the south in the north?

i have to admit some general confusions about west virginia. even though the little slice that we drove through today must almost extend northwards to lake erie, the tourist shop flotsam seem to suggest that we are in the south. so do some billboards. and everyone has different accents than ohio cities that are only and hour and a half away. it's perplexing. but then, i was embarassingly old when i figured out that the mason-dixon is right under ohio.

we took advantage of today's brief trip through the south to stop at the cherokee trading post in triadelphia, west virginia. it's a roadside tourist shop akin to stuckey's and the like (minus the ubiquitous alligator heads). i was hoping to score some good post cards (done - see above) and browse some discount cowboy boots and moccasins (also accomplished - too bad that discount cowboy boots and moccasins are still too expensive for me). but i was extra elated to also stumble upon my best craft score of the trip. with all apologies to the indie craft community i know, this blew my mind:

if i were a worse person, i would steal this idea. i desperately want to. or, rather, i desperately wish that this combination of hill billy illustrative style and novelty had occurred to me first. this was never going to happen.

photo by rev. aitor

we arrived in pittsburgh with enough time to do a bit of wandering around on liberty street before meeting up with our friend al at the tail end of her handmade arcade planning meeting. we stumbled upon some classic pittsbugh window displays:

you should visit around easter when the easter bunny, little chicks and the city's strong catholic leanings blend into some very impressive mish mashes of bleeding saints and snuggly fauna.

the signage here is also amazing.

i got really into this barber shop as a whole complicated piece of arrangement of thoughts and colours:

after some food and drink from the church, we got to retire to our luxe digs-for-the-night chez pat and al. aside from other craft undertakings she makes for public consumption, al also quilts out of her impressive vintage fabric collection. i am in awe of her collection. plus, we get to sleep under part of it!

good night, yinz. sweet dreams.