Sunday, May 29, 2011

Peace-ful Project

This really cool round light fixture is from IKEA.

Bought it a few months back and had it hanging over the dining room table.
Looks like a Halo.  Plan was to do something with it, 
so today Emily and I created a wall hanging.

We took a strand of white lights and started winding it around the fixture....



Creating a Peace sign of lights.
Pretty even plain...


We then took some flowers and cut them short enough to weave into the fixture. 



So happy with the outcome.



Now...where to hang it?

We agreed to hang on the wall behind the TV.


Such a nice little PEACE-ful project to do with my daughter.

Would make a darling wall hanging in a teenager's room.
I am sure it will find the way into Emily's Room here soon.

Peace & Love to you this Cool Sunday.

Lisa & Emily

Thursday, May 19, 2011

When the student it ready...

We have all heard the sayings...

"when the student is ready, the teacher will appear"
"ask and it shall be given"
"Life or God or the Universe (depending on your beliefs)
will give you what you need when you need it"
"Everything happens for a reason"

I believe all of these to be TRUE.
But your heart must be open and quiet to hear it.

I have been PLAGUED with self doubt of late...
and I mean PLAGUED!!!!

On Monday, I ran across this blog...

Which had this image...


It resonated so well with me.

Ever heard of a Dream Board?

Then yesterday, I went to one of my favorite painter's blogs...Juliette Crane.

Juliette had this really cute process painting of
another artist...

I like Kelly's work and was perusing her blog when I found something called
"Wishcast Wednesdays",which led me
to this blog.




Low and behold, Jamie Ridler is the inspiration behind Mami' Pea's
"Full Moon Dream Board".

Ironically, I have this really cool bulletin board my late hubby framed for me and have been wanting to create an inspiration board with it.  
I really didn't want to randomly post pics and sayings to it like every one else does, 
so my Cork Board has just sat.

Now most Dream boards seem to be like huge collages...
which there is nothing wrong with, but dreams change.


Not wanting my
images and words GLUED in place,
the Cork Board makes perfect sense.

So...here is mine.
I painted "me" last night after taking pics of myself on my laptop.



Now to fill it with my dreams, goals and inspirations for life & work.

Go on, now you need to make one and if you want me to paint your face on it...
hit me up.


May you find just what you need this day!
I did!

XO

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Long Live Home Goods

A few weeks back, I had to get a few things at Michaels.
Ever so conveniently. Home Goods is right next door.
So, of COURSE, I had to go see if there was anything I couldn't live without.

Nope. nothing...although I spied this really cute pillow, shaped like the letter

"E"


Even though my daughter's name starts with that letter and it would look
really cute on her bed, did I really want to have to yell about yet
another throw pillow left on the floor in a heap of junk?

Nope, I set it down.  Emily and I go ROUNDS about her room.
It is pretty much always a mess.

On my merry way I went, feeling most proud that I didn't buy a thing there that day.

Fast forward to a couple days ago.
Back at Michaels...back at Home Goods.
This time, looking for jars.

As I make the store rounds, I see the "E" pillow is still there.
But this time, there is a letter "L".


Really now, what are the odds?
2 in 26 I'd say.
Okay, so maybe Emily DOES need one for her bed and I can get one for mine...
But wait...another letter materializes.

It is the letter "V", oh and dang the fabric on this one is SOOO CUTE!



Then the light bulb moment...I need an "O".
I could have the pillows spell out the word "LOVE".

So excited, I start talking to perfect strangers.
"Oh my gosh, look at these cute pillows, I only need an "O"..."

Now as Women we are so weird.  
Nothing can BOND or bring out the PREDATOR in a woman like shopping.
All of the sudden three different women are helping me dig in the clearance section looking for an "O".
What a bonding moment with perfect strangers.

Didn't find one, in fact, these were the ONLY three letter pillows in the entire store.
I remembered having some pretty cool round tufted vintage pillows at home.
One of those should suffice and actually Unite the set with a solid
Complimentary color.

So, here they are...in all their LOVE-ly glory.



At Home on my Sofa!!

Long Live Home Goods!
Oh, and forgot to mention, clearance, $5 bucks each!!!
Woohoo!!
XO,
Lisa

Friday, May 13, 2011

Wild Hairs

Don't you just LOVE wild hairs???


Oops, not this kind...

Or even this kind, all though they are both cute!

Nor those pesky wild chin hairs...
(I KNOW you know what I am talking about)

I mean those Wild Hair Ideas that possess you and take control over
you until they are out of your system.

Well, today I had one of those and decided to take a break from working on my Line for The Gift Show, to pursue the Wild Hare until it was tame.

I have this really COOL floor lamp.  Too nice to take apart, like I do everything.
Not being a fan of traditional lampshades, uh, traditional anything really....
I scoured my studio for something that could be "altered" into a lamp shade.

Hmmm...a rusty cool birdcage, this should do...


NOT digging the Ball feet or Ball finial, those had to come off...

Cool lamp, huh?
Off to "The Rabbit Hole" 
(Garage Studio where the really cool tools are) 


Time to cut off the bottom rungs with bolt cutters...

Table Vice to assist me with Muscle and get the ball feet off...


Now....how to decorate it?
I needed to do something that would diffuse the light
from the 2 bulbs, but still show that it was a cage.
Lace and trim should work, goodness knows
I am a secret vintage lace/trim hoarder.


Okay, I am SUPER happy with this and even won the approval of my 17 year old son!

The darling bird is made by my friend Val...she is a master wool felter.


Even looks cute lit up...


The Finial is created from Vintage Beaded Flowers.


Here's to  a Happy Springtime project
and WILD HAIRS!!!

Always pursue your wild hairs!
Have a great weekend!
XO

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Birdcage Necklace Class

I have the honor of teaching this Saturday at Whimzy in Tustin.

We will be making this darling birdcage necklace.
(sorry for the not so clear pic)



Students will learn how to Rust it out or Verdigris the metal
as this cage starts out shiny silver.

You will also do some metal letter stamping on one of the charms,
basic wire wrapping of dangling beads,
Create a word for the inside of the clock housing at the top.
and for the inside of the cage, create the tiniest wore nest
with three freshwater pearls inside.

I am changing up the chain for this piece, but you won't 
be disappointed.
I typically have a few tricks up my sleeves ALWAYS!

Hope to see you there!
XO,

Oops, here is the link to sign up...

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Yard Sale Mania

The intent this weekend was to stay home. Every single weekend in April was consumed by events, shows, and such.  I booked the month heavily so I could not do any shows in May,  just work toward the Gift show in July and The Vintage Marketplace in June.
Needless to say, I was tired.
Having barely even seen my Man this past month, 
we enjoyed sitting in bed on Saturday Morning with our coffee & laptops, 
listening to the birds on the garden.
When he says, let's go hit some Yard Sales.
It was nearly 8 am already.  Should we bother? 
Having not done any yard sale shopping in a couple months, aw what the heck.
Rob, Emily and I threw on some clothes, baseball caps and rushed out the door.

Maybe it was "Mother's Day  Luck"...or maybe the yard sale Gods 
were looking favorably upon me this day.  
I rarely have the luck we had Saturday.

There were dozens of yard sales withing 3 miles of my home, we barely had to drive.
First we find an old warehouse cart, you know...the ones Restoration Hardware is selling for
over $1,000 bucks.  I wanted one last year so bad at one of my shows...the dealer wanted $500 for it and I just couldn't justify it.


Well, my friends, this baby was $100. Rob tried to offer $80 and then $90 but the guy knew 
what he had and better even yet, I got the history of this piece.  We stood there talking to he and his wife for over 1/2 hour about the cool vintage stuff he had in his garage and side yard.
Cool people, great personalities.

 Made by the Michigan Truck Company...lettering is faded but legible.

The couple owns a 2nd Home in New Orleans. 
After hurricane Katrina, they went down to check out their home.
He traded this cart and another for some Power tools from a woodworker in the 9th ward.  
This cart was under water for a spell until the cleanup got under way. 
It then traveled with the family all the way up and across the United States
and he has been using it for a lumber cart.

At one of our next sales, we found this antique dresser.  The lady was asking $200 for it.
We loved it, but decided to pass on it and swing by later in the day.
If it was still there, we were going to offer half that price.



Well, later that day when we returned it was still there and she accepted our offer.
Seriously, this piece is HEAVY.  Mahogany and birds eye maple in the drawers.
The carving is amazing.



After doing some research in the web, I found some history on this piece.
Click the link for the amazing history on this company,
which was started after the Civil War and still is in business today.


I found that all of their pieces are stamped somewhere behind a drawer with dates and who made/finished the piece.  Guess what?  This dresser was made in 1902.
Seriously...this is so cool!
I am a NERD!   I LOVE OLD STUFF!!!



Next sale was run by two ladies who were selling a bunch of their parents antique gardening collectibles.  Bug sprayers with glass jars screwed on the end.  Some SUPER old gardening tools, books and whatnot.  We grabbed three OLD wooden ladders to convert into shelves at the Trade Show
and this really cool crate.


I found some other cool small stuff, but these pieces I wanted to share with you!
By the time we got home it was after 1 in the afternoon.
Lucky me...Rob paid for ALL of my treasures...
Happy Mother's Day to me!!!

How fun to have a guy who loves to go junking with you
AND gives it to you as a gift!!!

XO,
Lisa