Poppy and Ivy

A Year Ago ....

I  used to sell these candles and need to re-order them like CRAZY. I am much more in love with the packaging and long life of the Archipelago candles. My favorite...Positano and Pacifca.Mmmmm.....these candles pictured above on clearance now! What a difference 12 months (and 12 blocks) can make!

 

These guys always felt like they were cheering me on during the day!  

The graphics and story line of this book is fantastic. I sold it about 3 weeks ago...after keeping it for  myself for one year. I just couldn't let go! But it ended up going to a good home. Whew.

Ahhhhhh.....the good old days when I had TIME to go to estate sales.

Oh. This book was the book that would change my life. However....I still have the fabric that I purchased WITH the book in a sweet little pile. <Deep sigh>

Oh...THE EGGS. It was THIS week that the egg business started! That was the oddest thing! The gal at the post office couldn't handle it anymore. By my 7th visit with little white boxes she broke down and said "I HAVE to know!!!! What are mailing?????".

She came to the shop a week later and bought some herself!

I enjoy looking back. It reminds me how far Poppy & Ivy has come! It also makes me want to to estate sales this weekend. Trouble......

Happy Tuesday.

Maybe I shouldn't be given "free time".....

I was SO enamored with all my "free time" the last few days, that I have done the wackiest things.

I ran off to a scrapbook store Saturday before a big Bunco school fund raiser. I had to be back to Portland by 7:00...but I DID it. It was an hour and half round trip and worth EVERY minute of it! We just have nothing left in Portland really as far as scrapbooking goes and I honestly try to avoid the box chains if I can....they are putting the little guys in jeopardy! I still want to hit Art and Scraps in Vancouver really badly...but this Scrapbook Fever was our destination of the day. And I always have collage...but I was looking for the Creative Imagination Cafe line in particular. So much fun.....

 

These journaling strips are brilliant. They are sold by the foot and you can stamp on them, write on them, use rub-ons...you name it. Brilliant and about 4 designs.

The new travel line by Making Memories....for all that traveling we do. HA!!!!!

Why did I drive that far? Because I was with my friend! My good friend Kate (of birds-on-canvas, felt birds and NikePlus Kate) is moving to Toronto for 2 years. It's JUST TEMPORARY...she isn't even selling her home here in Portland...but she is the buddy that can go to these places with me and never say "But WHY?". Instead she squeals and darts all over the place just like I do...and the little angel on my one shoulder says "What a great opportunity for their family. They HAVE to take it..the kids will learn so much, they can experience great new things...all so good". The little devil says "Is she TRYING to ruin my life? WHO will I shop with???? Can I still text her at 3:00am??". JUST KIDDING!!! (says the good angel).......

And guess what I did at the shop?

I found a little corner for Christmas goodies! I have TONS.

And yes....I am a vintage shop, but I still pulled all my vintage Christmas when I moved in January.

And then...I forgot where it went.

And then...I found it. On Friday night. So....WAHOOOOO.....And Ho-Ho-Ho...

Oh so much fun. Off to unpack and process even more Holiday additions. Seems weird when it's 76 degrees at night. HA!

Happy, Happy, Happy.....

So...the children in our family (my adorable offspring) have let me know that maybe...just maybe...I have worked too long, too hard for the last few years. They say "It was bad enough when you were working too hard for a person who didn't even CARE that you worked that hard...but now that you work too hard for yourself...we are cranky".

Okay....message received...loud and clear.

So...I called a local gal and she is going to work for me every Sunday for the summer. That was really my HARD time...that second weekend day. And I have another gal who has offered some hours ...but I felt so badly because she sounds like she works like a dog as it is...so I even though she is ASKING ME for hours...I feel bad saying "Yes...Thursday mornings would be great"...but I might just need to do so....

Maybe I have hit a wall.

I have been feeling worn down, falling behind in almost every aspect. Falling behind in shop, home and family... I work ALL the hours at the shop unless my husband covers... (aerobics half an hour a week). And I also make some of my top selling items and I am falling behind on most of those items.

It is TIME that I ask for help. I get SO concerned about covering hours financially...but I think it's where I need to head at this point. I need to get some balance.

The mere IDEA that I have the next 6 Sundays off makes me GIDDY. Honestly. That is sad, but true. It makes me feel like a little fire has been lit beneath me!

I have two special order scrapbook jobs that have fallen behind and I cannot participate in any local art shows that might help promote the shop because I am so low on handmade items.

This might just be a win/win decision I have made.....

Photo Time for you....

A record for children. Love the colors and graphics.

Here is the "simple task" my husband left for my daughter and myself. We have already pounded our thumbs a couple of times. Not good. I have bent many a nail.

Then he says tonight on the phone (he is in NYC "working" but WAY too many fun stories are being reported back) "Oh yes...those nails DID seem hard to work with".

Really? So that came across as a "simple task"...but he forgot to mention the nails? Sheesh.....

Birds, Birds, Birds.

I love me some birds.......can you tell?

A children's book. I laugh every time I read it! There is a monkey involved of course.....and he is a friendly one. And yes...I HAVE read the book. Hahahaaa...

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm...

THIS is how big I have been smiling since I heard that I had Sundays off!

I can easily say "Since I have had Sundays off, I am smiling as big as Rebecca at Sunnybrook Farm!".....and I really mean it.

Here is Heidi in a different language. I can safely say I am not 100% sure what language it IS in. If you know...feel free to hollah! (German???)

A close up page....

Not my language....but folks seem to love the foreign language story books. Is this German? The cover is so vivid...so lovely. I will ask my neighbor next door at Sofia.

Happy LATE Thursday!

 

Lucy Dog, new stuff and a hungry Jazzercise instructor

I am going to do my blog earlier today than I usually do because I had the GREAT misfortune to attend an aerobics class of a gal that had just returned home from vacation. And apparently we were ALL gonna pay for her vacation indulgences. And I personally think she was missing that diet today. Boy howdee....I fear that I might lose the use of my arms by 6:00pm....so I'd best type fast. That chick was MAD at tripceps today...and delts. Don't get me started on delts.

Seems the "heat" has passed a bit. My little black dog is so happy to hear that. She visited me at the shop Sunday and she was thrilled with the cement floors. She cooled herself off quite nicely and effectively.

She likes following me during her "photo shoots"....

I recieved a new jewelry line today. LOVE it. I left some for my customers...no worries there. I had planned ahead and ordered some doubles, but I wanted to get a good representation of her line and she has about 200 designs!

 

We got a new "kitchen" at the shop....pretty excited. My old cupboard was co cluttered, too low to really shop it and see everything and I have noticed that my kitchen wares don't sell as well here unless I do a kitchen window display...then it flies. Deductive reasoning told me....."open shelf time". I got the smarts really good some days.

Okay....Typepad is acting up. I'd better wrap it up before they shut me down. Happy Wednesday to you!

Where are the people?

Baby....it's hot outside. "Could be worse" I always say....but it is a bit uncomfortable. It's not Arizona or anything....but that is one hot breeze coming through my front door. Might be time to hit the a/c button. Love my air conditioning at the new shop!

Not many shoppers or walkers out & about today, but yesterday was a buzzin' all day....it's all good.

I do love having time to organize, clean and finding treasures that have fallen behind other displays! It's like Christmas is July!

I have spent a GREAT amount of time going through all the vintage clothing in back and finishing off all the small details. Replacing hook & eyes and securing buttons is the name of my game today. With the big rack of clearance outside, I have space in my back room to dig and discover!

 

I also had time to play catch up on some fun blogs...

A Thing for Roses

Velvet Strawberries

The Nesting Place

Cherry's Jubilee

Pink Paint & Roses

Happy reading on this lovely Saturday....

Picture Thursday

I am running around like a ferret on a double espresso getting ready for the Sidewalk Sale tomorrow. I am passing stuff, grabbing a whole display and making big ol' slash marks on the price. I am in an "out with the old, in with the new" mood. Which in MY business is funny....it's MAINLY 'old' !

I need space to rearrange and make new displays. I have SO many great containers, but nobody would know that because they are FULL of product!

I need to re-think some things....

  

Happy Thursday!

Pleeeeaaasssseee let this work!

I have tried posting every day since the 4th of July and I get shut down by this website.

I am not posting pictures of anybody nekkid....no bad words (well, I didn't think they were bad, but I might have a different level of standard)...nothing different than any of my other 400 postings.....yet still.....S-H-U-T D-O-W-N.

One more shot......

The 4th was perfect. Our self-imposed half marathon went off without a hitch. Except the part where the ladies who fell for it came with me were kind of cranky with my "bright idea" by mile 11. But we felt SO much less guilt eating hamburgers and chips that night at the party!

The parade was fun....

A little bit of a cupcake disaster took place. THAT is just never good....

And it only got worse....

DOH!

Yummy food...check.

Lots' of fireworks....check.

Sleepy kids...check.

I received some new jewelry from Angela of ASA Custom Jewelry...

How much do I LOVE my local artists?

Speaking of which....

This Friday (July 11th) lowerfremont.com will be having an artist night and sidewalk sales. Join us all.....we have so much to offer! La Bodega wine bar is a great pre-dinner meeting place...as is Acadia & County Cork. I am DEEP CLEANING the back storage room and my sidewalk sale pile is growing as we speak..... vintage clothing, jewelry, candles, plates, patterns, novelty gifts...you name it...I am saying BUH-BYE to it! I have so many fun new items coming in....as I slowly figure out my "crowd" here. I can't get over that I only moved 14 blocks away and what was a hit on Alberta flops here! And you people LOVE your hip jewelry, fancy candles and cake plates....I hear your cries!

Here are some more photos for your viewing pleasure...fingers crossed that Typepad doesn't freeze up again!

After our trip to Alaska....all I craved was FRESH produce. I have never seen such a thing. 4.00 per pound for BEATEN up apples! And red peppers on SALE...two for 7.00! It was insane. I picked two half flats of fresh berries and made a farmer's market run yesterday...a cart full of carrots, onions, peppers, herbs, apples and cherries for 20.00!  I think I JOYFULLY tossed my cash at the checker!

Last week was one long week....nothing a little baseball game couldn't take care of.

katykate.....my favorite body butter. Move over Body Shop....my love for you was long, but my heart has strayed......and don't even GET me started on her MAGICAL lip balm.

Happy Wednesday to you....off to slash more prices!

Shop-a-licious

So it turns out I have a shop. And MAN....this shop had me hopping all day long!

End of month bills, straightening things up, processing new stuff for the floor, checking in two new orders, meeting with a darling new rep for a FANTASTIC new jewelry line.....whew. I am beat!

Here are some new things and a couple of vignettes...

A card refill from a local collage artist. I can never go wrong with a bird order.

A happy little red & green vignette...

New playing cards....

 

And lots of sets of Mighty Magnets. Love these. I chose all vintage themed. They had SO many choices it made my head hurt! Really...they just added 75 new designs which really made the old head spin. I think I am good with choices some days....then catalogs like THESE come along. Anyhow....these magnets are seriously mighty. I have them on my fridge at home. I've had them for years and they have staying power. I can post ALL of my son's overdue library book notices on the fridge....and none of them slip away. :)

I ordered a bunch of necklaces & earrings from a new (to me) line called Precila G. I ordered birds, flowers, symbols (strength & courage) among other lovely things. I don't even see half the things I ordered on this site...but you still get a sneak peek!

Tomorrow the shop is closed. I meet 4 friends up at a local running park and we are going 13.5 miles. We have done the Sauvie's Island half-flat for the last few years, but last year the last miles was a rocky path. I don't mean figuratively....but quite literally. They'd laid rocks for a path and my ankles and feet were KILLING me at the end of it! So...for free in a park....we will subject our bodies to mega miles so we can eat guilt free burgers, salads and yummy fruity drinks at the 4th of July party! You know the party....the one I still haven't finished cleaning & preparing for. Yep...THAT one. Fingers crossed for good weather. We had a LONG, loud and extremely crazy thunder & lightening storm last night. Just unbelievable!

Happy Almost 4th of July to you all!

 

Feet planted firmly in P-Town

Did I ever doubt how much I LOVE Portland? Alaska was GREAT. Vast views of snowy moutains, green mountains, rainbow mountains, dry & yellow mountains, pipeline that just seems to fit into the scenery for some odd reason and LONG days of family fun...but MAN...I LOVE Portland, Oregon.

I also love my Internet provider. My laptop ran in slo-mo up there!

I had so many fun photos and things to mention, but each blog post took over an hour!

First photos (of course)....

We floated down the Gulkana River one day. We only went about 2 miles...but it was so lovely. It was my favorite day until the very unfortunate (and persistent) wind and a WAY too full bladder. I will never forget the last 30 minutes of THAT day for a very long time! I used a restroom that I wouldn't have neared with a 10 foot pole about 2 hours earlier.....

On the business end of things (oh yeah....we have a business!) I didn't get word until the last minute that Lower Fremont Street was having a sidewalk sale. I never read the ad copy that was going into The Oregonian until AFTER the sale! Seems I thought we were having a daytime sidewalk sale, and it turns out it was a 5:30-9:00 sale. My gal closed up at 6:00 (as I had asked) feeling very guilty that all of a sudden sales were taking place pretty quickly that last 30 minutes! So.....I have PILES of stuff that were overlooked for the sidewalk sale and we are doing another the weekend after this. July 11,12 & 13th....there will be a blow-out! Oh yes siree Bob.

Today I am doing all my decorating (and cleaning) for our annual 4th of July family parade and party. I found my hat of happiness finally!

This was made by Laurie, a talented local gal.

WHOA! I just Googled her blog really quick for the link and she's featured on Today's Creative Blog this week! You can more of her lovely handmade items! Way to go Laurie! Wahoo to you!

And here are more preparations....

This has to SOMEHOW become cute and festive. Can I just toss it all up in the air and hopes it lands correctly? Probably not.

Got my little paper lanterns up that I LOVE these. I wish I'd gotten more. I can't seem to find them anymore.

And after being at my in-laws PRISTINE, organized home....I decided I was even more sick of our clutter than I already was. I have a son that spends his nights thinking of ways to complicate things. The easy way is never HIS way. He got off the plane and decided that he no longer wants his dresser. "Too fussy" for his tastes he claims. He prefers storage under the bed. His room is really cute and he's done most of it...but he shoves clothes in his lockers as his "dresser". And in baskets...at the back of the closet. And his shoes are in 4 places, then he can't find them and we buy more. I kid you not...I counted 19 pairs of shoes today. That's not right.

So we are tossing, ridding and making a HUGE donation to Goodwill and selling a bunch of furniture in the store. An old wood rocker that I LOVE...but it's shoved behind a treadmill and then we realize we never sat in it when it WASN'T in the corner...so why do we have it?

Here is the BOTHERSOME dresser that just "clutters" my son's room. This thing JUST takes up space. It has NO purpose in my son's life.......<eyes roll to the back of my head...never to return>.......

 

Off to clean and NOT eat my young. Also to buy the ingredients to my sis-in-laws AMAZING Asian Pasta Salad that WILL be at our 4th of July party Friday. It's amazing.

Asian Ginger Salad

In a blender, put:

4 TB. rice vinegar

2 TB olive or canola oil

4 TB peanut butter

2 TB soy sauce

2 TB brown sugar

3 TB sesame oil

2 TB shredded ginger (fresh)

2 TB garlic (3 cloves)

chopped cilantro to taste

Blend until creamy. Add to one box cooked pasta of choice.

We used thin spaghetti.

Stir in cilantro and chopped peanuts. My sis-in-law tossed in some sesame seeds she had too...that was not called for in the recipe, but it was yummy.

Enjoy! This is an EASY dish if you are needing to bring a dish to a 4th of July celebration.

Happy Wednesday!

The Part Where Bears Did Not Eat Me......

 I am back in Fairbanks! I SURVIVED Alaskan camping.

I was not killed my pinchy bugs, brown bears, Grizzlies OR my fellow campers. Whew.

We were in Sourdugh, Alaska (really) and not quite to our camping spot when the lovely lady behind the counter who was missing teeth and an important undergarment informed me "Grizzlies are out...want a huntin' pass? I done killed a Grizzly outside ma bedroom window...not even 30 feet outside my bedroom window..just last week. Yep".

REALLY? I mean seriously? Was this just a way to sell huntin' passes? Because really, I will take four passes if it ups my chances of survival. I will. I am such a city girl. I hate it...but I AM.

We pulled up to our camping area (a six hour drive from Fairbanks) and my sister-in-law calmly says "Hey...that's my dad. He drives there every weekend".

It's a 350 miles drive! EVERY weekend! These folks are a WHOLE different animal up here. When I drive 6 hours somewhere....I end up in Canada or three quarters of the way to San Francisco. And I do that once every 4 years...not every weekend. The power of the King Salmon.....

Here are some shots....

Amazing drive. It really was. But did I see ONE moose? No freakin' way. 350 miles of Alaskan terrain and no moose. I finally decided Alaska has some fantastic P.R. people. I saw about 56 moose flower planters, 31 moose mailboxes....NO moose.

We arrived at our camping, fishng destination. The mighty Klutina River. Maybe a bit of a nail biter for folks who have just lost a family friend to a drowning on a river. It was a bit tense for me. I tried to remian calm, but it really was scary. We have seen first hand the results of a fluke river accident in just the last few weeks. Deeeeeeeeeppppp breaths......

On day wo we rafted the Glucana (guessing on that spelling) and bald eagles just SOARED over head. Or in this case, perched. THAT was breath taking.

And finally...on our ride home today.....A MOOSE! It only took 7 days in Alaska. That's just wrong.

 

And back to the good news.....I am not in the lower intestine of a Grizzly Bear.

Wheww...........................

So it's Sunday or is it Monday?.....I have NO clue what day it is. I haven't seen nightfall for 8 days. But what other time could my kids fish for salmon at 1:00am? I wish I were kidding about that.....

Happy Whatever Day it is....