antiques/junking – Page 16

Editing in reverse

antiques/junking, collections, Kitchen remodel

By Karla Nathan / September 19, 2011

This isn't easy, but I'll say it again. He could be right. My husband says I have too much stuff. And when it was time to put it away before the kitchen got demo-ed, I was agreeing with him whole hearted-ly. I was ready to pitch it all.

Some of it really will have to go. This corner cabinet will not fit into the new configuration, so it has already left to go to my sis-n-law's home.

The crap inside it that I can't live without now has a home in this cabinet.

Yep, the china closet stuff went to the bathroom. Odd. But it seems to work.

And the white pottery above the windows needs to be changed too. I'm a bit tired of it there. But still love the collection. So, its in the bathroom cabinet too. I moved all my blue bird dishes, my china birds, and the white flower pots, and squeezed it into the big glass door cabinet in the bathroom.

The rest of it is all packed away, to figure out later. I'm considering using all of the floral pitchers above the window. The billions of plates will have to go. Somewhere.

I'm going to miss my hand painted ceiling. But I will LOVE having a vintage pressed tin ceiling!!

The blue carnival glass that was my mom's was too dark to tag along with the other things that got moved, and won't work in the new kitchen either. So they went to live in the guest room, as part of a display of photos of my mom.

The white pottery seemed to go well with the birdies in their new home too.

Its not that much different than what was in there before, just fuller.

The bathroom type supplies, (tissue packets, Qtips, bars of soap, cotton balls, etc ) are all hidden inside glass containers with lids. There were already some flower pots in there, and there were lots of shells and pearls tucked in here and there.

Looks like I need to remember to buy bath salts to fill the jar.

Gosh, I'm just not sure. It is probably too much. I tend to over fill everything. I am going for a more "edited" look in the kitchen/dining room. Why should I double up in another room to make that happen? Maybe I should edit everywhere…

Of course, I could just be high on breathing in dry wall dust and not thinking clearly. Right now, I'm at that point in a redo when I am wondering what on earth I am doing anyway. Sanity is the first thing to go when the walls start coming down.

I'll have more updates as the kitchen progresses! In the meantime, you have till Tuesday the 20th to leave a comment on this post

to enter a drawing to win the craft day giveaway from Beth, Mary and me.

Sugarwings first flea market

antiques/junking, collections, flowers, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / September 8, 2011

I want to thank all of you for your concern and caring about Sugarwing's school situation. It broke my heart to see our little fairy so down, she is usually such a sparkling soul. But, I think we are on track now in finding her the right place. She only turned five 2 days before school started, so was the littlest kid there, and frankly, she is not always listening to what people are telling her anyway, so just wasn't ready to listen to a teacher.

It helped to hear all of your stories and advice. It sounds like 5 is often too young to start school, and waiting a year helped a lot of your little ones.

Since she has been out of school for a bit, we've had some good days together. I'd planned on going with Beth to the big Sparks and White Cloud flea that we love so much, but I ended up with this kiddo instead, so had to cancel.

But- I really really really needed a junk day. And not just because it sounded fun, but because I had to scrounge up some more ceiling tins for our kitchen remodel. This was a mission with a purpose!

And I figured that this girl is going to be raised around junk, she needed to learn about how to go about finding and appreciating the stuff. So, I packed her up, rented a movie to put in her Pink Princess Computer (a portable DVD player),filled a bag of snacks, loaded my flea mkt cart, and we hit the road.

Sadly, the snacks and the DVD player didn't mix well. If you spill a box of Chocolate milk into your Pink Princess Computer, its pretty much done for. (this is the same week that our home DVD player bit the dust too. Along with our vacuum cleaner, toilet, modem, home phone, AND our boat has been checked out for the dozenth time by a mechanic, but still died on the lake and had to be towed, then was in a wreck with the towing boat, so I wasn't surprised to see her DVD player break)

When we pulled up to Sparks and got out to shop, she wanted to know where the Bug Store was. I did say, "flea market," right?

She soon found some non-bug and flea related items to enjoy. Like this shopping cart for $1. She insisted that it should be pulled behind her like I pulled my basket.

Then, she found some bugs, and that made her happy too. This time of year, cicadas are plentiful. You don't even have to make a special trip to the market to get them.

This fairy certainly has bargaining skills. She found a disco night light in rainbow colors that was marked $15, held up $3 and the lady smiled and said sure. Another guy gave her 3 plastic ponies for $1, and everywhere else people were giving her stuff. Including free french fries from a food cart, beads to wear, and this great light up butterfly magic wand.

I could get some lessons from her! Now, if only I could train her to find hats and bargain the prices down on them.

We also ran into my friend, Gwen, who runs Bottom's Up, one of the best antique sales around. She gave Sugarwings a pile of flyers to pass out and that kid was determined that anyone within 20 feet of her HAD to take one. She added a quick spin, put her backside in the air and said "bottoms up!" each time, too. I had to convince her that it wasn't necessary to flip up her skirt while doing that after the first time.

This was a trip where I didn't expect to do much shopping. It would be a quick trip down the aisles with my eyes out for tin to redo my kitchen ceiling.

But what to my wandering eyes did appear?? Treasures galore and things I hold dear! (uhm, she and I talk in rhyme sometimes)

I found a few hats, not many, but was glad to glom onto them. They were bonus hats. I didn't expect to have any luck in this department at all.

But the best surprise was that she was having so much fun sitting in the dirt next to me, playing with her bug buddies and new toys, that I had plenty of time to sift through old jewels. There are wonderous treasures to be found there, if you have the patience to look through the ucky stuff too. Beth always gets tired of waiting for me, I could park myself in front of a jewel bucket for an hour, and she is ready to move on. Sugarwings was happy to let the bugs ride on her plastic ponies while I sifted jewels. Next time I go, I'll pack a bag of bugs for Beth. I'm sure that will make her happy.

And later, I ran into a friend who is an ex-kindergarten teacher and she took my little one for a walk while I shopped in her booth and made a ceiling tin deal with her husband.

We didn't stay long, and we probably spent more time sitting down and playing than walking around and shopping, but I'd call her first flea market a big success. She was wheeling and dealing with the best of them, we both found some beloved items, and we had lots and lots of time for rhyming all the way home since the DVD player broke.

ps-Please leave a comment on the previous post if you want a chance to win this Craft Day Giveaway pack from me, Beth, and Mary!

Some of the flowers in the pack are from this flea market day.

Please forgive me for not answering comments this week, our construction is beginning! I guess this phase is more de-construction, the kitchen gets ripped out before it gets put back.

PS again- a photo of my living room was featured on the HGTV site! how nice!

http://www.hgtv.com/living-rooms/charming-shabby-chic-living-room-designs/pictures/index.html?soc=share

Sweet babies

antiques/junking, dogs, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, Mayara, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / August 31, 2011

Miss Pixie Pie, is now a big sis! She has a cuddly little brother at her house now. We got over to see him a few days ago and I was able to get some snuggles. There is nothing on earth like holding a new born baby, is there?

We took the big sister home with us for a while to play with her cousin and give her parents a little break. The girls spent a lot of the evening just filling water cans. Its good to have well water, and not worry about water bills, water is such easy entertainment for kids this age.

Afterwards, they were a little shivery, so I fixed them hot cocoa. Not something we have very often in the summertime, so they were both pretty excited to get some. It was fun to have hot chocolate in the summer in the same way it is to have pancakes for supper sometimes.

After getting dry and warm, they helped me make dinner. I like to give the kids a hunk of bread dough and some bowls of cheese and broccoli for them to create their own bread sticks. Our fairy grand kid can play with dough for so long, we almost don't get it into the oven in time to have it done for supper. Pixie Pie was a bit more efficient than her cousin, she got hers done and ready to pop into the oven right away, so I just gave her more and kept her going on it. That kid doesn't mess around, she got them all whipped up in no time, while Sugarwings was still reconstructing the shape of her dough ball for the dozenth time.

Speaking of cooking, my gift for the new mom and dad might seem a bit odd, but instead of buying baby clothes or toys, I like to pack up a big bag full of convenience items. Paper plates, cups, plastic forks, etc. to hopefully save them some time while they are caring for the new baby. Its a hectic time, and its not always easy to get dishes done while caring for a newborn.

Cause watching a little one can sure wear you out!

Earlier in the week, we were lucky enough to have BOTH grands over for the night. Mayara is just getting big enough to come over and spend some time, now that her mommy is not nursing as much. She was so sweet. If I held up her dolly, and ask her to give it some love, she'd plant a big ole slobbery kiss on its head.

These girls are all pretty sweet too, I splurged big time and took them to the groomers for a make over, complete with matching bows.

Our neighbor, Holden thought they looked lovely.

Even with all the cute babies around here, I've been managing to get things done. I went to a flea mkt with Mary, and met up with Beth who was selling there. As sweet as all the kids are, it was pretty durn nice to have a grown up day with junking!

By the way, Mary is hosting her first swap and its a doozy. Its for glue book pages, and she'll provide the book covers, ring binders, plus an ephemera pack to get you started on making your book grow with more art when you get it back.

Our remodelling project has been finalized too.

Its good to finally get all of that settled and mark a date on the calender to start it.

Although, that means, that I have to start packing up my kitchen. Ugh.

On the other hand, it means that I get to pick out flooring and shop for something to build into a kitchen island. I know what I want, now I just need to find it.

I've been adding some things to the Boutique over the weekend, and a few to the long neglected Etsy shop too.

I hope to add more, but then I always say that, don't I?

This weekend we have family in town to visit, and will be going to one of our faves, the Renfest. After that, I have 3 days to get everything in my kitchen and dining room packed up and out of the room so the work can begin. So, who knows if I'll get more added to the shop. Maybe after the packing up is done.

I'll have more additions to the shop to show you in the next post, this one has run on long enough.

Home from some family fairy fun

antiques/junking, fairies, family, Travel

By Karla Nathan / August 13, 2011

Its soooooo good to be home. But I'm still not caught up. I wish I really was a fairy and could wave my magic wand to make everything get done!

While visiting my sisses in Indy, we had some fairy dress up time together. I probably play dress up with them as much as I do with Sugarwings. There is nothing like having family that never out grows their playfulness!

Although, there is an age range when not everyone finds it as much fun as we do. But the kids indulged us and let their fairy grandma grant them wishes with her wand while I took their picture. A couple of the girls even put on some fairy wings and posed for me too. But look at little Jaythan's face, he is the one sitting in the grass in a white shirt. Poor kid, he must be wondering if Mamaw is going to be taken away and locked up somewhere. He is worried she has snapped!

Yes, I complained about being busy, busy, busy since I got home, but I did take time to edit some of the photos. A person needs to have their priorities straight.

Plus, picnik is a super fast, easy way to edit. While doing a couple of the pictures, I took an extra bit of time to write out the steps on how I did it. I'll be posting a couple of tutorials next week with the step by steps if you are interested.

My trip was just great. Its the first time I drove there by myself in years and I was a bit worried about it, but I had a wonderful time. I was having so much fun talking and singing to myself and planning projects in my mind that I didn't even turn on the audio book that I'd downloaded. Sometimes, 10 hours alone can be quite therapeutic. I think I needed that.

On the way, I shopped a bit, but not much. This has been the year of NO JUNK around here. How sad. I miss my junking trips. We were too busy in Indy to get out much either, we had some Very Important Family stuff to do, so barely shopped, and most of it was not vintage. We did hit one Goodwill, where I found an amazing old, old skirt to take apart for the fabric.

I got home in time for my son and his family to fix us a big anniversary dinner and spend the evening on Tuesday night. Since I knew they were coming, I limited my stops at antique malls on the drive home.

We even got to have Sugarwings stay all night, that was the best welcome home I could get and was worth zipping right on by antique stores along the way to get home in time to see her.

For years, I've been searching for a pretty alarm clock for by my bed. One that didn't need to be wound up. There are plenty of those to be found, but few electric ones. In Columbia, MO I came across this beaut. Also the gorgeous beaded fabric under it. It was originally a dress, but is in shreds, so is great for cutting up to make crap out of.

There were some pretties to add to the Boutique too. And believe it or not, I actually took photos and got them listed. Its has been way too long since I took care of my business. Its not a lot, but its a start.

While I was at it, I grabbed a couple of things that I'd made months ago and never had time to list. There are TWO TUBS of stuff that has piled up, waiting for me to take pictures of and try to sell, and I simply have not gotten to it.

Yesterday, instead of working, we took all 7 of the grand kids and their parents to a water park to celebrate some birthdays, and this weekend, I have Sugarwings. But- I'll be forcing myself to stay on task in the next week, and hope to have more listed between a few other projects I have lined up.

Wish me luck, I plan on spending an hour each day on nothing but the Boutique and Etsy, then making things the rest of the day. Well, except some Sugarwings birthday time. She and I have a date for Smurfs, I think.

When I got back from my trip, Direct TV was out. No TV, no saved DVR programs. I thought about not even getting it fixed until I was caught up on my work, but then I started to shake and experience withdrawal symptoms and had to make the call within minutes of finding out I was TV-less.

Already, I missed out on the finale of Falling Skies and So You Think You Can Dance. But luckily, I saw True Blood at Sissy's house. Ooooh, that is a heartbreak diverted.

Well, instead of complaining about not getting any work done, I'll go do some. Please check in Monday for editing tips if you want to play hooky from work and goof off with picnik like I did!

Oh, and the winner of the dress form online tutorial is:

Sherry

And THANKS so much to all of you who are buying the class! Its just about my only income since I've neglected my store so much. I appreciate your support and I hope you love making the dress forms as much as I do. I'll be adding a Halloween dress form idea to the class, soon (free to those of you who already signed up) as a thanks.

Speaking of Halloween, don't forget, that if you purchased our online tutorial, "Romantic Gothic Ghosts" you can still use that class and all the cool papers we downloaded for you. If you didn't get all of the projects made last year, now is the time to make some for this upcoming spooky season.

Or if you didn't take the classes yet? You can still purchase it. There are tons of patterns, how-tos, ideas, decorating, and goodies for you there. All in a low-color romantic style.

You can see some of it here Just scroll down, the Romantic White Christmas class is at the top, the Halloween one is below.

Flea bitten

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2011

Tomorrow, I'm having Beth and a couple other friends over for a craft day. Thinking about that, made me realize that I never posted any photos of the last day that we got to hang out together, which was at our favorite flea, Sparks and White Cloud.

We go every Spring and Fall, and have for years. No matter how many times I go, I never get over the oddness of the towns. Is there anything there when the flea mkt is not set up? I see a few houses in Sparks and even more in White Cloud, but it still has that air of abandonment.

This old place makes me think of Kansas back in the days of the wild West. I always want to go in and order a sasperilla, except saspirilla tastes nasty when its fresh anyway, I'd hate to sip a 150 year old glass of the stuff and it looks like its been that long since this business was open.

Some of the old structures are used for store fronts for the weekend, the rest just sit empty. To me, there is an over all ghostly feel to the towns.

This window has looked like this for years. I don't know if the previous shopkeeper was trying to send a message with this array, or if he just walked away and this inventory happened to be left over.

Could he be asking Jesus to raise his business from the dead?

I know that people do live in White Cloud, because of the pets that are roaming the streets. This is Fred, the 3 legged dog.

Maybe he is 3 legged because he lives in a town with no leash laws and he loves running in the streets?

These towns are lovable to me because of all their oddities, but its really the junk that I go for. The dealers have great prices and stuff that I love.

You never know what you'll find there. Or what new friends you'll meet.

Hmm, I think Elsie the cow is checking out my rack.

Its always a party! Where else can you find a cool, $1, faded, pink lampshade and feel perfectly comfortable wearing it on your head?

I heard someone saying that this flea has made it to the top of some list about the best bargain flea mkt in the country. I don't know where the list was or who made it though. Could just be some old coots talking around the funnel cake stand making up lists. But I do think that the prices are durn good there and I'm always happy with my finds.

Especially what I get on the dollar tables. There was one dollar table that I spent over 50 bucks at.

Even if I don't buy a ton of stuff, I'm kept entertained all day by the ambiance of the place.

By the way, just a reminder that I'm having a sale in the Boutique and on Etsy- FREE shipping on all millinery for the month of May!

Also, I'm missing all the commotion and excitement of Birdsong and was wondering if a swap would cheer me up… anyone interested in a Birdsong Tag Book Swap?

What’s in the cabinet?

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / April 15, 2011

Thanks for your kind words about my redo that I showed last week. I had some people asking for close ups of what was in the cabinets and asking about the cabinets themselves.

They are a set of old gun cabinets, that were really plain. When we remodelled the bathroom by stealing space from an unused bedroom (we used the rest of the bedroom to make our closet larger and add a laundry room to it), were- sized the bathroom to fit this piece (actually, its 4 pieces) and added trim to make it look built in.

Technically, I do think that it is built in, now, huh?

I dry brushed 3 shades of white over it, after adding the trim pieces and covered the back with sheet music.

The shelves are filled with things I like. Vintage fairy pictures (the oval one was $2 at my favorite flea mkt), dried hydrangeas, shells, bottles, and other tidbits from my life.

As I arranged my things, I thought of each window as a frame and the things I sat on the shelf as a composition in the frame.

But by using similar colors and themes throughout, I hope that all the displays look cohesive.

I also used lots of lidded glass pieces as storage for bathroom type items, Q-Tips, mini tissue packs, cotton, etc.

Then, some of it makes no sense at all. Just things that I liked all piled onto a plate.

Hello Dollies!

antiques/junking, bird song art event, celebrations, parties, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 7, 2011

On Saturday, we had a create-a-thon in the studio.

They helped me work out kinks in my upcoming class for Paper Cowgirls.

Pictured are the creations of:

Me * Suzanne * Andrea * Jenn * Heather * Lori

For my dressform, I wanted to experiment with wallpaper instead of text. It was a little harder to do (stiffer paper) but I like how it turned out. I also kept mine simple, using only things that will be given to the students in the kits.

Its very frustrating to take a class and find that the teacher's example can't be made with what she gives you, isn't it?

While I was in the grips of decopauge fever, I covered this little bird too. It was just a white bird from the craft store, and Agnes Rosebud had eaten its head half off, so I did a bit of a redo on the poor little guy.

A room full of pros is a wonderful thing when you are figuring out ideas. And with this bunch, I wasn't exactly "teaching" them, it was more like all of us working on the same thing at the same time. I just gave them a few directions and they took off.

Those ladies gave me as many ideas as I gave them. I find that is true of any artful gathering. You get as much info from your tablemates as from any instructor.

Lori showed us how to make some wax paper flowers that were recently featured in Somerset Life. See how different they all turned out too?

The flowers are in a "vase" that I bought at Bottom's Up for $10. Its just some salvage bit of part of something else, but that is one of my favorite kinds of purchases. I'll use it a lot.

Beth spent the day working on the covers for her journal swap for Bird Song, but did get to make a flower too.

She got quite a few covers done, and no two were alike.

The group not only gave me good tips for my Paper Cowgirls class, they had lots of good ideas for the seating and studio arrangement for Bird Song.

I'd kind of oversold the event and was trying to figure out how to seat everyone. Suzanne had a wonderful idea and I've already rearanged the furniture as she suggested. I did that as soon as I got back from taking them to the airport.

Since I had more requests even after the class was overstuffed, I talked to the teachers, Carol, Lisa, and Debbie, and all of them agreed to give up their seats to students. So, now, I've gone from too full, to having a couple extra spaces.

Interested? Please let me know.

Now my studio seems lonely after having such a fun bunch here. I've packed up and mailed the last batch of purchases too big to fit in my guest's suitcases, and got those in the mail. Can you guess whose box this is? Yep, Jenn Hayslip, bunny queen. She scored big time on the bunny front while here. (by the way, she has spaces available for her romantic, prairie fairy tale if you'd like to get away on an arty adventure. We'll all be there too!)

And I was thrilled that everyone shopped my studio too. It was nice of them, and I know it is never easy to randomly shop around with stuff not priced. It was sweet that they made the effort.

Friends from far away coming to stay

antiques/junking, celebrations, Food and Drink, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / April 5, 2011

A quick note- due to some shuffling, I have extra spaces available for Bird Song. If you'd like to sign up, please contact me.

We had the best time over the weekend! What a great group of friends, I was honored that they would travel so far just to come and hang out in Kansas.

Pictured is:

* Heather * Suzanne * Lori * me * Jenn * Andrea *

On Thursday, we just hung out, chatted and got caught up on each others happenings. Then on Friday, we took off to KC to go to Bottom's Up and some other sales, then over to visit Carol. I foofed up bags for each of us, and filled them with bottled water, treats, gum, and lip gloss so we'd be set for the day's adventures.

We all piled in the borrowed van (from Sugarwing's Daddy) and then just sat there. Apparently, the key comes out of the ignition when the car is still set on "auxiliary" and I left it on all night draining the battery.

So, after unsuccessfully hunting in every nook and cranny for our jumper cables, my son, Ryan, volunteered to run to the store to pick up another set. He soon had the van jumped and running so we could hit the road.

Bottoms Up is once a month and located is the West Bottoms district in KC, MO. (someone walking by us said we looked glamorous!! Now that is something I don't hear very often about myself. And from my pigeon toed stance in this photo, I don't think I'll be hearing much in the future either)

There are several shops with monthly sales in this old warehouse area, and its pretty cool to see.

And to shop at!

Gwen of French By Design has some very drool worthy goods. The vendors range from ultra classy and elegant to fun junk. So there is something for everyone. I know we found plenty.

Did you know that Victorian Trading Co. is based in KC? After hitting Beth's booth at Mission Road Antique mall, we went next door to shop at the outlet store for this catalog shop. There are only two brick and mortar stores for this company and both are right here in Kansas City.

The clothes there are so durn gorgeous. The girls were buying some perfect outfits for Jenn's romantic event in NC this fall. I tried on quite a few, then decided that I was 10 years and 10 lbs off to fit into the dresses right. Not to mention that I am too short. But I loved looking at them and seeing what everyone else picked out.

Then, I bought a shower curtain. (photos later, I'm dying it, and repainting my bathroom to match it)

Carol had us over for dinner, and if you think her home looks like it was right out of a book, you are right. She's in Romantic Prairie Style (and oooooooohhhhh, what a pretty book!)

Carol is not only a talented photographer and decorator, she is a hostess with a huge heart.

And a good cook!

Every single detail, every where you looked, her house is perfect. Just perfect. I feel like I am in the pages of a decorating book when I am there.

So, I was really touched to see something I made for her out on display.

She served some local made honey flavored wine over dinner, and it was a good thing I was driving, or I'd have drank way too much of it. I could go Winnie the Pooh all over this honey nectar! Man, it was good.

Carol just had this fire place built in her backyard. It was a lovely evening to curl up by the fire and tell ghost stories. Even though the others didn't like ghost stories much. We quickly moved on to more fun stories and had a lot of laughs. If you've ever spent an evening with Carol, you know there will be lots of laughter.

Here is the back of her home, near the fireplace.

This is the tree that Carol is teaching for Bird Song. Pretty, huh?

I'll have more photos later of our studio day. After that day with all the creative types in my studio, I am even more pumped about Bird Song. I can't wait to fill the room back up with arty friends and see them in action!

My first garage sale of the season and its a DOOZY

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / April 3, 2011

The most magical of all the seasons is soon upon us- garage sale time! Around here, its been chilly and not quite full into the season yet, but last weekend, on a whim, I glanced at the ads about 10am Saturday morning. No good garage saler waits till late Saturday to make their plans for the hunt, but I hadn't thought about going out. I didn't realize there would be any up and running to beckon me.

Plus, I thought it was Friday.

But no, it was Saturday and by the time I saw the ad that read "all vintage clothing, hats, jewelry, and shoes" I was at the very tail end of the best sale I've ever seen in my life.

Yep, this is my haul from the dregs of the sale!!!!!!

15 floral hats at $5 each. And I hear that I missed out on a lot that sold the day before. Along with bags of old jewels, but hey, I don't cry over what I missed. I'm thrilled to have got this load of treasure.

The clothes were amazing too. I bought this cinamon colored lace dress for $10. I think I'll cut it off to wear as a jacket over a tee shirt, right now it is floor length. Which is pretty, but I doubt if I'd ever wear it as a dress. I can see it getting a lot of use as a lacey jacket with jeans, though.

And I just can't wait to slip this over Sugarwing's head! Won't she be an angel in this gown?

It has such pretty details for her to smear mud, paint, ketchup and chocolate on before she tears it.

Hmm, maybe I won't add this to her dress up closet, I'll save it for "special".

Yay Carol!!!!!!!!!

antiques/junking, Books, give away

By Karla Nathan / March 26, 2011

Have you ordered yours yet??? This is going to be the prettiest book, wow, I can't wait. you can get it early through Amazon, right here. I ordered mine today!

My beautiful friend, Carol's beautiful home is in the book, along with lots of our favorite bloggers. I went to visit Carol during the shooting and finally got to meet Fifi. She and I had worked together before, but I'd mostly dealt with her by email and a couple times over the phone.

Next weekend, while I have a houseful of arty, bloggy friends, we'll be headed to visit Carol, and ooh and awe over her home in person. She's invited us for wine and pizza after we do some shopping in KC.

And great shopping is in store! Its Bottom's Up weekend, and I can't imagine a more interesting place to bring out of town friends.

Maybe we'll see you there?

Ready for a prize? I know I was supposed to bring you back something from the Long Beach Flea mkt while I was in Cali. But since I ran with the Bad Girl Crowd, I didn't make it there, we played hooky and hung out elsewhere.

After unpacking, I realized I didn't buy a suitable souvenir for a blog prize. So, here is your memento of the event, one of my projects.

I'll leave sign ups open for a bit longer, please leave a comment if you are interested. All comments between March 16 and the 31st will count.