My Weblog

Where Bloggers Create Party

Don't ya just git giddy when something you've wished for, waited on, dreamed of, but mostly

WORKED HARD FOR, !!!finally!!! happens?

For most of my "creative life" which now spans decades, my creative space and supplies were scattered throughout our home in closets, bins, tucked under beds, and so forth. The dining room often became command central. And upon walking by such headquarters one would immediately receive the distinct impression that command central had been heavily bombed! Chaos reigned supreme.....
 

 But when I read that Karen, at My Desert Cottage was hosting her second annual WHERE BLOGGERS CREATE PARTY I knew this was the motivational spark I needed to get busy.

I inherited the bonus room above our garage several years ago, but as life goes, for a number of out-of-my-control-bumpy-mountains-in-the-road-of-life reasons, the room never got put together.

Until now....still have a little ways to go, but the hardest parts are behind me. NOTHIN' like company coming to set a body in motion, is there?!

I worked like a mad woman. Or perhaps madder than normal would be more appropriate...what is normal anyway, does anybody know? Stay on task Sue...

Jewels got sorted...

...dolls got hats...

...and with each little accomplishment I could feel the cobwebs that had taken my creative spirit hostage begin to release their sticky grip...speak nothing of the physical cobwebs in the actual room...

My rusty imagination began to awaken...it was all I could do not to stop what I was doing to follow the latest inspirational muse...but untrue to my given nature, I kept plowing through box after box, bin after bin, sorting, tossing, organizing...

Why, even fresh flowers were lovingly gathered from my garden and scattered throughout the room...they are such happy little creatures, aren't they? Not to mention that nothing, save a warm hug, says welcome friends more than fresh flowers.

Despite the fact that I am beyond blessed to have such a wonderful place to now work on a variety of creative pursuits, one major flaw in this room is the lighting. Although there are five windows, each is housed in an alcove which can be a real issue...especially at night. One thing I have invested in to counteract this challenge are Ott lamps. JoAnn's, Michael's, Wal-Mart, among others carry this brand and routinely put them on sale at 40% off.

The majority of my furnishings are hand-me-downs that were used previously in our homes through the years. Several pieces came from thrift stores and one piece was stolen. Yep. You heard it right. Theft. That would be the bin housing my stash of vintage wallpaper. It's original purpose was to house goober pairs of golf and other sporting shoes in our garage. The idea being that my family members would dutifully and joyfully place their shoes in the tidy little cubbies......NOT.

 

A year or so ago this vintage dress form came up for auction on Ebay. It is about three times the size of my other dress form I'll show in the next photo. She has been the perfect 3-D inspirational board, if you will, and I continue to pin new items to her daily.  And BTW, I was the only bidder and shipping cost me more than the dress form. Felt badly for the seller, but happy for me!

I've taken way too many pictures of my newly organized space...excitement about my new room and working with crummy lighting conditions most likely influenced my excessive photo snapping...

 

Here's an oversized spice rack I picked up at Goodwill for maybe $5 or so. I love making, giving, and receiving mail {handwritten letters....ahhhhhh....love 'em}. I used to be so much better at sending these personal greetings. Hence, I am hoping that having this little rack hanging on my studio wall will be a visual reminder to improve upon sending more snail mail to brighten someone's day.

 

Not withstanding the fact that I've rambled long enough, Typepad or my computer has chosen this point in time to go into total rebellion. Consequently, on both accounts, I'll bid my farewell and continue this tour in another post {or two+!} in the coming days.

Thank you for your visit and I'm anxious to head out to see all the other creative work spaces. But before I go, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Karen for what has had to be a monumental undertaking to keep an event of this size so well organized.

Warm wishes to all,

xo, Sue

 
  
An on again, off again, rainy day in Georgia. Since hubby decided to work from home, I had the perfect excuse to skip a little housework in an effort to not make any unneccessary noise. Not that it takes much coaxing to do so especially when each new day outside holds some new surprise.

The hydrangea patches are so loaded with blooms this year. I'm wondering if it's because of the colder winter we had this year. Each day the newly emerging clusters change from their greenish-yellowy-creamy colors to their grand finale color of blue...

 Plucking armfuls of them, I bring them in and stick bouquets everywhere.

Just off our kitchen is a small upper deck we use for grilling. I've had my eyes peeled for years to find a reasonably priced, smaller-scaled table and chairs. Sometimes things just find you when you aren't looking. I just happened to be driving to the grocery store and there sitting outside one of my favorite thrift stores was this little white wrought iron set [table + 4 chairs]. At a fantastic price, no less... Needless to say, I was thrilled!

Let me also introduce you as well to my newest "dress form"...a man one! Paid $26 for him...did I pay too much? I've got some plans brewing in my head for him...

The base is painted such a great color and has just the right amount of shabby, chippy beauty.

What I'm thinking about is to mount a steel collar plate around the metal pole and to that attach a galvanized steel washtub, or an old oblong enamelware pan. In other words, use the new "manny" as a base for something purposeful. I also think you could mount a tabletop of some sort if you wanted as the base is quite heavy and could handle a little weight. Wouldn't he be a fun, unconventional, end table?!

 I guess we'll both have to wait and see who he grows up to be...

Oh and by the way, look at the one I found currently for sale on Ebay at an asking price of $1100+....yipes. Too rich for my budget, but still quite gorgeous.

 

xo, sue

Goodwill Shopping

 
  

...I had no intentions of going thrift store shopping...not even an inkling to do so...I promise. But when I arrived at my original destination that morning, the store didn't open until 10. For some reason I could have sworn it was 9.

Forced to find something to do for an hour, I remembered that Goodwill had a store nearby. Did I call to make sure they were open? Of course not. That would make sense, wouldn't it?!

 

Lucky for me, being an early bird for my first errand I hit the proverbial jackpot at Goodwill. The entire grouping of these old yummy tarnished silver service pieces had a price tag of ten dollars! Six pieces! Ten dollars!

The little tray is even monogrammed in the center and I love the reticulated edge.

And these three trays...THREE DOLLARS for the lot!

Of course, other stuff jumped in my cart as well. Deals too good to pass up. Like a beautiful Ann Taylor sweater, 100 percent wool in a dreamy chartreuse color. Brand new condition and just my college-aged daughter's size. She even liked it, which is the best news as it can be hit and miss on picking out clothing for her.

I really need to be getting rid of stuff NOT adding to my overgrown stash. But those good deals are hard to pass up, aren't they?

 

VINTAGE PINK SATURDAY

 

Twelve dollars. I never pay twelve dollars for an old vintage clock. Especially one that doesn't work, mind you. But this one? I believe it was Katherine Hepburn who once said, "If you follow all the rules, you'll miss all the fun!"

 

Not wanting to miss any fun, I paid the twelve dollars....and gladly so. How big is it, did you ask? Where do you have it in your home? My, my. Aren't we full of questions today!  Stay with me, I'm getting to that part.

 

It's sitting in front of this gorgeous, old bowl. The bowl that holds my chippy old lamp. The same bowl that measures nearly seventeen inches in diameter.

 

 

I have a weakness for chippy old tole lamps, or sconces, particularly when there are old pink roses adorning the twisted metal.

 

It's the same type of weakness I have for vintage crotcheted doilies. And when the price tag reads two dollars...well, you know the rest of the story. Which reminds me, I need to finish the rest of the story about that little pink clock. Well wait no more as I'm about to reveal where it resides...

 

It lives in my art room, sitting on the end table {a thrift store steal!} which is sitting next to the comfy reading chair, just waiting for me to grab a good book and snuggle in for a spell. At a whopping 2-3 inches in diameter, depending where you measure, it serves no purpose other than to look pretty. I'd say it lives up to "its purpose" pretty well, wouldn't you?

Last, but certainly not least, let me introduce a blog I  visited for the first time last Saturday. Beverly had suggested such an inclusion for this week's post. It is with pure pink pleasure that I introduce Patty who blogs at Magpie's Nest. I've only scratched the surface of going back and looking through her earlier posts, and I've thoroughly enjoyed what I've seen so far. Be sure and take a peek at the links to her 2 tutorials listed on her sidebar. Great stuff! In addition to her artwork, I also enjoy her sense of humor.

Have a blessed Labor Day {for those in the states} and a big round of applause to Beverly for once again organizing this event.

Digital edges created by Sande Krieger/2Peas.

Guest Room Makeover

 

 

Oh baby, I'm feeling it! I'm getting excited with the "coming together" of my guest room makeover. Back in July I posted here about this amazing {to me} headboard. At the time, I wasn't sure where I would be using it, I just knew I would be!

While there's miles to go before I'll be finished {satisfied?} with the final rendition, I'm happy where it's headed. "PRICE" is of utmost concern and I'm gathering pieces I've had forever, as well as a few additions I purchased at thrift and antique stores. All for thrifty prices, of course. For instance, the chest beside the bed...it's an Ethan Allen piece from their discontinued French Country line. Not sure of its original retail price tag, although there is a used one available here that is identical to mine, save that mine is in their painted version which I much prefer for my purposes. Their price tag? $799. Plus the $160 shipping cost.

I paid $150 [in mint condition] and the cost of delivery for me was treating my son and three of his strong friends to a breakfast at I-Hop!

Like many of the things I have throughout my home, the framed print was a snag during our spring break vacation in Florida. The minute I saw it, it spoke to me. The focal point of the print is a white lab. Immediately I knew I could get away with this purchase. You see, my little white lab is the apple of my DH's eye. He loves, loves, loves that pooch. As I was checking out, another customer in the store with this beautiful British accent informed me that the artist of this print was Andrew Wyeth. The name of the print, I later learned, is called Master Bedroom.

But truly, I was initially drawn to the piece because of the gorgeous frame. I love detail and scrumptious patina...

 

To demonstrate this love for patina, take a look at these old stools I bought in Tennessee at an antique store. $35 for the pair. My DH rolled his eyes when he spotted these little treasures. I could read his mind and it was thinking, "she's not bringing these in the house, is she?"

So there you have it...the beginnings of a room makeover. As it evolves, I'll keep you posted [pun intended].