Finally Crafting Again!

Hello all! I can not believe it has been so long since I have updated.

I now have another new job. This one is full time with benefits! I am happier now and my schedule is settling down so I can be creative again.

I'm not sure where I saw a post about old Readers Digest books but seeing all those cool covers made me NEED to go find myself a collection!

Aren't these yummy?

I know the people in the 2nd hand store thought I was crazy. I kept taking off the dust covers and looking at the book and picking or putting back. I could care less what the books were about, I just wanted the beautiful covers to display or use for art.

I did find out that if you like these florally wall paper type you have to find books published before the early 60's. The later ones are more modern or (gasp) plain!

I got mine for .25 each.

Some of them have pretty illustrations you can use too but not to much.

I'm starting a mixed media project and am digging into the stash I bought last summer. Look at these beautiful women. I can not wait to use them. I'll be scanning them first because I want to be able to use the images again.

I also love the backs. Look at the cool type styles, post marks and stamps.

It's hard to believe the post office may become a thing of the past.

I know many of you are saying "Oh, they will save it". But I didn't think I would see the need for a Portrait Photographer and actual hard copy images become less wanted. Images on our phones and computers are more common which leaves photographers a hard time to make a living selling our images. People don't understand paying for our creativity.
Sorry I got on my soapbox but it is hard to see your livelihood dissolve with technology. I'm just glad I enjoyed reading historical stories and have seen this happen over and over and can change and move on. Which is why I am taking an on line art course to get back on track.

This one cracks me up. How short can we be?

I bought myself an online class with Jennifer Rizzo with my Christmas money.

http://www.jenniferrizzo.com/

It is called Creatively Made. I am slowly moving along. The following is my attempt to do the 1st project. A mixed media journal. I choose to pick my theme as "Trust Your Journey" because a friend gave me a bracelet with this on it to remind us of the crazy journey we have been on the last year and how we have persevered.

I put this pocket watch fob on to see how it would look and it got stuck. So...it became my clasp. I was lucky to find a cool cufflink to put on the back cover to attach the chain to.

As in everything I do, everything just seems to fall into place.

Inside pages I'll add thoughts and artwork to.

I got some of my grandmothers old school books. This is an illustrations from one of them. It reminds me of her. And we have come across several photos of the cows they had when my Mom was a child. They took a lot of photos of their animals. Cows, pigs, horses and chickens. They put the kids with them I guess to make it legit, LOL! On one, my Aunt is in front of a cow, the name Maggie is on the bottom. I asked my other Aunt who this child Maggie was? She laughed and said "That is the cow!" I guess they figured everyone (even 89 years later) would know who the child was.

Anyway, I had to add this since I am living in her home and this is part of my journey.

More awesome illustrations from books and music magizines I have from her. All of these are from the late 1800's. My heart just skips a beat when I think about the fact that my ephermia is personal stuff from my history.

Inside back cover

Back cover

The cufflink closure.

Well I think I made up for the 1 month lack of post in this one post.

I hope you stayed with me.

Have a great week and I will try to post next Sat. after my Etsy team meeting. I'll be jazzed up then.

Looking forward and a prayer

Source: jameipangilinan.tumblr.com via Meghan on Pinterest

I have been thinking of my post for the New Year. I was going to review the word I had last year and pick a new one but after reading cityfarmers wonderful post I decided I wanted to stop thinking, talking, analyzing what is happening and just be. Wait on God. I am going to use some of her prayer because it is also the desire of my heart. I don't think she will mind.
http://www.savvycityfarmer.com/2011/12/new-year-old-prayer.html

Father God, sweep the dust out of my vessel. Clear out the cobwebs in my heart.

Help me to trust in your goodness.

Pour your Spirit into me.
Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

My eyes looks to YOU rather than the Future.
It is unknown and murky.

Renew my youth (Passion for life) like that of the eagle.
Help me to just live in the moment you have blessed me with.
Your love endures forever!


As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

I wish you all a new year focused on God's faithfulness and our graditude for all He does for us.

Welcome To My Parlor

I'll start off with wishes for a Merry Christmas to all of you.

I thought I'd share with you some Christmas decorations and views of my parlor.

In my Grandparents 1800's farm house there are 2 front rooms that have doors opening to a large front porch. I am not sure why there are two doors to 2 adjacent rooms but one has always been used as a formal living room and the other is used as the master bedroom.

Lucky for me, I can continue to use this living room to indulge my love of shabby cottage and vintage finds. The soft yellow walls work well with my blue and pink items. There is another room that has been used as a dinning room/family room so my husband uses it to watch TV and have his computer.

So, here is a holiday glimpse of my vintage feminine personal space, decorated just for me.

I gave up the family live tree the last few years due to finances and just decorate my pre-lit tree with the soft white, pink and gold decorations that make me happy. I plan on dividing up the family ornaments between the girls this year so they will have decorations for their own trees.

I love this angel. She isn't old but she matches the era I love so much.

This is the view I like to look at when I am reading on the couch. The fireplace is closed off but with the beautiful grate, I draw attention to it by lighting lots of different sized candles to replicate the fire. This is my favorite ritual each evening I can spend here reading.

(Hopefully soon I'll be surfing the net here too!)

Now you can envision me writing my blog and reading yours here in this room.

I wanted to decorate the mantel with live evergreens and candles but I could not purchase them and I was disappointed to find out we have no evergreens on the property. So I just left what I had just put on the mantle after moving in and added a few of my old favorites.

Do you see the awesome mirror and gilded frame? I got that this spring at an auction for $15.00! I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I just had to have it. I thought maybe I'd paint it white and sell it in my Etsy shop. Who knew it would be perfect in my new home just as it was.

Absolutely LOVE this grate!

My first stocking my Mom made me over 50 years ago.

I will leave you with this wonderful antique Santa that belonged to my Mom.

Isn't he wonderful? I'm sure he actually hung in this house at one time.

I think his face looks like the man in the moon but he is old and shabby and just awesome :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and make new memories with your loved ones where ever you find yourself this year.

Update and 5 things

I have an up date on my kitty.

He seems to have turned the corner and is acting normal once again! Thank you for those who were praying for him.

I guess I'll let him live another day.

I am passing along a little something I found on my blogger friend Julia's blog

http://mizjuneytalks.blogspot.com/

She is a hoot and because of my lack of time these days I thought I'd pass this along. I hope some of you will participate too.

5 Things

You may not know that I:

1. NEED music. (My family has instructions, if I am ever in a coma to put my Ipod on shuffle and leave it on my head. Just in case I can hear.)

2. love to make people laugh.

3. would rather live in the mountains and have snow than in a warm climate with a beach.

4. crowds make me nervous. I really don't like holiday shopping.

5. I really like being alone.

I'm really pretty knowledgeable about...

1. Dogs

2. Art, Photography, color

3. Spiritual matters and the Bible

4. Reading people

5. Decorating

I know nothing about...

1. Math or science

2. How to read or play music

3. Apps for phones I'm still slower than a snail texting!

4. The current entertainment world

5. Working in the real world I'm learning LOL

And, I believe...

1.God is in charge!

2. in the good in all humans and everyone needs love

3. in living in the moment-it's all we are guaranteed.

4. controlling others is not your job and is extremely harmful

5. letting people express themselves. We are all different and we should be able to be who God made us to be.

Your turn!

Valium for a cat, seriously?

he Let me start out by saying this is the best, most awesome loving cat I have ever known.

That is saying a lot since my husband and myself are not really cat people. We have had 4 cats, they all found us one way or another and they were all very good cats but Arah is a very gentle loving cat.

Lately he has developed a problem and he is now a cat on drugs.

Not just your typical animal medication

He is on Valium

He may have emotional problems from all our moving and changes in routine.

He may have seen his brother Toby killed while they were missing for 2 nights and was traumatized. He doesn't like to go outdoors anymore.

What ever happened he is different.

He developed a common urinary condition which can be caused by stress. We have changed his food and put him on anti-inflammatory and pain meds 8 weeks ago. I have been very patient since he is such a wonderful cat and my girls love him so much.

But

he can not stop having random accidents every couple of days.I am really tired of crawling around the floor sniffing out the exact spot or waiting till dark to walk around with the black light looking for the spot. I am going through tons of Natures Miracle.

BTW, this stuff is awesome!

Just when I think we have turned the corner he has another accident.

I went to the vet for one last ditch effort to find something to help and that is when he suggested Valium.

Ok, lets just have a stoned out cat.

I'm now worried he won't be able to find his litter box.

He has started eating like there is no tomorrow. I thought pot only caused that.

It's been 3 days and we are waiting. So far so good.

I don't want to put him down but if I have to watch him squat in his litter box for 15 min. peeing or just trying because he feels like he has to go and seeing his mopey face. I can not let him live like that. I have had multiple urinary tract infections and just wanted someone to shoot me.

I believe in quality of life and if this drug doesn't work then his day to day life will be pretty unhappy. Until then we have a cat on some pretty addictive drugs and he should be pretty happy.

Conversations

Have you ever just listened to people around you in a public place?

Since I have to find free WiFi for the time being I have to keep visiting places to sit (hopefully quietly) and look at Pinterest, my Esty, Facebook and then here my blog friends.

Well in my little town there is no place peaceful. McDonalds just doesn't get it.

Today I am at Barnes and Noble. The people in the Cafe are talking quietly but I have heard so many interesting conversations.

Two men in front of me- In what I thought were military uniforms, speaking what sounds like French?

Maybe they are pilots.

We do have both an airport and a military base in Dayton.

Just odd to hear another language except Mexican here.

We won't go there will we.

An older couple beside me-She says to her husband after they finish their coffee, "So what do you want to do now?" They were so cute I had to speak to them. I said "The only thing to do on a rainy day is shop or nap." He said he wanted to nap. She wanted to shop. LOL. I told her she had 1 hour to buy something bright and fun then they had to go home for a nap!

I love talking to complete strangers.

A couple of women beside me- "Suzie turned out well, but...."

I stopped listening, don't want to hear gossip.

I just looked over at the coffee counter an a woman has at least 12 books in her arms. I hope she puts them all back when she is done looking at them. I HATE it when people bring magazines into the cafe area and then just leave them for the workers.

"Isn't that what they are paid for?"

No! They are paid to make coffee not clean up after you!

Sorry, I just had to get on my soap box for a minute.

Well I am really going to make an effort to post 1 time a week throughout December. Things are getting into a rhythm now and I can make time to think a bit these days.

I am really hoping we can afford to get the Internet thing to plug into the laptop soon. I miss keeping up here daily.

Have a great week and pay attention to people around you, they can be lots of fun!

Finished Retro Farmhouse Kitchen

Here are some images of my finished 30's kitchen!

It has taken me a bit to get this room done and (clean enough) to get a photo shoot done.

With my new job and still unpacking and decorating the other rooms in the house, I have not had time to finish making my cafe curtains and pulling all the little extras together.

Yesterday I decided it was the day for the shoot.

I just loved putting this look together to compliment my Grandmothers old sink and metal cabinets. You can go back a few blog entries to see what we started with.

Stacking table linens has been fun. I had a few red items that I had purchased to make stuff from for my Etsy shop. Who knew that I would need them myself. I did have a bit of trouble finding a green and red table cloth that I wanted for this room redo. Most 30's and 40's red linens were combined with either a turquoise green or blue. I wanted to match the green I had chosen for the walls that matched the vintage kitchen utensils I had. I finally found the cute little cloth with the plates and coffee pot at an antique show.

I love the white bead board. It really made the room brighter and tied in with the built in cupboard beside the stove.
See those glasses in the drainer? Those were my Grandma's! They were the perfect color.
I am a collector of bowls and I am happy they fit in with the decor.

The knife holder was in the old wash house. I could not believe it was in the colors I had picked.

The post holders were to go on pillows but they will remain mine now. Aren't they so cute. I have such an appreciation for the work these ladies put into making these cute potholders.

So, here is really where we put what we already had to good use. I needed a table of some sort to hold the microwave. I just missed purchasing a really great porcelain top white cabinet at the antique show I was at by 10 minutes. I didn't get it when I first saw it and when I went back a man was writing a check for it. We had this sofa table but it really didn't fit in either of the living rooms so here it is in the kitchen and really, it is perfect. Shelves to hold all the extra stuff.

The little wooden shelf was in the house.

The linens I had to craft with.

The cafe curtains started out as 1 single panel that came in a box lot that I was going to cut up for the pillows I make. When I came across it and it was the perfect size to be cut in half, it became my inspiration piece for this room. I cheated and only had to put the top rod pocket on one panel and hem the other.

I picked up the vegetable holder at a garage sale along with the paper towel holder in the bottom shot. The clock is from Target. Perfect retro style.

I really like having a smaller kitchen. I have a lot less walking and less counter top to clean. With just the 2 of us now it is perfect.

I'm working on my living room now so I hope to have regular images of it before I start decorating for Christmas.