Etsy Update: Holiday Houses Up

It's hard to think of parting with my pretties, but I have put them up for sale today. ;) My sorta secret was that I wallpapered the backs of the insides of the houses so you can peek in and see vintage sheetmusic from every window and doorway. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Baking some chicken and making dinner right now. Hope you are all warm and snuggled up in your homes, too.

These are the only houses for the season. If they don't sell they have a great home at my house as I love each and every one. Next up are my ornaments. I'm not quite done and today was faaaaar too overcast to even think of photographing the ones I have done anyway. After that...some more pendants - different this time - sometimes I like to wear my music, does that give it totally away?? lol

A Christmas Peek...58 Cherry Lane

A little treasure - a new header - and a sign of things to come. I have been working as hard as I can to at least turn out a few little charms this season. First up are some really cute houses I made. Are you sick of my houses?? Well these are different - these are Christmas houses!! I've fallen hard for the antique white, robin's egg blue and pale pale pink and sage-y green and all of these have been filling my house lately. I still love deep dark red and dark green and Scandinavian style Christmas ornaments and her collection, but when I go up to my bedroom and I want to relax - the soothing pale pale blue walls and white furniture make me want a dreamy escape. Who is it that said all Christmas must be red and green?

Throw out that rule book and join me on my trip through 58 Cherry Lane...

You'll have to wait for the Etsy update to see it in full detail, but as you can see there's a special touch - a little roof over the door way to protect the visitors as they await their invitation in.

It snowed hard over the past day or so in 58 Cherry Lane, but the rooftop (and little roof over the doorway) and surrounding area all glisten with sugary icy coating. To tell you the truth - no picture I take shows you just how pretty the glitter I used is - it's kind of an old fashioned big glitter and I loved it so much I bought trees and they weren't nearly up to par so I coated them in glittery extra snow, too.

Next stop is the Pink House, though only the roof and tiny wreath are pink. The Antique white house begged me to use this color on the roof, it was meant to be, granted the 'snow' is more like an ice storm, the pink shows proudly through and I love it. *

At the pink house, the white shutters are ready to be closed soon as it is getting pretty cold, but they keep them open in the daytime for the sun and to enjoy watching the kids play with their sleds. They hung a pink wreath above their door - a vintage button stolen from my mother's collection, shh, don't tell...

Next stop, oh, is a special one. I'm rather attached to all these houses, but this one is the creme de la creme, literally as it is the White House. Not that one, this one:

Now you can't fully appreciate the specialness of this house as it is photographed here alone. The first two houses I showed you are the medium average sized homes, this is the big house of the lane, You can fit the other two houses, only one obviously at a time, within this home. It has a pink door with a special cut out and another button doorknob. The white wreath is an antiqued pipecleaner with a special very pretty white ribbon. I'll now show you this house in another setting as it is a fairy house it can move on its own, no? Here's another way to display it and one I rather prefer...

...as it is the view above my desk temporarily. I apologize for the small picture so that you can't see two of the glass cherries on the middle shelf right in front of the big white N, Fairy Vintage Godmother gave me those and I managed to pose two to look like they were joined. It's so cute in person. I suck at taking pictures anyway. I climbed on tiny chairs and leaned precariously and endangered myself taking this pic, though, so I'm proud of it. I was also spooked by a phone call right as I got down as if a family member or medical professional had witnessed my naughty and dangerous behavior. Luckily it was a telemarketer. Phew. I even held the camera over my head and just prayed for a good pic. Not too shabby, eh??

And last, but certainly not least is my other favorite (heck they are all my favorites) the little bitty sage colored house that perhaps the poor Cratchit family could have lived in with Tiny Tim in comparison to the big white mansion. It has a door, too, with a little button doorknob and I think it's tiny size is perfect as it is the same size as the house I just sold that was my old holiday header.

Truth is these aren't even the best pictures, they don't show the inside, either, a surprise awaits, but perhaps you can peek through some of the windows and see something. Anyhow. These are all indoor pics with the best light I could do - days are so short now. So this morning I took even better pictures of them in bright daylight and with the roofs off and maybe the colors slightly truer and even the three different sizes of houses lined up so you can see the difference. They are nesting houses, you can store them with care inside the large White House is you would like to buy three out of the four or all. One medium will have to stay alone then, obviously. I've decided to make another White House as I'll be sad if it sells it goes so well with all the whites and Shabby and Chic and Vintage and dream home of mine.

So stay tuned for the update. I'm much too tired today and I have much cropping and rotating and resizing and all that still to do. But this peek is to show you what to expect and maybe you'll pick one out ahead of time and snatch it up.

The Etsy update either late Monday or Tuesday. And then a few more jewelry items and the best to come: Ornaments. Ornaments on my little white tree that I've actually been working off and on with since June, can you believe it. And I don't have that many ready because I am a real critical craftsman, it has to be perfect and it has to be something I'll want to keep because if it doesn't sell...it's mine. lol Which is okay with me.

Happy Holidays everyone. After this week I'm focusing on home decorating and a Gingerbread House!! Now, I hope someone else will make one and share a link in comments!!!

Nik
58Cherries Elf - Head Elf, mind you...

*It's as pretty as an ice storm is I have a love/hate relatiionship with ice storms - we've had some nasty ones in St. Louis over the years, I say nasty as I once had to crawl. Literally crawl inch by precious inch in thin jeans in my college years up hill to get to work at the University library. I had really smooth rubber soled sneakers that were completely unsuitable for the weather and the snow plows had made an ice wall that made it impossible to even get to the street between cars and walk up that way and the other side of me was a field of pure ice. But I digress. The real point is that if you are safe and snug at home you see the beautiful icicles hanging everywhere and the world glistens and almost seems like a fairyland. Until the branches break and the power goes out and...well...never mind. LOL

Christmas Spirit: You find me at last...

I'm out of a bad funk and sickness and I'm ready to spread Christmas cheer and try my best to beat the blues back. The blog is a light sugary pink like cupcake frosting. I hope that doesn't offend anyone's eyes or fashion sense, I'm becoming more and more of a touch of pink to Christmas kind of gal. Red and green can go in the right hues. And all shades of white - yummy.

Now, onto some fabulous news, I made some new Christmas houses that I'd like to share up on Etsy the problem is photographing them so you can see just how cute they are in person. I'm still fiddling with placement for one place to photograph them, then take them all outside for true lighting and individual attention. I just want to give you a heads up on two medium, one small and one large house I will be selling soon. They have glistening glitter roofs that just make me smile I love snow.

As to the header - it is sooo last year, I know, but until I make a better pic of this year's decorations it will have to do. I still love it, though. I just sold that house about a month ago or so and I miss it already. It went to a good home, though and I must get more space so no brooding over favorite items.

But first, I must get a few more pendants up, my mom stole one, okay, I let her take a one of a kind really cool pendant for the Fairy Godmother and that means all the time I took taking pics was wasted, ugh. I'll make a new one that won't be quite the same, but great, too. (I was so out of it yesterday and trying to find what I needed and do five things at once I only got one new pendant up, but you might like to look at it anyway. There is a pic of all other pendants coming).

Oh, and also - ornaments. I will have ornaments up soon, too. I think the gremlins that live to take your keys and one of every sock have been stealing my ornaments for how can I possibly only have 5 ready so far?? I have sooo much work to do. Also two pendants I had up for sale - they mysteriously disappeared - that can't happen and that's why some items disappeared from my shop awhile ago. Sorry, but I made new ones to make up for it, but each one really really is unique and take awhile to make so it's slow going for me.

Santa, how about lending me some elves??

My Fairy Vintage Godmother

Happy 1st of December everyone.

Does it feel like December yet to you? Not to me. Or at least, I'd like a little more time, but time flies and we must struggle to keep up with it.

I'd like to share just two pics of the many little gifties my Fairy Vintage Godmother bought for me - she's my real godmother, but she's like a Vintage Fairy - she's been at this trade of dumpster diving, thrift store scoring, and garage sale nut long before it became 'in' and all the Indie/Newbies started hopping onto the bandwagon. My parents, too, but nobody surpasses my Auntie when it comes to finding treasures. Anyway, I also call her Mrs. Santa Claus because she so loves to give away anything she thinks another might treasure, too.

Anyway, back to the goodies:

As I prepared for my surgery and as I recovered in the hospital, she kept slipping me little presents to cheer me up. Now first let me say that maybe the most well used and appreciated of them all at the hospital was a stack of brilliant colored, soft and wonderful hand towels she just happened to get at Target. Hand towels you might ask? Yes indeed. Ever go to a motel and use their hand towels all scratchy and goodness knows where they've been and how they've been washed. Think the same of hospitals. And when you recover, or maybe it's just me, but when you recover from a major surgery your body overheats - I had a fan blasting and people grabbing towel after towel and wetting them and putting them on my forehead and even a bit of color that wasn't dirty white was a pleasant sight to the eyes.

But these are just two of oh so many wonderful things she gave me:

It's a beautiful little trinket box of a slightly vintage look - the pink is perfect with what I've fallen in love with. Inside where a few wonderful glass (if I remember correctly) cherries. I failed to take a pic, sorry. The bird handle is so precious and so thoughtful.

And as if it wasn't enough, she bought me this gorgeous gold cherries necklace. Something I certainly haven't seen, pins and earrings yes, a necklace? Oh, no, very rare. I love it.

What else did she give me? Oh so many things, I can't remember them all, but two kimonos come to mind. One was new (I think) and rather modern Japanese style, beautiful. She thought I'd wear it to the hospital, but I knew better - a. what if some awful orangey goup they put to sanitize your wound gets on it? b.What if someone steals it? No, it stays at home, but will be worn with love. But the second kimono was an accident. She loves it to death and I've admired it so many times she's come to visit her mother and she left it in my room the one night she slept there while helping out (she lives in Ohio) and she said, let Nicki keep it. For Reals??? OMG It's one of those amazing finds she got at this like magical thrift store she finds the best stuff at. I was at a loss for words for I know she loves that kimono and it means the world to me that she gave it to me. Thank you Fairy Godmother, you move me to tears with your generosity.

It must run in the family as my mom is just the same and Yiayia (their mother - grandmother in Greek just fyi) - they give and they give sometimes til it hurts. I want to be like them. They are my inspiration.

Christmas Decorating ideas

You MUST check out Country Living's 30 tree looks and think about changes and additions to your own decorating.
I have some prim looking ornaments coming up - just in case you go for this type of tree - the tin star is cool, but are those just tags as ornaments?? A little on the sad side, but very interesting look.


As for these Victorian ornaments - I love them, I have some of my own, okay, my mother's own, but they look really great when I wind the garland around my banister and add ornaments, these I hang at regular intervals and they are very cool to me.

Oh bottlebrush trees, how have you taken my heart?? I love them so but cannot find a single good one this year that isn't the typical little green ones, so, going with some of the items I'll be selling very soon, I added a great deal of old fashioned glitter and made them look much better and actually in great masses - a beautiful forrest just after a heavy snow.

Oh, and I know I can by reproduction ones for outrageous prices on ebay and even real vintage ones, but I found some great ones at a store once for a great deal and I've got medical bills to pay and our washer and dryer are dead and so are all our Christmas present ideas. Luckily we got a good deal with the holidays for new ones.

I already have my gingerbread house kit so as soon as I post at least most of my items on Etsy I plan to outdo last year's. Anyone else plan to make one? They are just so fun to look at. I miss being a kid and coveting eating all that candy or finding a big one to live in that didn't have the witch from Hansel and Gretel in it.

One year an aunt bought a beautiful one at a bakery and then when the season was done let my cousin and I eat it and the glee of eating the walls and the sugar cone trees and little peppermints and who knows what else is a Christmas memory I cherish.

If anyone else does a gingerbread house and would like me to link to yours send me a link or a pic or just invite me on over to your blog because I LOVE looking at Gingerbread houses. They did a Challenge on the Food Network for gigantic houses, but as usual humidity and time limits just ruin what might have been a cool competition in better circumstances. Oh, and it doesn't have to be gingerbread - many people use graham crackers, too.

Shabby style Daybed + Cats, of course

There is a law of the land that states any clean and freshly made bed must be immediately appropriated by any fuzzy animal in the house. As you can see Smokey is making sure I comply fully with this law and not go to jail.

We bought this day bed at a garage sale years ago and it was my main bed for many years until I decided I really wanted to stretch out and have my kitties be able to sleep without getting kicked off so I bought a queen sized bed and put this away in storage. It is currently serving as my sickbed as I still find my own bed inconvenient and on really bad nights I don't want to wake others with moaning and frantic pill hunts plus I can get myself some juice or crackers, etc.


I love the colors - the quilt is new, something my mom bought while I was in the hospital and she wanted me to have fresh sheets and a quilt and be comfortable. Also...she couldn't remember where we'd put the twin sheets and it was either buy new or go bare. lol


Smokey: What on Earth do you mean you didn't just take all that effort to make the bed perfect for me?? You may have forgotten to take your medicine today, just saying... Now go fetch my catnip mouse and a brush and all will be forgotten of your little comments.



blurry pic of one of many little details I love so much they make it so vintage and pretty to me. It's my spare bed, if ever I have my studio finished...ahem, man of the house...I really want it down there so I can rest and straighten my back out like I need to in between projects.


There is no law against having two fuzzy creatures at a time on said bed, but there are times when three is too many or even two if they both try occupy spots too close to each other:

Sorry it isn't a Thanksgiving post, but I may have one tomorrow or so, I'm hoping I'm able to make some very old fashioned treats that I so adore: mincedmeat pies/tarts. They are good, really, don't let the name turn you off, no meat taste at all and I add lovely apples and raisins and my family can't get enough of them.

Actually I probably blogged before about them, but so what? It's all I'm up to making this year besides a salad for the meal. I had to beg off cooking and entertaining this year. I'm lucky and thankful that the surgery is over, if the regular schedule was followed I'd be just released and home and feeling much much worse so I'm grateful for having it over.

Winner of Giveaway!!

After adding up the number of comments from the giveaway post til today and randomly selecting a number - I got the number 5 - so the lovely and inspiring Danita won! What a lucky gal!

I hope you like the pin. I'll comment on your blog to let you know and get your info to send. So sorry to those that didn't win, but I do have a plan to give one of the pendants I'm making soon so don't be too sad. It'll make a good gift for yourself or another. Now I really must get back to my crafting table and try to ignore the looming holiday as I'm so very very behind. Next giveaway will be first day of December maybe? Until then - happy weekend everyone!!