Kitschmas in Sweetheartville

So today I went around snapping shots of a lot of my Christmas decorations, for you Dollfaces, and for posterity, I suppose. Sugar Pea and I have been sick for three weeks between us, so this Christmas was a bit of a bust. I did force myself to make three varieties of cookie and two types of candy, sick as I was, but was then too miserable and exhausted to take any shots of how dang pretty they all looked laid out on a big aqua platter. You'll have to take my word for it.
Now, if you'd please, come this way for a little tour of my home at Christmas time. Please remember that it's a work in progress. I'm afraid one year later we haven't made as much progress as I would have liked.


In the entryway, I displayed my growing tree collection. I'm still searching for the perfect pair of shades for those awesome chartreuse lamps.


About a month ago, I found a real life Nylon Net Novelty tree! The old men running the charity junk shop just couldn't get behind my enthusiasm, even when I explained that it was a real life Net Novelty. They took my fifty cents with nary a hint of excitement for me.


Just ignore the half stripped wallpaper behind the giant styrofoam Santa head as you behold the tree.



After an email from Christie with a picture of some nesting doll ornaments, I had the idea to give Sugar Pea her own little tree to decorate and redecorate to her heart's content. Plus, I figured it would take some of the heat off of my tree. So, I set about making six little felt "open babies", and she helped me string a garland of pink pom poms. I also gave her a dozen shiny, unbreakable ornaments.


Well, imagine our surprise when, a few days before Christmas, a lovely package of cookies and these precious handmade Open Baby ornaments arrived for Sugar Pea from the oh-so-generous Ms. Christie. She is just about twelve kinds of awesome, as evidenced by the spectacular octopus chandelier she just made.


I overloaded a little tree with my vintage angel ornaments on the dining room buffet.


My favorite part of the Christmas story has always been the part about the Bug People who followed the star, riding reindeer for three days and nights to bring the Baby Jesus peanut brittle.


This summer, my Mom found me a box of six of these Shiny Brite angels. I want to hug them, and squeeze them, and call them "George", but I don't because they're very fragile.


Here's the pantry, all decked out. Really, with a pantry like this, it would be a sin not to decorate it for Christmas. Possibly, it would be illegal. I'm not taking any chances.


Here's where our tour ends. If you'd like to see more, have a look at my Kitschmas Set on Flickr. Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

Santa's Got The Stink Eye

The Kitschmas decorating has begun in Sweetheartville, but not without some surprises. My creepy stuffed Santa emerged from a box in the attic with some sort of cocoon/egg sack resting in his eye crevice, which, of course I had to share with you.


And I'm also going to share seven facts about myself with you since the lovely Tara at Nothing Elegant tagged me. I'm only a month or so late!

1.I have become horribly, terribly addicted to coffee over the last six months or so. I wake up thinking about it, drink it alone, and have progressed to stronger and stronger brews, trying to get my high. I have stolen things, pawned them, and then walked, shaky-handed and glassy-eyed, into Starbucks for a fix. Okay, so that last bit was a lie. I haven't actually stolen anything...yet.


2. I own more lamps than I have electrical outlets.

photo found here

3. I used to wish I was Catholic because of all the cool accessories (rosary beads, red glass candle holders, shrines, St. Whoever medals) and pomp and circumstance. Now I know I totally dodged a bullet with that one.

photo found here

4. I own approximately 47 tubes of lipstick.


5. We live two blocks from some very busy train tracks, and, though some folks think I'm crazy, I love the sound of the whistle and the low rumble of the wheels. I especially love how the train rattles the 100 year old window panes in our studio/office.

photo found here

6. My mother's, sister's, and my middle name all rhyme by pure coincidence--my sister and I were named after our grandmothers. I carried on the tradition by giving Sugar Pea my mother's middle name.


7. I am convinced that my ridiculously crooked smile is partly to blame on hours and hours of Elvis impersonations I used to do for my lucky family circa 1993. It seems my lip muscles may never have recovered.

Sweetheartville + Deluxe = True Love Always

I'm back, and somewhat recovered from all the long days and late nights leading up to participating in my first craft show. Deluxe was a success! The whole weekend was such a blur of activity, hilarity, and new faces, that now, a week later, I'm still remembering details to relate to the Mister. One of my very best friends was kind enough to accompany me for a girls' weekend, and I'm so grateful for her help and support. The show was held at the Farmers' Public Market in downtown Oklahoma City, a 1920's Spanish structure dripping with history. I read that one of my all time favorite honky tonkers, Hank Williams Sr., played there, so we were in good company. Over 50 vendors, all from the great state of Oklahoma, came together to offer shoppers a handmade alternative to the mall. Here is my booth.


Several new Sweetheartville handmade products made their debut at Deluxe, including my vintage-inspired hair ornaments, jeweled bags, Beauty Buttons, and Soiree Aprons. Putting together an entire craft show inventory and display on a limited budget in a little less than two months required dreaming up some rather creative display ideas, such as hanging said aprons on a two armed 50s floor lamp I had.


For my line of Beauty Buttons, I decided this sweet little 1960's vanity my mom picked up for me a few months ago, accessorized with one of my vintage hair dryers would make a fitting display piece. Originally, I had two wire photo holders--one for buttons, and one for magnets--but after about the thirty fourth time I had to retrieve a magnet from the floor, I opted to just lay them in some little vintage plastic trays I had brought along.

I had already decided to bring my vanity, but still felt as though I needed to have one other unique, eye catching display piece, and I'm the gal just crazy enough to haul her prized five dollar vintage dryer chair halfway across the state to stack boxes on it made from record sleeves.


Dollfaces, sometimes being crazy pays, like, say, when you win the prize for "Best Display" at your very first craft show.


Pictured above with yours truly are Sara, J.D., and Stephanie, the three lovely, hard-working ladies responsible for making Deluxe such a great success. In fact, the show was such a smash hit, that there's talk of another one in the Spring. I can't wait!

Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar

I've been working very, very hard, crafting up an inventory for Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar, and the long awaited weekend has finally arrived! I'm headed to Oklahoma City for a crafty, Christmasy, handmade extravaganza. If you're in the area, please stop by for a visit, as admission is free. There will be door prizes, goodie bags, costume contests, kid friendly crafting, and gift wrapping by the Oklahoma Victory Dolls Roller Derby Team. I've crafted up armloads of vintage-inspired pretties that I can't wait to share with you!