Christmas Note

Merry Christmas To All

Melody

 



HOHOHO....................

....LY COW! It seems like forever since I last posted or visited you all in Bloglandia! It has been forever!!!  I have missed you all and hopefully I won't be gone this long again. It has really been busy here, but finally,

It's Christmastime at the Brown Gingham Cabin!

Okay, here in the greater Cincinnati area we have been having some very pleasant temps off and on so I am happy.... ecstatic... relieved to report no snow and am really praying we get none! but the Brown Gingham Cabin with the white stuff does look good for my xmas pic for this post..LOL

That said here's what's been happening around the Cabin...................................

Boxes and boxes have come up from the basement. This is a small pile. There are more piles throughout the house. The tree is finally up..........................................................................

 

again. Yes, I said again, it was up once and then the lights went out. Down it came, on went new lights, on went garland-ornements-tinsel...sigh...this seems how my last few weeks have been going.

 

 

This is one of my fav accent peices. The Viking Amber Glass was my CarGuy's Grandmothers, it's filled with some of my Grandmother's vintage glass balls and garland. 

Here's a view of my case at the Antique Mall........................................

 

I'm happy to say some items have sold and I have changed things up a bit, but that's for another post.

Hope you're having a great holiday so far!

 

Autumn Arrived!!

This past weekend didn't get out of the 60's. Leaves are still green, but now some are turning before they fall. With the drought here I'm not sure we won't have just yellows and browns, but those Maples may surprise. With Oct. 1st just a week away....where did September go.... Halloween decor is all around.

Seems pumpkins are plentiful around here this year and folks are already purchasing them.  The locally grown mum plants are smaller than usual tho and are just now showing color. The heat and drought here in the Greater Cincy area really effected them, but seems with the weather we're having now they will all last a good long while.....pleasant days in the 60-70's and nights down to upper 30's.....despite some worry harvested produce like pumpkins,squashes, etc as well as some hardy plants..pansies, mums, kale, etc. love temps from 34-40 to keep them 'fresh'. We had a Winter one year where in Jan-Feb temps were in the 60's during the day and 35-40 at night...blooming daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus seemed to bloom early and last forever that year.

I also was busy getting some Fall decor into my case on the 'Avenue' at the Ohio Valley Antique Mall.

The pic of the last two aprons, they were used in the Fall displays at the Antique Mall. I'll have pics of those in another post..Melinda at the mall does such a nice job of creating such unique displays throughout the mall.....and another shot of the newly displayed side wall with other aprons and totes.

Remember, it there is something you see in my case while browsing these pics you are interested in just contact me at brownginghamcreations@fuse.net or leave a comment and we can chat.

While at the mall I once again found a little something I couldn't leave with out................

This cute little cookbooklet out of the 1960's from the Alber's Grocery Store. The store closed it's door's in the late 70's, but we'd shop there almost every week with my Grandma...I even remember the layout!! Holy Cow, don't ask me about important things, but that I can tell ya...LOL.

Inside there are not only ads and coupons and S&H Green Stamps, but recipes, and with the nippy temps this weekend I made a roast. I thought I'd share some of the roast recipes that are in this little gem. Hope you can see them or enlarge em...or even use a magnifier...okay so sometimes I go that far..hehehehe  

Well, That's it for this post. I did want to remind you I am once again hosting a Party over at the Etsy Cottage Style Blog

Go HERE to visit that party ...hey join the fun...and go to my Weekly Blog Party Page at the top of my blog to visit all the parties I attend!

It's Beginning..........................

To look a lot like Autumn everywhere you go. 

Take a look at the grocery aisle 

 filled with yummy Candy Corn 

and Caramel apples galore. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Autumn 

Jack-o-lanterns in every store, 

but the prettiest things to see is the fall wreath 

and decorations that will be right in your own home.

Saturday, the first day of Autumn, I love this time of year so much .........the colors  of fall.... the smells of burning leaves, cider, baking apple pie.........the maple candy..... pumpkin butter.......

pork chops with apples......the scarecrows, ghosts, goblins, and witch's that appear this time of year......and all the decorating in warm earthy tones. sigh. 

A little table for one and serving hutch on the kitchen porch

When decorating in the Fall I even like to bring the inside out...er....outside in....er...I just think anywhere can show your style with a few pieces strategically placed.

Little Punkin with her Fraidy Cat. Aren't they cute

The Autumn throw on our glider also on the kitchen porch...ah...sweet dreams of my mountains

My designs begin to reflect the season too. Remember this pic last week?

Well, let me introduce you to Amber Autumn....................................................................

She is a 1940's World Doll. Now being over 70 she needed a little makeover, but today her red satin slip has been layered by a 1940-50's hankie I hand-embroidered and embellished with plastic flowers from a 1960's candle ring and small metallic Fall leaves. Her wings are made from the same plastic foliage and dried skeleton leaves used in scrapbooking. She is crowned by dried statice and more metallic fall leaves.

And, here's the other pic from that same post..............................................................................................

Surprize !!!

           It's a pillow. I took a 1960's crushed velvet sofa pillow and added a little bouquet of vintage plastic fall flowers and new pumpkins...voile'. This could be used to accent a chair or sofa, but it also looks neat as a table centerpiece with fall gourds and wooden candlesticks.  Both this pillow and Amber the Autumn Angel are available for $24.99 each. 
So, that's it for this post. Next time I'll show you my new case display for Fall with more new designs and some vintage Fall ideas from my magazine collection. See ya then!
Oh, and don't forget to go to my Weekly Blog Parties Page at the top of my blog to visit all those fun and inspirational people.

See I'm Trying.......

Oops..a little update...........I have gotten a couple e-mails asking the price of the placemats.  They are $34.95 a set of 4. Also, I do do custom orders so if there are special colors or motifs you like we can work together on a project. The other items aren't quite finished yet so no price yet. Ok sorry for the interruption if you've just stopped by...please continue with your reading 80)

Holy cow, I have another post! In the same week! I told you I was gonna try really hard to start keepin up.

In my last post I mentioned some new things I had completed..some I had to finish...and some vintage finds.

Well, first I don't know if you all, but i host some parties for my Blog Pals over at the Etsy Cottage Style Blogspot. They are weekly Blog Parties and all are different themes. This week is................

To pop over and join the party click the pic. These parties are open to all not just members of ECS.

One of my completed projects are these Autumn inspired placemats................................................

I took vintage inspired paper

like these and used them as a main frame and then used coordinating colored papers completing the frame with small rounds of color. The centers are created by using a 1950's table cloth with  

a lake and ducks motif.

Here's a close up of the hand-embroidery

They are all encased in vinyl for easy wipe-ups. I made a set for myself, but upon finishing them I realized while looking around that there were a lot of accent pieces at the antique mall with the same motif done in the same era like glass decanters with glasses, TV Lamps, and framed prints. That table cloth must've been a popular home accent.

I have a few more almost completed items, but I think I'll just give you a peak

a new Angelic Inspiration





and newest Pillowtalk  design
When they're both fully completed I'll give you the full view.

Now this vintage inspired apron is almost finished...............................................

I found this hand-crocheted beauty in a bag. She needed a little nip and tuck in places, but she mended nicely. Then I found a vintage dishtowel that coordinated very will.................

So I hand embroidered and beaded a patch of it for the soon to be pocket

I'm gonna call this the 'Sunday Supper Apron' cause it reminds me of Aunt Bea from Andy Griffith.

Below are couple of my vintage finds. First this perfectly Autumn quilt, which isn't really vintage, but looks like it, was found at Wal-Mart and will go just right on my porch.

And, then there is this souvenir Great Smoky Mtn.Salt and Pepper set

I'm guessing it is from the 50's. It's cast metal done to look hammered aluminum with red Bakelite handles and pot lid tops. For $3 I could not pass these by.

So, Blog Pals, it's time for me to close and try to visit some of the Blog Parties later..... you'll find them all on my 'Weekly Blog Party' page at the top of my Blog. I hope you follow with me, there are so many really fun, creative, and inspirational Bloggers at these parties

What I did this Summer

Wait a minute......what's goin on........it's what day?! OMG  Labor Day Weekend has come and gone ?! Sigh. Where did Summer go?

My 'To Do List' hasn't even seen a dent made in it. With the way the weather's been around here most flowers and plants have had to fend for themselves............................................................................

My Summer Phlox at the Old Water Pump fountain has continued blooming since July, but I think it has come to an end. As has the Black-eyed Susans. The Clematis at my bike still hasn't bloomed, but it is full and green. Luckily I love Natural Gardens or Wild-flower Gardens. OK Ok some call the plants I have 'Roadsidea'...others weeds, but it is lush, green, blooming, and basically takes care of itself folks. LOL, people ask what is that striking leaf back there...that ground cover....oh what a pretty little flower...I say with a straight face , 'Red-clover mixed with Mint, Sedum, Hosta, Chemeleon Plant, Fountain Grass, Cedar, Butterfly Bush, Dandelion Greens, Woodsorrel, Ground Ivy, Sun Spurge, Thistle, Purslane, assorted Asters, Joe Pye Weed, to name a few.' You can imagine the horrified looks I get from 'true' gardeners, but hey, we are surrounded by woods, it looks so natural why fight it..incorporate it! ;)

Between running errands and appointments this Summer I have gotten some embroidery finished, but projects are still awaiting to be completed...yes...some fall inspired and...yikes...Christmasy and made some great finds at the mall.  I have yet to take pics of the progress or finds..my bad.

Now, I do have a very special...What I Did On My Summer Vacation...to tell you about.

During the past 3 months I have been working with the Ohio Valley Antique Mall to acquire a space in 

their Mall. This is my FAV antique mall in Cincy. It is a 65,000 sq. ft. vintage and antique wonderland sprinkled with OOAK crafts...old and new. Talk about inspiration!

This pic was taken at the front desk

and there are still more vendors to the front left and right of this desk I didn't get in the shot!

Not only are there aisle and aisles with booths and booths to browse 

and over 200 cases to check out

they have a couple of small areas for themed displays using various items from assorted vendors.

These are from the Summer..they change almost weekly it seems.

Of course while shopping you do work up a hunger and they have a lovely little Cafe

with yummy sandwiches, hearty soups, scrumptious bakery goods, and refreshing beverages. Beleive it or not they have 2 eating areas filled with even more themed displays with items for sale!!! You can give your feet a break and browse vintage and antique offerings from the comfort of a chair while eating! Okay, I don't know about you, but those are two of my favorite things to do...hehe

Well, since I've showed you around the place a little, it's time to introduce you to

                                                

Brown Gingham on the Avenue

My case..#224... is located on the back wall at the end of Phoenix Avenue. I have added other creations since this pic was taken. 

UPDATE !!!

I am now located on Arizona Avenue in booth #253 

If you're in the Greater Cincinnati area this mall is centrally located to the I-75 Corridor and the 275 Loop

I hope if you visit let me know..maybe we can meet there!

Oh, don't forget to stop by my Weekley Blog Parties page at the top of my blogspot and follow along for all the fun!