More Last Minute Gifts--Party Edition

We are getting steadily closer to those last-minute online shopping deadlines...but we're not there yet!  Just in case you didn't read my last post, here are the "last days for Christmas delivery" again:

US Standard Post (for heavy things; read my listings) ends Tomorrow 12/14 

US First Class (for lighter things; read listings) ends next Friday, 12/20

International customers and US customers ordering late on these dates should contact me first about faster holiday shipping rates!

So, with no further ado, here are some great party themed gift ideas (or maybe things you need to throw the best party ever!).

If you're in love with the 50s/60s, here is a cool stainless steel cream and sugar set from Arnart. Great for serving all kinds of condiments, not just the usual thing, and that stainless steel really reflects the holiday lights!

Ships standard. Talk to me about expedited shipping or order it for New Years!

Bring some cheer to the holiday with this Kissing Santa and Mrs. Claus platter. 

It is possible to ship it faster than Standard (in which case you can order it as late as Dec. 21 if you do it early in the day).  I'd love to get it to you for the holidays!

Volunteer to bring the chutney or the dip? That's what this handy-dandy self-sealing Christmas crock was made for. 

Can ship as late as Dec. 21 if you pay for Priority mail; otherwise, ships standard post.

This lovely Partridge in a pear tree scarf has a festive air about it. It would also look fabulous framed on a wall or displayed under a piece of Plexiglas on a party table, if you decide not to wear it!

Ships first class!

Check out your reflection in this shiny silver Gorham punch bowl from the 50s! 

Yes, it ships standard post, so order now, contact me about express shipping, or consider buying for New Years Eve!

Are you handy with a needle? There is still time to whip up this evening gown from Lauren Hutton (fits size 8), or perhaps my other evening dress patterns will do (see them here, various sizes). Steal all of the attention at the Christmas or New Years Eve party!

All patterns ship first class.

Not into sewing, but you are going to a formal affair this season? Throw on an elegant scarf like this Ginnie Johansen number--red jewels, gold chain, on black silk. You'll look fabulous!

Ships first class!














 Be the sharpest-looking fellow at the party with this 50s silk Madmen era necktie from Wembley.

Ships First class!

Finally, add some pizazz to your holiday ensemble with this little pearl and rhinestone pin.

I'm watching my stores, ready to ship your orders when they come in, so you don't have to stress. Come and see me! :)

Last-Minute Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas is right around the corner, and naturally, customers have begun to worry that they won't get their gifts in time. No need to worry. I am keeping an eye on the clock and I know the postal service's shipping cutoff dates!

For international orders, the last day to ship your order for Christmas is tomorrow, December 9th!  After that, it gets more expensive than you probably want to mess with. If I find your order too late, I'll rush it out, but I can't make any promises. Don't delay!

For US customers, the dates to watch are December 14th for most heavy packages (marked "Standard Post" in the listing), and December 20th for all of my lighter packages (Marked "US First Class").

So, let's get shopping!

 Christmas Bells hankie/pocket square. the print on this scarf plays with the eyes like a holographic image. Ships as late as Dec. 20th (or earlier, of course).

Not your ho-hum holiday tie. Flashy red and black skinny tie from the 60s. Can ship as late as Dec. 20th.

Dress up your wreaths, swags, or whatever with this Partridge and Pear ribbon. I have 2 spools in different widths. This image is the narrow one. Can ship as late as Dec. 20th.

Alternatively, dress up yourself with this Partridge and Pear Tree scarf from the 60s! Can ship as late as Dec. 20th.

Here's a classy Fire King serving dish from the 50s, with real gold trim! Got a big holiday crew to feed? I have 2! Order 1 or both and I can ship as late as Dec. 14th, or later by arrangement (if you want to pay Priority shipping rates, it can ship as late as Dec. 21st).

My last set of these traditional ribbon candy ornaments. Set of 4. Can ship as late as Dec. 20!

Precious Moments Pomander. Can be used as an ornament.  Can ship as late as Dec. 20th (or pay Priority shipping and ship as late as Dec. 21st).

Putting the finishing touches on your holiday decor? These vintage Currier and Ives plaques will look wonderful on your wall! Hangers attached to the back and ready to go. Can ship as late as Dec. 14th, or later by arrangement (if you want to pay Priority shipping rates, it can ship as late as Dec. 21st).

Decorate with this snow angels candle holder from the Little Miracles collection. It is a Russ Berrie product. The heads and wings have glass "sugaring" on them. Can ship as late as Dec. 14th, or later by arrangement (if you want to pay Priority shipping rates, it can ship as late as Dec. 21st).

Need personalization? Make this initial pin kit (on the left) in a few minutes. Can ship as late as Dec. 20th.

Want to make some memories with the older kids in the upcoming year? This book about making miniatures might be fun!

I also have a book about wooden toy model making, and one about miniature embroidery.

These are currently marked media mail, but I can upgrade to Standard post and ship as late as Dec. 14th.

 Of course, there are always my pom pom animal ornaments, like this friendly lion, or the ever-popular poodles. Please give me a day or two to make yours, especially if you order 3 or more. They're all made to order!  Can ship as late as Dec. 20th (so order by Dec. 18th).

Many more to come! Keep an eye on my stores. I'm always happy to help you make the season bright!

Vintage Haul at the End of October

I recently thumbed through my unlisted vintage merchandise, and realized that I needed a little variety for the next few months...so I went vintage shopping!

Here is a preview of my "haul." I don't usually post things like this. Between working 3 jobs and finding boxes to ship things in, I can sometimes seem tediously slow about getting things listed and available to customers (sorry). However, if you see something in this post that you really, really want for Christmas, go ahead and lay on the pressure. The squeakiest wheel gets the grease around here.

I decided to break from my pattern and share with you today, because I think I found some pretty awesome things. I hope you'll agree!

Here's pretty much the whole "take" for the past two weeks. There were a couple of other things I had to leave out because they wouldn't fit in the photo or they had already been listed, but I'll share them at the end of the post.

The eras range pretty wildly here, from the turn of the century to the 80s, but I tend to gravitate toward things that predate the 80s.

The most intriguing thing is the little dry sink on the left side of the picture. Early research indicates that it is a salesman's sample or child-sized piece of furniture. It has a working drawer and a large compartment in the bottom behind the two doors, with a swivel latch to keep it closed. The knobs are made of milk glass. I think it may be the oldest thing I brought home. Specimens like it seem to date to the turn of the century or maybe the 20s. I think I've seen something like this on Antiques Roadshow before.

The other piece of furniture you see is a small house-shaped curio shelf. I have sold two other curio shelves over the years, including one really large house-shaped shelf. They are popular for the miniature collectors especially, since the slots could almost serve as "rooms" to display tiny furniture and dolls. Of course, you don't have to limit yourself to that if you have another collection you'd like to display.  I think this is probably from the 80s. I filled it with the jewelry I picked up recently.

There were two "looper looms" from the 60s or 70s that I bought just for the nostalgia of the things. Everything from the packaging to the instructions is super retro and might bring back some childhood memories. I owned a later version of these when I was young, but mine was all plastic and the hook broke (these have metal parts).

Last weekend, I picked up a couple of beautiful teacups from a lady whose mother had collected them for years. I haven't done enough research yet to be able to estimate age yet. They have labels, though, and that will help me learn more about them. I should be able to list them soon.

The plate next to them is a souvenir plate from Germany, showing a map of the Rhineland. I don't know much about that one either, but it seems to be Bavarian, based on the china markings on the back.

I'm sure you've noticed the large numbers of unused vintage cards on the table. These all came from one old stationery box I picked up. It was like opening a time capsule; the cards on the top came from the 70s, and as I removed the layers, I got down to several that look like they came from the 40s and 50s. Some had not even been folded in half yet, like the 50s-era Christmas cards in this photo.

I also found a clear plastic sewing box (shown in the back), several small pieces of 70s-80s jewelry, and two men's skinny ties from the 50s. One of the ties is embroidered with pine trees and parachutes. There must be a story there! The other tie is a sharp looking red and black geometric number. There was also a 70s-era Berrie figurine and a large Christmas metal platter with a 60s/early 70s Santa and Mrs. Claus that I just had to bring it home! Sorry, I forgot to get closeups of some of these.

Finally, I found three intriguing works of art I thought my customers might like (or at least I found them interesting). One is a galleried print of a pink flower, with a limited edition number and the artist's signature on the front and on the back. It looks a bit like a linocut to me, but it would have to be made from four different blocks that had been inked separately and fitted together like puzzle pieces. I though the colors and textures were simple but striking, so I picked it up. It may or may not be vintage (it depends on what I'm able to find out about it).

The other two are a really rocker-looking heart shaped set of prints, which seem to almost move as you look at them, due to some funny tricks with the color registration (how the colors line up). They are both four-color prints, and they have completely illegible artist signatures. They seem to be inspired by the work of Andy Warhol, but I don't think he made them (the signature does not match what I was able to find online). I have not removed them from the frames to figure out what kind of prints they are. If you recognize these artists, I'd love to hear from you!

Well, I've spent enough time bragging about my "haul," so I'm going to sign off and go find some boxes. :)

What piqued your interest the most? What would you like to see listed first?  Of course, what can you tell me about the things I have here?  I'd love to hear from you!

More Pom Pom Animals for the Christmas Tree

It's been way too long since I've updated here about my pom pom menagerie, but I have been very busy. I've been making a whole lot of pom pom critters for everyone and thought it might be a good time to share. My best-sellers so far this season have been black poodle ornaments!

In fact, I have six half-finished poodles on my craft table right now, as of writing this, and they are headed out of the US when I get them done! 

I have also rolled out one new pom pom creature, a blue bear wearing a winter scarf. I have made it possible to order a polar bear in white as well (of course, with a red scarf like this). I don't have a picture up yet, but it will look just like this in pure white.

Making this new pom pom creature ornament taught me a few new design tricks, which I intend to put to good use in a few other designs that have stumped me for years.

What you may not know is that I tend to have a collection of alien-looking "failed creatures" on my table all the time. My biggest "fail" of late is a crouching silver fox. Well, it should have looked like a silver fox, but just looks like "some kind of animal." Sorry, I don't have any pictures.

I also have a kitty that has some issues with its hind legs. You may have seen this photo on my Facebook page and wondered where it went. I feel uncomfortable about offering it for sale under the current design, because it acts like it might fall apart at any moment. That is just against my personal crafting code of ethics! I think I may have figured out a way to fix it, though. I really hope so. It is time for kitty lovers to get some attention, too.

First, I've got to finish some poodles and such.

Have you cracked out the Christmas music yet? It's time to get in the spirit. I stopped by my local craft store to stock up a couple of weeks ago, and they were already playing "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" on the intercom. I wasn't sure whether I should feel excited or a little stressed. Christmas is my favorite holiday, but there is a lot of preparation still needing to be done! I guess I hadn't realized it was this close already.

Have a good week, everyone!

Not Too Spooky!

Hey everyone! Long time, no see, right? I've been really busy stocking the shops and training for my new part-time job, but I thought that I should spend some time today updating you about what is going on at Candy Apple Crafts these days.

Since fall is technically here (it doesn't feel much like it, though), I've been trying to get as much fall and winter themed vintage up in the shops as I possibly can. This is a good time to start shopping for the holidays, and preparing for the cold months.

Etsy has the best selection of Halloween themed items in my vintage collection. I have a children's animal costume pattern (for a very young child) from the 70s. It's itty-bitty, which means the finished costume would be absolutely adorable!  I also have a rather spooky piece of medical equipment from the 1910s, designed to frighten away your nasal drip problem. It is still in the box, for display only, and probably was never used.  I also have a set of ceramic owl face macrame beads (you can use them with crochet or on a stuffed toy, I'm sure), and a few other things. I hope you'll stop by!

I also took the time to make a couple of not-so-spooky Halloween monster figurines. These will probably end up being "one offs," which means one-of-a-kind items. The first is a furry-toed monster pigeon. This idea came from a random search that came in to my Etsy store, under the keywords, "Furry-toed monster." I decided I would make something for anyone else who came to my store looking for that. So, eventually, it turned into this clawed and scaled monster pigeon....don't ask me why. 

Basically, this is just me letting my imagination and my crafting scissors go wild! Don't worry. The claws look sharp, but they are very flexible plastic.

This furry-toed monster figurine can stand up on its own, but I'm pretty sure it would not hold up under rough child's play.

So, after I had so much fun making that one, I decided to make something a little more in keeping with the retro monster movies theme.  You all know how much I enjoy retro things!  Since I don't take myself too seriously around here, I chose to reference the movie that makes fun of monster movies--Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

Mine looks rather convincingly like a tomato on the back (and I'm pretty proud of myself for that), but it has a comically menacing expression on its face. It's all cartoon and no bite!

Mine is only an unofficial movie reference, since we all know the real Killer Tomatoes wear better disguises! You can disarm mine by playing the worst pop music you can think of.

To the person who just got my movie reference, you get 20 points. High five!

If you have any questions or special requests for this time of year, now is the best time to ask! Leave a comment and I will respond right away.

Cyber Monday Deal at CandyAppleCrafts

Just popping in on Cyber Monday to say hello, and let you know about my 10% off deal in my Etsy and Artfire stores today, just in case you aren't following my Twitter stream or Facebook page and hadn't heard about it through those channels. I have chosen to extend the 10% off deal until tomorrow night, just in case you wanted to get in on it but ran out of time today.  All you have to do is enter "ShopSave2012" in the coupon code box at checkout.

I cannot currently offer coupon codes on eCrater, but if you see something in that store and really want the 10% off, tell me at checkout (or in a separate email if you can't send me a message during the checkout process), and I will refund the 10% to your account. Better hurry, because this offer only lasts until midnight, Eastern Time, on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, I just wanted to show you my newest ornament, the friendly lion. Like him? You can order him on Etsy now for only $6.50 USD. If you are not from the US, better order quickly so it can get to you by Christmas!

Hope to see you soon, and as always, I wish you a very merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Getting Ready for the Holidays

I've had so much going on that I totally forgot to write about it over here!  I've been working to get my stores sparkling and ready for holiday shoppers, and that means almost daily work at finding or creating new things!

Recently, I found some really beautiful books while I was on vacation, and I just finished putting all ten of them into my Etsy store, in the "Interesting Books" section.  They all cover interesting topics, from teen-oriented piano music from the 40s to a cookbook from the 20s!  Currently, music books are the largest part of the group, but if I continue to see a lot of interest, I will add more children's books to the selection over there.

I have also been adding new types of Christmas ornaments to the ornament section on Etsy as well, including two new colors of poodles (dark green and bright red), and two "variant" listings, which allow you to pick groups of three poodles from a drop-down menu.  These new "pick 3" listings are discounted, compared to the "a la carte" poodle listings, especially when it comes to shipping charges. I hope you'll check them out!

Besides the poodles, I've also rolled out two new colors of walruses. Remember my bespectacled green walrus? Well, now he has two new friends, one in dark blue, and the other in dark purple.  Their popularity is on the rise!  I just sold a dark purple one today.

It's hard to say where the idea for walruses came from, especially as Christmas ornaments. I think I was just aiming for something unusual, and this reminded me of a storybook I must have read years ago.

I've had a lot of requests for birds over the last two years.  Last year, I listed a few hummingbirds. I currently have those down while I attempt a slight redesign of their tails.  Meanwhile, I have listed my very first pink flamingo, inspired by the beloved lawn ornaments invented in the 1950s.

What do you think?  I think she's cute.  Of course, the eyelashes always help!  The flamingo is actually a bit more intensely peach pink than the picture, but my camera had some trouble with the color.

I have more things planned in the coming weeks, including (I hope) several more ornaments to show you.  Hope you'll stop by for a visit soon!

Walrus Says Hello

I got overtaken by life events and my other work this past month, and forgot all about updating this blog.  So sorry about that!

In the meantime, I've dreamed up several new furry creatures, but only one has been listed, so far--the lime green walrus. Think I should make him available in other colors? Someone also suggested I make a top hat version.

I've been fitting my crafting exploits into the evenings, in front of the television, but I'm rearranging my schedule, now, to see if I can improve things. It's not good to neglect my customers!

Over the past month, I've been listing lots of scarves in a wide variety of colors.  Some have been dry-clean only, but I've tried to include easy-care scarves that can be hand or machine washed, as well.  Today I listed a decorative metal tin that was made in Germany, in the Cold War era (it is marked "Made in West Germany").

If you are shopping for Father's Day, stop by either store and see what I've got.  If you are looking for something in particular, let me know. I would be happy to help in any way I can, either by listing the thing you need (if I have it), or by pointing you in the direction of someone I know who sells it.

So, for a parting question, what's your favorite memory of time spent with your dad? Leave me a story in the comments section!

The Pom Pom Menagerie Contest

I realize I haven't been back here in awhile, so I thought I'd pop in and say hello.  To update you, the package described in the last post arrived safe and sound, and as far as I know, with no signs of an elephant having roughed it up.

Speaking of elephants, I want to introduce you to my latest creation, a purple elephant! She is made with dark purple pom poms, felt, and a lot of magical secrets.  Hey, an artist has to keep some mystery in her work, you know. ;)

I hope you love her.  Here is the link so you can check out other pictures of this one, and read the description in detail.  If you'd like to see it in other colors, please comment on this post with color suggestions, or send me a convo through the Etsy messaging system!

Your suggestions are always taken seriously, even if you are asking for a Woolly Mammoth (which I can totally make!).

Speaking of suggestions, I posed this question on my Facebook fanpage yesterday, but in case you missed it, I'm also asking it here:
What kind of animal would you like me to make next?

So far, I've made every color of poodle, including a lime green one which would be good for decorating for St. Patrick's Day (coming up soon, folks), white mice in Victorian outfits, and a red spotted mushroom. Okay, that last one wasn't an animal, but it sure is trendy!  As the list demonstrates, I tend to work mostly in pom poms and felt.

I've given it some thought, and decided to make this fun. Let's make it a contest!

• If you've got a suggestion, please like my Facebook page and leave me a comment.  If I use your suggestion, I will message you for your address, and mail it to you.
• You can also enter by following me on Twitter, and tweeting your ideas by tagging @CandyApplCrafts and #MenagerieContest. I will check to see if you are following me before making a selection.
• Entries in the comments section here on the blog will not be counted. Entries by email will also not be counted.
• This contest only runs until 10 p.m. US Central Time, March 3, 2012. Get your suggestions in before the deadline to be considered.  After I get all the entries, I will sort through them and make a selection.
• The winning idea will be announced on March 10, 2012. I will make the project and announce it here on my blog, and on Facebook and Twitter as well.
• Only one entry per day on Facebook and Twitter.  You can make one entry on each of these two platforms in one day, but two or more entries in one day on either site will disqualify you. I don't want to get in trouble with either social media site for spamming.
• If the winner does not contact me with his or her address by March 13, that winner will be disqualified. I will then select another idea, make it, and announce a new winner by March 17, 2012.
• If no one makes a suggestion, I will be sad, but I'll get over it. If only one person makes a suggestion, that person will win by default.
• No purchase is necessary to win. Buying from me is certainly welcome, but it will not increase your chances of winning this contest.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas!

In 1953, a girl named Gayla Peevey recorded the lesser-known Christmas classic, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."  A nickle and dime campaign across the U.S. followed, and thousands of children donated their small change to buy a hippopotamus for Christmas.  In fact, they were successful in purchasing the first hippos to live on display in the Oklahoma City Zoo.  I think it's an interesting story, and I love the song.

 Here's the original song recording:

Edited: I just found this video of an adorable little girl singing along with Gayla Peevey at a recent event at the Oklahoma City Zoo:

I found this friendly hippo the other day, and thought of Gayla.  It turns out it's actually a collectible print by the palette knife painter and collage artist Edna Vierra, who made these cute pieces of art throughout the 50s and 60s.  This one is circa 1969.  Just listed it today.  Don't you think it would be really fun in a nursery? 

This print can be found here

The popularity of the poodle Christmas ornaments (over 40 sold, and more sales are still coming) makes me think about trying more animals, perhaps inspired by Vierra's playful take on them.

By the way, I have marked a good deal of my vintage to free shipping on Artfire with more deals planned, and I've also expanded my stock of poodle ornament colors (only available on Etsy).

The Cutest Handmade Christmas Ornaments!

I popped over here to my blog this morning and realized that I hadn't updated you on my Christmas ornament stock.  I have another couple of designs in the works as we speak, but meanwhile, I wanted to show all the pictures of my creations here, for your enjoyment.

Pic is Clickable

This embroidered ornament was made from a kit, but I have all the materials to make more of them, and I can add a date or other short commemorative inscription to the edges.  It is currently available on Artfire in this form, but custom orders are welcome--just make them soon!

 The poodles are now available for purchase on both my Etsy and Artfire shops.  Follow the links to see closer images and pricing.  Since they've been selling so well, several of them are currently made-to-order (the ones I had on hand have sold).

Pic is Clickable

 I also have several Christmas elves, which I've sold several years in a row, in my Artfire shop only.  I am not planning to make more elves, because the pattern I invented is very complex, and defies simplification, making them too time-consuming to make much of a profit.  But, enough of the business person talk!  I still have several sets to choose from, including one all-female set of three, and the traffic is picking up on them.  Better hurry!

Pic is Clickable

Next up, my Christmas mice couples. They are handmade, too, down to the black whiskers made out of buttonhole twist, the hand-braided white tails, and the hand-sewn skirt and other elements in their outfits.  You'll have to check out my Artfire shop to find these, too.

Pic is Clickable

Last but not least, I have just recently made available a felt mushroom ornament in my Etsy shop.  The white spots are all hand-cut and applied to the cap, the red felt is hand-stitched to the white felt, and it all hangs by a wire loop I inserted through the cap.  This is one of my first forays into the 70s era in the design.  The mushroom appeared on everything from dishes to clothing during that decade.

By the way, if you're eying any of these and thinking, "I probably can't afford it," you might be surprised to know that each of these ornaments, individually and in sets, are available for less than $10 USD!  Shipping is low, as well, since they are small and designed to be lightweight.

There is a surge in international sales going on right now, because it takes much longer for people in places like Australia, Canada, and Great Britain to receive packages in time for the holidays.  I've mailed two international packages in the past week.  Whether or not you are a United States resident, I'd like to hear from you.  Come and visit!

Facebook Auction!

I  have heard of "Facebook Auctions" before, so I decided to hold one on my Facebook fan page to round out my October anniversary sale.  I made this little furry monster a little while ago, but couldn't figure out where I wanted to list it (or if I wanted to just keep it).  This is the only one I've made, so if you win it, you will have a one-of-a-kind creation!

The highest bid, wins!

How to participate:

•  Eligible participants have to "like" my Candy Apple Crafts Fanpage, and have a valid and current Paypal account, address, and email address.  US residents will have shipping included in the price, but international residents will be charged shipping in addition to the winning bid.
• I will post this photo on my Facebook fan page .  The caption will have the starting price, and the bidding increment.
• Leave a comment on the photo to place a bid.   For the sake of clarity, don't leave a comment on the photo if you don't want to bid.  You can comment multiple times.
• Every comment on the Facebook photo raises the bid by the bidding increment.  If you aren't sure what the price is at any given moment, count the number of comments and add it up.
• The bidding ends noon, Central Time, Tuesday, November 1, 2011.  Comments posted after that will not be counted.
• The winner will be privately contacted through Facebook for their shipping information and a valid email address.  I will send you an invoice through Paypal to your email.  You will have 24 hours to finish checkout, or you will be disqualified and the winner will be the next lower bid.
• I will mail you this as soon as payment has been completed!

Good luck everyone!  Head over to my fan page right away.  You can't bid here on the blog!  See you there.

Retro Poodle Christmas Ornaments

I'm excited to share the first of my newest line of Christmas ornaments.  It's a retro poodle Christmas tree decoration!  It stands alone, or it can be hung on your tree--you choose.  I can picture a few of these on a white or pastel tree, like those tinsel trees from the 50s and 60s. This ornament isn't just limited to Christmas displays, either.

Handmade, by CandyAppleCrafts, Copyright 2011.

Every year, I make retro style Christmas ornaments, because I love the fun and innocence of decorations from that period.  I design and make them myself.

I am welcoming custom orders on these.  I can vary the number and color, but for now, I just have this one purple one available for sale in my Etsy store.

More to come!  Leave me a comment to tell me what you think. :)