from my home to yours, I hope you have a fun and safe weekend.
We're hanging out here - getting some projects done. It's suppose to be in the 80's, so we may just stay inside where there is air conditioning. !
here are some photos from my porch. enjoy !
Can it really be 5 years ?
It's so hard to believe that i lost my mom 5 years ago today. I'll never forget the phone call at 2:30 in the morning. My sister was so good to tell me not to feel guilty for not being there. Thanks Jackie. Instead, she said, remember the great time we had the last time you visited. And that's what I did. We celebrated her 78th birthday with Kentucky Fried Chicken (her favorite take out) and chocolate cake. It made her so sick because she was barely 100 pounds and all of the food just couldn't digest right. But it was a great visit with all of her 4 kids. ( i really do think i have the best siblings ! )
And daddy even came over.
And there was a smile on her face.
And i witnessed a family united by the love of two people coming together to celebrate
And say goodbye.
I miss you mom. every day.
(although not a great photo - b/c it's a photo of a photo, it's one of my favorites. It was taken the weekend my nephew got married. That's Sami and my sisters little dog Sophie with mom)
well, another Come Play event has come and gone and although our group was small, we sure had fun. it was great to walk around and see the beautiful projects that people were working on. i was especially happy that many were finishing up pages they'd started a while ago and now just had uninterupted time to finish those projects. yeah !
one participant i'd like to mention here is my new-from-Artfest-friend michelle. i was so happy when i met her at AF this year because I'd seen her work and it was amazing. we became art sisters very quickly as she drooled over lace and buttons and ephemera and goodness that i had brought for one of my classes. lucky for me she just lives 2 hours up the interstate and she was able to attend the crop. (of course i was also very lucky to have amy and amy and lauriey and rebecca and tina there too !)
but being an artfest sister holds a special place in your heart. ( i know, i haven't posted about AF yet - bad girl)
i had asked michelle to bring some of her circle journals and books she had made. she's a great artist. and i was delighted that one of the projects she brought was a little memory book she made from pages of our artfest confirmation packet and trades. You can see it on her blog here - and it has inspired me to start my own. (okay - you'll have to scroll down to her May 30th post - but that will give you a chance to view some of the fun things from the crop - sorry about that)
so here i sit on a drizzly pacific northest day and paint and get grummied up with gesso and gel medium and other goodness- thanks michelle.
i can't wait to finish.
(this is way more fun than tearing down the boutique from the garage)
have a day full of blessings ! look around. they are there.
they're arriving !
i'm so excited.
the first blooms of the year, and they appear as though they're going to put on a grand show this year. i can hardly wait.
over the last 2 years, i've been building a little english garden in my front yard. it's taken a lot of time and a lot of dollars, but it's becoming quite worth it. i wish i could spend more time out here on the porch, but the little bits i do get, i cherish.
blessings, jill
hello friends -
it's time for another 'come play' event, and this one is sure to be fun too ! for all of the details, head on over to our Come Play blog and let emily or i know if you have any questions.
the main things to know about this event, is that there is no 'planned' project or kit that goes with the day - yep, i said day ! 12 hours of cropping or sewing or crafting or glueing plus eating and chatting and laughing and. . .well, you get the idea.
the boutique will be open in the garage for a chance to shop. we'll have antiques, garden treasures, ephemera packs, vintage wallpaper packs, ribbon and lace, plus all sorts of scrapbooking supplies. with registration for the crop, you'll receive early entrance into the boutique prior to it opening to the public.
here is a photo of a new display shelf i purchased at an estate sale a few weeks ago, along with a few of the treasures that will be for sale.
that little pink chair is adorable and i am loving vintage jewelry boxes these days.
in fact, i spent most of last weekend re-organizing some of the shelves in my studio - taking supplies out of glass jars and putting them in cream jewelry boxes. here is a photo (these cream ones won't be for sale)
well, hop on over to the come play blog and sign up ! we can't wait to see you.
(typepad is playing with my sanity - it won't center the first part, or the photo. in addition, the font spacing is off - sorry about that !)
to honor my mom, even though she's not with us today, i would like to share this tribute i wrote for her back in 1996. this was prompted by a great book called 'The Tribute', by Dennis Rainey. according to Dennis, it's 'what every parent longs to hear'. and i would agree.
(Dennis and his wife Barbara are co-founders of Family Life Ministries.)
so here's to you mom. i love you. thank you isn't' enough i'm sure that the announcement that you were going to have a baby in 1965 was a real shocker. i am so thankful that you made a choice 31 years ago to bring a new life into this world. It couldn't have been easy, especially with three teenagers and a full time job. the direction, guidance and support you have given me in life has molded me into a woman who is proud to be a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I am proud and honored to be your daughter. thank you mom for the gift of life. there are things you taught me and times we spent together that i will never forget. i remember every day after school i had to call you to tell you i was home safe. back then I thought it was a real pain, but now i ow it was because you loved me so much and wanted to make sure i was okay. tank you mom for teaching me accountability. sturday mornings are clear in my mind growing up on i'll never forget the countless times you had friends over to the house to play bridge or bunco. thank you for letting me serve coffee and cake. when i was younger, i was always sure you and dad never saw me hiding around the corner int he dining room in my pajamas enjoying the warmth of the heater. the laughter that came from the living room told me it was good to have friends and people who cared about you. thank you mom for inviting others into our home. i was introduced to many beautiful people i will never forget. Thank you for exemplifying to me the gift of hospitality. there are so many other memories that flood my mind. . . . the best creamed tuna on toast . . . pin curls and rags after my Saturday bath for church the next morning . . . Lipton tea with cream and sugar - not only when i was sick, but just because . . . the cinnamon toast that always accompanied the tea . . . countless hours of playing Bingo together, holding our breath in hopes that our number would be next . . . pulling the security money and bait at the bank you worked for and the police coming . . . riding the bus to work together . . . taking in my precious Lady Ashley and loving her so much that you would hide her from the landlord. . . trusting me as a young adult to make the right decisions with my friends. . .and especially loving me enough to let your baby leave the nest and move to another state to attend college. thank you isn't enough to express the gratitude i have to you for molding me and loving me. until I had the beautiful experience of having my own children to watch grow and become their own individual selves, i didn't fully understand all of the unconditional love and unselfishness it took to be a parent. i look back on my childhood and smile. for the memories that come to mind are good ones. ones i will cherish forever. thank you mom jill happy mothers day
part of my ‘real’ job where I work is to find quotes that are appropriate for sharing with the public so they will print on the receipts given to clients.
Every so often, my supervisor will send me one that she has found that would be good.
today she sent me this one.
"Life is too short to waste.
Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action."
David J. Schwartz
American Trainer, Author of "The Magic of Thinking Big"
She said no, but laughed back because she knows me all too well.
You see, I have this dream.
(lots of them in fact)
to start an etsy store
to sell vintage wallpaper
and ephemera
and buttons
and kits
and journals made from ephemera
and vintage game pieces / sets
and vintage letters
and journal pages
and books
and vintage jewelry
and
and
and
and the crazier part ?
I have all of the above. . .and so much more.
my garage is filled with boxes full of potential gems for others to purchase.
I am one of those people who see something either collaged or painted or sewn or whatever and say to myself ‘I can do that – and sell it too’.
so then I go thrifting
and find all of the elements and pieces and supplies
and then they find their way in a box
in the garage
by category and sometimes even color
and then they sit
unpackaged
unassembled
and as my husband would say,
unnecessary
so, as you can see, I have definatley ‘planned to take action’, as the quote says.
but have I taken any action ?
just a little
but certainly not to the full potential waiting for me.
so,
what’s holding me back ?
that’s easy.
fear of failure
because if I fail
you won’t like me anymore
crazy, i know
but true.
i'm learning
and growing
and it's a process
and it's hard
i love this guy. i hope he knows how much.
tonight, while I'm pondering the next dose of aleve to help the pain of some dental work today, he's taken our girl to youth group. of course the added bonus is that he gets to hang out at the book store while he waits, but I'm sure he doesn't mind.
here's to being in love.
for a long time now, I've spoken of Artfest. the trades, the friends, dorm 202, etc. so here it is - get ready for some fun stories and posts. I was gone for 7 days, so my intention is to post 7 times, describing each day. . . .warning - you may want to grab a cup of coffee or something to keep you awake while reading these looooooonnnnnnnnnnng posts. . . .
Day one - Monday.
Back when i registered for AF in September, my original plan was: the week of AF, leave on Tuesday, stop at thrift stores along the way and then stop in Olympia and spend the night with my sister Jackie. Then on Wednesday, I'd get up, have coffee with her and head up north another hour or so and get to the fort a bit early. maybe even in time to tour downtown port townsend. well, that was squelched when the sister i love moved even further north to Mt Vernon. Hmmmm, I wonder if she has any friends I could stay with. . . .i wasn't too worried. if nothing else i could drive at least to portland and maybe stay with friends or relatives.
but then i had an idea. . .my best friend from high school had moved back to the northwest from Texas so maybe i'll call her. that would have been great if i had her phone number. then another idea. facebook. i'm sure she's there. nope. (c'mon Cathy - get on facebook already !) my brain was on overload with ideas. she has children. certainly they'd be on facebook. BINGO ! I messaged her oldest daughter, hoping she'd remember me - she did - and i obtained her #. yipee.
long story short - we connected, made plans, and I was set to spend 2 nights with her before heading to AF. (i left a day earlier so i could visit with her longer :)
so Monday morning, after running all over town getting last minute things done (cookie money deposit, drop off altered book to next participant, get gas, cash check, etc, etc) i headed off. Of course my first stop was only 1 hour north on the freeway. remember it from last years post ? the goodwill by the pound. (otherwise known as the 'outlet') here i found a fun red childrens rocking chair to re-sell, some books and a few other odds and ends. then up to portland. lots of stops there. first off, a thrift store that benefits veterans. found some brand new pillows, a skirt for me, some vintage jewelry boxes to re-sell, a bark cloth table runner, and again, other odds and ends. needless to say, I stopped at two other stores before heading back on the freeway. oh and i found a huge unopened vintage roll of wallpaper - yummy cream and white with an embossed design and sparkles!
next stop, Olympia to visit a few stores in search of a crown stamp. i stopped at two stores before one of them said ' I bet terri at Scarlet Impress has one. it's her specialty. problem was, it was 5:55 and she closed at 6:00. Imagine my delight when the other store employee called her and she agreed to stay open for me. (did anyone notice it was 6 pm ? Late, I know - i told you i love stopping at thrift stores!) I raced downtown and power shopped. found two wonderful stamps and i was on my way. BTW - amazing store. I wish i had another hour to spend time looking around. if you're even in Olympia, you must stop by. and at Sharin' Memories - the store that called. now that is great customer service ! by now Cathy has called and wondered where in the world i am. Certainly if I left my house at . .ahem. . 11:00 am, i should be there by now. I told her i was about an hour away and I promised i wouldn't stop anywhere else. (although if the mausoleum where moms niche is was open, I would have stopped there).
I arrive safe and sound to Cathy's house and I am greeted by one of the best things in the world. a huge hug from your best friend. it was like we'd just seen each other last week. then i met 3 of her 5 wonderful children. what a delight it was to be in her home.
although this photo was taken the next day, i can't wait to show you this amazing woman in my life.
there are so many reasons why i love her. we met back in Jr. High (or middle school, as it's called here now) in band class. we both played the flute - and she much better than i. we bonded immediately, and a great friendship began. i was telling her how unlikely it was though and how God must have had His hand in it. She is (and was) a beautiful blonde with an amazing figure. a personality that shines and the best sense of humor (except when she thought it would be funny to dare me to eat a pickled jalepeno pepper - another story in itself that we still laugh about to this day). and then me. Not blonde,( at least not then - amazing what a good weave can do) not thin, and not popular, by the great school standards. She later became a cheerleader and my cheering was limited to the stands. (but i was good :) ) i think you know what i mean.
i just love how 30 years later (yikes) we are still best friends. talking. laughing. crying. all the things that best friends do.
Here is a picture from her wedding in 1983. we'd just graduated from high school 6 months earlier. Cathy has 3 sisters, and many friends. i was priviledged enough to be her maid of honor. She was 19 and i was 18. aren't we cute ?
and here is a picture from my wedding in 1992. she was my matron of honor as well. by now, we are both 27 (we're the same age for 8 months out of the year) and i think we're still cute.
i just noticed that we're always on the same side of each other. and i apologize for the photos of the photos not being real great. i'm looking into getting a scanner !
we spend the evening talking and catching up and planning the next day.
so good night for now - I know, not much about AF exactly, but this is a journey . . .remember ?
many blessings to you all - love, jill
i know, i still need to post about Artfest and the wonderful people and classes projects and scenery and friends along the way, but i just can't wait to share with you what i found on tuesday during my lunch hour.
can you tell what it is ?
if you've been shopping with me before at antique stores, or vintage book stores, you know that for at least a year I have been on the hunt for a ledger book. you know, the kind with the wonderful store entries from time gone by. the kind with the penmanship so beautiful you want to know the person (and the teacher) who penned such words. the kind that 'talks to you' with what is written on each page.
well, on tuesday, my dreams came true. i was determined to visit a thrift store and antique store during my lunch hour - i had two quarters for the parking meter which meant 40 minutes. 20 minutes in each store. i love the little thrift store that helps provide school supplies to local children in need (I'm sure they do much more). they are not open on Monday, and tuesdays is the best day to go because all of the new merchandise is out. i also love the way they pick a theme each week and have those items out on the tables in the front of the store. this week is was office supplies. i managed to pick up a few things for a couple of dollars.
then i walked over to the antique store - checked the meter on my way in and i had 22 minutes. this is my favorite store to find ephemera and little bits and bobbles. i stopped at the owners booth and found a lovely sign - 'postcards in this bin - 25 cents each'. i was able to find about 6 dollars worth. i knew i had a few more minutes, so i started heading back into a part of their store they call 'the annex' . imagine my delight when towards the back of the store, I found my new treasure sitting low on a table. a page was open and i had to catch my breath when i saw it. at first i thought it was an old scrapbook with vintage post cards and advertisements glued in. this in itself would have been wonderful
but upon further investigation, i found the writing.
the words. Dr. John Ritchie
the date. 1853
i turned the pages and found many of them covered with ephemera, including many newspaper clippings.
but then, there in the middle, i found these
pages that were not glued on. written on by a youngster in pencil, but nothing else. just sweet words and writing
9 yds prints $1.08
spelling book 10 cents
12 lbs sugar $1.00
2 whistles 2 cents
and even better ? something i'd never seen before. the actual paper is a wonderful soft blue.
but now my predicament. how to take off the ephemera without harming either the ledger paper or the cards ?
i tried a bit of un-do and let me tell you - it sort of worked. but i think the person who adhered these little treasures into the book used industrial strength glue. it's not budging much. plus, it totally destroyed the piece of ephemera i was trying to remove. (I chose a piece that was plain to test it on)
is there anyone out there that has any suggestions ? I'd love to hear / try them. i searched on-line and found a great tutorial on soaking the pages in hot, hot water with a bit of antibacterial dish soap until the glue disolves. i'm willing to try, but i would much rather leave the book in tact if possible. but maybe it's just not possible.
well, thanks for sticking with me and my little story.
this weekend is pretty full of events, but hopefully I'll find little pockets of time to update my Artfest experience.
many blessings, jill
