Change Changes

If you are a craft club member, you probably already know that the last newsletter is the last one you will receive in the mail. In an effort to become a greener company, we have decided to post future newsletters on our craft club site. This change will allow us to publish more often, keep product information current, and offer you more coupon members only discounts due to the elimination of printing and mailing costs. Economic change changes the way we need to operate our business but rest assured that it will not affect the way we service your crafting needs. It is always our business to please customers and that will never change.

With Thanksgiving only a dozen days away, I hope that your plans are set for the big feast day. If you haven't sent out invitations yet, I will post a simple invitation you can make and get in the mail. I also made an autumn place mat project (see photo) from a cotton dish towel. In the photograph you can see a tranferware plate and some Victorian and vintage utensils. I am a long time collector of old stuff, especially items that can be used at mealtime. Brown transferware dishes from the late 1800's or early 1900's seem to be just right for Thanksgiving dinner and it is very attractive to have a table set with varying patterns. The little ornate pie server is a recent find from a San Francisco antique shop. I don't know much about it except that it is sterling silver and I can't wait to use it to serve pumpkin pie. I don't remember where I bought the large serving fork, but I was pleased to see an article in this year's Martha Stewart Living Thanksgiving issue about this type of bright cut silverware. While polishing the fork I noticed that it had a small repair which is probably why it cost less that I thought it should. I usually spend under $20 for my serving pieces unless it is really calling my name. The tea strainer was an addition to my collection of tea time implements. The bamboo decoration on the strainer made it seem Asian even though it is most likely from Europe. Perhaps it was from that time period (Aesthetic?) when everything Asian was admired in Europe. The silver salad servers seem to be half horn and the simple style makes me think it is from the 1930's but I'm not sure. I suppose it is the mystery of the past life of my antique/vintage things that keep me collecting and wondering. I know that this blog is mostly about collecting but I think that many crafters are cooks and collectors. Maybe it is a genetic thing or we're just chubby pack rats!