Ginny's Small Studio

Chagrin Falls

Sounds like a cable television mini series, doesn't it?  Chagrin Falls, about 30 miles east of where we live, was incorporated about 1840.  It is as sweet as a movie set of Small Town USA.  There is a small waterfall and a larger waterfall right in the heart of the village.  Click on the image to see the full picture.

The entire town was full of hanging pots of flowers, blooming beds of flowers and patriotic flags and bunting.

The bunting was made in the USA.

Have you heard that one of our congressmen has introduced a bill to have all American flags that fly over government buildings be made in the US and not China?

The town is small, but, oh so quaint.  We decided to take a drive over there today for a little day-vacation to explore and have lunch.  We had such a lovely day strolling from shop to shop.  My very favorite was a small shop called "Chic Stash".  It was full of antiques, vintage goods and treasures.  One wall is covered with yellowing pages of old books while another has woven player piano music on it.  Some display cases were covered in sheet music and just everything was displayed in a very inviting way.

There was even a tiny little bakery in the front corner of the shop with creative and delicious (we were offered samples) cakes, cookies and cupcakes.

The staff was very friendly and helpful.  If you live in the area be sure to check this little gem out.

She Said...He Said

He Said:

After a round of golf for John this morning and a round of packing orders for me, John suggested that we visit our favorite antique mall and have a browse around since we hadn't been there for a month or two.  

She Said:   

Yes!  After all, I felt that if John wanted to go, I should support him 100%.  A wife has to make some sacrifices.

So off we went dropping the Small Studio orders off at the local post office on the way to the Antique Mall.  We walked around for about an hour before I saw "it".

She Said:  

Look at this wonderful antique sign.  It is just the right amount of distressed without looking dingy.  

It is an authentic window from an old post office.  You know how I feel about the post office and letter writing and things with words on them.  I really need this sign.  I know just where I want to place it.  I am sure it will fit.  Yes, I DO need another sign.  Yes, I know it its my own money and I can buy what I please, but I want you to love it too.  It is soooooo me.

He Said:

I found a better sign that I think is soooo you.

Summer CHA 2008 Report

I am back from CHA (Craft & Hobby Trade Show) and I am glad I went.  I walked the CHA show for years as a buyer, then worked the show for a few years as an exhibitor for Stampers Anonymous.  Our booth was always too busy to allow any of us time to walk the show.  This weekend I was able to walk the show again and I had forgotten how much fun that is.  Most of the exhibitors go all out with their displays vying for the attention of the retailers who are trying to see everything in just a few days. There  are hundreds of booths to visit.  It can be very tiring and all the ideas create visual overload.  

Some exhibitors build entire "sets" to display their wares.  I was so distracted by all the goods that I didn't take many photos.  Above is part of the Graphics 45 display.

I love a booth that has lots of samples.  7 gypsies is always one of my favorite booths.  They have almost more samples than product.  Their book kits and book samples using their papers are always well done.

Even the lowliest of objects receive some creative embellishments. It would be so quick and easy to transform an old chair with some paper and glue like the one below.

It is all about the possibilities.  What the exhibitors are selling, really, are possibilities.  Retailers see the displays and samples and want to recreate all the ideas and inspiration in their own stores for their own customers.  The customers in turn shop the stores looking for possible ideas to transform their homes or artwork.  It is no different than going into Home Depot or a nursery or even the grocery store and thinking of all the things one could fix or create or cook if we just had the right supplies.

All in all, it was fun to shop, to see so many old friends and have a chance to talk to them and to have dinners and lunches with old friends both days I was there.

Before I left I grabbed a blank Moleskin book to take notes and keep business cards.  I have mentioned before that each January I make up a bunch of these little notebooks, number them and keep one in my purse to jot down ideas and notes.  This one is number 5 for this year.

 

I drove to Chicago alone.  I love road trips.  It gives me a chance to really mull over ideas.  It also allows me to listen to Public Radio and hear an entire interview or program.  One of the issues I listened to was about plastic water bottles and how they use petroleum, fill our landfills (less than 20% are recycled by users!) and cost more than 100x tap water and are no more healthy or safe than most cities' tap water. One of the statistics they mentioned:  If everyone in New York City gave up their water bottle habit for one week, 24 million bottles would go unused and undisposed in our landfills.  Mind boggling, isn't it?  

The Family Gathering Wrap-Up

Daughter Amy and family left today.  They were the last to leave. It is difficult to have this wonderful family gathering end.  One never knows when we will all get together again.  As everyone arrived we kept adding more chairs around the table and as they left, chairs were removed one at a time.  Today we put the last extra chair away.

Here are the highlights of our Family Gathering:

First and foremost, the best part of the event was watching all the cousins play together as if they did it every day. Second was seeing John's kids interact with my kids and grandkids.  It was everything I had hoped it would be!  Below is John's son, John, and the twins, Rachel and Ryan (Wes' kids).

One of my favorite evenings was spent at Crocker Park where we had dinner and then the kids played chess at the Chess Park.  Below are Ginny (Amy's oldest)and Joey (Tim's oldest) in a close match that Joey won.

John and Cees (Amy's littlest one) also had a match which John lost, but only because he had to play by Cees'  rules.  #1 rule?  All Cees' men are always safe.

My favorite day was the 4th of July.  It began with family pictures professionally taken by Michele Monet. She was amazing.  The kids were not bored because she was playful and efficient.  The photos are so good that we are all having a difficult time choosing.  Then we all went to son Tim's home for the traditional 4th of July barbeque.  Tim and wife Karen did an awesome job of keeping the kids entertained.  There was baseball, giant squirt gun competitions, water balloons, basketball and much more.  The kids and adults had a great time.  Michele joined us since she is now officially "family".  

When John and I married three years ago, we couldn't get all the kids together for the wedding, so we eloped.  On the 4th, Karen presented us with a wedding cake!  I was so very touched, that I was actually speechless for maybe the first time in my life.  All of our children were around us.  Everyone was happy.  It was perfect and the best wedding reception ever!

Some of the other activities during the gathering included:

...a cruise on the Cuyahoga River plus lunch

...the zoo

...the farm park where the kids milked cows

...fishing with Grandpa John

...Cleveland Indians baseball game

...the Great Lakes Science Center

...Scrapbook store tour day

...Amy's birthday party

...Men's golf days

...the nightly billiards tournament in the ManRoom

...sunsets and ice cream at the Lake

...everyone working on the journals (below are some of Wes' kids: Allie, Rachel and Ryan).  I really loved this!

...the many wonderful meals we shared.  Below is John cooking in the rain!

...Cedar Point Amusement Park

...catching lightning bugs

...helping around the house

...taking over several restaurants

...laughing till we cried

...watching slide shows of old photographs

Now all the air mattresses have been deflated, the sheets and towels all washed and returned to the linen closet and the floors mopped.  We are pleased to have our quiet and orderly home back, but we would do this again in a New York minute.  It was wonderful.  Thanks to all of our children for making this dream of togetherness come true.

To answer your questions via comments and e-mail:

1) the Choco-Cheesecake squares are wonderful.  For your ovens, bake until the center is set.

2) the candy hot dogs are only good if you are under 10 years old, but they are fun to make.

3) the smoked cheese roll is strong.  It could be made with a non-smoked cheese too.

Friday I am off to Chicago to attend CHA, the craft trade show, to buy new stuff for Small Studio.

Family Gathering Eats

We had many field trips and group activities during our family gathering, but eating together and cooking together was one of the most social of our endeavors.  

Daughter-in-law Wendy had all the kids making hot dogs.  These were not your grandmother's hot dogs.  No, they were made from candy and were quick, easy and group funfilled.

They begin with those squishy, large orange "Circus Peanut" candies.  Cut each open in the middle.

Roll a caramel out until it resembles a hot dog and place in cut "Peanut"

Pipe with red and/or yellow frosting to resemble mustard and ketchup.

Daughter Amy celebrated her birthday last week. She brought me flowers as a birth thank you.  What a sweet daughter.  Her sweet 10 year old daughter, Ginny, planned a surprise party for her.  She made signs, decorated the house with tons of crepe paper, sent invites and planned the entire menu.  With John's and my help she made BBQ steak, baked potatoes, a salad bar, cake and appetizers. Ginny researched the cheese ball recipe on google and made it herself.

SMOKED CHEESE BALL

2 cups shredded smoked cheddar

2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tsp Steak Sauce

2 Tbls  Milk

Mix, chill for a few hours, form into ball and roll into chopped nuts (optional), serve with crackers.

Amy threw together chocolate chip cheesecake squares one afternoon.

Choco-Cheesecake Squares

2 large packages of Nestle Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

2 8 oz packages Cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Press aluminum foil into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Grease foil with margarine or butter.

Press 1 1/4 of the cookie dough evenly into the pan.

Mix cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and eggs

Spread cheese mixture onto cookie dough

Drop remainder of dough by spoonfuls onto cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Cool thoroughly then refrigerate.  Cut into squares to serve.

Okay, eating together, cooking together, cleaning up together and laughing together all add up to special memories.  Agree?

 

Family Gathering Quickie

You have probably given up on me and my blog.  The Family Gathering continues and all of our bedrooms are still filled with children and grandchildren.  It has been successful, fun, warm and fuzzy and exhausting, at least for the adults.  The children seem to be running at full speed still.  Our only mishap has been a round of stomach flu that has hopefully run its course.

Tonight I give you just a bit on the creative side of the gathering.  The books have been a big hit, bigger than I hoped.  Both children and adults often could be found sitting around the kitchen table all working together on their books.  

Below is Kelsey's book which she modeled after an investigation.

I really like how she used the evidence envelope.  

Next is Mandy's book. Her cover is so pretty.

All of the books were really clever and no two looked alike even though they all worked with the same art supplies.  

We did some other crafty group projects.  One afternoon everyone painted small square canvasses.  I thought just the kids would want to do them and maybe only a few of the kids, but I was wrong.  Kids and adults both sat and painted.  We used Sharpies for ease in clean-up.

While the Sharpies were out, talented daughter-in-law, Wendy, went to work drawing temporary tattoos on everyone's arms...well, not everyone, but the line to have it done by her kept growing.  She is good!

More soon, I promise.

Family Gathering expands

Yesterday, son-in-law Arthur arrived from Vegas.  We not only had to add another chair, but we had to add another table for the little ones.  The family kitchen table could not hold the gathered family.  We voted on Chinese food for dinner and it took 3 of us to haul it all home.  Really, though, is there anything more social than passing around a zillion plates and sharing food?  

Later in the evening, the friendly pool table competition began.  What fun we all had.  John and I were commenting that as we planned, built and furnished the house, especially his "man-room", we were both envisioning lots of friendly, laughing people inhabiting and enjoying the space.  This week and last night in particular was really what we both had hoped for our home and that room.  The whole house is working out well for this large group of people.  It is so casual and comfy and easy.  The Man-room with its small beverage refrigerator and easy to move around chairs is just perfect for spontaneous fun.  John and I are so happy with the way the house is absorbing the family.  It is all going so well.

I made packets for everyone.  All of them have a blank book that I made for them to fill up during their visit. Granddaughter Ginny's is below.  She has already started hers by doing her cover. Each has stencils with their names on them courtesy of my friend Mike from Coffee Break Design (Thank you!!!) and a number noting their place in the birth order of the cousins.  Ginny is the 4th grandchild.  Children who are named after another family member have pictures of that family member.  There are DVDs of the slides from my children's childhood set to music (Amy & Arthur did this) with a photo of my three kids from their childhood on the cover. Then I took a picture of each grandchild to trade with their cousins and a second picture of each with a spoon on their nose (trick taught to them by Bonus Grandpa John!) to also trade. 
There is a sheet with everyone's name on it 

Some family activities have been Glow-in the Dark indoor miniature golf when it rained the other day, girls shopping and luncheon yesterday and today almost everyone is at Cedar Point amusement park, home of 17 roller coasters.  Later today my oldest son and his family arrive and tomorrow morning John's son completes the family arrivals.

I am loving this!

Family Gathering Continues

We are all trying to stay positive that July 4th will be bright and sunny.  It has been raining everyday for a few days and the forecast is dire for outdoor partygoers.

My good friend Michele Monet, photographer extraordinaire, stopped by the other night for a visit and to see some of the family.  She had taken a photo of granddaughter Ginny at 7 months sitting in a vintage suitcase. Ginny is now over 5' tall at 10 years old and no longer fits into the vintage suitcase.  It was such a lovely evening, sitting around the kitchen table laughing and chatting.

John's daughter, Kate and granddaughter, Kelsey both arrived safe and sound yesterday, so the house is filling up with air mattresses in every little corner.  It is wonderful to hear laughter everywhere.

Note the cool shirt above, worn by Kate.  Isn't the label great?  Click on it to read.

The Saturday Post

I am certain that I did not explain myself well in yesterday's petite rant against the local farm store.  We drove up to a local farm which had a largish produce stand at the street side of their fields.  We definitely expected to find their own home grown produce.  Instead they had regular grocery store produce (mostly) displayed as if it was home grown.  Just a handful of vegetables were picked from their fields.  We think maybe we are too early for whatever they grow.I was just disappointed.  

Tomorrow, we have the second group of family arrivals for our family gathering.  By Wednesday, everyone will be here.

Today was spent cutting, punching, collating and binding simple little books for everyone who cares to participate in a little journaling.  Most of my granddaughters are into making memory books.  I cut a variety of papers in a variety of sizes, added several envelopes and pockets and just a few embellishments to start them off.  I may have mentioned before that my two oldest grandchildren and I started a shared journal when they were quite young.  I would bring the journal with me every time we got together and they would paste mementos of our little adventures.  Several times I brought one of those little i-zone sticker cameras so we could instantly add photos.  They would write captions for them.  They enjoyed looking back at previous pages and be amazed at how they had grown and how their artwork and handwriting improved.  It is a precious reminder of our visits.  I wonder how they will see the journal from their mature teenage eyes this time.  The books I made today will start the younger ones off on this same journaling journey.  

I also purchased large see-thru envelopes for everyone.  Each has their name on it and inside several surprises.  I know some of them read this blog, so I cannot tell you what is inside until later.  Daughter Amy has added a little something for everyone and these will also go into the envelopes.  I have taken pictures to share later.

Family Gathering: Week One

Daughter Amy and her family have arrived.  The first thing the desert kids commented on was all the trees and open space.  The first night was a success.  Not only did we go to the lake to see the sunset and have an ice cream cone, but they got to see some wildlife.  While sitting on the deck and running around the yard, they saw squirrels, two rabbits, a cardinal, a deer (the youngest swears he saw a deer) and hundreds of lightning bugs or fireflies.  This prompted us to google fireflies and we found out they are actually beetles.

We visited the Great Lakes Science Center, a wonderful hands-on experience for kids and adults.  There was a special demonstration by Bob the Bubble-ologist.  We all learned how to say "refraction" and got a recipe for bubble making which entails mixing dishwashing liquid with water.

The kids got to experience a big thunder and lightning storm and more rain.  We have had a glorious June until this week and now it is rainy and humid.  

Today we went to the local Farm Market.  We have been waiting for it to open.  John and I want to buy local when we can.  As we got out of the car we were greeted with really nice displays of produce.  

To our dismay, very little of it was locally grown.  The peaches came from Georgia, the watermelons from Wisconsin, the peppers from Texas and so on.

Check out the label on the honeydew melon....Mexico!

Are any of you trying to but locally?

More books have arrived on my doorstep.  Canvas ReMix came which offers some fun ideas for making projects using canvas cloth and canvasses.  Then I received Artful StoryBooks which explores a variety of altered books remade into new storybooks.  Fun to look at!

The Weekend

I love summer weekends.  There is a different feeling when you wake up on a weekend morn.  The day stretches out in front of you with so many lovely possibilities.  There is an underlying mission to enjoy it and not waste a minute.  That doesn't mean we have to be busy.  No, it means we need to savor each moment and be aware of the gift of time.  John and I are semi-retired and one day is pretty much just like any other day, but from years of weekend training, we still treat it differently.

Here is a list of my favorite weekend activities:

1.  I love to be outside.  Breakfast on the deck with Asiago cheese bagels from Panera's and fresh melon.  Yum.

2.  Sitting on same deck, reading the big Sunday paper while enjoying the abundant early summer flowers, the blue sky and the picture-perfect fluffy white clouds.

3.  Talking to one or all of my kids on the phone...better in person, but that is tough when we all live so far from each other.

4.  Maybe checking out one of our favorite antique/vintage stores.

5.  Working on a project together whether it is gardening, painting, cleaning the garage or making something, the together part is just good.

6.  Watching the sunset from the edge of Lake Erie

7.  Having an ice cream at Mitchell's and people watching.

8.  Knowing that we will have many days like this together to savor.

Have you seen this site?  You can create a variety of word clouds on this site.  It is really fun.

Parade

There are a few reasons to title this post "Parade".

First, the parade of books I have been receiving in the mail just keeps coming.  I often pre-order books from Amazon long before they are published.  Then it is a pleasant surprise when a new book arrives.  Today the book is True Vision.  The format is interesting.  On each two page spread there are photos of journal pages with a general description of how the artist approached the page.  Then in one corner is a journal prompt to inspire the reader.  Turn the book sideways and there is a tip, suggestion or technique to help the reader think outside their comfort zone (perhaps).  By having to turn the book, one is given another view of the art pages.  The reader just naturally becomes more involved with the book and the contents.

I like it. 

The parade theme of this post continues with a real parade.  Last weekend was the annual Avon Heritage Duct Tape Parade.  No, really!  There were "floats" all made with, you guessed it, duct tape.  People in the parade had made costumes out of duct tape.  It was all so ingenious and creative and fun.

The float above is from Whistler's Ice Cream Parlor and the one below from one of the local church groups.

Here is a close-up of the artistic use of duct tape.  I think the parade started as a promotional gimmick since one of the leading brands of duct tape is made in Avon OH, but it has become a very popular summer festival.

The next is a stretch for my parade theme, but we are all friends here, so what the heck.  I offer a parade of memories on this blog of my dad.  Years ago, when I was a newlywed, Dad made each of us (my brothers and me) a little bench.  It was the only thing I think Dad ever made.  The bench is about 12" wide and 24" long.  He suggested we use it in the garage as a stool with the under shelf used for tools.  I used it as he suggested for awhile and then it was painted white and my daughter used it for a stage for her Barbie dolls for a few years.  After that it went back to the garage where it got banged up, scratched, abused but always used and always with memories of how proud Dad was that he had made it himself.  That little bench has moved all over the country and abroad with me.  Too bad I can't claim frequent flyer miles for it.  Today, John and I were straightening up the garage and there was the little bench.  I got out my paint and some canvas fabric and gave Dad's bench a little makeover.  It will now live in the house, in the guest room as a luggage rack for my visitors.  This quick little project was fun to do. Quick projects are my favorite projects.  It also gave me so much pleasure to restore the usefulness of this simple bench that really means so much to me.

Only four more days until the parade of family starts arriving.  I am so excited.

Great Books

This book arrived on my doorstep this week and it is really inspiring.  Many of my favorite book artists are in here with a great selection of their work.  I recommend this book to those of you who are interested in handmade books.

Now, run, don't walk to get this 1000 Journal Pages which just came out.  It is wonderful.  There are a number of journal pages in here that are very familiar in style, but many more that are truly works of art and others that are just darn interesting.  With 1000 journal pages to look at, there are many hours of inspirational fodder here.

I also received some new stencils from Coffee Break Design.  They should be online tonight at Small Studio.

This time we offer to you birds and more birds plus a few more.

Random & Miscellaneous

Today is a beautiful early summer day.  I mention this because last night we had weather drama.  Dark and ominous skies appeared about 5 PM, followed by far off lightning and deep rumbling thunder and buckets of hard rain.  We were lucky that it was not more severe.  I feel such sympathy for all those poor people in the middle states that have been experiencing life-changing weather events.  Does anyone else out there think this may be the end of the world?  Just revealing the dark recesses of my mind here.  With all the tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, fires, sliding glaciers and landslides this past week, the thought has crossed my mind.  It is like one of those Hollywood movies. Next we will have aliens landing in NYC.  

Tomorrow is Father's Day.  My dad passed away when I was in my early 30s.  I still miss him.  He was an all time great dad.  I cannot ever remember him being mad at me or at my brothers even though I am sure they deserved it!  Dad was a happy man.  He was always there for us no matter what.  When I was in high school, my mom couldn't go to the Mother-Daughter Tea.  Dad went with me.   He drove me and my girlfriends anywhere we wanted to go before he taught me to drive.  After I got my license, he was generous with his car and all he said when I knocked all the trim off of one side of his precious '57 Chevy, was "well, you didn't do it on purpose, so why should I get mad?"   He was funny in a corny way, loving and gentle. Everyone loved him.  We will all be thinking of you, Dad and having a big scoop of your favorite chocolate ice cream in your honor!

Shirley Ende-Saxe tagged me.  I am to write the title to my memoirs (were I to write them) in six words:

Extraordinary Adventures of an Ordinary Woman

What would you title your memoirs, readers?

 

Provisions for the Journey

Now that John and I are back from our trip, we are looking forward to the family gathering that will begin in about 10 days.  There is some re-arranging to be done to accommodate everyone and of course, cleaning.  There are photos to be copied and identified to distribute and other arrangements to be made.  John keeps asking me when we are going to lay in supplies and provisions for everyone.  Too soon yet, I tell him.

Then last night we were in Michael's to pick up some craft paint and I saw the big, white letters they sell.  I have a narrow ledge over all my cupboards and the refrigerator.  The light bulb went off and here is what we did.

What do you think?  I intended to paint the letters green to match the walls or black, but when we placed them up on the ledge to see if they fit, I loved them just white.  I like how the shadows give the letters nice dimension.  The letters are 5" high and the ledge is 5 feet long.  In spite of the rather large size, it seems still to be a bit subtle and not in your face.  If you have been a long time reader of this blog, you know how I love letters, words and big graphics.  I am a happy girl.

In other news, I am putting together a US tour for Keith Lo Bue in early October.  If you are interested in hosting him in your store, contact me.