Just Splendid!

Our Etsy blogger of the month is Rita, of Splendid Little Stars. She has two Etsy shops, http://sparklypark.esty.com in which she features jewelry and http://SplendidLittleStars.etsy.com which has fun and fabulous tie-dyed items. I'm especially liking her snowman socks and long sleeved T which you see pictured here. Wouldn't they make a darling set for either a boy or a girl? In fact, she even will do special orders in colors and sizes that you want! Please take a moment to visit her shops and her blog for more information about her and her creative process.

MMM...Mustard!

No, you're not seeing things!! Those are apples to the right. However, the latest Etsy Bloggers Carnival has asked us to tell about a favorite fall activity. We just happened to extend it past the wonderful Lapacek Apple Orchard in Poynette, Wisconsin, where this first shot was taken, to...are you ready for this...the one and only (perhaps thank goodness) National Mustard Museum!!

That's right, folks, inside this seemingly unimposing building lies a true treasure, for you mustardholics that is! It truly spices up the lovely town of Middleton, Wisconsin. Here you can learn about (and sample) hundreds of mustards amidst the "tongue in cheek"...after you stop sampling mustard...displays orchestrated by the museum's official curator.

A good example is a visit to the Poupon U book store where you can gobble up t-shirts, books, and even diplomas! My fav was the "Doctor of Diddly Squat" degree. You can also take mustard quizzes, view more types of mustard than seems possible, and pay a visit to Mustard Piece Theatre to view a film that will have you salivating as you laugh. Not really a pretty picture!!

After exploring and sampling many mustards on such delicacies as mini-hotdogs and pretzels, we made our purchases. We send our thanks to Barry Levinson, the curator (and sometimes preacher) and his staff for a smacking good time.

If you're ever near Madison, Wisconsin, it's worth a visit. And be sure to sign up for the occasional newsletter from the curator or visit the website!

The Bride Wore Black

On Christmas Eve almost 97 years ago, my grandparents were married in a simple home ceremony. The bride wore black. It was quite a surprise to me the first time I heard it until she explained that it was the custom in her city at the time. Besides, she added, she would wear the dress again.

So it seemed quite natural to me when my husband and I were married four years ago to do the same thing, especially because it was not the first marriage for either of us. We were married in a simple ceremony in our home, by a dear friend, an Episcopalian priest. The bride wore black, of course.

When the topic, weddings, was chosen for the Etsy Bloggers Carnival, it was a story I had to share! The photo above is from our wedding, but as I look just like my grandmother, it was almost a step back to that simpler time, 97 years ago. I guess that happy marriages do not come from the color of the wedding dress....black, white, or any other color!

What about you? What color was your wedding dress?

Apple time!

As I write, the wonderful smell of home made apple sauce is wafting through the house. It is definitely apple time in Wisconsin!

My daughter, son-in-law, husband and I recently toured the Lapacek apple orchard near Poynette, Wisconsin. I snapped this pix on the right of the three of them at the highest point in the orchard while on their "scavenger hunt tour"!

The orchard is a delight from the apple trees in full fruit to the pick-your-own raspberries to the wonderful craft shop. There are great activities for adults and children alike, and you can even meet friendly animals, such as Mac 'n Tosh, the emus pictured below.

But the most fun was meeting Kim and her mother-in-law, absolutely splendid folks! You can see me with my daughter and Kim below, too. You can tell us from the emus, can't you? ;) Kim actually is an Etsy seller as well with fantastic quilts and many other items. Please check her out at http://KimsCraftyApple.etsy.com/

Kim was also kind enough to put some of my apple scrubbies in her shop, so if you are in Columbia County in Wisconsin, you can see them at the orchard. Whispering Orchards here in Sheboygan County also offers my apple scrubbies, so there's opportunities to purchase them there besides my Etsy Shop.

Reunion; Sweet Reunion

How swiftly 50 years pass! Last Saturday evening we were fortunate to spend time with more than one hundred of my former classmates for our 5oth high school reunion!

It was a perfect celebration, from the tastefully done table decorations to a wonderful meal and exquisitely planned party. My heartfelt thanks to the organizers of the event, especially my dear friend, Kathy Diehl High, whose superb organizational skills enabled her not only to find every single one of our graduates, but with the help of her sister, produced an updated "yearbook" with delightful autobiographies. They cleverly used the design of our first yearbook (on the left) to produce this memorable new addition (on the right). Incidentally, "WAMAGO" stands for West Allis Maroon and Gold.

Our graduates came from all over the US and it was such fun to catch up on their lives. We all have had great joys and tragedies in our lives; some have remained in West Allis and some have been world travelers; all have made wonderful contributions to their families and their world. One of our members even took pictures of as many of us as he could so he could send digital copies to our former exchange student in Germany!

It was a great honor to see so many of them again. I am so proud to have been a member of the graduating class of 1960 and I wish each of them the best in their golden years. They deserve it!

Presenting: PatchFirst

Who of us can resist weddings, especially the gorgeous white bridal dresses and accessories? The Etsy Blogger of the Month makes exceptionally lovely jewelry that she sells at: http://patchfirstshop.etsy.com This stunning necklace is just one example. She even has a wedding planning blog at http://patchfirstshop.blogspot.com And for those of you into vintage, she can also be seen at http://patchfirstvintage.etsy.com In addition this multi-talented lady has a supply shop at http://patchfirstsupply.etsy.com I am absolutely in love with her origami flowers made from post it notes...of all things! Please take a moment to visit her shops and her blog. You'll be glad you did!!

Back To School

Back to school time was always special in our home, so it is easy to write this post for the Etsy Bloggers Team Carnival with that theme.

My mother taught school and she always made this time fun for me and my sister. Because I was a teacher as well, it was always an exciting time, and now my younger daughter is a third generation educator! To us, the year begins in late August or early September instead of January!

The most precious moment for me at this time of year was taking my older daughter to school for the first time. She was the only child in the class who did not cry, and I was the only mother that did!!

The alphabet note cards are available for sale in my Etsy shop, and would be a perfect set for any teacher!