words of advice

Good morning. Gonna start this one with a picture of the Rusty Bucket Dog. If he's in the house or studio, he is never too far from me. He thinks I might scratch him behind the ears or toss him a rawhide chew treat. He's a sweetie and I kinda spoil him. 

Now wedding business. 

Remember the post about the advice box. 

Well using my mama's train case was determined as the way to go. But the B2B asked that the mirror be concealed. Not sure why, but I pondered it and here is what the process for this little lovely looked like. 

I love all things vintage and vintage in appearance. So I just happened to have in my stash some ALLEN + ROTH embossed paintable wallpaper that looks like old tin ceiling tiles. I picked this up at my local Lowe's. 

I cut it to the size I needed. 

Then started experimenting. 

I used Bronze Metallic and Tattered Leather Glimmer Mist. These are Tattered Angels products that I use for all kinds of things. I am slowly building my collection of the products, but they are wonderful and easy to work with. I first sprayed the wallpaper liberally with the tattered leather spray and dried it quickly with my heat gun. Then I sprayed in a random pattern with the bronze. 

I took old (almost dry) stamp pads in a dark brown, silver, and black and randomly swiped them across the raised portions of the pattern. 

Then a took a damp paper towel --- barely damp --- and swirled across the raised pattern, blending it all together. 

As the last step I misted lightly with Graphite Glimmer Mist and while it was still wet and using the same paper towel I buffed the raised pattern a little more. 

I LOVE THE OUTCOME.

I simply used double stick tape to cover the mirror with it. 

Then onto the next part. 

Remember when I made the fake typewriter keys. Well I finally used those last night. 

I made the little pennant banner for the advice box. 

There were fits and redo's (but no curse words) on this, but I am happy with this outcome too. 

I cut the larger pennant shapes from a dark teal paper. (note these are not large at all,  the paper was cut to a 3x21/2 inch rectangle.) 

Then smaller pennant shapes from assorted scraps. 

I punched scalloped borders from even more scraps. 

Glue it all together. Add the fake typewriter keys - some vintage buttons.

String it all on a wire with more buttons separating the pennants. 

Here's a detail

And the final shot.

The lace will most likely go away -- not sure yet what the final display will look like, but for now - it is marked off the to do list. 

I have to say - the faked typewriter keys and that embossed paper are pretty much a tie for favorite in this one. 

Have a happy Halloween -----

From my childhood -----------

I was born in a small town. (yes now you may sing the Mellencamp song - I did.) I grew up in that same small town -  Royston, Georgia - Home of Baseball's Immortal TY Cobb. And from the time I was born we shopped at a local shop called Philips Variety Store.

I have searched and search for images of it as I remember, but this is the only one I can find.

Agnes Shipp ran the store -- And yes it was one of those Inconic things. She carried Dixie Bell Lingerie - also known in my house as little girl and old lady panties. This store was piled high literally with clothing and such. She never clearanced anything either. She simply piled new stock in on top of the old stuff. Tables and racks and shelves of "stuff". I so wish I could find pictures of the interior of the store as it really was. There are no words to describe it - one of those "had to be there" kinds of places.

My mom and I have often talked about buying it and continuing the business - from the time I was a teenager until recently.

Then Miss Agnes was killed in a car wreck. Her family closed the business and sold a lot of the stuff out of the building.

Fast forward to Saturday - January 28, 2012.

I was in Royston with a friend - headed to my Mama's. Cell phone rings and indicates that we have been spotted, so on the way back through town, we stop and visit with more old friends. They have purchased the building and are in the process of renovating. As I walked in I remarked - I would love one of those shelves..... and just look what happened.

An 11' 11" long by 6'2" tall shelving unit that was site built in that building landed on a trailer -- (that's billy in the picture)


and.......

Rode to my house.

Yes - that is a massive item - and it is one section too long for anywhere in the house.

There was measuring and pondering and such.

It has been determined that chopping off one section will make it work.

There are fun little details that I hope I can keep --- I plan to clean it up, do a tiny bit of sanding and then simply seal/protect it.

Apparently some things were just a quarter.

Saw marks from the rough cut lumber

Medium Maybe???

No one has figured out the "y" it appears to be random.

I know these pictures look fuzzy and all white washed out. That is actually years of dust and crud. Got a ton of cleaning to do.

One end of the shelf has been painted - look at the picture of it on the trailer at my porch - and you will see that there are two colors on it. Gonna try and get this back off and just have the wood tones.

I cannot wait to start filling it up with my stuff.

Now for the fun part of being in the right place at the right time ---- an early 1900's site built shelf out of a building from my childhood, an items representing a place from my past. All of this coming to my house to live. Money is not important on this one, but I paid less than a 100 buck for this bad boy.

Love love ---- happy girl. I'll keep you guys posted as I get this in the house.

For my Mother-in-Love

I (we) have not dropped off the face of the earth.

The girls are doing their thing and we are driving all over the world (southeast) supporting them. Rome, GA ---- Spartanburg, SC ----- etc and so on.

I took a softball through the windshield of my vehicle -- 19 years of softball involvement with the College Girl and the Softball Princess and too many to count before then with the Man -- guess my luck ran out.

And I am officially working towards getting ready for the Artist Market on November 12th.


Here's the proof that I am working.

I have these altered composition books spread on my new (recycled) rolling table that the Crusty Old Plumber modified for me. Love it. The plywood top is removable and the table can be used in multiple ways. Whoo hoo. Handy to have a man in your life with really fun tools to work with ------

I have them all covered and spread out and now I am working my way through the embellishments stash to finish them. There are thing like Lace and Melted fabric flowers.

While we are here - lets just say - Damn these things are fun and quick and easy to make ------ AND WAY FREAKING ADDICTING. Cut circle of a fabric that will melt -- hold over candle flame -- you don't even get the fabric in the flame, the wave of heat just above the flame works wonderfully. LOVE THE WAY THESE HAPPEN AND LOOK.

This one is finished. I actually did it. I cut the original picture from a vintage poise book and used it instead of scanning it. The background of the picture is a button card - sans buttons.  Time to move on from the hoarding that has been so prevalent in the last several years.

In the past I have been picking the paper and all the embellishments then created the book. This time I just grabbed the papers and covered a stack of books, now picking embellishments and such to do the surfaces. I'll just have to see which way I actually prefer. So far, I like this way, because I can often add an embellishment to the pile on a book as I run across it. This is a good thing.

Let's just say -- I'm busy, happy, and bursting at the seams with creative energy. I'm not buying nearly as much crap to fill that empty place in my soul and that feels so good. I am ever so slowly working on some home projects and my finances in order to be in better shape so very soon.

I do hope this finds all of you happy and ready for a beautiful weekend -

Much love. ---- Teresa

Well - Its called an empty nest - NOT

I think they call this Empty Nest Syndrome. We moved the Softball Princess into her dorm on Sunday. The College Girl (she's a senior) moved herself in yesterday - with the help of a friend. Leaving me and a VERY silent, sulking Man at home by ourselves.

Well the reality of the situation is that - yes - the children are gone, but this house is far from empty. There are piles of crap everywhere. Read back through this blog and you will find thousands of words related to my lack of domestic genetic abilities.

As you know - I am now on a tear to get myself together. Finish up some things. Find a cleaner, simpler, better future for this house and the occupants (specifically me).

Again I say - my "Give a Damn" circuitry has been repaired.

So yesterday went something like this. Work -- workout -- quick grocery stop -- cook dinner -- make 9000 trips to the studio returning crap that we brought to the house (QUICK SECRET - THIS ACTIVITY WAS CALLED CLEANING -- shhh don't tell my brain). ---- then I found a project that I abandoned at some time in the past.

So after about three hours of domestic activity - I sat down and rewarded me with an hour of time working on this......

It is close to finished and I have no idea why I abandoned it - but I found it while I was cleaning. Gonna finish it, repaint the frame that came with the kit and be done with it. I put it beside my chair and will spent a few quality minutes at night until its done.

What about you? Are there unifinished projects at your house? Hell - my house is an unfinished project. But now I am once again focused on getting my act together.

Join me?

Have a beautiful day -- I am.