Just an ordinary day...but wait!

Amaryllis Update:  It's bloomed again! 
Four blooms that flare out from a 27" stem!!!
So gorgeous but I can't show you all four!

Ordinary day - what is that???  Time on the computer, vacuuming, cooking, doing the dishes, crocheting, reading, and contemplating.  Time thinking and contemplating is creative.  Filling the day with too much doing and not enough stillness takes away from creative thinking.

I have a storage problem in my sewing room.  I thought I had an organizational problem but in my contemplation, it came to me that I can't be organized if I don't have the shelving to help with that organization.  Whew!  Problem almost solved.

Upstairs I have a large white shelving unit that is storing odd books that I don't look at any more.  It was while I was reading the advertising in our local paper that my eyes saw an inexpensive shelf.  The it dawned on me - I have one of those not being used effectively!!!  Yay!

So tomorrow I unload and sort books to keep or sell at our sale.  But then comes the monumental task of hauling it downstairs...making that 180 degree turn.  And before that I have to clean off the steps!!!  A lazy habit of storing things on both sides of the stairs.  Ugh!

After all that work, then I have to go to my sewing room to make a path - remove short shelf and everything on it!!!!  Oh my - maybe I spent too much time thinking and contemplating.  I've just created at least two days of work.  It will be worth it to see all the fabric I haven't laid eyes on since I brought it home from the quilt shop!

My camera doesn't show how deep the red is!
Love, love this bloom!

I'm tired already - take care!

Bonnie

Tattered Book...

Books are important to me.  All my bookshelves are double booked.  Attempts to sort and sell or give away haven't worked.  I keep on loving and collecting.

I wanted to make tattered books so I went to the thrift store in town and surrounding towns and bought old books.  When it was time to remove the cover to make my collage, I glanced inside.  Nope - have to read this before I decide to get rid of or alter this book.  Such different subjects glared back at me...like they had souls I had to deal with.  Back to the thrift shops making sure the subject of the old book was something I couldn't be interested in at all.

I did manage to take the cover off of one and made the above tattered book.  It was fun to figure out what to collect and attach.  It didn't sell right away at  our recent sale - secretly I thought it would be nice to keep my first attempt.  And then it found its way to check out. 

I don't know who is on the picture card.  I bought an old worn velvet album and in it were lots of family pictures taken at studios all over the southern part of Minnesota.  It was one of those purchases that was very satisfying because all those relatives now had a home with me.

Now someone else has a new relative and an old tattered book.

Take care,
Bonnie

Repurposed Letter Opener and Wooden Stars!

Love junkin' excursions!  On my last visit to an antique store where I usually just look because normally everything is too expensive, the cool guy sold me some silverware...some for making necklaces and three for making letter openers.  He saves the old rounded end knives for a guy who makes them into letter openers for nursing home residents!!!  How cool is that!

He had already removed the real silver on my knives but the handles were pearl so I thought I could fashion a couple openers to sell and one to keep! 

This is how I bought them!

This is how they look now!

Then Hubby made some lovely wooden stars!!!  I would love to have one on my new barn or in my garden.  I don't think I'll paint them but I can see a dark red one on my house.  They are about 30" high - fun project and we'll have smaller ones available too.

 

A couple more days and my house might be back to normal - there are craft projects in almost every room - nothing in the bedroom or bathroom though.  Every flat place has a project of some sort waiting to be finished for our sale at Zimmerman's in downtown Mora on Friday and Saturday!

Enjoy your day!

Bonnie

I Love Chickens!

Who doesn't like chickens???  I don't think I'd ever raise real chickens but I like all other kinds of chickens.  So when we were invited to be part of a Spring Sneak Peek Sale, we decided to make some garden chickens!

It is quite a process - Hubby cuts them out, sands and base coats them.  Then they come into the house where I put their personalities on.  Once I paint their faces - beaks, combs, feet (in some cases) - then I add polka dots, plaid and pattern to their bodies.  Then I rough them up a bit - we want them to look aged like us.  So I take sandpaper and weather them a bit.  Last I put on a finish.  Whew!  So we really have lots of time and energy involved.  They are so cute running around the garden!

I have confessed before to having another addiction - chairs.  I buy chairs everywhere I see one for sale.  These two chairs needed their seats upholstered and today I got the job done!  Leather looks so cool so I upholstered them in faux embossed leather.  Love the look - kinda cowboy/cowgirl.  I'm pleased with the outcome and then there are my chickens roosting on my newly dressed up chairs.

Can't keep those darn chickens off the furniture!

Tomorrow the chairs go to town to the shop and the chickens stay home with me until next week.  It's all good and another day of accomplishing something!!!

Take care,
Bonnie

Lovely Jewelry!

Not to brag but I have two daughters with immense talent!  So this blog will be about Jen's jewelry!  She is a wife to Dave and busy Mom of two - John and Addy!  She has her own website Jenny's Jewelry Box ! 

 

I love this green butterfly necklace!



Ivory and pink freshwater pearls mixed with
beautiful little red hearts  are perfect for Valentine's Day!

I'm a jewelry crazed woman so having a daughter that makes jewelry does cause my dresser to be overflowing with great pieces!  She makes lovely freshwater pearl bracelets and necklaces.  Check out her site - 
Jenny's Jewelry Box  - she's always adding new stuff!
Take care!
Bonnie