Inside, Outside Upside Down....

Welcome to my new little booth at a local crafter's mall-slash-gift shoppe, Savannah Faire. This concept has been rolling around in my head for quite some time...a few years to be exact. Honestly, I have been a little nervous committing to something like this, given life's schedule and interruptions, but I determined NOW is as good a time as any...Economy aside, I'm jumping in. (and in just a few days, my girlfriends are taking the leap with me!!!) Kind of like a Thelma and Louise and Louise moment...Only without the sad ending...

The space is quite small - 4 foot x 4 foot - but on May 1st it will be expanding to 4 foot x 16 foot. Me and two friends, Ginger and Janice, are sharing the over-head and will be selling under three separate #'s. This will allow us to add larger items, as well as the smalls.

I have SO many ideas and collected items to re-purpose into fun home and garden decor.

Here is my sign. We have agreed to sell under the one "banner", which is fine with me. I think the name covers all manner of "sins" we could possibly put in the space! lol

Inside Outside Upside Down
Home and Garden Goods
Refreshed. Renewed. Rethunk.

Green House.

Well, NOT really a GREEN HOUSE, but more of a greenhouse/atrium/summer kitchen.

I'm talking about the area that was a HUGE selling point of this house almost 7 years ago. I can not believe it's actually been almost 7 years, but it has and man, oh, man how the time has flown. A lot has happened, but the only thing that has happened in that wonderful space is JUNK storage. A drop zone.

New stuff. Old stuff. My stuff. His stuff. Their stuff. My Mom's stuff. Boys' stuff.

STUFF.

STUFFED FULL!

Whatta MESS....

Well, on Wednesday, Ginger and I braved the cold - although, after working for a few, we stripped our layers - one by one. And when we were finally done sorting and organizing and throwing away garbage, and I came inside to change into clean clothes, the fat layers on the lower portion of my body were very, very cold! Good job fat layers! They were cold, but I hadn't noticed! Maybe, and I'm only gonna say this once, I like my fat!!!

Anyway, back to my story - pre-cold-fat-discovery - we tackled the mess like troopers - with gloves! I won't even go into the whole mouse poop debacle, stemming from the oatmeal containers in a box (thanks, Ty! - Boys move out, and boys move back in...but who would've guessed they would bring food from their kitchen cabinets and store them!???)

Pre-sorting....

This is the view to the left, over the banister/landing - mid-sorting...

 This is the view from the upper level. 

This is me - armed and ready for battle.

This was Ginger's reaction to all.this.crap!!!

She was soon a happy, happy friend - I "gifted" her this window she was eye-balling...

She promptly took it outta there before I changed my mind....not likely, since I have many, many windows....plus, she was willing to glove-up in the mouse poop! What a trooper!!!...(yeah, a pooper-trooper) ... I couldn't resist... LOL

The upstairs room/space. Ginger says it would make a perfect theater room or game room... I see it painted all white with a new ceiling  -  it leaked a few years ago before we re-roofed it.

 These are Cub Scout badges from when my boys were little ... IN.GRADE.SCHOOL!!! Circa 1999!!! I was a den leader and these were left-overs I found in an envelope. Moved in a box, oh, 4 houses - WA to OR, OR to CA, CA to CA, CA to OR. YES, in a box we actually moved FOUR freakin' times!!!

 This is Ginger teasing..."Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!" Wearing Ty's Chevy's Restaurant Birthday sombrero...from, like age 9!!! He's 23 now....Thanks, DEAR FRIEND, for the intervention!!!
I'm NOT a hoarder....am I????

 O.K., but maybe hoarding is a good-thing? In that same box, I found $$$ that was reimbursed to me by one of those little- NOW 23 years-old - boys for a Scouting book....$4.25. Whoo HOOO! Talk about SAVINGS plan...um....

Hoarding Proof!

 

The Summer kitchen. Cool, old Formica, dontcha think? When Ty was "living" in this space, he removed the upper kitchen cabinet doors and began painting them with chalkboard paint. How cool was that? A boy before his time....

 

Organized piles that are sorted, but now need to find permanent homes. Car parts for the shop/garage. Bankers boxes of business documents to store for 7 years. Bankers boxes full of magazines to get rid of. Windows to use, re-purpose, sell. White plastic tables and chairs to use this Summer. Boxes of Ty's belongings that need to go to his rented 3 bedroom w/2 car garage!!!

Yay! Progress....progress that will continue and transform into a Where Women Create space? A GREEN HOUSE to grow plants and veggies? A game room? A Guest House/Room? Who knows. But NOT a DROP ZONE!!!!

The view from the kitchen towards the bathroom/breezeway....under the room upstairs... NOT yet finished.


I'm thinking it would be SO cool to order a few pallets of used, red brick and a load of playground sand and "pave" that dirt area/side. Hang up a few clear twinkle lights. Maybe a chandelier. Bring in the patio table and serve dinner under the stars....Or maybe put the hot tub in there...hmmmm...

For now the greenhouse bathroom and the kitchen sink has been sterilized and the mice - Dude the Cat, mouse traps and LACK OF OATMEAL willing - will be a thing of the past...We've NEVER had ANY evidence of mice in ANY thing in the house...including the dog, cat or bird food. Go figure!

Happy Saturday!

ETA: I HATE the used, red brick on my fireplace, but LOVE it on the ground!!!

Did YOU Hear Me Scream????

Yeah, you read that right.

Did YOU hear me scream in your part of the country?

It was 7:18 tonight. I was sitting in my chair, surfing my favorite blogs while waiting for a movie that Phillip was watching to end - so we could watch the recorded episode of Survivor - and there were my boys.

Well, my boys in my vintage window....

I screamed, and it wasn't even a scary part of the movie!!!!

"I've been featured!!! Over at Gail's blog, My Repurposed Life!!!"

I have to be VERY honest here, 'cause I was taught to be honest. Gail sent me a comment the other day, but I didn't put two-and-two together when she said she'll be "catching" me this week. Duh, me...

Thanks, GAIL!!! I get it now....but only AFTER I screamed with excitement!!!

*******

More good news came today....

I got the official word that another project of mine is officially being featured in this years issue of Somerset HOME magazine - Volume 6. It will hit newsstands in August.

As I really, really, really enjoy surprises, I will give only a sneak peek here.

As you all know, I love ALL things vintage, rusty and perfect for the home - inside or out!

*******

That brings me to my NEXT exciting news.

Six days ago, I played this April Fool's joke on Phillip, and that opened up a whole can of discussion. So, yesterday, I took the plunge - more like a baby-toe dip in the BIG POOL of retail sales....

I've officially leased a 4' x 4' space at a local crafters outlet/gift shoppe, Savannah Faire/Fiona Bean. My good-best friend, Ginger, and I are BOTH dipping our baby-toes!!! My move-in date is set for NEXT Saturday, the 16th, and hers is at the end of the month. We will be neighbors with opportunity for expansion late May or early June.

Talk about getting no sleep or being able to concentrate at work today....I even went shopping for "ideas" and ended up with a whole cache cart of good things....

Stay tuned for photos chronicling the little space - BIG ideas adventure.

*******

On another happy note, a few weeks ago, I participated in the Road to the Final Tchotchke swap over at Beauty in the Attempt. The idea behind the swap was very fun. Post a photo of some home decor item you either don't love or use anymore and have others that love it, want it, or need it comment. On designated day/time, have a random draw and whoever wins, gets the goods!

Well, as it was, I had ONE comment and ONE winner! Man, was Jenny, over at Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line, LUCKY! lol....

At any rate, Jenny commented that the garden-themed item I offered up for grabs would be perfect for her little guys upcoming April Showers birthday party...hmmmm. Based on that comment, I KNEW I had so much more to share....perfect for a party! I SO loved giving parties for my guys when they were little.

She was SO delighted with the extras I sent and she posted VERY, VERY kind words on her blog...WARNING: her blog has some really cute party ideas....REALLY!

*******

On a FINAL note for the night...

We are STILL looking for at least THREE more participants for my Celebrate AMERICA home decor swap.

I've seen some of the ideas...and you still have a TON of time to play. That was the point. Start early enough to not be stressed!!!! Who needs stress? Let's just wrap the houses in RED, WHITE and BLUE.....

Cheers!

What a beeee.uuuuu.ti.fullll day.....

Baby Shoe Nest courtesy of Barbara Jean of Treasure's From The Heart. 
I won this at a giveaway she had last year.

Oh, man. What a tease today has been. Still a bit on the chilly side, 60-ish, but the SUN was shining....

and we have to 


take joy in the simple things

I opened up some windows and doors for a few, then after things aired out a bit, brought in some wood and started me up a fire to take the chill away. Nothing like a fire when it's NOT freezing outside. Just cozy.

***********

The other night, after work, I decided to Spring-Up our fireplace mantel. I found a few goodies I just happened to already have (duh! smiles my honey..."with all that treasure hunting you do, you could probably Spring-Up a whole city of mantels!")

O.K., truth be told, he didn't say anything, except, "Whatcha doin?", as I was wearing a path between the  dining room and the catch-all storage room that will someday be the guest room...

He never really complains about anything I do or how much stuff treasure I collect. He's the best that way!!!

*********

Earlier that day, I was at Goodwill by my work (errands are so fun to run during the day!) **you did not just read that, honey! :-) wink; and I spotted this gorgeous framed picture. It's just a print, but it's matted and it just SCREAMS Springtime!!! $6.00. ** My friend, Ginger, called me today and said she found the exact same print today for $18....score....

What a perfect match for the wall in the dining room...

It was hanging on the wall. I took it down. Examined it for stains, broken frame, scratched glass, etc...contemplated it. Hung it back up. Shopped the other areas of the store. Came back to it. Took it down again. Put it in my cart. Took it back out again...

Birds. Hmmmm. I don't decorate with birds. Hmmmm. It is yellow. I have lots of yellow in the house. Hmmmm. It's Spring. Birds are Spring-y. That blue bird is awfully cute. Hmmmm. Yeah, o.k. I can put it on the mantel. Then I can decorate the mantel for Spring. Now I'll need some bird houses. And maybe that little pink bird book I have. And, I do have those little yellow rain boots. Oh, and frogs. I have LOTS of frogs. And, I have those little seasonal blocks I made. And, there's forsythia and daffodils in bloom in the yard right now...Oh and....

The list in my head just kept getting longer and longer...

So, once I got home. I started on the mantel project.

One of my cast metal frogs AND an assortment of books I've collected because of their genre, color, and/or titles. This little birdhouse came with the house when we bought it 7 years ago, but has never had any little birdies, but don't ya just love the little roof line? 


Bird houses from the back porch. I simply added a #5 house number with a nail and "painted" the head with a black Sharpie.

Truth be told...these DID have residents, only NOT the kind I wanted in the house...good old Summertime leftovers....not bird poopie, silly-willy. This one has NO bottom.....dried up hornets nest!

Both houses will have "residents" tomorrow, as Ginger is kindly bringing me some mushroom birdies to add...

Just a little of my collection....I SO wish Daffodils smelled as good as they looked...Don't you??? Lilac season will be here soon, and then....Oh, those babies smell SO, SO yummy!!!


A couple pieces of my creamy white collection as vases with the flowers.

Loving the Forsythia, but I think it was happier outside! Saw this idea today, though....Very, very cute idea! 
Dang it! I need to go find the post and link it....I can't find it...check back, cause it's SO cute!!!  Found it! I love me some Google!!!


A little wooden drawer turned on edge with some scrapbook paper cut to fit to house the most adorable yellow rain boots.

Darling little rain boots I found a few years ago for a song. Bought the bird book last year, for..well, things like this!


Add a little bit of this and a little bit of that and Voila!

Frogs or toads, if you like, at the base of one of my vintage white, 3-paned windows; and my fave - a cast metal "S". I found THREE matching letters at one time....only three...T, P, S. I love it when things are meant to be....!

This years Spring mantel. ***Insert confession here....I did NOT take a photo of the entire mantel...BAD, Tina....

 

Simple little wooden blocks painted and stamped with each season on the sides. Perfect for changing things up....at least four times a year. 

*******************

Now if I could only get that UGLY 70's orange/black/white brick to GO AWAY like WINTER!!!

I have an idea....I'll keep you posted....and it's NOT painting the brick white. That's the ONE thing that won't work in the house....we use the fireplace way too often to contend with ugly brick chipping through the paint...NO matter how tough it is...

I hope it's as great in real life as it is in my head....that ever happen to you? Where it's perfectly perfect in your head movies, but then a complete and utter flop in real life? I've read about a few of those in the Land of Blog lately...glad I'm not the only one that happens to...

These stacked vintage suitcases topped with an old chippy wire basket reside at the end of the mantel. Ours is "L" shaped and the end faces the back hallway entry doorway.

Happy Spring Saturday!!!

Linking up to Donna up North at Funky Junk Interiors....

Linking up to The Stories of A to Z: Spring Mantel Linky Party...

I'm Gonna Getcha Good....

...and good I got him! Now, I'm just waiting for the pay-back...

So, the prank went down like this:

I'm ditching work today, trying to get on that stay-home-Wednesday-and-Friday schedule.

He calls me around 11:30 a.m.-ish.

I'm in town running errands. We talk about food. What he's doing for lunch. What I'm doing for lunch, etc... I'm headed back home; he's going to the Friday buffet with all the guys at work.

About a 1/2 hour later, I call him, all outta breath and begin my excited, fast-speak....I'm all,

"Honey, guess what??? .... You're NEVER gonna believe this!!!! 


Uh, I just picked up Janice from work and uh, we're gonna go to lunch, and, well, remember the old Goodwill building??? 


The one with those really cool, old barn doors with the glass in them separating the spaces...The one's that I told you about? That I love so much? Well, you know how they're moving and stuff? 


Well, they have a FOR LEASE sign. 


And, well, Janice and I stopped. And the owner was there. And, well, we leased the place. 


We're gonna have a studio in the back - in the space behind those cool, old doors -  and have a store in the front.


 It has big windows. 


And it has a parking lot. 


Places for people to park and stuff. 


Not like those houses we've looked at that would be perfect and cute and stuff, but have no place where people can park. 


It's perfect!!!! 


I'm SO excited!!! 


I'll talk to you about the details more tonight. 


Janice and I are going to lunch to celebrate!!! 


Love you."

I DID NOT LET HIM GET IN A WORD....Until the end.....

His response was, "Really? O.K. I'll talk to you about it later."

Then we hung up.

Knowing he was at lunch with all the guys, I waited about 5 minutes, then sent him a text ....

"April Fools!!! I'm not with Janice. I'm not at the Goodwill either!"

His reply: "You suck! You got all of us good!!! I owe you for that one.."

Uh OH!!!!

Nice to know, that he'd be supportive and so would the other guys at work...I love it!!!

Happy Friday....

ETA: I was wondering what a place like that rents for...the internet is such a wonderful resource...

There it was..."Goodwill location on 6th"....6500 sq. ft. - $4000/mo. nnn (triple net - means rent + property taxes + insurance) WHOA!!! outta my price range..... I'll just keep dreaming about one of those little houses with no parking....