Show and Tell Sunday...

Running a bit behind this weekend! Show and Tell Sunday will be posted as soon as possible! This week's theme: Trash to Treasure. Hope you'll come back in a few....I'm working on it as I type.....

Happy Birthday, Mr. Sunshine!

Just in case the obnoxious 80's tune and the picture of Marilyn and the title of this post didn't tip you off, today is my Mr. Sunshine's Birthday!

A lucky day for me, for sure, 'cause I don't know where I'd be if he hadn't entered my life 21 years ago. I'd be fine, I'm sure, but not near as happy...

Since I can't be with him this year, this is my birthday hug...

Happy Birthday, Sweetie....

I LOVE YOU!!

(And to everyone else, I promise that annoying song will be gone tomorrow! But what a blast from my 80's past!)

Show and Tell Sunday....

It's been a long while since I have been able to participate in a Show and Tell Sunday.

As a matter of fact, I haven't showed or told since the very first week: Analise's (of Sugar*Sugar - what a great blog!) Show us your Buttons Challenge.

If you are unfamiliar with Show and Tell Sunday, hop on over here to see Cerri at Little Pink Studio and check it all out. She's hosting this week's Show and Tell and has links to all of the other blogs participating.

This week's topic is studio storage.

Since my studio is currently attached to my kitchen (ugh), creative, somewhat attractive storage is mandatory. And since it's in the main part of the house, I couldn't go too girly this time (rats). I have always, always been attracted to old utilitarian storage. It's always what I gravitate towards at auctions and thrift shops: old containers, wooden metal, wicker. You name it, if it can hold something else, it's magnetic for me.

This is the storage workhorse of my "studio". A cheap discount store bookcase and quite a collection of photo storage boxes.

I used various scrap papers to prettify them just a bit.

These boxes are the perfect size to hold all sorts of loose "smalls"....including...

No, not the title of a naughty cooking show, just storage for all of my as yet unpainted (naked) flatware. I paint tons of vintage silver during the holidays (they make very unique ornaments). This is where they stay until they get blinged up...

Looks like a regular old metal file box, right? This one is slightly unique though....

It opens from the side instead of the top, with little shelves inside (reminds me of an oven). Perfect hiding place for acrylic stamp sets!

I love this old cigar box! I use it allot as a product photo prop. When it's not being used for pictures, it's home for my rick rack trims....

An old cheese box is the perfect size to hold standard shipping tags (the kind you get at Staples), and it keeps them at my fingertips for quick access.

I made a shoe box to hold all of my glitter, but then I just couldn't do it! Glitter makes me smile every time I see it, a bit of crafty sunshine in my work area....Having it sit out like this isn't the best use of space but it makes me smile....

An old lunch pail given to me by my in-laws. They know how much I love junk! And the separate tray sections happen to be perfect for various wires and jingle bells....I used an old-fashioned label maker to label everything in the bookcase- it makes for quick retrieval....


An old berry basket filled to the brim with chipboard letters...

Smaller Chipboard letters, shells and sea glass look pretty in these clear jars...

What do you suppose is in this small vintage box/trunk? Look really close;there's a hint peeking out....

A portion of my ribbon....I cannot pass the bargain ribbon bins at craft stores....you just never know what you will find.....Hang with me we are almost done...
Last but not least, I keep all of my thin satin ribbon in this old cash register drawer...

It holds the rolls neatly and looks kinda cool too....I love the way the "arms" that held bills in place also keep the rolls nice and snug...

So that's it for me this week....can't wait to see what next week's show-n-tell is....

'Til Next time....

Wish you were HERE...

OK I lied (unintentionally, of course) in my last post.

I have painted just a bit and I want to share.

Sometimes you create because you want an item to sell. Sometimes you create to express something important to you. This piece falls in the latter category....it very much reflects what is going on in my personal life right now...

I call this one "Wish you Were Here"....

If this is your first visit, scroll down a few posts and you will understand....

Only 429 days until the yellow ribbon comes off my tree...sigh....

Confession Time....

I am in a creative slump.

I don't want to paint.

There.....I said it. This is where I am supposed to feel better, having admitted what I didn't want to admit, right??

Not quite sure what is going on, but I just don't really want to work.

That's one of the reasons I haven't really posted much this month. I have very little to share, creativity-wise. Any painting that I am doing is for Create and Decorate, contracted months ago. Thank goodness for that, because if I didn't have the obligation, I wouldn't be painting at all. Sigh...

I know the "mojo" will come back to me. Just hurry up and wait as Mr. Sunshine's Army buddies would say...

I have also committed to getting healthier during this deployment. Started Dr. Oz's "You on a Diet" program almost two weeks ago and I feel GREAT! Anyone else out there doing it? Very common sense, no calories or points to count. Just good for your body eating. I haven't had near as much trouble as I thought I would, and so far, I am down 6.8 pounds and 3.5 inches off my waist. Have a good ways to go, but not a bad start...

And since this post is such a hodge podge of unrelated bits of information and it's just not in my nature to leave you without a picture or two, I think I will share more "critter" pics with you. I am so enjoying my little feeding station right outside this window.

The pics can be a little hit and miss because I am taking them through the window, but I still enjoy them....hopefully you will too...

Isn't he pretty? Since you all were so helpful with my little sunny finches (thanks!) can anyone tell me what this guy is called? I love his scarlett "bandana"...

And of course the squirrels...I tell you, they may eat allot, but at least they are neater than the Blue Jays. They drive me nuts, flinging birdseed all over the place!

I also have pics of bunnies and wee little chipmunks (at least I think they are chipmunks) but they must be loaded on the desk top....I'll save them for another post....

Happy Weekend, everyone!

And my Not so Little Friend...

OK.....maybe I should say my un-invited not so little friend.

I had just finished the last post, gone about my business, getting ready for kids to get home from school and the shuttling off to track meets and soccer practice right after....walked into the work area and lo and behold, I have even more company...

I think I am in the minority here, but I like squirrels! I think they are cute and this guy was small for a squirrel....think he may have been a young one....

AND he was driving my very cranky old cat bananas...for that kind of entertainment, he can eat all of the birdseed he wants.....

I wish I had video of this because Casey (the crotchety old cat) will sit and watch the birds very quietly from his little perch, daydreaming about catching them, I'm sure, but in true Garfield fashion, keeping all of the action in his head.

This squirrel, however, really got under his skin. Every move the little guy made was accompanied by a growl or a squawk (yes, a squawk!) from the cat....I had to laugh because there is not much that can get Casey so worked up...he sleeps and eats, not necessarily in that order, and that's usually about it...

Happy Friday, everyone!

Catching up and My Little Friend....

Now I can exhale....

The anticipation of Mr. Sunshine leaving is over...

Things went smoothly Monday evening, travel was fairly uneventful (he landed safely in Kuwait and is waiting to travel on to the ultimate destination) and now we are starting a new chapter. "Single Parent 301" (because I have done this twice already) is a class I don't really want to take, but we do what we have to, right? This time around I have a child entering high school...not looking forward to that just because I CANNOT be old enough to have a high school aged child....can I? (Just humor me and say "NO WAY!")

I am desperately trying to catch up with work, but sleep is a rare commodity this week (it always is the first few days of a separation). The going is s-l-o-w....

On a much more cheerful note....I have been whining all winter about my workspace now being part of the kitchen...what can I say, I was spoiled to have my own workroom in Virginia...

BUT.....

I put some bird feeders right outside the window next to my painting desk....and my fine feathered friends are finally starting to notice the free meal I am offering....

I don't know exactly what kind of bird this little guy is (if you know, please post a comment. I love to watch birds but besides the very basic identification,I am clueless) but he visits me daily at about the same time, late morning in to lunch time....

He's a tiny slice of sunshine that makes me smile, my wee little yellow bird...

I think he needs a name.....Mr. Sunshine is already taken....and "Tweety" just isn't going to cut it....

Any suggestions?