TOO much fun!

Author Julia Cameron of "The Artist's Way" recommends "artist's dates" 

as a way to recharge our batteries and gain inspiration.

I have been pretty bad about doing these, but wound up with one today quite by accident.

I have always wanted a BIG wooden easel for working on large canvases and just happened to search craigslist the other day for easels.  When low and behold a really cool one pops up.

An hour's drive away from me.

Crap!

But $40 was a rocking deal and I couldn't stop thinking about it, so you know when that happens.

This morning after a customer came to my house to buy something I was selling on Craiglist, off I went.

It just so happened that the lady who bought the piece from me has a rather new Antique store in Norco, so I promised her I'd stop by on my way home.

(You know what an incestuous circle us antiquer/artists are.)

Seriously.

Off to Canyon Lake to get the easel.

What a COOL little community, where I drive up to a darling house.

The Coolest guy is selling this easel that belonged to his sister, 

so we chat about re-purposing, building robots, lighting, cars, old stuff, etc.

BEYOND happy with this purchase...

TOTALLY doing the happy dance!!!

As I head back home, I think...hey...I have never stopped in at "Mora's Antiques" in Lake Elsinore.

They have purchased things from me at The Vintage Marketplace on many occasions, so I must stop.

Old town Elsinore (Main St. off of the 15 fwy) is so cute!

Their store is FULL of super cool stuff and I am in LOVE with Vicky's sons Dia De Los Muertos Artwork.  Absolutely Rad! (no pictures though as I respected his sign asking to not take photos)

I HATE it when people just whip out cameras and cell phones and shoot pics of my art without asking.

I bought these cool red letters from them today...

11 inch red Plastic letters...1/2 off too.  Woohoo!

Ironically, these are part of an idea that was hatched while driving out this morning...so excited!

Next to Mora's was a darling shop named," Maria's Antiques and Home Decor" 

where I picked up two finds.

A lamp part that screamed CROWN for a statue in my garden

and a random metal piece, because this girl can never have 

enough random metal thingamabobs to work with!!!

There were two other Antique stores in Elsinore, but 

one was closed and the other I didn't find anything in.

Last stop before I had to get Em was Norco, to Peggy's store,

"Antiques Trinkets and More"

I found several things there that I wanted, but was sticking to my budget and wouldn't you know, one thing I was carrying around and pondering, the moment I set it down and walked away this other lady in the store nabbed it.  Then you start doubting yourself, "dang it, why did I set that down." 

So you want to stalk her and wait for her to set it down.  No dice.  She was buying it.

Oh well, let it go Lisa, you didn't need it anyway, it was a WANT.

I did get a cool old floor lamp and three vintage yard sticks (I need 16 for a project)

So, today's theme wound up being "TOO",

as in TOO much fun on what ended up being an impromptu Artist's Date!!

Like the cool letters I got...TOO!

Now, if you are local, GO visit these cool stores and don't be afraid to spread the LOVE, 

we are all just women in business, trying to support one another!!!

xoxo,

Lisa