I spent nearly all of last week painting my kitchen. And painting. And then painting some more. I had paint globs pushed so far up under my fingernails that I think it had entered my bloodstream. Add to that all the fumes and the sore muscles, and you can imagine that I was a real peach to live with last week.
Thankfully, Melanie knows me well, and she knew my spirits would be greatly boosted by a jaunt to a once-a-year craft show held locally on the grounds of an estate.
(People use the word "estate" loosely these days, but girls, this was an ESTATE. Tennis courts, greenhouse, guest houses--plural, rolling hills, the whole deal. It was worth the cost of admission just to see how the other half--or the other .00002%, as it were--lives.)
The day was crisp and all the crafts were crafty. And the artisans were friendly and not at all put off by the fact that Melanie and I walked from booth to booth whispering too loudly, "We could SO totally make that!"
Only pictures could do the morning justice.
Doesn't that sweet man in the background look so very thrilled that his wife drug him to a crafts show? My husband doesn't know it yet, but that will be him in 40 years.
Corrie pooped out pretty quickly...
...but thankfully she can always count on Melanie for some fun distraction.
Evidently mum's the word. (Get it? Mum? I SLAY me!) These things were so gigantic I don't think they would've fit in my mini-van. At $20 a pot, I know they wouldn't have fit in my budget.
Boo.
As we were leaving, we stopped by the pond to let Corrie visit the swans. Yes, the swans. These people actually have swans. Melanie and I agreed that you must surely know you've "made it" in the world when you have your very own swans. Actually, I think Melanie's exact words were, "Geez, haven't these people read The Great Gatsby?"
It was a lovely morning.
Great photos, thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Crystal | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 02:47 AM
Oh how I love a good craft show! That one looks great...and the flowers made me gasp- I need those! (Not a want, definitely a NEED)
Glad you had a good time!
Blessings,
Sue
Posted by: Sue @ praise and coffee | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 06:09 AM
Great pictures! My husband would sooo be that man looking at jelly. And not very enthusiastically looking at jelly.
Posted by: Kathy Gillen/ lessons from the laundry | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 06:42 AM
Ok. you're last picture of your daughter is just WONDERFUL!
That's the type of picture you frame, or put in a photo contest.
Posted by: Terry | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 07:09 AM
Where did you get Corrie's outfit? It is so cute!
Posted by: nicole | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 07:50 AM
Ooooo! That WAS a fun day. And? Your photo skillz are awesome. I look about 10 lbs thinner. Maybe I just need to carry Corrie around to hide my chubs. ;)
Posted by: chilihead | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 08:01 AM
Lovely. So glad you had fun.
Posted by: Goslyn | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 08:32 AM
How fun...and a friend to go with to boot! Makes any craft show better, if you ask me, which you didn't...but still...if you did. I'm just sayin'.
Posted by: Simply A Musing Blog | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 08:51 AM
Looks like a great day! I've seen large potted mums going for $8 a pot sold by my local Amish Community. I've only seen photos so it's hard to compare the size but I've never heard so much talk about mums since moving out here. (Kentucky, came from California) My hubby would love to have a pond like that someday, his would be filled with fish, not sure how he'd feel about swans.
Posted by: Rebecca | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 09:05 AM
It looks amazing, a really beautiful day.
Posted by: zoe | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 09:27 AM
Fall sure doesn't look like that here. I'll be scarping my window this morning.
Posted by: peppylady | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 09:36 AM
That looks like a neat place. The swans are beautiful.
Hey...speaking of Craft Shows, do you ever go to War Eagle?
Posted by: Diatribal | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 09:46 AM
Wow, that place looks amazing! Looks like it was a beautiful fall day.
Posted by: Susanne | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 09:51 AM
I don't normally frequent craft shows, but those pictures made my Monday. What a beautiful place and what a beautiful morning.
Do you think I can have them deliver a couple of baskets of mums? Because it's supposed to be cloudy and rainy here all week. I might need some sunny flowers by Friday to get me out of bed.
Posted by: Kelly @ Love Well | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 09:58 AM
That outfit on your daughter is sooooo cute!!! And her little backpack too. (That is your daughter, right?)
It's quite possible that the man is crafty himself. There are manly crafts, like chainsaw sculpture, whittling, wine making, bee-keeping. My dad makes bolo ties. ><
Posted by: Marie | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 10:15 AM
Your daughter's outfit is darling!
Looks like a great day.
Posted by: MamaLady | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 10:18 AM
What a sweet picture of Corrie (the one where she's pooped out)!
Adorable outfit!
Sigh... makes me want a baby girl!
Any information on the vendor of the second picture? I assume it's metal garden art?
Posted by: GiBee | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 10:23 AM
Lovely pictures. I really like those humongo mums. It looks like it was the perfect Fall afternoon.
Love Corrie's outfit. I just made one like it for Spicey last week. Let me know if you need another one. :)
Posted by: Karen | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:08 AM
This looks like the perfect fall getaway. Thanks for all the pictures. Just remember...all those swans?? Lots and lots and LOTS of SWAN POOP!
Posted by: JCK | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 01:05 PM
Beautiful pics! Sounds like a lot of fun!
Posted by: Nicki | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 01:40 PM
Sounds as if the three of you had a great outing, even if one of you pooped out pretty quickly.
And tell Melanie that she is a SKINNY MINNIE! She looks awfully good.
Posted by: Shalee | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 01:50 PM
was that actually Chili's face? I don't think I've ever seen it before! :)
Posted by: Liz | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 03:50 PM
I love fall festivals! Great pics and Corrie's outfit is WONDERFUL!
Posted by: Thea | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 04:04 PM
What amazing shots... The colours just glow off the screen...
Looks like a fabulous day..
Posted by: Pendullum | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 05:36 PM
I love the giant ghost! I could totally make that. Tee hee.
Posted by: Sheila | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 06:25 PM
A craft fair would make me feel better. I am going to make a t-shirt that says, "I could make that!" Because I so say that all the time and then cringe because I know how awful that sounds. Oh, well. Bygones.
Posted by: Heidi | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 07:05 PM
That looked awesome. Love your daughter's outfit. Adorable!!! Ilove craft shows!!!
Posted by: Dana | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 07:25 PM
Swans...wow! Loved all of the pics and I love the colors in your dd's outfit too! I want a mum like that, but with the drought here it wouldn't survive.
Posted by: Elizabeth-The Whole Family | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 08:48 PM
Hi. Just stumbled by.
This is exactly the kind of thing my wife would drag, I'm mean, bring me to.
I guess I'd be drooling over the Jelly too.
Take care,
~Mitch
Posted by: Mitch McDad | Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:19 PM
Oh that looks awesome. I wish life were like a craft sale... with a banana split... and new shoes.
Posted by: daring one | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 12:28 AM
What a fun weekend you had. The estate is gorgeous. It amazes me to think people really live in these places.
Posted by: Kathleen Marie | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Looks like such fun! Love the mums, but I'd have to pass at that price. Yikes!
Posted by: Angela | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 11:22 AM
Corrie is a little girl now! Not just a toddler, how did that happen?! Look like a fun day.
Posted by: Heth | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 12:38 PM
craft show is a fun alternative to musical. i always wonder what life would be like if it was a musical....what if we put the two together. now that would be fun ;O)
Posted by: jenn | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 01:10 PM
Posted by: jenn | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 01:12 PM
Posted by: jenn | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 01:13 PM
Hi. I'm a long-time lurker, first-time commenter. I thoroughly enjoy your blog by the by, thank you for sharing with all of us. What I did want to share has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but my e-mail wouldn't work through your link. >.<
My comment has to do with the post about silhouettes. I saw this cool trick in Martha Stewart for doing your own. Take pictures of your kids, facing sideways of course, color in the picture with black sharpie, white out the rest of it, photocopy the blacked out photo and frame. Anywho, neat, cheap trick that I thought you'd enjoy.
Posted by: Jen | Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 08:51 PM
I love her outfit.....where did you find such cuteness?!
Posted by: Happy Momma | Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10:02 PM