Poppy and Ivy

The Shop from the Eyes of a Bored 14 Year Old....

I gave the camera to my daughter Madeline and told her to take her favorite shots....what stands out to her. I told her she could make vignettes and she took her job and ran.....Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Thanks for looking and if you're a local, we are offering a great class by a local author, Barbara Conable. She has created a great kitchen workbook....when used to it's potential, it will change your cooking habits, shake things up AND save money!

Class is tomorrow, Saturday March 28, from 3-5:00pm. E-mail me for more info!

Spring Break...is it over yet?

Ahh.....I forgot quite how much Portland slows down on Spring Break. Gives me PLENTY of time to bone up on my Facebook games. I am getting GOOD at some of those games. If only they paid the rent!

It's okay....it's given me time to switch stuff out, create more, clear the clutter and more importantly...PLACE ORDERS! I have all Curly Girl replacements coming in, I got a link to the Curly Girl napkins and coffee cups because sadly my rep doesn't have that part of Leigh's line and I think they'd do great in the shop....perfect little girlfriend gift or pick me up.

I have ordered more bubblegum cigarette's, underpants for squirrels (I am SO sick of seeing those naked squirrels taking over my backyard this Spring!), chicken chuckers and bacon gumballs...and yes...those last three items ARE for real. I have to be ready for Portlander's when they are filling those Easter baskets!!!

I also ordered velveteen birds (so vintagey and sweet), appliqued pillows, vintage gold tinsel in spools and a few Easter decor reproduction items. So, being slow is good in some ways because I can focus on orders....and my typing skills at Word Challenge. HA!

So, this week we finished my son's bedroom paint...and FYI....chalkboard paint is NOT easy to paint with and this is coming from me....my Indian name could be She Who Loves to Paint. Chalkboard paint....not so much. I've done several small projects with it and loved it. ENTIRE walls...not as fun.

 

So, the whole room is pretty spiffy now....Tiger Orange and chalk board paint.

My office got painted AND became a TV room/office. I am good with that. As the kids get older and we have laptops....it's nice for each of them to have an area to escape with friends. I chose a great green that was unfortunately named Swamp Fog. I don't love THAT name....but love the end result!

 

Holy Cow..what a mess!

 

The left side color is a much more representative of the true color....a bit brighter than the photos below, but it could be my computer.

   

 

A nice green indeed...very nice to walk into on a sunny day or a cold miserable day. And in Oregon, we sometimes have those days!

JOHN spent that weekend up at the mountain 3 weeks back cutting letters out of vinyl...and MAN...the end result is about 5 times better than I expected!

 

He did the aqua band of letters you see above. He cut each letter out by hand with an exacto knife. I just drank coffee and watched in awe. I never touched a thing. My adult A.D.D would have been a horrific match with that job.

 

JOHN took out my little trees out of the galvanized feeders that have been so badly abused over the years and replaced them with my all time favorite planting....Daphne. Ahhhhh.......I have grown up with Daphne ever present in a garden. We used to sit on our front porch at our old house and neighbors would walk by and just start sniffing the air. I'd quietly point down to the bush next to me and they'd always come back and take a cutting. Such a heady scent! I am at the shop for SO many hours at the shop that the Daphne is a welcome scent! A little bit of home!

I will post photos of the goods tomorrow. Things should start rolling in over the next few days. Seems my orders get processed awfully quickly these days. Just another sign of the times. They seem very attentive to the orders and they come very quickly. Half exciting, half heart breaking. So many local stores have been closing and it just hurts to watch. I am just grateful for each body that walks in the door....purchase or no purchase....it makes one thankful!

Happy Thursday to you all!

Picture-Licious and getting back into the groove

I am FINALLY getting my shop back to normal. Man....things were flipped around, displays were made out of things I was discontinuing, everything was out of whack. It was okay to be out of the shop for nearly a week, but MAN...I am trying to find my own stock!

I have flipped the store a bit...just reset it...didn't move furniture. I am still a BIT too sick for that yet. Laughing makes me go into fits of coughing that are pretty impressive and somewhat scary to shoppers.

 

I received this new line of cards all made by local artists...photography & art

 

I got some more of mine out on the floor finally. It's been MONTHS since I made cards!

 

New Easter display area...

 

Love my silver and mercury glass! Oh...Shiny.......

 

Vintage Easter grass...

 

Oodles of ephemera to be had

 

Changed out the back shelves already from children's things to crafty goods

The new Pillow Book...the photos are yummy!

 

And you can make THESE stool covers. I am inspired!!!

Now back to cleaning my mess. When I was all done setting the store, I turned around and there was a table FULL of stuff. WHERE did that come from??????

Happy Friday!

Where'd She Go?

Poppy and Ivy has been CLOSED due some freaky illness.

Something came and invaded my body in a way that is truly amazing to me STILL.

All my friend's children have been sick, the play was almost missing about 10 kids last week, but they all rallied, and NOW....the parents are fighting the fight. Fever, aching body, burning eyes, a NASTY headache, sore throat and a cough that won't let go. I would wake up each day and try to decide WHICH symptom to treat first!

I had to close the store Sunday and today...I have NEVER done that, but anyone who knows my store and has a key is ALSO in bed fighting this thing!

Hopefully I rally tomorrow and I am able to show up. I have just never felt quite THIS beat by the flu for SO long!

I had an e-mail ready to send out this week about a couple of classes. I'll give you a head's up now!

1) Cards Class next Friday Afternoon (march 27th) from 2:00-4:00, in store. Learn how to use dictionaries, old keys and various ephemera pieces to create greeting cards. Leave with a kit and several finished cards. $18 per person, limit 6.

2) Barbara Conable is a local author who has created a GREAT workbook about meal planning. It's a money saver, time save and it's chock full of great ideas and information. I know her date was March 26th, I have to double check on her exact time. Come check out the book in store. What a great idea she had in creating this book!

Also...become a Facebook friend with Poppy & Ivy..another way to learn about classes and in-store specials! Come on over and join me!

Back to a warm bed and a good book. And LOTS of NyQuil........Happy Wednesday!

2nd Friday Eve

Whew....I am ironing my new batch of aprons, pricing a new card line and ordering Curly Girl. I am getting ready for tomorrow night's Second Friday on Lower Fremont. I was slightly frustrated because earlier today some of theartists who said they'd setup at Caffe Destino ditched. Sofia and I will be ready as usual....County Cork and Acadia will have their amazing food and drink ready for you all...so it will all be GOOD!

I will have Deb Funches again because...well...I can. You have probably seen her jewelry art around town. If your 2009 resolution was to support local artists, she's your gal. Her items are out of this world. I own 2 pieces and I ALWAYS get a comment or a "Wow!".

 

I am offering 25% off one item of choice tomorrow night (not to include the Deb Funches trunk show pieces) and I will let you know that we just got some great how-to meets art books in today. French General's Home Sewn and The Pillow Book. Do I have photos? No, of course not! I left my camera at home and THEN the great new order came in! Also in is a New To Me Sublime Stitches Project Pad. Looks great, but it came in as I was leaving for the night. I will post photos tomorrow. The covers of both books are amazing and the inside content follows suit. Furniture is included in the sale! I have so many pieces ready to move on in...but I am out of space!

I took a break from auction prep because I seemed to be hemorrhaging from a glass cut. I was attempting to make glass slide necklaces...alwayspopular at the shop and I had donated some to the school, but after applying direct pressure I came to the realization that maybe, JUST MAYBE, old age has slowed me down. I have no desire to stay awake working for the 3rd night! The Shop Lady wants some rest for tomorrow! 

Check me out tomorrow...I'll post photos of the aprons, the books and of course....the paint by number Last Supper. A FANTASTIC score. I was so sad after my last one walked out the door. 

Now, where DID i put that Liquid Bandage stuff........ 

Happy Friday!

Play, auction, aprons, employees......

That part I said about All Is Fine 2009....so true. Life is BEYOND bustling and fine.

I have been scared about THIS week for the last 4 weeks....and so far it's going beautifully!

Saturday: Nephew flew in from Fairbanks. He is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world...right up there with my own kids and possibly surpassing them on some days. But don't tell my kids that....I cannot put ONE more dime into their therapy banks. We headed on up to Mt. Hood and PLAYED for 2 days. Ate and played I should say. And guess what? Out of 4 of our immediate family, 3 of us forgot snow boots or shoes....INCLUDING ME!!!!! I had to stay back for all of their walks and adventures, but deep down, it was pretty nice. A quiet home, lovely views, falling snow, cards and my craft stuff.

 

Sunday: We played some more....and darn it...we all needed it! My Alaskan nephew MIGHT have been laughing at our version of "snow", but he was polite about it! Lots of Golf (the card game) and Imagine Iff......our favorite new family game for 2009.

 

Monday: We headed home in the afternoon after cleaning up, stocking up the house. I think everyone wanted to grab a door handle and be pulled away kicking and screaming...."don't make it end"! No cell phone, no Internet...it felt SO nice. I had a 6:30 meeting, then we got stuck on the freeway and I started getting texts saying I had homework for my son's play! Jewels to glue on to things, pants to take in, socks to buy, a wool sweater to track down....all back to reality. I had to miss my 6:30 fun/work meeting to WORK.

Tuesday: First day of my son's play. I might have had jitters worse than he did, but here's the deal....in the meantime....I scored a linen estate full of APRONS and hand made runners. Appliqued/ric-rac/stitched HAPPINESS. Another BONANZA....my new favorite word. So, for some people--relaxation is Valium or wine...for me...it's linens. Can I say this without giggling manically?? I scored 9 aprons and 4 tablecloths! I can only supply one picture for now....more to follow.

The play's dress rehearsal was GREAT! I think I never stopped beaming. And of course...I cried. I always do!

 

Wednesday: The MAIN play, I have an employee all day, I should be getting some GREAT shipments of craft books, vintage flashcards and French mercury glass votives. I will also make ALL of the items I donated to my daughter's auction.....glass soldered slide necklaces and some encaustic. Go Me!

Thursday: All the new vintage linens hit the floor as well as a VERY special new Paint By Number....details to follow.

I am back to being used to working all the time, so much so that I cannot believe it's possible that the shop is OPEN tomorrow AND I will not be there!!!!! Pinch me!

Also accomplished this weekend:

Read Alicia Paulson's new book and drooled.

Read Where Women Create and felt kind of proud/cranky after wards!! SO many NW artists.....but how do I get in????? I see the next issue has even more NW Women. That's it....I need to make some calls. It featured Leigh from Curly Girl Design.....my favorite line of cards and I was NOT aware she owned a shop. I need to visit HER while I am back East this summer. I cannot imagine having a successful card line AND a shop!

I am off to lick my wounds:) Happy Wednesday!

Small Dogs 101 & I need to hit the gas!

So, we are the proud owners of a ChiWeiner. His name is Pepe and he is a very sweet boy. NOT housebroken which is a learning curve, but the silver lining is that he's only 9 pounds! That HELPS! He'll get there. Each day is getting easier. Everyone is figuring each other out a little bit better.

He came with a funky smell and cheap collar. Part of the funky smell was that his primary food was Old Roy from Walmart. I told him "Be thankful you were fed before, it's a tough world little buddy" and took him straight to my favorite haunt "Furever Pets" on NE Broadway in Portland. He is all hooked up with Lamb, Applesauce and Sweet Potato Nibbles and he is sporting one ROCKING new collar. Pepe is the MAN. We can't bathe him yet because he was neutered on Monday, but I am looking forward to THAT day to lose the rest of the "funk".

 

The top three things I learned in two short days about small dogs: Remember to wear slippers, not just socks when living with a dog that isn't house broken, don't startle him....they can run faster than you think and don't sleep with your mouth open.

It was a KIND of long night the first night while we figured out where he's going to sleep, knowing he's not crate trained but WILL be, trying to get him acclimated, but he was FAR too excited for sleep! FARRRRR too excited. I got 4 hours of sleep, stepped in a puddle and narrowly missed a wee brown pile. Whewwwww......

But he WAS sweet dog....we still have to iron out some wrinkles for certain.

 

He looks weird without ears...he looks like Yoda.

 

Now, I have got to get my head out of the clouds and get my stuff ON the floor. Processing takes so much longer than just BUYING. The buying part is easy...cleaning, painting, spiffying up bores me! That seems bad.......

I have a Pyrex BONANZA that I forgot about completely. It was a box in the back of my car that I had simply forgotten....and I have driven it around and around and around Portland. And I finally looked at it and thought "Why does everyone keep leaving that god forsaken box in MY car" and I lifted the lid and MERRY CHRISTMAS in March.....it was my Pyrex estate sale haul! I LOVE being The Queen of A.D.D....sometimes it REALLY pays off!

 

And I need to get my Easter out before next week's Second Friday event...I have this sweet, old guy who claps and looks adorable....

 

And I have this paper bonanza and paper just throws me....price individually? It tends to get damaged that way.  Package it? Then there is ALWAYS the person who says "What if I don't want the sparkling water ad...just the cupcake ad?" and I want to say "The whole pack isTWO dollars...."  but I take a breath and smile and take it apart. Because THAT is the nice thing to do. Right? Right.

 

Off I go to GET these items processed. Go Me!

A List of things, old stuff and living well

I have to make a list of things to do. I figure if I got all the things done this month that I never dreamed were possible (I realized that AFTER I had volunteered for them), then I need to continue to "dream big!"....(One of my favorite lines in Juno....).

In the last 21 days I have: run a shop, almost finished writing an auction catalog, got the food done for 17 people for a mardi gras party, done other random things for the auction, sewed 2 bluebird costumes, made Faun ears (don't ask), ran through The Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe play lines MORE times than I care to think about, attended a funeral, finished my taxes, steamed cleaned my carpets, cleaned the house for two social events, done more loads of laundry than I can count, painted a piece of furniture, painted one wall in a room, blogged, Facebooked, adopted a dog and made it through 21 successful days.

In the past 21 days I have NOT: had a pedicure, taken advantage of a 2 year old massage, had my hair cut and colored, worked out, run, gone to Jazzercise regularly, been ALONE with my husband at a movie or dinner, been outside in fresh air for more than 15 minutes, slept in without being waken up, had a relaxing day off, read my Artful Blogger, made any art....

So...after attending today's Celebration of Life for a friend, I learned QUITE the life lesson....and I decided to make a list of the things I have NOT done and plan to do THOSE things. So, the list above....yep---I plan on tackling it.

Obviously not 100% realistic.....but an eye opener none the less.

I love my old stuff...so obviously--- it's my JOB...but sometimes I get so used to seeing it, I take it for granted and OVER collect....so I am going to purge the house, de-clutter the garage and let go. How much do I need? I have already dealt with ONE estate in my fairly young life.....I do not have any desire to pass that stress on to my kids. They know what I love, they know what I cherish...I feel certain that even at their young ages they could walk my house and point out what means the most to me. And I think that if I make an example NOW....they will follow.When I see the crap my daughter keeps, I cringe and then realize that I KNOW where she "gets it"!!!!!

On the shop front...I am posting photos from one year ago....if it's in this photo...it's going on clearance. Buh-bye...out with the old (double old in my case!).

 

Three of these items are still here....BUH-BYE....

 

This desk is now PACKED...but with none of these items.Wahoooo! The items are gone, but why the HECK is the desk still there? The price is truly ridiculous.

 

I will go check it out tomorrow and see if I have any of that. I think I have the eggs.....buh-bye!

Living well....The memorial we attended today made me think non-stop. I listened closely to the  beautiful celebration. And our friend WAS celebrated today. His young widow said she knew that her husband was in heaven and was not only greeted with a home-coming parade, but was probably tapped as the New Home Coming Captain for the Next 100 Years and he would be there for all of us--- to welcome us properly. I really love to think that. What a thought!

The friend who died had his top list of things he has noticed and words to live by...I do not remember them all, but I love what I DO remember:

1) Close all car doors before reversing out of the garage

2) Never drink cheap wine

3) If going 45 MPH or above, never brake hard for animal smaller than a deer

4) There is an arrow in the Fed Ex logo

5) Dance

6) Always yell "HEY!!!" and point when you see a Hay Truck on the road...it will never get old

I forget the rest....I might have been too busy laughing at the items I DID hear!!!

Here is his number one Living Well Rule: Show people how having a good attitude and sense of humor is an important trait and tool in any battle. Knowledge is power; you can never ask enough questions of enough people; keep asking until you thoroughly understand. -Rob S.

So....think THAT over my friends! That is good stuff!

Tomorrow I hope to post lots of pictures,but I seem to forget my photo card in every computer I get near...I need to WAKE UP while I download!

Happy Tuesday!

Somedays the Words Just Flow

They do...sometimes I am at the shop and my blog runs through my head...what I will share, what I will take photos of, what funny shop things I feel I *need* to tell you all about, but the last 6 days I have not felt the words coming as easily. I think I rounded that curve a bit as of today. WHEW...

I have been writing a catalog for the school auction.I actually had a dream one night that a house down thestreet had a fire and the media was asking me about and I was trying to think of fancy words to describe the fire to them. That's NUTS. I kept saying things like "partake", "beloved" and "fabulous conversation piece". I felt like if I had time to BLOG last week, I had time to write the catalog. I hit "send" on that catalog tonight and I feel better already. It's not DONE...but it's SENT. And John had to remind me it was a school catalog and not a resume for the job of my LIFE.

And......Last Tuesday a 38 year old friend died after a 2 year battle with cancer. 38. Years. Old. Leaves a wife. Two step children. Hard to wrap your head round. He was active. He loved life. He didn't smoke. There was no familial history. It just happened. He was the HAPPIEST guy. He loved The Ellen Show the last few months and actually went down and danced in her audiencee in November. He was BEAMING.

He signed with hospice on Sunday, died Tuesday. I kind of hid out for a few days. I felt SO heavy hearted. His battle was so long and SO strong and I know that his passing is for the best, but I just can't wrap my head around WHY it happened in the first place.

It made me think for days after.....I am 38. We are the same age. Why him? And then as I told my kids repeatedly to PLEASE let me just write the catalog or work, I thought about how I am doing all this work for their schools because I love them and want them to have the best, but it takes me FROMthem...as does my shop. And it makes my head all mixed up! I can't imagine life without the shop...I love my little blue space and sparkly chandeliers and pretty smells......but I miss so much with friendships, marriage and children!

Remember that Balance 2009? I have got to get back on THAT train. There has been a bit of Gloom that has rushed over us, but I think we're on the upswing. Life is a roller coaster....I am trying to hold on for the ride!

Balance...did I really just say that and then decide to share THIS?

We hope to be the proud owner of this fellow with the week....

 

His name will be Pepe and we hope he's part shop dog, part really good friend for our dog Lucy. She hates being alone and when we come home she's curled around our cat...so we figured this might be a good time to find her another friend. The old dog is "calming" a bit and we have the energy and both kids are really good with animals.

I am feeling better, business is DEFINITELY picking back up and aside from a very sad Celebration of Life to attend tomorrow, we have so many great things to look forward to the coming week. My nephew flies in from Alaska.....home of those HUGE effing black bugs that scared me silly.....

 

But my nephew is adorable and perfect and he can be on my windshield ANY day....

 

My son has his BIG play with a fantastic part which is SUCH good timing for him, my daughter is the choreographer of the play....and Cole looks up to her SO much it's insane, we have my daughter's school auction nest weekend and even despite the economy...I feel REALLY good about it! I love the team we have ...I think we ALL "over think it" but THAT is what makes a great auction! In my humble opinion....

So off I go to figure out what to wear tomorrow for the funeral. I want it to be cheerful without being The Freaky Lady In Too Bright of Colors At A Late Winter Memorial. That's not cool.....

I am also going to try to figure out why punks see the fun in grabbing trees out of my shop pots and throwing them in the sidewalk...that is so sad:(

 

There was SO much more dirt than that....but I am focusing on the GOOD...balance and good. Right?

Happy Monday!