One Girl's Junk...

Hope you are all unstuffed from Thanksgiving and ready to rock and roll 

towards Christmas!

It was a very hectic week here, having my mom's 65th B-day party and Thanksgiving

both within 4 days of each other.  No wonder I spent 5 hours scrubbing my kitchen and floors over the weekend.

Being right on the edge of a bah-humbug sort of girl

(I dread the month of Decemeber)...

I always have to find some way to make it exciting for myself and mix it up.

For years, while married I did the traditional Christmas trees.

Neither my ex or my late husbands would dream of having anything other than a REAL tree.

So, for the past 8 years, I have had anything BUT a conventional tree.

This year is no different and I believe it is my favorite ever!

Having an abundance of JUNK-tiques, my brain hatched a plan...

Glass parts, metal parts, old wheels, stars, fan blades, 8mm film reels....

Are ya Feelin' it?

So...here you go.  My ode to Black Friday thru Cyber Monday.

My Very own, original Christmas of Junk...

This is my crystal forest complete with a Snowman and Snowfairy!

Pictures are deceiving, these sculptures are 8 - 20 inches tall.

Snow Fairy is complete with soldered crystal wings as is the snowflake

that tops one tree.

My official 2011 Christmas Tree...thank goodness, my kids are receptive to my crazy ideas!

Why, yes, you are seeing correctly, it is a towering Christmas tree of Junk!

May you all find joy in this very hectic time of year

and try to not put too much pressure on yourself.

It is OK to say no to the hustle and bustle!

Tomorrow I will post about my upcoming Teaching adventure in New Jersey if February!

WOOHOO!!!

XOXO

Soldering fun!

This past Saturday Rita Reade and I hosted a Soldered Bling Baby Bottle and Crown Class.

We had so much fun!

Here are some pics of our day and "The Rabbit Hole"

Maggie, Kim, Terry and Missy all did amazing jobs.
For it being Missy's first time soldering, this was not an easy class and she did fantastic!

Kim Caldwell is owner of Artistic Bliss and is known for her wonderful events, cool stuff on her site and is hosting a fabulous event in  May...head on over to check it out!

Thank you ladies for a wonderful day and my Amica Rita for our always fun times!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Bling Baby Class

Had such a great Bling Baby class here yesterday in "The Rabbit Hole".

Studio was ready.  Cupcakes & coffee were waiting for the ladies to arrive...

Babies in Waiting watched over us as we worked.

My Shoeelier is back and graces one corner of The Rabbit Hole

Festive and fun!

Honored to have Patti and two of her lovely daughters Erika and Jenny!

The Lovely Maggie and Debbie all the way from Thousand Oaks.

Everyone is a little disturbed to start cutting up their dolls, but get into it once they start.

Debbie brought some beautiful Bling and was so organized placing it on black velvet to view 

and select.

Here are the ladies finished Babies.

SO cute and all were just amazing.

I just LOVE the process and watching each

lady how she works and selects her pieces.

How each doll seems to reflect the personality of it's creator.

Thank you so much Patti, Maggie, Erika, Jenny, Debbie for taking my class and spending the most lovely day with me & my daughter Emily.  A shout out does go to Emily who was the perfect hostess. SUCH an old soul in an 11 year old body who and helped and served the ladies as well as made the yellow and pink baby on the left.  By the end of class she was making flowered hairpins that she gifted each lady with.

After everyone left, Emily and I sat in the rabbit hole for another 2 hours making hair clips to sell at the next Vintage Marketplace, then we sat down to watch a movie.

She chose Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.

An unique 11 year old for sure!

Have a lovely Sunday!

Bathroom Re-do

For many years I have wanted to re-do my bathrooms.
I can't afford a traditional remodel, so for under $400, this is what I did.  I only am posting the master bath as the front bath was pretty much done identical sans the floor.

In the wise words of my friend Debi Beard, 

"beige is not a color"

I don't know what I was thinking when I painted my bathrooms this color.

The color of Dirt belongs OUTSIDE!

(No offense to all you Burlapy-cream folks out there)

I have always despised this tile.

beige and gray-blue...

Can you say DREARY colors?

I enjoyed ripping out the 1978 baseboards!

Removed a door that I always felt was redundant that

separated the sinks from shower toilet area.

Patching and sanding this is a Pain in the Butt!

Loving the paint, but gosh the floor really looks horrible now!

In my mural painting days, I painted stone patterns on several concrete floors 

and faux throw rugs on two tile floors...so that is IT!

Painting the tile.

Can't get oil based paint in California  anymore, so let's see what happens

with traditional acrylics

Two coats of Kilz...

Two coats of Black acrylic and a creamy white acrylic, both

by American Accents.

SO DIGGIN IT!

Polycrylic Varnish...goes on bubbly...but dries clear.

The varnish when applied thicker dried yellowish.

Was not overly thrilled with that initially, but the tone adds a bit of a vintage

appeal and as my mirror, counter and shelf over toilet have a more 

yellow/cream undertone, it works...

SO incredibly happy with the outcome!

Made the above shelf from a child's headboard.

My mermaid painting is happier on this color wall too!

One of my cherished "Bling Babies"

An old painting of my logo looks fun in here paired with my

favorite chair and teal pillow!

I am confident there will be touch-ups that will be needed here and there, but I don't

care...Just thrilled with it and if I could get rid of the dogs and kids for a solid

week, the tile in the remainder of my entire house would get this treatment.

There is no end to what a little paint can do to ANY surface!

XO,

Paint On Friends!

Lisa