Really, Just Let 'Em

I'm going to introduce you to two of my new virtual BFF's today.  The above banner was made by Joosy Card Co. on Etsy.  I can't remember how I found her but, wow, she does beautiful, whimsical art.  Just got it today and already knew where it was going...the dining room, of course!

We gave Matt a 3-D puzzle of NYC for Christmas and he set it up on the dining room table.  It's been there since then.  I've been slowly putting my foot down about moving it, getting stronger the last few days knowing I had this beautiful banner coming and wanted to claim my favorite room again.  He moved it when he got home from school today.  I think, when he saw me putting up the banner, he thought some kind of mutant glitter was going to attack his puzzle.

I do love this room.  I call it my circus room.  Pale pink and robin's egg blue and lots of frou frou.   See my daddy's pool cue propped in the corner?  My daddy is in there, too.  And so many of my favorite things.

The requisite Alamo that every Texan has to have at least one of, not to mention a suitcase bar.

This new pretty is a chicken feeder that I found at Luckett's.  I cleaned it up and put my favorite nest in it and perched it on the cake plate stand that Amy (Inspire Co.) Powers gave me.

Atop is a little pretty from another virtual BFF, Meadow Street.  They make the most beautiful ribbon flowers and flower cufflets.  They make me swoon...cherry on top.

When I got married the first time, my mom and I picked out the china together.  I found a pattern right away that I totally loved.  A few days later the store where I picked it out called and said it had been discontinued.  I was heartbroken but we found another beautiful pattern that I still love.  About a year ago my good buddies from Empty Nest Estate Sales had a sale where there was a set of the pattern that I originally loved.  I was so mad at myself when I let it get away but just couldn't pull the trigger at the time for some reason.  Soooo, Nene gave me a heads-up that another sale of theirs was going to have another set of the china.  This time I scooped it up.  After 31 years I finally have the china that I always wanted (at a steal, at that) and I think it comes at just the right time in my life.  Anyhoosville, there it is, above in all its glory.  I may be fickle about fashion but when it comes to big things, I'm lucky that I know what I like.

Though it doesn't need any embellishing, here is another flower from Meadow Street-velvet-yum, with pearls and buttons and ribbon.

One more fun, fun, happy, pretty is this party hat also from Joosy Card Co.   Dolly may have a good head for math but her mother should have told her it's more important to have a head for a party hat, crown, or tiara.  I talked her into it and she's on board with wearing it now so I can see it as soon as I walk in the front door.

Just a little close up before wrapping up.  Her art gives such a huge, fun lift, and at a great price-you should check her out.   No more purchasing posts for a while, inexpensive or not!

Fine Furnishing

A couple of posts ago I wrote about Janine and I going to Luckett's on a shopping outing.  At Luckett's, they have several outbuildings, open to the elements except for three walls and a roof.   The above cubby piece was in one of these outbuildings and I was, of course, drawn to it immediately because of the colors and storage potential.  I decided not to get it that day -no regrets.

The next week I had to drive through there on my way and back to drop off art for a home sale, Chick's Picks, that I participate in.  On the way I thought about the piece and let myself stew.  Obviously, on the way back I stopped and it was still there.  By then I'd had a few intense days in my work room, made more challenging because of not being organized enough even though I had put in a large piece which helped a lot recently.   So, here it is in all its glory.  It took me about 30 minutes to fill it up but now my studio is so much more workable.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the final decision was based on the fact that it had been marked down 50% since I'd seen it the week before!!!

After a long comedy of errors...

This all started several months ago when I submitted many photos, actually and virtually, a long letter, and the gift of one of my mirrors to who I thought was still the editor of Somerset Publications, Jenny Doh.  I was following the directions on the submissions page.  After a few weeks of not hearing back, I did some probing and I found out that Jenny had left the company.  The package was address to her at the company.  So I emailed the company to inquire as to where my things might be.  I had spent quite a bit of time and money on these things.  I didn't hear back.  So I waited a couple more months then emailed again.  This time I heard back right away from a lovely woman who said she would look into the matter and respond to me.  She was telling the truth!  A couple of days later she let me know that they had found a mirror with my name on it.  I replied that it was to be a gift to the editor and that I was submitting the photos for consideration.  She emailed me back right away saying that she thought that they had already published a photo of my mirror under the "wrong name"-I use George rather than Hirschberg as my "professional" name.  She didn't say which magazine it was in so I let it go and forgot about it.  Coincidentally, I had made an order with Somerset for some art supplies and pre-order one of each of their upcoming issues of two  magazines.    The package a while but I received it yesterday; it included Somerset Life and Somerset Studio.  I love all of their publications but Life and Home are my favorites.  I was so surprised to see the photo of my mirror in Life!  The photo is unusually taken, in a reflection (pun intended, as I love), but even better because it doesn't reveal my secrets of the mirrors.  I have purposely not put them on my blog, Etsy, or anywhere other than in my and Chick Pick's shops because it's probably the only true original idea I've ever had and they do really well and I love making them. 

I'd like to thank the Academy and Somerset for appreciating my art.  And thank you for looking.

Just 'cause...

Just 'cause I love this little organ grinder and his monkey and love the special person who gave it to me and I wanted to share.

And just 'cause I made it and I like it and I wanted to share it.  Thanks for visiting!

Ode to Black Apple

Sometime, a couple of years ago, I found Black Apple on Etsy.  I love her stuff; slightly dark but oh so sweet.  Above I used one of her postcards to embellish a lamp and another for a mirror.

This mirror is embellished with just one of her buttons and, I think, makes the whole thing!  Check out her Etsy store by clicking on Black Apple in the above paragraph.  Have fun!!!!

Check these out!

I have been complaining about the clothing options out there lately.  It seems like the same, same, same everywhere...until I got a new catalog in the mail.  Wow, nextdirect.com , is so fab.  Clothes and shoes like I've not seen anywhere else; for women, men, and children.  Lots of unique, fun clothes, and...wait for it...inexpensive!  Check it out; I am so happy to not be buying all my clothes where I get my prescriptions filled.

Chick's Picks with Hillary

It's that time again-Hillary is, as I type, having another sale this weekend. Click here  Chick's Picks by Hillary is a great sale every quarter at her beautiful home but her's and her friends' (me too!)  and a website store.  I was there just a few days ago dropping off my wares and snapped just a few pics out of sooooooo many wonderful items!!!  Here are some photos for you to drool over.  Also check out her web store to purchase anything that you can't live without and other things I didn't have the chance to capture.

Amen.

A huge Angelophile, Hillary had to have the royal couple over for the event and, of course, I had to mug with them.  Great show, great web store, great gal!!!!!!

Treats from A Treat-Filled Outing

These are the photos of most of the treats I got while on my fun field trip with Fran and Nene last week.  We went to Luckett's Country Store and the Luckett's Design House sale.  The Design is open once a month with the holiday season being the most merchandised but always fab.  The dude above came out of the house.  You just know the boys are going to find something wrong with him being set up like this in our entryway.

Always have to include the wonderful car headlight whenever I can but the new pieces are by themselves below...

...a repro queen crown and old ??? with an old piece of a birth certificate in the middle.  

Great price on yet another clock for my collection...some day I'm going to count them, but,

until then...

It's only been a few days but have gotten soooo many compliments on this bracelet that I got at Luckett's.  I made the ring above it by taking an "old" Jill Swartz earring and attaching it to a ring frame.  It goes perfectly with the new bracelet.  Hammered brass, coral flower, brass flourishes, and "pearls".  I unpacked this right away and have barely taken it off since.  

Not gotten from the outing, ordered online, is my new computer skin.  From The Decal Girl has many looks to choose from and it's really nice.  The photo isn't great; the bottom is actually as colorful as the top-just glare from the flash.  There's a piece for the top of the laptop and also on that goes perfectly around the keys and mouse inside.  You just tell them which laptop you have and which design and voila!  So fun.  TTFN!!!

Paradise, plastic bird or not.

My college roommate, Stacy, from now 35 years ago had her birthday last week.  She called me late in the week and asked if I wanted to make her birthday even better.  I said yes, of course.  She said she had a last minute meeting scheduled in Richmond, VA (we've met there before-just under 3 hours from me and an easy drive) and, if she took a vacation day and stayed an extra day would I be willing to drive down and spend a night with her.  Durr! Uh, ya.   The above photo was taken in the bathroom at a cute little cafe' where we ate.  I had to feel it to find out if it was plastic or not, it looked so real.  It was plastic but I would have loved to have had/bought it.

We had 24 hours of pure bliss just being together.  Doesn't matter when, where, or how, it's just bliss.  Ironically, she's been to Richmond many times-me only once before-but she had never had time to see the fun, cool parts so I got to show her.  Above we were in, what just might be, the coolest store in Richmond.  Yum.  I bought nothing!  Remember, last week I went on that fun outing with Fran and Nene?  I haven't even had the chance to unpack the goodies I got from then and when I do I want to share.  Until then, my heart is full, my soul is happy, and I am so very blessed.  I love you Stacy.

OOOOOOOh Fun Outing!!

Janine, Fran, and I went to the Design House and Luckett's Country Store in Lucketts, Virginia as we do every few months.  Fortunately we did before know that the Design House is open once a month; heretofore we had thought it was once a season.  So off we went on Friday.  It's our little everyday (Luckett's Store) version of Round Top.  They have the coolest stuff and arrange it in the coolest way.  It's very inspiring...so much so that one must take home several souvenirs of the fabulous outing.  My wallet is in a cast.

Here are the iron gates leading into the Design House through a barn where there was a mannequin hanging on an old bed spring with some deer to keep her company.  They all speak the same language.  

Right out of the barn is Cinderella's cab with a twist.  I like the cow so much better than, what, mice?

 As soon as you walk in the door there is a cue.  This line is short now but it gets really long and this was after taking 10 minutes to get into here from the back door which is the next room over.

The rooms are just so dang beautiful...

...all the way through.

 Backwards but this is the fabulous wreath on the door to the Design House; didn't shoot it until we were on our way out.

Here we are inside Luckett's Store right next to the Design House.  As you can see, they have loads of eye candy, too...

...so there are the photos of where we went.  Next come the party pics of what came home with me, but first I have another fun outing to take for the next couple of days so I'll post the treats along with fun photos of my newest outing!