I love mail, Part who knows?

Even if it had not been a stressful couple of weeks, I still would have gotten a kick out of seeing this come in the mail, but this was very good timing. When you get a box in the mail that looks like this you know you're in for a treat.

The second gift is the innards; great paper shreds I can use in one of my next projects.

After digging a little in the shred up comes this! Okay, the box is like its own work of art and is a gift in itself.

Then there's the "almost there but Christmas is in a few minutes" feeling.

And there it is...

...Voila! Sorry I couldn't get a good photo of it on my finger but it's beautiful. I know it may seem trivial to some but it's a little "happy" I look down at when things are getting too serious. Now that's art!

A Story

I heard this story recently and wanted to share it with y'all. There was a young guy about 23 years old named...we'll call him...Jason, who was looking for a roommate. See, he had moved to his parent's home town leaving the only hometown he'd every really known to escape the crime in the area. He had been mugged twice, one of his best friends had his throat slit, another friend had been beat to death because he refused to join MS-13 gang to just highlight some of the things he'd been exposed to. The last one was the last straw. He moved in with his brother, Larry, and Larry's girlfriend, Kelly, in a pretty safe college town. They lived happily until Larry and Kelly left town to start the next chapter in the lives they had planned for a long time. That left Jason needing a roommate for a great house that he and his dog really loved. One Sunday night after scoring from the drug dealers down the street, Dufus sees Jason's "For Rent" sign in the window and knocks on the door. Jason lets Dufus come in and see the house, no problem yet. After staying for FIVE hours, Jason finally gets rid of Dufus by telling him to call the real estate agent the next day. Jason knew he could not live with Dufus, that their personalities were not meant to be and that Dufus would drive him nuts. Dufus says he's going to be in Houston a couple of days so Jason figures he has some time to go by and see Darlene at the agency to give her a heads-up not to let Dufus sign a lease. By the time he gets there on Tuesday, Darlene has an application completed by Dufus, has been okayed, and Dufus has signed a lease. Only it's not legal until Dufus pays the rent and deposit which he hasn't done yet. Jason and Darlene agree not to rent to Dufus. Jason gets a call Tuesday night that Dufus wants to come by and show his girlfriend the place. Jason calls his mom to see how to handle things; they get a script together. Dufus comes over and instead of using the script, Jason is honest and tells him it's just not going to work out and there is someone else who is going to move in. Dufus immediately gets abusive and hostile and tells Jason that he's moving in with him or he'll regret it. Dufus starts looking around for a weapon so Jason invites him back into the house so Dufus can see him retrieve his pistol (and the law is on his side if he shoots Dufus inside rather than outside) and tells him to get out. More words are exchanged but Dufus left after making further threats. When Jason calls his mom again he is on his way, with his pistol, to stay at a relative's house. He has spoken with his father and has been a brave soldier but, with his mother, that gives way to the huge wave of emotions he's overtaken by because he'd had to come closer than ever to shooting someone, albeit in self-defense, and all that it would mean. His father had always told him not to pick up a gun unless you fully intend to shoot it if you need to. Jason's mother and father talked and decided that Jason's father, John, would come to him first thing in the morning to help him work out what to do. After a visit with Darlene, they decided that the only thing to be done was for Jason to move to his father's house, leaving town, his house, and his great job. He would loose either way. If he kept Dufus out, there was no telling what he might do to retaliate and who wants to be looking behind their backs all the time or have to involved lawyers and police? If he moved somewhere else, Dufus had told Jason he want HIM to be his roommate as he couldn't afford the rent by himself and didn't know any one to rent to, Dufus knew where he worked and would probably dog him there. One for karma...stuck with all the rent. All Jason's parents could tell him is that, yes, it's bizarre and, yes, bizarre things happen to people sometimes but there could be a good reason behind all this that Jason might never see but is still there. Jason is taking it in stride; his boss was great about it, of course, the guys at work feel bad for him but who would do differently? Someone who is more of a risk-taker, I reckon. If Jason were my son, I'd be very proud of him and how he's handled all this. It is bizarre that one day is normal and the next day a nut-job bully has taken your life away...but not completely away...thank The Lord.

Waiting for wood

They are coming to finish our wood which was supposed to wait until after another project was done but we can't get the contractor (what's with a lot of you guys?) to call us back after not showing for the install date. So we decided to just finish something and work around it. We have crap stacked everywhere 'cause it's two bedrooms that are being done...not a lot of extra room for stowing two rooms full o' shit. But we've done our best.

And, trying to make the best of it, I took some photos of vignettes that turned up in the process. Yes, amusing myself while waiting, yes, I admit it.

This bathtub ended up getting dumped into with more fashion sense so I snapped it. Can't even get to the other tub to show the chairs, doors, and lamps that landed in there. Oh boy! I can't wait to have the rest of the pee, poop, vomit pot removed from the house. Pics? of course!

Peas and Carrots

Me and The Pink Cabbage are like peas and carrots...oh we get along. I just wanted to share some of my recent acquisitions from there starting with the above. The Swedish-style lamp came from the From The Heart part of The P.C. and it is the bestest thing I've found in a long time. I replaced my chandelier with it. I took down my chandelier and hardwired the lamp into the ceiling outlet, covered the chain and wires with cord cover and popped the lamp on the table. It is almost ceiling height and I love the unexpected look of a lamp in mid-table instead of a chandelier. And the colors and the...well you can see.

I've had this big clock that I've used as a table top for a long time but hadn't found the right bottom for it. Well, here it is!, from the Glad Nest part of the shop. It is so perfect that I was tempted to leave off the clock but I put it on anyway.

Additional cuteness is that the table has a shelf at the bottom for extra decor'. I got the mercury glass pedestal for a song at The Keeping Room at The P.C. and it adds a little "dress up" to the table.

I showed this before but I wanted to include it since it's part of my recent purchases there...my new kitchen "island". It's from From The Heart and I sooooooooooo heart it.

Every one's gotta have an antique typing table. I've had one or two over the last few years but this one was just right for Papa Bear's seat in the family room. Also from From The Heart.

Also from The Keeping Room is the plant stand I showed before but again wanted to point out how cute. I put it at the top of the stairs for a lamp then dressed it all up. It may seem like I'm in "retail therapy" mode which is somewhat true as you read why in my upcoming "A Story". But we are also going through a renovation with the floors being changed, walls changed, and the kitchen tiled, so some changes are necessary-hee hee.

Home School

I made such a big deal about going back to school that I'm a little embarrassed to say that I'm not going back just yet. The wheels started coming off the cart when the school returned my paperwork for a problem. Then I had a hard time getting my transcripts from a college which has changed names. I was quickly running out of time when Paul became concerned about his Uncle Robbie in NYC. Paul took a drive up there to check on him, put him in the car, and drove him directly to the hospital here in our town. He was completely dehydrated and malnourished, very weak-in serious condition. After a stay at the hospital to get him on the right track, we brought him home and made a good size spot in with Paul's dad, Art, in his basement apartment. But I'm now the caretaker for Robbie who is just the sweetest, easiest guy you could meet. Art has always cooked for himself but since Robbie has a special diet I have taken over the cooking so we can all eat together each evening after I've gotten Robbie taken care of for breakfast and lunch. Now, to put this in perspective, I haven't really done hardly any cooking the last few years. Throwing together at the last minute or Paul doing for himself. I eat late afternoon so as to only have two meals per day and long before bedtime. Matt gets his own breakfast most days, always makes his school lunch and is easy for dinner. Sooooooooooooo, things have changed for me! And it really all worked out that I didn't get into school in time because now I am available. The new me has had to adjust quickly; the old me would have just thrown Toaster Strudels down the stairs ever so often and been in bed asleep by the time Paul got home from work but we've always known that this day would come at some point for someone and we knew that it would be way before Paul retired so it's only natural it would be me. We are definitely the "sandwich" folk. Just 50 with a 12, 82, and 90 year old. Just as I'm watching many friends start and/or settle into empty nests; none of that for us! But not going back to school yet also allows me to meet my mom in Santa Fe for her birthday next month with a stopover in Texas on the way back. Let's hope we are all ready for me to fly away by that time.

Look what I found!!!

The best finds are the ones that are right at home. I knew that my great-grandfather's truck was in our small basement storage (remember, the rest is an apartment with kitchen and all for Art, Paul's dad and, most recently added, Paul's Uncle Robbie-more on that later). I was also hoping that's where the old train sets from Paul's family was located. We had not seen the train set box since we lived here, over 12 years, and feared that they had been lost in our move or since. So, the other day I went into that basement determined to find at least my great-grandfather's truck which I had spied while bringing up old family chairs to replace the ones we were using which were too big. I found the truck just fine, buried in the back, of course, and, with Paul's help, we got it out only reveal that the train box was just behind it. Buried at the very back of the storage. Oh boy!

The train cars are in the original boxes so I took a few out and placed some of the favorites I'd found here and there in the house. They are fantastic. We think there are at least 3 sets; one from Paul's grandmother, one from his dad, and one from him. I think they're all Lionel. As soon as we have some time-ha-we're going to get the whole, really big box out and unwrap and inventory all then we hope to get on Antiques Road Show and find out what they're worth. I don't get rid of heirlooms but it'd be fun to find out, to have them appraised, then probably insured.

Until then, they are just here...

...and there. I'm enjoying my great-granddad's trunk too!

Whew, oh boy!!!!

We have waited soooooooo long to get rid of the rest of our carpet and replace it with wood. We only had carpet left upstairs and the stairs so this week we started on our quest to get that carpet out. We are doing a little construction in our master bedroom so we are waiting for that to occur before we do the last two bedrooms but we got this guest room done. I love how warm wood looks. I also love how good the floors look without pink paint, spilled Cokes, spilled red wine, animal vomit, poop, and pee, etc. Twelve years is too long with light carpet, at least for us.

Of course, since the furniture was already out, I had to move things around and shake things up. This is what I call "The Pimpmobile", you can obviously see why.

Little detail over the headboard.

A little fun with the bed adding the curtains to the poles and turned the bed for more room to walk around...a little bit.

A little fun with Great Grandma and Grandpa's wedding pic.

Above and below, out in the hallway. It's very narrow; the wood makes everything seem bigger.

And the stairs!!!!!!!!!!!!! The very worst of the lot. I was too embarrassed to take before pics but it was bad, we had to watch for the Health Dept. to drive up any minute. I'd given up on spot treating and professional cleaning for a few months and it was a science experiment all the way up and down. Now, ahhhhhhhhhh. Oh boy!

Ho Hum...I don't want to brag but...

...I forgot to mention that my artwork was published in the most recently released Somerset's Home Magazine!

Not horribly thrilling, my item DID get a full page (check the blessings first) but not really staged. And I couldn't get a good scan of the page for here but it's so fun to see it. And, sounding just like a clique from The Golden Globes/Oscars but so true, it's such an honor to be in the same magazine which had articles by the likes of Anna Corba-one of my art heroes.

I must give a shout-out to the just-released issue of Where Women Create. It's just as the others; it's a cover-to-cover kind of magazine. I especially liked Teresa's article because it shows that even though she's been successful in so many are genres, she's still had many challenges finding her niche in the profession. Very imspiring as is every other page! Go get it! Oh, it wouldn't hurt to get both at the same time (no, I don't get royalties but just fame-ha).

Julie and Julia

Run, don't walk, to your nearest theater to see this one. It lives up to the hype that it's the feel-good movie of the summer (of as long as I can remember if you ask me). It's sweet and funny and not just a chick flick; it's got something for everyone. Then check out the blog from which the true story came at The Julie/Julia Project . Not to change the subject to a negative one but I was disturbed by all the previews prior to this wonderful movie. So many dark movies out and coming out. What's up with that? Life can be so/too serious why a movie about the distruction of the Earth? I'm not talking sensorship, I'm just truly curious as to why folks want to see such darkness. I also like real life stories and can handle tragedy and true emotion but why put yourself in a fantasy about such creepy darkness. Perhaps it's just not for the clinically depressed, medicated or not. Anyway, even more reason to support a wonderful movie like this one, I hope it's number one at least one week.

The DC Big Flea

The Flea, what can I say, it was just better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. What do people want? Actual fleas? Free fleas? It wasn't that bad but it's sooooooooo much work that you really have to sell more than a couple of cheap fleas to break even dollar wise, not sure you can ever make it worth all the work. That's not true-I just don't remember how it feels because it's been a while.

The really good thing about it was that it made me rethink my whole business and where I want to do from here. Suffice to say I'm downsizing and going back to my original idea from eight years ago that I just want to do my art. I do love painting and playing with furniture but, now that I've given up all but the closet space at the shop, I have no outlet for it nor do I wish to.

Carrying the furniture around is what makes all us dealers cranky. Actually it's the carrying back out and packing back into the truck to take home makes us really cranky!

I can't stop making art and playing with small pieces; I might as well check into the local rubber room and start drooling as a career. Art is my sanity-no comment-it just is.

I like it and eventually someone else comes along who "gets" me and I keep agoing. I hope to open a web store before the end of the year and keep my little closet going.

I do enjoy the setting up and rearranging, etc. but I might be able to get that another way...working on ideas.

There was the cutest girl with the cutest booth there. Every single thing was pink-how could you go wrong? You can't! You can check her out at Rustiqua.com

Great stuff.

Of course I scooped up a couple of pink treasures from here, durrrrr! See the pink polka dots on the dresser mirror? OMG!

Long time fave, Stacey Bear, was there. She does the show twice a year and her booth is always a candy store for grown ups. Yum! Snail with sea shell shell, bunny, and beehive pin cushions.

Beehive close up.

Cute booth overview.

Oh, wrap me in ribbon!

I met two new cute girls from Luckett's. Their booth was so great. As soon as I can find/remember their info I shall share.

See, cool booth, ey?

And so much this and that like this cute scooter on the little white bench...

...antique Jack-in-the-box...old and still scary!...

...bottle top purse, Mickey, and sweet girl. Popeye was there too but I didn't get him in this photo. There is so much to see, so many cool things. I may not love the outcome of selling there but I can always call buying something a success. I'll show pics of my bestest purchase soon. Stay tuned...