Poppy and Ivy

The week in a nutshell...

We made it to Sunday! This used to be my "Friday" with the old hours.....but not so much now. It's still good. It's short day and I get more play time at night!!!

So...as soon as I gave my camera battery shout out to Mary W.....all my batteries died at once- so I have to WAIT to share photos of my new yummy fabrics from Bolt. I sold 2 things this weekend that I have sewn myself! I was beside myself with glee! My husband kept saying "Put this apron out on the floor....it's adorable". I finally did it and it sold in less than 24 hours.

That's exciting!

Sometimes...I need a push.

What people sometimes don't understand is that it is really hard to put yourself out there. It's hard to put things that you have put your heart and soul into. At times...folks don't use edit buttons and they say stuff that they SHOULD just say in their "inside your head" voice.  And it comes out.

And I can hear it.

Like..."Oh....don't buy that. You could make it...it looks easy". "What was this person THINKING putting those fabrics together" or....."Oh...I hate this kind of stuff...let's go to the next store".

I am working on that "water on a duck's back" thing. Trying to let it S L I D E.

But it still stings.

So...this week looked like this.

Mr. Harvard's memory bench at Alameda. His funeral was very well done, good "closure" for the kids. That feels like an over used word...but it made sense this week. It helped both kids to attend his funeral, understand how well Bernard was loved by so many, see it as a "celebration" of his life...and in the words of the minister....we need to  "laugh more, be kind & party on".  So very true.

The flags have arrived. I love them against the red walls!

Wendy's brought in more baby clothes. They are ADORABLE. Amazingly cute.

Some stores have a shop dog...or a shop cat...I want a shop toddler to "model" these clothes! The prints are perfect...love them all.

And...I ran to Bolt Fabrics on my lunch break today and MAN.....she gets me every time. She has a great eye. I bought the book I have wanted so badly.....Bend-the-Rules by Amy Karol. She's a local too...LOVE keeping my money local by buying it at a small shop AND supporting a local artist. You may have seen Amy's Angry Chicken blog over the years....so lovely and inspiring! Or you've seen her goods at  Tie One On.

Here's the book....

And believe when I say....you NEED it. (I do not get paid to say this folks....the gal doesn't even know me).

It comes down to this....she makes me happy and her book makes me think "I can do this!!!!"

Okay....off to wash fabrics so I can create some magic....or havoc.

Whatever happens in the basement...stays in the basement. ;))))

Whoa.... that is SO true.

Last Thursday!

Ohhhhh.....it sneaks up every time now, doesn't it?

So...tomorrow is the big day on Alberta. Or, I guess I should say the big NIGHT. Last Thursday on Alberta.

Lots of fun artists will be out and about. I got the list this afternoon via e-mail and they will be in front of all Arts on Alberta members doorsteps tomorrow night.

I have some stuff going on...pretty fun stuff. Kate Armstrong & Cole Hollands will be my street vendor artists tomorrow. Kate is known as the "Birds on Canvas Lady".....but she also does flowers and cupcakes. Because...we ALL need more flowers and more cupcakes in our lives. Duhhhhhh.

My other artist is Cole Hollands...who happens to be my little boy. He is a crazy artist. He comes up with these things that blow us all away. I am his mother...so OF COURSE I think they are amazing...but he HAS sold a number of cards in my shop...to people who DON'T know how amazing he is...or how young!

Here is his new crown art.

So cute...but he IS 8 years old...so the other problem is THIS.

Much like his mother...he grows weary of projects, walks away and never returns. So....my husband cut out 8 of these crowns for Cole to make (2 weeks ago) and he finished....two. Not a HUGE showing tomorrow night. :)

He also makes cards.

And this is what this artist does in his spare time.

See?

He's busy.

We can't expect too much from him.

Here is more funny stuff for you. Cole is also my spy. He went to Kate's house he other day for a play date (with Kate's son...not with Kate...that would be weird) and he said he saw seven new bird canvases. So....on top of being a street artist...he's my SPY. And I trust this kid 100%...he said "They are her best EVER".

Consider yourself warned folks.

And...there will be new flags. I have TRIED to be busy this week to take my mind off of all the really bad stuff that has been happening. When I say "busy"...I mean truly BUSY... doing productive stuff. Aside from watching Katie & Peter, Girls Next Door, Hogan Knows Best and Gene Simmons: Family Jewels....I DO like to make stuff you know.

I finally get to use my really COOL vintage buttons and earrings. I am stoked. I really love how they are turning out. I apologize now for having so many photos taken under fluorescent lights. I was supposed to work on crafts all day and I decided to take the day OFF and I sat in the sun, ran on the treadmill, read old mail, caught up on my e-mails.....I was terribly lazy. We went to get my daughter at Camp Grammy's and we got home really late...so no daylight for photos.

And tomorrow is the DAY. My children are attending their first funeral. I think on one hand it's good for them. They can say a "proper goodbye"... See the whole process through.

On the other hand...I am not sure how well I will do! I am driving a couple of my children's friends who THANK GOD have already watched Extreme Home Make-Over with me more than once and know that I cry so easily...but I am still scared. This is all so much in one day!

Here is Mr. Harvard's mini memorial at the school. The school is literally half a block away...so we check on it and add fresh flowers every day. It feels so SMALL...but so important!

So...if I meet you tomorrow night for the first time...please excuse my puffy eyes!

And...I'd love to do some shout-outs.

Tracey! Your eggs are packed....I wanted to find the perfect box. I am mailing it tomorrow. Bless your heart for being patient with me this week. I gave you a baker's dozen for your kindness.

Andrea....mojitos...SOON. Let me get through tomorrow....but the sooner, the better! And I know of some killer places! Don't work too hard this week.

Kim, Treva and Andrea: wax art....you name some dates and we can play at Collage! We have a mini class going...but we can drink mojitos then too!!!!! LOL......You buy the stuff...I will show the ropes!!!

Mary W. .....you have rocked my world with the battery information last month! I went straight to Target and you were spot on! I STILL have the original batteries IN the camera that I bought that day! The others are charged and waiting! I was going through 4 regular batteries a week...that was with 30-40 photos! INSANE. Thank you so much for leaving the comment and information. 

What more can the poor woman take?

So...just in case it wasn't enough to lose an amazing husband and father......(please see this article), his widow has yet another HUGE situation to deal with.

She awoke to her fire alarm going off.  Here is THAT story.

Every body got out safely (thank god)...but I just wonder about photos, personal belongings. etc.

The poor woman has not even buried her husband and this happens!!!!

Really....I need a long nap.

I cannot begin to even wrap my head around all of this.

Arrrgggggggggggggggggg.......

What a Day

This day was long and confusing. It was pretty difficult to work all day (and smile) while I sat in the shop and tried to figure out (again) why the children's Principal -Bernard Harvard- was taken so soon. We attended a gathering this evening at the school playground. It was nice to just get together and talk...whether it was about him or about the summer. We got filled in on details, memorial information, etc. The family was kind enough to make his memorial public, but I am sure his wife (of only one year!!!) had difficulty finding the space ---for I have have no doubt that it will be a packed "house". 

See this smile? This really wasn't for the camera...this was how we saw Mr. Harvard 6 hours of every day...Monday-Friday. A truly lovely man.

He didn't die at the hospital like we originally had thought...but while playing a gig Saturday night.

I prefer to think of it this way....he died doing something he LOVED.

Okay....got that out of the way again. But I have no doubt it WILL be a long week for us here. This is the time that nobody really gets "the big plan" or understands "why". Any words of explanation are simply trite.

Thanks again for letting me blow some confused (sad) steam. :)

Onto the shop stuff: I found the camera! Who would have thought to look in my bedside table? 12 year old girls......

First off....Children's Clothing by Wendy Wager. So cute & hip. She's possibly selling outside the store on Last Thursday. I need to confirm it with her. It would be nice!

And here are some new goodies:

My new front door!

And some new stamps from Cat's Life Press. YUMMY.......I picked these guys up at Collage....I think I might have knocked the UPS man over. Ooops.

And check out the paper....luscious. (Not Cat's Life Press...and kind of blurry).

 

Okay. Hope I showed some enthusiasm there. My apologies. I will get it together, but we are still bumbling about here in our house. It just doesn't help that I am one sentimental sap.

This too shall pass.

Busy weekend with a sad ending

Lots of good stuff happened this weekend.

My husband covered for me three times in one weekend.

Then he decided I needed front door with a window and he went and GOT IT. And today he put it up. And it looks GREAT! I can keep the door closed to keep the a/c on, but it looks so much more friendly from the street. LOVE IT!!!! Hope the landlord does too:))

One of my mini breaks included running to the bank to look at a counterfeit $20 I took in Thursday or Friday. That was a bummer. I'd like to think that it was an innocent accident rather than a purposeful action.

More good.....I am processing PILES of "new old stuff". We delivered a bunch of it tonight and more is going up with me tomorrow. Between actually wading through the piles in our garage and finding stuff I had bought MONTHS ago (and forgot about) and scoring tons of NEW goodies this weekend....it was a BONANZA.

Yet MORE good!!!! Thursday night I saw Lyle Lovett and k.d. lang out at Edgefield. FANTASTIC show! The night was finished off with champagne, yummy drinks and lots of girl talk until 2:45 am!!!! Did I mention we did this in bathrobes? I mean...we WERE guests and we DID forget coats. I think we were quite the sight. 4 women walking the grounds in bathrobes.  And we did that BEFORE the champagne kicked in. Wait again....did I mention we carried a dessert plate around with for about an hour? We just snacked here and there. Four spoons.....Four happy chicks.

Then we checked into our rooms and woke up to a YUMMY breakfast at Black Rabbit. We also shopped at the Edgefield gift shop where I happen to know the buyer is a fellow local blogger and MAN OH MAN......I had a BLAST! I need to pick HER brain a bit:))))))

Forget the trade shows.  I am guessing if I paid for the mojitos, she might give me some of her sources. Heck....I'd take ONE of her leads. The stuff was fantastic!

And MORE GOOD STUFF...as if Thursday night wasn't perfect as it was, our family attended Homer Simpson Night at PGE Park on Saturday night!

I had seen a posting by Andrea from last week....she'd attended a game and I thought "DANG...we haven't been there yet this year...what other time is it cool to drink 7.00 Miller Lite?!" and so....we went for Homer night. My mom and dad came up from Corvallis and my mom saw her FIRST ball game ever...well----that didn't involve my children. She goes to my daughter's games...but she's not into the sports scene.

And...thank all of you who have so kindly asked for photos of the baby clothes by Wendy to please bear with me. We've "lost" the camera. My daughter took off with it....never to be seen again. Now...it IS her camera that I was borrowing after mine suffered The  Great Camera Drop of 2007, but she keeps saying in her adorable 12 year old voice "Gawd Mom...I don't KNOW where YOU put it. Don't blame ME. " Close your eyes and envision the lovely eye roll that accompanies that nasally whine.

And yet....I still let her live with us:)

And..the sad ending of the weekend. My children attend(ed) Alameda Elementary School--(they are 3rd generation alumni!) and we were blessed to have had one of the most wonderful gentlemen of all gentlemen to become our assistant principal some years back join the staff there.  This past year we were blessed YET again to have him become the Principal of my daughter's middle school. She attends an Art Magnet School. He was an amazing musician that brought music  into the hearts of many elementary children at Alameda, then he brought his art to daVinci Middle School. He has a joy for life that just cannot be matched. After every dance performance at daVinci, his excitement was so evident. His smile contagious. His heart enormous.

Last night he died from complications of a surgery.....we do not have all the details as of yet. He was so young. He had small children. A new wife. A new post at one of the best schools in Portland. It was just too soon. His stars had all aligned and he was taken from us far too soon.....breaking the news to my children was so difficult. My husband heard first and I saw his eyes fill with tears. I knew it was bad....I went through my head trying to think of what he could possibly be hearing on the phone.

Our hearts go out to his family. Of all the greed & ugliness that takes place in the world DAILY.. from malicious leaders, terrorists, meth addicts & serial killers....and this kind man has to be taken from us so soon....it just doesn't make any sense at all to me. My children are beside themselves. This man was simply adored.

I told the kids..."Look at how sad you are. Do you know why? He was so good, so kind, so loved.....if everybody could leave this world having so much love behind them, the world would be a happier place. He left us as a much admired soul and he will be missed".

Thanks for letting me get that out. I found out very late this evening and it's still pretty raw. I mean it when I saw my heart just hurts.

On to happy things.....

Hug your family. Kiss your kids. Take it all in and be happy for what you have.

Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.....

...So I sure as heck wish I had some pictures for you!

A local gal, Wendy Wager, came in Monday and brought me some FANTASTIC children's clothing that she sews. Amazing stuff. I'd have dressed my children in ALL of it. Sun dresses fashioned from a vintage pattern in lovely floral fabrics, pants that are very loose fitting, no front or back per se....just comfy and adorable and they can be worn alone or with one of the matching dresses.  No rules....

Wendy has a great eye for mixing patterns and there is a big "one size fits all" factor here.  She brought me some dresses that would fit a curvy 3-4 year old as a longer sun dress or a lanky 6-8 year old...very cute over a pair of jeans or leggings. So versatile.

And my Skeem candles arrived and are waiting for me at Collage! Wahooooooo.

And....Jane's Apron card samples arrived today and I am VERY much excited to order some of those ASAP. She doesn't really know it yet.....but I AM ordering some! They arrived in the midst of a very frantic day of cleaning, organizing, straightening and getting life in order. It was actually rainy today and it felt good to get stuff all caught up. Items put in their places. Food in the fridge.

Tomorrow, I leave early from work (my husband is closing up shop for me) and I head out to Edgefield for a Lyle Lovett/k.d. lang concert. I think a bunch of us are even staying the night at the hotel and waking up to have a SIT DOWN breakfast!!! WOW! How will we act??????? I hear rumor that some folks are even partaking in a morning massage!!!!!! Double wow!!!

It's kind of sad how exited I am about this event.

AND......guess what my husband sprang on me tonight at dinner??

He wants to attend his 20 year high school reunion. I hadn't done the math or seen any mailers on it...but I guess he's right. It HAS been 20 years! What the heck? I had NO clue he even wanted to attend. I really disliked the high school I went to and the city we grew up in...I can't imagine wanting to attend MINE (still one year out) let alone his. But I did know more people at HIS school(Crescent Valley) than at mine (Corvallis High School...arch rivals!!!).

That threw me into a tizzy tonight.

In TWO weeks I need to loose 50 pounds and grow 4 inches.

That's gonna be tricky. :))))))))

Is it just me or do reunions seem like a nightmare? I don't know WHY on God's earth he wants to attend. I can barely get him to take me on a date and STAY AWAKE....but he's got a bee in his bonnet for sure. Oh well.....

Off to eat three grapes for dessert.

I hope to provide photos of Wendy's adorable children's clothing by this weekend!

Happy Thursday to you all.

The New Hours

So far, so good with the new hours, but in the change over....I have worked 12 days in a row.

It hurts to smile for 12 days.

In

a

row.

I have cleaned, moved things, potted plants up there, made cards, read 5 magazines, 1 book, rearranged some MORE, placed orders for me, helped Collage place some orders.....for 12 days.

Tomorrow is my first day off of two....IN A ROW!!! I am pretty stoked.

I got an e-mail telling me my Skeem candles are on the way. They are just beautiful. Perfect hostess gifts. I can't  believe how the smell lasts until the LAST BURN. And they say 90 hours of burn time, but I had mine burning for the first 3 months I was open...6 hours a day 4 days a week! I was almost relieved when my votive line arrived!

I am off to work for the 12th day in a row.

Oh...did I mention that already? :)))

New Hours:

Monday 12-6

Tuesday & Wednesday Closed

Thursday 12-6

Friday 12-6

Sat 12-6

Sunday 12-4

Slow in the Shop...but I have a great garden!

The shop has been SLOOOWWWWWWW.....

I can deal with that.

It's been hot and nasty folks.

But on a happy note..my garden is ON FIRE.

NOT my doing...but gorgeous all the same.

My son and I started sweet pea and nasturtium seeds in those dirt pods.

We then planted them in our garden and MAN...they are NUTS!!!!

I said to my son "Your seeds are amazing...what is your secret?"

He said "I just sing to them".

Take that to heart my friends........

And...I need a modeling agency for my dog.:))))))

She's a poser......

The Urge to Purge & BUH BYE heat!

Ohhhhhhh....yessssssss. The heat is gone. It has been replaced by thunder, lightening and rain and REALLY....that's okay with me. I can deal with my son clinging to my leg crying about the thunder (I wish I could say he was very young...but he's really not) as long as that blasted heat is GONE.

I woke up the second morning of the heat and the entire main floor was the lit the eeriest orange color...the ENTIRE floor. Every room. I honestly thought that a) my retina had detached during the night or that b) we were entrenched in the  middle of an inner city fire. 

I followed the tangerine light to the bathroom (ummmmmm......have I mentioned it was 4:30, I'd been asleep a mere 2 hours and that I was just trying to let the cat out?) and this is what I saw.

I'd have taken more shots from more rooms, but I already almost fell off the toilet I was standing on to take THIS one....I still had my teeth...I was going to play it safe from there out.

Isn't that amazing? I don't see 4:30am OFTEN.....but I am pretty certain this color of sky is a rarity and I really did take it in for a bit.  Then I hit the hay again! While it was still a "cool" 78 degrees inside.

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

So.....urge to purge. Yep. The bug bit me.

I feel my basement walls closing in on me. I am working on a scrapbook for a gal and I am telling you...I can't find an open space to work in. Every corner is a "work in progress".

My heart started beating weird.

I kept picking things up thinking "Oh...I needed to get cafe hooks for these"...then I'd put these great vintage curtains back down. I'd pick up a blouse "OH..that button fell off in the wash and I put it somewhere nearby...."...it's all just this close to being ready for the shop...but would require me having a day off (hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa.....oohhhhh...... that's a knee slapper!!!!) to get extra parts/pieces/etc.....

So...I did what any reasonable woman would do....I did laundry, cleaned three sinks and then FILLED little bags with collage stuff for 2 hours.

Seriously...little bags FILLED with old buttons, game pieces, label holders, shells, frosted glass, vintage frosted leaves, ric rac, binding tape, sewing accessories....you name it.

I did it by color, by size, by whim.......

Yep...my heat induced nervous breakdown is YOUR gain!

And...the family all has clean underwear for tomorrow.

Wahooooo....it's a bonus for EVERY ONE!

I received a new order yesterday. I received more Looking Good for Jesus , The Wha Wha Club and "Get Real" oil cloth bags.  New on my list...Gnome air fresheners, Mother Teresa breath spray and tattoos for the elderly which are MY personal favorites!

Off to see if I can finally make myself let go of even more goodies.....I DO need to remind myself that the purpose is to SELL these fantastic things I buy.

So many rules. Pesky taxes. <Deep Sigh>.

Sadly....dreading it today

Really? Was our low last night 69 degrees? Honestly?

How do they do this in the Midwest...Arizona...Palm Desert...Iraq...you are all my heroes.  I can't make myself water my tomatoes and people exercise, live, run errands (or fight wars!) in this. UG.

That's all I've got. UG.

We slept with the shop portable  a/c in our room last night, so at least I got a leg up...some rest!

I am seriously dreading the shop today. The streets were DEAD yesterday. I'll have the a/c...but the people are all in hiding!

And I have dinner group tonight....OUTSIDE.

We are all going to melt and die.

I mean...it will be so much fun.

I am dessert (easy!), the theme is "picnic" (YEAH!) but I don't have the dessert made. Or...the ingredients purchased. Or..the time to do either part. Shop OR chop.

So...I am going to beg my husband to make a stop here and pray that my dinner group cronies don't throw chicken legs, corn or blueberry wine coolers at me.

I mean...how can you be nasty (in this heat...did I mention it was hot?) when someone brings you coconut pound cake and banana pudding?

No...I didn't think so.