My Horoscope says...

"Get ready for your ambition to kick in. Your career is back on the front burner"

OK. I'm on it. I'm committed to some shows this fall that require a lot of mosaic inventory...if I'm hoping to have a good show. Normally by this time, I've gotten a good start on things. Not so much this time. I'll tell you why -

This last May marked my one year anniversary at Stars Antiques. That one little booth has kept me very busy. So what did I do? I opened a second booth! If I thought I was busy before... Who knew something so fun would take so much of my time? Have you noticed that estate sales are often starting on Thursdays now? I could spend 4 days a week at estate sales! If you map out 3 or more, it takes all day - they can be miles and miles apart. Thrifting with friends can happen unexpectedly any day of the week - which almost always requires a luncheon. Cleaning, repairing, painting and pricing the stuff I bought takes more time than you might think. Then I haul it all in to Stars on Mondays and Wednesdays, usually with a friend - so thrifting on the way, and lunch of course. This little antique hobby/business is a time-consuming monster. A sweet, adorable monster that I love.

But I really do still love my mosaic business - and I've got to get in there and get busy. Here's a picture of my studio. Its looks like a bomb went off in there. Sadly, matches the rest of my house right now. I would love to spend an entire week taking the whole thing apart and cleaning and organizing it. I would love, love, love to have an organized and cute studio like my friend Laurie. But at this late hour, that would definitely be considered procrastination. I'm heading in today and "get my career back on the front burner".

Right after I take a shower, get some laundry started, take care of the dishes in the sink, water the plants outside, get some groceries...

First Post!

My very first blog posting! I've been putting this day off for a year...or more. But thanks to the urging of one of my goodest vintage friends Lisa, here I am bloggin' away. The reason for my procrastination was the knowledge that computer stuff is a major time-sucker, but thanks to Lisa's help, its really only been about 5 hours since I got started! Lisa is definitely not to blame for my limited computer skills - I'm learning as I go, the reading of any instructions is a last resort. Trial and error will always be my way, and it usually works out...eventually.

Here's a picture of my new booth at Stars & Splendid Antiques Mall. It has a bit more of a feminine palette than my Stars booth across the street. Two mall spaces is going to be a lot of work, but I can finally walk right straight through my garage without any side-stepping or climbing! I do have a great time thrifting and standing in lines for the estate sales. I have met some interesting (to be polite) people standing there in line with me. I've also made a lot of really great friends there too. You know who you are...



My favorite, ever-helpful, handy-dandy, will-climb-into-a-dumpster-if-you-ask-him-nice, husband John, built the lovely window trellis thingy for me. It creates a nice wall between me and my neighbors.

Pictured way up above are a few of the birdhouses I make. I have been a mosaic artist for about 10 years (lots of the aforementioned trial and error), and everything is made using only vintage and antique dishes and pottery. I make all kinds of things - mirrors, jewelry boxes, watering cans. More about all that later. Watch for an Etsy account...

And here is a project I have started recently. Keep in mind she's a work in progress - she was a soft, foamy, cloth-covered mannequin from the Goodwill Outlet (The Bins). I first covered her in vintage sheet music using clear satin verithane. Then bit by bit, I've been attaching little collections of things I've been gathering over the years - knowing that someday I would have an idea. So far she's wearing a lot of vintage rhinestone jewelry, keyholes, rusty hinges, typewriter keys, skeleton keys, a violin piece, tattered needlepoint, an old weathervane horse with bullet-holes, letters, numbers and more. I'll keep you posted on her progress. Lisa says she needs a name, anyone have any ideas?
Now that I've started, I just want to tell you everything right now! But I know you have other things to do as well... Thanks for visiting - hope to hear from you!