Write on Me: Chevron Meets Chalk

I found this at Saver's for .99.  My daughter found it also and I give her credit because I found it first but decided it wasn't essential. As it turns out, it was...at least to my daughter, who once home, quickly forgot about it.  I didn't want it to end up in a toy bin, lost, dented, unused for all of eternity, so I rescued it and now it's at least in the open air...I actually haven't decided what it's purpose should be, but I'm sure it will find one...knowing our household it will end up containing either pens, change, or M&M's...yes, we're an original household. It had a sticker on it that said "Write on Me".  Has anyone ever invented chalk that's as thin as pens? Those would be useful for the space, given here. 

I put this tin canister in the functional art category because Chevron is very in these days, and for good reason...it's pretty!! And that's a fact.  The chalk sticker thing gives it even more character and versatility.  I won't ever write the name of the items which it holds...that's redundant, in my most humble opinion.  It's not like I'm a rebel though.  It won't write "PENS" on it if I'm using it for plastic silverware...but I also won't write "PENS" on it if it's containing...Pens. 

I think it was a good investment for .99, even though I could've gotten a can of refried beans for about the same amount, of which we buy large amounts at Costco.  I doubt I would have found this at Costco for .99, and I think the refried beans will probably be there tomorrow, so that justifies my purchase. 

The identifying sticker on the bottom says: Manufacture name: Nanzhou Hardware Arts. When I Googled this name a lot of weird websites came up and none had this item.  Etsy, Oriental Trading Company, and Amazon: http://amzn.to/1zuxZ4v had something similar without the chalkboard thing. 

The only other Chevron item I own at this time is a gift bag that my daughter received for her birthday.  I forgot what was inside, but I kept this gift bag and it hangs on my closet doorknob. Right now it's job is just to sit and look pretty.  Someday I envision making it into an art project, but who has time for art projects? 

Flower-Power

I found this metal flower at Bookman's for $5.50.
http://bookmans.com.

This website has something slightly similar:
http://www.countryporch.com/darice/view.asp?item=106-4740M

Amazon has something in the neighborhood:
http://amzn.to/1nt2L9Z

Bookman's description says they buy, sell, and trade the following:
used books, music, movies, video games & musical instruments.


They also carry lots of very random knick knacks.  They have a separate area for the non-book, non-DVD, non-musical items, but they also have knick knacks interspersed between the various book genres and they do a fantastic job with matching the knick knacks to the book genre.
  
For example, I was validated and amused to see a benign enough looking clown sitting on a small floating shelf, next to  used books in the Horror genre.  I'm in that category, dare I say the majority, who sees clowns for what they are:  People in disguise who can literally get away with murder or any other crime and remain justifiably anonymous, due to their culturally acceptable costume. Nevertheless, a part of me felt bad for the clown because I doubt it's creator wanted it to the representation of evil incarnate, sitting next to used Horror novels.  It's creator, most likely meant it to be a comfort for small children, who's brains aren't yet developed enough to sense evil. 

In the "Beauty" section is where I found this too-cool flower. At first, I thought it was just a flower statue, knick-knack, but soon realized it was for holding jewelry.  My mom told me that earrings go into the perforated holes in the flower petals. Shows, how much I know about jewelry, let alone beauty, in general.  I keep all my "jewelry" in a painted, porcelain, flip flop box, I painted at one of those paint your own pottery places. I've never been huge into beauty products but this flower jumped into my Bookman's basket and made itself right at home with a plastic-bird-house church tower.  

The Sociology section had two carved wooden heads, male and female.  The Medical section had a small wooden Pharmacy and so forth.  It's too fun. I didn't pay attention to the non-book items in the "Self-Help" section because I was too busy trying not to laugh at the book titles.  Also, I was "cashe-trophizing" that someone would snag my flower while I was distracted by titles such as: "Why Men Marry Bitches" and "Strangling Your Husband is Not an Option." 
"Why Men Marry Bitches" is going this second, on Amazon for less than $14.00 http://amzn.to/WI5cvt.


"Strangling Your Husband is Not an Option" is available at Amazon too: http://amzn.to/1urce6A.

I think authors and publishers are on to something with this catchy title phenomenon.  They definitely caught my attention.

Another title that caught my attention was in the "Writing" section, entitled: "The Writer Got Screwed but Didn't Have to." http://amzn.to/1t8FFc1. I may go back and snag that one, someday, if it's still there. I mean, why get screwed, if you don't have to?

The point is, I could spend all day at Bookman's but usually only have a couple hours to spare, which feels more like 10 minutes.  I think I did an okay job snagging this flower find and maybe it will inspire me to wear more jewelry...goodness knows I could use some bling in my life.

House2Home: Wise Sayings.

I found these at Savers for $3.99 each.  I know! I wish they were only $1.99 each, but considering House2Home sold them for $19.99 each, it's not a bad deal.

I had never heard of House2Home before. There's a House2Home Store website: http://www.house2homestore.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=33.  It looks pretty cool, but it says House2Homestore.com; not sure if it's the right store.  They have a FB page too: https://www.facebook.com/House2Homestore

This website: Seattle 2nd Hand: http://hongqiaomarket.jimdo.com/buy/collectibles/framed-art/
is selling them for $15.00 each.

Anyway, it occurred to me that since I don't know Chinese, this artwork may be saying something other than its English translation. Lucky for me, my sis-in-law speaks Mandarin and was able to satisfy my suspicions of possible American-Artwork-Monolingual-Ignorance, you know (AAMI). The last thing I would want would be someone to frequent my powder room with mocking or obscene statements bearing down on them, unsuspecting, thinking they're absorbing positive vibes, when really they're just being insulted for not knowing Chinese!

I think I've defensively stated this before but, usually I don't like artwork with simple, cliche-like sayings, but this smallish, bilingual pair, with plastic bamboo frame-outline-thing won me over, as an exception to the rule.  Usually when people, or inanimate objects tell me common-sense, generic, sayings, my initial response is "YOU LISTEN TO YOUR HEART!!!!!" and "LOVE DOES NOT HEAL ALL, WHATEVER." Maybe it's all in the way it's stated.  For some reason, I don't feel patronized by these two, humble, statements and patronizing word-art is nothing to laugh about.

They've found a home on my bathroom wall, which, by the way, needs a major paint job.  What color goes well with gray? Anyway, someday in the next two years, they will go smashingly with their new background, and that background will NOT be taupe or tan or beige...I don't know if I can wait two years.  Of course I would design a room with my Savers art as the foundation...what else would it be, the vanity? I rest my case.

DIY: Word Art: Crap I made YOU

So I found this plastic faux-metal frame at Savers for $1.99.  I wanted something round for that particular blank space on the wall.  I thought this would do it, despite the square corners.  Long story short...it didn't cut it.  I couldn't pretend its hard edges weren't there.  I've never been great at denial.

I decided it needed some spray paint and I had red and green left over from Christmas.  I cut these sayings out of magazines and taped them onto the background with that patterned tape used for scrapbooking...it holds pretty well (And someday I will make page two of my child's scrapbook). I moved it to another place on the wall and eventually, you'll be happy to know, found another round-round item to put on the wall.  For those of you who are waiting with baited breath...I shall tell you.  It's a mirror that looks like a porthole...it's awesome.  My husband told me he had one in his bathroom as a child.  I wasn't sure what to make of that but at least I knew it was somewhat...not young...approaching vintage status possibly.  I will discuss it in a future post, if I can figure out how to photograph it without myself in the picture (Need we say Vintage Pantry Queen Mirror).

Language is powerful.  I am guilty of not using language to my advantage, although my job is to use it to other's advantage and empower themselves to do the same...easier said than done (no pun intended).

I hope our digital age doesn't eradicate paper formats because there's something so therapeutic about taking words out of their original context and using them in a whole new and different way.  Talk about coloring outside the lines...I mean usually taking things out of their context is frowned upon, but magazines make it so easy and tempting.  We should not pass up an opportunity for a beautiful, tangible magazine...because who knows for how long we will be able to take scissors to paper, without feeling guilty...this is one thing tablets etc will never be able to replicate.  Call me old fashioned...exclaims the blogger.

Hallmark Little Gallery

I found this little treasure at Goodwill for .69.  The saying is hallmark-y for sure, but how cute is it! I'm glad the sticker is still on it because I never knew Hallmark had a "Little Gallery" collection. I found the following paragraph from this link: http://ornaments.freeservers.com/guide/lg/index.html

The Little Gallery was introduced by Hallmark in the early 1970s and ended in early 1984. The line included figurines, plates, placques and decorative items primarily produced in pewter, porcelain and Australian Crystal. Prices for the pieces ranged from $12 - $80. 

Popular pieces included Betsey Clark, Mary Hamilton and Joan Walsh Anglund children. There seems to be a demand on the secondary market now for the Muppet Collection pieces. A series of mice, Cheddar and Co are also popular.

Hallmark sold the copyrights for Cheddar and Co and Betsey Clark pewter to Hudson in cooperation with the New England Pewter Co., who continued to produce the pieces after 1984 without the Little Gallery Logo.

Of special interest is a plate named "Special Day" produced in 1984. This plate was originally to be used for Father's Day and Mother's Day, but with the line discontinued - they produced the plate in small quantities and offered it to dealers for the "Special Day" of the end of the Little Gallery. http://ornaments.freeservers.com/guide/lg/index.html. 

When I googled "Little Gallery Mice" as referenced in the above paragraph, links for miniature mice figurines came up as well as some other Hallmark miniature collectibles. Some are being sold on Etsy, like this one:

Little Gallery Hallmark Ceramica Plaque showers of kindness fill hearts with Sunshine Tague Kitschy Walnut Frame Girl and Ducks

https://www.etsy.com/listing/159666278/little-gallery-hallmark-ceramica-plaque?ref=market for $12.  This one has the artist: Tague

Other similar "Little Gallery" pictures show the artist such as Betsey Clark and Walsh Anglund.  Mine, as shown, doesn't have an artist's name. Darn.   If you have any Hallmark Little Gallery items, they may be worth money because many of them are now collectibles.

On Ebay this same item sold for $9.95.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hallmark-Little-Gallery-Wood-Plaque-Love-Isnt-love-til-its-given-away-Mouse-/121269823266
I can't find out any other information about this one specifically.

This picture made me recall the FRIENDS episode (Sorry had to put a link to the full series seeing as I always reference these 6 goofballs) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B1LN8WY/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00B1LN8WY&linkCode=as2&tag=crifoyo-20&linkId=4AVE2FEYNTECZSLS
where Joey and Phoebe argue about if there's such as thing as a selfless act.  Phoebe believes it's possible to do something selfless without receiving anything in return.  To make her point she goes out and lets a bee sting her so the bee could "Look tough in front of all his bee friends", while she didn't receive anything except for a painful sting.  Joey broke the news to her that after she did this, the bee most likely bit the dust.  Needless to say, this news was not received well, not to mention, how did Joey all of a sudden become the smart one? Maybe he learned it from the Encyclopedias he bought from the Encyclodpedia salesman, or maybe, Joey, like many others in this world are underestimated.  I just found that ironic.  I would have pictured Ross or Chandler to have spoken up and enlightened Phoebe to this bit of trivia.  Alas, Joey had his moments where he could give the others a run for their money.

I interpret this mouse in my Little Gallery treasure to be offering this bee his flower at the risk of being stung. The mouse does not appear to be a martyr because it's smiling as if to say: "Joey and Phoebe, your argument is silly because I can give this flower to Mr. bee and receive joy at the giving without worrying about if I'm being selfless or not." If the artist had shown him/herself we could possibly verify that, but now we'll never know.  It's speculation at this point.  We'll all have to find a way to sleep at night without knowing exactly the extent of this mouse's angst at sharing his flower.

We do know, however, at least from "Cinderella" that cartoon mice seem to have somewhat cheerful, selfless dispositions, not to mention singing and dress-making abilities, but their relational skills are quite pronounced (at least from what I've gathered from watching "Cinderella" several dozen times). I don't feel like putting a link to the DVD "Cinderalla" because if you haven't seen it by now...well...we'll just leave it at that.

What's neat about this miniature picture is that it doesn't take up hardly any space on the wall; it's lightweight and did I mention how darn cute it is! That's a fact, no opinions here. No wonder miniature things are so desirable.  How did this line ever stop getting produced? We may never know.  Again, lets not lose any sleep.  Just let it bee.

Like Totally

I found this at Goodwill for $2.99.  I'm not sure why the word "Radical" wouldn't be carved into a soft wood plank thing.  I don't feel like going to Wikipedia right now and finding the origins of this tubular word. I just don't.  I need a break from Wikipedia.  I'm sure I'll come back to it, seeing as it has the answers for everything.  If the reader feels deprived I will gladly research it for a later time, after I've come through safely on the other side of Wikipedia burn-out

This time I'm rebelling (gasp); just like the soul who decided the best word on the planet to carve into a stray piece of wood would be "Radical".  I'm assuming the person wanted to avoid any cliche wood-words like: "Cowboy", "Campground" or "Outhouse".   Thankfully they agree with me that having word art like: "Laundry", "Bathroom" and "Eat" grace the very same rooms where those functions obviously take place due to the other non-verbal material culture (need we safely assume that if a washer and dryer are present, this is the correct room in which to do laundry, and if there is a refrigerator, table, island, dishes, and most telling...food, this would hint towards it being a place where one would most likely eat) is outright silliness for lack of more righteous phrasing.  But, alas, each to his own.  Who am I to judge?  I have a "Radical" sign hanging above a bright orange locker filled with mugs.  I appreciate symbolism but sometimes carving a random, vintage-like word into a left over piece of scrap just seems to be the right choice.  Sometimes making sense of things is just boring.  I fully support the word-choice even though it seems like this sign would be seen hanging somewhere in a Route 66 Cafe and instead of "Radical" it would most likely say "Ladies" or "Gents".

There's no telling markings on this artwork to indicate that it was mass-produced although if tomorrow I found something similar at Pottery Barn I wouldn't be surprised (need we say Aluminim Rolodex).

Maybe I'm trying to find some good reason that this word should stand alone in my kitchen.  What's the story behind it to justify it's mysterious, non-identifiable, capitalized, non-apologetic space hogging, randomness?

Well, I don't have one! I just think it's cool.  I think it's rad.  I think it's bold.  I've realized I could use more boldness in my life and less defensiveness, while we're at it. I'd like to be able to speak my mind with conviction,  and make my point succinctly enough to not bore people, but leave them wondering about me, but not in a cryptic, creepy way, as if I had a double-life and was leaving some mysterious message for only a rogue detective to find along the path of my shattered, law-evading existence, but in a "Wow, she's authentic, I'd like to hear more of her bold thoughts and opinions."

I'm sure it's a fine line...as it was for this young sap who decided to go with his heart and etch a word that felt right at the time...He may have gotten fired from his job etching boat dock signage, or Old Western Paraphernalia, but it was worth it.  He was true to himself in his writing, another good lesson to take.  And I don't care that I ended that last sentence with a preposition and started the new one with "And"; the tides are changing, yes they are.

"Creating the Peaceful Home" and other original blog post titles.

 My blog post title is not original because I took it directly from the title of this book: "Creating the Peaceful Home" by Ann Rooney Heuer.  Goodwill gave it to me after I gave them $3.99.  I wish I could tell you I got it on dollar day but I don't remember, so we'll just leave it at $3.99 to stay conservative.  There's the spirit.

I do remember it was a relaxing day.  Me and my husband had a date-day for some odd reason, but we obviously didn't question it.  We headed to a Mexican restaurant for lunch, close to our hood, which had been referred to us by our neighbors, one of which, has the appropriate street cred, being Mexican herself.

 I took a picture of the patio because it was colorful and nicely shaded with trees that bent over due to some condition with their roots; I don't know.  I'm not an arborist.  I hoped the trees weren't in pain or had Degenerative Disc Disease or Osteoarthritis in order to bring natural shade to the patio patrons, but ignorance is bliss on that one.

We enjoyed three different flavors of salsa which were displayed in a three salsa holder dish-contraption.  It was awesome! After enjoying the salsa...and food, we headed next door to Goodwill, my mother-ship (Legally Blonde).   There, among Italian flash cards, I snagged this super cool find.  Today (disclaimer) you can snag it on Amazon, used in hardcover or paperback for .01.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567997996/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1567997996&linkCode=as2&tag=crifoyo-20&linkId=DECOQE2HKSQG4HWD.

As far as Ann Rooney Heuer goes, she has a website and several blogs:
http://www.annerooney.com/#!online/c1nep
http://www.stroppyauthor.com
http://bookvivisection.blogspot.co.uk
http://awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.co.uk

Amazon has a short biography on her:
http://www.amazon.com/Anne-Rooney/e/B001H6S7RO

I wish I could feign surprise at myself for buying this item since the internet has been working hard to make picture books extinct, at least in tangible-book format.   We have magazines, we have www.Houzz.com; we have Google Images, none of which I begrudge, in fact the opposite.  I am a non-traditional picture book addict.  Although, I still have some values and have resisted giving in to any tablet-like things. Therefore, since I insist on being politically correct and pleasing all involved, I try to keep my foot in both worlds.

I still like to smell and touch real books and I like to scroll through images on my phone, so sue me! Do I miss getting papercuts when I'm image-scrolling? No, but the other day I got a shred of glass lodged in my upper index finger, which remained there for a week and half until I finally tweezed it out after my co-worker suggested I show our on-site doctor and then stating emphatically: "You have glass in your finger!".  I never knew foreign objects lodged in fingers could cause so much pain; well now I do!

So, I don't regret this picture book.  I use it as decoration on my bookshelf; the cover is word art in itself.  It conjures up images of peaceful rooms and spaces, and invites one to retreat into safe, private, and secure retreats.

I think creating peaceful spaces is an inherent value within human nature.  We don't need any advance credentials or degrees to conclude that access to peaceful, serene, places are invaluable for people to grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

When I think about the TV show "Hoarders" or any similar show, I'm reminded how graphically it depicts what happens to ones health when his/her physical environment is not only unsafe and toxic, but ugly as well.  Even though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, we all can safely assume: Hoarding = Bad; Cleaner than hoarding but not perfection = Good.

Now that we're all on the same page and not in danger of breaking any politically correct laws (Heaven forbid). I will conclude with an exhortation to not give up on our less than perfectly-peaceful   environments, despite the barriers of moola, time, energy, and all the other precious resources NOT at our disposal.

I've personally found that changing and investing in even small, little improvements and upgrades can  
improve my sense of wellbeing and productivity.  After we finally upgraded to faux wood window blinds from the disturbing paper window shades we lived with over a year, I actually cleaned the bathroom, and we weren't even expecting company...like just for fun.

Just something to chew on...