3" X 2-1/4" - SOLD;
Hatted Couple - 2-1/2" X 1-7/8" - $73.00;
Woman With Curls and High Collar - 2-1/2" X 1-7/8" - $73.00 

Group C Detail

 

GROUP D - Grandmother and Granddaughter - 2-1/2" X 1-7/8" - $73.00;

Woman in Red - 2-1/2" X 1-7/8" - $73.00;

Little Boy with Gold Buttons and Ring - 2-1/2" X 1-7/8" - SOLD

Group D Detail

 

GROUP E - on their way to new homes already - NO LONGER AVAILABLE 

GROUP F - Lavender Girl - 2-1/8" X 1-5/8" - SOLD;

Girl with Drop Earrings - 2-1/8" X 1-5/8" - SOLD;

Round/Woman with Ringlets - 1-5/8" - SOLD

 Group F Detail

 

GROUP G - Pink Girl A - 2-1/4" X 1-5/8" - SOLD;
Round/Turquoise and Red Woman - 1-5/8" - SOLD
Round/Little Girl in Plaid - 1-7/8" - SOLD

Group G Detail

 

GROUP H - Pink Woman B - 2-1/4" X 1-5/8" - SOLD
Handsome, Pink-Cheeked Man - 1-7/8" X 1-3/8" - $64.00

Group H Detail

 

Contact me through "Comments", or at tlgreb927@cox.net, for purchase information (shipping additional), before the show this weekend.  A heartfelt thank you for all the wonderful feedback and interest these have generated - and for the encouragement and "brain picking" of friends (and that doesn't mean zombies)!

If you are going to be in the Las Vegas area on Saturday, you can find us at Doodlebug Bazaar, in Boulder City...9am-4pm (December 3rd), Boulder City Recreation Center, 900 Arizona St.  Jackie DeGuevara (ONE CREATIVE CAT) will be with me, with her beautiful dichroic glass and silver guitar necklaces, AND some really great pincushions (she gave me one awhile back, and I must say, it has become my favorite pincushion, having a weighted and non-sliding base, as well as storage for my beading scissors, thread, etc.!).  Click on her link to see pictures of her wares for the day.  There will be a few quilted purses thrown into the mix, and some great, smaller jewelry items.  We will be adjoining Karen, The Button Lady, for those local gals "in the know"...for those of you who haven't found Karen yet, she's got some really incredible vintage fasteners waiting for you!

P.S.  I WON, but that's a post for another hour, as this one has taken me five!

MY MISSING MONTH...

Or, what I've been up to...a friend brought it to my attention last evening, that I have missed an entire month of blogging, and wanted to know if my arm was broken.  I'm sure I've broken some very cardinal rules of blogging...no, my arm is not broken - in fact, it's been a very busy arm this past month, but it seems I've missed quite a few things, in the interim.

I missed my first born's birthday wishes on here...it was a grand 25th birthday (yes, I had him when I was 12), regardless of missing it on the blog...Happy Belated Blog Birthday, Louie!  Though not on his birthday, this is Louie and my Joe, relaxing in the summer heat; and Louie and Big Papi/David Ortiz of Boston Red Sox fame, at his job this year.

Louie and his motley crew, after his arm surgery...I didn't blog about that either, but it was in July, and is all better now!

I missed Halloween...and I LOVE Halloween!  My kids always had home made costumes (plus handing them through the neighborhood for years...the costumes, not my kids), and though I never expected it at this age, I am still getting the occasional request...two years ago it was actually to outfit him and his buddies as Motley Crue - this year it was the Jersey Shore gang...fist pump, push-ups, Chapstick.  A grand time was had by all then, too, even though it didn't make the blog when it should have.

And I'm sure there's much more that I missed...just make it up and fill in the blanks.  Imagine me some place wild and exotic, if you wish - that would be grand, too.  But it would be a lie, and that brings me to this - what I've actually been doing with SOME of my boring, non-blogging time.  This photo was posted, last month, as a potential outlet for some creative beading.  I've been invited to share a booth at an upcoming show, with a dear friend who keeps me supplied in antique buttons.  Yes, I would probably have to admit she's a "pusher"...but she doesn't seem to ever have to push too hard.

I've been transforming the tintypes from the prior photo, into these beaded creations...still not totally complete, and lacking neck chains (as they will all be pendants by the time I'm done), 16 of the 20 are completely beaded and "buttoned up"...the time consuming work, anyway.  All buttons are antique/vintage; tintypes are all original (and sealed), from my collection of old photos; and the woman here has what just might have been the first "B-52", ever!  That's her hair - not a hat! 

Add to that, this second grouping below (plus 4 more, not pictured here) and yes, I've been keeping my mind and unbroken arm busy...if only to have an excuse for not keeping up to date on the blog. 

In addition to the handmade chains, a few of these will, undoubtedly, be adorned with some of the beautiful dyed, acrylic flowers from Vintage Meadow Artworks, as well.  Finished photos will follow, before they are carted off to the show.

These women were all beauties...

  

 While one here could have benefited from a good hairstylist.  A beauty, nonetheless.

I've pulled photos already for an end of summer travelogue (something else I missed this past month), and promise to get back in the saddle again.  Wishing you a creatively happy Thursday...