sheppard girls

A new week

Merry belated Christmas.  Here is our new fireplace mantel and cabinets.  I finally figured out how to decorate for the season.  

 

 

This is what it looked like before.

I really wanted to paint the brick white, but I was told no way.  I hardly ever hear that when it comes to decorating decisions, so I decided to leave it alone.  Please ignore the gold spotlights.  Seriously, who installs gold lights.  Aren't they supposed to blend in?  My electrician ignores my requests to replace them each time he is out, so I am going to have to get more aggressive and make the appointment to specifically replace the gold spotlights in the family room.

Once our celebrations were over on Friday, I was tempted to start taking thing down.  It seemed a bit early, so I devoted myself to several piles in the basement.  The little one and I are off to Portland to visit my sister's family for a few days.  I am hoping to visit Ink & Peat, which is new, and Fabric Depot, which is the largest fabric store in the country!  Also I like to have lunch at Elephant Deli.

Christmas list

Yesterday at dance lessons, the little one's teacher had them each go around and say one thing on their Christmas/Hannukah list.  Their answers were pretty funny and lots of them said a "cupcake maker".  I had to ask another mom for clarification.  Apparently it is the Easy Bake oven the times.  I wasn't quite sure what the little one would say.  She said "Samantha's dog." 

Phew, lucky for us Santa is a very smart shopper.

Still more fussing

I used to put my vintage nativity on the tv cabinet, but this year it needed a new home.  So I moved some of my Shiny Brites to the entryway.

 

I am still totally going to recover that lampshade.  Then I put the nativity on the bookcase that used to house the ornaments, went out to Mustard Moon, visited with Sandy Stone and bought a few more frames.  One especially for the print, which was on EVERY design blog, that I bought from Hello Handmade Paperie.

I still think I should paint the frame white.  But here in Minnesota we have reached the no-more-spray-painting-outside point.  Next I will attack the mantle.

Oh Christmas tree

I am never 100% satisfied with our holiday decorations.  I really love white bottle brush trees, but they are always hard to find and expensive.  Earlier this fall I read instructions on craftster on how to bleach and dye your own trees.  (Edited to add, there are also really great instructions here)  I bought a big bag at Michael's.

 

Soaked them in bleach.

   

And it totally worked!

   

I have had a full pan of bleach in the basement ever since.

This year we have new family room cabinetry and mantle, which will present an all new challenge.  This white cabinet used to be in one of the corners of that room.  I was going to move it to my studio, but when I scooted it out of the way for the carpenters, I realized it looked okay, so there it stayed. 

Craft shows

   

I am participating in two really great craft shows this weekend.  No Coast Craftorama on Friday and Saturday.  And Craftmas on Sunday.  You can read more about both sales in Thursdays Star Tribune.  If you come to either one, look for the Sheppard Girls booth and say hi.  If it is about 3 pm on either day, you could also bring me a grande chai latte with soy.  

Legendary notebook

Moleskine notebooks?  Am I just really slow to the news?  According to the website they have been around for two centuries.  I went into Dick Blick to find a chalkboard marker to write on these cute little memo boards for my upcoming craft sales.  I needed a little break from sewing bibs.

No chalk, but there was a huge display of the Moleskine notebooks.  Masses of small craft paper colored notebooks.  It was like a dream.  (Later that day I saw a Moleskine display at Barnes and Noble, so I am pretty sure I am the last person to know.) I ended up with a big stack.  Then I decided to decorate a few. 

Then I discovered that it is pronounced (mol-a-skeen-a) which may save me from embarrassment on sale day, or totally make me sound like Martha Stewart and her "Herbs".