The T-Cozy

Let It Glow

2009-12-16T14:06:58-05:00

This Sunday, our friends Dede and Ed are hosting a Winter Solstice party. Each guest is asked to bring a candle from home so that, on the longest and darkest night of the year, we can ceremoniously light all of the candles en masse. What fun; I love that idea!

I want our candle to also be their host/hostess gift, so I headed out to Target this morning to see what I could find. I was a little dismayed as the shelves in the home decor section were a bit bare and the merchandise was somewhat picked over.

So with limited choices, I decided to purchase a glittery silver pillar candle, a jar of translucent aqua vase filler, and an etched glass candle holder that looks a little like frost on a windowpane.

I simply placed the unwrapped candle in the holder, filled it about half way with the glass stones, and added some ribbon. Voilà! So pretty and oh so easy! And like me, Dede loves the ocean so I'm sure she'll like the color scheme and, particularly, the glass stones that are reminiscent of sea glass.

Just for fun, I placed the candle, surrounded by more glass stones, on a vintage aluminum tray. That's awfully pretty, too!

I'm looking forward to the party and seeing everyone's candles all aglow. I'm also looking forward to daylight growing longer little by little. Aren't you?

Susan

Have Cake Will Travel

2009-12-14T07:31:57-05:00

When it comes to vintage goodies, I love items that are both useful and decorative, like my newest find below. Resealable metal containers, called cake carriers or keepers, were the precursors of Tupperware. They helped safely transport precious pies and cakes to Christmas parties, book club meetings, luncheons, and picnics during the 1930's through the 50's.

Cake keepers in good condition are getting harder to find, so I was pleased to come across this one that will make an appearance in my Etsy shop later today. Finding one that is clean, not dented or rusty can be quite a feat. Who would want to put a luscious cake, like the ones below, in a carrier that is all icky inside?

Aren't these cakes incredible? They are just some of the delectable baked goods offered for sale on my sister Judy's website. She and Phyllis, her best friend of 50 years, have a sweet company called Baker Babes.

Is your mouth watering yet? If these gorgeous cakes didn't do it for you, maybe more photos of charming cake keepers will.

The green one is part of my personal nasturtium pattern kitchenware collection. The others are ones that I have sold in the past. Aren't they fun?

Last December, Hannah treated us to the yummy chocolate chip pecan pie above. (You can find the recipe here.) She'll be home from college by week's end for winter break. I can't wait to see her. I sure hope she'll bake us another delicious pie!

Susan

The Miracle of Light

2009-12-11T15:40:56-05:00

As I stepped outside for my early morning walk, I had a feeling it was going to be a spectacular sunrise. With the temperature in the twenties and the wind chill hovering around zero, I rushed back inside, added a few more layers of clothing and grabbed my camera. Enduring the cold was worth it today.

What a light show! And tonight as the suns sets, more lights will glow as Chanukah candles are kindled around the world.

To those of you who celebrate this festival of lights, I wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful Chanukah.

Susan

A Blustery Day Project

2009-12-09T18:50:54-05:00

When I got up this morning to 40mph winds and driving rain, I knew my plans for the day had to change. The weather was so foul that my morning walk and errand run would have to wait. Instead, I decided to hunker down in my studio and try my hand at another bark cloth tack board.

I gathered together my materials: a chippy old picture frame, 1940's bark cloth, my staple gun, foam core and cork panels.

I followed the same instructions as the larger tack board I made a couple of weeks ago.

For a bulletin board like this, I like to use bark cloth because it is sturdy and its textured appearance will hide any holes created from thumb tacks.

Even when nothing is tacked to this board, its bark cloth design will be pleasing to look at and is much more interesting than fabric with a repetitive pattern would be.

I'm so pleased with how my latest tack board turned out. Isn't is pretty as a picture? And I've just listed it in my Etsy shop! Use it to display a favorite photo, note, or tear sheets for inspiration in your studio, office or craft room.

Right after I finished this blustery day project, the weather settled down here by early afternoon. I was finally able to get out for a brisk walk, but I'll have to tackle my long list of errands tomorrow.

Susan

T-Party Gifts for Every Budget

2009-12-07T14:24:17-05:00

I've had a few late nights in T-Party's "shipping department" lately. Several of my favorite customers and lots of new patrons have kept me busy packing up yummy purchases filled with vintage goodness. I work hard to ensure that everything shipped from my sweet little studio will arrive safely. I also take great care in selecting what I offer for sale on my website, in my Etsy shop , and on Kitsch Encounter . And virtually all of my items are easy on the budget.

Here is a sampling of T-Party's most affordable goodies that are for sale this holiday season.

~ G I F T S U N D E R $ 1 0 ~

~ G I F T S U N D E R $ 2 0 ~

~ G I F T S U N D E R $ 3 0 ~

If you'd like to find items for sale on T-Party's website, click here; for items in T-Party's Etsy shop, click here; and to be redirected to Kitsch Encounter, click here.

Happy shopping!

Susan

Elevating the Cuteness Factor

2009-12-03T16:57:37-05:00

I just couldn't resist. Now that I have a stash of vintage decals, I embellished another item . . .

This primitive wooden caddy is the perfect place to display a favorite book. These rose decals have certainly elevated its cuteness factor, don't you think? (It's for sale in my Etsy shop here.)

Around our house, I have many items that sport their original 1940's decals applied by housewives from the past, like the vintage soap powder dispensers that reside on top of our Hoosier cabinet.

Even this vintage wooden Dutch girl piece has tiny flower decals.

A couple of canisters wearing charming decals of a lady in her garden are perched on an antique doll dresser in my studio.

Atop my kitchen's pie safe, you'll find a rusty old bread box with another lady decal.

Here's the rest of my soap powder dispenser collection with their decal embellishments.

And lastly, on my studio's computer desk, an old napkin holder with a water lily decal holds the mail.

These vintage pieces proudly wear their original decals, applied by do-it-yourselfers from days gone by. This week, I've been consumed with decals, having spent hours listing my Meyercord lot on Etsy. And I've also had a little fun with decal decorating, as well.

Susan

Decorating with Meyercord Decals

2009-12-01T14:13:55-05:00

I am an avid collector of kitchenware from the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
And as I look around at all of my vintage canisters, napkins holders, bread boxes and such, I notice that several of them are embellished with old transfer decorations called decals. Some have patterns that are lithographed or painted on. But my favorite pieces sport cheerful decals that were applied by housewives over 50 years ago. When I recently acquired a large lot of original Meyercord decals in perfect condition, I was so excited. Now I could try my hand at transforming a few household items. And you can, too, as I'll be listing these decals in my Etsy shop by week's end.

But first, I decided to give a sample sheet of decals a try. I rounded up an old wooden corner shelf and a miniature display stool. Both were devoid of decoration, perfect for a little decal experimentation.

I chose to use a sheet of rose decals. Since there are eight separate images on the sheet, I needed to cut the designs apart. All you need is water to apply these vintage decals, so I had a container of warm water on hand. I dipped the first decal in and let it soak for 20 seconds. Once it started to release from its backing paper, I took it out and set it aside for a minute. Then it was ready to apply.

I started with the corner shelf and placed each rose decal in position, gently smoothing them out with a soft cloth.

Next I moved on to the little stool where I decided to use two larger decals together. Once all of the decals were applied, I let them dry for a few minutes. Then my decal divas were done!

How easy was that? Plus, it was super quick, only taking a couple of minutes to complete each piece.

Just look at how much vintage charm these decals added. So sweet! (These pieces are for sale in my Etsy shop here.)

Back in the day, ladies had hundreds of decal designs to choose from, in loads of styles, colors and sizes. They used them on kitchen cabinets, glassware, canisters, bread boxes, bathroom walls, dinette sets, nursery furniture---you name it. In two short minutes, these decals added color, charm and beauty to their rooms.

What fun to be able to give these original 1940's decals a try.

Susan

Jingle Blend is Back

2009-11-29T13:03:15-05:00

Not a fan of egg nog? How about some tea instead! Jingle Blend is T-Party's limited edition holiday loose leaf tea. And as a gift of gratitude to my loyal patrons this season, it will only be offered free with purchase through December.

All orders placed on my website, Tpartyantiques.com, of $20 or more (before shipping) will receive a free 2-ounce sample tin of T-Party's Jingle Blend. It’s a merry mix of of China and Ceylon black teas, Rooibos, peppermint and blue Mallow blossoms, delicately scented with vanilla.

Ever so fragrant when brewed, Jingle Blend's yummy aroma reminds me of a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie. At my former tea room, folks couldn't get enough of it. I do hope you'll enjoy it, too. This cozy blend is sure to enliven your tea time this winter.

Susan

A Picturesque Project: My New Tack Board

2009-11-27T07:39:56-05:00

What do you get when you combine an old picture frame with a bark cloth remnant, a few squares of cork, and a chunk of foam core? You get a handmade one-of-a-kind tack board! I've been wanting to put this wooden frame, below, to good use for some time now. And I've also been saving a fabulous piece of vintage bark cloth for just the right project. When I came across a new book called One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, I found simple instructions for a useful addition to my studio.

I began with this large vintage picture frame which was given to me a few years ago by a generous T-Party patron. It was already painted a perfect shade of aqua. I found the Asian-inspired 1940's bark cloth remnant at the neighborhood estate sale I went to in October.

I headed over to Staples and purchased a pack of four cork bulletin board tiles. I pieced them together and used spray adhesive to attach them securely to a scrap piece of foam core left over from my kids' science fair projects. Then I trimmed the foam core so it was a bit larger than the frame's opening.

I ironed on fusible interfacing to the back of the bark cloth to reinforce it. Next, using a staple gun, I carefully stretched and stapled the bark cloth to the underside of the picture frame. Lastly, I attached the cork-covered foam core to the backside of the frame using heavy duty duct tape.

And there you have it! Isn't it fun? This board will be so handy for tacking up notes and bits of inspiration in my studio. And it will be pretty to have around even when I don't have anything pinned to it. You can't say that for most bulletin boards.

This picturesque project was super easy. And what a great way to repurposed a vintage frame and fabric.

Susan

A Day of Gratitude

2009-11-26T05:04:12-05:00

Father, mother, daughter, son, neighbor, friend, and friendless;
All together everyone, let grateful days be endless.
--- Mary Chapin Carpenter

Wishing you and yours a joyous and peaceful Thanksgiving,

Susan

Coming Attractions

2009-11-24T10:39:18-05:00

Here's a peek at some of the retro goodies that I'll be listing in my Etsy shop this December . . .

. . . a vibrant Wilendur tablecloth with a Southwest motif, colorful candy tins, sailing ship bookends, a vintage Bingo game and, just in time for New Year's Eve, a couple of metal noise makers.

I also found a fabulous lot of original 1940's and 50's Meyercord decals. These were used to spice up kitchen cabinets, canisters, glassware, trays and more. They are easy to apply and can still be used today to give items that vintage appeal. (I plan to do a little tutorial on these, too.)

Plus, by the end of next month, I'll list these charming valentines from the 1930's and 40's. Seem early? Well, I like to think ahead!

Susan

A Charming Old Mystery Item Revealed

2009-11-22T11:46:00-05:00

Every now and then, I feel lucky when I come across a vintage find brimming with heart and soul. The item below is just that . . .

I purchased it thinking it was some sort of tea towel. I love the pretty floral "oven mitt" sewn onto the center of this large square of white cheesecloth-like fabric. But I began to think that perhaps this wasn't a tea towel after all, for when I tried to fold it into thirds, the oven mitt was awkwardly in the way. So exactly what is this item for?

I had my answer when I realized there was something inside the mitt.

The original gift card was still inside! How cool is that?

Many moons ago, a woman named Elizabeth Banks gave this little treasure as a Christmas gift to her friend Marie. And her dear hand written note gave me the answer I was looking for. This vintage item is actually a dusting cloth. Elizabeth's sweet poem reads, "Put your hand inside this mitt, and dust up your house a bit. For I know you love to do it!" Utterly charming.

And sure enough, when I gave it a try, this dusting cloth is quite handy indeed.

What fun to discover a little history about this treasure. Now I wonder . . . did Elizabeth make the cloth herself? Was the floral fabric recycled from an old feed sack? Did Marie ever use it, or tuck it away as a keepsake of their friendship? Were these dusting cloths a popular item? I've certainly never seen one before. Have you?

I love things like this, filled with abundant heartfelt goodness. I'll share a few more vintage treasures I recently acquired, destined for my Etsy shop, in my next post.

Susan

When Seventeen Magazine Came to My Hometown High School

2009-11-19T16:24:26-05:00

It's been fun having our daughter in Seventeen magazine recently. Here is the closest I've ever come to appearing in its pages . . .

Back in 1975, Seventeen headed to my high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. They did a profile of the school, where 2,900 students of widely varying ethnic backgrounds were a barometer of prevailing student temperament at that time. They concentrated on the senior class. And since I was only a junior at the time, my fellow classmates and I had to watch from the sidelines as this remarkable profile of our school was created.

In Seventeen's extensive article, they wrote about how Cleveland Heights High School's seniors "related to a country gripped by run-away inflation, mounting unemployment, low public morale, uncertain moral guideposts and discredited national leadership." Hmm, sound familiar?

The article also covered clothing trends of the time. (After all, it is a fashion magazine.) In these pages, you'll see some Farrah Fawcett hairdos, platform shoes, bell bottoms and more. They even shot a couple of spreads of makeovers --- for guys, too! And every model in every photo was a senior at my school.

In the spring of 1975, these young, fresh-faced seniors walked out the front doors and across the courtyard of Cleveland Heights High for their final time, ready to make their mark on the world. I do hope they have all led happy, healthy and productive lives.

Susan

Now on Newsstands!

2009-11-18T19:09:46-05:00

Hannah is gracing the pages of Seventeen magazine once again.

She looks pretty calm, cool and collected considering this spread, showing winter's latest layered trends, took five hours to shoot during a heat wave back in August.

Like her other two Seventeen appearances, Hannah's photo spread is part of the "real girl" part of the magazine. This section is filled with regular teenagers, not professional models, who come in all shapes and sizes.

Though Hannah is not a pro and doesn't earn a cent from these photos, she has really enjoyed the chance to spend an afternoon every now and then with a real fashion photographer, make-up artist, and clothing stylist. Hey, who wouldn't?!

Susan

Workspace Whimsy

2009-11-16T21:11:02-05:00

I am the queen of office supplies. I always have loads of markers and colored pencils on hand, plus things like paper clips, scrap paper, and rubber bands in every color of the rainbow. To corral all of these sundry items, I prefer to use vintage pieces. No plastic desktop organizers here!

Vintage planters and flower pots, perfect for pens and markers, add just the right touch of whimsy to my studio. I also like to use old napkin holders to store paper, mail or file folders in. And I love my ancient metal tape dispenser.

It's hard not to smile when greeted with these kitschy creatures. The grinning monkey, above, lives on the antique spinet desk in our master bedroom. The happy little fellow, below, is for sale on my website here.

Gosh. I really do have a lot of scissors! The pink pebble flower pot, above, does a good job of keeping them within easy reach. (It's also for sale on my website here.)

This sweet fawn planter resides in my kitchen next to a pad of paper and the telephone. You'll find the pretty blue glass flower pot, below, for sale on my website here. I really like its scalloped design and ruffled edge.

This Asian inspired planter made by Shawnee Pottery, above, is an item I sold just this week. Isn't he cute?

Fun vintage pottery pieces like these will keep scissors near-at-hand in your sewing room, markers at the ready in your studio, or crochet needles close by in your craft room. I hope I've inspired you to try using a few vintage relics like these in your workspace.

Susan

A Farmers Market with a Mission

2009-11-14T10:20:38-05:00

Bright and early last Saturday morning, my family and I headed over to Baltimore's 32nd Street Farmers Market. Such luscious produce and beautiful baked goods! There is nothing better than enjoying these sights, smells and tastes on a crisp fall morning.

Baltimore's 32nd Street Farmers Market, founded in 1980, is a non-profit organization offering baked goods, produce, fruit, prepared foods, and flowers to patrons from all economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds. And like many outdoor independent markets around the country, they have a worthy mission. As stated on their website: Our Market's mission is to provide a vehicle for independent vendors to survive large agribusiness competition, while making available a variety of produce, meat, bread, and plant selections to an under-served city community. Our vendors provide an opportunity for farmers to sell their products directly to the public, and for the public to benefit from access to fresh food that they would not otherwise have available to them in the immediate area. All funds collected from Market vendor space fees and membership donations are put toward market expenses. Any profits after expenses are paid are donated back to the community in the form of annual grants to local nonprofits.

I hope you are able to frequent a market like this in your town. To find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, go to the Local Harvest website here.

Susan

Beautiful Baltimore Views

2009-11-13T07:34:24-05:00

In Baltimore last weekend, my family and I did a little sight seeing. Our first stop was the George Peabody Library.

Renowned for its striking architectural interior, the Peabody Stack Room contains five tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies, which rise dramatically to the enormous skylight 61 feet above the floor.

Opened in 1878, this building was designed by Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind. So impressive! My camera couldn't do it justice.

Containing more than 300,000 titles dating from the eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries, The George Peabody Library is part of Johns Hopkins University's Special Collections Department. It is a non-circulating collection open to the general public.

Beautiful architecture, like the church below, abounds in this elegant Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore

Across the street from this church and around the corner from the Peabody Library is the first architectural monument built to honor George Washington.

Construction of this white marble column began in 1815 and was completed in 1829. Rising 178 feet on a hill 100 feet above sea level, Baltimore's Washington Monument contains 228 steps spiraling up inside the column.

And of course, we just had to climb them! Once we reached the top, we were treated to one of the best panoramic views of Baltimore.

Though my legs were sore for two days afterward, the view was definitely worth the climb.

Susan

A Junque Hunter's Paradise

2009-11-11T12:20:22-05:00

More from Baltimore. Right across the street from Golden West Cafe is a tiny shop brimming with all things kitsch. Called Hampden Junque, this store is stuffed top to bottom. It's hard to know where to look first!

I had a nice chat with Michal Makarovich, one of the store's owners. His funky shop reminds me of some of my favorite stores along Route 7 in Connecticut that have closed. Places like this have been driven out of business due to high rents in my area. They, too, were exploding with junk/treasures (depending on your viewpoint). I do miss these little local shops. How nice to discover Hampden Junque.

Susan

Powdering My Nose in Baltimore

2009-11-09T07:54:29-05:00

We spent this past weekend in Baltimore, a city brimming with creative and quirky inspiration. On a previous trip, I shared pictures of a spectacular powder room in a (now closed) restaurant called Ixia. And here's another! Below are photos of the unique ladies room ceiling in a beloved Baltimore cafe called Golden West.

Aren't these paper parasols beautiful? What a dramatic yet simple way to hide a not-so-pretty ceiling.

This week, be sure to stop back for more inspiration from Baltimore.

Susan

The Perfect Family House

2009-11-06T05:58:40-05:00

Next week, we will have lived in our home for 19 years. When we moved here in November of 1990, Hannah was only seven months old. Now, she is a sophomore in college. Gosh, where did the time go?

Home ownership began for me in the mid 1980's. I was a single gal in my twenties when I bought a tiny cottage here in Rowayton, Connecticut. After John and I married in 1988, we began to search for a larger family home. Our housing needs seemed simple enough. We wanted a place that was in Rowayton, didn't require major renovations, had four bedrooms, three baths, and enough space for me to work at home comfortably. After seven years, I decided to forgo commuting to Manhattan and have a home-based graphic design business. I knew this would be a good arrangement once we had kids. But in the late 1980's, houses generally didn't have a dedicated home office. (That was before email and laptops.) Finding a house that fit our requirements was tougher than we expected.

After a two year search, we finally found it --- a house that had everything on our wish list --- except a home office. So we decided to expand a small den by borrowing space from a large screened porch. Luckily, the house already had a recently renovated kitchen with a new adjoining family room, as well as a spacious master bedroom addition. Over the years, our home improvements were minor and mostly cosmetic.

This house has afforded me room to work and room for my many collections of vintage this and that. It has good bones with windows galore, making it light and bright even on the cloudiest days. Although after 19 years some of our furnishings are worn and dated, we think of them as having mellowed with age, kind of like us.

Come on in and have a look around . . .

Our mid-century colonial has been kind to us over the past two decades. It has graciously accommodated a growing family and enabled me to work at home near our children. It's everything we wanted and more.

Looking ahead, in less than two short years, Jacob will head off to college. Will our perfect family house then feel too big? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Susan

Cute or Ugly? Or Both?

2009-11-04T09:44:26-05:00

Here's a face only a seven-year-old back in 1965 could love . . .

While rooting around in the attic this morning, I came across my troll dolls from the 1960's, complete with their vintage vinyl carrying case.

These odd looking dolls are just about the only toys I still have from my childhood. I remember carrying them in this handy case when I went over to play at friends' houses.

Back then, I was a budding fashion designer. I would collect the bits of fabric from my mother's sewing projects and create elaborate dresses for these unlikely models. None of my couture outfits have survived. However, the basic felt dress that came with the large troll is still intact. So is the circa 1965 braid I put in her hair.

I still find these kitschy troll dolls endearing. Just look at those faces! Are they ugly? Cute? Maybe a little of both.

Susan

Relics from Kitchens Past: Vintage Cook Booklets

2009-11-02T08:45:05-05:00

Some of my favorite items offered in T-Party's Etsy shop are vintage cook booklets from the 1930's, 40's and 50's. Although times have changed since these gems were published, when it comes to feeding our families, we are still asked that familiar question, "What's for dinner?"

Back then, these booklets were offered free with the purchase of particular products. They were published by companies with extensive Home Economics Departments, led by Directors of Domestic Science, who were serious about not only hawking their wares but promoting healthful eating.

These relics from kitchens past are chock full of charming imagery, recipes and useful household hints and tips. I always get a kick out of thumbing through them. Every now and then, I find a recipe that, with a bit of tweaking (like substituting vegetable oil for lard, or using wheat instead of white flour), is worthy of being in today's best cookbook.

Susan

Views from an Autumn Morning

2009-10-31T11:10:32-04:00

On this Halloween, I am sharing views from my morning walk with you. Along my way today, I took a little detour into a nature preserve. This forest and tidal marsh, called Farm Creek Preserve, is a parcel of land located on Hart Peninsula in the Rowayton section of Norwalk. What a lovely autumn morning!

On my way out of the preserve, this cute little squirrel was kind enough to pose for me. He knows just how densely populated and over built this area of Connecticut is. Thank goodness for the Norwalk Land Trust and their initiative to save this open space from development. Now it will stay pristine and untouched so plant life, birds and animals can thrive.

I hope you've enjoyed these views from an autumn morning. Have a Happy Halloween!

Susan

A Birthday Celebration for John

2009-10-29T16:19:00-04:00

I wanted to do something extra special for John's 50th birthday. Although my husband doesn't like being the center of attention, he gave me the thumbs up to plan a party for twenty of his closest friends and family members.

I found a unique venue for our little soirée. It's a new place in our town called Sugar & Olives, and I love its concept. Jennifer Balin, the owner and talented chef, provides happy, healthy food in a loft-like setting. An old warehouse had been transformed into a comfortable cafe/lounge with an impressive professional kitchen that is in full view. Sugar & Olives has an ever changing menu for breakfast, lunch and dessert made from local and fresh ingredients. In addition, Jennifer holds cooking classes for adults and kids at a long bar which overlooks the kitchen. And lucky for us, she also offers private parties.

I love the interior of Sugar & Olives. The space has been painted a warm shade of gray with bright orange accents. You'll find comfortable white leather sofas, coffee tables, Lucite bar stools and other mod furnishings giving the place a fun, 1960's vibe.

Here's a little peek at our gathering for John . . .

The food at John's party was simply delicious. Brought out to us on small plates in several courses, it was a delight for both the eye and the palate. We finished off the evening with coffee, tea and, of course, our fondant covered fish cake. Plus, there was chocolate fondue. Yum!

Many thanks to Jennifer for making John's party so memorable. She has created a gem of a place that is absolutely refreshing. Maybe I'll check out her cooking classes sometime. Or we might stop by after a movie on a Saturday night. With a theater just up the road, Jennifer offers delectable desserts on Saturdays from 9:30 until midnight for the after movie crowd. Great idea, don't you think?

Susan

Feats of Fondant: A Fish Cake for John

2009-10-27T15:20:58-04:00

You don't turn fifty every day. So for John's birthday party last Saturday night, I wanted to make a very special cake. Back in April, my friend Sherri, John and I made a fondant covered creation for my daughter. Now, with Hannah's help, we were ready to try something a little more challenging for John.

Hannah and I got up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning. The first task was to take the sheet cakes I baked the day before and carve them into the shape we wanted for John's cake.

Fishing is one of John's favorite pastimes so we decided to make the cake in the shape of a fish. I began carving while Hannah whipped up some Buttercream Icing. Then Sherri arrived to help. She and Hannah covered every square inch of the cake with frosting to smooth out any bumps and help the fondant adhere.

Sherri is very skilled at working with fondant; from kneading in the icing colors to rolling it out nice and thin. Once she had the piece large enough, we draped the fondant around the cake and tucked in all of the edges.

Hannah's forte was her attention to detail. She patiently cut out hundreds of tiny circles in a variety of colors for fish scales. I began to create the fins and other fishy details.

Then it was time to add these finishing touches. Lastly, we surrounded the fish with swirly blue fondant to look like water. That's when Sherri had a fabulous idea; while kneading the fondant for the water, she didn't blend the blue icing color in completely. That way, when she rolled it out, it would have a marbled effect that looked exactly like water. Brilliant!

Tada! Here's our finished fish cake, complete with a real hook and sidewinder lure in its mouth.

Hannah, Sherri and I made a good team. The cake took four hours to complete and we were all very pleased with how it turned out. John loved it, too. And it even tasted good!

Making this fondant cake was a lot of fun, as was the party later that evening. I'll share more of John's special birthday celebration with you in my next post.

Susan

A Weekend of Ups and Downs

2009-10-25T19:21:24-04:00

What a weekend! On Friday, I was in the midst of preparations for a very special birthday celebration for my husband John when I got a phone call that every parent of a high school athlete dreads.

The sports trainer at my son's school called to inform me that Jacob, the goalie of his varsity soccer team, had been hit in the head. He needed to be taken to the Emergency Room, so I dropped everything and rushed to his school. When I picked him up, he was coherent but dazed. However, he had no recollection of how he was injured and didn't even know what day it was. Needless to say, that really freaked me out.

Off we raced to the hospital. We spent the next four hours in the ER where it was confirmed that he had a concussion. Fortunately, the CAT scan revealed that everything was fine and we were finally able to head home. Poor Jacob had some nausea and a wicked headache, but over the course of the evening, his condition improved. He slowly regained his memory, too.

By the next morning, he was feeling a lot better and was well enough for us to proceed with John's party that evening. To help us celebrate, Hannah took the train in from college. It had been two months since we had seen her and it was so wonderful to have her home. Plus, my sister and brother-in-law came in from Cleveland.

Surrounded by twenty of John's closest friends and family members, the party was a huge success. One highlight was the fondant-covered creation that Hannah and my good friend Sherri helped me make. I'll be sharing photos of this very special cake and the party with you in my next post.

But for now, I'm wiped out. I think I'll have a cup of Susan's Blend, read for a while, and turn in early.

Susan

Suzy's Keeper

2009-10-23T10:15:49-04:00

What a busy week. I've been shipping tea, teapots, and vintage goodies all across the globe. Items have been flying out the door here at T-Party, like the vintage floral fabric, shown below.

I discovered several yards of it on Martha's Vineyard this summer. It's so pretty that I had a feeling it wouldn't be around for long. I just sold the last piece a couple of days ago, but I made sure to keep a tiny bit for myself.

My blogging buddy Suzy, of Georgia Peachez, bought some back in August. And feast your eyes on what she created with it . . .

Isn't it yummy? Suzy decided to keep this purse for herself (who wouldn't?) but she has made other lovely bags in a similar style. You can see more of Suzy's beautiful handiwork in her Etsy shop here.

How fun for me to see what became of this textile in her talented hands. Suzy's keeper is an inspiring example of using "old" to make "new."

I wonder what will become of this fabric's other yardage that was sent off to folks in Virginia, Arizona and California.

Susan

Seven Weeks of Oil Painting

2009-10-21T16:55:57-04:00

Today was my last painting class and I finally progressed to adding color to my second oil portrait. (You can view my first attempt, a monochromatic painting, here.) Working in color wasn't as scary as I expected; just very challenging and thrilling, actually.

Even though I have barely scratched the surface of all there is to learn about painting, I do feel I made some steady progress over the last seven weeks. Now that this once-a-week class is over, I hope to continue painting on my own. I'm told that after about 1,000 or so awful paintings, I should start to feel comfortable working in oils. I guess I'm on my way!

My sincere gratitude to my talented teacher, Joanne Roy. She has awakened my desire to revisited my artist roots. And thanks to my dear friend Nancy, who urged me to take the class with her.

Susan

Oodles of Etsy Listings

2009-10-20T06:24:02-04:00

I've been busy, busy, busy. You'll now find most of the vintage goodness from my recent estate sale foray listed in my Etsy shop.

Whew! Oodles of great stuff takes oodles of time to list. A few items have even sold already. Yay!

I hope to have the remaining estate sale goodies (tea towels, a couple more tablecloths and lots of hankies) listed by week's end.

Susan

My Pretty Lillypilly Pendant

2009-10-17T14:16:46-04:00

Yesterday, I spent almost the entire day listing some of my recent estate sale finds in my Etsy shop. But by early afternoon, I started to get a bit stir crazy. I took a little break and headed over to a bead shop, called Beadz Boutique, a couple of miles down the road. I've been looking for a pendant to wear with a particular sweater, but I've had no luck finding one I liked. So I decided, why not make one?

With the help of Amanda, who works at the boutique, here's what we created. I love it!

Strung on a simple cord with three beads as embellishment, my new pendant is a natural brown tab shell that has been engraved by Lillypilly Designs Inc. Isn't is beautiful?

The artist, Heidi Viau, began Lillypilly Designs in 2003. She uses a CO2 laser to intricately engrave beautiful designs into various natural materials (tab shell, mother of pearl and blacklip shell) in her Colorado studio. Below are more samples of her designs. Aren't they stunning? They really are little works of art.

To view more of Heidi's exquisite pendants, click here. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. For more interest, a smaller piece can be layered atop a larger one. Wouldn't that be pretty?

I plan to order more online and have some fun creating Lillypilly pendant necklaces for family and friends.

Susan