Halloween Circus...New Additions!

Carousel of Creepiness!

Carousel of Creepiness!

Made from old lampshade frame.

Slit straws cover the frame ribs.

On the Fourth of July weekend George and I traveled to Nederland, Colorado...home of the Carousel of Happiness.  I was happy to finish that chapter of the history of Fairyland Park.  As I rode on the carousel, one crazy thought led to another...and I knew I had to make a Carousel of Creepiness.  I had been working on a blog post about the other carousel for Vintage Vacations...but I couldn't concentrate.  I had to stop and create!

Carousel Jack!

Come and Ride...Cats in Saddles.

My Favorite Vintage Cat!

I found one in Grandma Patta's attic when my kids were young.

It was my very first vintage Halloween piece, and is my most treasured.

Closer view of Cat.

Skelly's Ticket Booth!

Every circus needs a ticket booth with a dapper skinny salesman.

His customer is an old friend I made some years back.

The ticket booth is inspired by one I pinned on Pinterest...Vic's Creations

Ticket Booth Sign.

Skelly and Friend.

Scare-us Wheel!

I've used this black cupcake wheel for several years.

I finally decorated the sides.

Cat and Moon.

Witch and Moon.

Graveyard Drummers!

I want to find more of the band members.

Grateful Dead?

Old Friends!

The circus tent was the first piece I made a few years ago.

I was thinking of a Night Circus theme.

I use the same "want ads" paper on each of my pieces to tie them together.

I can't get anymore...only 3 sheets left!

Witch's Candy Stand.

Also a few years old.

She wasn't a circus piece...but fits in nicely.

Haunted Midway!

I wanted to see everything together.

I need a backdrop of some kind and a garland of black and white flags.

As usual I am not letting the calendar get in my way!

Happy Creepy Crafting!

Summer Is A Circus...Up-cycled Stuffed Animals!

A Circus Without Animals...Inconceivable!

And a circus without an elephant is just tragic!

I have only attended a Ringling Brothers Circus once in my life.  It was magical!  The elephants were by far my favorite part.  Their dignity and majesty were awe-inspiring.  It makes me sad that they will no longer be a part of the circus.  To me they are the "Big Top."  I have collected more images of elephants than of any other circus symbol. They will always be a part of everything I love about a circus.  I recently redecorated my grandchildren's play room into a Dumbo Circus theme.  It's still a work-in-progress, but I plan to share pictures sometime soon.

Sweet Ellie...Circus Elephant!

I found Ellie at a cute little shop in Salt Lake City called "Retro Betty."

There was a basket of pre-loved vintage stuffed animals that day.

I bought an Easter bunny as well.

I always intended for Ellie to be a Valentine circus animal...so I chose red and aqua for her colors.  I love those colors for Valentine projects.  But she will fit in with all my circus creations. It was fun making her a cute clown collar and a party hat.  I can't help myself when it comes to party hats.  So many of my characters seem to have one.  It's the fastest way to feel festive!  I also made her a fancy box for her matinee performances.

Hat Close-up.

Ellie's Fancy Box!

Ellie's Clown Parade Baton.

Made from odds and ends and bits and bobs.

She's ready for the 1:00 p.m. show!

Circus Bear!

"Wheeler"

I love old stuffed animals on wheels.  I would love a collection of Steiff animals, but they are so expensive...especially the vintage ones.  I saw this funny old wheeled bear at Flea-o-logy in my friend Paula's booth.  I was in love!  I had to chase George down and beg for some extra cash...I had already exceeded my flea market allowance...lol!

He needed a little work.  I used some painted beads to replace the missing hubcaps and hold the wheels on.  I'm not sure I like these...I may change them later.  I made Wheeler a collar from a scrap of vintage fabric I have had forever.  The aqua polka dot matches the beads.  I didn't want to glue on his party hat, so it ties under his chin.  He is so stinkin' cute!

Party Hat!

Thanks for letting me share my new Circus Friends!

Vintage Vacation "Fairy Garden"...Yellowstone!

Yellowstone!

I have been in love with Yellowstone since I was a little girl. My memories of the family vacation we took there are like an old post card... worn on the edges, a bit faded and in soft focus. Yellowstone was the topic of my first Vintage Vacations that I posted on this blog.  The link is on the sidebar under Featured Post if you would like to travel there again.  There you will find some of the post cards and vintage souvenirs I have collected over the years.

Currently, my favorite things to make are Fairy Gardens...those fun and magical miniature landscapes found all over the Pinterest Galaxy.  My versions, however, don't use live plants and aren't found in my back yard or garden.  Because I cannot be trusted with living plants...they would die of neglect! So I use quirky containers and fake flowers and greenery to create little vignettes.  Last spring about this time I made my daughter Sascha an Alice in Wonderland fairy garden in a giant teacup and saucer.  Find it here: Alice's Merry Un-Birthday!  

Yesterday I came across this plaid Ohio Arts lunchbox that was a gift from my friend Tammy.  I had used it for a Christmas vignette, but like a bolt out of the blue I "saw" in my mind what it could become.  I am so grateful for these kinds of moments...my "crafting mojo" has been a bit on the fritz.

Who knows... if you like this one, maybe there will be a series of vacation fairy gardens in the future.

A Miniature Vintage Vacation!

Yellowstone Fairy Garden.

The trailer and chairs were a gift from my daughter Missy!

I used a post card graphic to line the inside of the lid.

A rustic pole gate is the entrance to the camp ground.

Side View.

I found the trees at Hobby Lobby on the aisle where they sell train miniatures.

They have quite a variety of trees, plants and greenery.

Back of the lid is a collage of Yellowstone graphics.

I prop the lid open with a rustic "log."

Don't Feed the Bears!

This little bear is one of a pair of souvenir shakers from Yellowstone.

He seems sad to find that sign on his favorite tree stump.

View from above.

It doesn't take much to create this simple vignette.

Fairy Garden Wreath

Fairy Garden Wreath from a Walmart wreath.

The mossy wreath was covered in pretty good fake succulents.

I added a few flowers and a rustic "measuring tape" ribbon.

It only took a few minutes to glue a little fence to the back.

Then I added dotty red mushrooms,  Seven Dwarf cake toppers and a wee bunny.

I adore these little fellows.

Circus Cloche

Circus cloche.

My crafting group made chicken wire cloches to put over plants.

Mine showcases a circus elephant.

The cloche joins the summer circus that will be on display for most of the summer in my living room.

Hope you enjoyed this miniature Vintage Vacation!

I Heart Mushrooms, Gnomes and Fairy Gardens...and Kitschen Clowns!

Oil Can Fairy Gardens...

I kind of went overboard this weekend on the fairy garden front...but Hobby Lobby had these really cute rusty oil cans in their "Man Cave" department...and they were 50% off!  I have wanted to make a fairy garden for some time.  I collected a bunch of ideas on my "I Heart Mushrooms, Gnomes & Fairy Garden" board on Pinterest, but just couldn't seem to settle on anything...until I found the cans.  Normally I would have used old coffee cans, but that would have required trolling the aisles of every antique store for reasonably priced rusty cans...and you know how lazy I am...lol!  I saw the perfect can in a cool store in Boulder City, Nevada, but they wanted $75 for it...so Hobby Lobby got my money this week.

 My first can...I liked how it turned out, so I went back and bought a few more.

The mushrooms are tart pans and sticks.

The gnomes are cake toppers...Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

I bought them from one of my bloggie buddies.

This can uses a Christmas ornament I've had for a few years

I thought Quaker State would be a good match for this gnome.

Snow White finds a wheel barrow full of "poison apples."

She doesn't look all that intelligent...she may eat them.

By the fourth oil can, I was running out of ideas, but there is a cute deer hidden in the weeds.

Steel Days Inspired...Kitchen Clown!

I found this clown's head in my pal Paula's booth at Treasures Antiques and stuck it

on one of the tins I painted for mushrooms.

Daughter Sascha said this tin would be perfect.

More circus figures from Paula.

Spice tins and a glue gun...it's starting to come together.

Come one, come all!  It's a Kitschen Klown!

Hope you're having a crafty week!

I've had a lot a fun with all this nonsense...lol!