Kane Update; More Miss America; Snow Day

Chicago got its first big snow of the season this weekend, just in time for the Kane County Flea Market. Not necessarily the two things you want to see happen at once. The show was definitely quieter than normal, but over all, not bad, considering 6 to 8 inches had fallen between Friday night and Saturday noon. Here's a peek at a couple of projects:

These cute illustrations from a children's book were purchased this summer from our favorite paper dealer Patty Suttle. We found these nifty barn windows just last week and thought they'd look great together. Something I'd never seen before are these little iron stars, original to the windows:

Have you ever seen these? Joe thinks they are simply decorative pulls. Or maybe they functioned somehow to hold the window open? If anyone knows anymore about them, we'd love to learn!

Last week we also found these funky old wheels, which worked just great on the lab stands we also purchased over the summer from our pals the Iowa Junk Gypsies. We just needed a little expertise from our friends at Argos Hardware to come up with the fasteners. Just like so many things in life, it takes a village! Many thanks to all who braved the weather to attend the show; we never take your support for granted. Today, work starts on Grayslake, so plan to come and see us there.

But first, a Miss America update! Shellac is the final step in our makeover process, adding a rich, dark patina to the paper structure. If you want to try it, work in a well-ventilated area. Put down some disposable plastic and wear gloves -- things are gonna get messy. Use a disposable brush or be prepared with a can of ammonia to clean up afterward. And work fast; shellac dries extremely quickly.

But nothing else give such a great finish; here's how she looked before-hand:


One last thing: we got out first snowstorm of the season last night -- looks like at least 6 inches to me! I always love the hush that snow brings to our busy street; we live in town, but everything is muffled by nature's handiwork.

Today is also my son Jack's birthday. His big day generally coincides with the first storm of the season, just like it did 16 years ago. He always feels this snow is just for him -- and enjoyed the 2 hour school delay this morning! Like a good son, however, he went out and shoveled the walk. But here's a small-town bonus -- some nice neighbor had already taken care of our driveway. Sigh. It's gonna be a good day. xo