Happy Halloween...Germany 1980!

 

Have the Happiest of Halloweens!

Our first family Halloween party...Germany 1980.

Amber and Missy as hurriedly-put-together Rag Dolls.

I miss these sweet little girls...they're all grown up now.

The little munchkin on the right has six little dolls of her own.

Halloween wasn't celebrated where we lived...so we few Americans made our own fun!

Luckily the PX carried a few decorations.

 

Have a Fun Night!!

 

 

My Vintage Christmas Tree Box!





One Week More...

Only one more week and I can officially start decorating for Christmas!  If I could leave it up all year I would.  I choose the colors of my home to harmonize with the colors of the season...can't have a jolt of neon orange spoiling my plans!  I don't know what I did before Pinterest...probably came up with my own original ideas!  LOL!  But sometimes you need a little inspiration to get the creative juices flowing. 

 

Inspired by Pinterest...

I fell in love with this beautiful box by J. Nichelle.

I almost fell on the floor...it's Christmas on steroids!

 

My Christmas Tree Box.

It's ginormous...almost 3 feet tall.

I had the box and the Noel Angels at hand.

 

I found the little fence in my workshop.

I made lamp posts for the little lanterns and refurbished the little tree.

Found this little guy in a bag of vintage ornaments at the D.I. thrift store.

The tree ornaments are mostly vintage, filled in with a few new items.

 

Plastic Santa was in same bag...a lucky find!

I loved the snowy look of the original box...but the bright colors of a vintage Christmas make me the happiest!

I can't wait to put this on my kitchen table next week!

 

Happy Christmas Crafting!

 

 



More German Christmas!

A New Life For Old Treasures...
I haven't posted a lot lately...I have been having too much fun giving some of my old treasures a makeover.  It's been over 30 years since I experienced a real German Christmas...so this year I am attempting to renew some of the old customs and give some new life to some of my old ornaments.  I mentioned on one of my recent posts that my first few years of married life were spent in Germany and my first Christmas trees were a combination of homemade, make do and a collection of handmade wooden ornaments.  West Germany was separated from its eastern half by the Berlin Wall and communism.  All the most coveted nutcrackers and other decorations were made in East Germany...and were very expensive.  I bought a box of about 60 little painted figures...they have given me many years of happiness. 



Shadowbox...

An old red-painted flatware box makes a fun display for small items.

I have very few of my original ornaments left.

The tiny mugs are from Japan.

 

Many were lost, broken, or sent with a married child on leaving home.

I found the Austrian skier at a thrift store on Wednesday.

You can never have too many polkadots.

 

Case in point...paper mache hearts for my tree.

Gnomes are from a sheet of stickers from West Germany.

Will also work for Valentines!

 

Brightly painted wooden shoe from Holland adorned for Christmas.

The shoe was a thrift store find.

Cute Dutch kissing couple...we lived near the Dutch border for awhile.

 

Kitchen Tree...

I made this tree for my sister's kitchen table...she doesn't know...shhhh!

The tree base is made from a vintage flour sifter.

Decorated with gingerbread cookies and tiny vintage-style untensils.

 

Have a Lovely Weekend,

 

 

Early Christmas Crafting...and a Sneak Peek!

Getting a Head Start...
I think that crafters can be forgiven for getting a headstart on Christmas crafting.  There are boutique booths to stock and Etsy shops to fill.  It's frustrating to have so many great ideas, but the necessary supplies haven't hit the stores yet.  I am itching to visit my favorite antique mall in Salt Lake City for vintage doodads.  Unlike eBay, the vendors at this mall are pretty reasonable on their prices.  I am so jealous of bloggers like Magpie Ethel who has hit the jackpot this year at many estate sales...which are not common around here.  Go visit her blog and try not to drool over all her vintage crafting supplies...and then see what she's created and listed on Etsy...Amazing!

Kleine Deutsche Dorf...

 

My Little German Village.

Although it has been more than thirty years since I lived in Germany, I am still in love with the Christmas decorations and customs.  I was a newlywed when we moved there...so most of my first Christmas ornaments were purchased there.  In a future post I will share some of my treasures.  This little village did not come home with me from Germany.  It is put together from thrift store finds and pieces of a tiny German village I have had for awhile.

The wooden display "house" I repainted, is only 9 1/2 " tall.

The little people are less than 1".

 

I added white polkadots to the tree and the tree base.

The little Danish girl was a souvenir from Epcot.

The angel is made in Japan...but looks German.

The colors are so bright and cheerful...they recall so many happy memories.

 

Sneak Peek...Shadow Box Swap

Believe it or not...this picture inspired the theme of my boxes.

Can you guess what it is?

Elizabeth of Creative Breathing is hosting this fun swap!

This is the box I made for me...

I won't reveal the 12 others...no two are just alike!

I envisioned Department Store windows...

...and shopping for Christmas supplies and decorations!

I love the tiny gingerbread cookie men!

The shadow boxes...made from Whitman candy boxes...are only 2.5" by 3.5"

How I love miniature worlds!

 

I have mentioned several times that it is a fantasy of mine to travel back in time and go shopping!  I don't want expensive things...just the Christmas toys and decorations of my childhood.  I hope the other swappers will like my boxes.  I couldn't wait until December 1 to post a bit about it...though I know it's like opening your presents before December 25th!  I hope to get these in the mail in the next few days...then I can clean off my kitchen counter!

 





Witches!

 

Witch Fest and a Swap...
Saturday was the perfect fall day.  Sunny, with blue skies and just a hint of crispness to the air.  It was the perfect day for a Mom and Daughter shopping trip to Gardner Village for Witch Fest.  Halloween wouldn't be the same without a visit to the old flour mill whose roots are deep in Utah history.  I especially love to visit there during the Christmas season when the grounds of the complex are taken over by hoards of Santa's elves.  The elves aren't the only invaders. September and October finds the village in the hands of dozens of wicked witches...each with her own personality.  Maybe they aren't so wicked after all...the children who visit them seem to be under their spell!

Gardner Village...

A Picture from their website Gardner Village 

 

Gardner Village is a fun restautant and shopping complex located on the site of Archibald Gardner's Mill in West Jordan, Utah.  Try to imagine a large grist mill, mattress factory, broom factory, blacksmith shop and general store.  Gardner, who was born in Kilsythe, Scotland, was one of the original settlers of Utah in 1847, when the first wave of Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

 

In addition to the huge mill itself, there is a small "Village"of shops .

 

The owners purchased and moved historic homes and buildings to create a cozy village with a stream and covered bridges.  The Gardner Mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Witches Invade the Mill...

 

Hey, how's it goin'?

 

Someone mis-filed her flight plan.

Mill Wheel diving contest.

Dosey Doe and away we go!

Red Hat Society membership chairwoman.

 

I'll get you, my pretty...and your little dog too!

Waiting for tasty children...

 

A leisurely cruise...

Hula Hoop Queen...

Scareport...Broomstick Airlines...

Splat!

Sascha and Amber.

Lunch at Archibald's Restaurant.

Each booth features a picture of one of his 11 wives.

They had 48 children and today there are over 10,000 descendants!

I have 13.

 

 

 Witchy Hat Swap!

These are the highlights...my favorite things!

The cutest and most amazing hat from Viv at Viv Out on a Whim.

I had so much fun swapping with her...she's so dang cute!

A Prized Possession!

I was thrilled to get one of Viv's Candy Corn Girlies.

I love this!  A Halloween Cracker filled with treats!

I want to make Christmas ones.

 

Off for another Witchy Day!

Taking my granddaughters to see the witches at Gardner Mill.

I can't get enough of Halloween fun!