Welcome!

I am glad you chose to visit! My blog is a compilation of the many hats I find myself wearing. On any given day I may be an encourager, an instructor, or just a lady who is venting. You, dear reader, will probably identify with my triumphs and my tribulations! These snapshots fit into my Life Scrapbook I have named A. McInnis Artworks. I hope you will find something worth your while.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

* Live and Learn

You know what my husband says,
" It only takes one compliment on something you have made and you immediately make 100 of said item."
Somebody on FB said something nice about my pumpkins and I launched into an all out offensive.
We now have gone pastel pumpkin crazy!
Cute in a little girls's room or anywhere you need a spot of color.
Pardon the price tags :(
Then, of course, there are the more "dressed up"  non-pastel versions...below.
I had the old cutter quilt cut to ribbons, but couldn't bear to throw away
the raggedy squares...thus, the tattered pumpkin below.
(I believe I may be becoming a hoarder.) 
I found some of the fabrics to be easier to work with than others.
Burlap may look neat, but it's not neat to work with..achoo!
Linen, on the other hand, is. Painter's canvas is also difficult.
Nevertheless, I have given my customers a wide range of pumps from which to choose!
On to today's post!!
I have been reading a small book by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. entitled
Live, and Learn and Pass It On.
Funny little quotes from lots of different people from 5 years old to 90.
I decided that this is a great idea, so today I'd like to share some things I've learned.
(Some I learned the HARD way!
When you have a minute why don't you add your "learnings" in the form of a comment?

Let's begin:
1. There is nobody more intelligent than the following groups: those who have NO children or who are brand new parents; 9th grade boys; second semester 12th grade girls and boys; and parents who coach from the stands. (Just sayin')
2. If you love any makeup item, buy it in bulk, because they will surely discontinue it.
3. Drinking diet beverages and continuing to eat Ding Dongs does NOT equal a happy outcome.
4. When you laugh or make fun of someone about a physical feature, you will end up with that feature.
    (This applies to even "thinking" something unkind about someone.. like a double chin of theirs will turn into a triple on you. Remember those Ding Dongs?)
5. For every lie you told your parents, your child will surely look you straight in the face and tell the same whopper to you. (I don't care what church you go to.)
6. Parents who think that the sole reason they have a great child is because of their parenting skills will at some point in their life be taken down a peg or two or three.
7. When you want rain, you get sunshine and vice versa. Adjust and live with it.
8. Nobody is ever satisfied with what they have been given physically...blue eyes? want brown; short frame? want tall; muffin top? want a six pack; big eyes? want slanted with extra long eyelashes. Answer? Wear brown contacts, get acquainted with Spanx, buy false eyelashes and walk on stilts...uncomfortable but do-able.
9. If you want something very badly (like a new couch) and your husband says, "NO!" and you whine and pout until you get it, you will NOT ever love that couch. There will always be that thing running around in your brain telling you, that you acted a fool to get your way. Nobody enjoys anything that was gotten by acting a fool.
10. When you don't water the ferns, they die. When you don't cut the grass, your home looks like a jungle. When you don't pluck your eyebrows or shave your legs, you look like a cavegirl. Bottom line here is: everything worthwhile in life takes some care and time. Always depending on someone else to "take care of business" for you isn't very smart. Hairy legs  = gross. So is a life that could have been worthwhile with some tender loving care that was neglected.

Now what have you learned and want to pass on?


I am linking to Beverly's Pink Saturday...please, join the fun!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

A Little Bling Has Entered the Pumpkin Patch!

I have been having a "running fit" to make some fabric pumpkins this year. Last year is just a blur and I didn't have the time nor the energy to research, gather materials, sew and fluff, but this year, I really didn't have an excuse. So it was to the garage I went...early in the morning...while it was still cool. Years ago, I bought a huge rolling garbage container and took it directly to the garage and promptly stored all my fabric in it.
Well, most of my fabric.
This time I was on the hunt for heavy upholstery fabric in seasonal colors for my pumpkins.
I had researched Pinterest for the quickest, most cost effective way to construct these little "pumps".
 Here are the "fruits of my labor"!
You know the first thing "the hubster" said, don't you?
"Whoever heard of a leopard pumpkin?"
Then..."Why can't you just make them look like regular pumpkins?"
Some people have NO imagination whatsoever!
I was showing a teenage girl these at the shop, and the first thing she said was,
"Oh, I looove the leopard one!" Yep.
Sparkly and shiny...I love these, too.
I am on a mission to see how many different types of pumpkins I can do this season.
I will post as I go! Next up...burlap...the new southern linen!

Hope you have a terrific week!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Hark! The Honk of the Duck!!

Guess I should apologize in advance, but I've found when in the retail business,
 you gotta do what you gotta do.
 I suppose you've noticed that the "big box" stores have already got their Christmas items on display
and while I'm not jumping that far out there, I AM putting out our Autumn things in the store.
I have almost Pinterested myself to death...and I found some really neat ways to use Duck Tape. Yes, I know the old gray stuff is Duct Tape, but the new cute stuff is Duck Tape. While Duck didn't have the camo tape I wanted, back in Wal Mart's hunting department, I did find Allen's Camo tape.
Home Depot's website had a tutorial on this duct tape wreath...I added my twist with the raffia, polka dot feathers, burlap and silk flowers and preserved leaves. The little terra cotta quail was a thrift store find.
(I will tell you that the wreath construction may look simple, but it isn't...the tape is very sticky to work with. Plus, the roll is rather pricey.)
This wreath is on sale at the store for $20... a buy, if I must say so myself.
I also found these little vintage wicker ducks below for a thrifty price
and put together the two flower arrangements.
If you have a duck hunter or just want to spruce up a little area in your home for fall,
either of these will do the trick. ($15 each.)
What about the hunter's tiny son? Several pair of camo boots for little ones.
Cute fly swatters for the cabin or coffee table books Wildlife South!
Below you will see my rendition of the ManCave sign...
big ole hunk of wood with painted camo and vinyl letters in brown..
$25.00...make him happy...also hand carved decoy, some
vintage turkeys to the left and a few arrowheads.
I also found two beautifully painted oils of mountains and  one of the ocean
last week. They are 8x10's I think...would look so pretty along side the ducks!
I painted these "girlie" canvases below this a.m....too much macho
and not enough girlie for me!
Also made two door wreaths...love the silk  bittersweet I found!
I can NOT wait for some cool fall weather....drinking coffee on the back porch
will be a pleasure again...changing colors and gentle breezes, mums of every color..
MY time of the year!!

Honk if you love pumpkins,

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Greenhouse Basil "Pops"

Does anyone else recognize that this is the hottest summer since I was expecting a baby back in 1974? Whew!! It's mighty toasty down here in Mississippi!
The hubster and I tackled a long overdue project at the shop...
painting the two long church pews sitting out front under the windows. 
Poor, Poor thing...she looks bedraggled and bewildered!!
So did we when the painting job was finished. 
Off to pick out a "popping" color for the porch!
The "turquoise" door and trim  paint is on the left;
my choice for the benches is on the right.
Ooh, lala! Much better!
 (You must understand that 
...I was down for the count with the knee thing
and my son and his wife were running the place, doing all the buying and trying to manage
5 days a week with little to no help from me.) So "cutsey pieing" it up was low on the totem pole.
However....I am back and feeling much better...it's time I contributed.
So the hubster and I spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning and painting.
Next will be addition of shutters, repainting the doors,new topiaries and wreaths for fall
and an 8 ft. Antiques sign for the front!
Inside things are changing also...
Reproduction football players and frames and desk set for baseball lovers are
set on my barn wood tray.
A quilter's delight (below)...
a vintage Singer Featherweight sewing machine with carrying case!
A centerpiece anchored by an old milkman's crate..
Another cutter quilt...piles of individual squares to be used in a variety of ways!
Priced at only $1.50 per square...better snap these up quickly!
Below is a McInnis and McInnis collaboration on a farmhouse wood coat/jewelry rack...
(and remarkably, we are still speaking!)
Vintage children's dishes
(& a little china tea set is in another room!)
Look at the little mixer...it still turns!
Do you remember any of these items?!
All the above items (except for the Featherweight) are on "my" side of the store.
The "sonster" (aka: my son) and his wife have tons of new collectibles on his side, too!
Their new "man cave" room is a big hit...
and I am getting ready to produce some Man Cave signs
for the holidays.
As you can see, life is gradually getting back into high gear for us!!
Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes!

Hoping you had a great weekend!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

*What's Good for the Gander Isn't Good for the Goose?

Well, well, well.
Some things never change...everyone's an art critic.
If you and I are friends on FB then you will know what's going on, but for those of you who don't know...here's the story.
I am working at my shop, Dwellings, and 3 ladies enter,
look all around and one becomes enchanted with my pin cushions.
What can I say? They ARE so sweet!
She purchases two...well, you know what that means, don't you?
Of course, there will be a run on them...I must dash home and crochet more.
 A few little changes and additions and they are ready for their coming out party.

So it went...hours and hours of crocheting...and many, many cushions are now ready to be sold.
Everyone in the fam...is making fun of my pin cushions...but YESTERDAY ANOTHER ONE SOLD! AND THEN ANOTHER!
 I may have found the golden egg!
I even have a pumpkin cushion in honor of the long overdue Autumn season!
So what you may ponder?
Well, let me fill you in....
My delightful husband of over 34 years saw my feverish efforts and remarked that
all my "money making" ideas were futile. He stated that I didn't make things people HAD to have..
that in a recession nobody wanted a pin cushion. Heck, women don't even sew anymore.
Or so he said! Now tires...there's something I could sell. They wear out...a pin cushion does not.
Yes, yes, yes....tires. I could mount them and rotate them, plug them...
I could see the gold mounting  in his mind.
Personally, I think he's stripped a gear, but really...tires?!
So I posted our conundrum on FB...all sorts of comments came popping on the screen..mostly in my favor (because they are all my friends after all)...
but today really took the cake.
As I arrived at work, my crochet basket filled to the top with pin cushion yarn galore,
I heard the snickers...I heard them laughing and smirking about "here comes the pin cushion lady"...
nevertheless...
I worked until 4:00 (and didn't once have a chance to crochet, I might add) and just as I was preparing to leave, I saw my son (the #2 Snickerer) whispering with a customer...
The customer had just brought in something he thought we might like to sell...
What was it, you ask? Oh, let me tell you!!
How about a Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine...but that's not the worst of it...
attached was an old Victorian metal bird that clamps on the machine...guess what kind of bird?
A PIN CUSHION!!
#2 Snickerer couldn't get to his wallet fast enough.
All I have to say is, "MEN!"