Roger's Gardens Halloween 2011

 Had a great time visiting Roger's Gardens over the weekend.  Their flowers are always so beautiful, and pumpkins were scattered everywhere.

 I thought these statures were really pretty.

 Not sure the name of this plant, but the leaves are a lovely dark color.

 The Halloween store was open, and it's decorated like an old theatre.  Care to come in?

 Ceilings were decorated with old hangers, and rat traps were hanging from the rafters.

 Dressing tables decorated for the old time actors.

 This doll was really scary and so was her price.  A whopping $795.00!

 I thought this old radio was cool.

 Love the bright orange.

 More pumpkins and posies.

Hope you enjoyed the little tour of Roger's Gardens.  If you're ever in Corona Del Mar, CA go check it out.  It's one of the prettiest nurseries you'll ever see.
Take care,
Martha

Winner Announced & Craft Show Weekend

The big winner of the witch silhouette is Cranky Crow.  Thanks to everyone who participated, it was a lot of fun.  Just send me your profile and I'll get started with it.

 
 I'll also be in Oceanside this weekend doing a craft show.  It's called Harbor Days, and I'll be there from 9-5.  Hope to see you there!
Have a great weekend,
Martha

Michaels Sucks

Michaels craft store sucks.  I normally try to avoid it like the plague, but was forced to enter it's gates on Saturday.  I needed glue so at first I searched online.  Its a specific type of epoxy glue that I use for my business and I use it all the time. The only place i could find it was on the Michaels craft store website.  Oh no.  Knowing how bad the service can be at Michaels I printed it out to show them what I needed, and to prove that it exists.  Surely they would know something about this glue if they have it on their own website? 

So I got to Michaels went through every glue, and couldn't find it.  Big surprise.  Armed with my printed information about the precious glue in hand, I reluctantly shuffled up to the check out counter.  I asked the customer care employee for help with finding the glue.  "Did you check isle 15?"  Yes I did I told her.  "Well I can't help you unless you have a  sku." Where do I find that I asked?  She needed the bar code from the package, which I didn't have anymore.

I asked if she could look it up on her website?  "I don't have access to that in the store."  So can you look up the product somewhere and find it at another store?"  No the company isn't set up to do that either."  I sort of laughed at this point and said so what can I do, I really need this glue?  She advised me to just start calling around to other Michaels to see if another store has it.  Ok, sounds like great fun for a Saturday I don't have anything else to do. ;)

 So I went home and started to make those calls.  "hello this is Michaels may I help you."  Oh yes you can, I need uhu creativ glass metal and jewelry glue.  I was put on hold.  Minutes later another voice on the phone "hello this is Michaels may I help you."  I explained my sorrowful tale once again.  OK now I'm on hold again while someone is hopefully going to look for it.  God speed my noble employee, I hope you find it, I think in my head.  Minutes tick by.  Time seems to have stopped moving.  "Sorry we don't carry it, you might check another store."
OK now I'm getting really frustrated.  Many more calls to different stores, and same result.  Only I hung up on the last one, because I couldn't stand being put on hold any longer.

So, as a last ditch effort I went online to search for it one more time.  And guess what?  I found it at some tiny craft supply store!  Oh joy and rapture!  I pray I really do get it, and it isn't back ordered or anything.  I'll be truly happy when it's in my happy little hands.
I wonder how many others have had to deal with this type of poor service at Michaels?  How can a huge chain be unable or unwilling to find it's own products?  So Michaels you really do suck.  I'm tired of feeling desperate and always being let down by you.  Anyone else have have bad experiences there?
Signed,
Desperately seeking glue 
Aka Martha 

You Wanna Be A Witch? Giveaway!

Don't you love vintage silhouettes?  I made this ornament out of a lovely silhouette of a lady from the graphics fairy.  Karen always has the best images and she shares them all for free.  Since Halloween is just around the corner, I thought a witch silhouette would be fun to make.

 Here is the original silhouette, and the ornament I made out of it.  Her name is "Witch Hazel."

 Then I thought wouldn't it be funny to put my own profile into the image.  I kept the hair from the original silhouette, because my hair ended up looking like another face on the back of my head.  ;)    I also added my own name, "Witch Martha."  I'll be taking orders for these new custom pieces and to kick it off I thought a giveaway would be just the thing.

So you want to be a witch?  This is your chance to win a custom 3" beveled glass soldered ornament with seam binding ribbon.  It will even have your name on it!  Simply enter by commenting on this post, and I'll put your name into the witches hat and draw a lucky winner on September 23rd.  If you win, all you have to do is email me a profile picture and I'll do the rest.  Can't wait and want one now?  Click here.
Good luck!
Martha

Finished

 Thanks for popping in, I just wanted to show you that I finished the hearts.

 They were a fun project to do, and I'm working on more now.  Just got some more vintage lace and hankies in the mail, so I'm ready to go.

 It's been really hot and muggy here in so cal, so I've been trying to solder early in the morning before it gets to gross out.

 I hung a few on my mantel.

Well, hope you enjoyed.  My next craft show will be in Oceanside, Sep 24-25.  Hope to see you there.

Take care,

Martha

Fun with Fabric

Thanks for popping in!   Here's what I'll be doing over the long weekend.  I've been sewing a lot, and getting these little creations ready to solder.  It's been a ton of fun.

It's fun to print on fabric, and it gives the photos a soft vintage feel that we all love.

 It's great fun adding all these great old snippets from an old ladies Godey's book, and sewing them together with pieces from vintage hankies and laces.

Hope you have a great weekend!
Take care,
Martha