8 3/4 months, 15 hours, and 21 years...

Happy Birthday Justin!!!!! This is Justin today, literally. I had to hide his car keys from him until he'd let me take his picture (little grouchy in the morning especially when being held hostage). We are tickled pink to have him turn 21, now he can finally chill with his buddies, have a beer and smoke a cigar on the front porch with no worries. We thought we'd get here under the radar until THE PHOENIX NASCAR DEBACLE OF LATE 2006 (4 months before his birthday~don't even get me started on the whole "he coulda gone to war or gotten married but" thing...). We couldn't help it though, busted at a Lynard Skynard concert made momma and daddy so proud, it's just the Texun in us. Below is how momma still sees Justin. And let me tell you, that's still him inside. The guy's got a heart of gold. Buddy, since it's your birthday, I get to embarrass you. I could be doing the whole birth re-enactment right now, so be happy. He works hard and plays hard. His best buddies are still the ones from elementary school but he's also made other good friends along the way. He's loyal, honest, responsible, good with money, but best of all he'll still give Mom a hug and kiss no matter who's around.

Justin, you are a wonderful son and person. Be good, be careful, I love you so, Mom

The Paris Flea Market Rides Again!!!!!

As Nene would say, "Oh boy, Oh boy"!!!! It's that time of the year again and the Paris Flea Market is coming up next month. And next month is coming up real soon. There are too many elements of fun in this event to mention here but I'll try my best with highlights. First there's the cottage itself. I know that I overuse "fab" but since I haven't found a better term let's just use it here knowing it's an understatement in this case. The building is fab, the interior is fab, and the back yard where the market occurs, also fab. The items that they offer for sale are stunning and oh~so special. This shop is for those who purchase for the soul not the show. As I told them last year, it's like an amusment park for adults. And, being the kid that I am, the only reason I left without throwing a huge temper tantrum was because I had so many new treats in my car to take home and play with! Then there are Ann, Linda, and Amy. Ann and Linda are the owners and Amy (of Inspire Company fame) shares the shop with her own special area. These gals are off-the-charts fun. Last year was like a two day laugh fest. It's soooooo uplifting to be around them, it's all smiles and giggles. The talent and creativity is awe-inspiring. We (us vendors) spent the first couple of hours ooooing and ahhhing over not only the things for sale but the way in which they are displayed. We all agreed that we wanted to move in and stay. Anyway, they are three sweet, fun, smart, creative, beautiful women and getting some of their essence is invigorating. Okay, lest I spoil your trip by giving away too many details, I'll finish for now by saying that the Paris Flea Market weekend part is an extra cherry on top. The yummy fresh bakery goods~mmmmmm~the fresh yummy pots o' flowers~whew~the vendors with their wonderful, unique offerings and fun comradery~oh boy~and the live music enjoyed by sitting in the grass under a canopy of beautiful old trees~priceless. So, I'm assuming, we'll see you there...oh, oh, I almost forgot to mention the drive~yikes~my experience was driving back and forth on route 15 from Ellicott City~breath~taking. I'm so trying not to be a drama queen here but I guess being a very visual person I might appreciate some things more than other folks. Plus my daddy taught me how to stop and see the roses every day. I had to pull over and take in the views on one of the legs of my trips. It was evening, the sun was just going down behind the lush green hills and dales (of course there were cows and horses to complete God's decoration) and what came to mind was simply, "purple mountains majesty". I had never seen such a site. The lush green, a thin layer of fog, then topped with the purple of the sunset...I shan't say more...for now. P.S. Before editing this post I had left out some tiny, microscopic really, details. the cottage is located at 219 West Market Street in Historic Leesburg, Virginia (totally cool area). And in case you can't see the dates on the advert above they are are Friday, April 27th and Saturday, April 28th. The link to their website is listed to the right here for more details.

Why? What do YOU do in your spare time?

I keep trying to tell my husband that taxes are for sissies that can't handle a little trip to the pokey. Why, I ask you, would anyone go to those black hole hiding places of tax information when they can spend just under four hours making the perfect tassel for a $2 cheesy vinyl Wal~Mart bathroom roll~up shade? THIS, my good man, is what keeps me off the i.v. of Mai Tais. This is what gets me out of bed. Would I ever rise if I had to face just tax preparation? We all know that answer. This was a particularly challenging week for me (and therefore others) in the department of relationships. Some had to do with good friends, some had to do with therapy, some with auctions, some with...hmmm...I can't say. But I can say that I came unhinged more than a couple of times this week. But here's my recipe for a quick fix: 1 cheesy, vinyl roll up shade (Wally World~for shame) 1 perfectly perky on it's own tassel from Pink Cabbage 1 cutie patootie button/face pin from that lady at the DC Big Flea 1 pink chipboard clock (Recollections) 1 yard of pink raw silk ribbon 1 naturally sepia toned page of your daddy's trumphet music Directions: Turn on Grey's Anatomy and just assemble the pieces. Make sure to allow two days for tweeking and three hours for acquiring the perfect digital picture, then 84 minutes to gaze at your glory and 1 hour to post your wonderful new "who gives a shit" ideas for veiwing by your virtual (and by virtual I mean imaginary) friends. Optional Additions: 3 liter bottle of Coke 1 package of Oreos plus bowl of milk for soaking 1 box o' fine wine Please feel free to post the results of your projects on this blog for all of us to share. Buenos suerte!!!!!

Meet Melissa (The Face) Lobdell~Little Melfie's Studio~Mellie

I'm well aware that Mellie is gonna kill me. That's where the term "The Face" comes from. Whenever Mellie is given a compliment she makes this funny scrunchy face like she's smelled something bad (she made it as soon as she saw this). It's funny but "we" work on it. She's so dang humble. If you're gonna be sweet, smart, fun and funny, creative, and beautiful, to say the least, you're gonna have to learn to accept compliments. Am I right (that's ALWAYS a yes)? You fans and friends already know how sweet and beautiful she is on the inside. I just wanted y'all to be able to put a face with her name and art. I know this will open that whole can of paparazzi problems at the grocery store but it had to be done (notice how I was thoughtful enough to not mention that you grocery shop at the Safeway at Long Gate-you're welcome!) She's smart, sassy, wonderfully creative~her sweetness comes out in her art~, and a great mother, wife, and a fab blessing of a friend. I'm so sorry that I had to pick on you first in my series of highlighting the important people in my life, Mellie, but I thought this was just a great picture of you and so I had to use it. And I showed a lot of restraint, you know how I can, on rare occasions, go on and on and so I'll stop here just short of alienation.

PJ's and Pink Cabbage

I can't believe it's been a week since I've blogged. I've been busy eBaying and cleaning and organizing my tiny studio room. That will be my next posting, party pics of a very temporary situation which I will want to well document for posterity. I'm a naturally organized person but when it comes to the creative/artistic side I've had a bad mix with staying organized and "collecting" to put it nicely. I've got way too much stuff for that tiny room. I purge frequently and repremand myself when I do but then here comes Foo-fa-la and Basic Grey with their pretty new papers and snap goes my rational thin thread. Anyhoooo, until that task is complete (I've spent at least 10 hours on it just this week~I mean it was BAD) this is what inspired my to blog. PJ's and Pink Cabbage.

No, it's not a sleep~over for pink bunnies. PJ's is the antiques shop that fab friends, Paul and Julie own (hence the P and J)~near the corner of St. John's Lane and Frederick Road in Ellicott City. And the Pink Cabbage is another great shop that Julie is part of as well as a few of the Historic Oella Mill alumni which is located on Route 144 (Frederick Road), west of Ellicott City~I guess technically it's West Friendship?

The painting at the top is from Jodie of From the Heart and ring~leader of the Pink Cabbage. The studdly dude lamp is from Jodie's cousin's(sorry, I keep forgetting her name) collection also at the PC. The sweet doggie planter above is from Brenda of Appaloosa, yep, also PC.

Victor con Torro, another studdly lamp, came from PJ's. It's typical of the surprising, unique, fun things you can find there.

Above and below are also from PJ's. I just got them this week and I think that's where my inspiration started with wanting to do a shout-out post for them. Is this not the PERFECT furniture for my front porch? And lest I forget to mention this important tidbit, their prices are rediculously low~cherry turnover is their middle name. They get a lot of "you snooze, you loose", non-buyer regretters there. It's where a lot of us dealers shop.

Below is a wonderful antique plant stand I got at, yes, PJ's~and the fab fireplace mantel is from there also.

Seriously, they should be paying me but they're not. Below is one of many great cabinets that I've gotten from them and have loved having for my collectibles. Here you can see that I have loaded this one with faves like one of Janine/Nene/No.5's book birdhouses and one of Amy Powers/Inspire Company's manequins, and, if you look at the middle shelf on the left there is a little red wooden heart framed in a little grapevine wreath that my great friend, Julia, from since junior high made for me over 20 years ago. Like I said, lots o' faves.

Below left is an antique window I got from PJ's a few years ago. I've got a photo of my dad as a child on his horse taped to the back side to use as a frame. The frame is chocked full of character and memories.

And, last but not least, my most recent aquisition, the flower ball and beaded tassel from the Pink Cabbage. Don't forget that if you find these fab items but you're not sure how to make them look fab in your home you can call Nene and I and we can pull it all together for you in a couple of cheap hours!