Where has the time gone...

So the blog has been quiet for the last month. Things have been really busy around here between getting Christmas orders made and shipped, Getting a few orders for stores ready, and of course the Christmas shows. I thank everyone who stopped by to see us at one of the shows recently. Its so nice to meet everyone.

Im off to go make some infinity scarfs today for a big order, and dyes some more canvas to make some Lazarette clutches tomorrow.

But in other news, The Parade Of lights is this weekend in Annapolis, and im pretty excited about going this year because ive been invited to a waterfront house party so I can enjoy the parade from indoors where its warm!

Here are some pics from years past, Hopefully ill get so good shots to share for next week.

Candle Light Tour - Kitchen Inspiration

Last friday I did the Candle light tour in Annapolis with some friends. Which is an event held every year in one one of the historic neighborhoods of Annapolis and they get about 10 family's to open up there house to the public.

We got a late start this year because we took to long with dinner and drinks before hand, so we only made it to 7 out of the 10 homes.

I was sort of disappointing that 4 of the homes were new construction or built in the last 10 years and didn't have the old charm of the homes built in the 1900's. I get to see plenty of newly cookie cutter homes that are decorated well with my day job.

My favorite home was a 1920's 4 square that had all the modern amenities. The first floor was painted a gorgeous mocha color which made it warm and inviting and made all the original white moldings pop. The home owners were defiantly chefs, because the kitchen was the best part. It had white cabinets along the back walls with a dark gray island that had a troff skin that ran thru the center of the island for easy disposal when chopping.

I know having the island a different color from the rest of the cabinets is not a new idea, but seeing it so well done just reminded me how I hope to one day have a kitchen larger then a postage stamp so that I can have my own.

Here are some pictures I have been collecting for inspiration.

All images from here

Fall Series

Over the weekend we were the race committee for the last races of the fall series. It turned out to be a crisp, bright and beautiful day. Im still kicking myself because I left my camera sitting on my desk. A true digital camera the new Iphone is not, specially on a moving boat. But here are some of the pictures, they didn't quite capture all the fall colors but came out alright.

Happy Holloween!!

We usually carve pumpkins every year, which sadly no one ever see's because we live on a peninsula and we only have 2 neighbors past us, and in the 5 years I have lived here I have yet to get a trick-r-treat-er.

This year we got 2 nice pumpkins and had plans of doing something like the pumpkins below, but life got in the way and they never got carved/painted. Maybe next year right?

from here

from here

from here

Maybe Ill get inspired to put something to the pumpkins this evening... put who knows.

Happy St. Crispin's Day

St. Chrispin is the patron saint of shoemakers, just in case you aren't up to speed on your Saint knowledge you can read more about it here.

We used to celebrate this holiday every year in my shoe construction class. And, although it has been 6+ years since I have put leather to last I still would like to think that if I wanted to I could grab one of the antique lasts I collect and bang out a shoe in no time. Im sure that is just wishful thinking... but today I am thinking I have a saint on my side.

a cobbler from the 20's, shoe makers during war time, and a collection of vintage shoe lasts... I have been collecting these pictures for so long I no idea where I got them from.

Wordless Wednedays - Drops

Sort of what i am seeing out my office window today

Midnight Calling

I have always loved owls. They can be cute, spooky, and mysterious all at the same time. That is until I had one move in to the tree outside my bedroom window. He showed up a couple of winters ago and and stays for a few months and then as it gets warmer he moves on. So I guess our cool evenings have brought him back to our area and he is perched in his tree, with the ho hoooing starting at 11pm and going thru the morning. Being an terribly light sleeper at night, I seem to have one more distraction to keep me from my dreams.

So I dedicate this post to my seasonal neighbor Mr. Owl who kept me up until the wee hours last night/this morning.

Owl items: Photo, Sewing scissors, mug, switch plate, night stand.

Driftwood

The heavy rain the east coast had last week caused high tides and major flooded along the Susquehanna river.

Which has caused lots and lots of debris in the bay, and on our beach.

Last night while we were racing the Wednesday night series we had to dodge all the branches and logs that were poking out of the water.

After seeing a mirror made of drift wood a few years back at Anthropologie that was over $1500 I started collected the pieces that would wash up on our little sand spit or that I picked up off the beach down at the ocean.

Over the last 2 days i've been able to add a lot to my collection.

and thats just what I pulled out of the water around the dock and shoreline this morning.

Now im trying to decide what to make with all of the driftwood.

Studio - Orchid Flower Garland

Over the labor holiday weekend, one of my good friends younger brother got married. His bride really wanted flower garlands to hang around the Gazebo they were getting married under in her wedding colors of pink, yellow, and white.

So I took a break from all the bags and jewelry and put these together for her.

I laid the flowers out in the order I wanted to put them on the strings first, and it took up almost my entire work space. Which look so pretty and delicate I couldnt resist snapping a few pictures of them.

I made the bride a cute little pouch in hand dyed natural canvas with some old crocheted lace from my grandmothers collection along the front. I also painted her wedding date on the internet back wall. I thought it went with the "Something Old, and something Blue" Theme nicely.

The Calm Before The Storm

So last night was a beautiful evening here on the Chesapeake bay, you would never guess Hurricane Irene would be stopping by soon. Other then all the people scurrying around to pulled there boats out, or add extra lines to the boats that staying in to brave the storm. We pulled our J24 out, but my father brought his boat over because we are on a much more protected creek then he is.

The Wind is just started to kick up now, so we parked all the cars across the street so no trees land out them.

I always get really excited about storms and the energy that comes with them. All the reports are still non-committal about what Irene is going to do, weather she'll stay off shore or come closer in or even head up the bay.

We've battened down all the hatches, gotten our little generator out, have plenty of books to read and movies to watch. SO BRING IT IRENE!!, we waiting for ya.