Getting Ready for PCMC Festival of Trees 2014 - Mad Hatter

I've been away from the computer this week, with a fun project, which accounts for the late blog post!

Let me share what has been taking all my time!

I have been working on a tree and the accouterments for the Festival of Trees, a fund raiser to provide charity care at Primary Children's Hospital, the premiere children's hospital in the Intermountian West.

 Our theme for the tree this year is, if you haven't already guessed ... the Mad Hatter's Christmas Tea Party!

Here are a couple of types of ornaments for the tree.

 ... and the beginnings of a gift basket for under the tree.

 ..and what Mad Hatter's tea party would be complete without, well, the tea party of course ... I've gathered odd chairs all year to paint in our color scheme ....

... and the table is one that we adapted, including a new top, from a table I found at a yard sale this summer!

Set up will be on Monday, so next week you can see the completed project here!  If you live in the area and are going to attend, our tree spot is A-17!  

Snowman Head Cheapo Crafting

 I had a chance to teach a craft class recently, and decided to make snowmen heads.

They are super cheap and simple to make.  Start with a crumpled piece of newspaper the size of a largish snowball.

Tape it in place, then paper mache over it with one coat.  Let it dry, then make the next coat with white paper.

While waiting for them to dry you can make noses and bits of coal out of sculpy.  You can make the noses around a bit of wire to make them stronger, then bake at a low heat as directed.

Next you paint the dried balls with white glue, slightly thinned, and roll them in clear glitter.

We made accordion folded collars, and top hats or conical party hats.  Glue the finished head to a candle stick or rusty bed spring.

This is the snowman one of my students made.

Exploring Keith's Decor Again ...

 A couple of months ago, I took you on a tour of the living room and hall or my friend Keith's house.

You may recall that Keith is a fellow dealer at Treasures Antiques in Springville where I work.  He is also a very, very talented young man.

I know I promised you more, so today I am sharing his great room with you.

As you look at the pictures, you will likely notice that the color scheme is largely  neutral with just a hint of color, mainly a wonderful vintage variety of blue-greens ...

Isn't his beaker collection fun, shown here under a belle jar?

This amazing shabby white cupboard, and its surrounding splashes of color was my favorite spot in his room.

He has some wonderful items with great and gungy patinas!

... and of course, there is always whimsy ... what's not to love above a bird cage filled with German putz sheep?

A few shots of kitchen counter top decor ...

Which continues the color scheme, that seems almost accidental ... beiges, whites, creams ... with splashes of aqua, turquoise, 50's green all so refreshing, and surprisingly warm, though somehow its also sophisticated ...

I loved the whole effect... sort of breath taking, don't you think?

 Thanks for sharing your beautiful home, Keith!

Fleattitude at the State Fair Park - Vintage Sale

 So, here it is, memories of my trip to the first Fleattitude at the Grand Building at the Utah Fair Park, as I promised in my last post.

The sale was wonderful, lots of talented and fun dealers, and even some surprises and unexpected moments of fancy, so let me share ....

 Above are the entry displays, including Cathie's, the owner of Fleattitudes, booth!

As I walked in and took a right turn, there were dealers, Vicki and Annette from Treasures Antiques.  These girls are sisters and have so much fun sharing their love of vintage and collectibles!

 .... and here they are in person, can you tell how fun they are?

 Just around another corner I ran into Connie.  I don't know Connie well, she is a good friend of Mike's, who is a long time flea.o.logy dealer, and she some times comes and does flea.o.logy with him ... I had no idea she had this whimsical spirit!!

 Can I just say that I was smitten?  I bought a fairy door, similar to the one on the sign to the right ... It will go on the front of my historic stone well next summer, when I fill the top of the well, turned planter, with another fairy garden ... I love it ... the supposition will be that fairies come through the door at the base of the fountain and go through a secret tunnel that comes out inside the fairy house that will be the center piece of the garden!! My grands are going to love it!!

Good job Connie, I love the whole of the magical fairy world you created!!

 Next booth to love and adore is Clem's ... he sold so much of his wonderful patchwork wood at 3 Dotters, he had to dig in and come up with more!!  Again, so so much talent!

 There were actually 4 or 5 trailers that were inside the building as part of the show!!  Wonderful!

... and here's a peek at Sherry's booth. (Also a sometime flea.o.logy dealer)

Brenda and Angie formerly known as 'Just a Bed of Roses' were there under their new name 'Paper and Patina', and their displays, crafts, vintage and all were just as lovely as we have all come to expect of them!

Lovely, don't you think?

 ... then there is Two Pitts of a Pear, my personally acknowledged favorite of all .... again, awesome flea.o.logy dealers with some of the freshest most original ideas you have ever seen.

Of course they had their trailer there!

Then their was Marci's booth, along with other Vine Street dealers, showing off her amazing wares!  Long time readers will remember that Marci is my Steam Punk friend ...

She has lately started building robots ... charming and funky robots ...

I didn't meet this dealer, but her business is Pelican Designs ... apparently a very talented lady!

... and Tattered Butterfly is run by Debbie who is a member of the Reclaimologist group I belong too. She has her own line of Milk Paint, and does wonders with it, so if you are in the market for an amazing vintage finish, be sure to google her business name!

As you can see there were many charming, clever and flat out fun items for sale at Cathie's Fleattitude Vintage Sale this first time.  Most of the best dealers along the Wasatch Front were there to welcome all.  The sale was beautiful, and I expect it to become one of the premiere markets in the Salt Lake area in short order!  Good Job Cathie!

P.S... I ran into Marci again, just as the show was closing, and saw her carrying her stash of vintage goodness that she had found shopping the show... I can't wait to see what she does with these!