WE HAVE A WINNER

WE HAVE A WINNER, MONICA WON THE BEAUTIFUL BABY FAVORS TAG.  CONGRATULATIONS MONICA, THEY ARE ON THE WAY TO BEAUTIFUL UTAH.

Thank you to Kate, for the nice presentation on the giveaway. She did a beautiful job while "Blogger" was having so many problems. Also, I love the new followers and your notes, I truly appreciate your support.

An original design, an oval drawer pull " Birds resting on a branch" new Collection, "Birds"

"Number Collection"  A large tag featured in a Treasury on Etsy.

The French Collection. "je t' adore" means "I love you" or "I adore you"
heart tag, display it on a nice candle on your romantic "dinner for two", anniversary, engagement, just because...

VIntage luggage, I love them!!!

Yard sales, and more

When I got there, they decided to close, so I left.

Can you resist a yard sale, I just drove to the market, and there was one yard sale after the other one, easy, just drive and stop, I went to three, scored on the last one only.I mean I didn't pay for the stuff, I got it for free when they were putting in back inside, and complaining that people didn't buy much, oh well, it happened to me, you get up early, arrange the stuff pretty, price the stuff, put out the signs, by the time it starts, you are so tired. Then the crowd begin to arrive, they want the stuff for very little, or you get someone who really wants the best item you have, and they are nice, and pay what its worth.
Then the stuff that you didn't sell goes back inside again.
You count the money, and really maybe you made a few dollars, but by the hour you worked for maybe 50cents an hour, oh but its so much FUN, you meet nice people, hear all kinds of stories, make new friends, and share likes and dislikes of your "antiques"  diy, vintage, and then junk, returns, gifts that you didn't want etc etc.

Write me back with your experiences, I love to read comments.

I stopped at the next one, all in the same street, the stuff was mixed, not shabby enough for me, left again,

Well, the mantle was sweet, but another lady got it first, too bad.

I got there too late.

Love the rustic stool, UnionJack pillows,

This bedroom is full of design

another great design

Reminds me of big A, but even better design

Books and more books, so cozy

Look at all the vignettes, its a dream



Juxtaposition is a cool shop in Los Angeles Ca.

Juxtaposition is one of the better stores for design, next time you go to Ca. don't miss it. Also go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market 2500 vendors, do you think we can find some goodness there, I'm on my way, added to the Dream board.

love

martha



Dreams do come true, a little retail therapy.

Hello friends,

How are you?  Did you have a good day?,  I hope so, I did a little retail therapy, we all know all about it. The sun was shinning, the wind was blowing, and the temperature was very pleasant so, it was the right day.  I went to a small mall with valet parking, o la la, are you jealous??  Well, I used to hate going to this mall, until I found out that they had valet parking for my car, otherwise you had to pay for the parking, across a little way, they have a huge Bloomingdales, and Macy's mall, you don't pay for parking there, and 12 minutes from my house they have a huge new store called Norstrom(Ophra loved their shoes they have millions of shoes.  I don't go there. Well back to the Chestnut Hill Mall, now I  like it, oh well I drove 20 minutes. You understand that I say 20 minutes, equals to one hour or sometimes two hours, here, all you need is a little accident, a game, or repairs of the roads. They are always repairing roads.  This is why for me a trip to the city is a big big thing, I get ready for the road, you never know. four lanes into one lane, or three lanes into one lane, the tunnels flooded, the tunnels are closed, and on and on and on.

The interesting thing about this small mall is that they have three of BLOG LAND favorite stores all together, isn't this amazing?? so in one hour, your therapy is over.

Store No. 1  PB  the cheapest of them all, I took some pictures and drool over the stuff, I sat on one of their couches, and dream, dream, dream, the nice guy started talking to me about my purchases, he wanted me to get some sand for my candles, and shells, there were on sale, well he didn't know I can get free shells, sand and all, but he wanted to sell sell sell, he followed me, and I took pictures, well, he was going to make a sale, however, I don't like sales people in the stores unless I can buy something, and really I wasn't impressed. Now the next two stores, nobody follow me, or care if anybody was buying, it was very nice and relaxing. Interesting eh?  very different salespeople, I did ask if the RH tables are made in CHina,  they said some of them, but avoided the questions like a plague,  I don't buy things made in China, I'm trying to help our economy in my little way.

well done, white ironstone$$$$

Love the lamp shade

A unique coffee table

my entertainment center, dream on

Then, I marched into RH and, drool some more, and it was empty, just the staff, it was around 4:00 in the afternoon, it was beautiful  with a capital B,
more pictures to dream dream dream  Miss RESTORATION HARDWARE

the white books, and antique  weights

more zinc letters, they are everywhere $$$

a basket with rolled antique prints to die for, not for sale. I will tell you what jewels these rolls are, I ask if I could open one, tomorow you will read about it, they are mine, guess how I got them, tell you tomorow.Dreams
do come true and, sometimes they are free.

Love the coffee table unique antique

cool chair very old

cool white books with round thingy

THe T stations typography $$$$

love the map

more T stations

  Well, this is class, everything is beautiful, I'll take it all. Now the BIGGIE, can you guess, well, I didn't stay long on this store because it was very hot, no windows, and the AC was not working, anyway, I counted the people there were about 10 of us, and of course this is where the "real therapy" was in full session, let me tell you I can spend a good hour in this store, and, I'm the kind of person who doesn't like malls, or mega stores.  I don't go very often, I live in a small town that has two mini malls with little boutiques, that is my kind of "reality therapy" we also have the best 2 Home Goods, two TJMax, and two Marshalls, all of them are 10 minutes from my house. The most popular is Home Goods, its always very crowded and you cannot get a cart, or a parking spot.  Its crazy, crazy, the TJMax is very popular because they have a DESIGNER WOMAN section fifi and fifi o la la. 

Back to the therapy, I mean really, it takes a lot of control for me not to pick up and buy something, I mean, I know better, here are the pictures, and then I will tell you what made it back to my humble nest.

cool chair

love the suitcases

these is so cool its all made from jeans just outstanding, it will take hours and hours

the jeans wall, just precious
they cut strips of jeans and staple them to
the wall, so cool

One of my favorites, simple and bright,
attached four legs to a little drawer, simple.

 bunch of printing blocks glue together to add texture

love the windows decorated with moss, its time to get those window decorated, so cute

This is it, I have more pictures, but the therapy ended and I came home with a french soap, a french hand cream, and the cutest letter hook for my bathroom.  Not bad, a lot of control, boy, the thing with this little mall is that the towns are innundated with famous surgeons, and lawyers, Chestnut Hill is 10 minutes from Boston, $$$$ these people don't even look at the prices, I saw them today, "give me on of this, and two of that, and that is it.  so they buy buy buy, and, we drool drool drool, oh I forgot across the street they have a huge CONTAINER STORE, my next therapy session probably in three months, I'm okay, you are okay, we are all okay, remember?

love
martha

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY PAPA

I made two tags for Father's Day for my Etsy shop.  Writing this post was a little hard for me this morning.  My dad passed away a few years ago, he went to a beautiful place in a peaceful way.

You see, (tears) sorry, I had the most extraordinary father a girl can have, I'm not bragging, but today, we see so much about people on tv, and I teach so I deal with a lot of kids without a father, or with an emotional absent father.

Well, my Dad was so dedicated to my brother and I, he took us to the other side of the world, since he was a missionary.  He got up everymorning and had "devotions" simple reading of the Bible, one book a week, we read it many many times, we had breakfast that he prepared, a prayer, and off to school we went.
At 3:00 sometimes he wasn't home, but when he was home, I went upstairs to his office, he had a mahogany old huge rolltop desk, I loved the cubbys, and I did my homework with him.
After the homework, we had dinner, play outside or piano lessons, and prayers, a story and went to bed.

My dad gave me something that money cannot buy, he gave me principles, by example, he gave me belief in the power of God wherever you are, he gave me compassion for the needy, he gave me the best inheritance a father can leave a child, his EXAMPLE.
He was a small men, 4 ft tall, but he didn't have a car, he walked everywhere, helping the needy, preaching, just helping people in a foreign country and telling them that there is hope, you just have to believe and change your life.

They are multiples stories about papa, but today even thou he is resting in heaven, I remembered his last two years of his life, the best times, we didn't want him to go, so my brother and I kept him on this earth just by saying it. Finally he went it was beautiful.
I was thinking today, I want to go in the same peaceful way, They had a blackout in the city, and my dad said I see this bright light, I see my brother, come with me, but we were with candles and flashlights, but he entered the kingdom with bright lights.

I am the woman I am today because of an extraordinary father, a man who understood that to be a father is a big commitment, and responsibility.

Thank you papa for being my Dad,

martha  (tears)

DYI Friday

Hello and Happy Friday.
I had a busy busy day, but I accomplished at least one of the benches, remember I'm doing three, so here is the reveal. I used my creamy white from SW, and a very light blue, mixed by BM guys just for me, I love this blue, is very soft.  I did the top white, and the bottom blue, I did not distress at all, I like the simplicity of the rustic bench.

summer breeze

love this shell its huge

Well, here is bench No. 1, show the other one tomorow, The little milk glass lamp is leaving my home, isn't it adorable, unfortunately I have to sell it, I just have too many lamps, but I love this one so much, it sits everynight in my little table in the kitchen, it adds a soft glow late at night. I have two other ones in the kitche (little lamps), the kitchen is big, so you really need all the lighting, the other two are one on the counter, the other one on the kitchen island on the size. Too many lamps, does anybody else have little lamps in their kitchen?? I don't like ceiling lights in the kitchen unless they are chandeliers. I like the ceiling light by the sink and the counter when I cook, but to eat I prefer candles or little lamps,  how about you?

love

martha

Happy Thursday

Happy Thursday everybody, already the middle of June??  Time goes so fast, so many projects, so little time.

Today I painted, painted, and more painted. I'm burned out of painting.  I did three benches, one, picture frame, and continue on chair No.1 remember the secret, well here we go I am not an upholstered, when I saw these chairs, I didn't think it was so hard, I thought, oh well I remove the seat, you know with the screws and just staple the grain sack.  Oh well, I looked at Miss Mustard Seed tutorial on re-upholstery and, I don't know??
Oh well, a neighbor gave me an idea, I don't know if it will look good, but I'm going to try it.

Well, tomorow I will show you the pictures of my MEGA PAINTING DAY,

Here are some new items for the shop, I know we have a winner, I cann't wait. I put a lot of love and TIME into the tags and knobs. I truly enjoy making them.

A very old cute trunk, bakelite handle and brass hardware, so adorable

1950's skates old and shabby rusty

I love you in French tag with little heart

Vintage old map of Boston coasters

the puzzle, this is an old map of the main part of the city, very nostalgic, and a conversation piece for sure.

I live by the beach so, I am crazy about shells, I started making a collection of shell's tags,

another tag for the collection

Thank you in French, I'm sure you know this was a request so I made a few, not easy to make.

This is it for today, hope to see you tomorow, for the painting marathon pictures. This is what I call since I usually paint very little, but I got inspired by blogland and all the furniture painters out in blogland.

love

martha