Go shopping

It’s nearly time for Christmas in the Country—named the No. 1 craft show in the nation by Sunshine Artist magazine.

It all comes to the Fairgrounds in Hamburg Nov. 5-8.

What you will find there: pottery, florals, holiday decorations, clothing and fashion accessories, jewelry, photography, metal and sculpture, glass, wood, ceramics and fine arts, along with specialty foods.

Hours are 10 a. m. to 9 p. m. Nov. 5 and Nov. 6; 9 a. m. to 6 p. m. Nov. 7; and 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. Nov. 8. Admission is $7 at the door; children under 12 are free. Parking is also free.

For locations of discount presale tickets go online to www.xmasinthecountry.com.

Scary stuff

Skull-and-crossbones designs aren’t just for Halloween anymore. The popular seasonal motif is being featured on a handful of design items meant to dress your house year-round, the Washington Post reports.

No longer does the symbol have to be perceived as representing danger.

“The skull is something fun and playful,” Sandy Glaze, owner of Sin in Linen, a home-textile company in Seattle, tells the Post.

Look for the symbol on sheet sets, duvet covers, blankets, throw pillows and—how about this?—even bathroom fixtures and wallpaper.

Shine on

Here’s a craft idea from McClatchy Newspapers: Spray hosta leaves or anything else in your garden with metallic spray paint, such as copper.

One idea: Spray-paint dried hydrangeas or branches with autumn leaves still on them, and then place them in a tall glass cylinder as a focal point for your table or mantel.

And another: Spray paint hosta leaves, dry to touch, press them flat between sheets of parchment paper and weight with books (for no longer than 10 days). They can then be arranged as a place mat, as shown above.

And finally

“If you see a trend on a popular TV show, you know it’s officially mainstream.” — Nicole Richie, quoted in “Who What Wear: Celebrity and Runway Style for Real Life” (Abrams Image, $18.95), by Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power.

Compiled from News and wire sources