Friday, December 24, 2010

Happy Christmas Eve........to one & all !

As I sit here checking emails & drinking a large mug of eggnog with a shot of brandy
(OK one cant lie on Christmas Eve.....2 shots of brandy..OK OK.... 2.5 shots)
I want to wish all my readers a wonderful
Christmas Eve from my
home to yours.




With warmest regards & a lovely eggnog mustache,

Karen

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Guess who came to my front door...

I was working on my computer the other day when gazing out of my window I spotted an interesting gentleman coming down the sidewalk. I grabbed my camera and ran to the front door. I pulled it open and guess who was there. OK..he pretended he was the mailman BUT I knew better....it was the jolly fellow himself, yes it was Santa Claus !

He was in a hurry but kind enough to allow me to take his photo. I asked as to why I havent gotten any presents yet. He asked the usual question...where you good this year? I said No of course as I am a honest lass. He chuckled and said I had only a few days left to correct that situation. So far it has been an ordeal to be good.

However, I bet if I submit this to the National Enquirer I would cause quite a stir although probably not many presents would be coming my way. Alas, I decided to share this with my followers only as who know the National Enquirer would probably accuse him & his elves and reindeer of nasty accusations....ie fisky activities between the elves, fights between the reindeer and heaven only knows what Mrs. Claus is doing these days with that rum soaked fruitcake.

This photo is my present to you !




Yours in a whimsey,

Karen

Monday, December 20, 2010

Just a Wee bit tardy......lol

OK....I finally got the Wee Christmas Web Show up and running...I feel like I gave birth to an elephant with spikey shoes and curly feathers coming out of his trunk. I wanted to keep it simple...yeah, right. But late last nite it was ready to launch !

Sent out my first notices at midnite..and actually woke up to emails with orders...lol. I guess I have some nite owl customers. Thank you !


Come and take a wee peek....

www.themadhattedbear.com






As always....special & custom orders are welcomed !


With warmest regards,

Karen





Monday, December 13, 2010

What happened to Thanksgiving !

Honestly, I swear yesterday was Thanksgiving....I woke up today and realized that holiday was over 2 weeks ago. Yes, time does fly around here. I was busy making mohair pieces for one of my stores on the East Coast ...got that done...whew, that was a lot of work & wow did the time speed by.

Now I have decided to do a Wee Christmas Webshow ! Yes, I know Christmas is next week..lol...but there are still plenty of days left before then. I have a number of fun pieces I want to feature so stay tuned to the exact date...I will post it here and on the Enter page of my website -

www.themadhattedbear.com

All the best to you & yours,

Karen

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Another turkey bites the dust.....


As I write this blog today...in total honesty I must convey...
the big old turkey that is in the oven ....
was prepared with stuffing and a bit of lovin.

In one hour the feast will begin... hubbie and I attacking it with nary a chagrin.
To friends & family we must say...another turkey bites the dust today !

Friday, November 12, 2010

This past weekend.....

This past weekend we celebrated my mother in laws 85th birthday. It was fun to see all my husbands family with only a few missing. My husband is one of 10 kids so you can imagine the number of people that show up.

The birthday cake was made by my sister in law, Terri and it was fabulous ! She got the recipe off Epicurious.com. I was able to find it and share it with you. When my birthday comes I am asking my darling husband to make it for me. I mentioned that today and his face went white...he told me he has never made a cake...lol....heck, this could be interesting.

Here is the recipe - she left out the nuts due to some with allergies...it was a light cake but very good.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese-Lemon Zest Frosting Epicurious | June 2009

by Sarah Magid
Organic and Chic


Yield: Makes one 8-inch layer cake or 24 cupcakes
ingredients
For the cake:
1/3 cup dried shredded organic unsweetened coconut
About 1 pound organic farm-fresh carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch Lengths (3 cups)
1 cup chopped organic pineapple
1 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons organic ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated organic nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar
3/4 cup organic canola oil
1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
3 organic eggs
Cream Cheese-Lemon Zest Frosting

Optional additions (add one or a combination of all three)
3/4 cup chopped toasted organic walnuts
1/2 cup organic golden raisins, plumped in warm water for 20 minutes and drained
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh organic ginger
preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper (to ensure that the cake will not stick), or place liners in 2 muffin pans for 24 cupcakes. Set aside.

Place the dried coconut in a cup of warm water to soften and set it aside for 15 minutes.

Place the carrots in a food processor and pulse on and off for 1 minute. Then add the pineapple and pulse until the carrots are cut into very small pieces and the pineapple is pureed, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the brown sugar and use a whisk to break up any lumps.

Drain the coconut and place it in a medium bowl. Add the oil, vanilla extract, eggs, and carrot-pineapple mixture, and whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing with a rubber spatula to incorporate but not overmix. When the batter is almost mixed, stir in the additions, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake for 55 minutes, or until the tops are a very golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. (It may look as if the cake is too well done, but it takes a while to bake because it's so dense.) For cupcakes, the baking time is 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then invert them onto a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Fill and frost the cake with the Cream Cheese-Lemon Zest Frosting (for added oomph, add 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger to the frosting).


to decorate

Fill and frost the cake with cream cheese frosting and let chill. Tint 1/2 cup frosting lemon yellow, and use the 10 tip to pipe 5 dots in a circle to create simple buttercup flowers. Then combine any remaining yellow frosting with some additional cream cheese frosting and tint it leaf green. I use tip #67, which pipes small fern stems. Pipe the center stamen with cream cheese frosting and chill to set.



Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Carrot-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese-Lemon-Zest-Frosting-353969#ixzz15ZlSdnD9

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Oh Me Oh My....I have been a busy little beaver.....

I truly believe my fingers were permanently glued to my keyboard this past week...lol...listing items on Ebay and Etsy before the holiday craziness starts. Yes, I stated craziness...in the past I have actually completed orders on Christmas Eve....lol.

For those who do not know about Etsy ...it is a website that features artists work along with art & craft supplies and vintage items more than 20 years old.

I find a lot of my treasures on Etsy..oops, I just gave away a secret...but lets keep it between you and me !

In the artist section of Etsy, I have listed some of my OOAK Pocket Watch Vignettes in which I had so much fun creating. They are like little showcases of tiny treasures and vin
tage images.

Today I am listing my charm bracelets ......I have always loved charms....at the age of 13 I would order charm catalogs from the back of magazines. When the catalogs arrived I would circle the charms I wanted. Of course I wanted all of them...lol...a very greedy little girl was I.

I still retain my girlhood charm bracelet and add to it every once in awhile...I think the last charm was from a trip to Paris. I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower all by myself (my girlfriend had a French class and wasnt interested). I found a cute little souvenir shop and bought a Sterling Silver Eiffel Tower. One day I will tell about my other Paris adventures. The trip was what
got me started in jewelry making.

Here are one of my Pocket Watch Vignettes and Charm Bracelets
below .....
just to tease you....



* * Bella Floras Escapades * *



* * Grandma Was A Cowgirl * *

* SOLD *

Thank you for your purchase !


Take a peek at my other necklaces and charm bracelets that have been listed on this fun site -


If you are not sure how Etsy works and interested in purchasing or have any questions....just email me at


Thank you !


Karen


Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A local show...

Well...just when I think I have enough on my plate to do before the holiday rush....I decided to do a local show at the Waukesha Expo center....it was a flea market type with a smattering of newer items....the first time being held. Crowds were good on Saturday with Sunday a bit slow.

I found a great jar of buttons, a vintage celluloid head jester rag-style doll, a snowman display piece, gumball charms for my bracelets and vintage doll clothes for my bears.... finding treasures always make the show more fun...lol.


Just a few treasures found in my booth ....


* The Five Harlots *

They will do anything for a charm bracelet !




* Necklaces & Bracelets *



* Pop Art Bracelet & Necklace *
A charming extravaganza....


~ Bracelet $ 56.00

~ Necklace $ 98.00

Whistles, compass, tiny cereal boxes, animals, false teeth, toothpaste
tube, tiny soda cups & cans, hot dog, hamburger, 4 leaf clover,
baseball, hairbrush, lantern, pirate ship, pair of feet,
crayons, monopoly pieces, telephones,
birds, helicopter, wine
bottle, monkey,
tiny light
bulb

...just to name a few charms and trinkets
found on either piece.


Yours in a whimsey,

Karen



Saturday, October 30, 2010

Another peek at my website offerings....


~ Bessy Culpepper ~



19" tall to top of hat

Bessy Culpepper of the famous New Orleans Culpeppers wears
an antique white lawn dress with a vintage bone brooch
stating her name "Bessy". Around her waist, she wears a double ribbon
of polka dots with a double bow in the back.

Her chapeau is made of straw with Fall foliage, leaves & fruit.

Bessy has glass eyes and staining around eyes and snout
for vintage appeal.

She is made of a distressed tan mohair with a dark back.
Her paws are leather& she has a pearl cotton nose. When tipped
she emits a wonderful growl.

She comes with her friend Rudy The Rooster and a vintage childs
tea cup and saucer.

" One Of A Kind "

$ 495.00


Free shipping until Nov. 14 for US only.


www.themadhattedbear.com


Yours in a whimsey,

Karen


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Website uploaded at last !

For some reason it always seems to take longer than I plan to finish my website...lol. Too many details in the finishing of pieces.


I am very happy with what I produced over the past number of weeks....

  • lots of whimsical pumpkin pincushions
  • 4 sizes of crows with jointed heads
  • a charming soft-sculpture moon wears a top hat with a surprise
  • pumpkin head dolls
  • 2 autumn garbed teddy bears with elaborate hats ...both one of a kind pieces

...all for your viewing pleasure.



Here is one of the fun pumpkins I created -


" Pumpkin Baby "

























11.75" tall ***** $ 235.00


" Close-up "
























Take a peek at the other pieces on the website !

www.themadhattedbear.com


Yours in a whimsey,
Karen

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Working like a mad woman ....

Thank you for the wonderful comments. I do apologize for not responding quickly...just too many details in creating and finishing these pieces. I do appreciate your emails ...it keeps my creative juices flowing and heightens my own anticipation of "showing off" what I created during the past few weeks.

Even though I have been busy designing, sewing, assembling etc. I somehow managed to spray my left arm a wonderful Satin finish black..lol. I did get a few strange looks tonite when I picked up a yummy Chinese carry out. Although it did look better than the time I showed up at the Post Office with red, blue and black hands.

Yours in a whimsey, Karen

Finally ....Website Update !

Monday, October 18, 2010

New & wonderful things coming !

Just taking a quick break from sewing. I am just delighted with how some new ideas and designs are taking shape. In my soon to released website update, I will be celebrating "Autumn" and as a teaser there are some wonderful whimsical pumpkin pincushions, mohair crows with jointed heads and a few fun surprises ! I hope to get this uploaded this week...stay tuned for further posts !

Yours in a frenzy...oops...whimsey, Karen

www.themadhattedbear.com



Sunday, October 17, 2010

Somehow a year just slipped right by.....

OK.... it has been over a year since I last wrote in my blog so I decided to commit myself to writing at least once a week unless I am on vacation, ill, comatose or dead. There I have now stated and will resolve to put pen to paper or in this case cursor to screen and write at least once per week.

I have been busy.... yeah, yeah everyone is busy these days. My actual time-sucking activities included antiques shows, our booth at a local mall, jewelry making, flea markets, creating new pieces for my stores and catalogs that feature my work and general everyday life events. My husband and I are antique dealers in addition to our other occupations which I will go into at a later date.

Recently, we were vendors at the fabulous Grayslake Antique Market in Grayslake, Illinois last weekend. The show was a bit slow heck, the weather outside was fabulous and we all imagined the customers were doing their last hurrah of fishing, boating, picnicking, raking leaves before much cooler weather set in.

Anyway, I met some really great vendors at Grayslake and of course they enticed me to buy some fun things at their booths. I met a very knowledgeable gentleman named Jon J. Vrabel who specializes in vintage watches and other dazzling delights.....diamonds, gold, silver and fountain pens. He brought to my booth a number of plastic and cigar boxes and allowed me to comb through this inventory of watches and watch parts. I was able to obtain quite a few vintage ladies watches both cases and faces plus tiny jack knives, a rhinestone portrait pin that I will use on my charm bracelets. A very nice man who really knows alot about watches.

I also met Carol Kamin who was funny and we traded "war" stories. She and her husband Dean specialize in stereoviews, postcards, ephemera and tintypes. I poured over her albums of tintypes and managed to find several gem and small sizes that I will use on my bracelets as well. The couple are based out of Elgin, Ill.

While setting up our 32 foot booth I met the vendor next to us.....Sumaya Seccurro from Carmel, Indiana. I could see over my tables that her booth was one that had items "calling to me"....I held off as long as possible and the second day of the show I just had to buy these treasures.... vintage bingo tabs, brass tags with a fabulous patina and large red dice that I have been searching for. How she knew that I needed these items is a mystery to me but she was my market neighbor and I was delighted to meet her as well as her husband, Brian. Had the show been less slow I would have probably cleaned her out of more trinkets I saw in her booth.

The last vendor I met was Sylvia Cornell who was just a few booths down from us. She showed scads of jewelry and vintage buttons on her tables. I mentioned that I was looking for vintage rhinestone buttons for my bracelets and the dear lady brought a nice assortment to my booth for me to look over. I also met her booth partner named Connie and took a photo of these ladies as noted below. Note the cool button purse that Sylvia is showing off.

























Even though sales were slow for most vendors, it was a great picking for the vendors and customers who did attend ...of course I am tickled with all my treasures. The Grayslake Market is once a month and the promoter Zurko Promotions is based out of Shawano, Wisconsin.

I exhibit at this market once a year and may choose next fall again....although don't be surprised to see me there as a buyer scouting out more bits and pieces for my charm bracelets !

Yours in a whimsey.....Karen