Saturday, April 30, 2011

Vintage Ring-A-Dings brochure c.1973

I love finding interesting, graphic, funny, and informative vintage papers. Here's a Ring-A-Ding Ringcraft brochure from the seventies. Some great retro crafts for some brave soul to modernize!

"Crafts that built America strong are popular as Hobby Craft today. You can do your creative "thing" with Gould's idea rings"
My personal favorite is the pipe holder for the prince in your life–Kate, take notice.
I do really like the mobile idea, I've been wanting to create a mobile for each of my children's rooms and haven't done it yet. I was thinking more like butterflies and airplanes.
Check back for the next vintage brochure: ACME Juicerator (seriously!)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Frisco Texas In All It's Glory!

I need to re-live my warm happy weather days in Frisco. Here's a few pictures to look at. Didn't do the best job on photos this time around. . .

These were at a park near our hotel in Frisco. There were fountains and stone pathways winding through trees. Cactus, ponds, trees with weird roots, turtles and bulls. My husband noticed the statues were out of proportion and I offered him my "David" statue theory from Art History class. The heads are bigger for the viewer on the ground, so as to make it look more in proportion. He didn't believe me.
La Hacienda! The BEST EVER EVER fajitas I have EVER EVER had. YUM! And a tall Blood Orange Margarita that wasn't half bad. Living it up sitting in the patio by the fire. 

If only I'd had my camera for that Road Runner in the parking lot at the hotel.
So overall, Frisco seems like a nice place to go if you have a little money to spend. Everyone looked great. Not a shabby car in the lot, or any lot near us. I'll admit, I felt the need to get a hair cut and a new outfit just to hang. Which was a good thing. I needed a little sprucing up and this trip did it for me.
Now, what is this?
Ok, I know what it is . . .but really?

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Craft fair ideas and lessons learned

So like I said yesterday, my truck broke down on the way to my first craft fair. I think it was a blessing in disguise, it kinda took the pressure off. I didn't like setting up late but it gave me a chance to simplify. I took in the basics and got started.
I learned:
1. Price everything ahead of time. (I knew this but ran out of time so I was pricing some things as I set up.)

2. Have a plan of how to set up your display. I took a couple small metal shelves that I spray bombed white to match each other. I only used one and it worked well to add some height to my booth. I didn't know what to expect but everything turned out ok!

3. Don't forget your business cards, receipt book, seller's permit, pens, paper, chairs, sense of humor, etc. And your smile. A few vendors really looked unhappy and I couldn't help avoiding their tables.

4. I was planning on charging sales tax but I didn't find any other vendor that was. SO I didn't. I did think about making a tax chart so I wouldn't have had to use a calculator.

5. I sell jewelry, prints, cards and vintage items. I used my vintage dishes to display my earrings and it worked well and looked nice. I displayed my prints in a vintage file box.


I met some really great people that I hope to keep in contact with. I'm definitely no pro after this first run but I have a better handle on how I want to display my wares next time. And I definitely want to get out there and do it again.
If anyone has any ideas and lessons learned please share!
ps. I have to get some pics of my awesome craft fair barters and purchases. I'll share as soon as I do!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Frisco Texas, I miss you! & Craft fair

Still recovering from my trip to Texas and the craft fair. The VERY warm breezes/winds and super green landscape was a great pick-me-up from my current forever winter in Wisconsin. My first impressions of Texas were highways and shopping. In fact, everything seemed to revolve around shopping. Where I stayed in Frisco was nothing but strip malls and big malls and chain stores, yee haw!
Here's a teaser for my TX pics! More to come. . .
The craft fair started out a little stressful! Woke up to a half an inch of ice on everything! And then my truck broke down half way there. Luckily I had a cup of coffee and good company to pass the time waiting for our rescue. And, the craft fair peoples still let us set up late and participate.
Stay tuned for my craft fair summary. . .

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Craft fair prep, backhoe painting for R-dub

What a hectic week. I feel like I've accomplished a lot but not the whole list so I'm a little bummed. I had to take the time for a painting for my son. He wanted a 'backhoe digger' as he calls it so I grabbed a pic of his gramps on one and did a quick freehand and paint. Turned out pretty well considering I worked very quickly and without a real plan.
He likes it, that's all that matters!!!
Part of my craft fair list was getting all my earrings on cards and getting a better idea of what I have. I really don't have a lot but what I do have looks pretty good!




I'm loving the vintage dessert dishes as holders. Found those recently and only wish I wouldn't have passed on the 5th one, chipped or not. I'm going to use a couple small casserole dishes to stack my greeting cards in.
Headed to the heat of Texas, no I didn't mean heart. Should be interesting and hopefully fun and relaxing.
See you next week for a wrap up of my craft fair prep and more pics!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Craft fair, watching Hop, and TX

Craft fair preparations:
*I bought some blank white gift bags and have printed about half of them with my chair and trike lino-cuts. I figure if I can get my cute bags circulating maybe it'll send some people my direction.
*Also got the rest of my tables today to figure out my display. Wish I knew what to expect! I'm going to try to have a few plans so I can be SUPER flexible on how I set up.
*Ordered some MOO mini cards. I liked their business cards but thought I'd give these a try.
*I've got my peoples (aka my wonderful mother-in-law) working on the table covers and I'm almost done designing the earring holders.
So much more to do and I'm running out of time. And a trip to TX. What have I got myself into to?

Had an AWESOME day out and about with the kids. My son got his first professional non mommy hair cut and we went to see Hop at the Cinema. We didn't make it through the whole movie, too much reality, not enough cartoon for the kids.
One of the cute snapshots at the mall today. . .
Feet at rest. . .for a moment

Friday, April 1, 2011

Out and About in Oshkosh and Ripon

So, wow, it's April and I don't know where this last week went. The bachelorette party went so good I did not want to get up in the morning! So nice to hang out with the girls instead of the toddlers, though I love them so. Hung out in Ripon and checked out the local scene. I didn't know until I drove into town that Ripon is supposedly the birth place of the Republican Party.
Quiet Saturday night in downtown Ripon WI





Me and the kids hung out at Grandma and Grandpa's house for a couple days. I was lucky to get out and go shopping/thrifting. If you are in Oshkosh and want GOOD GOOD food, try The Chalice. I had to stop and get some Tomato & Cheese bread on the way to the thrift store. Thick doughy bread topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil. The bartender told me the sauce they use is merely ketchup and mayonnaise (hard to believe). I also recommend the portabella appetizer, french onion soup, any sandwich, YUM!
They are on the northeast side of town by the newest round-a-bout that noone seems to get yet. hee hee.
This pic makes me drool, it's addictive food!
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