Garlands or Buntings at Checkered Corner

A special opening of the Checkered Corner will be tomorrow, January 16 from 4-7 p.m.  It will open for regular hours on January 17 - 19th.  This link will provide all the details on location and times.

I was not able to photograph my new vintage linen buntings or garlands in my backyard as I hoped.  More snow (not a problem) and very windy (a big problem) and my lingering cold prevented me from taking those photos. 

Earlier today, I hung all my new vintage linen buntings/garlands on the 2nd floor bedroom where Isa Creations can be found at the Checkered Corner in downtown Littleton.

A few of these buntings or garlands have a Valentine theme mixed with a little bit of mix media influence.  I created two buntings with the words "love" using free motion sewing to create a more layered look along with vintage trims and doilies.

 

The other "love" garland or bunting using the free motion sewing technique has the words with more scrolls and cursive look, along with vintage trims.  

Vintage Linen & Paper Heart Garlands

The Checkered Corner will be open next week.  Including a special preview on Thursday, January 16th.  It will be open during it's regular hours on January 17, 18 & 19th.  For the all the details on location and times, please click here.

The Checkered Corner will be featuring

"Upstairs/Downstairs" wares and invite you to enjoy tea and crumpets in 

Celebration of Downton Abbey Season 4

I am not the only fan of Downton Abbey.  Anita and Patrice are fans of Downton Abbey as well.  

This of course had me thinking of what new items I could create for January using the inspiration of Downton Abbey.

For me, it is vintage linens and lace.  I decided to create something I have had on my to do list.   Something some customers have actually asked me to create.

Vintage Linen Garlands

I hoped to take pictures of these garlands in the backyard yesterday afternoon but this Colorado weather is constantly changing.  We still have snow on the ground but the days are warmer, which is nice.  But, yesterday was really windy so I decided I was not even going to try.

I am really happy with the results.  If I don't take pictures of these garlands in my backyard, I will take pictures of them on display at the Checkered Corner next week.  For now, I can only show a preview of them.  Thankfully, I manage to get most of these done before I came down with a bad cold.  Now that I am feeling much better, I will finish a few more in progress. 

I am also currently working on creating heart paper garlands.

 Lots more to sew:

Catching up...Sugar Cookies & Gingerbread House

I wanted to post pictures from days before Christmas where we decorated Sugar Cookies and a family Gingerbread house weeks ago.  After all the shows, I was exhausted and needed a break from everything, including blogging.   Now I feel like I have to catch up before I post about the new items I am working on.

Above all I am grateful we had a really good holiday.  I mostly spent quality time with the kids.  I am already a fan of Downton Abbey, all I needed was my 16 year old daughter, Laura to join me.  She did.  I watched 3 seasons of Downton with Laura ... I am ashamed to admit we did this marathon is 2 days.  Two days where she and I just watched episode after episode of Downton Abbey while Alex, my 9 year old son, build lots of wonderful things with all his new Lego kits.  He was happy... we were happy!  David, who was working during all of this, would come home to a very content home.  He is intrigued by this Downton Abbey but sadly does not have time to sit and watch like we did.  He was just happy Laura and I were getting along so well.  Laura and I were so happy when the 4th season started this past Sunday. 

Oh, I should also mention we watched other movies.  Several movies with Laura at home and some with Alex.  Alex and I went to see several movies at the theater, we saw Saving Mr. Banks and Walking with the Dinosaurs (took 2 of Alex's friends to see the Dinosaur movie). 


David and I also got some quality time together.  He and I went to my friend Amy's  (owner Pink Attic Cat) "Christmas" party last Saturday.  The kids stayed home while David and I spent time with Amy's family and friends.  We had a really good.

Before Christmas, we managed to continue the annual tradition of decorating Sugar Cookies.  Sophie, Laura's friend who has joined us for many years spent the day with us decorating cookies. This year, Alex asked if he could invite a friend since Laura always invites Sophie.  So this year, Ryan (also 9 years old) joined us.  The kids rolled sugar cookie dough and used an assortment of cookie cutters.  I made the butter-cream icing then the kids colored the icing - 9 colors!  Then it was time to decorate.

We were all very impressed with Sophie's cookie decorating skills.  She has said she is not too crafty, but I have to say she  has come a long way .... I was so proud!   This was Ryan's first year and he seemed to enjoy himself, although I don't know what he thinks for the 2 teenage girls who kept poking fun at each other.  At some point, Laura and Sophie got into a icing rumble... they were on the floor laughing and getting icing on each others face.

Here are the cookies:

Sophie's Cookies

Laura's Cookies

Ryan's Cookies

Alex's cookies... the long green cookie on top is a snake.  He is the kid that thinks outside the box.  Since we don't have a snake cookie cutter, he just created his own shape.

David's cookies... yes, my husband enjoys this activity as well.  I did not decorate any sugar cookies this year.  I am what you would call the facilitator.  I refill icing bags, take photos and get the kids what they need.

A few days later, on Christmas Eve, David, Laura, Alex and me decorate our family Gingerbread house.  Afterwards we watch A Christmas Story while we wrap presents.  Alex goes to bed early because he still believes in Santa.   I am happy to say this is the 16th year we have decorated a gingerbread house on Christmas Eve...our tradition continues!

"I" am sitting next to the snowman.  "Laura" is on the side of the house.

"Alex" is wearing candy cane suspenders and is next to 2 mini cars he built  in the "backyard"

"Alex with his race track"

"David" is in the back with a snowball in his hand.  Perhaps aiming for "Isabel?"

"Laura" is out of focus in this picture.  I wanted you showcase the bench Laura created from candy.  I have to say, both of my kids are creative!

I originally planned on posting this at the beginning of this week  but I suddenly came down with a cold.  I am on the mend now but get tired pretty easy.  This cold slowed me down but now that I am feeling much better, I will continue to work on some Valentine theme items.

Tomorrow I will post preview pictures of my items in progress.

New Blog Header and More Changes coming in 2014!

The new year is upon us.

  Another year is almost over.

With this New Year.... 2014

I expect many changes.

Among them, a new blog header for my blog.

The new blog header reflects a new direction for me.

Much more re-purposing of Vintage Linens, less on felted wool

More Paper and Mix Media.... I hope.

The new:

The old:

Another change:

The background paper in my blog.  It is now Music.

Music is a very important part of my creative process. It helps me focus.

More changes will be coming.  I will share them as I make them.

Please visit my Facebook page for Isa Creations, here. 
I also added a Facebook Badge to my blog (Left top corner)

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Isa Creations at Checkered Corner and Pink Attic Cat

A week ago I thanked everyone who came to Sugar Plum Bazaar and helped me make that my most successful show.

I am happy to report that my sales at Rue De Noel, A Paris Street Christmas Market exceeded my Sugar Plum Bazaar   sales, making Rue De Noel by best show to date!  Thanks to all my wonderful customers!  Also want to thank all my friends who came to visit me at my booth.  A special thanks to my friend Lisa who surprised with a a gift... Christmas earrings  (I had forgotten mine at home and Lisa did not know that) and for the yummy lunch she delivered to me.

Often time at these shows, you prepare and make an assortment of items and generally I sell a little bit of most things.  I think my record sales these past 2 shows is due in great part, to the little paper Christmas houses.  I loved making them and it makes me happy to know they were so well received.  Again, thank you to everyone who purchased these little houses.

Photo taken at Rue de Noel, A Paris Street Christmas Market 2013

I had 24 paper houses at Sugar Plum... 22 sold on the first day, with the remaining 2 on the 2nd day, resulting in the first time I sold out of anything....ever!

I got busy and made as many houses as I could for Rue de Noel, A Paris Street Christmas which took place only a week later.  I created another 60 Christmas paper houses.  I figured I would be lucky if I sold half of them at Rue de Noel and at Checkered Corner (open this coming weekend) combined.

After Rue de Noel, I only had 16 paper houses left.  Last night I created 19 more houses.  I am out of the tiny bottle brush trees (I bleached and glittered them earlier in the month).

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday

The Checkered Corner  

in downtown Littleton will be open. 

Visit the upstairs bedroom where you will find many unique and one of a kind gift items, including Hand-crafted Christmas items 

like little paper Christmas houses.

located at 5650 South Curtice Street

Open Friday & Saturday 10 - 6 p.m.

Sunday 12 to 4

In addition, for a limited time

Isa Creations Christmas items

including the little paper Christmas houses 

will be at

The Pink Attic Cat

located at 

2555 W. Alamo

Historic Downtown Littleton

Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 - 5 p.m.

I want to thank my friend Amy for inviting me to bring a sampling of my hand-crafted Christmas items to her store, The Pink Attic Cat. 

Rue de Noel A Paris Street Christmas Market

Today was a long day.

It is extremely cold in Littleton and having to load the truck with my inventory and then unload in these conditions at Southwest Plaza Mall (where Rue de Noel, A Paris Street Christmas Market is being held) was exhausting.  Setting up my booth with so many tiny little things is very time consuming.

At least I ended the day happy with my booth at Rue de Noel, A Paris Street Christmas Market.  This is the last show of the year.   This, along with Sugar Plum Bazaar is one of my favorites.

 The Checkered Corner will be open this Saturday, although I will only have a small amount of inventory there since most of it is at Rue de Noel.   Checkered Corner will also have a booth at Rue de Noel, Patrice and Anita have wonderful treasures in their booth.

 

Now for a closer look:

One of my personal favorites, little paper houses:

Rue de Noel A Paris Street Christmas Market this Friday and Saturday

First of all I want to thank everyone who came by to the 3rd Floor last Saturday and Sunday at Sugar Plum Bazaar.  My sister, Gaby, from El Paso helped me setup my space on Friday and was with me all day on Saturday.  I loved spending the day with my sister.  She got to meet many of my friends, vendors and customer at Sugar Plum Bazaar.  She and her boys left Denver Saturday night and are now back home.  My family and I had a great Thanksgiving and we are all just very grateful for everything we have, especially our family.

Sunday, as I was finishing up packing up my space, LeeAnna  (from Bella, 2nd floor at Sugar Plum) came by with her husband and brother to carry my stuff down 3 flights of stairs to my truck.  LeeAnna and her husband have helped me before at Sweet Williams and at Sugar Plum.  She and her husband are very sweet.  They had a long drive back home to Ft. Collins, yet they came up to help me.  Their kindness is very much appreciated.

Many thanks to LeeAnna, her husband and brother.  And my little friend Izzie (age 9, same as my son Alex) also helped carry boxes to my car.   Izzie  (Jen's {one of the Sugar Plum organizers} daughter) was hanging out with me as I packed up my booth.

I am happy to say that my sales at Sugar Plum were the best....ever...at any show!  Again, thank you to all who came to support me!

Another 1st at Sugar Plum was I completely sold out of various items.  That has never happened.  I have never sold out of anything.

My little paper houses created using Vintage inspired papers were completely sold out. 

 Just like this one

  

  

The week before Thanksgiving I said I was done creating anymore Christmas items.  Turns out I was wrong.  I have made more paper houses.  Many with the same vintage inspired papers I used before.  

I am still working on the finishing touches (add silver German glass glitter and the tiny bottle brush trees).  By the end of the day, I will have replenished my inventory of paper houses.  They will be available this Friday and Saturday at Rue de Noel, A Paris Street Christmas Market.