Let the Halloween Fun Begin!

It's October 1st! Only 30 more days until Halloween! YES! I am so excited! It's one of my favorite times of year and really starts my holiday season. My husband and I have an enormous collection (well, mainly OMP) of Halloween goodies. He has been collecting Halloween stuff for over 20 years.   This week I'm starting with some of my favorite plastic candy containers.

The above snowmen are probably my very favorite. They are from the 1950's and made by Tico/Rossbros. This company made Christmas figures and used the same mold but with different colors and stencils. 

The witches are just too cute~ I love the one on a rocket. The witch on riding over the moon is a topper for a cake or maybe came with some candy.

These little pumpkins are also from the 1950's. I believe that they are from Tico also, but I may be wrong.

The cat with the stipes came in several variations as did the big eyed kitty.

These containers are the same but with color variations.

The majority of the containers that you will find are hard plastic so they will have cracks and missing pieces. I personally go for the cute factor and who cares if you are missing a piece here or there. They are fun to look at and great conversation pieces.

Hanging around with Alisa!

When I first met Alisa, she was volunteering at the agency I work at. I knew from the first minute, we would be instant friends. We would craft between calls and chat about our love of movies. Alisa is such a rock star!

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

By day I am an assistant in an elementary school classroom, by afternoon I work in an after school program teaching elementary school kids how to make, package, price, market bath and body products, and sell them in their etsy shop Sunny Bubbles.  By evening  You can find me either upstairs in my studio sewing, or making a big mess with paper and glue or on the couch with my embroidery or knitting. On the weekends I am hanging out with My husband and our dog  Luna and  kitten Seth.

What projects are you working on right now?
I have recently been reunited with embroidery. I love using old vintage pattern' from the 30's. 40's and 50's. I cannot draw, or paint to save my life, however having the ability to shade and define with thread is something that really amazes me. Next up on the hoop are some vintage pin up transfers I just found on line.

Who/what is an inspiration to you?
 There area few things that have inspired me to be brave and try everything that sparks my interest.The first is  a quote by Pablo Picasso
"I am always doing things i can't do...that's how i get to do them"  
This give me carte blanche to buy a lot of supplies and make big mess, all for the pursuit of trying a new technique or project that may or may not turn out all that well.
Another  huge inspiration is the creative people in my life that make time to  deal with the chaos that life can bring others, be it working with or advocating for adults, children or animals that are displaced, disabled, abused or forgotten , and then are able to come home to their own lives and produce amazing pieces of art  as a way of decompressing.
And also my husband Mark (the best guys are always named Mark) is a ceramics artist by night and has some of the best whimsical sculptures that make me smile.. He's also pretty damn funny!

You do so many different types of crafts-do you have a favorite?
I am quite the crafty magpie, aren't I? Of all the crafty things I do I think the one I do least is my very favorite. I love to collage old Mannequins.  I like the idea taking something that was produced to show women how to fit a certain mold  and turn them into something that  I feel is beauty.  I do admit my studio can be a bit surprising to folks who have never seen it before with all of the headless torsos stuffed in the corners.

BONUS QUESTION
Favorite sound?
 I love to watch old  movies from the 40's and 50's and the sound men's shoes make when they running on concrete is one of the reasons why.  Think the Third  Man when they are chasing Orson Welles through the sewers.

See! Didn't I tell you she's the coolest ever! If you are lucky enough to meet her in person, than you have met a true friend. Her infectious smile and good humor  will always stay with you.

Tie One On Tuesday! Quit Yer Whining!

OMP is a little tied up at the moment trying to find all of our Halloween decorations. I think they may have come to life and attacked. I'll keep you posted. So, in his absence I'm taking over for the day. Today's lesson will be about a good bottle of wine under $15.00. Now I'm not talking about Boones Farm Strawberry Hill or Thunderbird. Give me some credit, I'm a little classier than that, not by much.

I am not much of a white wine person but I know some people are so let's start with Alice White Chardonnay 2006. The $7.00 price tag just can't be beat. It's best with shellfish and white pasta. It has a tropical fruit taste and an unusual dose of acidity.

Mark West Pinot Noir is a great bottle of wine for $11.00. It goes great with chicken and spaghetti dinners. It has a nice cherry, spicy strawberry taste to it.

Lan Rioja Crianza is another great bottle of red wine for $12.00. It goes great with lamb or sausage and has a wonderful earthy taste to it with a hint of cherry and vanilla.

If you are looking for something with a stronger more interesting taste, go for the Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 for $14.00. It has a sweet beginning but a bitter chocolate and licorice after tone to it. It would be wonderfully paired with steak or red meats.

If you are looking for something a little bubbly to celebrate that special day. Well, I have you covered there too! Freixent Cordon Negro Brut is a wonderful sparkling wine at $9.00. Domane St. Michelle Brut is $ 12.00. It is a little sweeter than the Negro Brut. Both go great with smoked salmon and chocolate cake.

If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, Charles Shaw or as all the hipsters call it, "Three buck Chuck" is a nice cheap wine that will do in a pinch. I recommend the Shiraz.

Now, back to the Boones Farm. It goes great with the back of a 1980 Camaro and a randy stud with a mullet. If that's your idea of class then you are in luck. It comes in multiple flavors such as Green Apple, Strawberry Hill and Sun Peak Peach. If you want a little sparkle, definitely try the Tickle Pink. All bubbles and twice as much troubles!

Watching your pennies doesn't mean you have to sacrifice taste. Try a few less expensive brands and see which one is the best for you and your favorite dinner. Now, I think I better go check on OMP..he's been in the basement for a little too long.

Sorry Guys!

Okay, So I was going to start my Halloween movie montage this week but I have just worked 8 hours then had a 2 hour meeting so now I'm gonna eat some crappy tacos, curl with with OMP and the pups and crash. I promise extra scary movies in the coming weeks. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to collapse. Good night guys!

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Budgie, Budgie, Budgie! Is it possible for one little dog to have such a big personality? I say YES! I love how this little man can charm the pants off of you one minute and then be all grumpy old man the next (I'm sure when he barks, he is saying, "GET OFF MY LAWN!").

I thought Budgie was a bird, but you're a dog...care to explain?
It's not because I'm flighty, that's for sure! I'm named after a guy (Budgie the drummer from Siouxsie and the Banshees, my dad's favorite band) who was named after the birds. We look a lot alike, don't you think? It's the blond mane and big eyes.

You are the tiki scrappy dog ambassador, what's your favorite drink?
Whatever drink my mom or dad has is my favorite! But I like a Three Dots and a Dash , because I like honey a lot. I sneak a little drink from the glass whenever mom leaves her drink unattended. I don't like beer at all, I am strictly a cocktail dog.


Your favorite outfit?
I like my red sweater the best in the wintertime. Otherwise, a little sailor collar is a nice touch, subtle and classic just like me!

 

I have also been known to dress up when filled with the Christmas spirit:

Your favorite thing to do during the day is?
Sleep! I have my fancy bed and the blanket my mom knitted for me. I don’t mind that it is pink; I am manly enough to handle a pink blanket

When life hands you lemons you.....
Put them in a cocktail! If you’re speaking metaphorically, I believe in making the best of any situation. In fact, there is a short documentary about my life philosophy and how I was able to turn my life around from bad to good:



Oh my goodness! Is everyone else crying at that video? I am so glad that Budgie turned his life around and has a good family now. Not only is Budgie a fashion icon but he is also an inspiration to all of us. Thanks Budgie for making the world a better place.

Feel Good Friday!

Okay, I'll admit that I totally got busted by my coworker this morning blasting music in our office. I think everyone needs a little early morning dance party. It should be a requirement that our office have a disco ball. I wonder if we can work that into the budget.

The weekend is here and I am feeling it! Yahoo! Hopefully these things will make you happy too!

This has to be the cutest stitching video ever! I love Mildred and Maggie. They make cute cakes and throw babies into cribs.


Maggie and Mildred from Holly Klein on Vimeo.

October is just around the corner and you know what that means! HALLOWEEN! Plumparty has great ideas and fun party favors for you scary Halloween nights. Plus, I can't resist they have a whole section of their website for cupcakes and confections.

Silver Screen Suppers is one amazing blog! I love the tagline : Fellow film archivists - one Stateside, one Thameside - attempt to recreate recipes allegedly cooked by the stars of the silver screen themselves. That pretty much sums it up! They share my love for older movies, beautiful film stars and supper. I would love to sit down with these ladies, have a cocktail or two or three and go over our favorite movies from 1920-1950's.

If you are in the Portland, Oregon metro area tonight and want something fun to do. Check out the creator of Cake Wrecks. She has just put out a book and is on a tour promoting it. She will be at Powells book store on Burnside at 7:30. 

So there you have, go out there and enjoy yourself this weekend or stay inside and watch cute puppy videos!

(shameless plug for my pup Lola)

I Can Be Classy. Quit Giggling!

I can be classy so stop your giggling! If there is one collection that I love and wish I could afford more of , it's my Roseville and Weller pottery collection. I LOVE anything from these two pottery companies! Their designs are so elegant and flowing.

Roseville pottery was initially started as a utilitarian ware company, making umbrella stands, flower pots and stoneware. As the years progressed more artistic designers came on board and Roseville became a popular pottery company with limited runs on certain designs. The majority of their designs are flowers or other outdoor plant life, they do have several vases that depict people. The prices for Roseville can be extremely high for even smallest pieces. I would suggest to the beginning collector that if you are okay with some cracks and don't  mind a little wear on the pottery,  buy a cheaper piece and then go from there.  One way to check to make sure you have Roseville is for the signature at the bottom. There are several marks depending on the time is was made. A stamp, a signature and wafer mark are a few ways to see what you have.

Another high end pottery is Weller. I adore Weller pottery. It usually has a more glossy finish compared to Roseville. Weller is more expensive because of the beautiful hand work designs .They also started as a utilitarian wear company with flower pots and cookware. Later Weller pottery became very popular with their Dicken's ware which included images of Charles Dicken's characters traced onto the clay and fired. It is unfortunate that they could not keep up with changing trends and eventually closed in the 1940's.

Collecting Roseville or Weller is not cheap. I was lucky enough to get the majority of these pieces from the same person .I would suggest that you do a little research and decide what design you like best and start with smaller more affordable pieces.  Definitely don't just go for the name, you want something that you love and can possibly hand down to future generations.