The Cycle

I have been doing a bit of reflecting of late. I lost a cousin who was too young to go. Only 60, but diabetes got the best of him. His death has helped to put some things in perspective, things I already knew, but just seem clearer now.
I have no control over how people feel about me. I do the best I can, love me or leave me. Some long-time friends have done the latter. It's difficult to conjure up reasons why, but I have to let all of that go. I am thankful for the friends I have and cherish them. Your best friends are your real family in life.
Gary was an only child. He made a promise to his mother on his death bed that he would take care of his dad. That he did. It was always Jack & Gary, one in the same. After Jack died in 2001, it was just Gary. Hard to say without the Jack part.
There were almost 100 people at Gary's funeral. Co-workers and friends. He was well-respected. He had no family left in Butte, but he had his friends and they were his family.
Hold close those you love. Don't put off loving them and letting them know it. Life is short and we never know when our time will come.

Flea Market Fun

Flea markets are nothing new, but they are not very common in this area. A lot of them are held outside and with out freezing temps, that is not possible unless it's held inside. If you have it they will come, right? Well someone has started an indoor flea market on the first Sunday of each month. We went as shoppers last month to check it out and I decided that it would be something I'd like to give a try.
I had Chris back the horse trailer up to the garage and I started sorting, cleaning and pricing. It's a 4-horse trailer, so I had plenty of room to work. At the same time I was sorting fleeces and selling them off, so I was able to organize them in there as well. The weather has been unseasonable warm until today, so that was a big help! I have a box in the house by the door and keep price tags in it so when I run across something in the house that I no longer want, I price it right away and put it in the box. I had at least 2 fruit boxes, and possibly 3, full of stuff from the house. Of course I have so much stuff that no one can really tell but me!
I started to get really excited Saturday evening thinking of setting it all up. I really love to display the stuff and make it look good. I also made a few things for the booth. It's fun to kind of get back in the saddle, so to speak.
I don't miss the shop, but I love buying and selling and collecting, so this is a good fit for right now. I do miss the customers and so I had a great time selling yesterday with bartering and trading with other vendors, I had a blast. Even did a bit of gift shopping there! Fun!

I'm not pleased with a lot of my pics, but here's an idea of my space and things.



Here's a fun planter I put together. I am always amazed at people. No one thought the flowers were real! They are!



Here are some of my pincushions and a few other things I made. The cup and saucer with the spoon on it in front is a bird feeder. It's on a rod and pokes in the ground. The little child's guitar in the back I made into a bird house. It had a big hole in the side, which I covered and put a little dowel for a perch out in front. It says, Home on the Range on the front of it. It didn't sell.


And here's a little display piece I made from a curved-glass cabinet door. There was no glass, so I white-washed it and added chicken wire that I gave a light coat of white spray paint. It was perfect for Juliana's antique button earrings and an apron I had purchased on etsy and used as a little curtain for a while. I hung it off of a glass knob I attached to it. There's a little bird feeder gardening angel to the left with a tea cup head I made too.



Loads of fun!

Walking in the Footsteps of Tasha Tudor

How many years ago was it ladies? I flew across the nation and met 7 or 8 of you I only knew from the internet! Was it almost 8 years ago already? Linda will know!
Anyway, I will never forget the day we spent 40 or 45 minutes walking in the footsteps of Tasha Tudor in her own garden! What wonderful memories and friendships!
Here are 2 prints I purchased at the Rookery that day. I FINALLY had them framed!





They will go in my "doll room". (That's what Juliana's old bedroom has become!) Sorry about the angle of the pictures. I was trying hard not to get my reflection in the photo too. Not too successful.

Here's another sweet print I found in a thrift store and had it framed along with the 2 Tasha prints. She is carrying a Raggedy Ann doll. I think they will all look sweet together. I still have a T.T. poster to frame as well. I have the frame, just need to do it!

Nuthead Birthday

It's no secret that I love nuthead dolls. I think what I love most about them is that someone could take the simplest of things, a nut, and create an entire doll around it! Some are very detailed and the workmanship is amazing. Tiny stitches, fine fabrics, well thought-out accessories, shoes, hair, etc. Totally fascinating to me! I've been collecting them for several years now, picking them up here and there, tossed aside, unwanted. They can come home with me!
It should not have come as a surprise that BOTH of my children would give me nuthead dolls for my birthday, but it was! A welcome surprise at that!
First came this little cotton-picker from Johnathan and Juliana. His details are amazing. I love the fabric his clothes are made out of. A burlap cotton bag filled with cotton and even his hand stitched against the side!



Here he is from the front. His thin little cane is made of 2 wires wrapped in some kind of paper or tape. It's very thin.



And here he is from the back! Look at the patches on his behind! What a hard worker.



His head is a walnut painted black. He is aging, you can tell by his gray beard. He also sports a neckerchief and wool hat. Just awesome!


Next is this lovely couple! I think their heads are Brazil nuts. The little point is their nose! These were given to me by Kelly! I love her little nut basket and pocket with a hanky and his pipe and beard! Again, the fabrics are amazing.







Their boots are hand-stitched leather.







It was a nuthead birthday for sure! I love them all!

An Online Diary

I am not really sure why I even blog anymore. I've been wondering that for a while now. It's like an online diary you're opening up for the world to see. I guess that's a good thing? I am just not sure where my head is with that.
Today I had an online conversation with a friend I only know on face book. He stated that he started a post and then deleted it because he didn't want to start a controversy. I told him that sometimes it's good to just write it down, even if you never send it. I've always felt that writing is very therapeutic. I used to write long, drawn out letters to no one and then rip the pages out of my notebook and shred it to pieces. Very cathartic. I guess that's why I still blog. Who cares if anyone is looking!?!

Are you sick of Valentine's yet?

I am sorry if you are, but I'm not! I truly enjoyed Valentine's this year. I found a couple of cute little Valentines I had to add to my collection. I don't collect them, but have so many from past exchanges with my Tasha Tudor friends. It's fun to go back through them!
Here are the two I found last week. One is so sweet with the little hanky. It was to his teacher!



And this one I had to have because of our name! I like the unusual shape and the way it stands up too.




My friend Linda is always the best when it comes to giving. She is probably thee most giving person I know or have ever known. She sent me a lovely little package and here's what was inside.



I absolutely LOVE the mouse! Linda found her in the Christmas stuff over the holidays and redid her for a little Valentine. I just can't get over her attention to detail, forethought and her follow-through. Everyone should be half as thoughtful and organized as this woman and the world would be much better off.
She knew my kids were coming home from Portland to clean out the shop behind their house and finalize their move. She sent some goodies for us to enjoy. We ate the heart-shaped pasta on the 15th. I made shrimp alfredo with it. What a hit that was!


Here's a close up of Miss Mouse and the candies Linda made for her friends. She actually painted the white candy on first and then poured the pink in. Cameo candies are SOOOO Linda! You can't imagine how many little packages she sends out too! I know the postal service loves her!



And what a beautiful, hand-made Valentine to match!

Her thoughtfulness is not lost on me. I appreciate the effort she puts in to make me feel special and her gift is that she makes A LOT of people feel special. No wonder she's my best friend in the whole world!

Valentines Continued

Here's a small sample of the Valentines I made at Karen's. Very simple. Some others I purchased and have ready to mail pictured on the left. Just the process of laying them all out with my little list of people to send to and choosing the right one for the right person was pure enjoyment for me. I love to make them with that person in mind as well! Addressing with a red pen, making the perfect Valentine return address label and the heart postage stamps completed it! Just fun for me and especially so this year! It seems that some of the most fun things in my life always go back to Tasha Tudor. If you don't know about her, please google the name and check out some books about her life and art. It's worth pursuing. I have said it many times before and will say it many more times, I am sure, that the best gift she gave me (unknowingly, of course) was the gift of friendship. I have met so many wonderful, life-long kindred spirits because of her and the internet. On one list I belong to I suggested a Valentine Exchange. We decided to keep it to a $10 minimum. What fun I had shopping the thrift stores and going through my own little stashes to come up with a box of goodies for my exchange person. Through luck of the draw, I had Morgan and she had me. Here's some pictures of my goodies. I love how she incorporated my favorite color, blue, into the whole thing. She didn't even know it was my favorite color either. It just happens to be hers as well! My Annabelle doll has inherited the 2 Tasha Tudor items! We love them!