Summer is around the corner, so are the parties.

I cannot believe that the summer season is just around the corner.  Parties, events and plenty of barbecues are being put on the calender. As the invitations are being received, thoughts of hostess gifts will come to mind.

The editors of House Beautiful had Shandell’s matchboxes on their 2009 best “Holiday Gifts for under $25.”

Vintage Greek Key  wallpaper patterns, perfect for any party, cowboy boots for the summer barbecue, a polo themed matchbox for a day of watching games, a barnyard of chicken for a country picnic, vintage New York  images for your out of town guests, 19th century shells for a weekend at the beach.  The list goes on, along with the choices.
As a hostess gift, they will last longer than a bottle of wine or a box of cookies, and our large collection of styles—each drawn from our unrivaled 30-year collection of vintage imagery—would match any décor.

Let these light up your summer season.

Susan

Vintage Seed and Plant Catalogs inspired me this winter.

Vintage Seed Catalog Collection

This winter, as I was organizing my flat files, I came across a wonderful bunch if vintage seed and plant catalogs.

The graphics intrigued me, they are an artistic travel through time.  Each tell a story of what was happening in this country when the catalogs were printed. I just could not resist putting these images on everything I make.  The winter months went by much faster as I was dreaming about my garden.

I think Sweet Peas were a very popular flower, there are so many catalog covers with them on it, one of my favorite I put on a night light.  This one was on a Burpee catalog from 1898.

David Landreth was the first person to produce a mail order seed catalog in the USA.  The art of hand drawn catalog covers have been replace by the camera.  The photos are beautiful, but pen and ink are my preference.

I love to garden, having my hands in the earth is a pleasure I share with millions. My dogs like to help me with it as well, they dig and I plant. How perfect.

Seed catalogs start arriving in early fall and are all in a basket waiting for the long winter days.

My friend Margaret, from A Way to Garden has been talking about them for a while.

This year I have decided to order only Nasturtiums and Morning Glories in as many colors and types I can find.  The white picket fence in front of my yard will be filled with lots of color.

Enjoy your journey through my seed catalog collection.

Hope they make you smile.

A Project for “The Sister Project”

There is this amazing place on the internet called The Sister Project, a network of blogs about sisters and sisterhoods of all kinds. A place where I have met the most incredible women from all over.  A place to learn about myself and sisters.  To share with sisters parts of my life.  This blog is the creation of Margaret Roach, a non blood sister of mine, a person that I thank daily for all the help in my life.  She is a true sister and seriously rocks.

I went on a journey to do a project for The Sisters (you can read all about it at TSP) using my vast amount of old stuff that I have collected and some that I went hunting for.  The results came out great.  This picture is the first part that I have finished, with lots more to come as I keep finding more fabulous ephemera, I will share it with you.

My favorite images are of two sisters??? friends??? washing each others hair.  The way they are smiling is wonderful, look at the Saddle shoes, the clothes and the hair.  What an amazing time in our history.  I put these images on matches.

You can have a chance to win them, just visit The Sister Project and leave a comment.  The winner will be picked on the 21st, just in time for Christmas.

Wishing all of my sisters who have supported me lots of PEACE, JOY & HOPE.

Susan

An Amaryllis that needs no water.

Amaryllis, a native South African plant, Latin amarysso meaning “to sparkle. What a perfect meaning for this time of year. I love these plants, every year I search for a new, variety to bloom in my house.

Over the years I have collected 19th century botanicals  of these amazing plants, the detail in the drawings is what I love the most about them.  In the day with no cameras, the fine detail all done with the naked eye.

I have put some of the prints on Tissue Boxes and Matches, they make a wonderful  presents, with absolutely no care they will bloom for years.

Susan

Chairs + Ginger Jars = A fun project with Anne Harwell

I have met the most amazing, talented people this year.  The blogosphere is a world all to itself.   Anne Harwell from Annechovie is one of these people.  Visit her blog and see what I am talking about.  She is an artist and  paints all different types of things, but her chairs are one my favorites.  I sent a tissue box with her chairs on it as a thank you for a wonderful post she did on me.

I was in the shower thinking (I do my best thinking there) about projects for the fall and winter.  Anne’s artwork popped in my head, I thought how wonderful to collaborate with her.  Put her art on my art.  A new twist.  I work mostly with vintage images and I am finding that there are so many artists work that would look great on what I do.

So, here is the first of what I hope to be many fun projects.  The tissue box and matches will be done in limited quantities.

Enjoy.

Susan

Horsing around, jump start the season.

It seems like Halloween just finished, most of the leaves are gone and the Holiday season is knocking on our doors.  The elves at Shandell’s have been working over time getting lots of things ready to make you smile.

Tissue boxes have been on the list lately, as the weather has changed, cold and flu season is here.  As I was going through all of my vintage images I came across this wonderful Steeplechase image.  The detail is wonderful as well as the color. I immediately made a tissue box with this image.

As you are getting to know me, horses , dogs and animals are a big part of my life and work.  I love the 18th and 19th century images of them and put them on just about everything I make. I started putting some of my favorite quotes on matchboxes, along with some of the most beautiful vintage horse images.  What wonderful gifts these will make this holiday season.

So if you are in the area, stop by or visit my online shop.

House Beautiful, 250 Gifts under $25.00

The editors at House Beautiful selected Shandell’s Matches as one the best gifts for under $25.00 this holiday season.  Visit Shandell’s studio or online store for an amazing variety of matches to fulfill your holiday needs.

No holiday season will be more challenging than this one. How to afford a gift that’s really special, but doesn’t bust the budget? The handmade matchboxes from Shandell’s of Millerton, NY, will make gift giving personal and fun: a beautiful gift, but also useful—who doesn’t need matches, whether in the kitchen or for lighting candles or a fire? And just $14.

As a hostess gift, they will last longer than a bottle of wine or a box of cookies, and our large collection of styles—each drawn from our unrivaled 30-year collection of vintage imagery—would match any décor.

I am extremely honored to be selected.  A friend and fellow blogger Anne Harwell’s note cards of her wonderful chairs were also included in this great list.  Stay tuned to see what Anne and I have in store for the Holiday Season.

Susan

Good Witches or Bad Witches

Recently I went on a hunting trip for vintage images.  Not that I need more, but you can never have enough.

I stumbled upon a postcard album from the early 1900′s, that came from upstate New York.  As I turned the pages this wonderful original water color appeared.  I fell in love with it.  For all the years of collecting I never found such a wonderful Halloween image.  Not signed, I wonder who the artist was.

Perfect for Shandell’s matches.  What a fabulous way to light your Halloween night.

Simply Stated

Kate Parker from SimplyStated a blog from RealSimple.com, shared my work with her readers.  I was honored to have her write about me.  Grateful I am to be able to make things with my hands and make people smile.

Kate said “Handmade gifts have that extra special, personal touch – and it’s always nice to support independent artisans. At $14, these match boxes are an affordable and unique  present – plus it’s something everyone needs.”  The “Met Opera” matches were one of her favorites.

Thank you Kate for sharing my work.
Susan

Sexy, Retro & Irresistible

Pin Up Girls have been documented since the late 1890′s, but the girls from the 1920′s to the 1960′s are the most notable.  Showing up on calenders, matchbook covers, in ad campaigns and more.  These woman always had a smile, dressed in a little or a lot of clothing, they allowed your imagination to be free.

I have fallen in love with these.  The first ones I ever came across was in 1990, I was on a house call for antiques and in the lot of goods that I purchased was an entire series of girls.  I sold them all but two that I keep in my bedroom.  I do look back and wished I keep the others, but since I am this mad collector I have found so many more for my collection.

Shandell’s match boxes seemed like a perfect “match” for these lovely ladies.  I hope they get you to smile for a while.

The “Daily Tattler” is one of my favorites.

Enjoy,

Susan

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