Thanksmass Crafting!

 Thanksmass is ALMOST upon us readers! The idea for this project came from a viewing of "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" (No I wont be cutting down my own squirrel trimmed tree, and Aunt Bethany wont be wrapping up the cat!) During the scene where Clark Griswold is trapped up in the attic, he stumbles across some old home movies of Christmas in the 1950's. While nostalgically looking back on these happy Christmas gatherings there is an outside shot with someone holding a glittered poster that says "X-Mas 1955".

 (Sign from the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.)

I loved the lettering of the sign, and the 1950's craftiness detail of the added glitter! it inspired me to make a sign that we could hold up in our group photos. However penmanship has changed in the last 60 years, (do they even teach it in schools anymore?) which is why I turned to some vintage stencils for the job.

(We picked these window wax stencils up in Missouri last summer.)

Using the period stencils as a template, I traced out the letters and shapes I wanted onto some plain white card board and then base colored everything with varying permanent markers.

I then used a small paint brush and rubber cement to coat the letters two at a time, then applied the glitter. To keep my colored glitter from mixing I did the red first, then the red tops of the bells, the little green stripe, the bottom red stripe, and finally the gold bottom of the bells and "1959".

  (Glitter, glitter, everywhere... and NEVER where you want it!)

(Ta-Da!)

To help keep the glitter on the cardboard and not everywhere else, after the rubber cement dried I used a clear sealer spray paint (with a flat finish) BUT before you spray seal it, make sure all the access glitter is removed. I used a small clean paint brush to get the loose glitter in between the letters.

I can hardly stand the wait, please Thanksmass don't be late!

-Mick-

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Mick-

Well Color Me Coral!

 

("Just like a picture out of Better Homes and Garden Magazine...")

Oh readers WHAT a weekend is has been! Texas has had its first "winter storm" and in nearly ruined renovation plans this weekend, but luckily our friends braved the "storm" and the living room looks nearly picture perfect for 1959!

Cold and wet weather rolled into town early Friday morning, so a few guests invited to our "painting party" had to cancel for fear of bad weather getting worse, and roads being slick. Fortunately the weather was no where near as bad as predicted, and the "painting party" went on!

(Friends Jacob, Terrace, Chris, Cindy & Patricia!)

(Sarah, Jacob, Terrace, and Patricia...)

The weather outside was a frightful 30 degrees, but inside with the heaters going it was a toasty 70! So rollers ready, and records dropping on the player we got to work!

(The paint color is Valspar's "Simply Coral" and YES it is orange!)

Within an hour we had made quick, and hectic work of the first coat of paint. For a while it was a free for all with people running around painting here and there and leaving bare spots, but that's OKAY its just the first coat!

Since the wood on the walls is brand new, we let painted the first coat then let it dry over night to "cure" so the wood wouldn't just suck up the paint. So we made dinner for our friends and spent the rest of the evening chatting away while the wind and rain blew outside.

 *  *  *

Since Friday was the 50th anniversary of the assassination of our President JFK friend Terrace suggested that we watch the season three Mad Men episode that touches on the weekend of the tragedy.

 Watching original 1963 footage on our 1953 television set was surreal. Terrace and I had started the episode, and when the news bulletin final broke about the president being killed we called everyone into the room, and we watched in silence. The news bulletin having just as much emotional pull as it did 50 years ago.

*  *  *

I have to say, during the first coat I was starting to doubt my color choices. the paint was coming out much more PINK than I had anticipated... but the friends assured me it would all look better in the morning when it was dry. Friends finally bundled up and departed back out into the cold around midnight, and friend Cindy stayed with us as an all weekend guest!

 (The results of our "inclement weather")

The next morning when I woke up I was excited to see what the paint looked like so I hoped out of bed, hit the cold floor, walked into the living room and...

(OH MY GOD...IT'S PINK...)

Because of the color of the wood, and wood grain, the walls looked like they were two tone zebra striped in PINK. Oh I was just sick over it dear readers! I quietly pondered what to do, and I seem to remember the same thing happening when I painted the ceiling, so I began a second coat.  Friend Cindy soon joined me as she said "I could tell by the sound of your roller, you were in a panic..." and by the time breakfast was ready, we had given the entire room a second coat and the color was beginning to turn its correct shade as it dried.

(More orange than pink!)

After lunch friend Jordan arrived to lend a hand, and I quickly put her to work painting the french doors!

While Jordan painted the doors, Cindy painted the window, Patricia painted the bathroom door, and I painted hardware gold to go on the outlet covers and doors.

( Cora: "I don't have opposable thumbs... I'll Supervise!" )

Little by little the room came together, and we all started getting excited at our progress! It was a real thrill to FINALLY be able to put the light switch covers on!

By 4:00 p.m. The paint was dry enough to start moving the furniture back in...

And I started to remember why I loved this color of Coral for the walls! Once things were in order, it really did look like it was 1959!

It looks so wonderful! And it's all thanks to the wonderful friends who helped get it to this stage! Can you even START to imagine what this place is going to look like with all the vintage Christmas stuff I have! Ahhhhh so excited! Again I'd like to say thanks to everyone who came to the painting party, there still a lot to do in the living room but at least it looks kind of nice now! I posted a few of these picture on Facebook and they have EXPLODED with nearly " 70 likes" and comments, I'm glad that everyone is so excited to see the Casablanca with its latest digs!

What do you all think?!

-Mick-

Hello Walls!

How'd things go for you today? Oh this HAPPY and long awaited day dear Readers!!!  Exactly one year to the day of getting the addition "in the dry"  (click the link, looking back progress is AMAZING!) we now have all the doors, windows, and honest to goodness WALLS up at the Casablanca!

It's made SUCH a huge diffrence! My Dad, along with Friend Kyle, Kyle's Dad, and Friend Bryson we went smoothly through this phase of the project.

 

 (Through the door into the bathroom...)

 (The cast iron Claw foot bathtub will go where the ladder is)

One of the secrets of the Bathroom, is this piece of set from "Happy Day's The Musical" There was a line in the show where Arnold, proprieter of "Arnold's Drive-In Diner" Ask that the teens "STOP WRITING ON THE BATHROOM WALL!"

Well this piece of wood was mounted back stage and over the course of the last there years and lots of shows many have signed "the bathroom wall".

So as a time capsule and personal joke, the "bathroom wall" will be hidden in the bathroom wall forever more! It's also cool that the show "Happy Days" was set in 1959, and our Casablanca year this year is 1959. How serendipitous!

While Bryson, Dad, and I fitted the wood onto the walls, Kyle and his dad installed the interior bathroom door and the exterior back door.

(Kyle and his Father.)

My $35.00 door, refitted to be the right height, its also the same style door of "Nick Calloway's cabin" was in the new "Great Gatsby", it was also the front door the Dorothy Gale's farm house in our recent production of "The Wizard of Oz". Patrica saved the day, traversing to town to get a few more pieces of wood to finish up, and a screen door that was the right size!

(Ta-Da!)

 I love how much brighter the room is! We are  having a "painting party" tonight with a couple of friends, painting the walls in the living room Coral and I can't wait!!!

I still need to get the ceiling and wall trim finished, and the floor installed or painted... but the walls will be Coral just in time for Thanksmass, I couldn't be more ecstatic!

-Mick-
 

A Real McCoy

It's the real deal Readers!

Casablanca Member Kate and her mom Teresa found this wonderful green McCoy planter in their Grandmothers things. Since they didn't have a need for it they sent it my way to take out to the Casablanca! It really is a great piece, I love the little yellow bird and the twig it sits on.

The planter found a perfect spot on the window sill just above the kitchen sink, it's emerald green glaze goes perfectly with my green kitchen! I cant thank Kate and Teresa enough for thinking of me, and sending it my way, it sure is a Casablanca treasure!

-Mick-

43 Vintage Holiday Blow Molds, At $1.75 Apiece..

Means we COULDN'T PACK THE CAR FAST ENOUGH!!!
Dear Readers, this is something one only DREAMS of!  I owe blogger friend Missouri Michael BIG TIME, for the better part of a year I've been nagging him that if he happened to see any blow molds to let me know. So picture my unbridled delight when he send me a Craigslist ad for "some" blow molds outside of his hometown. As soon as I saw the pictures in the ad I knew I wanted a good majority of  them, So Michael made a phone call and just like that I became the "Clark Griswold" of Lake Diversion!

I haven't even seen all of them, but there is lots of treasure in there! More than likely I will keep the ones i really like and sell off the rest. BUT WHAT A FIND!


I'm still in shock, but I can't wait to see them all!

-Mick-