I got mail!

Here I go ruining my street cred by making this post. Wasn't it just a few days ago that I claimed, right here, that I'm not a constant consumer or "do" retail therapy? Well this is a relative one-off that I wanted to share plus it's not Gucci stuff, it's great starving artist pieces. Above is what came in the mail from Lilla of Vintage Treasures on Etsy...

...and here's the bag that was inside, beautiful right? I also got a package from sparlespunssupply's profile where the little pink bird cages and the plastic embellishments came from.

The third package was from Retro Cafe Art where the frozen Charlottes came from and the fab tiny frozen Charlotte ring. What bootie! Two for me, the rest for creating other things. It's over for now because Lent officially starts tomorrow and I'm giving up buying until I reach Texas. Jesus wants me to shop at Round Top, that's why He's sending me there.

With the wrapping paper from the purse, a sewing pattern, I collaged the above pair of shoes and embellished them and I'm going to call bookends. They are inspired from a pair that Sandra Evertson made for the One World One Heart giveaway. Don't compare them too harshly. She is after all, Sandra Evertson and I'm just me.

Close up of the "toe buckle"-not a great photo but the best I could do in short order. Thanks for looking.

Get off my lawn.

I'm so tired of winter. It seems to have dragged on and on this year. I hate winter anyway but can usually get through it better than this year it seems. I'm sure part of the problem is the New Year's trip I took to Texas where we were wearing short sleeves at times. Anyway on Sunday, after church, all I wanted to do was go to my childhood farm, get in the john boat with my book, and float in the tank in the warm sun reading for hours.

Instead we went to see Grand Torino. Have I ever mentioned (today) that I KISSED CLINT EASTWOOD ON THE LIPS? I think it's been long enough (about a month?) since I last reminded my readers of this event. I found this photo online which would have been taken around the time THE KISS took place, 1979 or so. I kept hearing good reviews about GT but for some reason had been hesitant. When I read Julia's review, I decided to go. We could see it was waining at the movies-only two showings a day in the small theaters, so we jumped. It's great, I highly recommend it. I never saw the Dirty Harry stuff but I know enough to know it's the older version of that character. Lots of growling...real growling. Good movie, great message. See it when you can. Good but hardly a john boat in the tank reading.

Very Nice Outing

We did another one of those touristy things last night that we've never done since we've lived here for over 12 years. Just like attending our first inauguration recently, in the back of my kooky mind I think this is a sign that our time in this area is coming to a close, albeit very slow. Sorry to my dear friends who keep me afloat here, but I still want to live in the cabin on our old farm outside of Bryan (that will almost certainly remain only in my head forever). BUT, to progress here...we went to The Ford's Theater last night to see the above play. Matt and I had never been there. Matt has that innate general interest in history like Paul but I have my own selective interests (like all my long-gone Swedish and otherwise ancestors I visit in Nebraska every November). The theater is one of those things I've wanted to see and it was worth the freezing cold walk from the tube to there in really high heels (RARE but I thought it was an appropriate occasion picturing valet parking not the tube-ha!). Right across the street, in case you're a Texan, or other foreigner like me and didn't know, is the house where Lincoln died. It's all so tragic and yet wonderfully preserved so that we can all get a feel, a touch, a view of the actual place where extreme history occurred-I like the tactile and visual part not the reading part. The theater has just been rehabbed and is beautiful. Of course, as much of what was original is still there but has been, of course, taken care of just as any important historical property. And the box, the box where he was shot, amazing. No one has ever sat in there since. President and Mrs. Obama were there Monday night for the same event; that added a cool vibe to the place also. The play was fabulous, dark, and moving. It's about what, theoretically went through Lincoln's head and dreams or alternately extreme lack of sleep during the Civil War and all the decisions and demons he had to live with during the time following soon after his son's death and leading up but ending before his last trip to the theater. It was amazing. So, all you friends who are way overdue for a trip out here to see your nation's capital and good friends from Texas and California, it's a good time to come...

KUDOS Beth!!!!!

Wow! A full page! Congrats Beth on this in Romantic Homes Magazine. I'm fortunate to know Beth from having worked with her at Bayberry Cove. She's so talented and fun and funny. Check her out at her blog here. I even have one of her fab pin cushions that she gifted to me during the Christmas season we worked together plus a couple of her other wonderful creations from her Etsy store. She's also a writer, really, check her out!

AND she got published in THIS magazine. I didn't know whether to read it or marry it (I've never seen the movie, just know the line). I wanted to lick every page but I was reading it at the shop so I controlled myself...didn't want to mess up the mag anyway. So RUN DON'T WALK (unless you're in a movie theater) to your nearest bookstore and pick it up; it's fab alone and then there's Beth!!!! HURRY!

Honesty Scrap Tagging

The rules for this award are... A) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. B) Show the 7 winners' names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing then that they were prized with "Honest Scrap", the nifty icon they can display proudly on their blog. C) List at least 10 honest things about yourself . Okay, I'm finally doing this... C) 1. I'm honest to the point of telling any stranger anything they ask about me. Obviously, if you've read this blog as long as you could stay awake, I don't hide much...maybe a little hiding between the lines. I'm an open book which some folks wish I would close occasionally. 2. I've recently had to tell my mom some things from my past that she never knew. Actually I didn't have to tell her, I chose to tell her so that we can remain as close as we've always been. She's kind of a Queen of Denial and there are a lot of things she doesn't want to know and didn't want to know in the past, so there's a time for everything. I choose to tell her only the things I think will bring us closer or explain things that would keep her from knowing what I'm going through at a particular time because, in the end, even if it's hard on her, she really does want to know because she really cares. She handles every single thing with grace-always has. And I'm very careful about how I tell her. 3. I know it sounds cliche but starting with 911, then the October sniper, then loosing my dad, it really hit me that life is just too short and can be too serious and tragic to not have fun and be silly and have as much fun and laugh as much as possible when appropriate...this can be a tricky for me to judge at times. I get misunderstood and offend folks often. I'm pretty used to the weird looks and just have to tell myself it's their bad that they didn't get the joke so they could have the laugh. 4. I'm hilarious if only to myself. And I don't care if no one else gets it or thinks I'm funny, I amuse myself and that's the main purpose for my humor...to entertain myself. I know, selfish, but it's honestly therapy for me. 5. I am not my hair. I am my hair. 6. One confession. When I hit that Mercedes recently I was hopped up on these: and Coca Cola. I'm not trying to sue Cutie Pie for untoward influence on my driving abilities but I don't think they helped me focus any. 7. I want to live in our family cabin in the country outside of Bryan, Texas more than anything. 8. Contrary to all the things I wish I had and could get, I am truly grateful for my life and blessings and try to remember to thank God often and not take anything for granted and be grateful. When I get my perspective on I realize that most people in the world would kill (and some do) to have what I do. 9. I still complain about the stupid things in life but I'm working on it...constantly. 10. Of all people, I honestly don't know why Julia picked me. She knows me well enough to know that if I perform a boo-boo and don't want to be caught, I truly think I could pass a lie detector test; I'll lie threw my teeth to the death and stick with the story to the grave. Once my story is made nothing will change it. And, being the dichotomy that I am, I'm very trustworthy, very honest...go figure... A. & B.) Here are the seven awardees (victims) of this...umm..."award"... 1. Mellie of Little Melfred's Studio 2. Aggie Linda of Linda Jo's Observations 3. Beth Holcome of Beth's Bagz 4. Maija of Maigirlz Madness 5. The Gilmore Girls 6. Oprah 7. Cindy at Junque Art Bueno suerte!!!!!

Bad News/Good News

I prefer bad news first so that's the reason for this title and the way I'll share the news with you. Okay, bad news, I'm crazy. Good news? I'm not the only one! When I returned inside after telling my book club buddies bye after our first very wonderful meeting, I saw that Mellie had left something for me. When I opened it (it was wrapped in a really cute red with white polka dot "green" bag) I saw this book. We had just been talking about Elizabeth Berg and I mentioned that I'd never read anything of hers. Then, low and behold, here's one of her books in my hand! Not to mention the fact that I had just finished the great book for the club that afternoon and was feeling woeful about going to bed empty handed. Not that I don't have other books waiting for me to start, I just hadn't thought of what I was in the mood for next, etc. I knew when I read the description that I was holding my next book in my hands. I quickly got ready for bed (I think it was 1 a.m. or so anyway) and started right in on it. I'm not going to be a spoiler but I'll tell you that if you're...umm...a certain age, you HAVE to read this. I spent most of my 40's perimenopausal...I know, TMI, but I think it's pertinent to my point. So distracted with twice weekly migraines and a myriad of other CONSTANT problems (I'll spare you the TMI here), and the fact that my 40's basically sucked, that I wasn't thinking about my age too much. So then I turned 50. That was good, I was just dandy with that (it is a good time of life as far as self-esteem, knowing yourself, perspective, grown children, etc.) and even fully embraced the "I'm 50 and I've never..." mentality and milked it dry. So, at some point it sunk in, still okay with where I am as a person, that I'd missed the midlife deadline. Well, I think that what a mid-life crisis is; you wait and do the math too late and flip out that unless you live to be over 100 you are way past mid-life. So not only are you past it, you also are way behind on the crisis and have to hurry to catch up. I went from hormonal crazy to more hormonal crazy to mid-life crazy. Is there going to be a break in this before the wheelchair comes along? This is my worry. But my bigger worry was the crazy part itself. Here's where this wonderful book comes in-I'm actually normal! Well according to this particular work of fiction. There was so much in the book that rang true for me that I'm sure I can't be the only one (and there was something in the synopsis on the back that confirmed it). I feel so much better after reading it. I know I'm a little off course anyway because I have a middle-schooler and two grown children. My clock is on empty nest when my reality is not. Those two forces are something I have to work on every day. It's hard but so worth it because I really like Matt a lot and he deserves to get as close to what Lucas and Justin got and actually gets more because I'm not a starving single mom working three jobs and having them in day care. Matt gets me older and not as energetic plus all the totally wacky hormonal stuff but at least I'm here when he gets home from school. Time will tell which messed the kids up more, me there or not. OKAY, back to the book. Read it. It's a small book and very easy to read but it's not a fluff book; there's a lot of meat there to chew on. I highly recommend it...I'm guessing you had already realized that. P.S. The Honesty Award thing is coming soon, I promise Julia.

Mo New Art...

So as not to give the wrong impression that I'm a constant consumer or that I do retail therapy, I'm adding this disclaimer that this is generally unusual for me to have two new pieces of art on my walls in a week's time. Not that these are what galleries would call "real works of art" but I do. I also call plastic Hello Kitty watches from McDonald's jewelry. Also the Mary, Mother of Jesus and Jesus plastic jewelry I got at the flea market yesterday at $2 a piece is jewelry to me too. Anyhoo, here's my second new piece this week. I got it at a shop whose name I cannot remember but will let you know when I remember. Tammy who used to be in our shop expanded by moving into the much-larger space and using most of it for her collections. She was ready to take the next step and go really larger. She might have had me in mind when she ordered this, she knows me very well. Pink, birds, flowers, a beautiful opalescent green, and GLITTER-you can't get many more tags for me than that! I got this and fun, very inexpensive treats for making things that you'll have to tune in to see soon...hopefully. Just wanted to share...

A Very Deserved Award By A Very Special Woman and Friend

Come on over Julia, a.k.a. Miz Juney and get this well deserved badge. Jules, you do make my day every time I read your blog. You are a fabulous writer because you see all the wonderful seemingly small insignificant things in life that are really very special and you share them in your fabulously sweet, rye self. Altogether your blogs makes for a Baltimore Cup Cake Company cup cake for the soul. Thank you so much for sharing yourself and your observations with the world. Remember that even if you think there are only one or two people reading, you know from being a teacher, that changing even one person's life is a huge success. Thank you for being you and sharing you. And there are more people reading and getting soul-stroking than you realize they are just techno-scardies and are afraid to sign up and leave comments. I love you dearly and hearing what's going on in that fun and funny brain of yours!

And the winner...

...of the One World One Heart giveaway of which is my original creation of the above necklace is Peggy of Mixed-up Art !!! I guess I should email her and let her know, right? Check out her blogs, she's got three that are really great. I like this necklace a whole lot and I hope she does too. Thanks to all who left such sweet comments and entered to win. It was an honor to participate in this and to get to know all these new wonderful people and their worlds. You can still check them out, too, by clicking on the OWOH link on the right.

New art...

I get into trouble wherever I have a shop-The Pink Cabbage, Etsy, Lollishops-and here's a prime example. Above is and art print I bought on Etsy from A Fanciful Twist while supposedly only on to add some things for sale. No regrets though, I mean, check it out! It's in my family room matted and under a cool antique oval frame with the curved glass that I got at The Pink Cabbage. All got together today and I'm a happy camper. No, really, it has caused me to camp out in my family room to work on my Etsy, blog, facebook, and Lollishops. Just had to share...

Shop Update Photos

Oh, it's been what, a few days, since my last update. I've never logged the timing of my twitchy fingers but something just comes over me and I have no control.

I did sell a piece of furniture so I had to do some moving around but it could have been very easy but I was already in the twichy zone so I whirled a lot of stuff around.

Just wanted to share some overviews and close-ups.

I made a few new things that I added last week.

Gotta keep it fresh. I also repainted the front doors and made a new open sign. Try hard to have the slightest degree of patience while waiting for those pictures.

A Lovely Hangover from The Book Club

So Saturday was our first meeting of the book club I decided to start (see previous post somewhere in the past). I'll shorten and spoil the long story of wonderful details from that get together and just say that only half of the women who rsvp'd, eight, to my Evite showed up. So as not to strain your math mind as it would mine, that makes four of us who attended. No judgement, just a fact. Also a fact was that it turned out perfect. The perfect women turned up-Karen, Patrice, Mellie, and I. We had a great time; at least I know I did and I believe, unless they are up for Oscars, they did too. The small group made for, of course, so much more intimate. As we waited in case anyone else was coming, Mellie and I had time to catch up and Karen and Patrice had their time together. Then while we ate the main course, Patrice and I had more time to chat together and Karen and Mellie got caught up. In between and after the four of us had great conversations, some even referring to the book. So as not to push it, I'll just leave it at saying that WE ARE a book club, the four of us. We decided to expand on it by planning an overnight trip (we need at least one overnight as this meeting lasted until 1 a.m.) to Virginia in early spring and find a book that relates to Virginia, spring, the south, etc. to discuss (we actually probably wouldn't need a book as I don't think the four of us could create a pregnant pause if we had to), but it's still fun. The expansion includes off-road antiquing and cake eating at a bakery in Richmond. We may have our own book to write after a couple of these trips!

I don't regret suggesting this book, I loved it. Karen read 50 pages and, just as I predicted, Mellie and Patrice finished the book because I knew they were good a following directions and have less adult ADD than me. I did win over Mellie though, I finished the book at 4 that afternoon and Mellie finished it at 7-the time of arrival. Patrice got the A as she finished two days before the meeting. Mellie had read the end near the beginning and Patrice had been to the Frank Llyod Wright museum and seen a documentary on him so knew what I didn't and Mellie knew part of. The ending is very tragic, a huge surprise as the rest of the book leading up is a lovely floating, thoughtful tale. I have to share that spoiler here because I would have like to know just that much before reading it so I wouldn't have been so shocked. Reading has caused me to want to find out much more about Frank Llyod Wright since his career took off after the book ends. It's/he's fascinating. I recommend the book but mostly recommend creating a reason to get together with other women on a regular basis so that too much time won't go by in between seeing each other because we are too busy with our busy work to make time for those life-saving, uplifting, bonding, full on fun experiences.