...S'MORE fuel.

I am smitten by 'creating' with 'Found' objects!

With the weather Finally warming a 'bit', my latest obsession is...

DRIFTWOOD.

There are So many beauties of Driftwood (besides it's naturally wondrous beauty and characteristics)....

Starting with the scenic locale's that you MUST go 'in search of'.

...and the Fun Cafe's you find (in search of Java & RestRooms!!)

~there is always the added Bonus of alternative finds (BEACH GLASS!!)

Some alternative finds, however do not come home! 

NOTE TO SELF: look more closely at that COOL piece of 'driftwood' before reaching for it - teeth and 'eye balls' are a NO! 

Nautical inspired vase

Sandpail - Driftwood PENDANT display
w/ pottery bowl for holding packaged units!

 While out combing the serene water shores that are 'Pre Season', there is much time for meditation and inspiration can strike at ANY TIME!


Driftwood stores Beautifully, and when you tire of working with it, the disposal of excess supplies is FUN and THRIFTY too...

Campfire!

ie: S'more Fuel!!

Do not fear - I have not forsaken my love of ...

PLARN!

(ie: recycled plastic bags)

~OR~

BUTTONS!

~OR~ 

BAKING!
(Easter Pie!!)

~OR~

STUFF.  

But lately our main source of 'stuff' is our Attic inventory!!

???  Does Anybody know anything about these old Woolworth tags or WilliamSonoma mini copper molds:????

 Hope you all enjoy your day, however you choose to spend it!!

...warm fuzzy for a COLD Thursday!

Some days it's just all about THE JOURNEY!

A couple of weeks ago I went to my Parents' for a visit.

They had a couple of trash bags sitting inside their entrance, waiting to be put out for the morning garbage pick-up.  Next to the pile was THIS box for disposal...

The Parents are starting to clean some 'junk' out of the basement.  This reel-to-reel had been my Grandfather's, purchased in the late 60's, and I don't think it has seen the light-of-day since shortly after purchase! (My parents now reside in my Grandparent's home!)

I'm NOT an electronics person, but I threw it in the Subaru to take home for J to inspect...

A couple of days later we pulled it out for inspection...

 EVERYTHING was pristine, albeit musty with a stash of Corroded batteries, that LUCKILY had been stored outside of the machine!

 Plugged it in.

It ran.

Though we could make it produce no sound.

 Even with the aide of the original instructions...

no luck.

J said 'toss it'!

I just couldn't do that, so we photographed it,

 and listed it 'FOR PARTS' on Ebay.

IT SOLD!

We included a note to the New Owner, that if he found anything legible on the tape, we would be VERY interested in paying him for a CD copy of it!

 After all fees, we netted less than $5 on this transaction.  BUT, it is one less thing in a LandFill and after receiving this note today, it was SO WORTHWHILE!!

Good morning,
I've had my eye on this model for years and now that I've added it to my collection, it doesn't disappoint. Sorry to say I did not find any voice recordings that might be of family value. The tape was set up on side 2 and was blank with nothing recorded on it. What you reported as the sound being illegible was actually print through from side 1 overlapping into side 2 and playing very indistinctly, backwards. I played it from end to end, and then flipped the reels over to side 1, which is where Sue's grandfather had recordings of Chicago, The Rolling Stones and other rock music for about a half hour which I don't plan to erase -- it took me back to my high school days. The sound was deep and rich and right on pitch. The machine is in gorgeous, like new condition, and even the tape reels are the vintage ones Aiwa included as part of the original package -- I greatly admire their design. I grew up with reel to reel, and am a very passionate collector. As you can tell, I feel I hit the mother lode. Pardon my geeking out, and thank you again for the great transaction. 

                          SCORE one more for 'LastChance'!!

...What good IS sitting alone in your room??

It seems I'm always 'Late coming to the party', and I've just heard this CABARET song for the First time - Just.Wow.  Hope you enjoy.

...BAH HUM BUG!

Just.NOT.right.

BAH! HUMBUG!

~OOPS~

I mean...

 HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!

~or if YOU prefer~

HAPPY DAYTONA WEEK!

(yes... NASCAR is upon us again...)

Not much thrifting / saling of any sort happening in these parts.  So how are we spending our time?

CREATING with BEADS & WIRE

BAKING

...and our newest 'commisioned' works...

 Still playing around with proportions and tweaking more 'bits'...  Will have LOTS more to show you soon!

 (IF I don't get struck down by lightening!! ha,ha)

Be Well.

Stay Warm.

&

Love the one your With!!

...wing-butted Cocktail Servers??!!

'Gems' like this are what keep this whole 'stuff-game' FUN!!

Just when you think you can 'dig' / 'sort' "NO.MORE!"  It helps to find a little 'nugget' like this at the bottom of a box!

'designs'

by: Frederick J. Garner

Kinda 'un-assuming', but cool Deco graphics on the cover, so I flipped through it...

Okay, you've got your retro cat staring inquisitively at the Naked lady sniffing Posies...

Very Nice traditional Deco/Nouveau designs...

How many of these designs have YOU come across in your huntings??

Okay, by now I was smitten!

The MERMAIDS!
The SWAN with the Full Moon Backdrop!

FISHIES and LOBSTERS - be still my heart!!

and Children's graphics...

BUT WAIT!
All is NOT 'G-RATED'!!

The last few pages held the....
WING-BUTTED COCKTAIL SERVER
Designs!

As the song says...
HOW BIZARRE?
HOW BIZARRE!!

 Don't be looking for this 'IDEA' book to be in any of our shops any time soon...

...because as the cover permits ~

It was made for ME - to trace & copy,
so I would hate to disappoint!!

...BE WELL.

    In keeping with the HAT PURGE, we wanted to put some of them in our booth at MK, but floundered at a Good-Unique-EyeCatching way to Display...

  We let the idea mull, and continued sorting the "Last Chance" load of boxes that we had not completely sorted yet.  Box after Box of Fancy Glassware (Have I ever mentioned that I really DON'T enjoy Glassware?  Well, I don't.)   A few of the boxes (much more interesting to me!!) were F.U.L.L. of art supplies.  Probably close to 200 well-loved artists brushes, pallets, canvas...

  THEN IDEA STRUCK!

 A 'Hall-tree' of sorts...

With a bit of a twist!

In 'use' at MK!

 Our latest 'creation' is a bit of a tribute

 to my dear friend ~ 'B'.

She was a very dear Lady, who led a long, intriguing life - FULL of her artwork and Ideas.  She lost her battle almost two years ago, but her spirit stays strong.  The carloads of boxes that we have sorting were hers - 'stuff' whose stories are lost, but soul remains.

NOW, onto 2016
Feeling the 'power' of 'possibilities' that a "Fresh.New.Year" presents us with...

Our 'ADIOS' to 2015!

Trying to clear out and make room for some more at GAC!

Our 'upgraded' locale at MK
(We are now in the BRIGHTER aqua area - directly across from the register,
PREVIOUSLY: waaaay in the back, past the dark purple divider...)

Now, for a quick tour of 'what's New'...







SEAGLASS on Watercolor!

Remember doing 'string art' when you were in Grade School?

Loving the 'Pink Button' Thing!!

 ...UNTIL NEXT TIME...

"BE WELL."

~B.