Reindeer Winners

Thank you all for playing and for your comments. Caryn, Kari, and Valita - please send me an email lickety split and I'll get your reindeer off to you today. Merry Christmas all. This may be my last post until 2009. We actually have movers coming this Saturday. Yea!!

She Sold Bears???!!

I'm always fascinated with the various jobs and careers people have had. It's fascinating how life, opportunity, and circumstances take us from one interest and direction to another, sometimes very far from where we thought we would end up. In college, I changed my major five times before finally settling on psychology, probably because I had just run out of ideas and didn't want to take ten years to graduate. These are some of the jobs I have had in the past:

• Customer service representative at a bank
• Substitute teacher
• Educational Diagnostician
  
• Psychotherapist
• Jury Consultant
• School Counselor
• College Instructor
• Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur? Hmmm....what exactly were you doing, you ask. Well, I find it strange to tell you this, but several years ago, I had a bear business. Yes, wild but true. I bought a stuff-your-own-teddy-bear franchise (like Build-A-Bear but these bears were much cuter in my opinion), hired a few teenagers, and set up shop in a mall. Now I didn't fantasize about selling bears as a youth, and I certainly didn't go to school for all those years to sell bears, but there I was. A little history. Four years prior to the bear phase I was working in the fast-paced, crazy intense world of litigation and trial consulting. It was an incredible adventure and experience, filled with glamour, intelligent attorneys, first class travel, exciting research, and even meeting a few celebrities along the way. It was also an insanely toxic work environment filled with long hours (80 to 100 hour workweeks), spending three months away from home living in a hotel room for a trial, running constantly on pure adrenaline, and trying to please (and avoid) two ego-maniacal bosses, one of whom now has his own talk show. So it's really no surprise that my impulsive decision to buy a bear business was a karmic attempt to get as far away from the world of conflict, greed, animosity, manipulation, and screaming bosses as I could get. Alas, my foray into retail didn't last very long. Retail, at least in the middle of the mall, I quickly found was not for me. (I've got a Dave Sedaris-esque short story in there somewhere.) But, I did walk away from the experience with a few life lessons, along with a herd of bears. So, please, won't you give one of these reindeer a home? Just leave a comment and I'll draw three names Thursday morning. (Reindeer have not been handled or played with, are stuffed with 100% polyester filling and a red felt heart. Not for children under the age of three. Bells could be a choking hazard. Prefers oats and barley but will also eat cat food if you have it.)

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

And our house wasn't remodeled in six months. Whew! Honestly, some days I just want to fall in a heap and cry, but I remember what my friend Cheryl says, "Just do the next thing." So that's what we do. For those of you who have been down the home repair road, I know you can feel our pain. Remodeling and moving are just plain stressful, even if the move is only 20 miles or so up the road. Instead of ripping off the band-aid in one fell swoop, we've been moving a car load here and a SUV load there, here a box, there a box, everywhere a box, box. Kinda makes a girl insane. And it's not like we're moving into a cool 200-year-old farmhouse or something. It's just a house. Eight or nine years old, but really uncared for and unloved for lots and lots of years. Jim has been doing 99% of the work himself, after he leaves his day job so, you know...time marches on. But, we're close and hopefully will be toasting the new year in our new, work-in-progress home.
Even though we'll be skipping the hardcore Christmas decorations this year, I was delighted when I packed (unpacked? can't remember) these vintage stockings. I've never seen one with two dogs and Frosty before. Sequins just make me happy. I know you know.
Frosty's holding a miniature lantern.
Two dogs...unless they are supposed to be reindeer.
Silver and pink bells for, I imagine, some lucky little girl.

When I was home (my parent's house) for Thanksgiving, my mom dug up some of my old baby dolls that somehow, miraculously, survived a horrific flood that pretty much wiped out all of their belongings a few years back. The one on the left is a Madame Alexander and the one on the right was handmade by someone in Houston. Of course, you might recognize the one in the middle. She kind of looks like the Pillsbury Dough boy. We are having so much fun with her. I don't even need Christmas decorations this year. Having the Peanut Patty makes this the best Christmas ever. Here's wishing the same to you! Please stop by soon for a mini Christmas give-away. Fa la la la la.

So Far, So Good

"Look at me. Over here, Amelie. Look at me. Right here, sweetie. Keep looking at mommy."
DOH!!

Red Shed Holiday Party

I recently posted about one of my fave local shops here. Well, the Red Shed girls, Michelle, Valarie, and Michelle, have done it again. They hosted a Christmas Soiree last Friday evening that was warm, inviting, and filled with inspiration.
This vintage white cupboard went home with a happy customer.

Do you see that cute girl in the doorway? That's Joanna Lewis, a fellow Bella. It was such a bonus to meet her so serendepitiously. I had seen her name on other blogs before, but we had never met until tonight. I see from her blog that she has a booth at an antique mall. Hmmm...I think I see a road trip in my future.Look at this old Bingo spinner (?) filled with old baseballs.

You never know what you may find at The Red Shed, as the trio picks up vintage goods and good junk as they travel the globe.
Love the old cut velvet material on those couch cushions!
Here's beautiful Michelle holding the peanut patty. (Thank you, Michelle for holding the doodle while I shopped.)
This vintage sled also went to a good home.
Oh, how fun it would be to decorate with these angel wings, but alas, they were not for sale.
It was a great party. Be sure to check out the Red Shed and visit their blog here.

Holly's Fab Marie Tiara

Like so many, I've always been a huge admirer of Holly. Her artistry and talents are inspirational. Everything she does - her blog, her photographs, her artwork, her Marie collaborative (ooh la la!), her flea market finds, even the way she decorates her home just brings a bright spot to my day. I am so grateful that Holly had time to create one of her signature crowns for me. The Marie Tiara will have a prominent spot in our new home (nope, we're still not moved in). I love it so much and could not have been more pleased.
Oh, the splendor and decadence! Every inch is filled with rich detail and texture.

Check out the sparkle on those stars.

The Marie head came from here. Wish I would have bought more at the time.


Happy Day, Everyone.

I Need This

like I need a hole in my head. This is what happens when a girl stays out of Michaels and Hobby Lobby for an entire season. Her eyes go a little swirly when she sees the new Martha Stewart line and this gorgeous scrapbooking paper. Now, of course, it's not nearly as glamorous as the gorgeous real stuff that Donna finds and so graciously shares with us here. But, it's plentiful and cheap, and well, flocked paper of any sort is just fuzzy goodness I can't resist. I know you know.
I sure wish I could join all you Bellas in Omaha soon. I'll be there in spirit and will look forward to visiting all of your blogs and seeing all the gorgeous scenery. Prom night is going to be such an eye candy confection. I cannot wait to see all the photos and hear all about it.
I've really been enjoying the prize ribbons that Andrea and Bristol have in their shoppes. These two girls are so sweet and have the most beautiful things. Horse ribbons are so fun. (Check out the pink one that Bristol altered for the Doodle!) I find there are so many ways to decorate with them. Last year, we put them on our Christmas tree, instead of ornaments, and it looked amazing. Hope everyone has a happy week.

A Book Giveaway

I've just finished skimming this book and would love to pass it along to someone who is interested in reading it. It's a great book with lots of photos, exercises and stories. First one to leave a comment, it's yours.
Congrats, Crystal! You won.

Red Shed Saturdays

I've been meaning to blog about the fabulous Red Shed girls for some time now. One post won't do them justice, but here goes. Located in Grapevine, TX, The Red Shed is a junker's delight. Partners Valarie Jolly, Michele McKechnie, and Michele Jones are the dream team of all things junky, shabby, creative, and cool. Valarie and Michele M. own and operate Riverside Travel. Through their world-wide travels, they have spotted and collected and carted home lots of good junk. Michele J. is an avid antiquer (apparently not a word, but should be, doncha think?) and flight attendant who has a knack for bringing out the beauty and functionality in time-worn items. Together these women are a force of nature. They have combined their talents and not only sell cool, affordable junky-delicious vintage-y goods but also offer ongoing art classes as well as yearly junking jaunts to Paris, France and Minneapolis, Minnesota (I'm hoping they'll put Round Top in the mix for next year.) Art and junk and travel. I do believe they have mastered the perfect trifecta.
The items you see here are some of the things I nabbed at their latest Saturday outdoor junkfest. On six Saturdays throughout the year, they stage themed vignettes in and around "the shed" and the shoppers turn out with gusto! These vintage blocks have certainly been chewed on and loved by somebody. And these Victorian ladies (I think they were 2 bucks a pop) said they wanted to come home with me.
My favorite find was this vintage metal Christmas sign.
This is the wood house collage that was recently made in one of their classes. It was so much fun. The instructors were great. They took us through all the steps and provided laughter and great snacks too. I can't wait to take more classes at the Red Shed. If you are ever in the Dallas area, be sure to check them out. Meanwhile, enjoy reading about their junking tales on their blog.