Eye Candy and Inspiration!

I took a rare day off today to meet a friend for a visit to the National Christmas Center, in Paradise, PA, and have to say I was completely overwhelmed....Room after room of holiday eye candy (and some major nostalgia too, hehe!)

Since a description can't possibly do this place justice, I'll share a few photos - taken by a friend since I forgot to bring my camera (thanks, Barbara!) I'm going back in a couple of days though, so don't be surprised if I post more....

Does anyone remember the days before dollar stores? The days of five and dime stores? Here's one wall of an entire room decorated like the Christmas department at Woolworths, circa mid 1950's:


And a few photos of "Tudor Village" where you walk through a story where fairy tale creatures (some animatronic) make Christmas come alive:




And Santa's Workshop:



And one of soooooooooo many display cases, this one featuring vintage baking goodies:


Big thanks to Jen of Gypsy Mare Studios for recommending the visit - it was absoltely amazing, and sooooooooooo inspiring!

I also met a fellow knitter there - Wendy, who recently opened a new yarn shop in Lancaster, which is on my list of places to visit SOON (like I need more yarn, hehe)...

Just a couple more weeks of Christmas/Yule/Holiday work (still mixed with the wicked and whimsical of course) then it's back to Halloween full tilt....The ideas are spinning around in my head faster than I can write them all down, nevermind paint them - thank heaven for notebooks and sketchbooks, yes?

That's about it for now...Look for something new tomorrow evening on eBay.....

Until then,
~ Carolee