Dime Store Chic

Something New for Etsy

I listed some new things in my etsy shop today. In my previous blog I showed you a pic of the the corsages I made on vacation. I listed six of them today. Take a look if you'd like to! Here's one of my favorites:

I love making these! I was asked a while ago why I give each one a name. Simply put it is the easiest way for me to keep them straight and to make certain I send my wonderful customers what they bought. Each corsage is one-of-a-kind, but there's always the chance I could send out the wrong one. The names are from flowers chosen from a little book of flowers on my desk. It's fun to choose names for the corsages, but not as fun as it is to make them!

I'm offering a couple of new type of things on etsy this week. I call them Fun Crafty Collections. Over the years I have, like many of you, accumulated many vintage items. I couldn't possibly use them all. I went through my collection of vintage ephemera, sewing, and everything else and assembled two different kits for crafters to create in infinite ways. The first kit is a collection of vintage things related to school, learning, play, and childhood:

The other crafty collection is all about PINK! It is a happy and versatile color. I had a great time choosing things for this collection all neatly tucked into a vintage sewing basket:

I need to get back to work. Lots of things to make, don't 'cha know! See you all in blogland! XXOO, Beth

A Wonderful and Relaxing Vacation!

We just returned from a wonderful and very relaxing week at the family cottage on a tranquil river near the Chesapeake Bay! The cottage is located in Virginia's historic Northern Neck. George Washington and his mother were born in the Northern Neck, and the county where our cottage is located is very rural with farming and crabbing being the primary industries. It is a wonderful vacation place and I have been going down there ever since I was born. Here's a travelogue with a lot of pictures!

The first thing we did was stop by Cap'n Reds to pick up some nasty fish bait to put in the crabpots which are essentially chicken wire boxes tethered to the end of our dock and resting on the sandy river bottom. This is what the bait got us this week:

I don't care for crab, but hubby and son certainly do! They picked the meat from these and made crabcakes later!

One of my fave things to do is go to the MANY thrift shops in the area. They're tucked in here and there. My aunt Lorraine and her friend Jo Ann run my fave thrift shop!

The thrift shop benefits the Northumberland County Animal Shelter and is open tuesday mornings (8-12), friday afternoon (12-5) and the third Saturday of the month. It is located on Highway 360 in Lottsburg on the side of the School Board building. It is packed FULL of cool stuff!

Here are some cool salt and pepper shakers at the thrift store!

Lorraine and Jo Ann are always willing to give smiles and lots of help for FREE! Please stop in and help out the animals! 100% of proceeds from the thrift shop go for medicine for the animals in the shelter.

Here's what I bought at the thrift store! I promise I left plenty for you all!

Well, a busy thrifting gal needs to get something to eat! So does hubby and son who've been working and soaking up the sun and water fun! This is my favorite place to buy seafood! The deli offers the freshest and tastiest seafood---crab is a specialty!

This is Cockrells Creek Seafood and Deli near the town of Reedville. Crabbers and fishermen bring their catch here and it's processed and sold on site. YUM!

One of the nearby towns is the "tony" town of Irvington. Home to the famous Tides Inn, it also home to unique architecture in the Northern Neck. Irvington is quite small, but take a look at these quaint and unusual structures:

The Hope and Glory Inn was voted the BEST bed and breakfast in America! It is famous for its outdoor bathtub!

This wonderful architect's office building is across the street from the Hope and Glory! Love it!

You only get one guess as to what happens in this building. Don't you ADORE the columns?!

On the road into Irvington, is White Fences Vineyards. The giant corkscrew is one of two on either side of the entrance!

Take a look at how heavy the grapes hang on the vines! After driving along the lane into the vineyard you encounter a charming and quaint neighborhood of reproduced Victorian "tent" houses. These are nestled in the oak and pine woods away from Irvington Road and are owned and rented out. Aren't they just adorable?

This is the bath house and pool!

One afternoon, a big sailing ship cruised into our river and dropped anchor there. This is the Maryland Dove partly-owned by the National Geographic. It is a reproduction 17th century sailing ship on it's way to a gathering of John Smith/Jamestown era ships further down the bay. The Maryland Dove decided to spend the night in our river.

Our Australian Cattle Dog had a great time in the water!

She also conked out in places she shouldn't have, like between the pillows on our bed!

I am always inclined to create when I'm on vacation. I got bit by the crafting bug very hard and turned out 17 new corsages this week! I hope to offer them individually on etsy this week and later some will be added to my totes!

Who says vacations can't be crafty too? Hope you all enjoy and find something FUN to do as summer winds down! XXOO, Beth

A Critter From Michelle :)))

Yesterday the cutest critter arrived on our doorstep!

The super-creative Michelle sent me this FABULOUS sheet-critter! I think it's a cat, but hubby and son think it could be a dog with pointy ears! Either way it is super adorable and now has a treasured place in my comfy office/studio chair! Michelle was such a sweetie and decided I should have one of her critters after I left her a comment on her blog about one of her first  critter creations--Too Gosh Darn Cute! Take a look at her fab blog Vintage Thrift and Craft!

Take a closer look at the delighful re-purposing Michelle did with crochet for the eyes and nose with pink buttons on top! I love the little stitced red mouth too! Thanks so much, Michelle! XXOO!

Well, we're off for a week to Virginia's wonderful Chesapeake Bay area to the family river cottage for lots o' fun and relaxation. I plan on driving around to the various thrift shops in the area and eating lots of fresh seafood! I'll take pics and blog when we return as the email is very limited! Take care! XXOO, Beth

Birthday Boy and Projects In Progress

We have a teenager in our house now! Our creative, cute, and quirky son, Owen, turned 13 today! He was so excited in anticipating his birthday presents and party that he didn't sleep but a very short time last niight. He kept getting up and waking us up to tell us he couldn't sleep. He spent most of the night in hubby's "man cave" watching cartoons, reading comic books and playing his Game Boy. When we awoke at 5:30 he was right there ready and waiting, bright-eyed and wound up. What he had hoped he'd get above anything in the world was a die-cast Transformer that is basically the size of our cat.

Isn't it wonderful to be so excited about something that you can't sleep?!  That's one of those wonders of childhood that I want to keep with me always! The last time I had a hard time sleeping and got up VERY early was when I was going to the Big Flea with my BFF Suzy.

I am inspired by many things. Some of those things are on my inspiration board. Right now is it chock full of things I like and want to glance at now and then. The colors, textures, and spirit these things evoke keep me on my creative toes. Here's a sampling:

What a mess! But it's a fun mess!

LOts of things that dangle and sparkle! A party doll Suzy gave me. A yellow bunny ears bag closure from Japan which shows that even the most mundane of objects can have good design. Baby shoes from long ago.

A prototype for my corsages offered on etsy, the first one I made when the idea was just a little nugget in my brain. And of course a few Elvis souvenirs from when we stopped by Graceland on our way home from driving from D.C. to Vegas and back in 2004. It is, after all, the 30th anniversary of EP's death.

I found the daisy push pins at this wonderful Japanese store that, alas, is no longer in our area, The diploma is the only one I display. I mean, kindergarten was the BEST wasn't it? On a previous post I showed you the house of my kindergarten teacher which was next door to the cottage where I attended kindergarten back in 1965-66.

I have been very busy with writing a new romance which I'm quite excited about. It's a contemporary set story, a departure from my first book, a historical romance. After my writing morning ends (which starts at 6:30 a.m., I am happily busy in the afternoon creating new pin cushion and purses, and some other things too. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed at having so many options for creation set before me and some days I feel like I spin my wheels and just get a little bit of this and a little bit of that done without finishing anything. But every project must have a beginning and here is how my totes begin:

Stacks of fabric and interfacing pieces cut and ready to be ironed. These are a total of seven smaller totes I'm making for the fabulous maeven of quilting, Pat Sloan at Quiltershome.com. And speaking of Pat...

She requested pin cushions too! Here are the pin cushion bodies I made ready for trims, adornments, and a vintage figurine on top!

I was inspired from looking at the dangling items on my inspiration board to make some lush, dangly keychains. I'm not sure if these are close to finished, but I like the colors and textures. Something different, something for a little gift sometime...Well, back to work. I ahve a birthday party to go to. Water balloons and silly string and PIZZA!~~~Give me strength ;) XXOO, Beth

The Winner Is... and Lovely Swaps

This morning I cut out all of of the names for the magazine give-away and placed them in a cardboard suitcase. It drew attention from cat, dog, and son (see toes).

My son drew a name...with kitty's help.

And the winner is...MICA!

Congrats, Mica! It's a funny coincidence as Mica happens to by my swap partner for the Vintage Kitchen Swap she is also hosting.  Small world! Thanks so much to all of you who posted a comment about your favorite missed childhood toy! It was such fun to read them and re-live such fond memories!

Speaking of childhood toys...

I recieved an unexpected and WONDERFUL package from TammyCA the other day! It was thus FAB Marry Poppins record/storybook! I love it so much! Now, my delimma, is I don't have Miss Tammy's email. I checked my blog post where Tammy had left a comment and couldn't link to her. Oh the frustration! So, TammyCA, please PLEASE get in touch with me and leave me your email addy! I want to express my thanks and deep appreciation for your kindness. Infact, I'm mailing a little something I hope you can use in your creations to you today :)

And speaking of Mary Poppins, you'll see the parrot umbrella I posted about a while ago, AND you'll see a Mary Poppins art doll hat made by the fabulous AMY at Crafting By Candlelight! My Mary doll hat is practically perfect in everyway--just like Mary herself!

I was LUCKY to have two art doll hat partners! This lovely LOVELY art doll hat was created for me by the mega talented Leah!

To my knowledge, Miss Leah of Sunny California, doesn't have a blog or website so I can't give you a link to her (Leah, if you do, let me know!), BUT look at what this talented sweetheart made for me!

I LOVE swaps! It's an addiction :) Have a wonderful day! XXOO, Beth

Another Give-Away and More on Ebay & Etsy

Ever since I returned home with lots of things I found at antique malls and estate sales in RIchmond, VA, I needed to create! You know how it is: a whole fresh batch of vintage finds fires up your creative flame and you just have to make something. I also realized that I needed more room in my studio/office. What to do ? What to do?

A give-away!

I have way too many magazines and some of them are way too nice to put in the recycling bin, so I decided that you all, my crafty creative pals in blogland might like them.

Take a look at this collection of Somerset publications as well as issues of Cloth, Paper, Scissors. I even found a few more after I took this picture! I am giving them ALL away in one batch! All you need to do is post a comment on THIS blog entry. BUT that comment MUST include the name of a favorite childhood toy that you NO longer own and WISH you still had. I'll give you an idea: When I was about 10 my fave show was "H.R. Pufnstuf". I used to own a plastic Freddy the Flute that I paid 50 cents for by sending in a cereal box top. Along the way I lost Freddy. I have seen Freddy on eBay for about $200! Not going to pay that unless I win the lottery. That's my sad, silly little story. Now, it's your turn. AND next tuesday, August 14th, I'll draw a name and email the winner to get her/his mailing addy. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS PACKAGE IS HEAVY, I can only afford to mail it to USA residents ONLY via Media Mail. Sorry to all of my international pals :(

I have been very busy making some of my finds into totes, corsages, and pin cushions for eBay and Etsy. Here are the three pin cushions I posted on Ebay Beth's Bagz on Sunday, Aug. 5.

And I posted four new totes on Etsy Beth's Bagz. I have had requests to put my vintage millinery flower corsages on the totes and sell them together. I did just that with three floral totes! Here's one:

What else can you do when it's 100 degrees with about 90 percent humidity outside? I say stay inside and create! Hope you're having a lovely summer day too! Don't forget to enter the give-away!

XXOO, Beth

Antiquing, Thrifting and Richmond Memories

We returned home yesterday to a 91 degree HOT house! Hubby turned off the AC while we were gone, and I couldn't call the neighbor's daughter before she went to work to turn it on before we came home. Took all afternoon before we could get the house to cool down. I don't think hubby will turn the AC off completely again.

We had a lovely time in Richmond. Hubby was away most of the days at a conference, and I got to play! I decided to snap a few pics of where I grew up. Bon Air, Virginia is a nice little suburb of Richmond and it was orginally a Victorian resort community. Some of that lingers in the old houses. But I decided to take photos of a more personal nature.

I was born in downtown Richmond in the Medical College of Virginia. MCV has been around since before the Civil War, I was born after the Civil War ;) The first building of the medical school was an unusual Egyptian Revival style building. My grandfather went to this school, and for fun he used to take my grandmother when he was dating her down to the morgue. I'm surprised she married him after that!

My hubby went to MCV, and I met him not too far from the campus. He never took me to the morgue! This building is one of the finest examples of Egyptian Revival architecture in the world.

This is the Hazen Library. It was built on 1902 and was a library until 1975. Mom used to take me here where I would have to use a step stool to reach the books on the high shelves. This little building is empty and hopefully will be restored and given a new purpose. Here's a close up of the lovely door knob:

I went to kindergarten before Bon AIr had public school kindergarten. Oh, yeah, I'm THAT old! I went to kindergarten in 1965-66. The lovely Genevive Lang taught our class from her hubby's workshop out-building that she had refurbished into a wonderful kindergarten. She had a pet goat in a pen in the fields nearby. Icabod was his name and one day he ate my Twinkie, wrapper and all! We once took a field trip to the goat farm where Icabod was born (it is now a shopping center). I remember if you were very quiet and still during naptime, you got to have naptime the next day on top of one of the three work tables. Here is Mrs. Lang's house which was beside our kindergarten. Isn't it lovely? I don't think she lives there now.

After kindergarten I entered Bon Air elementary until the fourth grade when a new school was built. Here is my fourth grade class room:

I was thrilled to go to a brand new school and only attended fourth grade here for a week!

While in Richmond, I visited as many area antique malls as I could. I had a ball! Here is my haul from the antique malls:

Lots of vintage jewelry and fabric! Can't wait to create!

The last day in Richmond was very fun! I went to an estate sale where everything was pretty much fifty cents or a dollar! It's one of those sales where you step in when they first open and you start to hyperventilate because there is so much and it's so wonderful! I didn't pay more than fifty cents or a dollar for anything. Here's my haul. I spent a total of $17 for all of it!

I LOVE vintage paper dolls! Aren't the graphics on the Lullaby dolls wonderful?

Fabric, tablecloth, and a baby memories book!

A pretty gameboard for future framing, figurines destined for future pin cushions, metal tims, days of the week hankies, odds and ends for all sorts of creations!

I snagged the Betsy MCCall Pretty Pac case first. SO sweet! The pink doll carriages will adorn baby shower gifts. This was one of the best estate sales I've ever attended. I'm soooo glad I got there when they opened because they let us all in 15 minutes early!

Have a happy, fun thrifty weekend! Now, I need to go use these things and make something!

XXOO, Beth 

Thalhimers Cake and Thrifting In Richmond, VA

I am visiting my hometown of Richmond, VA this week. I have had such fun visiting places I enjoyed growing up here and re-living some fond memories. One of the fondest memories was the six-layer chocolate cake my grandmother would bring from the Thalhimer's Bake Shop. The brick-shaped cake was always placed in a black and white checker box with string keeping the sugary goodness inside! The coveted piece of this wonderfully chocolaty cake was the end piece where a good deal of the icing resided.

Thalhimers and my dear grandmother are no longer with us. But my grandmother's sweet memory lives in everything I create on her fabulous 1930's sewing table. AND the recipe of the Thalhimers cake has been resurrected by the Ukrop's Supermarket bakery. The black and white checker box is gone now, replaced by a plastic container, but the cake is still as delicious as ever! Here is a picture for your mouth to water over!

Here's a delicious cross-section!

Oh, yes, and I got the coveted end piece!

Now, I just wouldn't leave you to drool and wonder what this wonderful cake tastes like. Here's the recipe! Have yummy fun!

Thalhimers' Bakery Six Layer Chocolate Cake

Yellow Cake:
1 cup solid shortening, such as Crisco
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing:
3/4 cup hot water
4 1/4 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 1/8 teaspoons hot water

Yellow cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat shortening and sugar with a heavy-duty mixer on a medium setting for about 2 minutes. One at a time add the eggs; beat until yellow disappears. Alternately mix in dry ingredients (salt, flour and baking powder) with the milk, ending with the dry ingredients. Blend in vanilla extract. Pour batter into 2 baking pans (about 17 inches long by 12 inches wide by 1 inch deep) filled 1/4 inch deep. Bake for 30 minutes, checking for doneness after about 20 minutes. Cool. Cut into 6 rectangular slices 8 inches long x 4 1/2 inches wide.

Chocolate icing: Slowly mix hot water into powdered sugar. Add the melted chocolate. Beat by hand until smooth. Add 1 1/8 teaspoons water. Beat again. Frost one layer of cake and put another layer on top and frost. Let it sit a minute to set or the layer may slip off. Repeat until all six layers are frosted. Frost top, sides and ends. Cake size should be 8 inches long by 41/2 inches wide by 4 inches tall.

One tuesday, I popped into a new Goodwill shop and found these plastic flowers! Then I went into the Quaker Thrift Shop and found the red and white polka dotg fabric and the cute pale blue ribbon! Next door to the Quaker Thrift store, is the Midlothian Antiques Center. I found one sweet item: the little girl Valentine bell. She will no doubt be the centerpiece of a future pin cushion!

I ate lunch here:

I had two donuts to fuel me for more antiquing! Why not??? This Krispy Kreme Donuts on Brad Street in Richmond has been here forever, however the building is updated from the old one I remember with it's small counter and screen door where you could peek through and see the donuts being made coming down the conveyor belt. This was the best place for a late-night sugar fix! I hope to blog more tomorrow about more antique mall finds!