Shooting Stars and Silver Bells

This Thursday night we will have our final class of the year in the Studio for the Imagination, the second of John McRae's Heirloom Christmas Ornaments class (Two seats left as of this writing.) John is bringing in some vintage silver ball and bell ornaments and a trove of glittery adornments (including bullion, tinsel, scrap, and other goodies) for them. Take a look at these photos of the ornaments John and his students made last at last week's class. I'm sure the ones this week will be just as dazzling.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Whatcha doin'?" It's a fairly common question at Castle in the Air, especially among the staff. There are at least two qualities I would say we all share here at the shop -- our own artistic expertise and a curiosity about each others' work. So it's often the case that we collaborate on projects, especially large ones around the holidays. Sometimes it's planned, and other times it grows out of that simple question: "Whatcha doin'?"

Take the holiday wonder John McRae's been putting together for us. (I promise I'll tell you what it is soon. I know, I'm dying to tell you too, but I'm kind of enjoying the suspense!) When he realized that it needed a wintry backdrop scene, he asked if I could pitch in. Of course!

So here's one more tantalizing glimpse at what we're putting together. It will be up in the store after the Grand Transformation this Thursday. But until then, you can find out more by dropping by, peering over our shoulders, and asking "Whatcha doin'?"

Rubber Stamping Wood Grain

Up in the classroom at Castle in the Air, John McRae's been busy constructing a truly marvelous seasonal surprise. You'll have to wait just a few more days before we show you John's invention, but in the meantime, here's a look at an interesting part of its construction.

John is a true blue do-it-yourselfer, so when he needed some planks with gnarly grain for a detail on the project, he decided to make them himself. He applied a coat of brown acrylic paint to a smooth board, then immediately went to work with his wood grain rubber stamp. Here's a video where John shows us how it's done. He says the secret is in rocking the curved stamp back and forth as he glides it along the board. Enjoy!

Heavenly Bodies

Here are some photos from the first of two Angel Tree Topper classes John McRae is teaching at Castle in the Air (the second class is tonight). Students begin with a special copper and wood armature finished with painted paper mache arms and heads pressed from 100-year-old molds. To this, they add a cotton batting gown dusted with vintage mica snow, then decorate their angels with stars, orbs, and other celestial accouterments.

In classical thought, angels are said to dwell in the space beyond the stars we see every night. Having seen these heavenly bodies in person, we have to agree!

Divine Lines

John McRae has been scouring his treasure trove, and today he brought in what he might call a "hank" of vintage postcards for us to see. He found a lot of great holiday cards that we'll be reproducing for the season. (It's only a few weeks until the holiday shopping begins, but of course we've been thinking about it and working behind the curtain for quite some time already!)

Here's a more everyday card about fortune-telling, a popular pastime at this time of year. Click on the picture to get a better peek at the prophecies. Looking at your own palm, can you divine what sort of lover you are?

Coven Gone Wild!

Yesterday John McRae and three crafty spirits convened for a witches meeting. The results? These devilishly delightful spellcasters! The Masked Ball Witch comes apart at the waist to hold candies, spell components, or whatever treats or tricks you might have picked up during your witches night out.

Outlander

Years ago one of the crew here at Castle in the Air gave me the book Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon, as a gift. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It had young love, sword-fighting, botany, witchcraft, Scotland, and a wacked out cast of characters...there were so many similarities between the story and my own life. It's even got a John McRae! So when I heard there was a sequel I ran to the bookstore to buy it. I was surprised not to see it on the fiction or fantasy shelves, and when I found it in the romance section I was a little embarrassed!

Of course while I don't honestly think Diana Gabaldon had me in mind when writing the book, today it really does seem like I'm living a story out of a romance novel, as my husband is taking me to Gabaldon's signing at Books Inc. in Mountain View! I'll pick up the seventh book in the Outlander series and say hello to a writer whose work has given me so much satisfaction over the years.

Speaking of Books Inc., not only are they the oldest West Coast independent bookseller, but they've also just opened a new store across the street from Castle in the Air!

Beyond the Clouded Mirror

Today John McRae and I are swimming in picture frames in the gallery at Castle in the Air, trying to find just the right place for each of the photographs that are part of the gallery's first show. I'll post more on that once we're through, but in the meantime, you can take a peek at another fantastic frame.

John brought this in this morning -- it's the sample for his "Haunted Mirror" class, coming up this Saturday. The frame is constructed from an assortment of Dresden Trim, the mirror is a specially coated two-way wonder, and what's behind the glass... Well, let's just hope it stays there!

For more about John's "Haunted Mirror" class, visit the Castle in the Air Online Shoppe.

Old Man Grinbough

Who says trees haven't got spirits? Here are some photographs John McRae took of a tree in France. Can you see the face smiling for the camera?

Batting Birds

John McRae and Ulla Milbrath were talking about taxidermied birds this week, so today John brought in his collection of antique cotton batting birds, all perched on a glittery branch he made himself.

John says these chirpers are probably from the 1920s or 1930s, with batting bodies and legs made of stiff wire, then wrapped with finer gold wire to simulate the scaling of actual birds' legs.

Today, these birds' natural habitat is in antique shops or at the flea market, sold in actual bird cages! Originally they could have been Christmas tree ornaments from a time when the Christmas tree was decorated with the accouterments of spring, a magic spell to make a wish for winter's end come true.

They're getting a bit worn with age, but John says that just helps them look more like their taxidermied cousins.

Sandcastles, anyone?

We had a hot weekend down on Fourth Street, the sun finally showing its face after weeks of typical foggy Berkeley summer weather. When the sun came out again today, one of the store mannequins decided it was so warm that she wanted to take a trip to the beach. So, using crepe paper, Dresden trim, and some spun cotton "buttons," John McRae helped her into some brand new beachwear. (He's such a gentleman!)

Christmas in August!

Yesterday John and I went to Golden Glow of Christmas Past, an annual gathering of Christmas connoisseurs. Hundreds of collectors of antique Christmas ornaments converged in Sacramento to shop, attend talks and workshops, and witness room-sized displays of holiday treasures. I first heard about Golden Glow from an Italian ornament artisan when I was in Europe earlier this year. Even though the show travels to a new city every year, it was pure luck that this year it was in Sacramento, not far from Berkeley. We had so much fun that John and I are going back this Saturday to socialize and attend a banquet and special events.



















The pictures here are of a special Christmas optical toy John made. A convex mirror at one end makes the wintry scene seem much larger. It seems Santa Claus is already awake and on the move!

Up In the Air

If you come in from the cool wind on Fourth Street today, you'll see that even more kites have found their way into our magical breeze at Castle in the Air. John McRae put together a handful of diamond shaped frames and encouraged all of us at the shop to use Italian papers and Dresden trim to make our own kites.

Once I could look down again, I noticed a tiny kite that's been flying off our greeting card rack season after season -- the one in Diva Pyari's Linea Carta alphabet card series. Diva draws, calligraphs, and prints all the cards herself on Fabriano paper using her Gocco press (a tabletop Japanese screen-printing kit). Let them fly!

A Mini Menagerie

Today John brought in some great vintage miniatures from his collection. It's like Noah's Ark just landed!











As you can see here, some of the minis are already making themselves at home!

Why don't you go...

...fly a kite! This morning, John McRae rode the west wind into Castle in the Air with a bundle of wonderful Chinese kites under his arm. Our May Queen let go of her pole and took up the spindle, flying the kites on a magical breeze.

Have a Cigar!

John McRae's dreamed up a delicious new delight -- paper fan cigars! We've got these at the store in Berkeley and have also added them to the Online Shoppe. See how they work in the instructional video below.

Loups-Garou!

We love to welcome well-behaved dogs (and people) to visit us at Castle in the Air, so it was very upsetting when two snarling fellows who were neither dogs nor people showed up! The sun went behind a cloud and there they were. We had to hide behind the back pen counter until it got sunny again about a minute later, and the wolf-men were gone. When we asked Daniel and John if they knew who those ill-mannered loups-garou were, they said they hadn't seen anyone at all!

Spring is in the air!

John's nearly finished making all of his giant crepe-paper flowers. But don't take my word for it!

The Great Crepe Paper Coincidence

In a true twist of serendipity, two wonderful crepe-paper flower projects bloomed today at Castle in the Air. John McRae was working on a special order for a customer who wanted some children's birthday party decorations. He was in the upstairs studio putting the finishing touches on the first pieces -- a pair of giant crepe-paper flowers -- when Diva and Daniel shouted from downstairs for us to come see what came in the mail. We did, and saw that the store had been mentioned in a two-page craft story in the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. Not only that, but the project gave instructions for using our crepe paper to transform paper parasols into tremendous blossoms for the flower girls! I guess spring is bursting out all over!

In a World of Their Own

On Tuesday, eight ingenious and industrious students created their own miniature worlds in John McRae's "Wardian 'Glazed Glass' Garden" class. Using transparent sheets of mica, Dresden trim, turned wood, papier-mache boxes, and tiny flora and fauna, they constructed perfect little landscapes under ornate domes.

John says he loved the creativity that each student brought to her or his garden. One finished hers with a mica base so that she could view her scene from any angle. Another student brought a string of lilliputian lights and her landscape looked inhabited by fireflies or will o' the wisps. Pure magic!

Castle Quick Craft: Lucky Leprechaun's Shoe

Today at the store we sent out the March edition of our email newsletter. Every issue has a seasonal craft, and I wanted to share this month's with all of you in case you aren't on the Castle in the Air mailing list.

The Lucky Leprechaun's Shoe in this picture is the invention of John B. McRae, and it ingeniously brings together several simple materials to make a delightful little goodie-bag for your Saint Patrick's Day party. You can download the instructions for the Lucky Leprechaun's Shoe and pick up several of its components at the Castle in the Air Online Shoppe. Luck abounds!

The Curious Case of Mr. Ward

When we were drawing up our spring class list for Castle in the Air, John McRae brought in a delightful Victorian book called Window Gardening, and told us how he was so inspired by the pictures and descriptions of the ornate "Wardian case" planters from that era that he wanted to teach a class reproducing some of them with mica, Dresden trim, and trimmed down chess pieces. Of course we said Yes!

From John's book: "The history of the Wardian or fern case, dates back to 1829, when a gentleman by the name of Ward, of London, first noticed, accidentally, the growth of vegetation under a close glass. He had laid down the chrysalis of an insect with some mould within a glass bottle, and covered it over. A short time afterward, as he describes it, a speck or two of vegetation appeared on the surface of the mould and, to his surprise, turned out to be a fern and a grass. His interest was awakened; he placed the bottle in a favorable situation, and found that the plants continued to grow and maintain a healthy appearance."


















John will also teach you how to make captivating botanical scenes inside from vintage velvet fern fronds, handmade clay flowers and mushrooms, cork and foam, and other materials. We can't think of a better hothouse for your imagination. Interested? Register for the Wardian "Glazed Glass" Garden class through the Castle in the Air Online Shoppe.

The Castle Crier: Valentine classes are here!

For everyone who loves to visit Castle in the Air's upstairs studio for classes with our amazing crafting and art teachers, the wait is over! If you're on our mailing list, you can expect your copy of the spring class flier within a few days. And if you can't wait that long (and if you've signed up on our email list), check your inbox for your copy of The Castle Crier, the Castle in the Air's brand new email newsletter!

The first issue of The Castle Crier includes information on five special Valentine's Day-themed classes that begin next week. There are plenty of seats still available for the classes, in which you can learn these fun and festive crafts (pictured left to right):







* A deliciously lovely needlefelted strawberry cake box (taught by Caron Dunn)
* A papier-mache heart box with delicate paper cut decoration (taught by Ulla Milbrath)
* A "lover's eye" brooch to remind you of your sweetheart (taught by Ulla Milbrath)
* A Valentine optique to celebrate romantic love (taught by John McRae)
* An antique-inspired velvet heart box (taught by John McRae)

Because not everyone who wants to join in the fun can make it to our store classes, every issue of The Castle Crier also features a special craft that you can make at home. This issue's project is by our needlefelting queen Caron Dunn, who will teach you how to make the precious little Valentine's heart charms pictured at the top of this post. You can attach them to a charm chain, a love letter, or anything that could use a little more love. Visit The Castle Crier for all the details!

Wax Elegant

Before the advent of plastic, wax was sometimes used as a medium for the heads on children's dolls. It couldn't stand up to rough play, but then again neither could porcelain. Wax was also popular as a material to make Nativity creche characters, and full-sized wax figures were used as shop mannequins well into the 20th century. What was most lovely about all of them was how pigments, hair, and glass eyes could be used to really bring them to life. Although they've fallen out of favor commercially, wax figures are still beloved by artists as focal points for altars and other projects.

We've got some lovely wax doll's heads and Christ child sets at Castle in the Air. I commissioned them to be made from antique molds when I was in Germany last winter -- they're a Castle in the Air exclusive. John McRae took the decorating chalks we sell at the store and put a little color in their cheeks, painted their lips and eyes, and otherwise rejuvenated these reminders of a distant time. People have been excited to see the cherubic heads here, so we're planning to expand our selection of embellishments soon.

A Real Castle in the Air

The phrase "Castle in the Air" comes from the title of a memoir written by my grandfather, the Scottish poet Charles Richard Cammell. Years ago, I took up the phrase as a focus for my creative and professional life, reveling in the notion of "castles in the air," imaginative fantasies that can lead to amazing and soul-nourishing works of art.

When I find objects with this same essence, I try to bring them with me either into my home or into the store to share with the world. When the objects prove too large to carry--such as an actual Scottish castle--a photograph must suffice.

I took this picture of the indescribably gorgeous Eilean Donan Castle several years ago, and it has been an inspiration in my creative and professional life ever since. Standing on an island nestled between Loch Alsh, Loch Duich, and Loch Long, the castle was once the refuge of the religious hermit St. Donan. It was a stronghold for Clan MacKenzie from the 13th century until its destruction at the hands of the English in 1719.

The castle lay in ruins for nearly two centuries, until John MacRae-Gilstrap and Farquhar MacRae (perhaps ancestors of our own John McRae?) reconstructed it between 1912 and 1932.

To me, Eilean Donan Castle is the Castle in the Air, the way it seems to float above the earth. Its setting, its history of drama, and its rebirth as Scotland's most beautiful castle never cease to inspire me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

These Thanksgiving postcards came from a flea market I visited in Iowa over the summer. Every time I look at old holiday postcards, I'm reminded that people haven't changed much over the years, and that what I'm doing with Castle in the Air would have fit right in with the folks of yesteryear.






















This one from 1922, is addressed to Mrs. Chas. E. White, and reads, "You should see me in my new rompers. I sure am getting fat and ah real sassy. I don't know for sure if we will be down Thanksgiving, will let you know if we can. --Mary Jane" Who wouldn't want Mary Jane as an aunt or a big sister? She's a stitch! The front of the postcard's got a boy threatening a turkey with a hammer and a sign saying "Off Comes Your Head"!






















One hundred years ago, in 1908, Mrs. Isadora Martin received this card from someone who in days gone by would have come to John McRae's paper plum pudding class: "Dear Sister, How are you all? I am better now so I went to the Grange last night. I wish I could spend Thanksgiving with you to eat turkey and plum pudding. Come up when you can. Love to all, Sister Tallie and G.W."























"Dear Minnie," writes a friend to Mrs. Minnie Peters of Syndon, Illinois, in 1908, "I would like to have one of your pictures of you please. From, Adela (Save me some of your turkey.)" Had Castle in the Air and Minnie been in Berkeley 100 years ago, she could have had her picture taken at Fourth Street's Santa's Wonderland as a souvenir from her trip to California.























The front of this card reads, "Thanks to him who spared our living / We're here, we're here, till next Thanksgiving." The sender of this card, L.B., was obviously a vegetarian like me -- a rare thing in 1909! She writes, "Dear Lida, How are you? I hope well. Have been looking for a letter from you. We are all well. Dr. Boyd died Sunday morning. They found him dead in bed. This pen is so bad I can not write with... Love, write soon." I could have hooked up L.B. with a new pen, too!






















This one has got a picture of a tricky pilgrim concealing an ax and luring a turkey to his doom. It reads "Let us be truly thankful that we two still are friends." Thankfully it doesn't seem to have been sent to anyone!

Although life has always had its elements of strife, there is always something to be grateful for. May you see your blessings this Thanksgiving, and may you be near the ones you love, even if it is only in spirit.