Announcement: Thanks-giveaway Winner!

The winner of my handpainted sparrow on scrabble piece is:

 

#4 ------trash talk ------ Miss Debbie herself!

 

She left this comment:

A little birdie told me I really should stop by this morning and boy howdy...I'm sure glad I did. How precious is this and how generous!
If I were so lucky...I would add it to my 2Chippys necklace....that's what I would do if I were so lucky...hint, hint!
Debbie
P.S. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Well now, thanks, Miss Debbie, and if by some small chance there is a blogger out there who has not heard of her (or Cat Daddy), let me tell you what.  You should immediately go and check out her blog, Talking Trash.  And you should spend awhile there because you will not be disappointed….Deb is D-lightfully D-vine!  I want to meet her in person someday and I hope she will show me her 2 Chippys necklace!  Congratulations, Debbie!  I hope you like your sparrow!

Technorati Tags: handpainted scrabble piece,sparrow art,Talking Trash,2 Chippys,handpainted bird

Giveaway Reminder!

 

I have been enjoying a family gathering in Fredericksburg and I know you have all been busy with Thanksgiving, but the deadline is approaching for my giveaway. 

Check it out here, but please continue to have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Technorati Tags: scrabble necklace,scrabble art,bird necklace,sparrow art,giveaway

Thanks-giveaway!

 

I think it is about time for a giveaway from me to you.

Not because I have written 100 posts.  I don’t know how many posts I have written. 

Not because I have 100 followers.  I haven’t looked today to see how many followers (you know it can change daily + or –).

Not because it is your birthday.  Or is it?

So, why a giveaway now?

Just because…..

 

 

I’m giving away one of my original designs--this handpainted sparrow on a scrabble game piece. 

If you have too much stuff, I promise it won’t take up too much room.  You can choose to wear it as a necklace and it will come with the chain. 

Or, I will send it to you in a tiny frame similar to these.

 

  

Or, you can come up with your own ideas. 

For example, you can display it like the domino I painted (similar sparrow) and put in a pocketwatch display. (Sorry, this one sold and I don’t have anymore of these pocketwatch displays, but you could use perhaps a small cloche if you have one).

Anyway, you get the idea.  I’m anxious to see what you clever and creative people do! 

So, to enter, you must be a follower of mine and leave a comment saying that you are a follower of mine.

For another chance, just leave a comment on this post and tell me what you would do with the scrabble piece.   Be nice.

For another chance, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment here telling me you did.  Sorry I don’t have a button.

For another chance, twitter about this giveaway and leave a comment here and tell me you did.

 

This giveaway will close at midnight CST on Sunday, November 26, 2010 and I will announce the winner on Monday, November 27th.

It’s art.  It’s scrabble.  It’s aviary.

I promise it won’t take up too much room.

 

 

Technorati Tags: handpainted scrabble piece,handpainted domino pendant,handpainted sparrow,sparrow art,scrabble art,domino art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it trumeau? Heck, No.

For a long time now, I have wanted a trumeau mirror. I thought just the word “trumeau” looked and sounded fancy. I also was somewhat confused about its definition. Architecturally, it seems that it is a section of a wall or pillar between two openings. It seems that the French or maybe some other Europeans long ago made mirrors out of these pieces of architecture. So a trumeau mirror has a painted or carved panel above or below the glass in the same frame. That is from the dictionary. They can be pretty pricey, let me tell you. Even the reproductions. And when it says trumeaux, it is even pricier (because that is the plural spelling)! Ha! Being the kind of person that I am (frugal, thrifty, conservative) o.k., cheap, I knew it was not in my future to own one. So when I bought this mirror

from a hotel liquidator, I had a plan in mind. It supposedly came from The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. That’s a story in itself. It was obviously attached to a dresser or something. I thought it looked pretty as it was, but I could not get these off my mind:

Sorry, I don’t have the credits for the above.

Still no credits.

No credits.

Ah, credits. Lars Bolander.

Leonards.

Image via Cote de Texas.

Wisteria.

Back to no credits. Just photos in my files.

Newel Antiques.

Inessa Stewart. Big $$$$. Even the camera was shaking.

(It’s scary, isn’t it, when you have to inquire just to get a price on something.)

So, of course, I did what I always do….I painted.

It’s not easy being cheap. At the price I paid, I guess it would be spelled “ troo-mo meer.”

Linking with:

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Fabulous Friday Finds at Frou Frou Decor

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Technorati Tags: trumeau mirror,antique French trumeau mirror,Cote de Texas,The Venetian Hotel,painting trumeau mirrors,Leonards,Legacy Antiques,Wisteria

Hey Now, Brown (and White) Cow

 

 

Though they are all just a little bit different in personality, I have painted several of these brown (and white) cows in all different sizes, from scrabble piece size to this one that is 40” tall.  This one I painted just for me to keep and it was beggin’ for a frame.  I bought this fancy old one and painted it white and, even though some of the wooden appliques had broken off, I think it worked out pretty well.  She now has a place to hang in a corner between my family room and kitchen.  I was hoping it would help make me a vegetarian. 

I want to link (just this white part) with White Wednesday over at Kathleen’s Faded Charm. Thanks for always being a super gracious hostess, Kathleen!

 

Technorati Tags: cow art,cow painting,painted scrabble pieces,painted antique frame

Ah, Remembrances….

 

We all do it, don’t we?  We suddenly see something in an antique store that catches our attention in a way that immediately transports us to another place and time. 

Recently, while I was visiting The Antique Company Mall in McKinney, Texas, I saw this little sign perched atop a shelf in Ella Elaine’s booth.  Actually Ms. Ella Elaine herself, Nancy, was there and I enjoyed a visit with her.  She is so pretty and delightful and you will LOVE her stuff.  You must visit her on her blog.  Also I hear her husband (Mr. Ella) now has a booth at The Antique Company Mall and it looks great too!  How fun is that!

Now, back to memories, one of the very few happy moments of my childhood was traveling with my mother on Saturdays to “town” (Corsicana, Texas) to the grocery store and laundromat.  We didn’t get many treats back then, but sometimes we would also visit the Five and Dimes, Woolworth’s and McLellan’s.  McLellan’s was my favorite since it had a little snack bar (drug store style) in the back and the best hamburgers IN ALL THE WORLD served with potato chips and chipped ice Coke.

When I saw that little sign in Ella Elaine’s, I immediately thought of my sweet mother.  She died when I was 26 and my daughter was 3 months old.  That was 30 years ago this month.  So, thanks to Ms. Ella Elaine,  I brought the little sign home and framed it and every time I look at it, I think of those happy times….and I can almost taste those hamburgers!

Today, I want to link with Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday.  Come with me and check out memories there too!

A Wicked Good Halloween

 

I certainly hope you all had a wicked good Halloween.  Here is mine in a few photos.

 

The babygrands tricked and treated.

Caroline as Princess Leia.  She was serious about it.

 

 

Reid as his usual self--entertaining as a clown.  This time with the help of clothing.

 

Mom and Dad helping a little.

 

I was so busy trying to take photos.  But I did get to sneak a little of their candy.

I did not dress up.

But a few of my characters around the house were “subtly” in the spirit.

 

Horse donned a Batman mask.

Ballerina “stole” a cape.

(By the way, I purchased this ballerina from a charity thrift store in Austin, Texas.  It looks like it might have been attached to a staircase or something with screws.  Marked Austin Products.)

 

 Shakespeare…or somebody.

 

Edgar Allen Poe was hiding on Bust as The Raven Quoth Below.

 

 

 

 

 

The domino blackbird was just hangin’ out.  There are lots of blackbirds ‘round here. 

 

Rembrandt lady was rockin’ in my black cat domino pendant.

 

Fancy lady in fancy witch’s hat.

Shhhh.  Don’t tell anyone but I haven’t unpacked the construction paper etc., so I just used a wrapper off a City Roast coffee package that I brought home from my last hotel visit. 

See.

Maybe I’ll have decorations unpacked by next Halloween.

Technorati Tags: handpainted domino pendants,Halloween decorations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Pumpkins….Revisited

I haven’t completely lost my marbles. I know I posted this same photo of white pumpkins last year. But it is nearing Halloween and Thanksgiving and I guess I haven’t unpacked the box that has my white pumpkins in it.

I mean, how often do you need white pumpkins? I still love a white palette, so I guess once per year. I made these about 14 years ago and they still work pretty well. And they are very inexpensive and easy to make.

Actually, I have another reason for reposting about these. I ran across a blog recently that gives instructions for making these pumpkins out of dryer duct. Mine are so old that it was before they were made out of a silver foil product. But anyway, you get the idea. I couldn’t have described it better myself, so I’ll let Kaysi of Keeping it Simple show you how. Instead of painting them orange, I just painted them white and used silk leaves. Thanks, Kaysi!

Today I'd like to link with White Wednesday. Please join me at Kathleen's Faded Charm!

Technorati Tags: white pumpkins,pumpkins made out of dryer ducts,Keeping It Simple

Frisco Mercantile Event Tomorrow October 23, 2010

 

 

It only happens twice in a year, so tomorrow is a big deal in Frisco, Texas at Frisco Mercantile.

Storewide Sale 12:00 – 4:00 !  This place is huge and there is something for everyone—so, if that doesn’t, as they say, “light your fire”, maybe your wood’s wet!

Personally, my experiences selling here have been WONDERFUL!  (I have bought a few things too)

You can check out their website, but here are a few photos of my own:

You are welcomed by this wonderful Halloween display.

 

The Recycle Goddess herself, Suzy Borg!  Alas, she will not be in attendance since she is relocating to St. Louis.  I will miss her.  As she said, we are kindred spirits.  I believe we are (except SHE is young and gorgeous)! 

Wish I had pictures of more of her wonderful redos.

Here she is with one of her wall pieces (industrial meets floral).  Do you see what the stem is made out of?  An old level. 

 

Below are just a few random photos of some of the many suites and boutiques in Frisco Mercantile.

 

 

I want this huge antique game board for my game room!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a small sampling.  See anything you like?

Technorati Tags: Frisco Mercantile,Recycle Goddess,antiques,antique game board,antique statues,santos,industrial art