Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween........we will be back on line soon.

What to do during big rains.....

I brought along my colored pencils in case boredom from this beautiful island was to set in. Well boredom from rain in the afternoon and the last two evenings drove me to it. I decided on a Ann Kulberg pattern. I love this womans work and her designs. I only am in the frist 1/3 of the picture in the current picture. Lots of layers to go from here. I still have some smoothing out of the background too. Just thought you all might like to know what I have been doing. Hugs, Marcia

Tuesday at Hilton Head SC

This morning brought lots of grey clouds and 68 degrees, so my husband and I decided to go exploring. We went to the Sea Pines Preserve and looked at the fabulous homes and golf courses, saw some beautiful waterways and then found the Preserve.

John read we might find a gator or two, but of course I didn't pay any attention. I also at this time never gave snakes a thought either. So off we treked and took one of the easier trails. I thought this is great......nice paved bike trails and sidewalks. After all this was a very well off area of the Island. That trail ran out fast after the first turn and then turned into a normal pine forest type dirt road. Darn.....well no bugs so all was well.

John found the wooden walk way through the rice bogs and off we went across. We kept looking in the the water when we could see it and would stop and look. John was all happy to find turtles.....meanwhile I spotted eyes that spotted me!!!!! Yup....a gator! NO, wait, two of them......well I guess my shriek might have scared them as they backed up and

sunk into the mud. After standing there and looking I spotted a larger one. I gave John the camera as I was on the phone....LOL, not many bar areas here on the island so you talk when you can find the signals. LOL, wouldn't you know my batteries were dead! So I dug through my purse and found some more and then we were able to take the pictures. After this we continued the walk, but bugs were beating the bushes or whatever their communication system was "fresh meat"! So we hurried along and were at the last stop and the sign was all on snakes! Copper Heads, Ribbons, Black, among the few I remembered my husband reading.....you see I was on a dead fast walk to the parking lot! It was time to head home to the very safe condo. I think I will contain my exploring to shopping, my sister in law told me she found a clothing only Tuesday Morning store, that had shoes and more shoes....also my very favorite Skeechers.

In the middle picture you can see the one gator, in the bottom you can see the smaller one that came up along the larger behind him. Hugs, Marcia

Greetings from Hilton Head Island, SC. Its been a wonderful Mothers Day. A great vacation started once we got through the Carolina's and the horrid rain storms and
somewhere thru there was a tornado too. We came through on Friday afternoon, just when it all let loose.

This is our third year coming here to the island with my husbands brother Bob and his wife Johanna. They have been coming for at least 24 years. Once here the weather has been very cooperative. We hit the beach for the morning, come up for lunch......they go back down after lunch, but our tender skin is not ready for 8 hours of beach yet. So off we went Saturday and hit my very favorite thrift store. St Francis.... found lots of goodies of course. Some silver baskets to be converted to "egg baskets", some pieces to my Phaltzgraff dinnerware.....12 pieces for 3.50....what a buy. Couple other odds and ends to paint too. Tomorrow we have several more to cover. Will save others for later in the week. Ok, I will take more pictures and continue to update you on our vacation.
Hugs, Marcia

Way Way Overdue....Starting NEW!

Way over due is a very mild way of putting it. Sooooo......I am just starting new. A lot has happened since my last posting. Surgery, down time, laptop problems, now a new laptop, so new laptop problems. I could go on, but I am sure you all have the picture by now. In all this Vickye and I left the flea market arena. We hated to go as we both had made some wonderful friends and will be sure to go to visit every chance we can. Out of these couple of fun but very poor sales months, we made friends with a sweet couple of girls and their families. The same weekend we pulled out so did they. While we finished out the weekend our brains and mouths were non stop Sheila and Deirdre about their opening a shop. By Sunday at business close, Sheila had rounded up a nice building on a very busy main street and rented it. Soon, plans were in place and I got to help in the starting of their business known as Willow Tree. I had a barn full of old tables and chairs, plus a few other things and these were to be used as props for displaying merchandise. They girls painted nonstop for 14 hours for the first couple days to get this shop on the go to open. With hardly any sleep these two along with husbands, and assorted family
members managed to get this shop opened last Friday in a total of 7 days. So far without benefit of advertising it is showing to be very much a success.

I will have my painted items in there, but will be painting more towards the prim side of what I do for the shop. I will still continue to do all the styles I love also. They shop has an assortment of primitive styles so everything fits together nicely.

I will continue to update you and post pictures that I have taken during this transformation of a doctors office, so stay posted.
Hugs, Marcia

Woodland Santa Class

These are some of my good friends from the SDP chapter I belong to in Charleston WV. We did this class last Saturday with Dottie, in red closest to the right. The next person is Doris my good friend whom I paint with, is holding both her Santa all in green and black on the left and mine on the right in a grey vest and red scarf. We still have a lot of work left on them. The are made to look like the victorian one that appeared in Harpers Bazar magazine in the mid 1800's. They will have burlap bags with fruit and nuts, lots of small items and a very small decorated tree in one hand. The face has been hand made and painted, then covered with the lambs wool. It was such a wonderful class and every one did a great job.

My new Find

I was lucky enough to find this wonderful double school desk. Its made for a smaller child and never been painted. It was brought in by one of the people where I have my little shop at. They have a large sized child double one now with the ink well that has a sliding closure on it.


They also brought in some desk tops and the top piece of wood that went across the back of the desks. I am planning on making some wonderful antique checkerboards on a few and maybe even a blackboard too.

New Shop

Well my girlfriend and I decided to take the plunge even with this economy and set up a small shop in a new venture called Trader Bills. Its actually an upscale flea market with seperate little shops. They have really built a beautiful building and a great roofed area for outside vendors. The main building that holds about 24 booths is all filled and they are adding 4 very large areas

for larger vendors such as one coming in with fruits and veggies. 1st picture shows the booth with the carpet and drapes and all the set up ready for merchandise. The second picture is of my friend Vicki setting at our desk. I paint there and have wonderful lighting with the window behind me. The black armoire is for her jewerly. The last picture is of me......sigh, was not a great picture but will have to do for now. I will post more pictures as we take them. Hugs, Marcia

Spring is in the AIr!!!!!

There is a real good chance that spring is in the air here in NE Kentucky.....Its 78 degrees today, although it will be much cooler this weekend. I have lots of fresh green leaves pusing their little head up in my little flower garden. These are my winter pansies....they are all happy because of the warm weather.
Hugs, Marcia

Saturday's Chapter Class

What a wonderful day my good friend Doris and I had near Teays Valley, WV. It was our Society Chapter meeting. Dottie Kuhl was teaching one of her fabulous gourd ornaments. The meeting was held at a really nice Lions Clubhouse on the Kanawaha River bank. They are considering it for a summer picnic meeting. Great views. The class was terrific. The unfinished gourd was glued to a long thin wood spindle used for thread in factories. We used rubber type push molds for the face part of it, then did the embellishing of extending the hat, adding more side hair, and for doing the fur at the top of the head. Mine has to be antiqued to tone down the way over bright look of it yet. I will be sure to show it to all when complete. Just had to tell you about my great day.
Hugs, Marcia

Start Over's.......

I am so far behind on Blogger that I just need "start overs"! This is how far I have gotten on my bathroom. I had to take it in low light as the stripes jump out at you if I don't. The umbrella idea had me pulling a few hairs out of my head, but finally I stumbled, and I really mean stumbled over a box of these umbrellas a young man was unpacking in the new seasonal isles of Hobby Lobby. Here I went on a hunt for everything from a small child's umbrella to a party shower honeycombed type of one. Couldn't find a single one. Well these were perfect as the inner bamboo workings were very easy to cut with scissors. I got it to the size I wanted, then took the sticks and glued them into place inside to form how I wanted it on the wall. Now to cover it with the shower curtain fabric. You can see the fabric in the mirror along with an unfinished corner cabinet to hold the guest towels. I am now on a different style of curtain completely.....so not sure what the window will end up with yet.
Hugs, Marcia

OH MY!!! Its Wednesday already!

Sigh, is this week ever going fast. Had doctor appts yesterday and another tomorrow. Really messes with a persons day when we have them. These were appts that were to be last week during the ice storm. We are getting snow again.....LOL. Almost 60 degress on Sunday and now snow again. I have half the bathroom stripped. I hated the first faux metallic I bought at Lowes. So went on a hunt Monday and found one at Home Depot. Ended up with Ralph Lauren Candle Light. Of course one has to buy the roller so it will turn out like the sample and the video we were sort of forced to watch.....LOL. Salesman was so proud he could show us how to use the video player. He watched it right there with us, so no sneaking away. I am very pleased with how its turning out. Now that the lights are back up, I think we need to change them. So its going to be a hunt till I like it. In between I have finished painting the three guys on the stool. Its background work and the bottom to finish up. I have the two other childs chairs about half done also. I have a really neat project to start after these three items. I think it will paint up fast too.
Mushy Hugs

Monday Morning Musings

Hubby finished putting two coats of paint on for me last night. Not sure where I am going to go with this now. I think possibly satin stripe it. I love that look without having to mess with wall paper. LOL, I know that will be my part of the wall painting. John is the painter and the super wall paperier but not really into the faux part. It is bright if I leave it this way. It will be a real eye opener for any guests we have. I have the curtains, towels and items for this bath all set to go too. So far thats it for today. We're supposed to get some more snow but they have cancelled the storm warnings for our area. It almost hit 60 yesterday so we lost about half of the snow and all the ice on the trees.
Mushy Hugs

Addition to Sunday Morning

This is Madison, we call her Maddie, She is the lover, the cuddler a real sweetie if there ever was one. She is just like her grandmother, hefty, or should I say on the "fluffy side". Madison is a Diva. Her wardrobe is extensive. All three have cute clothes of which they all wear, but Maddie just loves all her "outfits". She lookes so cute in her sundresses or hoddies. Lots of fun to buy for her. Maddie loves her food, but also likes to save and savor it in front of the boys! She knows just how to wrap herself around your heart. A real lover for sure.

This is Brinkly the first of the herd. He is tiny, but don't tell him that, he doesn't know it. He has the "little guy" syndrome. Nothing gets in his way, well a cardboard box will, he just wimpers until someone lifts him over. He is the neighborhood watch dog too. His domain is a front bow window in the family room. The window seat has a cusioned area for him to run up and down and peak out of little slits in the blinds and bark at any thing that moves. Oh, grama made the cushion for him to sit on too. Mom got the idea to put one of those long flat cushions that vibrates for relaxation up there. She slid the control down thru the cushions and can just reach her hand and turn it on. It worked great at first.....now he ignores it and just give a dirty look to those that turn it on. He used to beat Maddie to everything, especially food. Now Spencer just stands over top of him to be first in line, always for the treats. These are my granddogs, unfortunatley they reside in Indiana, so we only see them every few months.

Mushy Hugs

Sunny Sunday Morning

As promised I am posting pictures of my granddogs. This first one is of Spencer, which one would classify as the "here comes trouble" pup. Spencer is 2 and full of vinegar and soooo endearing no matter what he does. He is not the most beautiful dog of the three, he has long legs, floppy ears and a longer then normal body. But....oh do those eyes sparkle with trouble! Nothing is safe.....will there is a way he will find it! More to come on the other two.
Mushy Hugs

Saturdays Musings

Its Saturday and we're starting on the main bathroom. It was a very dark rose color with some rose border that I just put up when we moved in here to add something to the pure white room. Now that I am really tired of that its time to move forward. Its all been primed and ready now for the Zing Yellow paint. LOL, really its not that zinggy. Doors and trim are going a white but towards the greys. The woodwork is old and the doors they are just the hollow type so its time to spiff them up. I may even do some faux type stuff on them, you just never know. The weather is gorgeous but still in the 20's. Tomorrow a big warm up, they say it could reach 50. Most of the ice has melted off the branches so its not glistening as much. Monday we are supposed to be getting hit again for 3
days so it will be a good time to finish up the bathroom. I have to do some sewing for window and shower treatments so maybe time to get the sewing machine out. You all know I am just procrastinating right now.....I need to get back in and paint some more on my chairs. I have been concentrating on the little bench for right now. There is a bear reading to Raggedy Ann and Andy in the center. I love these little characters. The bear reminds me so much of my granddog Spencer.....both have long necks. Even the bears face reminds me of him. Maybe later today I will post pictures of my granddogs, there are 3 of them. Ok time to go....
Mushy Hugs

TGIF.....Friday! More Snow...

We were supposed to get flurries with maybe an inch accumulation. Well Mother Nature needs to come and remove about 4 inches. I have been painting on the seats of my little childrens chairs. Also doing a small bench that lifts for some little ones tiny treasures. I guess in a way its been really calming with the snow coming down and the warmth of the house and the flicker of the fire in the fireplace. Sigh....yes flicker as its an electric insert.....LOL. Its still so very nice to see its hypnotic effect and know I don't have the mess of ashes to clean up.

Welcome to Wednesday here in northeastern KY. Ice, ice and more ice. I wasn't used to this much ice when living in Sault Ste. Marie, Mi. We would get a bit of ice here and there but not this. School is out for the 3 day in a row for our city schools. Outlaying county it can be normal for due to black ice on the roads. Today I paint, hmm I think I said that yesterday, seemed to twiddle away most of the day doing nothings. I am going to base the seats of the two chairs and look for a bench I have in my wood stash to do the same design on. I'm also working on a hush hush project for a Christmas ornament to be a bit on the high end. Not giving out any info on this yet as it may be a whole mess when its done. I am just soooo secure...LOL. Ok, off to get into
some trouble. Temps are starting to drop and we have snow coming in soon, so going to put a pot of veggie soup on too.
Mushy Hugs

Its Monday? Again?

My how time does have a habit of flying on down the road. No painting done this past weekend. I helped out at a living estate sale. Gentleman was moving to Louisville, KY after 13 years here. His home was fabulous....so many wonderful collections from crystal, cut glass, Asian, cookie jars on shelves all over. Glass cabinets full of all sorts of goodies. This was the 2nd three day sale he has had. I only was a customer at the first one. Still lots of good things left for yet another 3 day one. Today our dog Maggie was having problems with her back and hips, arthritis in the back and its going down the legs. On Predisonne and other drugs, then more tests as they found a large growth under her back leg. They will do a biopsy then. Tonight she is in some discomfort so its going to be a long night. Tomorrow I paint! Here are a few pictures of Jack's home.

Mushy Hugs

Thursday New items to be painted

Gee, where the heck did the week go anyway? The above two childrens chairs are my new endeavor. I think we will go the Raggedy look on booth. Something with a reading or school type theme. They are both sooooo cute, I want to keep them, but I have this little problem, its called lack of space and a husband! So they will be painted to be sold for sure. Tomorrow I am going to do some volunteer work for a family having an estate sale. LOL, they say they pay in merchandise. Its actually the second sale in this 4 story home. They didn't get out half of it for the first one before the holidays. Its rooms full of collections, crystal, dishes, oriental pottery and furniture. Glass ware that doesn't end. They need people to stand and just be present in each room. I was just out from after being housebound with the flu for the first sale and was dizzy from that let alone dizzy from all that was for sale. I have never seen such wonderful collections of things. I think there were close to 200 cookie jars alone. See you all next post.