Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Heads or Tails?

When my friend Brenda first saw Trixie, she didn't know which was which. Here she is with the recently clipt LaVerne.




I love these girls so much.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

We're Having a Heat Wave....


So. 

Life is being good, in spite of the terrific heat. I have had more visitors to my house this past week than in the last six months. The Gypsy Gang have come to visit and have taken me shopping, aka picking. 

There is a little town near here called Hawk Point, and it is only a bit bigger than Laconia. A mile or less from their 4-way stop sign is a large metal building, air-conditioned, called Unique Treasures. An antique and resale shop with over a hundred booths. In the words of Betty Bob, Who Knew? My friends drove me there, and at first I was a bit lost. I mean, I am not into the buying and reselling thing much. I don't really collect anything, do I? In the end, though, I found some real neat stuff, including two more older paint-by-numbers landscapes. I think the plan has evolved to cover an entire wall in the dining room with pbn. 

Otherwise, I am feeling friended and loved and liked and wanted. Yay me!


Here is some fun from The Muppets.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

So.

I've had my booth at Gypsy Gatherings for just over two weeks, and I have made rent and gravy. Yay me. 

Leslie, the Head Gypsy, and I seem to be separated-at-birth twins, albeit with a 14 year age differential. (Helena Handbasket, I wish you were here!) She has a few issues - just like me. Also, she likes the quirky and the odd. We both love ugly lamps. As she says, somebody needs to love the ugly things in this world. 

Come the first of August, (and how in dog's name has half the year already slipt past?) I will work one day a week in lieu of rent, and I will move my booth closer to the central hub of activity. It will mean losing my window to the street, but I will gain a wall. This was Leslie's idea, which means she likes me enough and trusts me enough to handle the cash register and customers and all that. (It's not like I can't. I've had my own store.) I love the trust that I have engendered, without trying even. I feel good.

If I could get to Indiana, I could bring home several more items to sell - along with my patterns and pattern paper. I am really wanting to make more hippie clothes that sold so well in my old store. 

However, this past week, Sweetie had one job interview, and next Thursday, he has another one with a big food company in Columbia. His current job has been extended again, to last through December. We both wiped sweat from our brows after hearing that news. 

I'm hoping that I can make some sort of money with the Gypsy Gatherings, (like real money,) and I am happy to find a place that I can actually work at! Dog knows I cannot work at any sort of "real" job. 

And Leslie feels the same way about herself, in spite of an expensive education.

Parrots a la Paint by Number
This is a great paint-by-number I found at the store. The greens are perfect for the dining room. And? It's a big Paint-By-Number Painting! (I think it is 18" x 24".) And let's not even start about my new collection of Las Vegas kitsch. 

Millie and Trixie at play.
Trixie and Laverne, aka Gertie, are doing well. Laverne has come a long way from being the scared and skittish thing she was when I first got her, and Trixie is closing in on being 5 months old and is settling down just a bit. It is too hot to let them be outside, but they are both doing well in the office/mudroom. I have begun to let them have 24-hour roaming privileges, and that makes all of us happy. 

Friday, July 15, 2011

Mmmm, creamy!

How to make ricotta cheese at this link.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Safe and Natural!

I've seen something like these purses on Regretsy, but they are still useful, cute, and recycled plastic. I've sold every one that I placed at the store, along with regular tote bags from the same type feed bags.

There's a little pocket inside.
I like the chicken.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Step Right Up!

I have sold so much stuff at my "store"! I have already made my rent, and now am into the gravy part of sales. 

I have sold tote bags and purses made out of woven plastic feed bags, fancy aprons, pot holders, a skirt, several books and assorted knick knacks, and I have some people interested in my art quilts. I never thought this store was so busy, but they get a lot of traffic, and Gypsy Gathering is just now listed on the new Missouri state brochure of antique stores along I-70. I'm going to have to work harder! I am also beginning to pick up the odd alteration job here and there. 

Who knew? Who knew that that sudden impulse to check out "that store" a few weeks ago would energize my life?

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

We now do catering!

New Table
Finally have a dining room table that matches the house, courtesy of Gypsy Gathering. It needs a bit of love, but it's a wonderful piece. I especially like the curved legs.

Also added some new furniture to the large and sort of bare living room. Old rocker recently reupholstered and what is described as "a camel saddle." I'm fairly certain that it is something sold to tourists only, (maybe I should google it,) but the soft red leather seat, the little bell, and the brass camels won my heart. 

New Furniture


Camel Saddle















In the background is a funky 60s style corner table that Leslie gave me, and it fits in so well with our lack of style. The alien-head bank is a thrift store find from way back.

The Studio
I plan to spend time today in the studio. I make something almost every day in there, but yesterday was more organize than anything else. I hate needing something, and not knowing where it is.

Fuzzarelly is up and running and I hope to take some photos there this afternoon. This is the Head Gypsy, Leslie.

Leslie

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Friday, July 01, 2011

The Queen of Hearts


This evening at 7:00, the heat index temperature was 113º. It was hard for me to breathe, in the outside. (It's not the heat, it's the stupidity!) (It's not the heat, it's the humanity!)

Still, I went to Gypsy Gatherings, and arranged my offerings as well as I could. What with the white walls, and my white curtains, and the merchandise, it rather looked like an art show gallery. My little "store front" is 8' x 9'. Not a lot of space, but still, I am no where near filling it up. 

Sweetie went with me, the first trip today. I gotta love his sense of humor. He went in first with some of my things, and was greeted by Leslie, the proprietor. "Welcome to the store," she said. He replied, "Hi! We're reverse shoplifters. We take things into stores and leave them." She about died laughing. So Sweetie likes the ambience of the place and is happy for my venture.

Still no photos, despite having camera in hand. Maybe tomorrow. Which is going to be even hotter than today.