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.
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.
all the way from Oklahoma, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Australia! I wasn't expecting this. Couldn't have been more surprised or tickled or touched. Donna, Kari, and Jessi got together and commissioned Natasha to paint a picture of the darling ballerina dress that Jessi gifted Amelie with a while back. Take a look at this.
It's a perfect, whimsical rendition on a happy backsplash of aqua, creme and pink. You guys are just so kind and generous to think of me and the doodle. I was really moved and actually did not open the package for several days. Had to sit with it, soaking in all the good intentions behind it, ya know? Natasha, you are so darn talented! It is such a sweet memento of a magical window of baby time. And how she made this card with the same image on the front, I do not know.
Natasha gifted Amelie with a cuddly chenille bear all dolled up in pink millinery and a blue vintage bauble. It's darling. Thank you so much.
Here are a few more pics.
And the doodle bug expressing her happiness and gratitude. Thank you girls for this box of sweetness. You guys really made my week.
This blog is temporarily closed as of June 2008. We hope to be back at the end of the summer, energized and ready to share more snippets of life.
is about to get a whole lot busier. After looking off and on at houses for the past year, we have finally found one we like and are moving (just up the road a bit) next month. So now my attention has turned to packing and decluttering and staging our current home for (hopefully) a quick sale. Our new home will be a project house. Many, many things to fix and improve. Yes, folks, Jim will be laying more hardwood in the new house. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it. It's like George Jetson running on the treadmill. That seems to be the state of our lives these days. It's hard to believe that the peanut patty is now 3 months old. She's at that cute, squishy stage.
We are having so much fun together. She and I ventured out to a local antique mall the other day and picked up this vintage nightlight for her nursery.
Jessi sent us another surprise package: a darling name plate with scrabble tiles and all kinds of girly, fairyland trinkets. Isn't it just darling?! I love how she painted the stand with blue and pink and the peely effect. Yes, dear Jessi...you most definitely should open an etsy store. Your creations are perfectly wonderful and sweet. Thank you so much for the thoughtful gift. We love it and will treasure it!
I also want to thank all you generous and talented artsy women out there who have visited my humble blog over the past year. Your comments have encouraged me and supported me more than you will ever know. And thank you for sending all of your baby love toward my daughter. Jim and I are soaking in this precious time with her. It's moving by very quickly. In the great pie chart of life, I am now focusing on a different wedge. I know there will be a time when I can focus more on blogging and creating, but for now, I must sign off and focus on getting our family moved and settled in. (Oh dear, our beloved 14 year old cat just lost her upper canine. Time to find a good cat dentist!) I know I will be back at some point. Until then though, be well, be happy, and have a wonderful summer!
If you live in a state that had Recollections, a paper crafting store (much like Archiver's) that was a subsidiary of Michaels, you might have been surprised that they closed all their stores earlier this year. There have also been two wildly popular scrapbooking stores in the Dallas area that have sadly closed their doors. What to make of all this? Are we indeed in a recession? Is scrapbooking a fad that's on its way out? Are the WalMarts, Targets and Hobby Lobbys making it difficult for others to compete? Personally, I think that we've all shopped ourselves into satiation. Our craft rooms are bursting at the seams. I know that my quest to purchase the latest and greatest new sparkling supplies has surpassed my need to create. So while I'm sad to see all these wonderful stores close shop, I know that the universe is karmically helping me to "shop" in my own craft room and use my own plethora of supplies. But then...(sigh)...there is the Internet. And Candice Carpenter's fabulous new website/shoppe Peacoats and Party Hats.
Before I could say "Stop the Madness" my finger double clicked on this cute Birthday banner. Candice is a genius at putting together the cutest craft projects. I love that her kits are relatively simple, i.e. doable, and they don't contain a thousand moving parts.
Candice's banner was so much fun to put together and I was easily able to incorporate a few embellishments from my personal stash.
Can't wait to decorate with this banner for a certain someone's birthday next year. Hopefully, the MousePie will approve.
