I admit it...

I ordered this book the day it came out....

I paid extra for overnight delivery....

It's Blogging for Bliss.

I am devouring it as I have time...kudos to you, Tara Frey! You've managed to create a beautiful how-to book. For all of the harried bloggers with short attention spans out here, I salute you!

And as a good student should, I am taking notes. But being the realistic gal that I usually am, I know I will never achieve the heights of some of the absolutely gorgeous blogs featured in the book.
Honestly, it's not really "me" anyway. I like things with worn edges, a little tattered and not so amazingly perfect (how am I doing?).
I will always write how I talk- lots of "..."s , a few typos that sneak through, and you can't even imagine how often I really want to add a smiley face after something I have written. I know, it's sad (a grown woman am I!)...but I really like an occasional (0; !

None of these things are really conducive to a beautiful, grown -up blog, are they? Sigh...But there's room out here for all sorts of bloggers: the beautiful, the clever, the adorable, the witty, the "total packages" that have it all. And me.

But I am doing a few simple things that Tara suggested...playing with photo frames and effects is one you may have noticed over the past few posts...it's a work in progress, but I will tweak it 'til I am satisfied. I do like a simple frame around the photos- they look a bit more finished, but some of the other effects just take too much time to do to every single picture that I include here. I suppose I could reduce the number of photos....on second thought....

And I have finally admitted that maybe some people may not share my taste in music. Or may not want to hear it when they visit. Every. Single. Time.


So I came up with my little helper here. Isn't she cute? Isn't she helpful? If you'd like her to help your readers too, feel free to right click and take her home with you....

And seriously, I hope I did not sound negative about Blogging for Bliss. So far, I love the book and have learned a ton. One of the things that I have learned is that I love to visit lush, frilly, gorgeous blogs (and admire their authors oh so much)... but I gotta be me. And I'm OK with that.

(0;

Until Next Time,

my {only} sunshine

I think I jinxed myself last night.... made this bright sunshine-y treasury.

L-O-V-E it! I even love the alternates (which, I may be the only one, but sometimes when I curate treasuries, the alternates can be difficult), so I included them in this screen shot. Give them some Etsy love, please!

Top row (L to R, every time):
*LemonsLittles
*blendastudio
*urbanbabybonnets
*yellowdogvintage

Second row:
*uniquedichroic
*moxy
*GemGourmet
*rumandrubies

Third Row:
*lbrodar
*farouche
*swanmountainsoaps
*lakenandlila

Fourth Row:
*sarap
*sissysoap
*sosovintage
*opart


But...I wake up this morning to such a gloomy day! It was even too dark to take pictures this morning...my little photo set-up is situated in an are that only on the darkest days is it too dark to get a decent shot...

So I will share some Target love in the meantime. Went to my fav-o-rite big box store yesterday. It had been awhile. I spent too much. Of course.


Doubly dangerous for me is this time of year at Target.
I always love their fun (and cheap) picks
for dorm rooms.

Had to have this very very cute pink lamp for my studio desk (boy child tried to talk me in to apple green and it was tempting, but girl child won this one with her vote for PINK). And it was only $7.99...I am happy.



Also picked up these very cute little tins, on clearance (yes!), in the dollar aisle. I love little buckets this size. They are so great to hold all sorts of little loose things. And I have little loose things everywhere. Organization is not my spec-i-al-ity.
Now that should elicit a comment from Mr.Sunshine...wait for it, 'cause I'm sure at least a snort is sure to follow from his general vicinity... note to the Mr: you better end it with "but I love you!" cause I love you too! (o;

Most of my Target money went to back to school necessities...yawn. But I thought you might like my little studio pick-me-ups...

Make sure you pay my treasury friends a visit...give 'em some Etsy love- they deserve it!

Until Next Time,

Fresh Country Air...

What a beautiful day we had in Upstate NY !It started with a hint of autumn in the air and a phone call from a friend inviting me to go to a craft show.

I have not been to a craft show for close to a year (and that one was the first I had been to in at least three years).

I hate to admit this, but I generally do not find them so much fun any more. Maybe it was actually being behind the scenes selling at them for a few years (fun in some ways but so much work!).
Maybe it's the glut of imports you generally (and unfortunately) see at larger shows. Maybe I'm just feeling like maybe I should be doing some local shows. But then I think how busy all of my online friends keep me- that's enough for now...
Fresh, crisp air and good company are soothing to the soul (and I had been holed up in my studio all week working- probably would have spent today the same way if my friend hadn't called). Add that the drive there was scenic and the actual grounds were part of the historical society that was hosting the fundraiser. I like these kinds of craft shows- they are generally smaller, quainter and the host puts the profits back into something good (not their own pockets).

One thing I love about living up here is the history. Old buildings are everywhere and they are oh so charming! This truly is one of the most beautiful areas that the Army has sent us to (a close second to Germany, I think). It's very rural, but lovely. Unfortunately, I didn't learn too much about this historical society, but I enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and snapping some shots (not sure why but the view through this window- through to the other side of the building caught my eye)...I took these with my smaller, pocket sized Canon, so they aren't quite on par with shots taken with my main camera. I didn't want to haul the big guy around though, so cute little turquoise point-n-shoot it was...

What's a Fair without food?
NO, not goat food....although I think she got all the attention and grass she could handle...


And fresh-squeezed Lemonade?
I was good though, saving myself for the fudge...mmm..chocolate, all gone before I could take pics!


There was plenty of personality served up too! How charmingly nostalgic is this
snow cone /popcorn stand? I could almost see Richie Cunningham making snow cones in this baby (wearing a white paper hat, and a red bow tie, of course)...

I think they must have left the door open just so I could take a shot....right? "Time to Lean Is Time To Clean". I need one of these signs for my kids...they'd abide by it, right?



Just one more shot because seriously, this stand was the highlight of my morning...
I didn't buy too much...got some home made fudge, of course, a couple of very nifty beaded hair clippie, pony holder type things that are much prettier and less painful than the dreaded plastic butterfly clips (which always give me a headache- so far almost 10 hours later, no headache and it's holding my thick but fine hair perfectly), and some goat's milk lotion- three different scents because I just couldn't choose.

This gal did not contribute to my goat's milk lotion but she was in attendance...she had a date but all he seemed to want to show me was his hind end....typical man...


And so I will sign off for now where I started- with a flower shot. Don't know what it is about flowers, but I could literally take pictures of almost nothing else and still be happy...

Until Next Time,

Hello, My Name Is...

...Stephanie, and...

I have a problem...

Remember Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the classic cartoon?
Remember the Island of Misfit Toys?

Seems my home has recently become the Island of Misfit Books...


I love to go antiquing.

Perhaps I should say I love to go JUNKING because honestly, I know absolutely nothing about true value of most of the stuff crammed into antique shops. If I like it and feel it's a fair price (fair price=how much is in my budget on any given day), I will buy it, no matter the condition. Yes, I am the sucker the dealers see coming...but I am usually a happy victim when I leave...

And lately, it seems, I can spend hours going through the stalls selling old texts.

The book above caught my attention because of the painting of this artistic woman. I only wish I looked a fraction as elegant when painting.

The rest of my recent score was more juvenile in nature...

This Little Golden Book, with its' missing clock hands, would be symbolic of both my love of misfits and my complete lack of time management skills when I am going through book stalls. My watch has no hands either when I am lost in piles of vintage paper....


Of course it had to come home with me...my favorite image is this sweet little girl in her pink swimsuit...

The Breakfast of the Birds

I admit it, some of these books I bought just because I liked the cover. This is the first example. It's such a cheerful blue color, accented by cherry red...it made me smile and that was reason enough to bring it home...


More birds and kids...

Mrs. Leslie's Books for Little Children The Robin Redbreast Series

None of these books were in ideal condition, but this one needs more attention than most.

Still trying to figure out how to get that....musitness...to go away. But if there is one thing I have learned, it is that through Google-ing, one can find the best way to do just about anything.

"Mr. and Mrs. Robin were deeply pained by Dick's bad conduct."

Can you imagine telling your child that their behavior "deeply pained" you (I cannot)?
How genteel...


I think the oldest book I found is this primary geography school book.

It's full of wonderful illustrations like these...
and my favorite map...

Not because the focal point is my home state....look a little higher, where Oklahoma should be...that there's Indian Territory...


And last but not least, this picture word book had me at hello...
The colors, the subject matter, the stripes...I was sold at first glance, didn't care what was inside (which is not quite as whimsical and allot less colorful)...

I heart cherry eating giraffes in BK crowns!

And what's not to love about a cute li'l fluffy bunny?

I'm such a sucker for the cuteness!

Believe it or not, there are even more books I collected on this trip...but they will have to wait for another day...

Until Next Time...

The Forever House....

Happy Tuesday, fellow bloghoppers!

Many thanks to all for the overwhelming well-wishes and kudos sent to Mr. Sunshine since his return last week. Your kindness is one of the many reasons I love this little handmade online community we're all citizens of...

One thing I did very little of during Mr. Sunshine's deployment was to just sit down and start to paint....whatever came to mind....

There was a time when painting was ALL I did....

That started with his first deployment in 2004.

In between then and now, there was a move or two (or three), some health problems for both me and Mr. Sunshine (and a few other family members), the loss of my Father, and a second deployment . Major creative mojo killers taken individually, let alone racked up, one on top of the other in quick succession.

So it has been a long time since I just sat down and exhaled, releasing everything- the tension, obligations, the pressure to make something with selling it in mind- and just creating for me, myself and I...

I have always, always, been fascinated with houses.

I paint them often. Cute little cottages, folk art inspired saltbox houses, houses for critters (barns), houses for worship (chapels). I think every painter has a favorite subject, like winsome little girls with big eyes, still life florals, whimsical animals, and on and on. Mine is houses.

We moved often when I was a child, and each new house was an adventure, a new start. Maybe it was the new color I got to paint my room every time we moved, I honestly don't know...but moving did not bother me that much...


As an adult, I have lived in many, many houses...not so much of an adventure anymore and new starts are over-rated, specially when you have teens who don't consider this lifestyle exciting.

Some houses I have loved, others I have loathed. But each has contributed at least one tick (some positive, some negative) to my mental check list of what the "forever house" (the one we move into after Mr. Sunshine retires from the military and hopefully NEVER leave again) will, and maybe more importantly, will not have. I pity the poor Realtor who has to deal with me in a few years...

Anyway, I sat down last night and just painted. When I did, of course what naturally came out of the brushes was this wee little purple house.

I sketched a series of three small canvases, all featuring (of course) a house or two, connected by the yellow brick road you see above....

A happy, simple little painting....
this is what happens when I exhale...

How about you?
What is your "happy, just for you" crafting groove?
I would love to read all about it....

Until Next Time,

Chuck would Be Proud...

Earlier this week, teenage girl child had a gaggle of (giggling) friends over to hang out...
snacks, movies, a little Wii, some boy talk (I would assume because of course I did not eavesdrop), the usual....

During the festivities, I noticed something by the front door...
It's snowy here (see! I had to work a reference to my nemesis-ie snow-in somewhere) so everyone peels off the shoes at the front door. The nasty gook that sticks to the bottom of your shoes in this weather can really wreak havoc on the carpeting. Since I do not own my carpet, Uncle Sam does (this Army family lives in issued quarters on post), I am trying to be respectful.

But anyway....back to the subject at hand...

I am walking down the hallway and what do I see but this awesome collection of Converse All Stars (that belong to my daughter and her friends)...
I don't know why, call me eccentric (it's OK- you wouldn't be the first), but I knew I had to take some pictures...

This would be the one teen trend I have to say is my favorite...have always loved the look of the Chuck Taylors, even when they were not in style (that would be my teenage years- sigh).

And I absolutely adore the rainbow of colors they come in these days...girly and tomboy, sassy and sweet...a perfect combo!

I have to admit that my faves were these petite little pink ones...I want a pair!

Good thing Teenage girl child's friend has wee li'l feet, or I might just have run away with them....

Not really, I am a grown up after all....I just need to buy my own (cause I'm not that grown up!)

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, everyone!

Oh yeah and if you haven't enetered my OWOH giveaway, click here to join in on the festivities. It's a party on your computer screen (entereing my own name in some awesome giveaways is how I will be spending my Super Bowl Sunday)!

Until Next Time,