Favorite Spots Friday

This is a little corner of my kitchen that I just love. I have eclectic taste, and I like a little bit of everything. I follow no rules in grouping things together, but I do try to have as many original pieces as possible. I studied art at the University of Utah, and have made many artist friends over the years. It has become a bit of a hobby for me to collect original artwork. Art is soo unique in that it is, in a sense, almost a piece of the person who made it. So much emotion and energy goes into each piece. When I have an original piece of art from somebody, it is so personal... (almost fragile and vulnerable.) Like they have trusted me with something delicate.

These two pieces are fun because they are the only real Wedgewood that I own. Obviously not a friends art work, but sort of original none-the-less.

Oil on canvas by Mary Fielding Summerhays, a dear since Jr. High school. (That was a loooong time ago.) Her art is growing fairly well known in Utah.

Ya,...Costco special-just really liked it. :)

This fabulous little lady was 'potted' by my mother in law. She was one of many amazing creations. I was just fortunate enough to get my hands on this one.

There you have todays happy spot.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

I have been BOO'ed, and Random home Rantings...

I have been "Boo'ed" by the darling Mrs.B!! The Blogging Boo works like this... Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Boo-ed". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (the cute picture), and tell them to "Boo" their friends. Then, put the picture in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been "Boo-ed" and to send the pic to someone else.

Ready,.... set,.... BOO!

Sorry, lots of really blurry pics today.
I was semi productive today. I made a trip to Home Depot to pick up construction gloves, flashlights, and 'Museum putty' for my earthquake kits. (Feeling a little bit of 'dooms day' paranoia lately. I suppose it's good for me because it forces me into action.) Is is sad when the highlight of your kids day is a ride in a shopping cart? Although it was a very cool shopping cart. The only problem with being productive is that a trip to Home Depot always leaves me with decisions. We are going to paint our stairwell from the first story to the second story just to clean it up and brighten it up. So, do I just go with a creamy neutral like these, or do I want more color like the rest of my house? I am sooo open for suggestions.

I did find a cute knob for only a few dollars, which made me smile, and I will tell you why. I acquired this 2nd hand dresser about 8 years ago. I liked it because the drawers were shallow and perfect to store flat canvases, watercolor paper, paints, and brushes. It was ugly white laminate junk, and it was peeling. I took a utility knife and eventually got all of the laminate off. (This is when the husbands 'utility/ exacto knife ban' came into effect, because I suffered numerous injuries...battle wounds :)! ) I wood burned a design into the raw particle board and painted it with watered down acrylic. I have had it all these years and dubbed it my crazy art dresser. So back to the knob...I have a plethora of mismatched knobs on this dresser, which is one of my favorite things about it. Through the years my tastes have changed and some of the knobs have really taken a beating so I am always on the look out for replacements. In a time of extreme economic crisis, how does one justify spending unheard of dollar amounts on a knob??










(these literally ranged in price from $10.78-$34.50)

WOWZERS!! I know...you don't justify it. I loved them all,...I wanted them all,...but lets be prudent right? Which is why I was excited to find one I was pleased with for $2-ish . What fun would I have if my knob hunt were over anyway??!

An Award, and Happy Purses

I have received an award from my amazing, mad scientist, ( I cannot say that without a smile on my face), friend Protege. I don't know what makes me more giddy, that she thinks I deserve an award, or that it is such a pretty, and colorful award. To quote Golum...."my preeciioouusss". Now I am probably just scaring people. Seriously, Thank You sincerely for thinking of me Protege. I am to list six things that I love. This will be difficult because I like everything!!! Then, I get to pass it on to some other deserving people.

Things I Love
1. Food (in general), but most of all ice cream with hot fudge. My biggest problem is that I tend to eat these hot fudge sundaes in the middle of the night. :)

2. My family, my friends, and my religion.

3. Making art and crafts. (It is my therapy)

4. Literature........a good book or poem makes me almost giddy.

5. When all of my kids are happy and laughing at the same time.

6. The smell right after a rainstorm.

This part is the hardest part because I have fallen in love with so many amazing blogs. They are like eye candy, or my favorite magazines with a new update nearly every day. I imagine many of you have already received this award,...but here it goes. I pass it on to.....

1. half of the style sisters- She is an encourager...I love that. Not to mention creative and clever. She totally marches to the beat of her own drum and makes it cool!

2.ml at the House of Whimsy- Her blog is yummy....like when you go window shopping and get soo excited about all of the ideas racing around in your head that you want to go home and try. Soo crafty and original!

3. the Shabby Nest-(Nepotism has nothing to do with it,...if I had only just met her I would still think she was amazing.) She is Wendy, need I say more? The Talent runneth over!

I Have Crafted Happy Purses...............

The question is.........are they worthy of a boss's 11 year old daughter??

Monogrammed Pumpkin

Inspired by Kari and Kijsa's ever famous monogrammed pumpkin, I made my own....with a twist. If anyone remembers my carved and painted 'boo' pumpkins; I decided that I needed my own signature pumpkin as well. I sketched the "P" and the stars, carved them with an exacto and painted them with black acrylic. Of course it had to have ribbon. A Big, Green Ribbon!! I like this one because it just says 'fall'...like September through November fall, not just Halloween.

Favorite Spots Friday...

I have decided that I will make Fridays all about my favorite spots. For many reasons. One being that I like to have things documented. I wish I had taken more (many more) pictures of my first home. But mostly, because some things are going to change around here, and if I hate the results I will be able to see exactly how to put things back. ;) We live in Southern Cali. right on top of the San Andreas fault. We have been warned many times to be prepared for earthquakes. Just recently our church reminded us once again, and being a naturally paranoid person, I decided to get moving. Part of that preparedness will be some light redecorating. Things such as moving the deep shadow box frames directly above the head of my sons bed would be one of the most obvious fixes. Today's favorite spot will probably not need any fixes, but I have to post it anyway because it is my favorite spot!! My master bathroom,... Is it strange that I like this room more then most rooms in my house??

I love the blues. (Blue willow, blue Toile, blue Delft, and blue Chintz.) I couldn't choose just one so I chose them all. They blend, right?? My mom literally collects every thing under the sun. You name it, she has it. She had probably 25 of these blue Delft paddles in various shapes and sizes. I begged, borrowed, and stole a few of them. (Actually she graciously shared.) They were originally dark brown wood, so with a bit of sanding, paint, and distressing, they became just what I had envisioned.
My window trim had been a shower curtain in my first home. When we moved we didn't need a curtain in the master bath so I cut it in two, sewed it together, added bead fringe to the ends for weight, and trimmed my window. (I am the master of run on sentences.)The rest were either thrift store or ebay finds. I love having the blues!!!

Tagged

I have been tagged by the artsy and mysterious Protege to do the "fourth of fourth". She explained that one should choose the fourth picture in one's fourth picture folder and describe it, plus tag four more people to do the same. This was the fourth picture in my fourth picture folder.

Odd I know, It was a project that my oldest son did with his friend. But... what perfect timing because it is nearly Halloween and Chicken Little happens to be the Halloween costume that I made for my son last year. I just finished this years Halloween costumes in time for the school Harvest Festival and was about to post them.

Last years costumes..............

This years costumes..................





Toon Link from Nintendo, and his friend dragon!!I am so glad that they are finished. Luckily my half pint and quarter pint don't care to wear costumes yet that can't be bought at the store for a decent price. Give them some time, right?

Lest you forget....this was a tag!! Now I tag..........Darlene, Meg, Julie, and Sandy toes. I hope we can still be friends. ;)

Too Many Bows???

Am I wrong in assuming that a girl can never have too many bows. I have been making bows for my girls. Bows, bows, bows!!! I like to put them on headbands, and layer them, and even pretend they are pins and wear them on the strap of my bag. But,...when one has so many bows that one cannot find the one one wants, then one has a problem. Too many 'one's'? Never fear, I found ONE solution. These cute little frame-hook-thingy's were on clearance at Michaels. Shazzam,...I will hang the bows on them. (My life would be so much more simple if I didn't feel like everything had to be cute.) I could have tacked a piece of yarn to the wall months ago,but I digress,...it was worth the wait. Aren't they cute? I put a lock of my half pints hair in the rectangle frame, and if my quarter pint ever has enough hair for a cut, hers will go in the oval frame. I hung them on the wall in the girls closet. They will never even be seen. But I know they are there, and they make me smile.