the greenhouse...unpacking some vintage finds

I know that it is silly... but this is one of my favorite places...

I finally put a comfy chair in the greenhouse so that I can hide and read (I do plant in here too :)

but the minute I got the chair in there...it was stolen by Mike...

it was fun to sort through so many of my finds from this winter...all these little pots have been in boxes ready to be unpacked...and now to be planted...

I am thinking teeny little ferns...or cacti...

or maybe even some johnny jump ups... ohhh...I love this time of year!

Vintage French Prints...la la la Paris...

These were a recent purchase I bought to sell at STARS ANTIQUE MALL...

The problem is ...I am having a hard time parting with them...

Perhaps...

I should keep them?

please don't hate me...on my soapbox again...

last weekend I conducted an estate sale of a lovely ladies estate... you could tell by the pictures and letters that she had a lovely life full of parties and fun the most difficult part for me was that she was a heavy smoker... and I didn't feel well during set up, during the sale, and during clean up... it all lasted about 10 days... and I think it was the leftover smoke residue... this bird was left over after the sale... so I felt sorry for it and brought it home... I thought it was a robin... being brown and all...

but as I started cleaning it... I began with the tail...

I realized that it wasn't a robin after all... but that it was... a Blue jay...

if you click on the pictures you can see the blue of the tail... and the rest of the bird is brown...

I think that I shall never smoke... I am finally beginning to feel back to normal... but I missed the Plucky show and fun with friends... I am sorry I missed you all and hope it was a great sale... hope you are all having a great weekend!

weathered and wonderful...

needed a break...

took a wander...

felt myself relax...

as I pulled a few weeds...

and marveled at the gray sky...

and the weathered cement...

and the weathered chair...

and realized how very lucky I am...

to be able to take a break in my very own yard...

and just relax for a few moments...

surrounded by plants and things I love...

and now, back to studying for my mid-terms... hope you all are having a relaxing day...

A good use for a rat...

Those are words I did not think I would ever say or write. There are 45 MILLION land mines in the world today. Over 5000 people die each year from them. Rats are being trained to detect the mines, instead of dogs and people. They can detect about 4 times faster than a human or dog, without setting off the mines. they are called Hero Rats. sometimes I am asked what I am learning in school. Hero rats. Saving lives, one land mine at a time. Who knew?

I was published !

ok...so not a big deal... but an editorial that I wrote to the Oregonian got published today...it is about the sad decay of the Portland Public School system... so although I would rather have a piece of art or my business published...it was still kinda fun to see my name in print... silly, aren't I? have a great week... Im off looking for a job writing at the newspaper :)

looking for the calm...

in our lives that are so busy...

sometimes we just need some calm...

my calm is when I wander the garden....

and wonder in that miracle of spring...

hope your weekend is wonderful and calm...

oops, I forgot one thing...school news...

some of you have emailed me to ask how my second term at PSU went, and I just thought that I should report in...
straight A's, once again (yee haw) and this time...NO MINUS sign...I can't tell you how annoying that A- was first term...
so...
so far two terms with A's...
this term I did have a bit of a surprise...
I am taking a US Politics class, in part because it fit in time wise with my other classes...
and in part because I heard FABULOUS things about the professor...
so...
the first day of class I was looking around (got there a little early)
and was about to go up to this guy that was about my age to ask him...
"do we know each other"
sort of like
did we date
did we work together
you know...
that person that you see that you know you know but can't remember how?
So I am about to go talk to him, and another gal asked me a question and I got distracted and didn't make it over to him...

you know, sometimes you have to be glad that someone distracts you...
cuz later in the class my professor tells us that we are so lucky,
that we are going to have a co-professor for the term...
and he introduces the man that I was going to ask if we have dated or what not...

as Oregon Governor Kulongowski...

yep...
have to be glad of that distraction

by the way, I never did date him :)
that is my school update...
hope you all are well!

what should I keep? New-old garden furniture

these wrought iron chairs are super heavy and cool...just got them...(Keep or sell?)

this white set I just got...(Keep or sell?)

And this set of 3 are my current, have had them for years, set of adirondacks (I could sell these and keep the white ones?)
this set of three also has the foot stools, they are just not in front of the chairs right now...
and as you can see from some of the photo backgrounds, I can't keep them all or my yard will look more like Sanford and sons ...
(it already does a bit...)
so...
could really use some opinions...
I do have a garden set that I could sell to keep the heavy arm chairs and just find another table...

hmmm...
help!

promise of a new beginning...

every year at Easter I am reminded that there can be a new beginning for all of us...


about forgiveness...
and understanding...

that can blossom in to something so wonderful...
as a friendship...
or a romance...
or...
as simple as a sleepy bulb arising from what looks like nothing...


my wish for you all is a blessed Easter weekend full of love and understanding...
and beauty...
Happy Easter!

is there anything new out there?

I know...this is a weird title for a blog post...
but I just keep needing a "wow" moment...

Have any of you followed Mary Randolph Carter's life thru her books?
I swear...she wrote my favorite book of all time in the 1980's....
AMERICAN FAMILY STYLE
If you don't own it...or some of her many (I think 5!) Junk books, you should.
She is by far the coolest gal...
you can trace so many of the ideas that are out in magazines now to her...
she was "shabby" before ANYONE else...(that I know of!)
and just, well, amazing...

American Family Style might have been written over 30 years ago, but I still LOVE that book...

she showcased folk art, family art, blackboards in your home... herb gardens, topiaries and so much more...

she made shabby wonderful and collectible and ok to own peeling paint in your home...
she made it cool to be a junker!

I need a new thought...
a new idea...
something besides buckets and farm tools and urns and industrial...

something not to copy, but to inspire...

I need an "aha" moment when I have to say-
wow...now THAT is so cool!

Mary Randolph Carter?

Are you writing a new book any time soon???

vintage finds this week...

It has been a wonderful week for me...
I found so many fun items...


this morning at the local flea I found some great boxes and interesting items...

this PEACE can held cigarettes many many years ago...

this Effanbee baby doll is quite sweet, even for a person like me that doesn't collect dolls...

this drawer unit was a great find...I love drawers!!!


this is a three volume set of the Life of Jesus that was printed in 1900...they are in shabby but wonderful shape...

wash tubs, clay pots, plantstands and bits and pieces of metal found their way to my booth today...

four of these metal milk baskets are in my STARS booth...

funky bits of heavy iron metal...I can't resist them!

just one of four plant stands that I took in today...

this white work table is on wheels, and holds some very old, rusty pots and cement urn...

this oak piece could be a dresser or buffet or... organize items in a studio...

more garden, tables....



many many thanks to my friends that went junking with me, or opened their houses to me...this was a super fun week for me...
did I mention the sweet vintage prints and glass pedestals that are in my booth from this week, too?
so many new, old items...
hope you can visit STARS to check them out...
and don't forget the wonderful Easter egg hunt next Sunday at STARS...LOADS of prizes and giveaways!!!

catching up..

wow...this week has gone by so very fast...
and although I got none of my goals finished...
(I began a few...)
... I spent the week getting caught up with friends...
one of my favorite days was Thursday...
Annette from Andy's Attic and I went shopping and had lunch...
oh, what fun!
... caught up with friends on Friday night at our local wine shop, for wine, cheese...and lots of laughter...
birthday breakfast with my sister and shopping...
just all things (and people) that I haven't had time for with school and all...
but yesterday...
I was back to work...

spent the day with an old friend...
he wanted to purge his house...
it was like I spent the day at an estate sale, all by myself...
can you imagine how much fun that was?

(later today, I will post some pictures of my purchases...)
I loaded up my car...
and headed to STARS...
some of the items sold before they even got out of my car...

and next week...I have to take a truck over for a couple of loads...

I feel very lucky, indeed...

hope you all had a great spring break week...
for me, it was just so wonderful!