Tip of the Week, Scattershooting

I may be waaaay behind, but I had an idea while breezing through Wal Mart that is guaranteed to save you money if you are a crafter! I hope nobody has thought of this before, but just in case they really haven't, I'm sharing!!

While being held captive er, convalescing from knee surgery, I was frantic to do something creative...so I turned to my old stand by, crocheting. I made these fat, little pin cushions which have sold well in our shop, Dwellings. I can knock out several of these in a morning sitting, but stuffing the pin cushions with fiberfill became rather expensive...so when I was purchasing the first bag of the stuff in several months, I was astounded to see the price...$8.97!!! What in the world?! The last time I purchased fiberfill it was priced around $4!! As I was grumbling to myself, I passed the pillow rack... hmmmmmm....light bulb!

There was the answer to a crafter's prayer...a HUGE pillow filled with you know what!!

I compared tags...all was well...plus I actually got more in the HUGE pillow AND it's encased in a cloth cover that keeps the stuff contained! Price: $3.00....now that's what I'm talking about!!

(For years I refused to remove these tags from all bedding...

I was positive that the Pillow Police would surely come arrest me..how dumb can you get?)

My "Also To Tell You" List:

Our little shop has become an "outlet" of sorts for a lovely NE Jackson, MS gift shop...when their season ends, they will have odds and ends left that need to be moved so that

new "holiday" and other buys can come in...therefore, somebody needs to take those odds and ends off their hands...enter, US! We will have lots of new things at greatly reduced prices...below is an example.

The iron figures really make a statement..right now we have a cowboy, soccer girl, man skiing, and cheerleader...we have them priced at $15. They are substantial and a very good size!! We also have

jewelry...wrap watches, leather bracelets, penny necklaces and an assortment of key chains. All reduced more than 50%. Some things are as low as 75% off. Secret Pals...take notice!

Here's a little happy that I also made during my "down time"...covered match boxes with vintage buttons on top...as you use the matches, you can refill the package and keep using the decorative box. I have them on sale at the shop for $1.50 each, but you could whip them up yourself to give as favors (however, not for children's birthdays or anything...but for your grown up friends. LOL)

Another item I recently found for the shop was this pretty Happily Ever After Celebration plate. The idea here is for guests to sign the plate with a special pen. "Bake" the plate for a few minutes and the signatures become permanent. The plates are usually pretty pricey...but since I only have one...it's just $10.50...it comes with box, directions, plate and pen. That's the great thing about scoring a great find, you can offer it at a discount.

We've divided the shop into two parts...the creative, gifty side and the collector's side. There are all kinds of things scattered about in both sides that you will find interesting, like these porcelain pear knobs...very Tuscan...beautifully glazed...I think there are 19 or 20...at $1 a piece, this is a steal!!  deal!

I just wanted to check in today...before heading to work..I have several blogs rumbling around in my head, and will post them this weekend. If you are in the Mississippi area, please, pop in to Dwellings...located on hwy 49 south just outside of Florence, Mississippi...we are smack dab in between the large Donna's #6 Produce and Magnolia Flea Market on the right side of the road if you are traveling south. We are the small brick building...Little building...but big imagination...Come see us soon!

Hope today is a most productive one for you,

Paris In the Spring?

Summer days are fleeting...it's almost time to think about going back to school! Oh, wait!!! For the first time in over 31 years, I DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT! I can hardly wait for the first day of school....when I hear the alarm...I will turn over and go right back to sleep! Oh, happy day! What fun that will be.

Knee surgery is a thing of the past..sort of..I was dismissed from Physical therapy last week and I actually worked 3 days with a minimum amount of pain. I have really dropped the blogging ball this past year...living in constant knee pain sort of knocked my socks off...plus opening a new business while still trying to finish my old one, was difficult, but this is a new day...a new adventure has begun and I'm excited...

What does this Paris pin and old hankie have to do with the subject at hand, you might wonder?

 Well, the answer is absolutely NOTHING!

 But I did find this very interesting sack at the thrift store along with some other items and

just wanted you to see that I am still out unearthing neat "finds" and slowly getting my life back on track.

 BTW: I don't like the term "junking"... I prefer "treasure hunting"...

In the same sack were these violet items....and even though the mirror front was broken...

 the mirror itself is beautifully tarnished.

Tiny porcelain teapot and cup and saucer...

A little French lady,  in all her glory...

right along with the other discarded items...hand painted, broken armed and broken hearted,

 I am sure. How do I know this? Well, here is what I think happened....

Oops, one more pic before I begin the story. The chalk/plaster Scottie was on a nearby shelf...

I couldn't resist him.

What do you think the story is here?

A Jackson, Mississippi, Southern belle has her heart stolen by a beau...

said heart is also set on marrying and honeymooning in Paris...

probably in early spring..thus, the violets...

However, things don't go as planned and over tea, he breaks the engagement and her heart.

She hurls the mirror at him in a fit of rage,

gathers all the sentimental items, rushes to thrift store and donates them to charity.

The dog? Oh, it's a Scottie and is now her only companion...

Oh, yes...all items are on sale at my shop Dwellings...except the French doll...she sold the very first day.

What do you think?

A Teeny Weeny Re-Do

Not sure how a person is to sit on the sofa (with ice on knee) or lie in the bed (with leg elevated),

 and be productive.

I've used up so much yarn crocheting that I'm pretty sure Wal Mart and Hob Lob don't have any left.

I've watched so much TV that I can tell you all 400 channels by number that DISH has to offer.

I've eaten orange sherbet until my skin looks like I am sunburned and this is supposed to go on for 3 months? Please...

While sitting, I've looked at every room in my house and mentally re-arranged it...

today, I decided that I couldn't do much but the living room needed a little "summering" up.

Here's the fireplace wall "before"...

I know some of you are horrified that I still use "oriental" rugs and a brass fireplace cover...

but ever since I saw Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds,  

I have been afraid a bird might come down the chimney and escape into the house...what would I do?

Notice the black chair?

 I sat at an auction for 7 hours one day waiting on that chair to come up for bid...

and I wasn't going to get outbid...

I waited and waited and bid and bid and finally victoriously brought the thing home

(paid way too much)...and it's been there by the fireplace ever since.

But summer means light...that chair and pillow is NOT light.

I thought about the thrift store chair that  I re-painted and re-covered.

(I did it on the back porch..sitting...and leg elevated, sort of.)

It is solid wood and painted Old White by Annie Sloan... Fabric is from Hancock's.

I had every intention of taking it to the store, but I sat it by the fireplace just to rest

and she captured my "summer" heart!

I brought in some rusted white iron doves and I think I love it!

I painted my baby spoon holder to match...and guess what else?

I re-painted the duck egg blue table by my chair...Old White... I distressed it and  let the blue show through...I love it, too!

I also stood up long enough to Mod Podge these old maps of England

onto two panels I found at the thrift store...

they are going to the shop!

Now, this was just a teeny weeny little re-do...

but it certainly made me feel that I had done something worthwhile today...

Time to ice the knee,

The Promise of Morning

No matter what the season, my very favorite time of the day is early morning.

I am one of those strange creatures who relishes early, early morning.

The peacefulness, the quiet, the unhurried pre-dawn hours are precious to me.

When I am not working, the first thing I do, is turn on a light or two and light my favorite candle.

BTW: this "favorite" status changes with the season...

Swan Creek also has Thai Pear (heavenly) and several others that I especially love.

I get the coffee going in my tiny four cup pot and begin the "opening of the blinds"

ritual...(yes, I still have mini-blinds).

Just before the sun rises, I look out my window and see my little flower bed by the white picket fence.

This picture documents what I was told long ago...white flowers are the first you see in the morning and the last you see at twilight...always have some white in the garden...more bang for your buck.

They look like tiny stars.

If you look carefully, you will see the last twinkling star in the early morning sky.

Across the pastures....

...the sun begins its glorious ascent.

I usually wake the birds...

I love the first twitter and then they  flock to the feeders...

chickadees and redbirds first.

I sit for a quiet few minutes and gather my thoughts...make plans for the day.

No matter how the day closes, the beginning of each day holds promise.

God's in His heaven, all's right with the world.

Be calm and carry on,

Until I Saw A Woman With No Legs...

This is a good morning for reflection.....

 Last week as I waited for physical therapy (grumbling inside because I hurt),

a woman with no legs arrived for her therapy. Enough said.

                               

 As I thought an unkind thought about my husband because he didn't pick up the pillow that had fallen off the front porch rocker during a little wind, he called me to a delicious breakfast he had made.

As I re-visited some heated words my son and I had yesterday at the store,

he motioned for me to come to the back of the auction house

so he could load my purchases.

 I have made a conscious choice to finally release my desire to have a perfect circle of friends and family, a formal dining room, a studio, a log cabin in the woods (or better the mountains), to be thin,

to be young again, have everything go my way....

In doing so,  I have to admit something I have learned....

life is too short to continually re-visit unpleasant events and unfulfilled dreams.

Dreams are ok, as long as they don't obscure the present and make you ungrateful.

My home, the physical house, is what it is. As of May 24, 2012, there will very probably no more chances for "add ons" or complete re-do's...so? Is my life any less blessed? Maybe a bigger, better house would be more comfortable, but hey, this one is paid for. It's in pretty good shape. 

It's infinitely better to live in the moment and be grateful for an abundant life.

Always striving for more is exhausting, folks.

We must do the very best with what we have been graciously given.

 If that means moving around pieces in and outside the house and inside your heart, to make something function better, or paint or repurpose what we have...great...but let's not waste another precious second crying over spilled milk.

Examples of "spilled" milk (aka: what might have been):

*It would be nice to be 5'6" tall and weigh 115 lbs...but it "ain't" happening, (unless when I DO have knee replacement, the doctor agrees to add a 5" dowel in each leg during the operation...and the 115? Haha.)

* It would be great to have a 4,000 sq ft home with every little detail "just right"...but then you'd have to dust all that space...hmmm, small is looking better. 

*Wouldn't we all love a family where every member looks and acts like angels 100% of the time...

is it really necessary to go completely berserk about that tatoo, that long hair, those torn jeans?

(This one is hard for me..I must admit.) 

So for all those out there who have all the things I used to long for...then, lucky fortunate you..

(I'm Presbyterian, we don't believe in luck).

For the rest of us, let's live the remaining years of  life trying to play the hand that has been dealt us in a cheerful, loving way...knowing that we won't always be successful, but at least we can give it our best shot.

Be thankful,