Catching Up - Part 2

Hi Friends and Family!

I'll try to finish up here what I've been up to since Thanksgiving and Christmas. Trying to make much shorter posts if I possibly can (I'm too wordy so not easy for me!).

THANKSGIVING AT MY SON'S HOUSE:

His property is so pretty! Sun was shining through the trees.

Firepit awaits!

Table all set and ready for the big feast.

DECEMBER SUNRISES:

Had to get up early one morning - this greeted me out my bedroom window! I hardly ever get up early enough to see the sun rise.

NEW VIGNETTE:

I had my ceramic Nativity Scene on a shelf in my living room for Christmas, with little colored lights. I hated to take the lights away... so I decided to make a little "woodsy" vignette and leave the lights up! I really love it in the evening. Since I took these photos, I've added a little rustic cabin.

FOGGY DAY:

Though I live close to the coast, it's unusual to have fog where I live, which is 10 miles east of the ocean. On this day (February 27th), I drove to town and the fog was hanging low! I loved how it made the cargo ships look like ghost ships!

BOXES AND CAKE:

I'm currently working some for my daughter-in-law, who has a shop in Astoria. I upload jewelry to her Etsy store, and also have been making some origami gift boxes. I really like doing both!

Tiny 1" x 1" boxes up to 4.5" x 4.5" boxes. The origami boxes are fun to make.. no gluing!

I've been trying to cut down on the sugar I consume, so haven't baked very much.. but the other day, I just NEEDED something sweet! So made a gluten free vanilla-orange cake with cream cheese frosting. Oh my... was that ever good! I ate it up in 3 days.

As you can see, I had to sneak a piece (or two) before I even got it frosted!

LUNCH AT  YOUNG'S RIVER IN ASTORIA:

The day was fairly sunny last week, so I took advantage and drove to get groceries, and of course, had to stop at fast food for lunch! I like to try to find a spot to eat by one of the rivers... this Young's River flows into the Columbia River (or flows from the Columbia? not sure)... and there is a view of Saddle Mountain to the south, which you can just see in the distance. I so enjoy all the water around here!

Saddle Mountain in the distance.

I park along side the road.. clouds were obscuring the mountains for a few moments, but still beautiful.

TRIP TO MY CHIROPRACTOR:

Somehow, I hurt my right knee again (it happens now and then).... I think from walking too much in shoes with NO supports. I was a naughty girl to do that! I paid the price with a bad knee for two weeks.. could hardly walk on it. After 2 weeks, it was mostly better, but I decided to go see my wonderful chiropractor in Morton, WA (2 hours from me) as he usually adjusts it back into behaving. I stopped to photograph some of the river views (of course).

Rife Lake - dammed up Cowlitz River in Washington... the lake is long and deep and gorgeous.. was a pretty rainy day.

The dam that forms Rife Lake. This lake was on my way to Morton, WA, east of I-5 Freeway about 20 miles. I used to live up in this area in 2000 and 2001. 

ANOTHER STUNNING VIEW:

And about 20 miles east of where I live, there is a viewpoint way up on a cliff, that overlooks the Columbia River and a small town on the other side, called Cathlamet, WA. It's a small picnic area too. I love the views there!

Usually pretty windy in this area, but was a crystal-still day. 

This is a small island in the middle of the majestic Columbia River.... you can ride a ferry to it from the little town of Westport, WA, about 20 miles from me, and then drive across a little bridge over to Washington to the little town of Cathlamet. I stil haven't taken the ferry yet! It's on my "to do" list.

I think I'm caught up for now! March is almost over, but a few of my plant pots have some green peeking up... I'm so ready for warmer weather!

Pansies coming up by my rose bush.

My daphne bush that I planted last summer had two blooms on it! I'm so happy. It is one of the most fragrant flowers ever.

Irises peeking up... I brought them with me from Madras. Glad to see they survived in the planter box.

Take care all..... if you have any sunshine, enjoy it!

Marilyn

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PLEASE DO NOT COPY MY PHOTOS AND IMAGES INTO YOUR OWN POSTS WITHOUT FIRST LINKING TO THIS BLOG AND MY NAME.

Our Grange Flea Market

Hi Friends and Family!

The area where I live, named Svensen, which is a small community about 8 miles east of Astoria, has a neat old grange hall, called Wickiup Grange. It's quite historic and has been here a long time. Every month, there is a flea market on the third weekend, except December.

When I moved here, I went to one of the flea markets which was mostly antiques and what you would find at garage sales.... lots of jewelry, good food, and very  nice people, but I never planned to become a vendor and try to sell my crafty projects. I didn't think my handmade things would fit into the clientele of people who go there.  

Then came early September, and my neighbor here where I live, knowing I made paper goods, asked me if I'd want to share a table with her, as a vendor, at the September weekend event.

She has jewelry and scarves athat she and her husband have made, and they used to go to different craft fairs. 

I decided, why not? so I went. It was alot of work to set it up, and get out all of my projects that I had listed in my Etsy shop a few years ago, and repackage it, reprice it, etc.

The September flea market I didn't take photos of. I sold a few things, and met some nice people.

We decided to do the October weekend also. Again, lots of work to load up, take it there, unload it and set up the table.. then take it all down, drive it home, and unload it back into the house. I've done a few of these markets in the past, and really didn't love it. Too much work! But I decided to go ahead and do it.

Here are a few photos from the October weekend. I made lots of Fall stuff, decorated with little fairy lights and velvet fabric. The setup looked really  neat I thought! But not many people showed up sadly.

I specifically made some Hallowen Hershey Bar pockets and a few mini candy bar treat holders. Some of those did sell.

Cute Fall cards!

The October market was VERY slow, as ODOT (Oregon Dept. of Transportation) took down all the signs they had up on the  main highway about a block from the grange, so I'm sure many people didn't come because they didn't know it was happening. They supposedly have a new rule now, that there can't be any signs out close to the highway! That sure put a damper on things.

Move forward to now...... the grange event manager decided to have a special Christmas Bazaar with just handmade items and crafters... NO old stuff, no anqitues, no "junk" as we called some of it! Just handmade...... and that event is next weekend!

I've furiouisly been making things for the bazaar. Our mobile home park is also having a Christmas Bazaar, which we're opening to the public, so I'm going to be part of that also. It's the weekend following the Grange holiday event. We've put up flyers for both bazaars in Aatoria, here, and in two more towns east of Svensen.

Here is what I've been making....

(photo heavy, I'm sorry....)

The most darling teaport "gift boxes". I sold alot of the Fall ones, so am making more with Christmas themes.

I punched a hole in some of them, so I could put a litte electric tealight inside. They looked so cute twinkling on the shelf.

Double sided pockets.. one side holds a tea bag, and the other a Ghiradelli square.

Made a whole bunch of Fall themed ones. Those hardly sold! So I've transformed them into Christmas themed by adding different stickers and red or green ribbon.

Mass making.

My dining table was full of them!

More Hershey Bar pockets made for this coming weekend:

Lots of loggers and hunters in this area.. so I thought these would be perfect!

This was for Halloween. I'm making some Christmas themed ones.

And here are my favorites (well besides the teapots)..... little Christmas stocking gift card holders. You slip the gift card in the top. 

Love the pink! Hope to make more.

So I'm keeping really busy! Not many days left until next weekend, and of course one day is Thanksgiving! I'm going to my son's house about 20 miles from me. Oh I'm so blessed to live close to him again!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! Please take a moment to count your blessings.

Marilyn

ALL CONTENT © PINK PAPER COTTAGE.

PLEASE DO NOT COPY MY PHOTOS AND IMAGES INTO YOUR OWN POSTS WITHOUT FIRST LINKING TO THIS BLOG AND MY NAME.